The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-19

Tho Situation and It's Complications.
Frances demand that the South German
States should declare forthwith their relations
to the bellgerent Powers seems to be fully
answered by the fact that son of the King OF
Prussia has gone to Munich to take command
of the forces Of the South German States.
These States have Hitherto agreed to such
relations with Prussia that, while they have an
independent existence during peace, they
furnish Q contingent to her armies In case Of
war. This arrangement was one Of the first
facts following the triumph Of Prussia In 1866,
which opened the eyes Of France to the folly
Of which she had been guilty In standing still
while Prussia destroyed the Germanic cha
raoter of Austria. Now this arrangement
comes into the foreground as o point Of
primary importance, since 1t presents all Ger
many as opposed to France, and converts from
neutral territory the whole line Of the Rhine
from Bale to the Main. From observations
made In Paris It would also appear that there
Is no satisfaotory certainty about the neutrality
at the other extremity Of the frontier. It II
noted chat the mon In command Of the
Belgian frontier forces are both per-
sonally inimical to the French government,
and that ONE Of them ID not stranger to the
influence Of tho anti French intrigues Of Prus-
sia. They are therefore the sort Of men who
might not be slow to take any step that would
compel France to invade Belgian territory;
and if France should do this behold the decla-
ration from England-"Any violation Of Bel
gian territory ends Englands neutrality"
Now such declaration is likely to insure in
Belgium conduct that will compel England to
come into the struggle; for the anti-Napoleonic
sentiment is very earnest among the Belgians,
and they would rejoice to see England once
more arrayed among the armed opponents Of
France, Thus It y possible that instesa Of
Che military Operations being confined at the
frontier to that narrow zone IN which FRENCH
and Prgasiap territory meet, and the tanks Of
either Power being covered by neutral terri
tory, the theatre Of operations may include
both the Black Forest and the Low Countries.
The movements Of troops already indicate
the extension Of the theatre OF war. Hitherto
attention has been confined to the irregular
triangle formed by the Moselle, the Saar and
the line of railroad from Metz, nearly east to
Mannheim, which passes the frontier at Saar-
bruck. Nearly the whole Franco-P russian
frontier is within this triangle, and If Prus-
sa had secured her s'wait till the
goth Of July" before any movements had been
made she would probably have met France
here, and we should have had battle on the
Saar, perhaps not far from Saar-Louis. But
Prussia was not ready, and thence, indeed, the
only operation yet reported-that, namely, at
Forbach, also within the above triangle. For
bach is the first station from Saarbruck, on the
line Of rail between Saarbruck and Metz, and
because Prussia was not ready to meet France
In force, and because it was apprehended that
France might at once, using the rail, occupy
the Rhine, small force was sent forward to
destroy the road at Forbach, on French soil.
Thus the Prussians really delivered the frst
blow, and this or the unreadiness of France
has enabled them to occupy Saarbruck before
the advance of the French even to the from
tier. The despatch which informs us of the
occupation Of Saarbruck by the Prussian
troops gives no intimation of their force; but
from the fact that the movement of three
bodies is reported-two on the frontier and
one behind, in Hesse Darmstadt lit seems safe
to infer that there is to be considerable con-
centration of Prussian troops where France
directly threatens by her concentration at
Metz.
The next Sadowa may lie, therefore, in the
space included between the Rhine and Mo-
selle and line from Metz to Strasburg. Ras-
tadt, where the troops furnished by Baden are
now in camp. is on the Rhine, q hundred miles
below Strasburg; and doubtless the other
parts Of the South German contingent, of which
the Prussan Prince Frederick Charles takes
command, are in motion towards point not
far distant from that. With all this concen-
tration towards the same district battle there
becomes hourly imminent, for battle seems
just here necessary preliminary to any other
operation, since no French army could invade
Prussia on line within this theatre and leave
an unwhipped Prussian army in its rear, nor a
Prussian army invade France and leave the
French forces in its rear. But great battle
one involving a large proportion Of the armies
of either Power-fought to decisive result in
this theatre of war, leaves the territory of the
vanquished open, and may, therefore, decide
the war; And this, at least in Europe, seems
to be the tendency Of the modern system of
warfare-to make the issue of single great
battle conclusive of national differences.
Spurious War News W.. The HeraId,s