The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-11
PARIS FOR S|ECE;; !
GORDON Of TRAPS !
Horrors of 1871 Spur Pop
uIaCe to Precautions
Against Famine.
-".>.~~~>e~~>>~>~~>~>>~S

had in the neighbOrhOod of 100000
inhabitants. including the soldiers
present for the citys defense. Be-
yond this enceinte of forts, at a jill
dicious distance, lay the investing Ger.
mans. and allowing 5000 men per mile,
and the arc one of about fifty miles,
that meant II permanent force on the
firing lines of 100000 troops.
Today Paris has a population of
quite 3.OOOOOO souls. and the outermost
fortified zone covers more than double
the distance of that embraced by the
detached forts Of 1870 Indeed the On
virons of north. east and south Paris
are divided into three great intrenched
camps, with their margins protected
by many new permanent batteries AMI
forts.
Much of he system of Notifications
about the capital is secret The space
between and in advance of the main
forts is dotted with small preserves
forbidden . the public, in which bat.
teries are mounted. Vast lines of field
works are designed for the intervals
between the forts.
Trrps For the Enemy.
While formerly the big guns were all
fought from within the fortress, it is
necessary in modern warfare to place
them where their positions can be
oh 70 e 81, 10
change. For this purpose there is
about Paris military belt line rail.
road which connects with ali the forts.
and has spurs connecting it with the
places designed for field Notifications.
But 1t is one matter for the besicger
to pass through the intervals and take
the city and another to take the forts
They are as Il rule protected by barbed
wire entanglemcnts, intended to delay
the charging infantry, and to hold it
under fire from the fort and from
trenches immediately protecting the
fort After the barbed wire has been
cut or blown up by land torpedoes.
built especially to smash snch Obstruc
TONS the charging columns have to-
pass over mined ground The usual
mines are fougasscs, explosives fired
electrically from the fort, which throw
tons of rock or other missiles into the
air If these barriers are Surm0unted
the charging troops must face coun
ter charge from infantry held mi
trenches Immediately protecting the
Sort
If the encmy's soldiers finally get at
close quarters with the fort they ind
It surrounded by n deep ditch. thirty
feet wide. filed with water. and de
Tended by machine guns trained length
wise along the ditch, and infantry trP
from positions along the rampartS IN
side the fort
While the fort is powerfully equipped
to protect itself from direct assault. its
fail is n matter of time when it is iSo
lated and heSiegcd The ring of de
tached forts is supplied by the belt line
railroad. and. if this is in the hands OF
the enemy. supplies, Ammunition au"
men to fill the places Of the dead IN
the garrison cannot be obtained.
Guarding Against Famine.
The greatest menace to city in a
state of siege lies in the possibility OF
starvation.
Paris has long been preparing Tor the
present threatened German attack by
boarding and increasing its food sup
plv and driving into the city herds OF
cattle ready for slaughter as the de
mand may arise.
In spite Of the fact that the food
supply is sufficient to sustain the people
for reasonable length of time those
who went through the last siege cannot
hrlp recalling with horror the grim
picture of those days when provisions
were exhausted and tie population was
reduced to the extremity OF eating
horse flesh This period OF starvation
fell upun the city in winter SAID a
New York Tribune correspondent nj
the time. 1T was pitrUus-unhappiIy II
is n too common sight-to contemplate
the long rows. three and four abreast
of Shiverlmg women and children
awaiting the opening of the butchers
shops to he served. in rotation, with
the mite of horSetieSh which Is t"
suffice them for three days.
Horrors of Last Siege.
Depicting the horrors of Paris under
commandment the same correspondent
gave this graphic description:
"A cantiniere ia girl who carries drink
for the soldiers is in her bed SOUND
asleep and dreaming doubtless of her
gallant regiment a shell kills her IL
her sleep \ dozen people are drinking
| in a cabaret: cones II shell to scatter
| them. \ mother is sitting at thbl,
with her two daughters: Il she smash