The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-29
SEICE OF PARIS
is PROBABLE
GEssFE7zzlAAFfsS AvOWED INTETJ-
TIoN is TO CAPTURE
GAY PAREE
is WELL FORTIFIED
Surrounding Paris Is Plan Of Dc,
fense Admitted To Be Strongest
In the World
is WELL FORTIFIED
(ny Aseoclated Press.l


washington, Aug. 2S.-The fortifi-
cations of Paris and their ability to
resist siege is receiving the close
attention of military Observers, now
that Paris is the announced objective
OF the German forces, and the French
ministry OF war is strengthening the
city's defences.
The general character of the city's
detailed defenses are well known to
military experts. who recognize them
as among the strongest fortiiications
in the world,
The Notifications consist of three
distinct circles sweeping around the
city-first, tho rolid wall OF masonry
eighteen feet high extending for
twenty-five miles around the old Sec
tions OF Paris; second, the system of
seventeen detached forts arranged a,
intervals, two miles beyond the wall,
and making circuit of the city "a
miles long; and third, an outer girdle
OF forts, 10 miles long.
Each of these circles of masonry
and steel is acomplete defense in
itself The Fwai1 around Paris and the
seventeen detached forts two miles
beyond the wall. were built by Louis
Phillips. They sustained the German
siege OF 1901, and the outer forts
since have been greatly strengthened.
The third line Of forts are OF modern
construction with the. latest types of
batteries 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 circle of suburbs ex-
tends for many miles. among which
are dotted the forts OF the second and
third line Of defence, protecting them
and the approachas to the capital
The wall contains SO bastionB and 81
sssts5. 49,. q, u q
The second line of forts included
The famous fortress OK Mont Vaierian,
which was the center of attack in the
German siege OF 1870. South of the
city is the row of :c-ts z. Iyry, Bic
tire, Mont. Rouge. Yanyes and Issy.
North and east of the city are three
great forts around st. Denis, and two
others at Port Auberyillers and Fort
Charenton, commanding the ap-
proaches of the greet wood OF Besdy.
Tho outer circle of forts, of the most
modern type have from 24 10 40
hesYy guns and eos to 1850 men each.
In all tho three lines of defenses re-
quire 170,0GG men to operate them,
not counting troops assembled within
the city. According to military ex-
re-ts Il would require To-cc CO see
600 men to invest hese dcfenses.
General Won Moi;ke, field marshal
OF the German forces at the time of
the siege of Paris of 1901, states
In report on that siege that the
French artillery armament consists
Of more than 1927 pieces. including
200 OF the. largest calibre of naval
ordnance
There were 500 rounds So- each
gun, and a reserve OF three million
kilograms OF powder. Won Mo,tke
points out that tie bomtardment Of
4 fortified place, in the heart of an
anemy's country, is difficult II net
until the invader is mas
ter OF the railways or waterways by
which heavy siege artillery can be
brought up. He explains the failure
% lombard Paris at the outset of TIE
former siege by saying it would have
required 300 heavy guns VITA 500
rounds for each man. The movement
forward OF there heavy guns would
have required 4,500 wheeled wag-
,ns and 10000 horses, which were not
&.
AT a later stage the Germans
brought up their big siege, guns, at
lacking the enciente and forts and
irernins snn tn 4nn fifteen centimetert
shells daily into the heart OF the city.
the fury OF the Ger
nan attack. Paris witrstood- the siege
or 1872 days. Since then the entirely
lew and outer third line OF defense
,as been erected and military experts
iay the Notifications as whole are
ar more formidable than those which
'esfsted the former siege.