The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-29 00:00:00

NUMBERS AND GENERALSHIP.

In the absence of commanding military genius, it
,'may be safely assumed that numbers are almost certain,
in any given contest, to carry the day. It is asserted that
the Prussian forces in the present campaign have outnum-
bered the French on every important occasion when they
have come into collision. To direct matters so that such a
preponderance in critical moments and places should exist,
may, of course, be declared to be a proof of the possession
of high military ability ; and so, no doubt, it is. But
apart from skill in logistics or strategy, and assuming
each combatant to bring into the field his utmost available
• force, experience justifies the saying imputed to Napoleon
1., that Providence fights on the side having the strongest
battalions. That great captain certainly tested the truth
of his maxim to his cost at Leipsic, where, according to
the best authority—that of Cathcart—the Allies had
230,000 men and the French 160,000. At Koniggratz,again,
the Prussians had 250,000 troops, the Austrians but 185,000.
In the immediate neighbourhood of the scene of the
existing conflict, the same results have been repeatedly
witnessed. At Lutzen the Prussians had but 80,000
soldiers, while Bonaparte opposed them with 120,000, and
at Bautzen there was a similar disparity. It seems ex-
traordinary that, after having been the first to declare
war, the Emperor Napoleon should have been at fault in
this supremely important particular. The French
army, as enumerated by the official and un -
contradicted documents, is, or was, greater
than that of Prussia, including all the various
contingents. Paris is nearer the frontier than Berlin, and
the system of railway connections is in France, if any-
thing, superior to that of Germany. In spite of all
this, and in spite of the tremendous character of the
stake for which he fights, the Emperor actually
appears to have been thus far overwhelmed by
superior numbers. The fact, it must be admitted, gives
strong colour to the statement, lately made, that in reality
he did not wish to bring about this war, and that
the people had, indeed, slipped out of his hands. If that
representation is true, it is easy to see how, after the first
bitter pang of mortified pride over their disappointment,
the French should feel more kindly towards the Emperor
than they did immediately after their late defeat.
The theory that better generalship is to be
credited to king William and his officers than
to their opponents, may render partially need-
less the hypothesis of unequal numbers. It may
be that with equal numbers in each action the
Prussians would still have been victorious. Be that as it
may, the further they advance into France, and the
longer they wait before striking • afresh at the Em-
peror's army, the less likely they are to retain, if they
have possessed it, the advantage of a superior numerical
force. A delay which could give all France time to
concentrate, might make the Prussian campaign, so aus-
piciously begun, result as disastrously as that of Napoleon
in Russia. There is a scarcely a doubt, then, that another
battle on a (Treat scale is imminent • that the forces en-
gaged on the French side will be relatively greater than
they have hitherto been, and that the event will be likely,
consequently, to shew beyond dispute how far the pre-
vious victories have depended on superior generalship,
and how far on greater numbers.—New York Times.

TII E FENIANS IN MOTION.—It appears that the war
in Europe has inspired the Fenians of this city with
renewed zeal and activity in the cause of Ireland's libera-
tion, and that they are holding more than their usual
weekly number of meetings for purposes of military orga,
nization. Holilibg fast to the idea that "England's diffi-
culty will be Ireland's opportunity," they are expecting
that English neutrality will come to an end as this war
goes on, and that in this event there will be a fine oppor-
tunity for waking up the Canadians once more, by way of
a flank movement on Ireland. We are sorry for the poor
Canadians, for it may be that their period of rest from the
Fenians will be short.—New York Herald.

PREVALENCE OF SUICIDE.—The rather remarkable
mania for suicide which the newspaper reader must have
observed as prevalent in all parts of the 'country .is to be
Attiibuted partly, we presume, to the unfortunate case 40
ILL-Prevost-Paradol at Washington, but mainly, we suN
pose, to the exceptionally high temperature of the present
Summer. It is very difficult to suggest any remedy"for
an. epidemic of this peculiar character, infinitely to be
desired as a mitigation of it must be allowed to be ; but
in several cases which have come under our knowledge
there had been preceding unsuccessful attempts. We
must again urge the most cautious vigilance on the part of
the, friends of those who have shewn symptoms of this
unnatural propensity. Proper restraint of those who have
attempted felo de se is the only safeguard.—New York
Tribune