The controversy as to the conduct of the Prussian Army
at and after Sedan, in the terrible affair of the burning of Bazeilles, and the subsequent treatment of the surrendered army, has been going on briskly all the week, Mr. Alfred Seymour, M.P. for -Salisbury, having written a very strong letter to the Daily Telegraph of Monday last in accusation, and the Duke of Manchester having replied in a rather short letter in defence -of the Prussian armies. The Germans have also given -their own explanation of the Bszeilles affair, and various authorities have borne witness, unfavourable and favourable, to -the conduct of the Prussian authorities and troops after Sedan. After carefully reading and weighing all this evidence, its spebific -charges, and its vague and general accusations, we have came to 'the general conclusion that there has been some brutality on the part of the Prussians, and that after Sedan there was, without -doubt, a great deal of unscrupulous plundering of the neighbour- hood, but that probably any other army under the same circum- stances would have acted still worse than it did. The most con- clusive evidence is as to the frightful starving of the surrendered army at Iges ; but undoubtedly it was a very hard task to feed -70,000 men after any fashion whatever, and the negligence in this respect, though bad, was hardly worse than would have been ex- pected, had not the German organization and humanity been pre- viously so greatly praised. On the march to Paris, again, the -troops seem to have shown their old mildness and moderation, and vie may fairly hope that the outbreak of passion was only temporary.
Previous page
