The New York herald., 1870-08-30
Oar Special History Of the War-Thc Bat
ties, tho Crowns and the Peoples.


Europe and at other points near to the scene
of conflict, but not actually within range OF
the guns, enable us to continue our history
Of the progress of the great struggle between
France and Prussia In the written complla-
tion which appears in our columns to-day.
Dating at Carlsruhe, one of our correspondents
reviews the entire military system, both
of France and Prussia, as it has just
been presented in the field. He furnishes
an able, exhaustive. analytical and very
interesting exhibit of the condition, organiza-
tion, drill, discipline and general morale of the
contending hosts. His keen and practised
eye foresaw that Prussia would gain from the
beginning. Her armies were prepared and
found to the smallest minutie requisite for
the insurance of efficient service in the field.
From the needle gun and cannon to a needle
and thread and button the War Office economies
of Berlin were perfect. Bismarck and Moltke had
organized and found everything. The work
was accomplished silently and quietly. Its
noised the reputation of Prussia to the very
EXTREMIST confne of civilization. French i'm
petuosity, vim, valor and individual courage
and recklessness of life counted for nothing
against this provident solidarity. Napoleon
was not even the ''nephew of his uncle" {"
SO far as regarded the details of the
War Office. He imagined that everything was
ready because he was told 80 by others. He
had forgotten the maxim ''The hope which can
within be sought, scorn from without to bor-
row." The army of the first Napoleon, when
about to march to Russia, would have shamed
the late army of the Rhine by the complete
ness of its preparation, Notwithstanding the
vast progress which has since been made
by scientific appliances for military uses.
The French troops when on the route
showed that they were demoralized by
association with the Algerian Turcos and
Zouaves. Africa proved itself the beast
of the army. Our writer noticed this
Immediately. He came to the conclusion,
which is expressed in his letter, that Mac
Mahon was beaten from the very beginning,
and also that the Marshal would not retrieve
his position. To-day his inference is sus-
tanned by the facts.
From Berlin we have special reports of the
effect which was produced in the Prussian
capital by the news of triumph from
Wissembourg and Woerth. The Crown
Prince and Steinmetz were acknowledged
as the heroes of the hour, due honor
being paid to the energy, courage and wisdom
of good old King William. The fatal error
made by MacMahon, at the very outset, in the
field, was acknowledged without reserve by the
Prussians The populace of Berlin was not COM
pletely satisfied Notwithstanding all this. The
people demanded revenge for Saarbruck, an
unsoldierlike and unchristian sentiment, but
one which was tolerated, if not encouraged,
amid the tears of the widows, orphans
and personal friends of the slaughtered
Germans. Peace even was spoken Of in
Berlin. 1t must be stringent in it's terms,
reclamatory in its territorial readjustment
against France, solid in its guarantees of Sc
curity from future insult from Paris, and unre-
servedly condemnatory or damnatory of the
Ronaparte dynasty among the sovereigns.
Neutral mediation was likely to be entirely in
squared their diplomacy in accordance with
this feeling and such resolves. On the shores
of the Baltic there were alarm, hope, fear and
anxiety. One of our special writer's experienced
the bad effect of the existence of such con-
dition of the public mind. He was arrested
at Pllau and thrown into prisen at K0nigs-
berg. He remained in durance during space
Of eight days. He suffered in distinguished
company, experienced kindness on account of
the HERALD and was again made free
to admire the blessings of peace and
unity and fraternity. Napoleons special
mission to Denmark failed most completely.
Denmark cannot afford to revive the Schleswig-
Holstein question just now. Our writer refers
TO the pleasing incident of how General
Moltke, the famous Prussian commander, was
educated in Danish military college and held
his first commission in the Danish army.
So much for our special reports from the
field. The cui bono of the grand convul-
sion is considered by our writers also.
1t appears in the shape of the cleo
trifled, joyous, trembling democracies. The
peoples were agitated; they were ready to
move. The inspiration of coming complete
entranchsement was felt and cherished in
Rome. From the Holy City the light was radi-
ated to Vienna, to Milan and to Madrid. The
peoples awaited the result of great battle "a
decisive stroke) by the crowned heads; be-
tween Imperialism by the coup d<tot and
the ple6escitum aud royalty by divine right
and priestly JUNCTION. The result Of
the battle will, the democracy assert,
change the map of Europe in day. Toll and
industry will come to be the war making
power, the thrones be obliterated for the
future, the fraternity of the races be accom-