, 1870-08-25
TIE MILITARY SITUATION.

II turns out that the French army under
Bszaine HISS not escaped from Metz: that
M.cAluhon las not formed junction with
him, and that the situation is in no re-
pect changed to the disadvantage Of the
plIsslans. Indeed, there seems to be
lnnsling between the Grown Princes army
and tie for'iticatiuns of Paris, except the
raw leyies ut ChaIons. His own force has
usually been stated ut l50, ,0O0 men, while
the French account, published in the
(o1r1ifr DIS Etatx Lnis, claims that there
are in Paris hn equal number of regulars,
besides l'u.0oo Municipal and National
Guards, Irentu, and Gnrde Mobile The
Grown Prince, if he advances, will be With
ont siege trains, and his base of sup
plies is so far of aud SO uncer-
.a,a that he must carry the fortiications
Of Paris ty prompt assault, If at all., The
works around Paris have been projected
on a grand scale, but nre still incomplete
at the gate-ways, on all sides of the city,
and these defects must be supplied by
hnstv earthworks, which we're not begun
until the Pr,saians were passing the
3Io-el!e. The hesvy guns are only begin
Mig to be mounted, and us these steps
have keen deferred until the cuemy wns
but ninety miles distant, it may we'll be
dout,tra whether they are in time. We
regard the stnselnent in the Courier, that
there are 2;o,noo troops ut Paris for its
: defence. MS cunsradicscd by the statement
OF pal;lzao only day or two ago, that
the Nat;oan1 Guards for the defence of
lie capital Lud been l,ut 2s,O00, were then
.n.:,'n1. and would SON be $4,000. Tho
question is not wle.her Paris can stand q
siege. for tie Crown Prince is unprepared
= sudden assault. Iu Huch movement the
Grown Prince Las rs large an army as
G1alt led scso>s The Rapidan, and fully as
large Is he cou'd hope to uss in such an
action. His urtuy consists of thorough
soldiers. as:d las done no fighting, or very
little, since its rcGiments were filed ur
after ,le battles Of Worth and RoRueuau.
TrocLu. On the other hand, has, for the
defence Of Paris, little besides unfinished
fo1tiGcations, unmounted eartLworks, ani
rnw levics. he has had his ann,
to create in the main, and it may we'll b
doul,ted whether he has been able to max
OF such materials, and in 50 short time.
to1,e capable of witlstanliug an assau]
from tho we'll led veterans OF Sadowa
Wei>senburg aud Worth, fighting in fn
rivw OF the spires Of Paris and the eucr
don Of triumphant peace.
Hvw viii the alleged advance of MAJ
Malcn 10 the relief Of Bazaine affect Il
arnlies ct Prince Frederick Charles ar
Stcinlnetz, COW holding Bazaine by tt
throat before Metz? If the army of B.
zine were fully supplied with provision
ard ammunition, and ready to assume tt
agge ssire the moment they heard Il
sound Of friendly guns n their enemy
rear, then Hing William might find l1imse
>: in Ell uncomfortable position, There a;
numerous statements, however, that Il
French at Netz are short of Al
- munit;on, and, indeed, the obje
Of orering communication is stated to |
to supply them. It IS not stated he
mauy nen Mac-Iahon leads from Chalo
to the relief Of ofeBezaine, nor have We a,
means Of knowing how far King Wilis
has been reinforced from beyond the ST.
since his SIX days dreadful carnage. T