Year: 1871

reaching consequences. The fall Of Paris Is
near at hand, and this event, we think, will be
the end of the war and the beginning of the
London Conference.


The Military Situation in France-The


End Appr0aching.


All that looked so bright and promising for
France but few short weeks ago is now
changed to gloom and darkness Patiently
Paris awaited the armies which were organ
izing in the provinces for the relief of the
capitals patiently the Parisians suffered the
pangs Of hunger, while the forces throughout
the nation were preparing to succor them !;
patiently rested the vast army inside the walls
Of the doomed city, but earnestly longing
for the day when the appearance of the
tricolor outside would be the signal for
grand sortie en- mdsse of the imprisoned
army to cut its way out, effect junction with
the forces which had come to the rescue, and
then united make grand struggle for the
liberation of France but patience and hope
have alike been wasted in vain, and France
to-day lies more PROSTATE than ever beneath
the victorious banner of the Germans.


Though the fight has not yet been fought to
the bitter end, 1t is evident that it is fast draw
ing to close. The same heroism, animated
by the same spirit, at an earlier stage of
nation the humiliation i must neces-
sarily undergo in order to satisfy
the German Kaiser. Not throughout
the whole history of the campaign have we
read of such determined resistance on the
part Of the French as that which occurred in
the two days battle before LIE Mans, the par
ticulars Of which we have been enabled to lay
before our readers from the pen of HERALD
correspondent, who was present during the
battles. Chanzy's army behaved like veterans.
Considering its recent orgaization and the
forces to which it was opposed its efficiency
was almost marvellous. For two days it
fought with terrible earnestness, yielding posi-
tions only after the German vete-
rams of the Red Prince had paid
heavy forfeitures of valuable lives, and
struggle the French, though beaten, held
line of battle ready to renew the conflict on the
forthcoming day. Night came, but with it
came not rest. Under the cover of darkness
the German legions moved on the unprepared
French, panic ensued, and then commenced
the retreat in earnest of the French Army Of
the Loire. Falling back, pursued by the Ger
mans, the French retired from the field. 1t
was no rout, however, but what condition
Chanzy's army is in for further operations we
that some time must elapse ere it can again
resume the offensive, and in the time thus re-
quired for reorganization the cause of France
may be lost and Paris be in the hands Of the
German King


While the armies of Prince Frederick
Charles and General Chanzy were ma
neuvring in front of each other General
Faidherbe in the north was inactive Since
the battle of Bapaume Faidherbe has done
nothing up to the present time. Now we hear
he is again moving, but what he intends to
accomplish, now that Chanzy has been beaten,
it is not quite clear. Had he been active two
weeks ago, had he attempted something daring,
he might have prevented reinforcements from
being forwarded to aid the Red Prince in his
operations against the Army of the Loire.
Twenty five thousand men less on the German
side in the recent battles might have
turned the scale at LIE Mans. 1t is now too
late, and Faidherbe can accomplish nothing.


Passing from the fields Of operations in the
southwest and in the north to the east we
find that Bourbaki is working with extraor-
binary energy to create diversion in the
Vosges. Success rewards him, but we feel
satisfied that it is too late, even though he
has been successful to the full measure of
success the contest seems almost hopeless.
The tragedy is almost finished, the climax
approaches, and the present movements of the
contending forces in France seem but as the
groupings previous to the fall of the curtain.


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