The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-19
THE SITUATION.
Confusion Worse ConfouHded-The Nfuddle In.
eNtrIcabie-Is the EBd NeRre

eNtricabie-Is the Eud Nenre
The voluminous dispatches OF yesterday
afternoon and last night are as unsatisfactory as
they are voluminous. The French authorities
have vigorously excluded all correspondents
from their armies, and there are but few at the
Prussian front, the consequence being that
nothing better than rumors have thus far been
received concerning the movements and battles
since last Saturday. These rumors are tinged
with the sympathies Of the two capitals from
which they emanate, and it is absolutely impos-
sibe to sift from the whole mass more than a
few grains of fact which can be taken without
reserve.
The most patent fact is that the present week
has been passed in desperate effort on the part
of the French to transfer the bulk of their forces
I from the Moselle to the country west of that
stream, and it would seem that the underlying
object has been to effect a concentration upon
| the camp near Chalons. The leading Paris
i journals appear to regard Chalons and not the
line of the Mense or even the plateau of the
i Argonnes, as the objective point of the grand
4 strategic movement which was inaugurated
on Sunday last. If the French army
+ had been suffered to consummate this design
without molestation, vital point would have
g. been gained, and final stand against the Prus-
sian advance might have been made in the valley
of the Maine, with slight show of success.
But the Prussian advance has harassed the
French rear along the whole line from Metz to
Commercy, forcing the retreating army TO turn
time and time again and give battle, with the
sole alternative of having its westward move
ment transformed into an utter rout.
= In some of the innumerable engage
ments which have resulted, it is more
than probable that the Prussians have been
Nuor Tod hutf no
& the latter have been successful on the whole in
rendering the westward movement of the French
army one of the most laborious and disastrous
on record, even if it has not been practically
T balked in its purpose. significant token of
\ the general tide of affairs is afforded by the
speech of Count de Palikao, the Minister of
War, in the Corps Legislatif, yesterday. He
dwelt with apparent force upon an Intellectual
attempt on the part of the Prussians to capture
the minor fortress of Pfalzburg, an attempt
h which has no conceivable connection with the
movements to the west of the Moselle and no
practical bearing upon their result; while, con-
corning the latter he had nothing to give except
4 \the promise of communicating to the Chambers
tidngs of its result as soon as received.
OF the precise strength and disposition of the
forces which have participated in the actual
encounters of the past five days it is impossible
TO speak with certainty, but it would seem that
the struggling line of battle is still maintained,
and that the long-continued running fight has
not yet approached the end. The latest
encounter of which we have received any
intelligence appears to have transpired on
| ednesday in the neighborhood of Marsha
Tour, which is but twelve miles west of Metz,
on the direct road between the latter place and
\ Verdun. No Prussian accounts have yet reached
Sus of this battle and the French reports are un-
official and but little more than the merest
rumors, which have probably gained in proper
ton as they have travelled from the scene of the
conflict to the capital. 1t would appear that the
battle was desperate one, but of its result we
have no trustworthy reports. The fact, how
ever, that there is still so near Metz a
kFrench force sufficiently large to make de-
termined stand is not without significance and
tends to strengthen the assumption that thus
far the attempt of the French leaders to transfer
their forces to the neghborhood of Chalons has
been an out and-out failure.
! The recent reports concerning matters not
pertaining TO the movements of the hostile
armies are about as unsatisfactory as those
upon the military situation. NJ. Olivier, it il
said, has fed with his family TO Italy, which il
more than probable, and perhaps tue best dis
position he could make of himself at the present
crisis. Prince Napoleon, it is said, in one
quarter, has prepared the way for fight by
! getting his children and yaluables out of the
country, which may soon be too hot 10 hold
Bonaparte, while from other quarters comes
report that he has actually taken him
Nself off TO Italy; and Pierre Bonaparte
the slayer Of Victor Noir, is reported as on thS