New-York tribune., 1870-08-16
KING WILLIAM AT THE SEAT OF WAR.
HIS PASSAGE THROUGH COLOGNE-THE LOST or.
PoRTUNIY OF FRANCE--UNITED GERMANY.
tFROsr OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE

HIS PASSAGE THROUGH COLOGNE-THE LOST Or
PoRTUNIY OF FRANCE--UNITED GERMANY.
[FROAr OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
COLOGNE, Aug. 1.-The hero King has just
passed Cologne and with him silent Moke and al.
dacious Bismarck There he sat, the ruler of great
country the future Emperor of Germany his face smi
ing and yet with expression of thOughtfunes for in
days he will stand at the head of the great
armies The world has ready TO fight for the
honor independence, and liberty of great nation And
here part anticipate that has been popu
lar the presents the hatred OF the French is beyond
description About 1920 inhabitants went, therefore,
singing aud cheering to the station to give expression to
their patriotic enthusiasm in presence Of King William
and his suite. At 800 the train stopped and when the
imposing head of the monarch became visible through
the window the crowd raised cheers which seemed to
Then the pupils of the schools returned
the Wacht am Rhein" the anthem. Hell dir i'm Sieges
kranz' the national song "Ich bin elm Preusse," and
other patriotic songs The King evidently pleased
with this reception and bowed and sauted smilngy the
thousands old warriors moved to tears when be-
holding the countenanee Of their supreme MASTER to
whom they adhere with unbounded devotion.
Tho Kings arrival at the seat Of may be taken
sure indication that battle is to be expected in few
days. Where will be fought only be guessed fer
all the strategcal operations well the distribution
of the forces is mystery TO everybody except few
who hold the threads in their hands For the last fort
night troops passing here night and day The
thusasm is general those only dsheartened who
doomed TO remain in fortresses without any chance to
face the The spirit of the soldiers is still height
ened by tho conviction that there must be something
wrong with the French account of their not being
able to make nrode, begin action, nearly three
weeks after the war had been declared. How different
would have the position of France IL she had taken
lessons from the days in 1866 The Prussian
frontier virtually undefended and French army
could have marched into Prussia without scarcely
opposition. But that chance is over and about 100000
OF German troops guarding Water Rhen,' and
now the Germans sing with confidence, Lleb Water
land kannst ruhg sen" France cannot break through
| phalanx which seems perfectly impenetrabe.
Up to this moment neither battle has been ought
nor has any skirmshng Of significance taken place
and all the intelligence to the contrary has proved UNI
founded The troops appear In excellent condition. some
regiments those of Pomerana and Westphala, for In
stance, OF gigantic appearance They are provided
for in possible way carry with them every
thing they need. have IL from trustworthy sources
that they have provisions for least six weeks The
behavior OF the regiments who have joined Prussia as
those OF Bavaria wiirtemberg &C., is remarkable They
have pettoned to allowed to form part of the ayan
| guard In order to face the enemy first.
Germany Is united There is no German to be found
who ia not with Prussia the present struggle whatever
| his opinion may otherwise be- Volunteers are hooking
10 the army but are accepted there s no need for
them Up u the present those are only drawn who
haye already served But there remain still hundreds OF
thousands who been free from some cause or other
and Who in case of need In six weeks can be sufficiently
drilled and distributed among the different regiments,
Things would however, take unfortunate course for
Germany II she should be obliged to this
Yet IL IL well to remember that Germany would have no
difficulty whatever IN iQgpiag another army VI Qne mil