The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-20
THE PROSPECT IN FRANCE.
From the N. Y. Stun

from the ~, Y. Stun
The demands of Prussia, though nowhere
formally expressed as yet, are pretty clearly
understood They are the surrender of the
provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, so that
France shall hereafter not touch the river
Rhine, the payment in addition of liberal
money indemnity for the expenses of the
war, and the occupation of the fortress of
Metz by Prussian force for some stipulated
length of time even if-a point as yet vari-
ously stated-that fortress should not be in
cluded in the territory to be handed over to
the conquerors.
The nature of these demands excludes all
idea of peace at present. No French Gov
ernment would agree to them-a republican
government least of ALL much as all the pre-
tenders to the throne would like to see the
republicans make an odious peace. The
French people appear willing to pay any rea-
sonable sum of money, to stipulate for the
reduction of their army and navy to a certain
fixed limit and to surrender their great
northern fortresses temporarily as guarantee
for the faithful performance of their agree
ment. But they are not willing to yield any
part of their territory; and it is to bring
them to such state of willingness that the
German armies are now gathering around
Paris and will soon commence the siege of
that great capital.
How long this siege may last it is, of
course, lmposslpie W say. AS yet tne strenStn
of the Partisan Notifications has not been
tested They were built thirty years ago,
before the invention Of rifed artillery and
smooth-bores of fifteen and twenty inches
diameter. Unless they have been strength
ened by heavy earthworks-of which we have
not heard-their walls of masonry cannot for
any considerable period be proof against the
attacks of these great guns. Besides, it is
well known to engineers that these forti6ca-
-.
| Their weak point is on the southeast, in the
direction of st. Denis, and it is from that
direction that the Prussians seem about to
make their first onset. Still, it is not pro-
bable that the defenses of Paris can be re-
duced in less than forty or sixty days, and in
this time military operations on the Prussian
side must be substantially suspended else
where. The French, however, will all the
while be active in organizing new armies, in
threatening the Prussian lines of communica-
tion, and in harassing the enemy in every
possible manner. In this way the siege of
Paris, if it can be sufficiently protracted, will
| greatly exhaust the Germans, and contribute
immensely to prepare the French for under
taking offensive operations afterwards against
| them. .
The whole campaign henceforth must de-
pend partly upon the length of time which
| Paris can hold out, but still more upon the
real spirit of the French people. If they
sternly determine upon fighting to the bitter
end for their national integrity, no matter
what the sacrifices or how great the cost,
they can win. 1t all lies in their own spirit
and resolution. If they are heroes ready to
cover France with ruin rather than diminish
her boundaries, and sacrifice the last relic OF
her prestige, the contest will be terrible, but
the victory will be theirs at last. Seventy
five years ago they were capable of such 6
struggles but are they capable of it now?