Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-09-11
ANY FOE MIGHT
WELL FEAR PARIS

Miles Distant--City Withstood Fran
90 Prussian War Siege 1872 Days.
Resistance Now Much Stronger.
The fortiications Of Paris and their
ability TO resist siege are receiving
the close attention Of military observ-
ers now that Paris is the announced
objective point OF the German forces.
and the French miniotry Of war has
adopted urgent means OF strengthen
ing the city's defenses 10 the utmost.
While the details of the defenses of
Paris are surrounded with strict Sc
crecy, yet their general character and
formidable strength are well known
TO military experts
They consist Of three distinct circles
sweeping around the city First. the
solid wall OF masonry. eighteen feet
high, extending for twenty-five miles
around the old sections Of Paris; Sec
ond the system Of seventeen detached
forts arrnnged Mt intervals two miles
beyond the wall aud making a circuit
OF the city thirty -four miles In extent,
and, third. an outer girdle OF forts sew
enty-dve miles I'm circuit on the heights
commanding the valley Of the Seine.
Each Line Of Defense Complete.
Each OF these circles OF masonry and
steel is complete defense in itself, the
forts being linked together with re-
doubt, bastlon and glacis. which per-
init crossfire against approach from
any direction The magnitude Of the
system is shown by its area. which Is
400 square miles.
The wall around Paris and the sew
enteen detached forts two miles beyond
Il were built by Louis Philippe. They
sustained the German siege of 1870 1.
and the outer forts have since been
greatly strengthened. The third line Of
forts. on the hills Of St Germain. Cor
miles and villiers. are of modern con-
struetion. with the latest types of bat
teries and heavy guns.
The inner wall about Paris surrounds
the best known and most important
sections Of the city. including the busi-
ness sections along the grand boule-
Yards. the residence sections on the
north and west of the city and the
Latin quarter and other sections of the
left bank Of the Seine. Outside of the
wall a circle of suburbs extends for
many miles. including Neuilly. Arger,
teuil. Versailles. Vincennes and many
others. The forts of the second and
third line of defenses are dotted amoi,
these suburbs, protecting them and the
approaches to the capital The wall
contains ninety three bastions and six
ty-seven gates. Some of these have
been abandoned, owing to the pressure
of modern construction and trade. But
recent advices received from Paris say
that all the gates still existing 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 Valerien.
which was the center of attack I'm the
German siege of 1870. 1t Is strength
ened by two groups OF works-Pautes
Bruyeres and the Chatillon fort and
batteries. South Of the city is the row
of forts at Ivry. Bicetre. Mont Rouge.
Vanves and Issy; north and east Of
the city are three great forts around
st. Denis and two others at Fort Au-
bervilers and Fort Charenton. cora-
manding the approaches from the great
wood of Bondy.
Tho ntffaf. f.froIa of forte ...hs.t.
Of the most modern type. have from
twenty-four to sixty guns and 600 to
1,200 men each
Gould Resist 100000 Men.
In all the three lines of defenses re-
quire 10000 men to operate them. not
counting troops assembled within the
city. According to military experts. 1t
would require force of 100000 men
to invest these defenses.
General Won Moltke, field marshal Of
the German forces at the time OF the
siege Of Paris Of 1901. said in re-
port on that siege that the French ar
tillery armament consisted of more
than 2,627 pieces. including 200 OF the
largest caliber OF naval ordnance.
There were 500 pounds for each gun
and a reserve of 100000 Kilograms
of powder. Won Moltke points out that
the bombardment OF a fortified place in
the heart of an enemy's country is diff
icult, If not impossible, until the in
vader is master of the railways or wa
terways by which heavy siege artillery
can be brought up In full quantity. He
explains the failure to lombard Paris
at the outset Of the former Siege by
saying 1t would have required 800
heavy guns, with 800 rounds for each
gun. The movement forward of these
heavy guns would have required $500
four wheeled wagons and 10000 horses.
which were not available.
At later stage the Germans brought
up their Siege guns. attacking the en-
ceinte and ports and dropping 300 to
400 fifteen-centimeter shells into the
heart of the city. Notwithstanding the
fury Of the German attacks, Paris with
stood the siege for l32 days. Since
then the entirely new and outer third
line of defense has been erected. and