The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-06 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, • 1870.

THE Prussian account of the serious action at
Weissemburg may be accepted as nearer the truth
than the first French account of the slighter affair
at Saarbriick. The Prussians admit their numbers
were much superior, and thus they claim no fictitious
glory; they allow that two of their regiments
suffered severely, and thus bear gratuitous testimony
that the French, even when overpowered, are no
contemptible foe. The victory was " brilliant but
bloody." This is an account calculated to inspire
confidence. From the few details yet given it appears
that the Crown Prince of PRUSSIA, who commands the
South German armies, had taken such advantage of
the French delay as to get his men well in hand,
even ready to cross into French territory. It is
obvious that the Germans are in great force
in the south-east of the border adjoining
France, as well as at the north-west.
A glance at the map will shew that the French
frontier adjoining Prussia and Bavaria runs in a
south-easterly direction from Sierck to Lauterburg,
where it turns off, and, facing the Baden territory,
runs south with a tendency to west. It is along the
north-eest border that the line of operations extends.
On the Prussian side, Prince FREDERICK CHARLES
with an army is at Treves, on the extreme right
(looking from Prussia to France); HERWARTH VON
BITTENFELD is ill the centre, about Mayence, or
perhaps a little nearer ; and the CROWN PRINCE is
on the extreme left with the South German army,
to which is added a powerful force of Prus-
sians. It is of the latter commander thab we now
bear. He has marched to the border and assailed
Weissemburg, which stands at the extreme edge of
France. With a powerful force he has attacked and
defeated the division stationed at this town. The
Prussians had obviously so great an advantage in
numbers that the battle could never ha ve been
in doubt. The French fought desperately
and left their mark on the opposing host,
as the Prussian bulletin Intimates; uu6
gallantry, Chassepot, nor mitrailleuse can avail
against odds. of two or three to one. The Prussians
drove back the French, and made five hundred pri-
soners. General DOUAY was killed. The assault seems
to have been well arranged, and the triumph complete.
The advantage in prestige thusgained by the Germans,
for this battle far outweighs in importance the Saar-
briick affair, is really substantial.
This is at present all that can be said. As it was
fair to the Prussians not to over-estimate the affair
at Saarbriick, so it is but just to the French to make
all due allowance for their defeat at Weissemburg.
The disproportion of numbers appears to have been
so great that the battle can be no more deemed a
test of the relative fighting qualities of the two
armies than the Saarbriick engagement. As to
strategy it will be prudent to wait for a. movement
on the tart of the Northern army before drawing
conclusions. It has been thought that PRINCE
FREDERICK CHARLES at one end of the line
and the CROWN PRINCE at the other are
about to repeat their experiment of 1866.
they will invade the enemy's country at both points,
and endeavour to effect a junction as they did in
Bohemia. There can be no doubt, however, in spite
of the success of this plan against the Austrians,
that it is contrary to just principles, and as a general
rule exceedingly dangerous. The system of dividing
an invading army in two great and independent
portions is open to the obvious objection
that either half of the advancing force is liable to be
assailed by the greater part of the defensive army,
concentrated, as it will be, in an inner circle between
the two. If the CROWN PRINCE proceeds further
into France from Weissemburg he will have to cross
a hilly country containing some fortresses.
These hills run between Weissemburg and
Bitche, between which and Saarbrack, and further

to the French left, the ground is lower. What is to
prevent MACMAHON, who is in strong force at Bitche,
from assailing the Crown Prince with a superior
army whilst the Prussians are struggling through
the defiles of the hills ? Such a movement won
Hohenlinden. It is true that the other Prussian
army might advance at the same time ; but it is far
apart from the host of the CROWN PRINCE, and the
French are between the two. A single corps would
serve to arrest the advance of one, whilst the whole re-
maining available force might be hurled against the
other. It requires no great strength to delay the pro-
gress of a large army for a little while; and this
with respect to Prince FREDERICK CHARLES is all
that the French would require. It is difficult to
believe that the attack on Weissemburg is the first
step in an invasion with scattered forces

in the face of a united and splendid French army.
The movement would be dangerous in the extreme.
That it succeeded in 1866 is no proof that it ie likely
to turn out equally well now, for there is no reason-
ing from the fate of the Austrians, when without
breechloaders and badly led, to the fate of the
French, who have ChassepBts, and may be well led.
But we shall see.

A CIVILIAN being at the head of the War-Office,
it seems only fair play that old soldiers should have
the hope held out to them of obtaining situations of
a subordinate character in one or other of the
numerotp civil departments. An arrangement of
that hind NV .uld have many advantageg. It would
ead to the creation of a reliable re-
It would be a direct stimulant to

serve.

• recruiting. The carrying out °fetich an arrangement
would ensure at once a large and easily contrived
economy of the public expenditure. The suggestion
is not new. It has often been thrown out as worthy
of consideration. It has been discussed both within
and without the walls of Parliament. As yet, how-
ever, it has only been discussed. No action what-
ever has been taken upon the matter, at
any rate in any way systematical. Arguments