The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-16
The War Between France and Prussia
A StupendOus struggle.

Stupendous Struggle
The news of declaration of war between
France and Prussia, which reached US by cable
telegram yesterday, was not unexpected. For
some weeks past 1t was evident that France
desired to throw down the gage Of war, and
that Prussia was not unwilling to take 1t up.
At two o'clock yesterday Napoleon communi-
Gated to the Corps Legislatif that war with
Prussia was proclaimed In consequence Of
insults offered to the French Ambassador at
Berlin, Count Benedict, by the Sovereign and
Court of Prussia. We may accept this incl
dent, therefore, "a the immediate casas 6sls,
although We know very we'll that variety Of
irritating causes have existed since Prim
offered the Spanish throne to member Of the
Prussian royal family, thereby provoking tho
indignation of France, leading to hasty and
deaan. words on the part OF the French Minis
ter Of Foreign Affairs, which were met by the
King Of Prussia at Hrst with dignity, and
afterwards with some natural display Of irrita-
ton, which resulted In the dismissal Of the
French Ambassador. These are the ante-war
incidents Of some days past.
That the peoples Of both France and
Germany are eager for this war there
can be no doubt. The utmost enthusiasm
is said to prevail in the leading cities OF
France and Prussia. Whether the succession
| to the Spanish crown was the real cause of the
difficulty, or only pretext, matters little now.
We are on the threshold of one Of the most ter
rible wars Europe has ever witnessed. It may
be of short duration; but, taking into account
the skill, the numbers, the opportunities Of the
contending forces, and the deadly appliances
which modern science has placed in the hands
of each, the result in any event must be fear
full. 1t may eliminate In q Jena, 1t is
true or it may be 80 prolonged as to draw
all Europe into the vortex-possibly into
coalition against France. But we cannot
expect to see such coalition as that which
brought the allied troops into Paris In 1915.
There have been revolutions among nations,
and changes Of boundaries since then.
Should the war last for any time there
are great many probabilities which
may be realized. Incidents unforeseen
may spring up at every step Of the
campaign. One of the first actions Of Napo-
leon, for instance, may be to send q column
of French troops into Madrid and place
the Prince of the Astnrias upon the
throne vacated by his mother. The Prince Is
Napoleon's candidate for the Spanish throne,
and he will never permit an Orleans nor a
Hohenzollern to sit there. An incident in th 9
campaign also may possibly be the removal Of
the French garrison from Rome, and among
the other incidentals following upon this may
be a movement on the part Of Garibaldi
and the ''reds" scattered all over
Italy and France, an element more
powerful, perhaps, than is supposed, and
which might show itself with grlnning
teeth during the confusion Of general war in
the dominions Of the Pope. Austria, Il is said,
declares herself neutral so long a. no third
Power interferes. This is thin thread
whereby to hold on to neutrality. Denmark
has a grievance. Denmark, too, lies some
Baltic. Her ports may be needed for coaling
or repairing stations. Who can guarantee her
neutrality Who can say that she will not
make the third Power, Insignificant as she
seems, and thus give Austria loophole to
glide into on alliance with France.
A more important question Is, what will Rus
sia dos She is allied to Prussia by family
ties, and her sympathy would naturally tend
in that direction. But the opportunity opens
at this juncture, in the midst of the turmoil in
Central Europe, for Russia to carry out her
long projected plans on the Ottoman Empire.
The Gear has only to whisper a word to the
Khedve, and new empire would be estab-
lished in Constantinople, the Turkish dominion
In Europe would be destroyed forever, and
the dreams of the RomanofHs-dwelt upon
since the Great Peters time-might be rea-
lized at last.
England, Of course, unless forced into an
alliance, must stand aside. She has too
many thorns tormenting her at home to go
into tho foroicrn I,, ziroaa paaidas