The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-22 00:00:00

HOW PRUSSIA MADE READY.

An important article describing the movements of
Prussia in the first few days of the war, is published in
the Staatsanzeiger, the official Prussian organ. It says :
" Our military leaders knew well that France would put
forth frivolous pretences to bring about a sanguinary
collision. And it has now, indeed, come so far, that the
political eccentricities have been matched by cor-
responding military measures. A mass of 100,000
French troops were hurried in precipitate haste
to the Rhenish borders, while the Prussian battalions
were as yet distributed over the garrisons of the
monarchy. The start of the French was greatly favoured
by their network of railways, but far more so by the
large bodies of troops massed together in permanent
camps. The Prussian situation was not equally favour
able. Although immobile troops might have been hur-
ried to the frontiers, a different mode of proceeding was
preferred. Corps taken away from pacific pursuits
might, perhaps, be in a position to gain a momentary
success, but they are not organised to brave the vicissi-
tudes of a great war. It was, therefore, deemed well
tc prepare the forces for t* contest in the regular
way, and
to protect the German territory to some ex-
tent by the small numbers which garrison the western
boundary. It was fully known that if the enemy were
possessed of some energy, it would have been impossible
that we should offer strenuous resistance or prevent his
subsisting at the expense of a portion of our country.
All the German troops remained, therefore, in
their garrisons until they were ready to join in
the actual operations of the war. The hasty and
confused organisation of the French army at our borders
was opposed by feeble garrisons, and, the commanders being
deceived, their army was not placed In a position to
live at our expense. It is well known that the main
forces of the French were moved towards the Saar,
and especially towards Saarbruck, on the very day when
in Berlin the orders for the mobilisation were
issued. In Saarbruck were then one battalion of
the 40th Regiment and three squadrons of the
Uhlan Regiment, No. 7. The danger of this small divi-
sion was well known, but it was necessary to impose
upon the enemy without disturbing the preparations
of the army. During a whole fortnight this intrepid
handful faced the enemy, in whose estimation it gained
every day larger proportions, until it grew in the French
journals to the number of 200,000 men. Daily skirmishes
of the patrols were represented in the war news of
the French as magnificent encounters. On the part of
the Prussians these rodomontades could not be
exposed without permitting the secrets of Ber-
lin to be betrayed at Paris. After the arrival of
information, that two French corps were in close
proximity to our feeble detachment, this brave band was
on the point of being withdrawn. But the com-
mander, Von Pestel, begged by telegram to be left at his
post, and he added, ' The bearing of the French shews
that they are afraid of us.' This request was readily
granted, especially as it was now possible to reinforce the
small detachment by two battalions, and, moreover, to
place at a distance of two (German) miles a body
of troops to protect the retreat of these defenders.
This brought about the famous first battle of Saar-
bruck.'