The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-28
Tho Rall Of NIotz-Ansther Astounding
Military Triumph.

message 10 inc queen. IrOVluence DC
thankcd!" he adds King Williams reports,
! whatever we may say or think OF the Old
| monarch in other respects, have always been
| truthful. providence DO thanked" many
| will echo, although not few in all lands
| will, as they read or pronounce the words,
drop a tear of sympathy for poor France.
The surrender Of Bazane and the oceupa-
ton of Metz by tho soldiers Of Fathcrland give
to the situation an entirely new aspect. Mslz
was known to be one of the strongest for.resscs
tary position were known TO and turned 10 ac-
count by tho Romans AZ forti-
fed place II was priced and kept ia
good order by Clovis and his success
sors, by Charlemagnc and afterwards by the
German Caesars. Since 1862 it has been in
the hands Of the French; and although COM
mercialiy ii has long since lost lis glory, it
has ever been regarded as powerful if not
impregnabc border bulwark. IL was never
expected that Prussia could take it by storm.
II was not known that the garrison ha ! been
reduced to state of desperation. IT was
provisions. France looked TO Daz line as
possible deliverer. The imperialists had not
given up the hope that Bazaine might
play the part of Monk and restore
the Bonapartes. No one was looking for
the capitalization Of tho ancient fortress. The
fall of Metz may, therefore, be added to the
list OF Mr. Summers surprises. II is more
than surprise. 1t is another glorious victory
to Prussia. 1t is another terrific and crushing
blow 10 Fra1cc. In itself considered the fall
of Metz is not SO important as the fall of
Sedan, but ia its inevitable consequences it is
destined to be infinitely more so. AS we have
said already, it gives to the situation on Gu
tirely new aspect.
Up until the present it was not unreasonable
for France to hope. The army of Bazaine, at
least what remained of it, was known to be
composed OF the best soldiers of France. If
by any means they could cut their way
through the Prussan lines they would form a
nucleus around which the raw recruits and
newly-formed battalions could gather. Now,
however, the army of Bazaine has shared the
fate of the army of MacMahon. All the picked
men of France--the four or five hundred thou
sand men who marched from Paris with the
view of marching to Berlin-have been de-
stroyed demora'ized or made prisoners of war.
The brave men who at Magenta and Solferino
nailed victory TO the French standards are
either dead or disarmed The forces on whom
France now depends are raw and undisciplined
The leaders of those forces are men unknown
to fame. In other words the two best gene
rails and the two best armies of France are
practically annihilated. This, however, is
not all. Not only is France deprived of her
two best armies, numbering at least four hum
bred thousand men, and of her two best gene
rails the way is clear for Prussia to bring
| forward to the walls of Paris OF least one hun
bred and fifty Thousand additional men, not
to speak of guns and other NUM-
| tions of war. Between Germany and
| Paris there is now practically no obstruction.
| With German soldiers in Strasbourg and with
German soldiers in Metz the hosts of Ger
many can now rush almost uninterrupted into
the very heart of France. Why Metz should
have surrendered at this particular time is
question which different minds will answer
differently. But, whatever the cause, the fact
is before us and must be accepted with all its
probable consequences.
The question now is whether Prussia will
offer terms Of peace or lay down conditions
for an armistice or proceed to the lombard
ment Of Paris II is notorious that Prussia
has not been unwilling since the fall Of Sedan
TO consent to an armistice. Lately she
has most distinctly stated that she does
not insist on the surrender of Paris
as preliminary. The unwilingness to agree
to an armistice has been on the side Of France,
not on the side of Prussia. viii the fall of
Metz make France more submissive? win it
make Prussia more exacting? 1t is possible
that, as one despatch hints, Bazaine has sur
rendered on condition that Prussia will be sat
isfied with the occupation of Metz and
Strasbourg, and, that holding these two
will consent to an armistice. But
granting this, the question still arises. viii
France consent to an armstce thus shorn of
her strength and dominated by the foef This,
however, is also possibility. King William,
emboldened by this fresh victory, may insist
on making peace inside the walls of Paris.
As Strasbourg has fallen, as Metz has
fallen, so, too, if the struggle is pro-
longed, Paris must fall. To dictate
terms of peace in the palace Of the Tuleries--
| to do siugle-handed in 1871 what it required
combined Europe to do in lSl5--is no ignoble
douDd more to the honor and glory of the
victor. Prudence, however, is not generally
a dominant characteristic of the conqueror in
the hour Of his triumph. The world will
applaud il King William offers the provisional