The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-19 00:00:00

THE HAIN BEFORE METE.

A letter In the Coiogne Gazette, describing the plain be-
fore Metz in watch Marshal illasine's troops were encampe I
during the siege, says The whole broad plain, devoid cf
every blade of grans, was a muddy surface. Between the
spots where the tents and huts ha I stood, bodies and rem.
pants of fallen and slaughtered horses were scattered about,
on which here and there dogs were feeding There were
also saddles, harness, and other military articles. Most of
the horses lay on their side, their leo extended, but some
had drawn their bat breath lying on their Mollie*, and their
heads were still erect on their rigid necks, ashf they were about
to spring to their feet. The appearance of this encampment
show* the miserable position of the French army, and
though Minims not improbably occupied himself during
the siege wtth political and aelnah plans, the opinion preva,
lent in Metz that he sold himself and the army can only
proceed from a foolish blindness which sees only disaster
and treachery everywhere, instead of perc..iving theeuemy's
superiority. Naar Fort St. Quentin were heaps of ensseepots,
Inures, cartridge-boxes, Scattered around were the
smaller appendage. of the Chsasepots, vestiges of uniform,
and boots, and the field flasks, also fret imuits of musical
instrument., and even pages of notes, which the wind blew
about. All this gave an impression of the most complete
diaintegration. She unfinished state of the fort was very
apparent. One could see where the masons, Interrupted by
events, had stopped work a few days ago. The casemate,
destine,t for officers' quarters were not yet habitable ; the
earthworks and ditches were equally Incomplete. With the
other forts it wee the same. A Dutch surgeon, who had come
to Metz In the Interesfa of the hospitals, hoard one of the
theers say that the garrison of Fort St. .1 dim resolved,
whenever the Prussians attacked it, at once to abandon it."

"B Y IRON AND BLOOD !

Count Bismarck's famous" Ellen und lilnt" phrase to not,
it seems, or his own original coining. He has given wide
currency to the utterance of hlosem, a lyric poet of Ger-
" Blot nod Eisen mschen fret"—a sentiment endorsed
by Count, Bismarck at. sitting of the House of Representa-
tives. "It is desirable (he said) and neccessary to improve
the social and political condition of Germany Me, how-
ever, cannot be brought shout by resolutions and votes of ma-
rules, or speeches of individuals, but • by iron and blood.'"
At the very same sitting he made use of &terra, 1( 001 original,
at all events one that Ls sure to become historical. In
allusion to the difficulties of a full and proper development
of a constitutional system, he said "There are too many
people who can understand and criticise the measures of
Government, too many 1 uhy competent to act as repre-
sentatives in title II ouse, too many • Catilinarlan characters'
[Catilinarliche Bristenzan I " The Chancellor's definition of
a journalist as that "of • MATI who had missed his vocation'
may be set by the side of Mr. Disraeli's description of the
critics—" men who have failed lit literature and art."