The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-10-02

Would Take 100000 Men to
Invest Triple FOrtifiCatiOns.
COVER 400 SQUARE MILES.

MHes Distant-Sity Wunstooo Vran-
co-Prussian War Siege 1872 Days.
Resistance Now Much Stronger.
The Notifications 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 ministry of war has
adopted urgent means of strengthen
ing the city's defenses to 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 arranged at intervals two miles
beyond the wall and making circuit
Of the city thirty-four miles in extent.
enty-five miles in circuit on the heights
commanding the valley of the Seine.
Each Line of Defense Complete.
Each of these circles of masonry and
steel is Il completes defense in itself. the
forts being linked together with re-
doubt. bastion and glacis. which per-
NIT crossfire against approach from
any direction The magnitude Of the
system Is shown by it's area. which Is
400 square miles.
The wall around Paris and the sew
cntecn detached forts two miles beyond
it were built by Louis Philippe. They
sustained the German siege of 1901.
and the outer forts have since been
greatly strengthened. The third line OF
forts. on the hills of st. German. Cor
miles and Nilliers. are Of modern con-
struction. 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 bust
ness sections along the grand boule
wards, 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
many miles. including Neuily. Argen-
teuil. Versailles. Vincennes and many
others The forts of the second and
third line of defenses are dotted among
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 ut = p. m. with rigid regulations
against mo .ements 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-Pnutes
Bruyeres and the Chatillon fort and
batteries. South Of the city Is the row
Of forts at lvry. Bicetre. Mont Rouge.
Nanves and lssy: north and east Of
the city are three great forts around
st. Denis and two others Mt Fort Au.
bervilers and Fort Clarendon. com.
Inanding the approaches from the great
wood Of Bondy.
The outer circle Of forts. which are
Of the most mc:iern type. have from
twenty-four to sixty guns and 600 to
1000 men each
Could 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 defenscs.
General Won Moltke, field marshal of
the German forces Mt the time Of the
siege Of Paris of 1901, said In "A re-
port on that siege that the French ar.
tillery armament consisted of more
than 2.G2T pieces. including 200 Of the
largest caliber of naval ordnance.
There were 800 pounds for each gun
and reserve OF 100000 Kilograms
Of powder. Won Moltke points out that
the bombarft emf Of n fortified place IN
the heart of an enemys country is diff. |
fcut. If not impossible, until the I'm.
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 300 |
heavy guns. with 500 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 800 to
100 ffteen-centimeter shells into the
heart OF the city. Notwithstanding the
fury of the German attacks. Paris with.
stood the siege for 1872 days. Since
;hen the entirely new and outer third
line OF defense has been erected, and |
experts say the Notifications
as whole are far more formidable
than those which resisted the former