Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-03
tUalohman s. journal.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1870.
TgaNs-s20o per year, strictly In advance or $3.50
ifnot paid within three months.
HE W A r..

Although there has been as yet no general
collision between the French and Prussian
armies, it is very evident that this quiet is
! but the portentous lul which precodos the
most destructive storms The preparations
for the conflict on both sides are progressing
with undated ygor, and on a scale never be-
fore equallcd.
The Prussian troops are concentrated be-
tween Treves and Merzig on the river Saar,
while the French troops are rendezyoued near
Metz, frontier post on the French border
a very slight distance separating the oppos-
ing armies, and various skirmishes are re-
ported, in which both sides claim the adyan-
tage.
Owing to the strict surveillance which is
kept over the war news from both armies, it
is very difIicult to obtain any definite or aecu-
rate idea Of the actual number Of troops in
the field Various estimates have been made,
varying from three to eight hundred thousand
on each side Probably there are not less
than eight hundred thousand troops in the
field, with, we should Judge, no great dis
parity between the number Of French and
Prussians.
The tactics Of the Prussians so far rs de-
yeloped seem to warrant the belief that they
intend to act strictly upon the defensive,
which will give them great advantage, in a
country so thickly hedgod with fortresses and
natural obstacles to the advance Of an inyad-
ing army.
The Emperor left Paris for Metz on Tues
day last, accompanied by his son the Prince,
leaving the Empress Eugene as Regent dur
ing his absence King William has also taken
the field with his troops.
The greatest enthusiasm seems to animate
both armies and each power, in declaring
war, is apparently sustained by the almost
unanimous sentiment Of its citizens.
The French feet is nearly all in the Bal
tic, and French gunboats, to operate on the
} Rhine and the interior rivers Of Prussia, are
being transported from Marseiles overland,
Paris is being thoroughly fortified so that
f the French troops can fall back upon it in
/ case of reyerses while to avoid the mortif.
cation Of capture, should Berlin fall before
French arms, the English wife of the Crown
Prince Of Prussia has been shipped home to
, her mother, Victoria, on an American vessel
/ Both powers have adopted an agreement to
= exempt from capture the merchantmen Of the
other power except those carrying articles
contraband Of war
| Wednesday Of last week was observed as a
f day Of fasting-and prayer in North Ger
many and in France special prayers are
made each day in all the churches for the tri-
umph Of the French arms.
o A correspondence has passed between
e Baron Gerolt, the Prussiun Minister, and
Secretary Fish, relative to the exemption Of
private property from seizure on the high seas
by Prussian cruisers, in which the Secretary
speaks in very complimentary terms Of " the
great and enlightened German government.
Baron Gerolt has replied, expressing his
" peculiar satisfaction with the contents OF
said note" The State Department has lat
terly been sending off special messengers
with dispatches to the American legations at
Paris Berlin, London and Madrid.
The position Of England, which at first
tended strongly toward neutrality, has been
: somewhat modified by the publication in the
London Times Of treaty asserted to have
been proposed by France to Prussia, Of which
the following is an abstract
"The preamble sets forth that the King of
Prussia and the Emperor of the French, in
order to strengthen the ties of friendship be-
tween the two governments and peoples, etc,
do conclude the subjoncd treaty. In the first
article Napoleon admits and recognizes the
late acquisitions of Prussia from Austria In
the second the Prussian King engages to la-
cilitate the French acquisition of Luxembourg.
la the third, the Emperor acquiesces in the
union of the North and South German States,
Austria excepted In the fourth, France,
finding it necessary to absorb Belgium, Prus-
STA lends her assistance to that measure. The
fifth article is the usual one of an offensive
and defensive alliance between two nations"
To this proposed arrangement the reply Of
Prussia was curt aud decisive. She positively
refused to consider any such propositions COM
ing from France
Bismarck vouches for the authenticity of this
treaty, and ascribes to this refusal Of Prussia
the present war. England, however, much to
the surprise and modification of Prussia, per-
sists in her neutrality, although she is ac-
lively engaged in putting her army and
navy upon war footing. Baron Gerot has
received the following telegram from his gov
ernment
Public opinion in England is favorable to
North Germany but the government is not
favorable. She acts with the neutrality law
against North Germany as she did against
America with the Alabama"
On the other hand, as showing the French
explanation of the origin Of the war the
Paris correspondent of the London Telegraph
gives the substance Of an interview with the
Emperor Napoleon. The Emperor attribut-
cd the cause Of the war to the aggrandizing
policy of Prussia. He said with apparent sin
cerity that he had asked Prussia to consent
to the ccssion Of Luxembourg Count Bis
mark, apprised of Frances wishes, refused
to accedc to this request and suggested
the probability of Prussia taking Holland
and attaching it to the Confederation of
North German States, The Emperor replied
that the attempts of Prussia to absorb Ilol.
land were considered open menaces, and meant
war with France.
Russia is concentrating an army of 2OO,-
| 600 in Poland, which looks as if she expeet.