10 DECEMBER 1870, Page 2

As a result of the failure before Orleans, and the

proved capacity of General Chanzy, —who really won the battle of Coulmiers on the 9th November, as well as another engagement near Patsy, on the lst December, and though defeated on the 2nd December, was able to fight a new and fairly successful battle at Beaugency on the 7th,—M. Gambetta has placed him in command of " the second Army," i. e., we believe the Army of the Loire. General Bourbaki has been sent back to the chief command of the 1st Army of the North at Lille (he was summoned, we imagine, to the Loire only to command a corps in a very critical position during the recent very critical struggle), and General D'Aurelles, ap- pointed to the command of the camp of instruction at Cherbourg, has resigned on account of ill-health. There certainly seems something doubtful and hasty in these frequent changes,--for constant change cannot be a healthy experiment in military life. But there is something in letting the Generals know that really distinguished service is certain to be rewarded by immediate pro- motion, and, as far as we can see, General Chanzy has shown more military capacity than any General as yet tried on the Loire.