Evening journal., 1918-09-21
BY A. Z. GELDHOF.
War Editor Of the Newspaper Enter
prise Assimilation.

"
prise Association.
The fortified city Of Metz must now
be regarded as the objective Of the
American and allied armies, whether
the drive TO capture 10 takes place this
fall or in the spring. Therefore. It Is
time 10 examine the military obstacle
Il represents in the path Of the march
TO Berlin.
Metz has been a fortress since the
days Of the Roman empire, and has
always been considered one Of the
slrongests in Europe. Probably Paris
Is the only city In Europe which Is
more strongly fortified. In these days
OF long-range guns Of great calibre.
however,. there Is no such thing as an
lmpregnable fortress.
Liege, Antwerp. przemysl, Lemberg
demonstrated that modern cannon will
prevail against any fortress. and that
lighting men and small arms are the
best military reliance But before the
American 1ghting men can make any
apprecisble advance toward the Rhine,
American guns must reduce the fort
ress OF Metz
The country about Metz is OF high
strategic importance. and has been for
hidden ground to tourists in Germany
for years. The city lies in a fertile
valley which widens out In the hills to
the north and narrOws toward the
French frontier. The powerful dotach-
ed forts which guard the city are
placed upon the heights, the forge
broken Uncovered. razOrback hills
running between France and Germany.
They surround the city al a distance
OF about six miles from its outskirts.
Main Forts Modern.
The main forts have an been built
since 1899. Before that they foriln-
cations consisted chiefly Of the rebuilt
French works which had defended the
city in 1870 and a. few new forts. but
before 1899 10 had been realized thatl
they were too close to the city 10 pro- /
tect IL from the new long-range ar
tillery.
Beginning in 1899 the Germans buntt
a new chain Of forts at an average
distance OF 1900 yards from the border
Of Metz. The advantages Of the ground
made 10 necessary 90 locate some Of
the forts at a greater distance from
The city and others at a less. but the
diameter Of the fortress circle Is ap-
IS miles. This distance
was needed so that the city could not
be bOmbarded until one or more OF its
forts had been demolished
The chief Of the new outer chain OF
permanent forts beginning with the
'ight bank Of the M0selle. are Forts
Iaeseler. SONNY, Wagner. Army, Sor-
ley, Mont, Landremont, 81. Barbe. Ar
yency, Lothringen, Montigny. Kalscrin,
md Kronprnz.
)uter DefenSes Strong.
The forts Of an earlier day in the in
Ter line are from one to three miles
rom the city. They are, beginning .
gain with the right bank OF the Mo
ellie, Forts Prince August Won Wurt-
emberg, GOeben, Zast0rf, Manteuncl, I
Z. Eloy. Kaheke, Alyensleben, Fried
ich Karl and Mannstein. When the
'rench held Metz the city itself was
urrounded by a ring wall or enceinte o
which before the present war had been
emolished as useless.
The forts, however. are only a skele-
on Of the defenses OF Metz. The new
ircle OF works includes numerous bat =
cries Of heavy artillery placed between n
nd In front Of the forts. making an n
Uninterrupted circle Of defenses around
ne city. The forts and most OF the :.
ivanced positions are connected by q s
elt line railroad running 10 the mag
zines in Metz.
The city itself lies at the confluence v
the Seille and Moselle rivers, about h
miles east Of the French border, a.
nd contains many ancient and pictur-
lque buildings. In peace times IL had
civilian population OF 1000 and a
,rrlsOn OF 5000 soldiers. :
Metz has changed hands many times
many years. but has never been car
ed by storm. Even In 1870. when the 4
ermans captured 70 from the French,
was not directly attacked. but was
ven up as the result Of battles in its
mediate vicinity. Centuries OF con- n
st between Latin and German have \
Irged about the city, until 10 has be-