New-York tribune., 1870-08-19

her by the usurper and despOt whom she has
permitted TO WELD her destinies. Already the
French provinces of Alsace and Lorraine are
in German control, and under the rule OF
German Generals. King William has guaran-
teed the inhabitants protection and security
in their rights, but there is no doubt that,
during the last month, they have lamented
bitterly the war. The evils of the invasion
will increase as the Germans push onw"a
through France, whose parcfled he'uS ,a,
this year failed to yield their crops, ana "n'on,
it is to be feared, will be visited Dy "an' anu
famine as O result of war.
We may name as another great t'i""p" ,o'
the German side the series Oh rehiarhaoio Wv
tories over the French arms WHICH nave ooo"
won during the last twenty days. III ~ sonhe-
thing new and startling in the military history
of France to see its armies defeated IN batue
after battle, and driven from one place after
another, at the very opening of great war
especially a war fought on French soil for the
existence of the Government. But the German
forces have driven the Grand Army OF France
back from the frontier, back from the Saar,
back over the Moselle, back across the Vosges
have kept it always on the defensive, always
on the retreat, always under disaster " An
Essential principle of the French army" says
a great military author and commander, Is
"never to defend itself in a passive manner,
"but to act constantly on the offensive, even
"when it is only for the purpose of defensive
"operationsn And the same writer directs
special attention in the French attack to that
spirit which is peculiar to them, and
which was remarked by Caesar himself.
"He considered their first burst as
"the most dangerous, and each sue
"cessiye one less imposing" "The vehe-
"mence of attack-the French fury of the wars
" of tbe Revolution-is still national military
cbaracferistic.n Tn the face of these deductions
from experience and history, what can we
think of the French operations in the present
campaignf They must assuredly have proved
exceedingly demoralizing to the French army,
which, of all the armies of Europe, is the least
capable of understanding an orderly retreat.
But the German army, by its successes, has had
its confidence in itself and in its leaders
greatly strengthened, while there is no danger
that it's victories will lead it into the mistake
of undertaking or depreciating the enemy. we
consider these initial successes OF the Germans
as an important triumph for their side, beside
the special value that belongs to them as local
victories.
The war has been opened by the Germans
under favorable auspices, in all respects. AT
the present time, it seems inevitable that they
will prosecute it to a victorious termination.
We do not in any way, or in the least degree,
underrate the military power of France, or the
great strength and valor of the French army,
or the nature of its machinery, or the de-
structiveness Of its armament But We think
it has already been apparent that the military
system of France is inferior to that of Ger
many that the armies of Germany are numer-
ically superior to the French armies which
they confront; that the German commanders
have proved themselves much superior as
strategists to the French commanders that the
French weapons have not been shown to be
superior to the German that the spirit and
vigOr of the Germans are quite as determinate
as those of the French that the Germans
fight with q certain consciousness OF historical
necessity as well as of national grievance,
which is not within the experience of the
French.
The French Emperor has not been felt as an
inspiration by his army, but has rather ap-
peared to it as the very genius of imbecility.
1t is twenty days since he left Paris for the
front; and what has he done during that time
beyond playing a ridiculous part in the farce
of "Louis and l." at Saarbruckf We have
certainly seen no signs of his ability in the
planning of campaigns. We have not seen
him looming up in the field We have not
heard of him as commanding in a single battle,
of leading his armies to victory, or of retriev-
ing disaster in the genuine NapOleonic style.
We have only heard of him since the child's-
play on the Saar, as rushing to the rear every
now and identifying from the frontier to
Metz, from Metz to Verdun, from Verdun to
army is thoroughly disgusted with him, and is
quite ready to plunge into his heart the
bayOnets with which it has heretofore pro-
tected his life. If the Emperor has displayed
only imbecility, none of his Marshals or Cen
erals have shown any commanding ability.
MacMahon was the pride and hope of the army;
but single blow sent him "whirling along
the VOsges," and discounted him so terribly
that neither he nor his army has been heard
of since. Marshal Bazaine has fought hard in
the battles near Metz during the last five or six
days; but he has won no success whatever,
and has apparently only been able to save the
army from destruction by the most desperate
efforts. The subordinate Generals have of
course all fought bravely and stOutly; but
nowhere has there appeared any sign of
leader who can give hope for the future.
The aspect of political affairs in France is
also disturbed and menacing The sO-called
Liberal Ministry of Olivier under which the
war was initiated, was overthrown disgrace
fully shortly after the war began. 1t was evi-
dent that a panic seized the Government as