The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-12
Tho War raric-Tho Great Struggle for
tho Settlement Of Europe.


The small affair Of the nomination of
German prince for the throne Of Spain b,
General Prlm has, from the demands ant
threatenings Of France in reference to thi'
nomination, created within few days .
general European war panic hardly surpassed
by any Continental sensation since the pro-
clamation Of the first French republic. From
the Thames to the Danube, from the Baltic Ia
the Mediterranean, there appears general
apprehension not only that war is imminent,
but the most sanguinary and revolutionary
war in the history Of mankind. We have
long entertained the idea, from the conflicting
claims of races and dynasties upon
boundaries aud balances Of power, &C., that
such war for q general European settlement
must come some day, and that when 1t does
come it will involve ell the European States,
great and small, in its immediate and ultimate
consequences.
France appears eager for the conflict. She
has seized upon what is generally regarded as
| q shallow pretext for pushing Prussia to the
wall. We may now credit tue assertion that
since the day of Prnssia's great triumph
at Sadowa Napoleon has boon prepar-
ing to put check upon her alarm
ing expansion. Prepared at length
for the experiment, he has thrown down the
gauntlet, and doubtless within five days from
the declaration Of war he could concentrate
three hundred thousand of the best armed and
most efficient soldiers of Europe upon the
Prussian frontier. Prussia will have the
public sympathy, even, perhaps, Of Austria.
in the event of o war upon this Spanish crown
question; but public sympathy will avail
nothing unless it is expressed in bodies Of
armed men moving to the rescue. France,
from all that we can learn, is better prepared
with all the latest improvements, inventions,
appliances and facilities for war than Prussia,
and can move upon short notice TO any point
larger and more effective army than the
whole North German Confederation. Napo-
leon doubtless, in the event Of war; calculates
upon another short and decisive campaign like
that of jena. But would even a second victory
OF Jena be as decisive as the first? 1t would
the conflict in bringing other parties into 1t,
until eventually creating another Holy ALI
ance
In q war upon her eastern frontiers ell the
advantages, will be with France; but after en-
tering the Prussian territories the necessity of
guarding her railway lines in the rear will,
with every mile she advances, weaken her
forces in the front. In the war of
our late rebellion at times probably
not less than half our Union soldiers
in the field were employed in guarding our
railway and steamboat lines of communica-
ton, and not until General Grant had made
these lines perfectly secure did he make any
decisive impression upon the armies of JEFF
Davis. We know, however, from the effects
of the railway line in the Italian war, connect
ing with Montebello, and from 10 Johnstons
railway lines connecting with Bull Run, that
railways in general European conflict will be
apt to decide the issue Of battles, either for or
against the advancing party, according to the
railway advantages held or lost
The late improvements in small arms and
artillery will render henceforward the meet.
ing of hostile armies more deadly than hereto
fore, while railways will operate to bring
greater armies face to face. Thus in both these
elements Of concentration and destructiveness
the European war that is to come will over
shadow the bloodiest campaigns of the first
Napoleon. The war among the iron-clads on
the water will probably be in the same
proportion terriAcally destructive. In
land fortresses will, as defensive posi-
tons, be Of less value than heretofore,
while our modern American system of strong
defensive earthworks at every encampment
will have to be adopted by the army on the
offensive as we'll as the army on the defensive.
The earthworks Of General Grant, erected
for the defence of his army while besieging
Richmond and Petersburg, were quite as for
midable as those of the army besieged.
These lessons of modern war, resulting from |
the destructiveness of modern weapons, will |
soon be taught to both sides in the event Of q !
war between France and Prussia and so our
American system of earthworks may spoil the
incest calculations of Napoleon. They may
prolong the war, which he expects to make
short one, into long one-so long as to
change and enlarge beyond calculation all The
original conditions Of the contest.
Our latest dispatches by the cable fore
shadow, although dimly and doubtfully, a
compromise. To all parties concerned, France
included, peace is the only policy of safety
for European war now inevitably mast result
in general and comprehensive European
revolution, and as radical in its political
changes as that resulting from our late rebel
lion for an independent Southern confederaoy.
Napoleon takes, indeed, contracted view of
the subject, if he supposes that march upon
Prussia on this Prim- Hohenaollern pr0voca-