El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-02

which this is the second, Herbert
Temple draws comparisons be
tween the Franeo-Prussian war
and the present great CONNECT
showing that in many respects
the two wars were similHr.)
London. Eng Sept. AT its first
stage, The Franco-Prussian war affords
striking parallels Of the war Of 1914.
As in the present crisis, England did
all in her power to avert hostlhties-
Earl Granville, the British foreign min
lister. offered England's good offices
to France and Germany then. just as
Sir EdVard Grey, foreign secretary, did
at the beginning Of the present hostili-
ties. England urged that the matter
be submitted to a council Of the powers.
As in this case, Napoleon and king VIII
lam Of Prussia rejected the offer
In 1870. France made the same mis-
take AustrO-Hungary made Wnen She
declared war against ,Servla- france
thought she would fight Prussia alone,
and confidently believed that the south
ern German states would remain atoof
and refuse to fight against her The
editorials IN the inspired Austrian
newspaper at the beginning OF the pres
enL conflict indicate clearly that the
dual monarchy was certain no other
powers would join Servia. and that
Ihere was no danger in general way
In 1870 France had a rude and sad
awakening from her dream VIII Aus
tria have a similar experience this
year?
bismarck Eager For War.
As in the present war. mobilization
began before the actual declaration Of
hostilities- Bismarck was as eager for
war as was Napoleon. for he wanted to
cement the German states into an en-
Miro and he a errpraeeFrr7
E-chance to cOnsummate his ambi-
d 3 To inflame the Germans Bis
II rex caused the publication Of only
such parts Of the French demands as
would arouse the people
On July Is. four DAYS before the for
NAL declaration Of war. king William
arrived in Berlin, where he met Bis
marck. count Won MOltke, uncle Of the
army. and Room, and orders were given
for the immediate mobilization Of three
armies.
In the meantime the north German
confederation came sOlidly to the aid
of Prussia. That coalition, formed
after the war with Denmark took the
place Of the German federation ana
comprised Hanover, Hesse-CasseL
Nassau Frankfort and other provinces
under the domination OF the king Of
Prussia The north German confedera-
ton was able to throw into the field
an army Of $4,000 men Immediately.
To the chagrin Of France. the south
ern German states also came TO the
assistance Of Prussia, and each sent
troops to swell the army At the out
set of the war, the Germans were able
to oppose France with upwards Of one
million men
Odss Were -Four to One.
Against these vast forces, France, to I
her surprise and alarm, was enabled to l
mobilize an initial army Of only 100000 Z
men NapOleon's eyes were quickly I
opened ana ne saw the deSperateness {
of his position The emperor had sup
posed that the French army was on a
war footing. and that with the reserves !
more than half a million men could be 1
put in the field. His minister OF war |
had informed him that the French army !
was prepared for war down to the last 4
button on the private soldiers coat !
How far this was from truth was I
quickly shown
Of the three initial armies formed by /
Germany. the first under Gen con /
SteinmetZ, was placed near TreTes; the /
second, under prince Frederick Charles, /
was sent to the Rhenish palatinate; the /
third, under the crown prince Of Prus- !
STA, took up its position on the frontier !
of Baden. These armies consisted OF I
about 100000 men Subsequently Ger /
many placed fourth army in the field, ]
under Gen Vogel Won Falkenstein. 4
which raised the total to $4,000. and I
later a fifth army was raised under /
tons to the other armies. brought I
Germany's fighting force up te nearly 1
loco, 900.
The French army was divided into I
six corps, under marshalls MacMahon 1
and Bazaine. and generals Frossard, |
Ladmirault, Felix Douay and De Failly. 1
The French reserves were in even worse /
condition than the regular army, but I
emperor Napoleon managed TO round /
70 loo, 900 of them, and they were I
.SlS5ed in the field under marshal Can 1
It This brought the total French +
Wing force Up to little more than 4
$4,000 men, who were scattered over D
hattie line Of about one hundred miles 4
in length, through Strassburg. the Pal 1
3tinate, Metz, St Avoid, Thiouville, !
Nancy, Chalons and the fortress Of /
BelforL
History Is Repeated.
These were the positions Of the two I
opposing armies late in July almost the /
same time Of the year when the pres
ent great European war had its begin Z
ming When king William Of Prussia Z
went TO the front TO take personal COM
mand Of his forces, with count Helmuth /
Ton Moltke as second in command A /
few days after the war Of 1914 began,
reported that kaiser W i'll 1
Iams son Of William ], had gone TO the I
front to take personal command, count 4
julius Won Moltke is his chief OF staff.
The first shot Of the FrancO-Prus-
sian war was fired at Saarbruck Au-
gust 2, 1870, when the French under I
Sen. Frossard attacked and routed the
Germans. The result Of the battle was
strategically- There was
slight fighting at Saarbruck a few days
ago
Two days later. on August 4. the first
serious conflict Of the war Of 1870 oc-
.urred at Weissenburg. where the Ger
nan advance guard was attacked Dy
he French under Cen DOuay-
Fight In Same Territory.
In addition to the Germans meet
ng a reverse at the beginning of
Zach war-at Saarbruck in 1870
md at Leige in 1914, and to
he fact that the first fighting Of
zach conflict occurred in nearly the
iame territory, a further coincidence /
n the two wars is noted in the fact
hat they had their actual commence
nent in the month Of August
But the really big battle Of the
EARLIER war, at Weissenburg and Gels
1erg. the fighting lasted for five
lours and the French were defeated
With heavy loss. Gen. Douay was
killed, and the French. who had been
oined by Gen. Thousands command,
-etiTed in great disorder. This first
Iefeat sadly disheartened the French n
nd prOpOrtionately encouraged the
Germans
Emperor Napoleon III decreed q day