The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-16 00:00:00

WAR NOTES.

THE TURCOS.—It is bad enough that the semi-
barbarous Turcos should be pitted against civilized men,
and should find opportunities to mutilate in the most in-
human manner the bodies of those who fell in the field. This
is what they were sent to do. No one expected that they
would display any regard for decency or she* mercy to
the fallen. This belief inspired the German troops with
an incredible vigour whenever they were opposed to
a regiment of Turcos. The officers could no longer
hold their men in hand. Disregarding the restraints
of discipline and whispers of prudence, they shouted
"forward," and swept down the detested enemy. The
large proportion of Turcos to be found among the pri-
soners is due to the special efforts directed against them.
Yet the hatred entertained and manifested towards
them has not in a single instance taken the form of insult
or maltreatment, after the battle was at an end. The
prisoners have all been treated with the greatest consider-
ation, and the Turcos have not been made exceptions to
the rule.—Prussian Correspondent of the Daily News.
HOSTILITY OF FRENCH PEASANTS.—The Prus-
sians, in their pursuit, have come upon large quantities
of stores, upon magazines of ammunition, and upon
necessaries of war of all kinds. In every village they
find numbers of wounded French, who could no further
accompany their retreating comrades. The hate of the
peasants for the Prussians has greatly surprised
them, and is shown in every way. In one place a woman
fired upon the troops, in another the peasants ill-treated
the wounded, and being caught in the act were tried at
once, and fourteen of them were summarily shot. The
surprise of the Germans, indeed, in this particular re-
sembles that with which the conduct of the Bavarians
and the natives of the other Southern States has
inspired the French. These last had been told
that they were going to liberate the Southern
States from the tyranny of Prussia, and are there-
fore astonished at finding those people, instead of hailing
them as deliverers, fighting against them with a bravery
and fury even exceeding that of the Prussians them-
selves. The Germans, upon the other hand, have always
claimed this portion of Lorraine and Alsace as belonging
by ties of race and history to Germany, and are surprised
to find that the peasants are to a man their deadly ene-
mies.—Correspondent of Standard at Mannheim.
EPISODES AT WOERTII.—As far as I can ascer-
tain, the 74th French Line regiment has virtually ceased
to exist as a military body, one-third of its men and
officers having perished in the field, and the rest, as well
as all its staff, having been captured. A cavalry
regiment has also perished—the Bth or 9th Cuiras-
siers, I know which. It was surrounded in
a large vineyard, refused to surrender, and,
with the exception of a few superior officers, was
simply exterminated. The capture of 200 French
soldiers, and an enormous mass of military stores,
at Hagenau, by about a dozen German dragoons, headed
by a couple of young lieutenants—Von Schdnau and Von
Freydorf—is one of the most brilliant episodes of the war,
and, moreover, illustrates the utter demoralisation of the
French troops. On the 7th (Sunday), about one o'clock
p.m„ the Ist and 2nd Dragoons took possession of the
town, and the two young lieutenants above named, fol-
lowed by a few troopers, rode off to the great barracks,
which were still in the hands of some 200 men. The pair
summoned the occupants to surrender, which they at once
did, marching out and piling their arms.—Correspondent
of the Telegraph at Mannheim.
THE EMPIRE.—The chance of battle is a mighty
chance, and on some bloody field France may regain
her prestige, but what effort, what heroism, what
smile of fortune can restore the tarnished splendour
of the Empire ? I can imagine no combination
of events which could effect that miracle. Not even
if the German army were driven back, not even
if a victorious peace were signed at Berlin, would
Napoleon be again what he was a month ago ; for in the
eyes of France another would have repaired his faults,
another would have wiped away the stain inflicted by his
incapacity; the defeat would remain his, the revenge
would be another's. It would be said that victory had
returned only when he gave up the command.
Napoleon 111. is not dethroned, but he is al-
ready discrowned, and it may well be that the one
degredation is only the prelude of "the other.
Even some of us—the Irreconcilables of former days—
feel our just and righteous enmity relax in presence of
such a great and sudden ruin. But, unless lam much
mistaken, there will be no pity shewn. Napoleon lIL
was essentially, even in his most brilliant days, the
Emperor of the soldiery and of the peasants. Those two
classes, his sole but all-powerful supporters against a
hostile bourgeoisie, he has now alienated.—Frenth
Correspondent of the Times.
THE CHANCES OF PEACE.—A drawn battle

there may be in the neighbourhood of Metz and Nancy,

but that is the most the French and their friends can
hope for. Perhaps that would be the most desirable issue,
seeing that it alone would render peace possible.
At such a moment of exhaustion, but of loss of
honour on neither side, England might possibly
step in with the hope of being heard. Of course,
considerable sacrifices would have to be made by
France, even in that case. The status quo would have to
be recognised, and Alsace be lost for ever. Still, France
would be more tractable after a drawn battle than after
another defeat. In the latter event England would in-
terfere in vain. Defeat might be the ruin of the Em-
peror personally, but the nation would scarcely succumb.
Then Germany would have to face an Orleanist or a
Republican France, and the voice of either would still be
for war. On the other hand, should the French
against all probability, prevail in the next great action
we should be further from peace than ever. Win this united
Germany must. All calculations based upon anothee
assumption will prove fallacious. I repeat these things
to you, not so much because they are my own opi-
nions as because they are those of everybody here.
People are already asking themselves what it is that
they shall exact from the vanquished. I hear very
little said in favour of the recovery of Lorraine. "It is
French," is the general observation, " and therefore we
do not want it." But Alsace must once more be German
territory. And then comes the question of money. How
much is it to be ? On this head, German terms will be
hard, very hard. The financial damage done to this
country by the war it is not easy to calculate ; and all
that can be set down in figures, by figures must be con-
doned. here in Berlin, a great capital, things
apparently go on much as usual ; but there must be places
where life and movement have almost ceased by the action
of this vampire war. You cannot tell how anxious every-
body is that it should cease. But at the same time no one
wishes it to be prematurely closed. It must be the last
war—with France at least. That is the predominant, the
universal feeling. Men do not want to do all this over
again, nor women to see it done. Alas ! it hits the women
almost hardest of all.—Berlin Correspondent of Standard.