The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-14
Is THE TIDE TURNING?
From the ". Y. Times.

FROM the ". \. Times
The recapture of Orleans is a success the
moral effect of which in France cannot be
over estimated. 1t forms the first substantial
achievement of gloomy and unbroken series
of reverses. 1t has, moreover, been gained
by freshly organized and imperfectly disci-
plined troops, and will do more than six
months of drilling to infuse confidence into
the men hastily collected from the farm and
workshop to defend their country in the
hour of her darkest trial. Defeat after de-
feat has failed to break the spirit of the
French nation. They have refused to believe
that the grandsons of the men who, hun
dred years ago, carried the victorious eagles
over Europe, and left the memory of their
conquest from the Elbe to the Adriatic, could
have so degenerated as to be subdued in
single campaign. The rest of the world has
looked op in wonder at the collapse of great
nation, but has long ago concluded that the
wisest course for the rulers of France was to
bow to the inevitable. The first achievement
of the Army of the Loire makes the prospect
of their doing SO more distant than ever, and
by arousing the emulation of the garrison of
Paris, the Army of the North, and the other
sections of the national defenders that are
sufficiently organized to. appear in the field,
may lead to partial successes, whose feet in
prolonging the war is as certain as their final
result is doubtful.
NO sane nlau out OI rTduC0 DelleV0S UnaC,
single handed, she can shake off the iron
grasp of the invader. Time is against the
Prussians, in so far that it brings them
nearer to the rigors of winter; but time is
also against France, as it brings Paris face to
face with approaching starvation. There is
a specious sort of promise in the idea of the
armies slowly organizing in the provinces
being marched simultaneously to the relief of
Paris, and operating against the besiegers in
II 4 IL 4
armed men behind the walls. But, admitting
that the soldiers of the Republic may compare
with those of Germany in what General
Trochu calls the motive power of an army,
/. G. in devotion, self lf-sacrifce, and discipline,
how inferior they are in what the same autho-
rity defines as the mechanism or material
force need not be stated. The soldiers of
the Empire were inferior to their opponents
in both these essential requisites, and while
the patriotic aspect which the struggle has
now assumed may supply them with what was
wanting of the first, it would require years to
remove their inferiority in the second.
After ALL the true significance of O CLEAN
of returning success to France will be its
effect upon the great powers who are watch
ing with profound interest the progress of
the conflict. Coming at such a time, the
somewhat unceremonious rebuff admins
tered by Count Bismarck to Austria may
lehQ TO Important results. we nave DToNl-
ously expressed an opinion that there were
diplomatic reasons behind the refusal of the
Provisional Government to accept the Prus-
sian terms of armistice. The obvious cool
ness which at present exists between Prussia
and both Austria and Russia leads to the
belief that communications boding no good
to the Prussian plan of conquest have
passed between these powers and France. To
aid in establishing a republic would be very
I L A.
apparent impotence of the French people
| themselves has hitherto been the most power
! full obstacle to any foreign alliance. A con-
viction that personal interest and interna-
| tional policy alike favored intervention might
have overcome the first scruple: nothing but
| some proofs to the contrary would dissipate
| the second. No one can doubt that Austria
| views with serious and we'll
grounded alarm the rapid accom-
| plishment of Prussian supremacy in
! Germany. Indications have not been want
! ing that closer relations have been lately
| forming between the Courts of st. Petersburg
and Vienna While Russia, personally, has
| less to fear from victorious Germany than
| she would have had from French Empire
which had secured the left bank of the Rhine,
| she cannot be insensible to the danger of the
an-Germanism which justifes the annexa-
tion of Alsace and Lorraine being extended
| to her Baltic provinces, and may likewise
feel little disposed to see France sink to the
level of a second,rate Power. That any
/ actual alliance has beea formed between