New-York tribune., 1870-08-24
WAR TOPICS.

neace mon France by Prussia, there is one
which strikes us as especially desirable. 1t is
that in view of the injury suffered by Prussia,
as we'll as other European States from the ne
cess;tv of keeping up an immense military es-
tablshment, the Germans should Insist upon
a nermanent reduction of the French standing
army as an essential condition OF any pacinc
arran cement the plan OF reduction to be en-
bodied in a proposition for mutual disarma-
ment . If this should be result of the pres
ont destructive war, it will be the means of at
least nartially relieving the nations of Europe
from one of the most terrible evils under
| which they suffer.
An exceedingly important measure comes
before the French Legislature to-day in the
proposition introduced yesterday to add nine
I members of the Chambers to the Committee
| "of Defense,n CT Directory, which now has
control of Paris The introduction Of the
propositon, which was supported by the rad
ical members caused great excitement. 1t
virtually establishes supreme power In the
| Legislature by giving it majority of the
members of the Directory, at the head OF
which is Gen. TrOchu.
One of the reasons of Napoleon's finding no
he displayed in the secret negotiations he
attempted with Bismarck before the war. He
was desirOus of being perfidious toward
Austria and England, toward Belgium, Hol-
land. and Switzerland. He was anxious to
play false with every other power, if only he
could secure his own ends.
One reason why the French Generals have
succeeded 80 badly in defending their territory
against invasion, is that they had made no
effective plans or preparations for defensive
campaign. They had number OF admirable
plans for invading Germany, the various lines
of march being marked out, and the various
kinds of operation being all properly pro-
yided for But they had never entertained
| the idea that the war would be fought on
French soil against the advancing armies OF
| Germany, which would keep them steadily
on the defensive. If they had anticipated the
actual course of things, they would doubtless
have made more extensive preparations
on the frontier, on the line of the Moselle,
along the Vosges, and at tho different forti-
| fed positions. But we doubt ii any OF the
Emperors Marshals would have dared to sug-
gest the idea of a defensive campaign two
months ago.
making a prisoner of the French Emperor
during his theatrical advance upon Saar-
bruck, at the opening of the war; Again, at
Longueville, on Monday of last week, he mar
rowly escaped falling into the hands of his
! enemies,-an incident which was described in
| lively way by one of our special correspond
ents yesterday. If he were to be captured
while fighting heroically at the head of his
| army, it would be all very well but if he
were seized under such circumstances as those
! in which he escaped at Saarbruck and Tongue
ville he would be laughed at by every French
man,-tO say nothing of the Germans.
1t is well for those who speculate as to the
| number of the German troops in France to re-
member that the German armies have been re-
enforced frequently, and at stated periods, ever
since the opening of active operations One
of our special dispatches from Frankfort,
printed yesterday, said that the movement of
troops through that place was still incessant !;
and we have had dispatches of similar nature
from other parts of Germany. NOtwithstand-
| ing the great losses of the German armies in
the battles of the last twenty days, they are
probably as strong in numbers now as when first
| they entered France.
There has been severe distress among the
| large number of German families who have
| been driven from France since the declaration
of war, and who during the last few weeks
| have been daily reaching the German frontier.
| 1t would be well for these unfortunate people
| if they could take passage for America, but
we suppose they will have to wait till the war
| is over.
The French Emperor always manages to
| keep safe distance ahead of his army in its
retreat toward Paris. He is now reported to
| be at Reims, which is little nearer Paris
| than ChalOns. When the Prussans advance
| upon Paris, he can move toward CherbOurg,
| whence the passage to England is short.
"A correspondent tells us that the Gdrde
| Mobile passed through Paris without arms be-
| cause the Empire feared to arm its subjects in
it's capital But later dates tell us that there
were no arms to be had for them at Chalons,
and that the Garde there went through the
exercises much as our militia used to do on
muster days with broomsticks for guns. The
| Garde has since returned to Paris to aid in
the defense of the capital. Will it find arms
theref Hardly.
1t will be strange if the chance of the
| Orleans Princes does not speedily come. Or
rather it will be disgrace to them if they do
not make their opportunity during the present
revolutionary crisis in France. Changarnier at
Metz is an adherent of theirs; MacMahOn at
Chalons is, to say the least, not an Imperialist,
and TrOchu at Paris is their special and firm
friend. 1t is said that Trcchu has resolved to
invite the Orleans Princes to take part in the
defense of France. Their acceptance of the
invitation may prove the taking at the flood
the tide which is to lead them to fortune and
to the French throne.
-NanOlponfa etratany pnu oNpaara IN no