The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-08-06 00:00:00

44e gotourVibgt o,)serber.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1870.

THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR

It is, as we predicted, extremely difficult to
obtain anything like reliable information con-
cerning the movements of either army engaged.
French papers are silent. Some of them cer•
tainly print letters from Metz or Strasburg, but
not a particle of news respecting 'unitary affairs
is to be found in either of them. it can hardly
be possible that the French Government intends
their last law of suppression of newspapers as a
hint that the press should utterly ignore the fact
that France is at war with Prussia, and they can
hardly indulge in so preposterous an idea as
that the Prussians only derived from the Parisian prints any information they may possess
concerning the French army now being concen-
trated on the Eastern frontier. it is quite plain
that the Imperial ukase will not do in this ease.
When the army is on the frontier, and when the
National Guard (that pet torte of erance) are to
be entrusted with the defences of French terri-
tory, the idea that the public shall know mut
hear nothing of the army but what the Govern-
ment chooses is a mere crotchet which it is nut
in the power of even M. Emile Giiivier to en-
force.

Under these circumstances any statements as
to the position of the armies, still more accounts
of skirmishes engagements. etc., must be taken
with a grain of suit, or to use another familiar
expression, have a consideranle amount ot dis-
count taken off them. Newspaper correspond-
ents pursue their avocations at present under
extreme difficulties. mid at the risk of—good-
ness kuuws how much inconvenience. Uncer-
tainty btill exists in many minds on the possibi-
lities of our being involved in the quarrel. In
the event of our so being we shall, in all prob-
ability, find ourselves, owing to the recent re.
due-ion in the land forces, very ill prepared for
hostilitios. There is, however, sonic signs of
activity in the Admiralty. We are to have a
large fleet in the MMiterriinean, of which Malta
will ha the rendezvous. It would be more plea-
sant to have to chronicle similar activity on the
part of the War Office.
As to the Secret Treaty, of which we really
know AO little, and which comes to light in so
extraordinary a manner, in our opinion it re-
quires far more authentication than it has yet
received. We have rumours of documents ether
than Benedetti s famous draft being in existenc,
and very startling statements concerning the
views of the French towards Piedmont, which,
however, are alike vague and unconfirmed by
any sterling authority.

The most probable account of the position of
the Prussian army is that said to have been ob-
tained from "a private source.- According to
this private statement, the Prussians are rapidly
concentrting the army of the Rhine on Um
French frontier between Treves and Monzingen.
All the Germans of the Rhine are said to believe
that a sudden and general advance of the Pros.
sian army into France will take place. If report
in this hist ince is true, we have no reason to
disbelieve the " private source " when he de-
clares that a total of 100,000 men occupy May-
ence and Cologne alone, 30,000 cavalry being
mustered in the city of od..rons atmosphere.
On the other 1ia•.•1.. and Thienville era
ceo.ded with condi .1 2A0,000 men are cll.,
ready assembled ; each day fnl Is some thousands
to that number, and it is fully expected that at
least 320.000 will be massed in the camp formed
there.

While such gigantic preparations are being

tide for the I.:.structi;ii 'of bum in life, it,
gratifying to find C.:a, the ‘valits of the wounded
are to be attended to. England, we hope, will