New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-28
4 yDCT CHiNCE.

The movements OF the opposing rIchch anu
Prussan armies have demonstrated very
clearly that in point OF military strength ana
skill there is little to choose between them.
Each commander has handled his forces so
well as to prevent the other from gaming any
advantage by surprise or the capture OF com
handing strategic positions. III the two armies
had not been equally wellmaneuvered, we should
undoubtedly have heard before this OF some
important move in the game OF war
that Moltke and MacMahon are play
ing on the Rhine frontier. Both nations
have profted by the lessons OF the
Sadowa campaign, and applied them in the
equipment Of their armies The murderous
efficacy of the needle-gun has been Offset by
the chassepot, and each has perfected mitrail-
leur. or hail-thrower," which is absurdly ex-
pected to NOW down whole battalion In three
or four minutes. In a word in commanders,
numbers, equipment, drill, transportation, ma
terial reserves, discipline, courage, and spirit
the two armies are so nearly matched as to
make it certain that such victories as are won
will be won at fearful price.
But here the comparison must stop. In
point of naval efficiency the superiority OF
France is undeniable. There seems no rea-
son to doubt her present ability to blockade
the Prussian ports, destroy the ship-yards, and,
ascending the rivers, lay waste vast extent
of country. For this state Of things Prussia
has no one TO blame but herself. She has
snned against knowledge, not through lgno-
rance. The Austro-Italian war did not more
clearly demonstrate the efficiency OF rltied
cannon nor the AustrO-Pussan war the
merits Of the needle-gun than our war did
the value of impregnable iTOn-clad vessels as
a means of harbor defense. Russia, under It's
enlightened rulers, at once ayailed herself OF
the suggestion, and is now fully pre-
pared to cope with any naval antagonist.
France, England, and some other Powers
did the same, but not to such an extent; but,
while Prussia has one or two good ships from
which we may reasonably hope to hear good
account before long, her harbors are so much at
the mercy of France that she has had to resort
to the expedient OF sinking hulks to obstruct
the channel, which we found worse than use
less at Charleston. Moreover, by not having
proper war vessels, she has just'lOst the grand
opportunity of destroying the arsenal and town
of Cherbourg, and thus inflicting most seri-
Gus blow on her antagonist. The occasion will
not be likely to offer again, for the kilograms
of our correspondent informed us yesterday
that the French have already begun to
strengthen the defenses of the port. Perhaps
we may be doing injustice to Prussia. She may
have in reserve some such surprise as that
which the Rebels got in Hampton Roads when
the Merrimac came out on a certain memorable
occasion, conquering and to conquer. If this
be so, we venture the prediction
that it will come in the form of some de-
structive torpedo. the motions of which can be
controlled at will. Certainly there is no great
war-ship or monitor, lying perdu in a distant
port in readiness to break the French block
ade and sink their ships. That there is not
proves that the Prussian naval authorities have
had neither the wisdom nor foresight that
have characterized the military arm of their
government. A special correspondent of THE
TRIBUNE has been engaged for months in
making a thorough inspection of the naval
establishments of all the great European
Powers, and will soon be able to give the
results to our readers in a series of letters.