The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-09 00:00:00

JOHN WHITE Manufacturer, 228, Piccadilly

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LONDON, TUEFDAY, AUGUST 9, 1870.

THE preparations for the combat on the two sides
were lengthy and seemed slow; but we were all
agreed that the shock when it did come would be
terrible. The event must have outdone the calcu-
lations of the most sanguine imagination.
Already has defeat befallen two important
sections of the French army; already have the Ger-
mans broken the French line, and established them-
selves on the whole of the frontier, whilst the
EMPEROR is drawing his forces to a centre in order
to defend the road to Paris. If we except the affair
of Tuesday, when the French made a shew of attack,
entirely useless, upon Saarbriick, three
days have sufficed to accomplish all
these great ends. On Thursday the CRowN
PRINCE, with a very considerable army, numbering
at least 100,000 men, assailed the French frontier at
Weissenburg, and defeated without much difficulty
a very inferior force. From Weissenburg a railway
line runs almost due south towards Strasburg, to a
place named Sultz ; and thither the CROWN
PRINCE advanced without opposition. On
Saturday, however, MACMAHON had come
up with the whole of his own corps and
some portions of • two others—the total force
amounting to perhaps 60,000 or 70,000 men. A
battle ensued between Worth and Hagenau, a little
to the south-west of Sultz. The fight raged all day
and ended in the complete defeat of MACMAHON, who
retired in a north-westerly direction towards Bitche
The catastrophe was most serious. Both sides lost
heavily; but the French were driven from their
position leaving behind them thousands of prisoners,
and several cannon, mitrailleuses, and eagles. This
was the greatest event of the day, but not the only one
The battle near Wirth was fought on the extreme
right of the French line, towards the south-east ;
another defeat was inflicted on the Imperial host
at the left centre. On Tuesday the French in
considerable force had got possession of
the heights opposite Saarbriick ; but the
rapid advance of the Prussians, and especially Thurs-
day's battle at Weissenburg, soon brought about a

retreat. The Germans came up in great numbers
and assailed General FROSSARD, who was strongly
posted at Spicheren. This second battle of Saturday,
like the first, was fiercely contested, lasted all day.
and terminated in the defeat of the French. Both
battles appear to have been well fought. The
French in no way disgraced themselves. The vic-
tories were dearly bought. But the loss to the
Germans counts as nothing compared with the advan-
tages they have gained by these two brilliant
triumphs.

The most unskilled reader will be able to judge for
himself as to the great gain the Germans have
secured. Pierced in two points at once, at ' the ex-
treme right and the left centre, the whole French
line must fall back in order to save its detached por-
tions from being out-flanked and cut off. The large
circle which the French occupied from Bitche, and
by St. Avold to Thionville, is now compelled to con-
tract, and a lesser circle is at this moment forming
round the strong town of Metz. On its side the
German army will converge with its three separate
divisions towards one point. A great extent of
French territory falls into its hands. United, full of
confidence in itself and its leaders, superior in.
number to the enemy, it goes to assail the dis-
couraged and weakened French host under
the walls of Metz, where a stupendous battle,
calculated to fix the fortunes of the war in
one day, may be raging -whilst we write. So far this
struggle is a close reproduction of that fought in
1866. Then, as now, the Prussians were the invaders.
They have sent three separate armies into France,
just as three entered Bohemia in that memorable
July. In 1866 the Austrians were defeated in
several separate and simultaneous battles at different
points of the line. Similar misfortunes are now
befalling the French, and the Sadowa of this war
may be looked for hourly. It does not follow
that the issue will be of a like kind ; but the expec-
tation that the French will be able to turn the
table's can rest on no substantial foundation. The
Germans have been superior in numbers at these pre-
liminary battles ; and so must they be at the great
fight. The other advantages in their favour are both
numerous and obvious. Win the French may, for their
array is yet far from contemptible; but such a triumph
must be brought about by exceptional causes. It
can hardly arise in the ordinary development of
events. Present grievous disaster and the near
prospect of crushing defeat—such is the outcome of
this war. Na wonder Paris is at once on
fire with rage, and prostrated with des-
pondency. No wonder the Ministry, in a pro-
clamation to the people, suppress all allusion to
the EMPEROR and the Empire : they talk only of
"La patrie" and its brave defenders. This is the ,
darkest day in the chequered life of the French
Sovereign. If he do not speedily retrieve his losses,
now and for ever will it be finished with him. That
victory or ruin is his only alternative is clearly
enough shewn by his own actions.

The advantages that might have been gained by a
sudden attack were lost through insufficient prepara-
tion. The EMPEROR, and his Generals seemed to have
conceived no plan of a campaign; at any rate they
have done nothing more than lie idle with their
force before Metz until the army was rudely hustled
about by the German corps. The mismanagement,
to all appearance, has been utter. Of strategy
no French commander has yet shown one jot. After
the battle of Weissenburg there still remained a fair

opportunity for retrieving the situation ; indeed, the

chance was not a bad one ; but MACMAHON threw it
away. When the CROWN PRINCE was advancing
alone with his 100,000 men, there could have
been no great difficulty in sending a greater
force to meet him ; whereas MACMABON hastily

gave battle with a lesser number.

The

situation was this : The French army was

arra❑ged in a gradually narrowing circle