The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-22
THE WAR.

GENERAL TBocHU, in his late proclamation to
the citizens of Paris, asked them to initiate
the valor of the army which had fought at
the fearful odds of three against one, while
Napoleon, in an address to the French officers
at Metz, after describing the Prussian method
of managing a battle, acknowledged that it
WAS superior to the French system, and asked
his army to initiate it. Thus we have the con-
fessions of the highest authorities of the empire
that the invaders possess great superiority
of force which is managed with superior
efficiency, and the results of the campaign are
precisely what might have anticipated from
the disproportionate strength of the contend
ing armies.
The success of the ambitious German effort
to confne Marshal Bazaine and the flower of
the French army in the fortress at Metz is
confirmed from number of quarters. The
Partisan Authorities virtually admit it by
acknowledging that Bazaine's plans have
been 30 changed as to induce him to
prolong his occupancy of his old quarters.
A special reporter of the New York World
telegraphs that he saw the battle and knows
that the French were forced back to Metz;
while despatch from Dresden, which gives a
crcumstantial account of the Saxon divisions
engaged in the conflict of the 18th instant,
alleges in the most positive terms that the
object for which it was fought was fully ac-
complished.
1t appears to have been the French plan, if
Bazaine had been able to get away from the
armies which hold him with an
unyielding grasp, to make a stand
Chalons. MacMahon is said to have advanced
beyond Chalons, towards Vitry, to meet the
Crown Prince, and the original programme
was probably to unite both wings of the
French army and to contest the road
to Paris mile by mile. But
this plan has proved impracticable for reasons
already given, and even the Partisan journals
complain that mysteriously long time has
been consumed in the transmission
of dispatches between the two
leading French generals while Mac
Mahon, thrown back upon his
own resources, is said in a special despatch
(Which lacks confrmation) to have encouu-
tered another defeat. If he has already
fought and lost decisive battle, nothing
that the Prussian army need fear remains to
block up the road to Paris; but if this battle
is still to be fought, he can have no rational
hope of success since he has been deprived
Of the cooperation of Bazaine.
The preparations for siege of the capital
have therefore become imperatively necessary,
and we do not wonder that they engross SO
large share of the attention of the French
authorities. The exterior defenses of the
nation have fallen so rapidly that little remains
to be done except to pierce its centre. 1t re-
mains to be seen whether two millions of
people can be supplied with enough food to
maintain life during protracted siege, and if
this difficult task cannot be accomplished, the
Prussian approach to Paris will extort a
treaty from the necessities of a famished
populace, even if no battles are fought there.
The Prussians are believed now to have COM
menced operations with the intention of die
tating peace at the gates of the French capi-
tai and the wonderful success of their prelimi-
nary movements furnishes a hopeful augury
of the achievement of theirAultimate aim.