THE CROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA ON THE WAR.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 732, 3 November 1870, Page 2

THE CROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA ON THE WAR.

Among the French who fell into the hands of the Prussians after the Battle of Woerth were two correspondents of the Paris press, M. Henri Chabrillart, of the " Figaro," and JI. Cardon, of the "G-aulois." Each of these gentlemen has published an account of his adventures. At Souiz they were brought into the presence of the Crown Prince, and the interview is thus described by M. Chabrillart :

" Prince Frederick William, heir to the Crown of Prussia, is a man of tall stature, thin, with a calm and placid countenance, but in the curve of his aquiline nose and his dilating nostrils there are evidences of energy, while the rapidity of his glance convinces you of his decision. A full fair beard! softens the somewhat stem expressionj of his features. He has great simplicity of manner, and affects rather a kind of bourgeois style of speaking, thinking, and general behaviour. He was dressed in a black tunic with red collar rud facings, without any embroidery or gold braid, upon the shoulder a small epaulet to indicate his rank, but no other distinguishing ornament. He wore a small black cap bordered with red, and the whole uniform was severely simple. lie speaks French with great purity, without foreign accent beyond a slight German intonation and occasional hesitation at certain words. ' Do you speak Gorman, sir?' said he to me. ' No, Prince, not sufficiently.' ' I am jorry for it, as otherwise you would have heard in what manner our troops speilc of yours, and in what esteem they hold thorn.' M thank you very much for that opinion.' ' Oh, it is quite deserved. Wo have nil admired the tenacity and tho courage which have been evinced by even' the humblest of your soldiers.' Then, with much dolicate consideration, and almost niak-

ing excuses for mentioning the facts to us, he told ua that they had taken between 3000 and 4000 prisoners, thirty guns, six mitrailleuses, and two eagles. ' Among the prisoners,' said he, 'is General Raoult. I went this morning to see him at Reichofen, where he lies wounded, his hip and thigh being broken ; I fear that he is now dying. He is a brave officer, and he has given me some address in Paris to which he wishes letters to be sent.' * But, Prince,' I observed, 'the other prisoners also have families.' ' I have thought of that. I have had them supplied with writing materials; the letters will be sent unsealed to our Consul at Geneva, who will forward them to Prance.' ' Prince, we thank you on behalf of the mothers whose grief you are about to assuage.' ' I do not like war, gentlemen. If I should reign, I would never make it. Now, despite my love of peace, this is the third campaign that I have been compelled to make. 1 went oyer the battle-field yesterday. It was frightful. If [it only depended upon myself this war would end here. It is your Ministers and the Emperor who would have it, it was not we who wanted it. And yet the Emperor has been very good to me and very kind to my wife. The last time I saw him was at the Tuileries on the 12th of January, when he said to me, " You know that I have found a new Minister." That was this M. Ollivier, who now makes this war against us.' l lt is terrible, indeed; and I think your artillery is very foriridabie.' ' No, sir, it is not superior to yours, but we make different use of it from what you do, placing it more freely with the advanced posts. Your aim i 3 very good —too good, iudeed ; for we have lost, I think, more men than you have. I have regiments which have lost twenty-nine, or thirty cfficers. But we have taken prisoners, and that restores our advantage.' 'An enormous advantage, for you know well what ycu had before you yesterday.' ' Nearly 40,000 men, the Corps of Marshal MaeMahon, and a division of the Seventh Corps. I did not intend to attack, wishing only to make a reconnaisanee in force but one is not always able to put an end to a fight when once it has begun. It was fortunata for us on the whole, or he would doubtless have received reinforcements, and we should have had still harder work next day.' * Prince, it seems to me that you are very well informed concerning our army.' ' One must be so,' said he smiling. ' But,' said I, wilfully committing an error, 'it was your entire army which was engaged, 250,000 men at least.' ' Not bo many —180,000 men. They all fought well, but if the Bavarians had marched as well as our men we should have had it all over by noon instead of fighting until after six o'clock. I should not give battle to your army unless I was superior in number —otherwise I would prefer to retire.' ' You have one great advantage, Prince, in the precision of the movement of your troops. From the tower of Woerth we admired, though with grief caused by witnessing your success, the two flanking movements which you effected upon our position ' ' The hills of Freisehweller are real fortifications, and I did not care to attack them directly. By turning them I lost fewer men.' 'We are very much obliged, Prince, for the few minutes you have been pleased to devote to us, but we do not see with you the Duke of Coburg, whom we desire to thank, for it was he who saved us yesterday, and, notwithstanding his nuny anxieties, he has not forgotten the promise ndiich he made to speak to you about us.' ' I will perform your commission.' 'We now ask that we may be taken back to the advanced posts.' ' I see no objection ;' and then, having courteously saluted us, he withdrew." M. Emile Cardon give 3 a briefer account of the interview, in which he confirms the chief points in M. Chabrillart's statement. Both geutlemen were subsequently taken to the rear and conveyed under escort through Germany to Basle, where they were released, and whence they subsequently proceeded to Paris.