Toul capitulated yesterday week, and Strasburg on Tuesday,— both fortresses
after heroic defences. Toul was said to be on fire in twenty-three different places before it surrendered, and in Strasburg a breach was made, and the city might have been stormed and bombarded at once at any moment. The only fortresses now occupied in the rear of the Prussian armies are Phalsburg and Metz, neither of which seems likely to capitulate at present. Indeed, the commander of the force before Phalsburg is said to have sent word to the German commander at Nancy that if not reinforced, he wishes for permission to raise the siege ; and in Metz Marshal Bazaine makes weekly or bi-weekly sallies, and still has provisions enough for some weeks longer. The Provi- sional Government, in communicating with him, when considering the possibility of making peace, found him, indeed,- so indis- posed to come to terms, that he manifested a quasi-disloyal feeling towards the Government which as yet even talked of peace. All the rumours of his proposals to capitulate have been pure fabrica- tions. Both in Toul and Strasburg the Prussians have overcome very serious breaks in their lines of communication with Germany, besides gaining a large addition to their disposable forces. The surrender of Toni liberated 18,000 German troops, and that of Strasburg has liberated some 50,000 more,—an addition of German force as large as Bazaine's army now invested in Metz. At Toul the garrison, now made prisoners, is said to have numbered 109
officers and 2,210 men ; and there were 197 bronze guns, besides. smaller arms, taken. At Strasburg the garrison consisted of 400 officers and 17,000 men. General Werder (the German General), it is said, embraced General Uhrich, the French commandant of Strasburg, who is above 80 years old, on the surrender, but we are not told how General Uhrich liked it. " All Germany," says Count Bismarck's organ in Berlin, with strange taste, " welcomes most heartily the town of Strasburg, now won back to her." To so very warm a welcome Strasburg might perhaps prefer a' God speed.'
