The New York herald., 1870-07-08

L
''To cook a hare oatch one is an ancient
and trite but very practical recommendation.
To get up war is easy enough, but to carry
on war is another thing. Neither individuals
nor communities will long 60 about through
the world ''blue moulded like Pat at Donny-
brook fair, 'sfor want Of batin', without
being accommodated first or last. Such seems
to be precisely the state Of mind that Prussia
has reached with her enormous military estab-
| lishment, and such, too, the humor of France
laying down the law to all Europe. But how
are they and their allies on either side, pre-
pared for the issue? Ay, there's tho rub.
France, the military Colossus of the West,
! has, according to the latest and most accurate
advices, under the new laws recently carried
into effect, 4l4,G32 soldiers on the peace foot
| ing, CAT, 27l of field army, or $50, 900 men
in all for her entire ordinary war strength.
OF these $4,000 men are ready to march at
the tap of the drum on the outbreak of hostili-
ties. Austria, which, correctly or incorrectly,
is regarded as the inevitable ally of France,
has 278, ,470 men on the peace establishment,
S3S, 700 Of war strength, or 5000 fully
prepared to move Could the South German
Confederation, or group Of States, be secured
on the same side, they have 66,54O men on the
peace or 1874, ,406 on the war footing, with
l07, 900 of these prepared for instant service.
troll ofsT77, 900 fighting men at once, with
reserve of 1896, LOG trained soldiers
On the other hand, Prussia has 726. 900 men
on the peace or 1,266, 900 on the war footing,
with 300, 900 now ready for operations on her
Western frontier. North Germany, going with
Prussia, has 3l5, ,526 on the peace, 55l, ,99S on
the field or 944,321 on the war footing, Of
which 546,O are instantly available. This
would place at Prussian disposal 846, 900 men
for the first moment and 1854, 1921 in reserve.
Thus she would have, instantly, $1,000 men
more and, hereafter, 23l, 1856 less than the
French alliance. Should she be able to
manage Southern Germany for her cause she
would have 1885, 900 men, or l76,0O0 more
than France, to move at once, or quite enough
to cope with her and Austria together, for the
time being, with all the advantages Of COM
mon language and position. This would leave
Prussia still reserve of 1,441, 1877 men, or
only 154,379 less than that of France and
Austria coalesced, difference swamped to
the extent Of nearly-90, 600 men by her supe-
riority Of immediate force. M
The inquiry now arises as to what would be
the course of the adjacent Powers. France
has seriously angered Italy. and the latter is
reported to have formed defensive, If not an
offensive, alliaAce with Prussia. In such case,
the latter being attacked by France, the Ital-
ians, out of a force of 876,72l on a war foot
ing, with $4,000 of a reserve, or 57S, ,72l in
all, could spare possibly 200, 900 men to ope-
rate on the French frontier or hold hostile
corps in check. The direct and open partici-
patton of Russia is hardly to be expected un-
less circumstances should force her into the
| melee. In that case she could dispose of
about 25O, 900 men from about 700, 900 COM
posing her army in Europe, including the Cos
sacks. She could take no other course by family
alliance, position and the recollection Of
Crimean wounds than to aid Prussia. Sweden
and Denmark would, if they dared to move at
all, have to 60 In the same direction, with
about $4,000 men. Thus Italy, the Czar and
Scandinavia would bring King William 500, 900
men--a force that, with South German aid,
would place him 43O, 900 ahead of France,
allowing England, Belgium, Holland and
Switzerland TO remain neutral--a proviso diff
cult to admit in such universal conflict. AS
for Spain, it is clear chat, should she accept
the Hohenzollern prince, she would cast all
the little strength she has for Prussia. Should
she reject Leopold the war issue would cease,
and these speculations become needless.
The naval forces Of the respective Powers
we do not here introduce, for the reason that
the result would be chiefly decided by land
and quickly, as the geographical position Of
branch of the subject for another day, but
| may, in the meanwhile, remark that the French
navy is quite equal to all the rest of Europe
| (exoeptng England) combined, in fighting
point of view. t
The general deduction from this apercu Of
facts is plainly that should all Germany 90
with Prussia, and the other Powers stand
aloof France, even Ii aided by Austria, would
have to make up by discipline, enthusiasm and
gallantry for heavy discrepancy of numbers
Should she, however, rival in these days the
wild energy of the revolutionary Directory,
which hurled fourteen armies against the in
vading strangers and hunted them back to
their own capitals, she might still reap fresh
triumphs. Her terrible Chassepots and riHed
revolving steel cannon are quite equal if not
superior to anything that Prussia has, and she
possesses shallow iron-clad gunboats for river
service that might scour the navigable Rhine
and its tributaries. Again, on the other hand
should Russia, Italy and Scandinavia, too, be
forced against her, then, indeed, the odds
would be alarming