The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-05

tion made him intensely hostile to every
organization that tended to educate the popu-
lace for military duty.
This system, continued during his whole
reign, laid the groundwork of the extraordi-
nary spectacle of all Germany fighting against
less than half of France. 1t superin-
duced the fearful disproportion of strength
which has been apparent in every battle, and
il paved the way for the inevitable victories
which have been won by the German armies.
Independent of this fundamental error,
nearly every other conceivable mistake has
been perpetrated. The French made On ad-
mirable disposition of their forces near the
frontier for an offensive campaign, but the
worst possible disposition for the defensive
campaign which was thrust upon them, and
if the Prussians had dictated their movements
they could scarcely have been more favorable
for the invaders. The ex-Emperor under
took to command his army without oompre-
hending the duties of that responsible position.
He rejected the advice Of able generals and
followed the counsels of prcpinjay oourtiers.
Even after the dangerous absurdity OF his
interference was perceived and aoknow-
lodged, he hung round the camps as q con-
stsnt incubus. Thus Bazaine was forced TO
detaoh three regiments at critical iuncture
in the battle near Metz to protect his precious
person, and it is said that shortly before the
late collapse he requested MaoMahon to de-
tach so, 900 troops to ensure the safety of the
Prince Imperial Such petty trifing and
oficious intermeddling is enough to defeat
the best army in the world.
Paris has been too much absorbed for sew
eral weeks past in preparations for her own
defense to render effective aid to the armies in
front. A city which expects to be invested,
which is planting thousands Of cannon on
her walls, throwing up earthworks, soliciting
food from all quarters for her own susie
nance, and which feels that every m IN she o. n
muster may soon be needed for her own de-
fensA, has but little time or dispo ,ition to
strengthen armies hundreds of miles away;
and the perils of the capital have kept back
supplies and reinforcements from both
Mcmahon and Bazsine.
In brief, Germany was ready for the war,
while France was not, and the blows have
fallen 30 thick and fast that the French have
had no time to repair their original defcien-
cies While they are enrolling new recruits
their old armies are being demolished, and
while they are devising plans of defense, their
strongholds are falling into the hands of the
enemy.
For the moment, the Cabinet at Paris
avows a determination to continue the fight
to the bitter end. But when the French
people fully realize the extent of the late
calamity, and learn that the Prince Imperial,
as we'll as the Emperor, has fallen into the
hands of the Prussians, and that MacMahon' g
whole army has surrendered, it is difficult to
comprehend how authority can be maintained
by any ministry chosen by the defunot
dynasty. The demand for a radical change
of government will hourly gain strength, and
the issue will loom up whether the nation is
to make sudden peace or whether it is to
renew the battle under the banner of q
republic.