3-039-215 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The French Siege of Paris: bridge at the Point du Jour, with gun-boats of the Commune, 1871. 'This place is at the south-west corner of the circuit of fortifications surrounding Paris...[It] is the point where the Seine intersects the line of fortifications...the batteries of the Communist forces are erected here...[our view] shows their squadron of cannonières or gun-boats. Our Artist writes: "The lower bridge is for public traffic, the upper one is for the railway of the ceinture, which goes all round Paris. Here are three gun-boats. One is La Commune, commanded by M. Girard...Those called L'Estoc and Le Perrira are the other two shown...The arches of the bridge form embrasures, and afford good cover to these cannonières. Nothing but a shot coming right in front can strike them. The batteries of Upper and Lower Meudon, Brimborion, Bellevue, and St. Cloud are those in front; and with them the usual civilities are kept up. The bridge is flanked, on each side of the river, by large and weIl-armed bastions, forming part of the walls of the enceinte. The guns of these works keep up a fire with the gun-boats. Fort Valérien can send projectiles as far as the bridge, but they enfilade it, and cannot touch the boats below".' From "Illustrated London News", 1871.