The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-26

grows oloarer ana clearer TO the cool, Impair
tlal eye, Notwithstanding that tho mar
plot Of tho telegraph does his utmost In
Paris, London and Berlin to confuse tho
truth. Our French dispatches, which we
take up first because they are from the
very centre Of interest and excitement, begin
reluctantly to admit tho plain fact which for
days has been apparent to the careful Amerl-
can reader-viz., that the main body Of Ba.
zaine's Army of the Mosells is shut up closely
in and around Metz, and although it may have
managed to communicate with MacMahon at
Chalons, and, after the abandonment and
burning Of the camp there, subsequently at
Rheims, there Is little hope Of any junction.
II there were it would be the most astonish-
ing generalship ever heard Of since it would
leave a concentrated enemy between the only
really effective French army in existence and
their capital and sixty or seventy miles nearer
to the latter. Meanwhile the Grown Princes
army is steadily and rapidly pursuing its
direct march on Paris. The Russians were
certainly at Sezanne, only sixty-ave miles
from that city, on the Gath, and their scouting
parties had been seen at Chaumont, Brienne
and Troyes, indicating that they keep their
flank and rear well watched, and have made
sweeping reconnaissance of the whole country
west of Nancy and fifty miles south of their
line Of march. The same is true of the Prus-
| sian advance on the NORTH since we hear Of it
on the Luxembourg aud Belgian frontier.
Indeed, it is said to have violated the latter
by firing on Belgian sentinels; but, as it turns
out, this was done by mistake. The Berlin
dispatches, moreover, claim that the wounded
for whom passage through neutral territory
was requested by the German commander and
whose suffering must therefore be terribly
aggravated and prolonged.
The London dispatches, which are very full,
assert, for yesterday afternoon, that MacMahon
left Rheims also on Monday last, with
the hope of reaching Paris IN time
to defend it, and that the Prussans are already
west of Chalons and pushing on vigorously.
Meanwhile some of the Paris papers cling with
childish pertinacity to the notion that Bazaine
is executing some profound movement, which
is kept SO carefully hidden that no one on
either side Of the Atlantic can see it. Never
theless public opinion, in and out Of the Corps
L6gislatif, has come to the conclusion that the
new Ministry has been hoodwinking the people
as the old one did. Some even have gone 80
far as to hint that the bogus announcements
were Prussian devices to lull the Parisians
into false security while they hurried up their
achievements from the Rhine and completed
their arrangements for crushing advance.
The same game was played with some success
during our own war. The Prussians have for
days been sufficiently near all the points from
which kilograms are reported, and undoubt-
edly have both skilful telegraphers and inter-
prefers. Moreover bullets and gold ars pow
erful suasives. Even when not in possession
of the terminus skilful enemy or trickster
may tap the telegraph. Paris grows
gloomier and less boastful and noisy,
but more resolved, and the completion of the
Notifications is fastened as though resistance
to siege we're really intended. The Empress
Eugene is said to be at the Tuileries in a de-
jected and helpless. frame of mind. The Paris
Steele comments harshly and contemptuously
on the statement that the imperial headquar-
tiers were at Rheims. 1t calls them super
fluffy and an embarrassment 'sto cause the
loss Of battles" In the meantime the Com
mttee of Public Safety has been strengthened;
deputation has been sent to the Emperor (to
request his abdication it is hinted); the crops
| in the departments Of the Marne and the
- 10 I,od doc bv % do
as the Germans approach; the French armies
are well provsioned; Strasbourg holds out and
her guns have destroyed all property within
range beyond her walls; the Notifications of
| Toul have been bombarded by the Germans,
and the garrison had made sortie in1icting
heavy loss on the besiegers. The first French
loan is taken up with alacrity by the people,
and volunteers are collecting in and around
Paris in such numbers that unless the
| Germans hasten they will have an immense
array to meet. All peace negotiations seem
| to be at standstill, although we feel assured
that our views in this direction will be verified,
and quickly, as all the rest have been. Some
| of the French journals are in the "last ditch :"
mood for the moment, and Prussia is little
flushed, but scarcity Of food and the pressure
of the losses are already felt on all sides, and
the great neutrals are seriously at work.
France is being purged with fire and steel Of
the proud flesh that has deformed her for
twenty years, and her restoration, preceding
the revival of all Europe, is at hand.
|
VIII He ARDIOATE2-It ia reported
from Paris that party in the Corps
Legislatif, not satisfied with the posi-
BILE death of the empire, is eager to take q
bond of fate and get the Emperor's signature