The New York herald., 1871-02-12
HERALD SUNDAY H. ls7l-TRlPLE SHEET

an :he Danish and the present war. IL would seem
that the French generals have only very lately dis
covered that strength OF Prussian strategy lies
i'm It's nank movemens. We were duly impressed IN
Denmark NJ an early stage by tnat fact, and took
our 'e m pansn POSI-
OF February by the Prussians ana Austrans il was
planned that Prince Frederick Carl, VINO commanded
The right wing of the German army, was to force
the passage OF the river Sie ut Mys,nde and while
the Austtans occupied the attention Of the enemy In
front, TO execute march by which lie would have
fallen on the OF the Danish army and DESTROYED
u entirely. The Danish commander saw through
the plan, and, aler the first attempt on Mysunde
nad nscarried, ne abandoned his front position and
Withdrew to the flank position at Dybpol his retro
grade movement being effectively covered by the
brilliant check administered to the pursuing Aus
TRANS by the Danish rear guard at Oversac The
abandonment OF the front position. upon whose de-
renee renee, 80 much money mad been expended was
OF Metz and Sedan, one Is now disposed TO admit
that General DE Meza, whe then commanded the
Danish army, successfully crossed the plan Of the
enemy by commencing his retreat while yet
feasible.
PARALLEL SIEGE
After the position at the Dannever had been aban
doned the flank position a Dybbol became the prin-
cpal object OF attack and defence 1t was covered
only by ten small earthworks, but IL was held sue
cessfuly for more than two months against greatly
superior enemy, aud 1t succambed at last only 10
regular SIEGE The attack on Dybbol has not
few features in common with the pombardment
which now threatens TO destroy the capital OF the
modern world. 1t was at DyDbol that the huge
Prussian siege guns were FIRST employed, ana the
amazement at their precision and enormous range
was then Just as great as It now seems to be In
Paris. 1t was pardcnabe that Danish officers did
not believe IN 1854 that even ried Prussian twenty
fOur-pounders could carry their bali distance OF
four English miles, or that they were dsagreeably
surprised when the first shell exploded at that dis
tance, for guns OF tnat callbre and range were
then tested for tho first time IN war; but tnSt the
astOnishnlent should remain unabated still In Paris,
now In 1870, as 1t would appear from the accounts
In the Partisan papers. Is less pardOnable as the
ove1 every doubt on that point Both General
Trochu and the of1cal French journals declare that
no troops have ever been exposed to sucn rain Of
projectlles as now pours down over Paris and Its
circle OF forts. But, though on smaller scale, the
bombardment OF the Danish troops al bybbol was
aeaea hsa M for weeks ea
unfavorable conditions. To prove the intensity OF
the fire directed against Pans and surrounding FORTS
IL Is stated that the enemy expend about twenty
thousand shells each twenty four hours, and most
assuredly 1t is prodglous amount. But the mum.
the Prnssians against the earthworks Of Dybbol is
still proportionably greater. For while the lombard
miles. had the Dybbol position had only q front.
age OF less than two English miles, and yet towards
the close of the siege from five thousand to seven
thousand shells burst over 1t daily and Oh the day
upon which the final attack was made it Is esti.
mated that between fifteen and twenty thousand
prolectiles were thrown against 1t during the six
hours which preceded the closing assault. 1t is
then not for the first time that a bombardment OF
similar intensity as that under which Paris suffers
now has taken place, nor Tor the first time that
troops have borne 1t without ninchlng. In respect
to the awful destructive power OF the heavy Prus-
thar they have burst through the classmates Of Fort
Rosny, hitherto considered bomDproor, and killed
or wounded the soldiers there. The same occurred
In the blockhouses behind the earthworks OF Dyb
bole. which also were looked upon as mpervious to
all kinds OF projectiles. They were shot through
ana through, and the soldiers compelled to seek
some KIND Of cover in holes they dug out in the
earth from the bottom OF the trenches
DYBB0L AND PARIS COMPARED.
we see then that the b0mbardment of Paris has
many points OF resemblance with that Of Dybbol
and the town OF Sonderborg behind but with the DIFF
ference that the scale s 80 much greater, the
issue 60 much more tremendous, that public atten.
ton Is Of course absorbed with the bonn ardment Of
Paris in degree to which the already hair forgotten
siege OF DybbO could Law no claim, an event which
yet from military point OF view well deserv-
ing OF the greatest attention. In Berlin we may be
sure. It's Significance was fully understood, and when
the effect OF the various guns and projectles of the
Prussian arsenal was tested on the earthwOrks OF
Dybbol, in the presence Of the whole general STAFF,
it is not unreasonable to suppose that far-seeing
statesmen and generals may have looked upon this
IN the light OF dress rehearsal OF q drama which
on future occasion was 70 be enacted a theatre
OF much greater magnitude and with the whole
world Tor spectators.
CONCLUSION
Nothing OF any importance has transpred IN Den
mark and in the rest or the North which would IN
terest the general reader. The dongs OF the DANISH
Rigsdag will hardly claim attention Beyond the bor-
ders OF the Kingdom. An important change in the
administration of the DANISH West india isles la
contemplated, but the committee appointed in the
R1gsdag TO frame the law, under the charge or GEN
eral Raaslof, the former Danish Minister In Wash.
ingtOn, has not yet given In its report.