Six major and six minor of these forts encircled Liege.  From north to south, beginning with those facing the German frontier, their names ran as follows:  Barchon, Evegnee, Fleron, Chaud-fontaine, Embourg, Boncelles, Flemalle, Hollogne, Loncin, Lantin, Liers, and Pontisse.  The armaments of the forts consisted of 6-inch and 4.7-inch guns, with 8-inch mortars and quick firers.  They were in the relative number of two, four, two and four for the major forts, and two, two, one and three for the minor fortins, as such were termed.  The grand total was estimated at 400 pieces.  In their confined underground quarters the garrisons, even of the major forts, did not exceed eighty men from the engineer, artillery and infantry branches of the service.  Between Fort Pontisse and the Dutch frontier was less than six miles.

It was through this otherwise undefended gap that Von Kluck purposed to advance his German army after the presumed immediate fall of Liege, to that end having seized the Meuse crossing at Vise.  The railway line to Aix-la-Chapelle was dominated by Fort Fleron, while the minor Forts Chaudfontaine and Embourg, to the south, commanded the trunk line by way of Liege into Belgium.  On the plateau, above Liege, Fort Loncin held the railway junction of Ans and the lines running from Liege north and west.  Finally, the forts were not constructed on a geometric circle, but in such manner that the fire of any two was calculated to hold an enemy at bay should a third between them fall.  This was probably an accurate theory before German guns of an unimagined caliber and range were brought into action.

In command of the Belgian forts at Liege was General Leman.  He had served under Brialmont, and was pronounced a serious and efficient officer.  He was a zealous military student, physically extremely active, and constantly on the watch for any relaxation of discipline.  These qualities enabled him to grasp at the outset the weakness of his position.

If the Germans believed the refusal to grant a free passage for their armies through Belgium to be little more than a diplomatic protest, it would seem the Belgian Government was equally mistaken in doubting the Germans would force a way through an international treaty of Belgian neutrality.  Consequently, the German crossing of the frontier discovered Belgium with her mobilization but half complete, mainly on a line for the defense of Brussels and Antwerp.  It had been estimated by Brialmont that 75,000 men of all arms were necessary for the defense of Liege on a war footing, probably 35,000 was the total force hastily gathered in the emergency to withstand the German assault on the fortifications.  It included the Civic Guard.

General Leman realized, therefore, that, without a supporting field army, it would be impossible for him to hold the German hosts before Liege for more than a few days—­a week at most.

But he hoped within such time the French or British would march to his relief.  Thus his chief concern was for the forts protecting the railway leading from Namur down the Meuse Valley into Liege—­the line of a French or British advance.