The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-30
THE FALL OF Paris.

Continued from the Second rage
that DE- nmark would be inveigled into an offen-
aive and defensive alliance against German.
The grossest mismanagement however, was
manifest from the start. The French com
mander did not attempt to take possession of
one of the small islands on the coast of Holstein
or Schleswig, TO serve as a base of operations
and place of refuge, but contented himself
with watching the enemys seaboard, taking in
coal and supplies on the open sea, and never
coming to anchor except on retiring to the
neutral waters of Denmark. His vessels were
all of such great draught that it was
impossible to approach the German coast
near enough to in6ct any damage,
especially after the lights and buoys had been
removed and false lights erected to attract his
ships into shallow water aud over torpedoes.
His feet was subject to constant surprises at
night from the small Prussian dUisoS, and up to
the time of Napeeon's overthrow there was but
single encounter of any Importance with the
enemy. This occurred on August H. when the
Prussian despatch-boat Grille started out of the
Bay of Rugen to reconnotre, and succeeded in
drawing into a frutless chase seven French
iron-clads and two smaller vessels. Three
Prussiau gunboats soon joined the Grille, and
running fight of three hours ensued, in which
no damage was done to either feet after which
their shore batteries. On the 21st of August
an equally farcical encounter took place off
Dantzic, between the Prussian corvette Nymphe
and three French iron-clads aud a despatch
boat. This was the SUN and substance of the
naval operations in the Baltic. The blockade
was not even effective, and vessels entered aud
left the ports of Dantzic and Koeugsberg
freely from first to last.
In the North Sea there was absolutely no
movements of sufficient consequence 20 record
in this summary. The French fleet formidable
in numbers and armament labored under the
same disadvantages as that in the Baltic, and
the downfall of the Empire reduced both squad
rons to complete inactivity. The proclamation
OF the Republic was quietly, even enthusiast
caly, acquiesced in by the navy; Fourichon left
his command to assume the functions of the
Ministry of Marines and on September II the
blockade was formally and officially raised in
both the North Sea and the Baltic the greater
portion of the fleet being recalled to protect
Cherbourg Havre and Brest.
Subsequently, IN October and November, the
pretense of another blockade was made, aud the
order which had been given for the restoration
of lights and buoys on the German coast was
suspended. 1t amounted to nothing however
and the service of the North German ocean
steamers was resumed about the first of October
with tolerable regularity and perfect mpHnty.
A large number of German merchant vessels
however, were captured during the progress of
hostilities, and few engagements took place in
distant parts of the world. On the 10th of No
vember naval duel took place off Havana be-
tween the French war steamer Bouvet and the
Prussian war steamer Meteor, the former carry
ing five guns and eighty men, and the latter
three guns and sixty men. But little damage
was done, the Meteor getting the best of the
encounter. combat likewise took place at
some indefinite point in the Pacific, about the
Goth of December, in which the Prussian frigate
Medusa is reported to have sunk two small
French gunboats. 1t has also been reported that
the Prussian corvette Augusta ran down and
sunk French gunboat off the coast of Spain on
the 18th of January, but no reliable particulars
of the encounter have been received.