Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-23
PARIS DEFENSES
SWEEP AROUND CITY
IN TRIPLE CIRCLE
Protected by Inner Wall and
Ring of u Forts, Capital
Could Resist Assault by
100000 Men.

The forti1cations OF Paris and their
ability to resist siege are receiving the
close attention of military observers, now
that Paris is the announced objective
point of the German forces, and the
French Ministry of war has adopted
urgent means of strengthening the city's
defenscs to the utmost
They consist of three distinct circles
sweeping around the city, says the New
York Times. First, the solid wall Of
masonry eighteen feet high, extending
for twenty-five miles around the ola sec
tlons of Paris second, the system Of sew
enteen detached forts arranged at inter-
walls, two miles beyond the wall. and
making circuit of the city thirty-four
miles in extent, and, third, an outer girdle
of forts, seventy-two miles in circuit, on
the heights commanding the Valley OF
the Seine.
EACH LINE COMPLETE.
Each of these circles of masonry and
steel is complete defense in itself the
forts being linked together with redoubts,
bastion and glacis, which permit cross
fire 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 seven
teen detached forts two miles beyond 1t
were built by Louis Philippe. They sus-
tained the German siege Of 1901, and
the outer forts have since been greatly
strengthened. The third line of forts, on
I.slt - ast. Las 1t,I
Villiers. are of modern construction. with
the latest types of batteries and heavy
guns.
INNER WALL SHIELDS CITY"
The inner wall about Paris surrounds
the best-known and most important sec
tions of the city, including the business
sections along the grand boulevards, 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 circle OF suburbs
extends for many miles. including Neuilly,
Argenteul, 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 SO bastions and 81 gates.
ing to the pressure of modern construc-
ton and trade. But recent advices re-
ceived here from Paris say that all the
gates still existing are now closed at
p. m., with rigid regulations against
movements from within or without.
COULD RESIST 100000.
The second line of forts includes the
famous fortress of Mount Valerien, which
was the centre of attack in the German
siege of 1870. 1t is strengthened by two
groups of works-Patues Bryeres and the
Chatilon fort and batteries. South of the
city is the 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 Aubep-
vilers and Fort Charenton, commanding
the approaches from the great wood of
Bondy.
The outer circle of forts, which are of
the most modern type, have from "a to
so heavy guns and 600 to 1900 men each.
In all, the three lines of defenses re-
qure 10000 men to operate them, not
counting troops assembled within the
city. According to military experts, it
would require a force of $4,000 men TO
invest these defenses.