The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-09-02
PARIS WELL DEFENDED
CAPITAL OF FRANCE SURROUND
ED BY FORTS.
Include Three Lines of Fortificainns,
Each Complete in Itself-Among
the Strongest.

Each Complete in Itself-Among
the Strongest.
The Notifications of Paris and
their ability to resist siege are re-
ceiving the close attention of military
observers, now that Paris is the an
nounced objective of the German
forces, and the French ministry OF
war is Strengthening the city's de-
fences.
The general character of the city's
detailed defences are we'll known to
military experts, who recognize them
as among the strongest Notifications
in the world.
The Notifications consist of three
distinct circles sweeping around the
city-frst, the solid wall of masonry
Is feet high extending for % miles
around the old sections of Paris; Sec
ond, the system of II detached forts
arranged at intervals. two miles be-
yond the wall, making circuit Of
the city "a miles long, and third, an
outer girdle of forts Is miles long.
Each of these circles of masonry
and steel is a complete defense in it
self.
The wall around Paris and the II
detached forts two miles beyond the
wall were built by Louis Philippe.
They sustained the German siege of
1870-1S71 and the outer forts since
have been greatly strengthened. The
third line of forts are of modern con-
struction with the latest types of bat
teries and heavy guns.
The inner wall about Paris sur
rounds the best known and most i'm
portant sections of the city. Outside
Of the wall a circle of suburbs ex-
tends for many miles, among which
are dotted the forts Of the second
and third line of defenses, protecting
them anr the approaches to the cap
ital. The wall contains SO bastions
and 81 gates.
The second line of forts includes
the famous fortress Of Mont Valerian,
which was the centre of attack in the
German siege of 1870. South of the
city is the row of forts at Ivry, Bic.
tre, Montrouge, Vannes and Issy
North and east of the city are three
forts around st. Denis and two others
at Fort Auberville and Fort Charen.
ton, commanding the approaches oi
the great wood of Bondy.. The outer
circle forts are of the most modern
type, and have from "a to so heavy
guns and 500 to 1900 men each. In
all the three lines of defenses require
10000 men to operate them, mo-
counting troops assembled within the
city. According to military experts
it would require a force of 100000
to invest these defenses.
Gen. Won Moltke, field marshal o.
the German forces at the time of the
siege of Paris 1S70-71, states in re
port on that siege that the French
| artillery armament consists of more
| than 2,627 pieces, including 200 o.
the largest calibre of naval ordinance
There were 500 rounds for each gu1
and reserve of 100000 kilogram.
of powder. Won Moltke points ou
that the bombardment of fortified
place in the heart of an enemy
country is difficult if not impossible
until the invader is master of the
railways or waterways by which
heavy siege artillery can be brought
up. He explains the failure to bonn
bard Paris at the outset of the form
er siege by saying it would have re
| quired 900 heavy guns with 50(
rounds for each gun. The movement
forward of these heavy guns would
have required 4,500 four-wheelet
| wagons and 10000 horses, which
were not available.
At a later siege the German:
brought up their big siege guns, at
tacking the enciente and forts ant
| dropping 500 to 400 Is centimetel
| shells daily into the heart Of the
| city. Notwithstanding the fury o.
, the German attack. Paris withstooG
the siege for 1872 days. Since ther
an entirely new and outer third line
of defense has been erected and mil
itary experts say the Notifications a:
whole are far more formidable thar
those which resisted the former
siege.