Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-08-29
DefenseS Much More Powerful
That Wien They WithStood
Germany During Siege Of
1901,
EvERtMEANs TAKEN
II STRENGTHEN FORTS
Mnitay Experts Regard City
; as Practically ImpregnabIe
II Attack by Any Force
Brought Against It,
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'tsY soss,sa JOURNAL SPECIAL tsssto wissi
Washington. Aug 2S.--The fortifi-
ctions OF Paris and their ability to
resist siege Is receiving the close at
ention of military observers. now
hat Paris is the announced objective
point Of the German forces, and the
French ministry Of war has adopted
urgent means of strengthening the
city's defense to the utmost.
While the city's detailed defenses
are surrounded with secrecy by French
military authorities. yet their general
character and formIdable strength are
known ia military experts. who rec
ognlze them as among the strongest
Notifications of the world.
Three Distinct Circles.
These Notifications consist OF three
distinct circles sweeping around the
city: First, the sold wall Of masonry.
eighteen feet high extending for TWEEN
ty-two miles around the old sections
Of Paris: second. the system Of seven
teen detached forts arranged at i'm
tcrvals, two miles beyond the wall and
making a circuit of the city thirty
four miles long; and third. an outer
girdle OF forts seventy-five miles long
on the heights commanding the valley
Of the Seine.
Each Of these circles Of masonry
and steel is complete defense in it.
self. the forts being linked together
with redoubts. baYions and sglacis
which permit cross fire against APP
proach from any direction.
Vast System OF Dcfcnscs.
The magnitude Of the system isl
shown by its area which exceeds 400
square miles.
The wall around Paris and the sew
enteen detached forts two miles be-
You'd the wall were built by Louis
Philippe. They sustained the German
Siege of fS70-71 and the outer forts
have since been greatly strengthened.
The third line gof.'fofts onatheShHs Of
St. Germaine, Cormeilles and VilIiers.
are OF modern construction with the
latest types Of batteries and heavy
guns
The inner wall about Paris SUR
rounds the best known and most inn
the business sections along the grand
bouleyards the residence sections on
the north and west of the city and the
Latin quarter and other sections on
the left banks of the Seine.
Gates Closed at Night.
On the outside of the wall circle
Of suburbs extends for many miles,
including Neuiily. Argenteuil. YER
sailles Vincennes and many others.
The forts OF the second and third line
OF dcfenses are dotted among these
suburbs. protecting them and the APP
proaches to the capital. The wall
contains ninety-three bastions and
slxty-seven gates Some of these have
been abandoned owing to the pressure
of modern construction and trade. But
recent advices received here from
Paris state that all the gates still ex-
listing are now closed at p. m with
rigid regulations against movements
from within or without.
The second line of forts includes
the famous fortress Of Mont Valerian,
which was the center of attack in the
German siege of 1870. 1t Is strength
ened by Two groups of works--iiautes
Buyers land the Chatillon fort and
batteries.
Forts Of Modern. Type.
South OF the city is the row of forts
at Ivry, Bietre, Mont Rogue, Vanves
and lssy. North and east of the city
are three great forts around st. Denis
and two others at Fort Aubervillers
,.lit nj n
approaches from the great wood OF
Bondy.
The outer circle of forts which are
OF the most modern type have from
twenty-five to sixty heavy guns and
500 to 1900 men each. In all the
three lines Of defenses require 10000
men to operate them. not counting
troops assembled within the city. Ac-
cordng to military experts Il would
require q forge of 5Oe,oO men to in
vest these defenses.
Hard to Take in 1870.
General Won Moltke. field marsha
q the German forces, at the time OF
the siege Of Paris In 1870, states In a
report on that siege that the French
artillery armament consisted of more
.han 2.s27 pieces. including 200 Of the
largest caliber of naval ordinances
lhere were. 500 rounds for each gun
ana RESERVE of 100000 Kilograms
q powder. Won Moltke points out
mat ting bombardment of fortified
place n the heart of an enemy'sl
country Is difficult If not impossible
until the invader Is master Of the rail-
ways or waterways by which heavy
siege artillery can be brought up In
.u'i quantity. He explains the failure
% lombard Paris at the outset of the
lormer siege by saying it would have
required 800 heavy guns with 500
FUNDS for each gun. The movement
,o"ard OF these heavy guns would
nave required $500 f0ur-wheeled wa
suns and 10000 horses which were
not available.
stronger Than In Former War.
al later stage the Germans
Thought up their big siege guns at