The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-11

Of q French republic in 1870 are far behind the
spirit and progress Of the age.
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The Situation ia Franco-Wauted, N
There is nothing new in a military point of
view to note In the great war going on in
France. Paris and the investing lines are
where they were yesterday, and continue
interchanging shots. The Prussians are
pushing their works at Meudon and at Sevres,
but otherwise they are so inactive above
ground that the idea suggests itself that they
may be diligently at work underground, pro-
badly preparing mine to blow the bottom out
Of some of the formidable forts confronting
them. The French, on the other hand, seem
to be diligently at work mainly above
ground, sending out balloons In great num-
Der, and with the resources Of French
ingenuity they may shortly discover mode
of rendering them effective as implements Of
war. The rear defences OF tho Prussians
against the expected attack from the south
are going on at Toury, Chartres, Maintenon
and Malesherbes- about twenty-five or
thirty miles south and southwest OF Paris
where they appear to be masslng a heavy
force. An army Of the republic is said to DO
marching against them, and great battle is
imminent at Toury. the centre Of the rear
defences. With the imperfect organization of
the new Army Of the Loire it will prove
dubious experiment. Everything depends
upon the first blow, and disaster will tend
greatly not only to weaken tho French
force physically but to destroy Its esprit and
to depress the spirits and enthusiasm of the
whole people. At the same time blow
should be struck quickly, for the Prussans
are no doubt fortifying themselves In their
new position, and will soon be ready to pre-
sent as imposing a front to the Army of the
Loire as General Grant presented to Joe
Johnson's army Of relief during the siege of
vicksburg, when, at Big Black river, twelve
the rebel general to batter against as formid-
able as the works of the rebels them
selves at Vicksburg The Army of the
Loire appears, however, to muster goodly
number of men, although their organization
aud experience as soldiers are necessarily
imperfect This would be no insuperable
difficulty, however; for, after all, raw recruits
in their first battle fight with hardihood and
daring that caution generally smothers in older
veterans. What the Army Of the Loire aud all
Of the armies Of France need is general. The
capture Of Uhrich at Strssbourg deprives them
of the services of one Of the ablest men in the
army, and they should make an effort to have
him exchanged as soon as possible Garbaldi
is to command all the volunteers in the East,
and we fear that the French enthusiasts in
this appointment have entrusted too much to
an abst,action--to the mere prestige of the
Garibaldi name Of ten years ago.
II there is not much fighting TO report in the
war situation this morning there is, at least,
much talking. Gambetta, who escaped from
Paris in balloon, has arrived at Tours, and
has greatly added to the enthusiasm among
the people by a proclamation, in which he
shows that Paris is impregnable There are
five hundred and sixty thousand armed soldiers
within the city, not counting the marines who
man the heavy guns on the forts. The foun-
dries are casting cannon, the women are
making cartridges, the raw troops are drilling
continually behind the inner works, and there
is no danger of sedition or starvation. If these
statements are true, and are not the enthusi-
astic ebulliions of French optimism, we ought
to hear soon Of a sortie in force-a sortie OF
City thousand men, backed By heavy artil-
lery ire-upon the weakest part Of the Prus-
sian line.