The New York herald., 1870-08-12
PRUSSIA.

Enthusiasm and Universal Patriotism-Re-
llgi0us Feeling-The French Trcachery To-
wards BeIgium-First Fighting the From
tier-Prussinn Activity and ssuccess-Eorbach
and Saarbruc.x.
FRANKFORT, July 27, 1870.
A calm before the storm; holding OF the breath
before the plunge that Is so soon to take into
terrible sea OF blood. In accordance with the pro-
clamaon OF the King of Prussia setting apart to-day
as season Of devotion to Invoke the Divine blessing
on the OF United Germany, the streets of this
city wear this morning a Sabbathike appearance
The stores and public offices closed, business
suspended, the doors OF the churches Of every de-
nomination stand open, ana the bells invite the peO
pie INTO the places OF worship, be they Protestants
Catholics Gentiles or Jews. The whole nation bends
the knee in prayer, and the devotions Of It's children
are not lip service alone From the commencement OF
the present troubles seriousness has been observ-
able in the Prussan people which has stood In
marked contrast to the frothy and boastful spirit OF
the Paris bonlevards and cafes, and to-day this
grave appreciation OF the character OF the struggle
into hch they have been forced Is more than ever
apparent. Let no one suppose for a moment that
partakes or the character of depression. far less
OF fear. 1t Is only the gravity of resolute and brave
minds ON the eve OF an unavoidable danger, and it
pervades alike the kneeling forms in the Old Roman
Catholic Dom, as the solemn chant nOats over their
heads. and the erect figures In st. Pau's, as the
magnificent organ rolls forth the full tones OF the
grand Lutheran hymn Even the groups Of soldiers,
standing on the Ross market and the Parade Platz.
lower their voices and are less noisy and demon
slrative than usual in honor OF the day
DANGERS or THE HOUR.
or course the sad thought naturally occurs TO the
mind of every observer, how soon may all this be
changed. and either the immediate horror OF an
attack and hostile occupation or the scarcely less
distressing accompaniment Of war; the gathering in
OF the wounded and the dying, take the place of the
present scene From every report which has hlth-
erto reached 1t appears to be highly probable that
the French advance, always supposing that they are
permitted advance at all. will be really made by
the way OF Mayence and Frankfort, and hence that
the first heavy blow OF the war will be likely to be
dealt In this direction But for some days past there
has been q strong belief that the Prussian armies
now well forward with their preparations, will be
found able meet and hur back the French invasion
and to carry on to French soil those evils OF war
with which France has so boastfully thres tened
Prussia. However this may be- 1t seems very likely
that FOR a while, at least the fighting will be con-
flned to the borders, and that some time must
elapse before the French zouaves are seen lounpng
in the Inter den Linden, or the Germans smoke
their meerschaums In the Bots de Boulogne ana
FIRST coSsEoUENogs--ARaY NEWS AND NEWS
SPECIALS FROM PRUSSIA.
The inconvenience, and In some cases the suffer-
ipgs of war; are already upon us. For several days
newspaper correspondents OF all grades ana OF ali
nationaites have been patiently cooling their araor
in Berlin in the faint hope that the Prussiau govern
ment was about TO relax the rigid rule which forbIds
the presence OF news gatherers in the field ana TO
provide especial accommodations and facilities for
that adventurous class. or course there never was
from first TO last, the slightest prospect OF
any such Official action but urbane gentlemen
connected with the public departments kept whis-
perng the word OF nope into the ears OF ciedulous
specials" between the pauses of beer and Rhine
wne supplied Of course at the expense of the latter
and the main body OF the historians OF the war
was thus induced 70 remain at the capital. Sinnu-
lar IL was TO observe the faith with Which special
after special chung tenacously TO the belief that he
was tU be the one favored individual who was 10 be
permitted to accompany the headquarters OF the
grand army of faherland, aud that his Journal was
to be the one privileged organ upon which the cons
excl usively bestowed Sad It was TO mark the sud-
den revulsion from hope TO dependency when at the
eleventh hour, the fiat went forth that the decree
which banishes correspondents from the Prussiau
army lines was irreyucable and comprehensive !
enough 10 embrace all writers and all nations.
Having mad an inking OF the final denouenent
one OF the HERALD specials had taken time by the |
ioreock and was well Oh his way towards the camp
ing ground OF the gathering hosts before his |
brothers in-pensn took their departure from Berlin
and hence did not experience quite so much DIM
Guilty IN reaching this point as was encountered by
many others. STILL travelling In Prussia now Is by
no means an easy OF desirable undertaking; and |
while there has been up to this time no lack OF |
civility OF disposition to aid the traveller, is
compelled TO take accommodations and time tables |
as they may be- and to put up as patiently possi-
Bile with delays and inconveniences.
RAILROAD TRAVEL FROM BERLIN-wHo ONE MEETS |
BY THE WAY.
Every railroad line out or Berlin Is absolutely |
crowded with soldiers volunteers horses and bag |
gage, and trains are made up TO accommodate as |
many and as much as can be piled into them. sixty
10 eighty carriages, each containing five or six COM
partments, make up the ordinary trains on
the principal lines and although they are In
most instances pulled by one engine and pushed by
another, they make anything but express speed In
running At every station more or less delay is