The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-16
THE SITUATION.

The Battles near Metz-The Siege of Stras-
burg-A Prussihn Advance In the South
east of Frauce-Alleged Occupation of BesRn-
cen, and Threatening OF Paris by the Beifert
Route.
Last nights dispatches leave the situation in
Europe in great uncertainty. Among the things
that can be counted on as assured is the fact
that the French have not abandoned Metz
although it would appear that they have aban-
doned the line of the Moselle. At 2 o'clock on
the morning of Sunday, the 14th, the Emperor,
accompanied by ''the tranquil infant" left Metz
for Verdun, a strongly fortified town about
thirty miles west of Metz on the railroad to
Rheims. He left behind him considerable gar
rison, and proclamation charging it ''never to
allow the enemy to take possession of this bull
wark OF France"
Tho Battles near Metz.
Later in the day, it would appear that such of
the army as were in the neighborhood of Metz
attempted to cross to the left or west bank of
the Moselle to accompany the Emperor in his
retreat towards Chalons, but while they were
crossing the river, the Prussians under General
Won Steinmetz fell upon them in great force and
a battle ensued, lasting, according to NapoleoD's
own account about four hours The result of
the fight, according to the Emperors own
bulletin, was a repulse of the Prussians with a
great loss to them. But King William, who is
rather better authority, declares that victory
on the Prussian side; and unofficial
accounts from Forbach, now in the
possession of the Prussians, state
that the French were thrown into great confu-
sion, and were routed with great slaughter,
after having made gallant stand None OF the
reports received up to the time at which we
write give the exact locality of the conflict or
the subsequent movements of either army. Ma
poleon's bulletin announcing French victory
was dated 10 P. NJ. of August IA, at Longueville
which is on the railroad from Frouard to
Chalons, about 80 miles south of Verdun, the
place for which he started on leaving Metz at
o'clock in the morning, and accessible from Metz
or Verdun only by making long railroad cir
cult through Chalons. What took Napoleon to
Longueville, and how he got there, are still
mysterious. Advices from Paris state that the
corps of Generals L'Admirault and De Caen were
engaged in this conflict on the French side, and
announce the arrival of the Emperor and the
Infant at Verdun, thus further complicating the
movements of the Imperial warriors.
And directly on top of the conflicting bulle-
tins about the battle at the passage of the Mo
selle come reports from LuxemDurg of another
conflict in the neighborhood of Metz, as having
been fought yesterday morning, lasting from
four o'clock until nine, and resulting in Prus-
mysterious than that of Sunday, and will pro-
bably turn out to have been the same affair.
Adyices from the Prussian side state that the
second line of the German army, COM
posed almost wholly of Prussian troops, is
moving forward to support the first line, which
has now advanced so far into the enemy's coun-
try. The Paris Temps of yesterday gives a
slight clue 10 the movements of both armies by
stating that the object OF the Prussians was to
get between Metz and its base of supplies, this
object being defeated by the repulse of the in
Vaders and the failure of their attempt to pre-
vent the French from crossing to the west bank
OF the Moselle
The Siege of Strasburg.
Advices from the neighborhood of Strasburg,
through French sources state that the Prussians
do not appear to really intend to besiege that
fortress, being desirous merely of cutting off its
supplies, for which purpose they have blown up
the bridges and otherwise tampered with the
railway to Basel The city, it is claimed, is fully
garrisoned and provisioned for siege, and the
supply of water is under the control OF the
authorities and cannot be cut off.
PrussaH- Movemepss Ia the soHsneast Of
On August 9th there were reports that the
Prussians had occupied Mulhausen, an important
city of $4,000 Inhabitants, situated at the inter-
section of the Rhone aud Rhine Canal by the
railroad from Strasburg to Basel, 81 miles s. s.
w. of the former place, and about 12 miles from
the Baden frontier. Only few days ago, how
ever, II was reported that the French still held
Mulhausen, and now comes another report from
Carlsruhe that the Prussians have occupied ii
and Besa3con. The latter is a stro gly
fortified city OF about $4,000 inhabi-
tants situated on the river Doubs and on tue
Rhone and Rhine Canal, about 65 miles south
west OF Mulhausen and Basel. II contains
a citadel which stands on a high rock
and is regarded as impregnable. The railroad
from Mplhausen 70 Chalons-sur-saone passes