Year: 1870

cannon shot Of the outer walls. The exceptions
are, first, the north. the fortress of La Double
Couronne du Nord, covering st. Denis and about
three miles distant and next, Fort de Nogent, on
the east. Communication between the two
lines is always perfect; but to make it
more assured we Hnd it stated that they will be
connected by lines Of bitches perpendicular to the
bitches surrounding the ramparts. This will
involve gigantic amount of work and will
hardly be finished before the Prussians arrived
before the cty-that is, if they do get before it.
Nevertheless IL is undeniable that such connec-
ton will be Of immense advantage to the garrison
as enabling troops to reinforce the forts rapidly
and with little risk to life in the midst Of an en-
gagement. 1t is as well to say here that only the
artilerists are In the bastions at any time before
an actual attempt to storm the line. IT is not
probable that such an assault will ever be at
tempted by the Prussans, should they besiege
the capital, as it does not offer the slightest
chance Of success.


Until the present war broke out there was not
a guu mounted upon the ramparts, nor was the
encieWe complete. To-day every bastion is brist-
ling with cannon, and the entire inner works are
in complete state of preparation for an enemy.





mounted, but they are doubtless Of heavy calibre,
ranging from thrty-six to sixty-four FOUNDERS
These will have before them a clean sweep of
from one and half to three miles, 30 that even if
the Prussians succeed in forcing a passage be-
tween the outer works they will be met at the on.
set by concentrc fire from two of the forts and
from the ramparts.


THE DETACHED FORTREssEs.


Having described at some length. and we trust
clearly the line of inner works which surround
Paris. we now direct the attention Of the reader
to the outer works (ies forts detdches). These
are fifteen in number and are of various sizes.
As will be seen by the map they cover a consid.
erable length Of the Seine river, which on the
west makes deep bend forming broad PENN
sula. On the southeast the junction Of the Seine
with the Marne is covered by fort of which we
shall speak hereafter.


Beginning on the west we have Fort Mont Vale
rien. situated on the mount of that name. This is
the most powerful Of all the fortresses and is re-
garded as absolutely impregnable to assault. It
stands on the left bank of the Seine, high above
the surrounding country, which it sweeps with its
guns in all directions. Five miles southeast of
Mont Valerien is Fort dIssy, situated near the
bend Of the river. One mile and a quarter east
Of the last named place is Fort de Vanvres and
one mile and three quarters distant to the east
stands Fort de Montrouge.


Continuing on in an easterly direction, one mile
and half off is Fort d'Arcueil or Bicetre, as it is
more generally called. The next, a mile and
quarter to the east-northeast, is Fort d'Ivry
These six forts all situated on the left bank of
the Seine and cover front of ten and a ha ~
miles. They embrace within them the suburbs
Ivry, GENTLY Montrouge Vanvres, Issy, Sevres.
Saresnes, and St. Cloud In front, the nearest high
ground is at Chaton distant three quarters of a
mile southeast Of Fort de vanvres and one mile
and half southwest Of Fort de Montrouge,
which last named fort is also one mile distant from
the high ground at Bagnex and three quarters Of
mile from the hills near the aqueduct. Both the
forts named. aided by Fort dArcueil, command
these elevations, their guns sweeping them at
easy range.


Two miles and o quarter east Of Fort d'Ivry,