The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-01

against the French. who were reforming
Mt Chalons. Tho force loft behind to
bcsiege Bazaine was weaker than the
blockaded enemy. and as It was antic.
ipated that the French would renew
their efforts to force their way west
ward. the main forces OF Prince Frederick
Charles were ordered to remain on the left
bank OF the Moselle 1t lis well known that
although tho army Of Bazaine was during the
greater part Of the siege numerically stronger
than that VI Prince Frederick Charles. yet the
formers sorties we're Intellectual and on Octo.
Dor "a he surrendered aa prisoners Of war the
lnrgest force which ever Voluntarily laid
down it's arms. namely. 173.OOU men. to.
gether with 81 imperial eagles. 6,2 field gums
II mitrailleuses, and 2.S76 fortress guns. We
should add that Won Moltke ioes not depart In
the case OF Buaane from the reserve which he
exhibits In his comments on the conduct oil
the French commanders We note, however. In
his chapter on the surrender ut Sedan, the sug.
gestive remark that Marshal MacMahon had
been very fortunate In being disabled carly in
the battle Of Sept. 1. 1870. FOR otherwise he
would have been compelled to sign the captu.
lation. and although he had only carried out
| orders forced upon him Ivy the Paris authori.
ties. he could hardly have sat in Judgment. as
he afterward did. on the brother Marshal
whom he had failed to relieve. 1t appears that
the splendid victory at Sedan cost the Ger.
mans only $500 men. The French losses we're
incomparably greater; 1900 were killed,
u 900 were takon prisoners in tho course OF
the action. and $4,000 surrendered 1t was
clear to Won Moltke. as It soon became to every
one. that with the surrender OF MacMahon's
army imperialism in France was extinct.
$500
Y.
1t has long boon known that the provisional
Government established IN Paris and In Tours
after tho capitalization at Sedan. and the result
ans fall Of the empire. was responsible for the
prolongation otthe war. Peace might have been
made at that time upon terms incomparably
more favorable to France than those which had
ultimately TO be accepted. Won Moitko gives
an interesting account OF tho fruitless negod.
atoms for an arlnistice. 1t appears that on
Sept 10 tho blockade 0! Paris was complete
ard tho King of Prussia had moved his head
quarters to Ferriirca Hore NJ. Jules Favre
made his appearance to negotiate for peace on
the basis o. not n foot OF soil" He believed
that nftcr go many victories and such heavy
losses the Germans would lie satisfied with a
sum Vt money. Won Moltko points out that
such u proposal could not for . moment be con-
sidered. and only tho possibility Of granting
an armistico was seriously discussed. 1t
was. indeed. to tho political interest even
Of Germany to afford the French the
opportunity Of establishing by free and
!eGalized election Government which should
hive indisputable powers to conclude peace:
for tho sef-constituted government at that
time ruling in Paris was the offspring OF a
revolution. and might at any moment be
strangled by reaction In the public mind.
From q military point Of view. however. any
pause in the operations Of war would be q dis
advantage. 1t would give the French time to
porarily raisn: tho sieEa Of Paris would en-
able the capital to obtain the most necessary
eonsiaefatlon as s
tS the invading army
Siege OF Mstz. moteo S Would IL any case
Paris. either the blockade would continue.
which commanded it would have to be
other hand. the Chamber Of Deputies would
be at full liberty to meet at Tours. These
two iortiied towns mentioned: were abso-
lutely rejected by the French, and the negotia-
tons were broken, of. week later Toul and
VI
The resistance organized by Gambetta had
been raralyzed in every quarter. and the
blockade OF Paris had lasted 100 days when. on
Jan. %. 1871. n. Jules Favre again made his
appearance at tho German headquarters to
negotiate for an armistice on any terms. King
William who by this time had been crowned
German Emperor. was ready to meet the re-
quest. but he required some guarantee that
the French capital. now threatened with the
horrors OF famine. would not. after obtaining
food supplies. renew its resistance. The de-
mand was made and acnuiesced In. that a|l the
forts. including Mont Valerien and tho city Of
st Denis. should be given up. and that tho
It WAS thereupo,. agreed that MI hostilities
were to BIO suspended on the evening OF Jan
~. 40 far AZ Paris was, concerned. and
thrown open. A general armstice OF twenty
one days was to begin from Jan. 81. eXclus iye.
however. Of three departments and of the
being carried on In which both sides were
equally honefuII Of success This , armstice
enough to nonyoke at Bordeaux t, nationai as
semhly whose business II would be to decide
whether ihH war should he continued or on
Won Moitke points out TINT in the parts Of the
country occupied by German troops the cleo
ton o: the DEPUTIES WAS UnimprdoI and unin-
lucnccl. il was otherwise. Tor a time ct oil
events. IA the deGa:!ments sontroileh by Gam.
bettn who IN yi3'"ti,on OF the conditions OF the
alter Dec. =. 1851, hn! held any. position
under the imperial Govcfnnent should
DO regarded, as incisit!r - thu. National
Assembly II was hot until ,hn Partisan Gov
ernmont had Obta;Eed majority II votes sin
til. committee Of national deforeS by do
Ii,ni dlnbsltN VA; ;s!eSa to TTssign On Feb; J
tho election OF ,)c:,nt:cs went on quickly ani
nnhinlrrel., ny the 18TH Of the month tho
Deputies had nsssrniblrd In Bordeaux. and on
tic, leth A. Ihi":s, who had been elected CHIEF
Of the executive. proceeded to Paris with Juios
Fayrr. detern,in,ci to end TIC war 1t any cost
does not dwell. iut hr recalls that it was only
after FIVE day. :!'.'rnt debating that tho Ger
AS t. tho attitude Of the Germans toward the
Paris Co.nmun". Won Motkc points out that
they could easily md quickly have put an. end
to ti,e in5''rr , l.. d." , What Governments hs
by 70, eign i"9oneis, Isa matter 81 fsct tie
German Commanders limt.t themselves to
for1'ldng Any r;h;'! I. dis.uEtanccs With.
ing any rc5nfGccce.nent OF the. COMMUNISTS
from outside. The chiefs 81 the Commune
ram1pa,ts facing tho Germans would result In
a.! INSTANTANEOUS bombardment OF the city.
Tho rehels. however. were fully occupied In