THE IMPENDING BATTLE.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 214, 15 September 1870, Page 2

THE IMPENDING BATTLE.

From both sides, the reports indicate concentration for a great battle near Metz. The Emperor has assigned Marshal Bazaine to the chief command, doubtless because his ill health unfits him for the present exigency, as it has perhaps hitherto caused a fatal delay and vacillation. The preparations to defend Paris, and the general call ti arms, indicate that the Prussians are believed to be approaching Metz in superior force. This is a surprising fact, if true, but the German accounts, tend to confirm it. Tho Prussians boast of having 800,000 men in the field; and it is scarcely possible that the French hive yet brought more than 500,0 0 into active service. In fact, we have only heard of eight corps of the French ; and 500,000 to the corps would be a large estimate. Still there must be at least five corps available for the battle at Metz, including the Imperial Guard, none of which have yet been in action. These will number in all 200,000 and perhaps 250,000. Besides these, the two corps of McMahon will apparently be brought across the mountains by railroad. They were last heard from at Saverne on the railroad, 20 miles west of .Hagenau, and as far from Strasburg, and SO miles from Metz by way of Naucy. Of course, the Prince Royal cannot, prevent their going thither without using a still larger force for the pui'pose; and he, too, is appircntly finding h s way back towards the frontier. At Hagenau he would bj only 52 miles from Saarbruck, or <I 0 miles from where he could fall into line with the grand army. The French corps at BHtche, wo have lost, sight of. It may have joi ed MoMahon when he was at Worth (17 miles) or *vhen he fell back to Niederbronn, only 11 miles cast. It was probably in the fight, and the corps at Belfort was not. There appears, therefore, no impossibility of bringing what is left of these three corps into junction at Metz,

thereby adding from 70,000 to 100 000 & This would leave the Rhine valley pretty weir* stripped of both French and Prussians. V We estimate the total French forces th«- \ fore, at 270,000 to 350,000 ; and it is aZ impossible to say that it may not be lOtj 000 larger still, though they can scarcely b. L,. than 250,000. ' le" The Prussian force is still more lUillcullto estimate. The Prince Royal apparently had a force of 100,00) with which he over threw the isolated right wing of the French it will bj noticed that the Prussians har' been mostly massed behind tho frontier from Saarbruck to the Rhine 67 miles, while the main body of the French were b hind th e 33 miles of frontier west of Saarbruck, and separate from Mc.Mahon by the "Vosiw mountains. In such a situation, it a . imperative upon the Emperor to move and occupy the Prusians, or to withdraw McMahoti out of reach. Instead of this, the latter rushed forward to meet the blow, while tli o Emperor was vacillating aud content with a mere reconnoissancc in force at Saarbruck The consequence is that the Prussians can now concentrate their whole force upon Mctz while throe and perhaps four corps of the' French have been more or less shattered. \ Considering the number of troops detached on the coast and elsewhere, we may estimate that the Prussians have had at least 200,000 on the border between Saarbruck and the Moselle, or withiu 50 to 100 miles miles of it by railroad, at Bingen, Mayence, and Mannheim. Another 100,000 i*. added by the Prince Royal's army; and possibly another 100,000 or 200,000 may be poured into the fight. We should judge, however, that 400,000 would be an extreme limit, and that 3u0,000 is the more probable. At the smallest estimate, there will be more on either'side than any of the generals have ever handled on t c batde-field; and the result of .such a battle would be beyond human foresight even if we knew the exact number and position of each army. From the distance above given, readers may judge of the time necessary for the combatants to close. From the border to Metz the distances vary from 30 to 47 miles. In the Saarbruck battle the Prusians pushed on to Forbach, five miles. Whether they have really advanced on |tbe Moselle to Thionville is not yet confirmed.— Weekly Bulletin.