THE WAR.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 5, 25 February 1871, Page 16

THE WAR.

The “ Journal du Havre” says that the plan of General Trochu is.gradually by important and frequent attacks not only to destroy the German armies, but also to break up their siege and investment works. Several weeks are absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of such a work, and to enable the army corps whose mission it is to come to the relief of Paris reaching the environs of the capital. The retreat of the Array of the Loire a few leagues from its starting point is not a disaster. Instead of accepting the great battle into which the enemy endeavors to entice them, the French generals dispute the ground foot by foot, meanwhile inflicting great losses upon the Germans. The young soldiers are thus inured to war, and prepared to assume the offensive when numerical superiority and the acquired experience renders success certain. A circular of M. Lauriertothe French Prefects has just been issued from Bordeaux. It warns tbe public against false news, and invites the people to imitate the confidence and firmness which animate Paris. The Government

has communicated all newst respecting strategical movements from Paris, as also from the Loire. The. situation of affairs is reported to he good. If the work of resistance is not hindered by discouragement or unintelligible panic we firmly believe that the hour of our revenge is approaching. Let us be on our guard against false reports, which are real conspiracies against the country. The statements that intrigues for a restoration by force of the Emperor Napoleon are on foot, have often been discredited; but, perhaps no further doubt will remain when the following letter is read. It is addressed by Captain De Hant of the French staff, a prisoner in Germany, to the “ Independence Beige,” and appears amongst the protests by captive French officers against Imperialist designs, of which so many have been published in that journal “ Monsieur Le Redacteur,—Here is a fact, which I bring under the notice of all my comrades, prisoners in Germany. I have seen a stranger here at Mayence for three days past, who had cpme from London, Cologne, Coblenfz, having passed by Wilhelmshoe. He was going to Weisbadei?, Stuttgart, Munich, Ulm, Dresden, and Leipsic, recommending himself by an autograph letter of the Emperor, which I have read. This person put forward schemes of a restoration, and was surprised to find so little personal attachment for Napoleon lIL in the army. He extolled the courage of the Emperor at Sedan, and gave small praise to the members of the Government of National Defence. We have long known that our deposed sovereign had a genius for intrigue ; but we hoped that he was not now seeking to prepare a restoration, which would infallibly lead to civil war. But sooner or later the mask falls, the hero vanishes, the adventurer remains.—Accept, &c, “ A de Halt, Staff Captain ”

A corespondent at Bordeaux says that Bourbaki’s army, two days after the retreat from Orleans, was 7 0,000 strong. It is now probably nearly double that force, and if its advance be delayed for one fortnight it will be 200,000 strong. As to Chanzy’s strength owing to the secresy which is observed as to the movements" and destination of the troops, it is impossible to form any decided opinion. Including the army of the west, but excluding the Bretons still at Conlie I do not think that his forces can be much under 200,000 men, and I believe that he is standing upon the defensive from choice and not from necessity. It is so evidently his best plan to remain in his present situation until his army is reinforced to the strongest possible point, and- until Bourbaki is in equal readiness to advance, that I imagine he will content himself with holding his own and repulsing the Prussian attacks until the latest possible moment; that is to say, until we hear that it is absolutely necessary that the great effort be made to relieve Paris. If Paris can wait for one month before advance the united armies of Chanzy and Bourbaki, supposing the Government to send forward all the available troops, ought to amount to 500,000 men, and although by that time they will not have a train of artillery proportionate to their numbers, they will at least have an exceedingly large number of guns. If we have, then, one mouth delay, and if the Government will but consolidate its disposable forces, I don’t see how Prince Frederick Charles can resist the enormous mass of men pouring north. On Tuesday afternoon, Father Hyaointhe delivered in French a lecture on France -and Germany, at the Hanover Square Rooms, London. He observed that it was said that the present war had two positive causes, the antipathy of races, and the opposition of religions. But Christian races, though thay had distinct features and different missions, were no longer isolated, and consequently no longer, enemies. The German programme was unity; the French, integrity of territory. France had misunderstood that German feeling about unity in thinking it a humiliation and a menace for herself. He thought justice had been denied to the Second Empire, for that Government had made the unity of Germany, and caused that of Italy. ‘ But, later, bad advice had led the Emperor to change his policy. He had become blinded by his passion for personal power, and; had not understood the principle which is the strength of England, the alliance of liberty and

authority. He hoped—nay, he was'certain—Sedan and Metz would be for France the beginning of regeneration. Let Prussia beware of a 2nd of December like that of Napoleon III.; let her be a great pacific and intellectual nation, not an armed camp. This war,* when peace came, which must he soon, would have three beautiful results, for good is ever in evil; the unity of Germany, the regeneration of France and of the Latin races, and the freedom of Rome. /

Writing on the evening of the Ist inst., the “ Daily News” correspondent at the head-quarters of the Crown Prince of Saxony says :—“ It was about three o’clock in the afternoon that the French made the rush. Had I had passed through Montmorency twenty minutes later than I did, I should have got such news as would have enabled me to he a spectator. *-No doubt they succeeded in surprising the battalion of the 71st, which occupied Epinay. The fire from La Briche had been all day so strong that it was necessary in Epinay to huddle very close under cover The French simultaneously hurst out of St. Denis at the double, and started the gunboat with its living freight. The vessel as it came down stream swept the banks clear of the German outposts with its fire, and landed its cargo at Epinay just as the troops arrived that had come by terra firma. The houses by the river side and round to the west side of the village were occupied, and the 71st at least half surrounded before it had well realised the fact that it was attacked. It had got so late in the evening that no sortie was anticipated. While the French were crossing the plain the German batteries on the crest in front of Montmorency played upon them with considerable effect. A lodgment having been effected in the village ? by a force so immensely superior, nothing remained for the battalion of the 71st but to extricate itself, with as much credit as possible from its awkward plight. It evacuated the village, fighting as it retreated, and fell back towards St Gratien. Here it found immediate reinforcement. The French utilised the time by barricading themselves in Epinay, and making preparations to repel the force which should attempt to retake it. That force consisted of the whole of the 15tli Brigade, the 71st and 31st Regiments—in all, six battalions, with three companies of the 26th Regiment lent by the 16th Brigade.- The whole belong to- the Bth Division, which is commanded by General von Shoeler. A rapid march was made on Epinay, the ardor of which the French were unable to baulk, and the point was retaken, after having been held by the French not quite two hours. The loss of the Germans was very considerable, to be accounted for from the fact that they were the assailants. There were killed outright between forty and fifty men and five officers. It is believed that the French were able to carry off no prisoners, although one officer is reported missing, as also are several rnen, but it is thought likely they may be lying either killed or wounded in some of the houses not yet explored.”