Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-26
PONT=A=MOUSSON NEARS
TOOTH BOMbARDMENT, BUT
HEARS FIRING ON NETT

Yes" replied the simple old las,
II was afraid the range was busted
Such is the spirit Of these from.
folks who have been bombarded /,
nire months and have witnessed So,
of the momentous developments Of \
gigantic duel between the principa
posing fortresses Of Metz and VERDI
Metz delivered the first blow; Vera]
is now countering.
The German armies invading Fran,
were unable to use their forces to I,
best advantage over SO short fro,
as the boundary between France a,
Germany. That is one of the reaso,
given by military experts for the Vi
Iation of the neutrality of Belgium
Germany. This strateSical moveme
enabled them to pivot on Metz a
wheel around through Belgium h,
France over vast front.
The German left resting on Nj
was at once engaged with the Fred
center resting on Verdun. The Crcj
Princes army, coming into France
way Of Longwy. attacked Verdun
two sides. 1t succeeded in demohd
ing Troyon, an interval fort betws|
Vcrdun and Toul, but the only d
around VeTdun they we're able TO j
tack was Douaunont. and the Fred
claim not d shell struck home.
This bomhardment was effected tnI
sort OF neutral zone to the nod
which neither side has occupied-eI
sistiny Of two small plateaus cad
Les JuIreiies de Orncs.' The Gd
mans constructed a railroad behs
these plateauS, brought up guns
train, fred few shots. then drew i
guns away without waiting for Veraj
to reply. The battle of the Marine
an end to this desultory attack Al
since then the pressure on Nerdun y
gradually turned upon Metz.
Students of the military operadi
declare that the French have MI
within long range of the Sonny d
Wagner forts fer several weeks i
could have attacked them with ha /
artillery at the time they began hn
harding the railroad line at Arnayl
The entire distance between Vest&
and Metz is only 81 miles. 1t is ID
posed that they were waiting for I
new heavy English rlortars from VT
great things are expected.
The fortress of Metz, like tina;
Eerdun, is surrounded by heights 4
fording admirable protection and cd
mandins long distances Of approachS
ground. In the time of the Freq
possession of Alsace-Lorraine it W
supposed to be the strongest fortiaSa
place on the frontier. The GERM
began to strengthen il immediaat
after 1871. The work was finisha |
1890. another transformation, dErl
which number of new forts VI
Quilt. began in 1900 and was not
completed at the outbreak of the VI
The place is now defended by
modern forts with many interyenii
redouots and secret field works II
Southernmost forts are the Sowk al
Haesler which adjoin each &XHd
the right bank Of the MoselleAHxxI
--ht 2di4h u t!3e Stliic, anu W dSNeI
tnc right bank OF the Settle IT is SUI
posed TO be the forts of Sonny al
H2esler that arc now being attackd
The former is one Of the most recen1
constructed forts CT the fortress: il
only three and three quarter miles fro
Arnaville, the frontier railroad TOW
that has been bombarded since D
cember.
1t is not supposed that the Fren'
have in view an assault upon Me-
They are simply improving the oppo
tunity afforded by the progress Of thu
lines to infict all the damage possit
in anticipation of a siege later on. Z