The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-23
The European War
ITs EFFECTS ON OUR MARITIME IETE-
prsrs. The New York World saye:

Ibis W9r WILL OF course, b6 NANNY
conducted on land; but while the militia
ry interest predominates as between the
combatants, its maritime aspects are far
moro important to distant neutral ma
tion like the United States. The inter.
revised by the Conference Of Paris in
1856, and accepted by France and Prus-
sia among other nations, greatly miti-
gates the interruption and injury to
commerce which war brought under the
old usages. In the first place, privateer-
ing is abolished, SO that the merchant
vessels of neither nation have anything
to fear except from tue navy of its enc
my. Tho second and third articles of
the declaration of the Congress Of Paris
are still more important. Those articles
are in the following language: "2. THE
neutral flag corers enemy'S goods, except
contradand Of acar. 8. Neutral goods,
eccerh contraband Of acar, are not liable to
cdpture ,tnder an cnemy'S 52ag."
BY the second article, it is made per-
fectly safe for prussians and Frenchmen
! to send goods to sea in American ships.
Their exemption from liability to cap
ture would cause q great part of the
commerce of the belligerent nations with
this country to seek American vessels
and enrich American ship owners: if our
absurd tariff had not destroyed our ship
ping and nearly driven our flag from the
ocean. The harvest we might thus reap
as neutrals, and the great advantages
given to neutral ships by the now code,
are lost by tho surrender of our legisla-
tion for the last ten years into the hands
of the Republican party. British ships
will do the business and reap the harvest
which accrue to nentrals in this war,
which will still further build up and
strengthen our great commercial rival.
But the new rule will nevertheless secure
the safety of ordinary merchandise be-
longing to French and Prussian owners,
who will, Of course, prefer to send their
goods under neutral flag, when neither
vessel nor goods are liable to capture.
The third article of the declaration Of
Paris is less important, because neither
France nor Prussia will keep many mer-
chant vessels on the seas. II the German
steamers kept up their trips under their
present ownership and flag, American
merchants could ship ordinary goods in
them without danger of contiscation; !;
but they would be liable to Injurious do
| tentions for which they could claim no
compensation. When tho ship was cap
tured and taken into French port, the
cargo would go with it, and the neutral
owner would be put to the Inconvenience
and expense Of claiming and proving his
property, and to the trouble of re-ship-
ping it III another vessel. With such q
liability, neutrals will not trust their
goods under either of the bcligerent
flags, even if the Prussian aud French
ship-owncrs should brave the danger of
capture.
Blockades are of comparatively little
consequence in their effects on European
commerce, since all the principal conn
tries of Europe have become connected
by railroads. Goods may bo compelled
| to take moro circuitous routes; but they
can always be sent to q neutral port, and
conveyed thence to their destination by
rail. AS blockadcs can inflict less injury
than in former times, there is less motive
to establish them; the Withdrawal of
naval force from other uses to make them
effective being seldom compensated by
tho injury dono to the enemy.
THE SCENE OF THE REpoRTED ENGAGE
MEST.-Forbach, whcro the rnmored
battle took place, is an admirably stu
ated town in tho District of Sarregue-
mines, Department Of Moselle. 1t is on
a delightful plain Mt the foot of q noun
| t1ih NaAASd hoChlOooDe1B, oull uoIlfeS SOluc
Importance from its custom house. 1t
was formerly the chief town of grand
seigniory, and for its defence q castle
was built upon the top of tho mountain.
The ruins are still visible there. In 1719
the seigniory was erected into duchy.
In 1852 Charles Y established his camp
in this country, when he was preparing
to lay siege to Metz. The town Of For
bach, composed of narrow and winding
| streets, is surrounded by sandy noun
tains and large forests. The roads from
Sarreguemihes and Sanelouis meet there,
md make one of the principal outlets of
Germany. Near it are the Roman ruins
of Metropolis, which ore four kilometres
on the ancient road from Metz to Stras-
bourg, and the Sainte-Croix Chapel,
situated in the midst of trees on the
slope of O mountain. Forbach is the
last railroad on the French soil.
| Sierck, the point to which the Prus.
slams are said to have penetrated, for the
purpose of destroying the railway, is a
small walled town in the Department of
Mosolle, and on the right bank of the
River MOselle Tt ia almost IN tba fror