The morning call., 1891-03-22

a-l2-Cm. gun and l2-cm. mortar.
b-53-nm. q. +. guns.
Grimm. O +. guns.
PERIOD of hostilities, aud Europe owes
much to the ingenuity evolved at
this time of dire national necessity. The
authorship has not in all cases been ade-
quately acknowledged, and we have since
reinvented some Of the comm0nplaces Of
the transatlantic operations. The fighting
around Richmond and Petersburg showed
what improved eaTthworks could do even
against rifed artillery, as SeDastOpol had
shown what they could do against smooth
bore weapons. In the French war Of 1870
the fOrtresses, although garrisOned largely
by militia and pitted against guns not
dreamed Of when they were built, acquitted
themselves quite as well as the chefs d'GuYre
of the Vauban school. The defense of
Paris can only be regarded as an unbroken
mans would have swept France clear of all
organized bodies of troops within two
months Of the frontier battles. Had Paris
and Metz possessed two months more food
the fortunes Of the war might have been
changed"
But to-day we find new and interesting
systems Of Notifications proposed, il view
of the increased power or attacking artil-
Iery. One of these is that of NJ. MOugin Of
the ST. diamond firm. His fort consists of
a huge block of concrete, buried in the
ground, and carrying on the top three
guns; while there are in the intervals
between them four smaller disappearing
cupolas d. b. b, b., each containing two ma
chine guns. In the center is an observing
station with electric lights. The garrison of
this block OF concrete consists of thirty or
forty skilled mechanics. The subterranean
maze is entered by well, closed by an iron
armOr plate worked by a hydraulic ram
The guardian sets it in operation only when
he has the cOuntersign and other signals
civ In the tuOn1l hnngqth this lift
are various traps devised for destroying an
enemy who may have entered by strata
gem. There is no ditch, and the self
defense of the fort depends upon the eight
machine guns. To defend the intervals and
also to supplement the artillery fire dou-
bic line Of railway encircles the position,
covered by a rough parapet Trucks carry
ing light guns run on the outer line, aud
there are cross lines for transferring other
guns to any required point on the inner line.
This is said to be very economical system
of defense, and certainly the pay of the
garrison cannot be very heavy. A fellow
ceuntryman of NJ. Mougin eritciZes his 'gi-
gantic block Of concrete" with mechanics
for its only defenders, as absurd; but Cen
eral Briafmont insists that it is excellent in
conception.
A second system of proposed forts IS that
Of Colonel Cambrelin of the Belgian army.
They are combinations OF earth and iron,
either redans, with closed gOrges, or re-
doubts. They have iron escarps' Whlle IRON
cupolas protect the guns on The ramparts
and iron classmates flank the bitches. The
infantry is provided with loop-holed armored
shields.
Lieuteuant-ColonelV oorduin of the Dutch
Engineers proposes a system of forts about
one and a quarter miles apart They Would
consist of mass Of concrete covered with
an earth parapet in front, and on its rear
line @ two-gun cupola, while behind the
cupola is casemated three-gun battery.
The garrison is housed in the rear battery
and in classmates built into the concrete
mass A wet ditch is added, which is easily