Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-13

the line of defense TO the Swiss Dor.
der, which in turn is protected by
works at POntariier and elsewhere
In rear of these lines Verdun-Tou
and Epinal-Belfort, respectively. lie
two large defended areas in which un.
der certain circumstances the main
armies would assemble preparatory
to offensive movements. One oil
these areas is defined by the three
fortresses, La Fere, Laon and Reims
the other by the triangle, Langres-
Dion -BeSancon. On the side of Bel
GUM the danger of Eruption through
neutral territory, which has for many
years been foreseen. is provided
against by the fOrtresses of Lille. Val
enciennes alt Maubeuge, but with a
view to tempting the Germans to at
tack through Luxembourg, as is stated
by German authoritiesl the frontier
between Maubeuge and Verdun is left
practically undefended The real de-
Tense of this region lies in the field
army which would, if the case arose,
assemble in the area La Fere-Reims-
Laon. On the italian frontier the nu-
merous forts d'arret" in the noun
tains are strongly supported by the
entrenched camps of Besancon, Gre
noble and Nice Behind all this huge
development Of fixed ceI6nseS lie the
central fCrtresses of Paris and Lyons.
The defenses of the Spanish frontier
consist of the cntrenche6 camps of
Bayonnes and PecDlgnana and the
various small forts d'arret" of the
Pyrenees. OF the coast defenSeS the
principal are TouIon, Antilles, Roche
fort, Lorient. 3rest, OlerOn. La Ro-
chelle, Belle-Isle, Cherbourg, st.
Malo, Havre, Calais, Gravelines and
Dunkirk A number of the older
fortresses, dating for the most part
existence, but are no longer of mill
tary importance. Such are Arras,
Longwy, Mezleres and Montmedy.
Navy: The French coast is divided
into five naval sections which have
their headquarters at the five naval
ports of which Cherbourg. Brest and
Toulon are the moot important. Lori
ent and Rochefort being of lesser de-
gree. All are building and fitting out
yards. ..
The fleet is divided into the Mediter-
ranean squadron, the Northern
soardren, the Atlantic Division. The
Far Eastern Division, the. Pacific
didivision, the Indian Ocean division,
and the Cochin China division.
Meuse-Line, the chain of French
forts closing the passages of the
Meuse between Verdun and Toul. The
total length of the line is 81 miles and
the forts d'arret are disposed along
the right bank. The forts are: be-
tween Verdun and st. Mihiel, Gent
court and Troyon; near st. Mihiel, Las
(left ,bankI and Camp des
and near COmmercy-Liou-
Vile ST. Agnaut, BnrCnville and .Jouy-
sous-los- Cotes. Above the circle OF
Inc Toul defenses there are barrier
forts on the Upper Mouse at Pagny
LA Blanche Cote) and near Neufcha-
Loau; but those last are practically
IN second line, and between Toul and
Epinal the frontier districts are de-
signedly left open. At Epinal the
'Mossal-line" begins. These lines
'orm part of the defensive scheme
adopted by France in 1S73-1S75. "
Mcselle-Line, the designation Of
inc of French barrier forts (forts
Jarrett on the upper Moselle between
he fortresses of Epinal and Belfort
see these articles, also Meuse-Line |
md articles referred to therein). The
purpose of this line, the separate forts |
If which command the relatively few |
ines of advance from upper Alsace |
through the Vesges, Is to defect a |
Dcssible German invasion from Alsace !
.ither toward Belfort or toward the |
,pen gap between Epinal and Toul |
allied the Trouee d. Epinal.
Epinal, town on the northeastern |
rontier of France, capital of the De-
,artment of Vosges, as miles south
outheast OF Nancy on the Eastern
ailway between the town and Belfort.
population (1905). town 1926. COM
1une (including garrison) 29,05S. The
own proper-the Grande Vil1e-is sit
Iated on the right bank of the Mo.
ellie, which at this point divides into
wo arms forming an island wherein
mother quarter-the Petite Villa
J built /
(To be continued)