The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 23, 1.870.

THORLEY'S HORSE and CATTLE SPICE,
I_ In Penny Packets only, of all Corn Chandlers in London, and
Of all Grocers, Druggists, and Corn Dealers in the Country.

OPERAS, THEATRES, AND AMUSEMENTS.

PRINCE OF WlLEs's—A 7.30. Quite by Accident. M.P. Deares
Mamma.

QintsN's—At Seven, My Wife's Dentist. 'Twist Axe and Crown.
VAUDEVILLE—Cupboard Love. Two Roses. Don Carlos.

CHRISTY MINSTRELS. St. James's Hall, Every Night, at 8; Wed.
nesdays and Saturdays, at 3 and 8 all the year round.

ZOOLOGICAL GARDBNS, Regent's-park. Open daily except Sun-
days). Admission, Is. on Mondays, 6d. Children under
twelve, 6d.

MADAME TIISSAUD'S ExansiTlON, Baker-street, from 11 a.m. till
3.0 p.m., and from 7 till 10 p.m. Admission, Is.; extra
6d.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY.

Morning ............ 9 afterill I Afternoon after 11

4
ttg

EVENING EDITION.

exact proportion of credit which each party
may claim for its share in the week's
fighting. It is obvious enough that, though their
immediate aim has been foiled, the French have no
reason to be ashamed of their achievements at
Borney on Sunday, at Vionville or Gravelotte on
Tuesday, or at Rezonville on Thursday. It
is probable that they had a decided
advantage at Borney ; it is certain that, if
they made no progress against the Prussians at
Vionville, they kept their lines intact after inflicting
frightful losses on the enemy ; and if the Germans won
at Rezonville, such a result is not surprising, after the
French had sustained enormous losses, without rein-
forcements, whilst the Germans gained constant
accessions of strength. In all cases the French troops
have fought admirably. In nearly all cases the
generals have handled their men well in the
actual field of battle. When, for example,
MACMAHON committed the fault of fighting at
Woerth, there was no exception to be taken to his
arrangements for the struggle. He placed his men
well. He held the situation against superior forces
with great ability, so much so that at one time the
issue of the fight was really in some little doubt.
In the middle of the contest he executed a very
difficult movement in the face of a numerous and
conquering enemy, with the utmost skill. Altogether
MACMAHON has well earned the sword of honour
which the Parisians are subscribing for for him.
Similarly BAZAINE mayhave conducted his operations
very well during the last week—indeed he must have
done so, or his army could never have offered such a
desperate resistance to an outnumbering foe.
But all this bravery avails nothing, if it fails to
realise the greater objects of war. However well the
French marshals manage the details of battles they
are hopelessly at fault in the general operations of
the campaign or strategy. BAZAINE'S three well-
contested battles, in which so many men were lost,
on both sides, only render him, as the weaker party,
less able to meet the task that awaits him—that of
cutting his way through a surrounding force to his
companions in arms. His army was to have formed
the nucleus of the force at Chalons. He cannot get
there. What will the Chalons army do without
him ? We know that it consists of ill-trained Garde
Mobile battalions, new levies of regulars, the broken
regiments of M CMAHON, and some really good troops
drawn from different parts of the Empire. This
is not a promising composition, but it is not hopeless
if it were numerous enough. Unfortunately, though
the exact figures are not given, there is scarcely any
hope that it can equal in strength the fine and
victorious array of the CROWN PRINCE. If BAZAINE'S
army be destroyed, captured, or hopelessly scattered,
then the Chalons array must confront both the
German hosts. And it is by no means im-
probable that any of the three evils may
befall the French at Metz. BAZAINE must
have lost at least 50,000 men in the three
battles of the week. The Germans, in their
official report, acknowledge 40,000. An official
report never gives the full number at first—it
cannot, indeed. The French must have lost
at least as severely as the Germans.
Here, then, is proof that two-fifths of BAZAINE'S army
is disabled, for it consisted at first of 120,000.
Surely these facts point their own conclu-
sion as to the continued success of the Germans. If
the situation was " grave " after Woerth and
Forbach, it is more than ever so now. If the last
hour of the Empire seemed at hand then, it must
be close and inevitable after these most terrible
struggles.

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

her for her selfish intermeddling policy in one num-
ber, declares in another that she has sunk into a
nation of shopkeepers, and has fallen in half the
lifetime of a generation from a first class to a third
class power, held in little estimation on the conti-
nent. The Anglo-American Times, in writing upon this
subject, very justly remarks that instead of England
having sunk into this position, it is really her mis-
fortune that all other nations, including the United
States themselves, attach an exaggerated, value to
her opinion. " There never was a country so much
bored by others, so closely watched, or earnestly
remonstrated with, so petitioned, so bullied and
belied." German and French papers at the
present moment are alike writing at her, each trying
to inveigle her to their side, and all neutral
Powers are awaiting her lead. Any manifestation
of opinion in her press or Parliament excites
jealousy, and to whichever side the public feeling
inclines, the other party is loud in its indignation,
The European Powers generally persist in constitut-
ing England a kind of judge, demanding her opinion
on all their international differences, and always
attacking her when they get it. Possibly it is the
knowledge that, however personal interests are con-
cerned, the great body of Englishmen are always in
favour of fair play and honourable dealing between
nations as between individuals, that makes conti-
nental Powers so solicitous of their moral support.
The Anglo-American points out that the selfish policy
of France has defeated herself, and it is noticeable
that the two Powers which aided or abetted Prussia
in her attack on Denmark have received from Prussia
herself the most condign punishment.

may be judged of from the fact that in the course of
the last half century the yearly attendance has
risen from an average of about 3,000 to one of nearly
10,000—the collections for the charity having for
some years past averaged £l,lOO. The principal
solo vocalists engaged for the celebration this year
are Madame Tietjens, Madame Sinico, Miss Edith
Wynne, Mr. Santley, and Mr. Lewis Thomas.

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