New-York tribune., 1870-08-15
TIE TIP AEH.N

For two hundred years France and Germany
have exhausted all the resources of military
science and spent millions of treasure in the
erection of elaborate fOrtresses on their from
tiers Their greatest engineers have made the
defense of the boundary the study and glory
of life time, and in no part of the world,
probably, has the art of fOrtifcatiOn been more
elabOrately and ingeniousy applied than in
the Rhine provinces of Germany and the dis
tricts of Alsace and Lorraine in France. Triple,
quadruple lines have been established
on both sides, and to the superficial
student of war it seemed as if none
of these lines could be passed without the re-
ducton of formidable stronghOlds, and
the peril of sieges and assaults. But here is
the campaign only few weeks Old and in the
face of the whole French army King William
has marched past fortress after fortress, taken
place after place without a blow, driven the
French away from their first line, penetrated
and broken their second, swept the whole of
Alsace placed the strong city of StTasbOurg III
such straits that its surrender is apparently
only a question of a few days, and practi-
caly thrown the French back upon Paris,
where alone there is likely to be even the
last long enough for King William to get there.
The whole system OF fortiticatiOn has collapsed
after two battles III the open field. Saalbruck,
where Won Steinmetz assailed FrOssard, is not
fortified place, and the lines of Weissen-
burg" where MacMahon was beaten by the
Crown Prince, were abandoned some years
ago as having no strategical importance. And
yet a Prussian victory at these two points has
thrown open the whole of NORTHEASTERN
France, and may prove to have even uncovered
Paris 1t is demonstrated that powerful
armies led by good generals can afford to
despise the most elaborate of permanent forti-
ficatiOns and that no defense is TO be trusted
except strong force in the open field.
The news this morning of the evacuation Of
Nancy shows that Bazaine, on taking charge Of
the army, decided that the lire of the Moselle
was untenable by the forces at present under
his command; and probably if Napoleon had
made that discovery a week ago he would
now be in a much less dangerous situation.
He retreats with an enemy close in his rear,
and close upon his flank, and threatening his
communications at every step. The advance
of the Prussans since the victories OF the 9Th
has been terrible, steady, rcsstless pressure,
forcing their adversary back from one line TO
another, so that NapOleOn's only possible course
is to keep Oh Tetreating until he has reinforced
his army sufficiently to tmn and stand ut
bay. Exactly what position he now occupies is
not clear. Three days ago his line extended
along the Moselle from Metz due south about
80 miles to Nancy while MacMahoh was NOV
ing down from the Vosges i'll the hope of join
ing the main body at the extreme right. But
now the Prussian center, underthc King and Gen.
Won Steinmetz, has cut OFF Nancy from Metz
and the Crown Prince has cut it off from Paris,
while fresh army probably Of Baden troops, is
coming up from the southeast. The evacuation
of Metz seems to be thus enforced, and there are
rumOrs that it has actually been abandoned,
but these as yet lack continuation If the