136 
COMPARING GEOGRAPHICAL DISTANCES. 
rather over 250 miles. The western coast of France is about equal to 
the northern coast allowing for the indentations, and by comparing it 
with the standard distance, may be taken at about 400 miles. The 
eastern frontier is roughly about 600 miles and divides itself into four 
almost equal portions : Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, which is very 
much indented, and Italy, which is also considerably indented. The 
length of Germany again, from Memel to Treves, is 750 miles. Berlin 
you will see stands about in the centre of Germany, consequently the 
distance from Berlin to the French frontier is about 350 miles, and the 
distance from Paris to the German frontier is about 200 miles. The 
frontier was altered to the extent of about 50 miles after the last war, 
consequently, before the war, Berlin was about 300 miles from the 
frontier and Paris 250 miles. With reference to this distance of 250 
miles, taking 10 miles as an average day's march for a large army, you 
will see that it represents 25 marches, that is to say about a month's 
march, allowing for halts. When the German armies had proceeded 
about half way, they moved to the northward for one week's march to 
Sedan without getting any nearer to Paris, and from Sedan they pro¬ 
ceeded to Paris. Hence by the route they took, the length of the 
journey was about five weeks ; as a matter of fact it took them about 
six weeks, viz., from the 4th of August to the 19th of September. 
In other words the resistance of the French armies delayed them but 
little more than a week. 
The length of Austria is 750 miles. The frontiers of Austria divide 
themselves into seven approximately equal portions, each of about 400 
miles—that is to say, the North German frontier, the Russian frontier, 
the Roumanian frontier, the Servian and Montenegrin frontier, the 
coast frontier of .Austria, the Italian and Swiss frontier, which is very 
much indented, and the South German frontier. 
The length of Italy and Sicily is 750 miles. The main breadth of 
the peninsula is about 100 miles and the Adriatic somewhat more. 
Turkey including Roumania is also 750 miles, and before Bosnia was 
annexed by Austria the length of Turkey from Constantinople to the 
north of Bosnia was 750 miles. Sweden again is approximately 750 
miles. 
With regard to Russia, the central point of Russia in Europe is 
Moscow. From Moscow to the mouth of the river Mezen in the 
North Sea is 750 miles. From Moscow to Warsaw, the principal place 
in connection with any operations westward, is 750 miles; from 
Moscow to Orenburg, the high road to the Khanates is 750 miles. 
From Moscow to Odessa, in connection with any operations southward 
is 750 miles. This may be remembered in connection with the Russian 
reinforcement of their troops in the Crimea. 
With regard to other smaller countries in Europe, it will be seen 
that the following countries are of very much the same size : Belgium, 
Holland, Sardinia, Sicily and the Crimea; that each portion of Greece 
is also about that size, and that Greece and Denmark are of similar 
dimensions. 
