The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-09-16

m.ny srains Of salt. For Instance. The rspert-
al placins Of ten thousand Prusisns Aors Dc
combat at Toul on Saturday shsuh DO ola1ed
with the story Of 10 thousAud Praalans being
killed on . Sinsbosrg bridge BY Freoch mitrail-
leun And both statements may very proper.
" be placed In the same Category with that
which represents Baaaine - breaking through
Won Steipmets's army Of 100000. and then
cutting bis way through another army OF w.
900 TO Paris
The persistant efforts Of the Prussians to cap
ture the fortress land gsrrison) Of Toul ID e.
planned by the fact that Toul Is but twelve miles
from Nancy, which city 10 now the great com.
missary distributing depot Of the Prissiaus. To
Nancy Is brought nearly oil the war supplies
for the troops operating around Mets and to-
wards Paris, and strong French garrison %
near these valuable stores 10 . constant source
OF unessiness, necessitating the retention Of .
largo force that might otherwise b. employed
At the frunt. Bat the deftnceof Tool b most
heroic, and hitherto the garrison have success
fully resisted Ill means brought to compel their
surrender. gTl IDV III Ty-0r..
Il Is said that the deposcd Emperor Napoleon
has an extraordinary memury for names, ng-
ures, faces and miscellaneous FACTS, and u Is 70
lated that Il Is his invariable habit, on having
communicated to him name or number, or
any brief fact which be wishes to remember, to
write Il down In a.note book, and then tear the
leaf out Of the book, read Il over once ahen-
lively. and then tear the leaf mp. Amer I'm
pressing fact on his mind by this process he
never forgot Il. The key to this extraordinary
faculty Of memory doubtless lies In the fsct
that, during his long years Of imprisonment,
In early life. he did not dare to carry impor-
tsut memoranda about him. He was obliged
to rely on his memory; but that he did not
st first trust Il altogether, Is seen BY the fact
that, through the force Of habit, he still oblig-
cd to mahe sure Of . fact by writing II down,
and 30 fixing II In his mind. instead OF trusting
entirely to the sense Of hearing to act upon his
memory.
The French military officers arc accused Of
jeopariiring military maneuvres BY their eI-
cessive vanity. They cot upon the theory that
they can afford to despise al information and
every suggestion not coming from one Of them.
selves. Before Woerth captain on outpost
duty was warned by the peasants that Q body
Of Uhlans were cutting the telegraph and de-
stroying the railroads Ills only answer was
"what's that TO me-we are not lighting with
the telegraph are wei'' Many Of tho surprises
which the French have suffered recently are as
cribed to this cause.
The situation at Metz Is thus described by
the New York Tribune Metz has not been In
vested. BaIaine has never been confined 10
the walls Of the fortress since the day he was
driven back from Gravelotte. Whom the Prus.
slams found found they had beaten the French
meu back and prevented their flight, they oou-
tented themselves with guarding all avenues OF
A., - ali vvoRo
Bazaine has been free to roam by various roads
from Eve to seven miles. On Aug. III he NOV
cd out northeast, about SIX miles from Mets.
and In an effort to break through the lines Of
that sturdy German, Manteutfel, fought two
severe and bloody engagements at NoIssevilie
aad Retonfay. Ba1aine would find himself OPP
posed In the same manner II he attempt TO es-
cape BY any other road. Gen. SteinmetI' head
quarters are ut Malancourt, seven miles north OF
Metz. and those Of Prince Frederick Charles
still further away at 81. Michel. The Germans
have force Of fully 100000 men around Mets,
and they are "about" to capture the place.
The King Of Prussia, In . dispatch to tho
Queen, says the explosion OF the citidel OF Loon
killed $50 persons, 200 Of them being OF the
Garde Mobile. II Is reported that the Prus-
SLAMS assaulted Toul on Saturday, but were re-
pulsed with loss OF 10, 900 men. The announc.
ment Is made that by request Of Bismarck. the
Prusian army has halted % miles from Paris,
until the proposition concerning an armistice
shall be decided upon. There arc reports that
England and the United States have made strong
appeals to Prussia to stop the fighting, but 80
far rs the United States Is concerned the report
Is known to be erroneous. Communication by
rail or telegraph with Paris Is no irregular, di-
6cult and will probably soon DO only occasional.
The population Of Paris, according to CEN
sus taken In 1868. amounted to 2,l6O,9l6 souls
Of whom 2,028, 1913 were born In France; that Is
33,478 In the Department Of tho Seine, and
/, 295, 648 In other departments.
The cost Of the defensive works about Paris Is
estimated at over two thirds Of the city they
protect. In lS4l, the Government obtained !.
grant from the Chambers Of 830.0OO,0OO for
the work. Since then they have been constant
ly strengthened, and the extensive repairs now
being made, on which many thousand workmen
are engaged, are intended to complete the great
work. Six thousand cannon can be worked
from these defences. .ra.l
Gen. Moltke Is reported as having remarked
to French officer just prior to the war: "Do
not talk to me Of your military education In
Africa. II you have never been there, 50 much
the better; when you become General you will
be clad Of The war you have been carrying
on for forty years against the Arabs Il . guer-
rillerie Of an inferior order Never any skilful
marches, no feints, no countermarcbes, rarely
any surprises. With that school you will do
nothing more than form other schools like II,
The first great war will demonstrate your inefh.
cheney, and were not In the presence ola man
Of your merit, sir, should not hesitate TO laugh
at your ignorance Of the trade TO which you de-
vote yourself" ........ ......
TROUBLE IN THE PoPE's OFFICE.
Increasing agitation at Rome. General Car
dovs has been ordered 10 cross the frontier, II
necessary. The Pope has decided TO proceed to
the Villa Castellondolf when the Italian troops
occupy Rome. NJ. Rcotti has been appointed
Minister Of War. Great numbers OF people OF
the Pontifcsl States have petitioned that Victor
Emanuel occupy Rome. It Is said that the pre-
cautions taken BY Victor Emsnuei are 70 perfect
that the Pope cannot escape from Rome. Cha.
rette, commanding . remnant OF the foreign
force at Rome, threatens to resist the Italians to
the end. f..
The Journal dc 81. Petersburg (ofioisl orgin)
saws s. The French democracy cannot save
France; while the effects of its rule must be dis
sstrou.. Its ideas Of solidarity arc utoplan.
France glories In republic. Is she once did In
an empire. Let her try the experiment, but
she must beware Of dragging In other nations.
The Journal condemns the language Of Victor
Hugo, saying-while the bombardment OF Par.
Is would be Q crime, words like these would
never promote peace.
More than twenty-five thousand French pris-
ouers were capturrd In front Of Sedan before
It's capitulation on the "a inst. by the oapitu.