The New York herald., 1870-08-28
The Latest War News.

nope at the De5t, ana Wild one, t00-that
MacMahon was attempting a junction with
Bazaine, is given up. The army of the
Mosele s completely entrapped at Metz. The
invading forces hold eight departments OF
France, numbering nearly three and half
millions of people, whose desttution is repre-
sented to be distressing. Meanwhile, with
the steady, fatetul, relentless tramp of destiny
the German grand army now concentrated
under the chief command of King William in
person. advances swiftly on Paris, leaving
strong corps to keep the gives secure on
Metz and followed in the distance by two
fresh armies of reinforcement--one of Prus-
slams, entering France on the north under Won
Falckenstein, and the other of South Germans,
coming up from the direction of Besancon.
In Paris, news OF the arrival Of the enemy's
cavalry near by is hourly anticipated, and the
excitement is extreme. MacMahons exact
position is no. stated, but it is supposed that
he is on the eve Of battle almost within hearing
Of the capital. The truth of the movement
which some French journals have so absurdly
endeavorel to twist into a Junction Of
MacMehoa with Blzaines main body re-
solves Itself nationally into this---that
when Bazaine was suddenly attacked by the
Germans, while attempting to retreat to
Verdun, considerable portion of his force
was cut off from him and compelled to retire
northward in the direction Of Etain, Briey and
Thionville, and the line Of railroad leading via
Montmedy TO Mezieres. This fragment is said
to be under tho command of Canrobert, and
it has been in the double effort to extricate it
and thereby to increase his own number OF
trained soldiers that MacMahon has been SO
amusingly represented as making movements
that to a military mind seem simply irrational
in view OF the situation. Even Gaiilardet,
the wel-informed correspondent Of the lead
ing French paper in this city, dismisses the
idea with smile as not only impractical BILE,
but undesirable Let us suppose an Invading
army to be at Poughkeepsie and body Of
American troops cut of at Troy. What would
New York think of a general who, with
force between us aud the enemy should
attempt to march around the foe among the
mountains to Albany, instead of giving battle
or retiring on this city to defend it? II
MacMahon be so bemuddled we can readily
und ,rsland how il was that the Germans
utterly surprised and overwhelmed him at
Woerih. But we do him no such injustice He
has simply been striving to save as much of his
routed army as possible and to collect all out
lying strength as he fell back. with the hope
of making stand at Chaons with adequate
numbers, and if not there, at some point
reach him as he passed by, but has utterly
failed and is no longer strong enough to stir
out Of Metz until relieved by powerful and
victorious army. And this, we believe, is the
profound strategy" with which the pop ulace
OF Paris have been kept from bloody out
break for some days. The new government
has, indeed, treated the people there
as though they were devoid of common
sense, and from runors inside and oUside
there is much reason TO fear that an explosion
is at hand. Already The timc-honorel city Of
Bourges, one hundred and twenty miles south
of Paris, is spoken Of as the probable capital
of refuge for the impera CoGrt, and the very
suggestion is intensely significant Of an early
fight thther. Trochu has seized upon the
police authority at Paris, in spite OF Napoleon's
explicit orders TO Prefect Picri not to give it
up and the latter's vigorous remonstrance.
The Emperor, then, may be meditating c0up
to recover his authority by raliying the En-
press and his partisans at Bourgcs and falling
back upon the support of the rural and ceri-
cal party of Central and Southern France, as
opposed to the Orleanists, on the one hand,
and the republic on the other. II there be
drop Of the Napoleonic blood left in his veins
he will never relinquisli his throne and the
hopes of his dynasty without supreme strug-
gle
Another thought is suggested by the latest
advices. Can there be anywhere the secret
hope that Belgium may be induced or forced
to abandon her neutrality and throw her fine
army and territory into the scale for France in
this hour Of direst need? We're she to do so
Holland would have to follow suit, and pow1
erlnl diversion would thus be effected against
the Germans, with great danger to their conf
munications on the North and the safety Dc
their march on Paris. Has MacMahon been
so mannuyring in the vicinity Of the Belgian
frontier that the Belgian forces could at a mo
ment agreed on take the field with him, one
hundred and fifty thousand strong Of excel
lent fresh troops? More remarkable things
than this have happened. TIL wal tseliis
one of them.
But, meanwhile, up to the latest momant
the advance Of The German hosts, now coneen-
trated and receiving heavy reinforcements
from the rear, in spite Of the resistance of the
beleagured fortresses moves resstlessly
onward and able generals are organizing all
the Prussian reserves. Paris is anxious. fret
full and full of suspicion. The spy mania
RACES; thousands of forlorn and helpless
peoDie are expelled from the city TO seek food