New-York tribune., 1870-08-08
WIR TOPICS

We are gravely assured in the Paris dis
patches that the French force in Thursday IS
battle numbered only 1000 or 5000, but man
aged, notwithstanding its own severe losses, to
intlct upon the Prussans loss of no fewer
than 10,5OO, killed, wounded and prisoners
In fact, when they finally retreated each un-
wounded Frenchman must have carried off on
an average two Prussian captives.
Gen. Von Moltke persists in violating all
the rules of war and in disregardng the
maxims of the uncle of his equity opponent.
He has done at Hagenau precisely what he
did at Sadowa-divided his army in the face
of the enemy and gone into battle to fight
his way to concentration at a point behind
the enemy's line. Military critics will doubt
less pronounce it a hazardous undertaking,
but at present advices it appears TO have been
an eminently successful one.
We have heard so much about German
unanimity in the present war that it is rather
refreshing than otherwise to find German in
this country putting himself in opposition.
The editor of the Neue Zeit reminds the
German exiles that they left their native
country to escape the expressions of despots
like King William. Much has been said" he
exclaims, "O of Germany's greatness, GermanB's
honor, Germanys unity of Germany's free
dom, not a word.n But will Germany be
any the less able to secure its freedom after
it is united than before And will the true
interests of the German people be much ad-
vanced by impracticable patriots who in
struggle of this kind virtually propose to make
their country free by handing it over to
France, and, not content with protests against
fighting, actually discourage collections for the
wounded?
The Crown Prince of Prussia, Frederic
William, who fought Marshal MacMahon at
Weissenburg, is now in his 39th year. He
married the Princess Royal of England, and
his eldest son, a young warrior of eleven
years, holds several commissions in the Prus-
rian army. We do not read, however, that
this princely child picked up any bullets ON
the banks of the Lauter, or that the veteran
soldiers paused in the fight to weep at his
intrepidity. Probably if the Crown Prince had
seen the dispatch about Louis and II from
Saarbruck, he might have madel his bulletin
to the Queen much better.
Although parallel is not proof, historic
parallels must afford nearly all the basis pos
sible to modern prophecy. A little less than
two hundred years ago, the armies of France,
under the lead of one of the most illustrious
masters of the art of war, the Great COnde,
were opposed to those of Germany under Mon
tecuculi, in very nearly the same locality as
the present theater of operations, and raised
the sieges of Haguenau and Savergne. But
the Great Conde, although anxious by giving
him experience Oh the field to advance the
g., ncl he D.,, IL
who accompanied him, nevertheless, upon find
ing himself a sufferer from the tortures of gout,
was compelled to admit that the pangs of that
disease untitled him for the conduct of war.
He withdrew into retirement at Chantily; and
while he nursed his gout the Germans drove
the French back across the Rhine, and thence
forward the fortunes of war ceased to favor
France.