The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-17 00:00:00

THE SITUATION IN EUROPE.

Von Moltke, the great Prussian strategist, is reported
to have said that if Napoleon had not marched upon the
Rhine by the 21st July, he would never reach Mayence.
Saarlouis, it is said, has been recently fortified, and it is
calculated that it will materially hinder the progress of
the French troops. France is so strong, and Prussia
is so well prepared, that expectation stands on
tiptoe, looking out for the first general struggle.
Until then it will be. premature to say whose
chances are best. It is safe to say that the
march of the French to Berlin will not be easy. The
prospect is not such as to encourage us to say that another
Jena is more likely than another Leipsic or another
Waterloo. The general situation remains much as it was.
We have no further news regarding Denmark. Russia is,
if anything, more watchful. Spain asks explanations
from France. Austria, Italy, and France seem all to be
plotting the ruin of the Holy Father, while
they endeavour to come to an understanding
regarding their common duty in this war. Great
Britain is roused from one end to the other.
r. Gladstone's speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet
shews that Great Britain, much as she loves peace, is
neither unprepared nor unwilling to fight, if the necessity
is laid upon her. The position of the British Govern-
ment is already beset with many dangers. The senti-
ment of the Government and people, so far as it has been
expressed, has been against France. If France should
come out of this struggle victorious, France will not
forget this. It is a curious fact that from the
accession of Louis Napoleon up until the Crimean
war the British people continuously trembled for and
defied a French invasion. The avenging of St. Helena
was known to be a Napoleonic idea. Since the Crimean
war the entente cordiale has been but seldom and - never
more than slightly interrupted. Another Bonaparte
triumphant in Berlin, might not Boulogne recover some-
thing of its ancient importance, and might not another
threatened invasion be the terror of the British Isles ?
Certain it is that the entente cordials between the
two empires has been disturbed. If Napoleon
wins he may have something to say about "perfidious
Albion." If he does not win it is not difficult to forecast
the result. It is our conviction that Napoleon has no
heart for this fight. He goes into it because he cannot
help it. It is a necessity laid upon him.' If he had not
yielded to this impulse given him by the French people the
French people would have turned against him and his
family. If lie wins the French people will bow to the
fates, will call him saviour, and will give him a splendid
opportunity to retire in favour of his son. But if he does
not win—if Prussian soldiers or the soldiers of any coali-
tion should again encamp in the gardens of the Tuileries
—the howl against the Bonapartes will be loud and long
and merciless. We witness the opening scenes of a great
drama. Every fresh scene, every fresh movement, is a
surpsise. What is to be the end no one can tell. —New
York Herald, August 2.

DEATH OF THE RIGHT HON. JOHN HATCHELL.
—This venerable gentleman, and distinguished member of
the Irish bar, died on Monday at the age of 88 years, at
his residence, Fortfield House, Kimmage-road, Dublin.
Mr. Hatchell retired to rest on the previous night, appa-
rently in his ordinary health, he having dined and spent
the evening with his old friend, the Right Hon.
Maziere Brady. On Monday morning, when his valet went
to him at the usual hour, the deceased gentleman 'MIS dis-
covered to be in an insensible state, and when his ordinary
medical attendant arrived, he discovered he was dead.
Mr. Hatchell, who had retired for some years from public
life, was called to the bar in Hilary Term, 1809 ; he
became Attorney-General subsequently, and one of the
Commissioners of Bankruptcy, and for a short time repre-
sented Windsor in Parliament.