Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-01
European War Gossip.

The case of Austria is thus made ont
for her by a correspondent writing from
Paris:
is Austria beaten, humbled destroyed
Aboutas much as the North after Bull
Run or Fredericksburg. Benedek is still
the idol of the army He has fallen
back upon Olmutz with 100000 men and
500 pieces of artillery. The bulk of the
army of Vsnetia is coming to his sup
port, leaving ample garrisons in Venetia,
where, If the war goes on, the Italians
have six month work before them Aus
tria has the same advantage in men, over
Prussia, as the North had over the South.
Vienna was paralyzed for a day, but the
next day her pride was aroused. All
Hungary is rising, not,a so many hoped,
against Austria, but to defend her. She
does not wait for a conscription she
volunteers. In month Austria will be
stronger than before the defeats in Bo-
hemia; and the Prussians have now be-
fore them the slow work Of sieges. There
are fortresses too strong to be taken by
coup de main, and too strong to be left
in the rear Of an invading army, which
cannot weaken itself by detaching forces
to watch them. Austria is making and
getting up breech-loading rifles Her ar
tilery is equal, some say better than the
Prussian, her cavalry is equal if not su-
peror, as shown by the retreat from Sa-
dowa. She was wanting in needle-gnns
and in generalship. 1t is probable that
the battle of the Sd was lost by the neg
ligence of General Count Clam Gallas.
Austria can better afford to lose men
than Prussia, and the Prussian losses
have been heavy, greater, in proportion
to her resources than those Of Austria.
There are military situations in which
every victory leads to ultimate defeat
Another Paris letter.writer says:
From all sides the testimony concurs
in the statement that the needle-gun has
not had so important share in the sue
cess of the Prussians as the Austrains
would have the world believe. The
Prussians seem to have shown more in
telligence on the field, more dash, more
solidity, and more brilliancy in tactics
than their enemy, besides possessing
gun which, when good occasion pre-
sented for its use, was sure 10 destroy
whatever stood before it. The army
people of France are asiounded at this
result, and refuse TO see the cause of it.
They refuse to see that Prussia is in
debted for her success to the education
she gives her people. common school ed
ucation as well as their military educa-
ton in the we'll organized ldndlcehr.
France and Austria spend great sums OF
money on their officers and military es-
tablishments, while the people, the
peasantry of the two countries are
maintained in about the same state OF
ignorance they were two centuries ago.
In these two countries the Catholic
Church controls in a great measure, the
little instruction the people receive; in
Prussia it is the Government and the
progressive Protestant Church which
controls the education Of the people. In
France and Austria, therefore, the
peasant makes good soldier TO fight in
superior numbers with uneomplicated
instruments of warfare but he could
not stand a minute before an equal num-
Der of educated men with complicated
instruments of war. Military renown,
bravery, esprit de corps and ilGn would
do no good in the presence OF a higher
intelligence and a gun shooting six
times to one. The French Government
would do well to look little less TO the
establishment of Paris, and look little
more to the poor, ignorant masses out
side OF Paris-of those masses which
compose its army.
How the Prussians march in Bohemia,
is thus described by a writer for the
London Times
Advanced guards are sent forward, who
carefully feel the way for the marching
columns, sending scouts to the top Of
srery rise, who, standing out sharp
against the sky, peer into the distance;
rifemen move in dotted lines through
the fields at an even pace with the troops
marching on the road, and tread through
the corn as carefully as if they were
sportsmen beating q covert, or, slipping
into q thicket, nov appear, now disap-
pear in the foliage much like hounds
drawing for fox The troops on the
road push along as steadily and as per
severingly as on the FIRST day she en-
tered Saxony. The infantry. with theig
trowsers turned mp, and boots often
drawn on outside them, trudge along
merrily, and seem little to feel the heavy
yellow cowskin knspsaeks, and mess tins
for cooking which they carry on their
backs. Their helmets have suffered more
in the campaign than any other part Of
their equipment; many have lost the
spike on the top, carried OF by bullet or
a splinter of she'll at the battle Of Kon-
nieeratz. Some look as if they had been
knocked of in the hurry Of action, and
had been marched over heavily BY the
ranks behind The beltss show a want