The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-24


royal proclamation, u Ia DESTROYS OF Incorporating
In Its neet. One Of The chief steamship companies
has already placed its vessels at the service Of the
government on the conditions offered ia the rovaI
proclamation and II these steamers can carry guns
they VIII undoubtedly be approved and armed ac-
c0ruingly. These merchant steamers will then, IN
connection with the smaller vessels OF the navy
form sort OF light noaring artillery that may be EN-.
@ e Of s
Vice. Vice. 0A''"' '"'pS VIII 0s employed N nS scr
In the meantime the Germans will be bitterly dis.
appointed they Halter themselves that they can by
such means seriously affect the French neet. Tne
and even II the French cannot be regarded
as the best sailors in the world. Napo-
leon III. has done much TO breed up clever
seamen, ana the fisheries that France carries on
year by year VITA ever-Increasing zeal and industry
and SKILL form an excellent school for seamen, q
school TO which only that part OF the German peo-
pie who live on the shores Of The North Sea has mad
admission. Moreover, the French men.of war are
or two foolhardy attempts TO take one OF them mas
brought the rash Adventures to grief the smaller
German vessels VIII have TO keep within their
soundngs and leave the defence OF the coast TO tor
pedOes and soldiers
The French squadron In the Baltic VIII thus
scarcely have TO try It's strength with German mem
Oi-war, ana only In case vi hostilitles, attaining
far more extensive development, viii Il possibly
ma In the Russian feet an adversary that can meet
tory.
In the meantime the French memo f.war will
German
anu IN covering and secondlng the descent OF troops
anu tnelr subsequent operations on the coast. such
landing OF troops could be enectuated on the south
ern as Wen az on the western SHORES OF the Baltic;
Tor while u descent on the southern coast would
menace Berlin successful operations on the western
coast would threaten the hank OF the German army
on the Rhine and thus exercise an mportant inIu-
ence on the very heart OF military operations.
TYPOGRAPHY AND HISTORY.
AS the reader knows, the western boundary OF the
ballic sea IS formed by the Cimbric peninsula, or
5utland, which, projecting from the north OF
ana ends AT Cape Skagen IN a nat spit OF
sand that stretches far out into the sea in
shoals and sandbanks peiilOus Tor navigation.
Inc whole or that peninsula, until very lew
years ago, belonged TO the Danish monarchy as
the northern part, or Juand, does still. Tine south
and middle districts are the duchles of Holsten
ana Scheswlg, the latter with German INHABITANTS
IN the southern hall OF 1t ana Danish IN the north
ern; aud these duches were forcbly taken from
Denmark IN 1864, the Prussian and the Austrian
armies uniting against the little state; ana alter
Prussias successful campaign against its quOndam
any ia 1900 Vse provinces, conquered by force OF
arms from Dehmark were Incorporated into the
Prusslan Kingdom. the Emperor OF Austria REIN
gushing by Tie treaty OF the Peace OF Prague all
claim to the conquered ducbes In favor OF the King
oi Prussia, Without any condition whatever unless
that which WAS imposed by the Intervention of
France-that the norlhcrn DANISH tOngued part OF
Schieswlg should provided the Tree ana uncontrolled
votes Oh the Inhabitants dvmanded H. be restored TO
TIE Danish monarchy; ANA The nOn-fuGlment OF this
engagement Is one UI the causes OF the now COM
melcng war.
Ia thai part OF the CimbrIc peninsula now occu-
pied by Prussia me most Impoitant strategic point
Is the siaid OF Ais, III connection Will nearest
part OF the mainland, from which 1T is separated
only by u narrow STRAIT called AIS Sound. Imme.
dlatey cOntnguoas 10 this strait the Sopug banS
lies the largesC town on Tue sland SOnieroJrg.
me nearest part OF the mainland, with which the
town is connected oy pontcon Dridge, Is called
Sundeved, and here the ground slopes gently I'D
from The shore TO aridge, which Is crowned with q
series OIL strong, Tortured works. On the Ais side OF
the strait the ground likewise slopes gently up from
the shore, 80 hat The town OF SondcrDorg il aiso
surinounted with heights crowned with i0rlinc.
tons.
Here 1t was that Denmark, in 1854 waged heroic
war against the overwhelming hosts OF her enemies,
ana after regular SIEGE but not before the scat
tered debris OF the Danish works were carried by
storm on the 18th of April, 1864, while the island Of
Ais, on which there were then only "a few scattered
batteries along the shore 0. the strait was taken at
later GATE by daring and ably executed passage OF
the strait la boats. since the prusslans been In
possession or the island they have spared no eXer-
lions to render t az lmpregnable fortress. The for
mer Danish redoubts have now all been superseded
10y works VI far greater strength. On the heights
around Souderbog batteries have been erected That
can rake the plain beyond Them and others that can
ennlade the strait ana the adjoining part OF the
Baltic. These are again seconded by Diner works,
southwest q the town fronting he entnnce Of that
deep harbor, H6ruphaven, that runs into The land
on the south side Of the Island. good harbor. as
suredly, Tor ships-Of-war.a is
ALs-ITs FORCE AND FoRTIFECATION.
When occupied bv Power that commands the
great strength. But thai strength dwindles away
when the 0ccupiers or The island opposed by al
enemy WHO mas the mastery at Sea- and there
fore either make descent on the east side OF The
island and from his vessels engage ali the bate lies
that can be brought to bear on MIN, Or m case OF
investing may be able TO occupy the garrison to the
top OF their bent with The fire from his ships ke-
gardng TIE preparations made by Prussia for the
defence Of Ais, q correspondent writes me from
SouderborG:-"fhe transport OF troops hither mas
now ceased and the whole force OF the Prussals
here IN AIS and Sundeved may be estimated to
amount to $4,000 or $4,000 men. The Improvement
OF the Notifications IL still carried with the great
est dilgence, and the ground IN front OF them has
been levelled, ali heoges and fences swept away and
all standing crops moved down, to leave The enemy
no covert III the event OF an attack
Everywhere along the shore spanish troop
crs"-ggantic "cats'' with formidable spikes
IA great hlndrance to landing troOps) are placed
and innumerable torpedoes are laid down IN the
Between the Notifications telegraph wires are
laid, and, to facilitate communication between the
works on the mainland and the island two pontOon
bridges are being built IN addition 10 the already
leading over the strait. 1t may thus be seen that
1t will be serious piece OF work, the taxing Of Als
but the island is OF SO much Importance in q
strategic point OF view, that IL Is not probable the
French Will leave 1t without making an attempt to
take IT,. Their superiority at sea VIII, in this case
be OF the very greatest avail.
Ais Is the most thoroughly Danish district In all
Scheswig; no more than One-tenth OF the Inhabitants
ale German. and on the occasion OF the election to
the North Germanic Diet the Inhabitants OF Ais
and Sundeved have displayed the most earnest
desire to be reunited with Denmark But IL
Is exactly this part OF Its conquest that
Prussia, on no account will relnquisn. 1t
has laid Its hand on Ais, and VIII keep 1t las u
sword pointed against Denmark's neart," even as
the French author, Henri Martin, said some years
ago. and 1t certainly viii not resign that island with
out serious struggle. Time Will snow whether the
French VIII engage IN such contest, or whether
they Will pass these Notifications by, leaving them
behind them, while their troops possibly in union
with Danish corps, penetrate through Hosteln
into Hanover, subdued but not vanquished by Prus-
sian force OF arms, hating It's conquerOr and bidlng
It's time. In case OF Denmark'S taking active
share In the war as the ally or France IL may be
missed that the latter Will leave TO the Danish army
the honor OF reconquerng the territory formerly
own, while French corps might be disembarked on
the east coast Of Holstein, Tor example, at the old
German Hause town Lupeck and thence strive over
Hamburg to unite itself with another corps that had
landed the North Sea coast and advanced through
Hanover from the west.
DANISH NEUTRALITY.
With regard to Denmark's bearing In the CON-
mencng war nothing is definitely decided Pre-
lminary, M we know, 1t has declared It's neutral.
ity, but the public mood here IL earnestly warlike.
ana 1t is generally thought that the Duke Of Cadore
formerly ambassador IN Munich, VINO had arrived
here as ambassador extraordinary to our court
has the mission Of concluding an alliance with Den
mark, and that he Will succeed In so doing. Imme.