The New York herald., 1870-07-24
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY JULY a. 1s7o-TE1PLE Sheet


The Drought in France and tho War.
We have heretofore referred to the disas-
trous drought from which France is suffering,
as probably having its influence upon the
mind of Napoleon in pushing his jealousy of
the growing power of Prussia to the fearful
ultimatum of war. We are not weakened,
but strengthened, in this opinion as the
details Of the losses Of the French people
from this terrible drought are communicated
to us. 1t appears that this years products
of France in the staples Of subsistence will
hardly be half the annual average yield;
and France even with bountiful crops
exports no provisions. Her forty millions of
bread consumers require all that her soil can
be made to produce, economical as are the
French people and experienced as they are
in making, through their skill in cookery, q
little go long way.
But what are the effects already resulting
from this summers blighting drought over all
the fair land of Francep Her large rivers,
during the present century, were never before
80 dwindled as now; her smaller streams were
never to so great IN extent dried up; and
never, since her first and most terrible revo-
luton, have so many Of her springs and wells
become exhausted. Her fields, gardens and
vineyards have suffered in proportion. Her
farmers, from the consequent deficiency in
grass, roots and forage Of every kind, are
selling off their horses, cattle, sheep, swine,
&C., in many cases for one-tenth of their value
year or even six months ago. The immedi-
ate advantages thus offered to the government
in cheap horses for the cavalry, artillery and
commissariat services, and in cheap beef NUT
ton and pork, are thus apparent. 1t will be
perceived, too, that in the extraordinary pur-
chases which are required for great army
moving to war, the government, In money,
will be furnishing general relief to the
farmers Of the country, which under q
state of peace would not reach them.
In short, we may assume that, but for
the extraordinary demands of the govern
ment, resulting from state of war, many
thousands of horses, cattle, &C., would
in dying from starvation become dead loss
to the owners, compared with which even the
small cash price paid by the government is so
much clear gain and contribution of so
much to meet the coming necessities Of the
peasantry.
So far, then, we may consider this war an
advantage to Napoleon in these war contribu-
tions to the French people. Again, it is
doubtless the design of Napoleon with two or
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sary horses to invade Prussia, and not only to
subsist them upon the products of the invaded
provinces, but to draw from those provinces
all the extra supplies within their reach for
French home consumption. Instead Of the
usual destruction by fire of the subsistence Of
the hostile country not needed by the invader
this surplus will, or ought to be as a
war measure, saved for his army
held in reserve on his own soil.
Thus, with q firm foothold in the enemy's
territories Napoleon may draw from them sup
plies equal to the subsistence Of two or three
millions of the French peasantry, men, women
and children. In the event of another field of
jena, upon which he may be calculating,
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peace an amount Of breadstuffs which will re-
lieve France by impoverishing Prussia for
Prussia, too, feels materially the pressure Of
this seasons general European drought.
There is still another consideration in this
question Of bread which may have entered into
the estimate of Napoleon in favor Of this war.
The popular cry for "bread' in the streets of
Paris was one of the first and most significant
manifestations of the great French revolution
of 1889. Napoleon may be in danger of
renewal of this revolutionary cry
this coming winter. But the ''gloire" and
''0ictoire" of France in war with Prussia
will stop all complaints Of hunger in Paris,
and so Napoleon need not be in particular
hurry to begin the war or to bring it to a
close. In brief, we cannot resist the conclu-
sion from the facts and views suggested that
the drought in France has had its full weight
in determining the mind Of Napoleon in favor
of this last resort of war.