The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-10 00:00:00

THE WAR.

' and it was almost as important and disastrous as the con-
test near Woerth. This Forbach misfortune was another
instance of bad generalship—another case of sur-
prise. Your readers will remember that on Tues-
day last the French troops, amid a strange chorus of
rhodomontade and bombast, assailed a small Prussian
force near Saarbruck and took possession, after a trivial
combat, of the heights in front of that town- General
Frossard was left in command in that quarter; and as is
usual at present with Imperial strategy, his corps re-
mained by itself without any support from the vast mass
of combatants round Metz. On Friday General Frossard
thought it prudent to evacuate Saarbruck. It appears,
however, that he did not retire far enough. Yesterday he
was assailed on a good position on a range of
heights at Spicheren—a very good position, it would seem,
for an army well handled, but the French are not well
handled at present, whilst the dispositions of the
Germans are of the most consummate ability. General
Frossard " did not think the engagement
would be serious," aid accordingly made no
great exertions 'to bring up the requisite
forces, or to retreat, if be could not find them. The
Prussians came pouring on, their grand masses being
handled with the most perfect ease. Soon the French
were overwhelmed by odds at the point of issue—as they
always seem to be in this most mismanaged war, and no
bravery could avail aught. The soldiers fought most des-
perately, but their generals had betrayed them. Frossard
was driven from his heights, numerous prisoners were
lost, and the loss in killed and wounded was excessively
great. The Germans lost heavily too, but they gained
the victory, and can well afford to pay the price for it.
However great the anxiety to keep back the whole
truth, there cannot be a doubt that General Frossard's
corps is cut to pieces. The Prussians have now got as
far as St. Avoid, and are fairly established on French
territory.

CONCENTRATION OF THE PRUSSIANS,

A French official despatch from Metz, dated yesterday
morning, says :—" An army of the enemy is concentrat-

ing on the Saar. The King of Prussia has established his
headquarters at Kaiserslautern. No movements have
taken place to•day."

THE FRENCH ARMY.

The following official news received from headquarters
is dated yesterday :—"A •great part of the French army
is concentrated before Metz. Marshal Bazaine is charged
with the direction of the operations. The army corps of
General Frossard is retiring in good order upon Metz.
The night passed off uietly.° The Emperor is about to
visit the quarters of Marshal Bazaine."

Such is the day's work. One defeat of the kind would
lave been enough to seriously imperil the Imperial cause,
he two seem overwhelming—almost irreparable.

THE POSITION IN PARIS.
PARIS, MONDAY.

We have spent twenty-four hours without intelligence
of moment, but this period of repose has had no beneficial
effect upon the peace of the city. The last bulletin was
enough to plunge the nation into grief for more than one
day. The excitement and passion of Sunday has in no
sense diminished to-day ; the crowds in the streets are as
panic-stricken, the newspapers as energetic, the whole
public as much confounded as when the mortal stroke first
fell. It is the old French habit of falling away from one
extreme to the other. To Englishmen this profound
prostration will seem as strange as the pre-
vious wild assurances that the army would be
in Berlin in a few days, and the ridiculous
nonsense about 0.3 Prince Imperial, his bullet, his bap-
tism of fire, I.Kuj the weeping soldiers. It is difficult to
understand such ebullitions. Nobody can deny the gravity
of the present crisis, but it is not without hope,
and the abattement visble here seems really more even than
the circumstances justify. This is a time, how-
ver, when the goodtraits of the French character pre-
eminently shew themselves. To arm in defence of the
country is the one obsorbing pre-occupation. It is really
remarkable to observe the unanimity which prevails at
the present crisis. It is quite useless to quote from the
journals, for they are all, even the extreme Republican
papers, of one mind, and and all their utterances are
summed up in one word, " arm." It would seem that at
no time had the Emperor's opponents a fairer excuse
for attack than at present. But they are not
making use of it ; and though it is not to be expected that
this forbearance will continue long, it may very probably
last until the Immediate danger is over? The Imperial
family, in short, occupy none of the thoughts of the
French public. Their names never appear, save at the
bottom of some decrees in the newspapers. On the
walls the Empress's proclamation hangs disregarded,
whilst the populace discuss the means of turning
the fortune of war against the detested enemy.
Some regrettable scenes occurred last night. The
disturbances to which Paris is so often a prey
were renewed. Some time ago it was revolution that
was called for in the streets. A few days since it was
" war;" now it is " chassepots." Marshal Baraguay
dalilliers has issued a proclamation forbidding all
assemblages in the streets, as a consequence of the
capital being put in a state of siege, but nobody pays the
slightest heed to the injunction. Crowds of people
assembled on the Boulevards last night. Large bands of
roughs howled for weapons. Circulation was utterly im-
peded, café chairs and tables were knocked over, and all
the features of a Red riot were being repeated, when the
Municipal Guard found it necessary to charge. (*.cer-
tainly had not a cheerful aspect. What with the
riotous roughs, and the drawn swords of the Guards,
the city did not at that hour have a very patriotic ap-
pearance, but such ebullitions, let us hope, do not repre-
sent altogether the spirit of the people. •
-The means of defence may be briefly recounted. First
there is the Grand Army, the shattered fragments of which
are now being gathered together. Several of these
corps are wholly uninjured; they have not yet fought;
one or two others have suffered slightly ; and something
may no doubt be made of the wreck of Frossard's and
MacMahon's. Altogether the Emperor ought to have
nearly a quarter of a million to put in line, which will
soon be increased. Then there is the Garde Mobile,
consisting of young men between the ages of 20 and
thirty; and after the Garde Mobile comes the National
Guards (stationary), which will garrison the towns, 'whilst
the Mobile goes to the frontier. The stationary guard is
formed of men between thirty and forty. Lastly, comes
the levy en masse. With these resources the nation mus
not despair.
Numerous troops are coming into Paris.

11E , LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST

THE BATTLE NEAR FOIR,BAOII.

The correspondent of the Standard writing from Metz,
on Sunday, gives an account of the great battle near
Forbach on the preceding day, when General Frossard's
corps was so severely handled :—"Knocked up by fatigue,
overcome by excitement, scarcely able to stand, how shall
I narrate in a few words the fearful spectacle I have
partly witnessed ? At an early hour yesterday
morning the Prussian army, 150,000 men strong, arrived
near Forbach, and met General Frossard's second
corps &armee three divisions, commanded by
Generals Verge, Battaile, Laveauneupet, and a division
of cavalry, commanded by General Litcheliss : two divi-
sions of three batteries each, with General Gagneur in
command, were also in the field, and with the mitrail-
leuses worked by the artillery present in the action.
The battle has lasted all day. The French
soldiers have sustained the tremendous shock of that large
Prussian army with a courage and devotion worthy of
the Spartans. Several times during the day they have taken
the offensive, notwithstanding the immense slaughter
made in their ranks. Feats of bravery, actions d'e,clat
are to be counted by hundreds. I cannot describe the
sanguinary carnage. Whole regiments were disappearing'
on both sides in the middle of the smoke, and when a
glimpse could be got, half of the soldiers had fallen
bravely. The losses are enormous on the Prussian
side ; they are terrible on the French. The corps
d'arm6c of General Frossard is nearly destroyed.
The Prussians were completely victorious at eight
o'clock p.m. Forbach is a heap of ashes. A
locomotive is taking us back to Metz. The Prussians
are advancing on St. Avoid on one side and Saarguemines
on the other. The Emperor is at Metz, the Etat Major-
General is here also. A heap of French correspondents
were all clay in the battle-field; we fear that two of them
who were lodging at an inn, between Spicheren
and Forbach, have been taken between the fires of
the two armies, as they were missing when I left.
On my arrival on going to telegraph to you I
had a long conversation with a colonel of the
general staff. He does not seem in despair. We are
going to take a brilliant revenge says he, and these
everses must be expected. In the meantime great con-
sternation prevails here. It would seem that there is no
apprehension of a fatal blow. Masses of French troops
have been concentrating in every direction on the second
line of defence, and the losses of the Prus-
sians are so great that their pursuit cannot be con-
tinued at once. On the other side, the two corps
d'armec which have suffered are only Frossard's
and MacMahon's. Ido not know yet what may be the
losses of the let corps ; no doubt Frossard's corps is
crushed and nearly destroyed ; but the 4th corps of General
L'Admirault, the sth corps of De Failly, the corps of
Bazaine, the Imperial Guard with Bourbaki, the 7th corps
with General Douay, the 6th corps with Marshal Can-
robert are safe and untouched. Behind them is the army
of Lyons, the Garde Mobile, and the French nation,
which will no doubt rise en masse. The position is far
from being desperate. It was with a feeling of sadness
that I saw to-day the equipages of the Emperor and his
staff leaving Metz, the picture of a great calamity ; but
at the same time was to be seen the resolute and sponta-
neous action of the citizens assembling in the court of the
"motel de Metz, and swearing to pnt aside all causes of
political antagonism, and to join fraternally in the defence
of their country,

A writer in the Paris Journal also gives an account of
the affair. He says that on.the 6th of August the forces
occupying Spieheron and the Saarbruck heights had not
the remotest idea of the possibility of their being attacked,
whilst an attack at Saarguemines was generally expected,
and preparations were made to receive them. At half-
.

past nine o'clock in the morning a small detachment was
sent from the heights of Saarbruck to explore a wood on
the left. But the detachment met with a hot reception,
and supports were sent up, which, after some skirmishing,
ascertained that a body of at least 40,000 Prussians held
the wood. They had probably crossed the river at Saar-
louis. The 66th Regiment of the line and the third battalion
of Chasseurs were immediately despatched to the front
from Forbach, and for three hours maintained a desperate
struggle against overwhelming numbers ; but they were
driven back, and the Prussians immediately proceeded
to attack the heights of Spicheren. It is said that this
position was taken and retaken several times. A
stout fight also took place for the possession of
MM. Wendel and Co.'s manufactory at Stiring.

Further reinforcements came up from Forbach, but the
Prussians also brought up fresh troops, and in far greatey
numbers.. The French were driven from the heights and
_ _

down to Forbach, where another stand was made. The
shells from the Prussian artillery set Forbach on fire, and
General Frossard's corps *had to retreat.

STRATEGY OF THE CAMPAIGN.

Considering the enormous preponderance of force which
the Crown Prince had at his disposal, the Standard thinks
it not to be wondered at that MacMahon was driven back
even from his strong position at Woerth. The fact that
the action is spoken of by the French as having taken
place at ReichshOffen and at Froeschwiller, while by the
Prussians it is called the battle of Woerth, shows us where
the troops must have taken up their stand.
Reichshoffen is a station on the railway from
...Strasburg to Bitsche, and is on the small river
Falkenstein. Between it and Woerth are some
hills, which slope down to the streams which flow through
Woerth. To the left of the road between Reichshoffen
and Woerth is the village of Froeschwiller on the side of
these hills which evidently mark the line of MacMahon's
position. The Marshal's left would have rested on the
forest of Niederbronn. The villages of Neehwiller,
Froeschwiller, Elsashausen, and Eberbach, would have
Protected his front. The Crown Prince in his first
telegram said that MacMahon had retired to Bitsche, but
the French telegrams show him to have retired in the
direction of Nancy, and we have further intelligence
that he has reached Saverne. Saverne is a station on
the railway from Strasburg to Nancy ; and the despatch
of the Crown Prince is easily reconciled with the French
advices by supposing that MacMahon first retired, as lie
naturally would do, upon Niederbronn, and thence,
instead of taking the direct road to Bitsche, struck off
towards the south-west. Had he taken the road to
Bitsche, his position would have been one of imminent
danger. He would certainly have been between the
advancing army of the Crown Prince and that of
Prince Frederick Charles and General Steinmetz.
But by his retreat towards Nancy he allows the Em-
peror, should he be so disposed, to fall back from Metz
and concentrate with him. In a case of this nature there
is only one course to be pursued. Whenever two armies
are thus severally pushed back, their best hope lies in
concentration ; and the telegram from Metz, which
states that the French troops are being concen-
trated to defend the defiles of Vosges, coincides
with our suggestion of yesterday that the Emperor
might yet use his interior position, and mass
his whole force against either the Prussian right or the
Prussian left. Five divisions only appear to have been
engaged at Woerth ; three divisions only at Speicheren.
If, then, only the corps of MacMahon, and one division
either of Caurobert's or De Failly's corps have been engaged
on the right, and if only the corps of Frossard was engaged
on the left, there remain the perfectly fresh troops of
LadtrArault, Bazaine, De Failly, and Canrobert, except
one division, as well as the Imperial Guard. If these
can be concentrated, and)MacMahon and Frossard can fall
back upon them, there will be a force, even after the losses,
of not less than 250,000 men. It is not impossible that the
telegram which says that the troops are being concen-
trated for the defence of the Vosges is, in the main, correct,
and while the defence of Metz is being left to a
garrison, the Emperor is about to throw his whole force
against the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince should
pursue .MacMahon southwards he might thus be confronted
y a superior force. If, on the other hand, he should
move due west, so as to connect himself with the other
armies, this movement on the part of the French would
be of little avail.

Though the opening incidents of the campaign have
been most favourable to Germany, the Telegraph holds
that it would be rash to consider that the disasters yet
sustained are decisive or ir.etrievable. The Guard, with
the corps of Bazaine and Ladmirault, are available to
cover the retreat and check the pursuit. It will not,
however, be prudent 'to stay the retreat at Metz, and to
attempt there to reorganise the army to fight a great
battle. The Crown Prince, from Haguenau, advanc-
ing on Nancy, can cut the railway communication be-
tween Metz and the capital, and expose Paris itself to in-
sult, if not to capture. More probably, unless the Prus;
dans push forward so fast that the retiring troops have no
time to retreat, but are forced against their will into
a general action, no serious engagement will take
place until the French army has gained the line of
the Meuse. The object of the Germans will naturally
be to press their retreating adverseries as hard as
possible, to prevent them from recovering their first dis-.
asters, and from reorganising their army for a great dfort.
, Still, it will cost no _slight effort to carry out this
policy. The country over which both armies are 'now
moving is peculiarly suitable for the action' of
a well - directed rear - guard. It is much broken
by streams and defiles ; and the MOselle, which
flows through Metz . and Nancy, ' is in itself no
contemptible. barrier. The Prussian movements will be
much impeded by the difficulties of subsistence ; for,
although the country has not been desolated, it has held
for three weeks an army of 300,000 men ; and such a force
rapidly consumes all available supplies, leaiving little for
another army following in its footsteps. Nor Will the
German leaders, in advancing, ,be able totally to disregard
the fortresses which lie upon their path.