The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-09-24
The French and Prussian War.

The extraordinary news received by the Moses
Taylor u MISUNDERSTANDING the great Prus-
sian victory at Sedan, the capture Of the Emperor
Napoleon, and the establishment of a republic in
France-was more than the most sanguine admir-
ers of the Germans dared to look for.
Our previous dates were to August %, as given
in our last issue, when there was every prospect
of a battle between the army of Mcmahon at
Mezieres and the German forces under Prince
Charles and Steinmetz. The battle commenced
on Tuesday morning, August 90, and continued
through Wednesday and Thursday. On the night
of the latter day, the French army under McNIa-
hon with the Emperor and Prince Imperial, were
collected in or around the fortified village ofSedan,
ii miles east of Mezieres. On the morning of
the second of September the Prussians had sue
ceeded in encircling the place with their forces,
and occupied every hill and eminence with their
batteries. When the Emperor rose in the morn
ing, and from a tower in Sedan looked out and
saw the Prussian bayonets glistening like forests
of steel in every direction, completely surround
ing the village, he at once made up his mind to
surrender himself and army to the superior forces
of the enemy. He sat down and wrote a letter to
King William &" as / cannot die at the head Of
my army, 1 lay my SlCOrd al The feet Of your
Majesty" and at ii a. NJ. on the I'd of Septem-
Der surrendered himself at the headquarters of
the King.
There are very few parallels in history to this
remarkable ending ola great mans career. During
twenty years he has ruled France with a success
which few sovereigns have had, and has made of
the French a greater and more prosperous people
than they ever were before. Although history
,r;II oo1dap,n1 liz CO.. ~ - 1;1r ~ tb,o 800 -
out sufficient cause, it will give him credit for a
long and prosperous reign. Napoleon at the
latest date was a prisoner in the citadel of Hesse
Cassel in Germany, supplied with every necessity
that a magnanimous and conquering foe can pro-
vide. What his future will be no one can predict,
but his star of Empire has set. and he has ceased
to be the ruler of France.
But to return to the battle. Mcmahon COM
menced the engagement with about l50, 900
troops, and after three days fighting surrendered
so, 200 soldiers, showing his losses in killed and
to have been 10000. Tho Germans
went into the battle with 25O, 1000, and lost in
killed and wounded about 80, 900. Sedan, where
the last days fighting took place on September
is a village eleven miles east of Mezieres, with
a population of II 900. 1t is also quite near the
boundary, so near that the fighting was
both on French and German territory.
While the battle of Sedan was in progress,
Gen. Bazaine was not idle at Metz, but made
several attempts to cut his way through the Crown
Princes forces to join McMahon's army, but in
each attempt he was foiled and driven back within
the entertainments, where he will probably now
be kept till he surrenders. His forces number
about 100000. For all practical purposes, so
far as the war is concerned, his army is destroyed.
In and around Paris, General Trochu has
from two hundred to three hundred thousand
troops, but these are understood to be recruits,
and probably are not so well equipped as the
which were sent out under Bazaine and
The Prussian forces were at the latest
advancing on Paris, and would be able to
there not less than $50, 900 men.
The French will never risk the destruction of the
,ity of Paris by a battle under her walls, but will
syacuate and leave the Prussians to enter and
possess the city.
But now, since the latter are so completely the
V%ictors, there is every probability of peace, and
the first arrival may announce an armistice.
The only obstacle in the way is a political one,
caused by the change in the form of Government
in France; but this obstacle will be overcome by
Intervention on the part of tue neutral powers.
Most certainly, the war cannot continue much
as the alleged cause of it 1.-THE Emperor
Napoleon) has been removed.
U. S. CoSsULATE-ELIAs PERKINS, Esq, took
charge of the American Consulate yesterday, in
place of the Hon. Thomas Adamson, Jr., who has