There is therefore, on Friday night, an immense balance of
probability that MacMahon, after four days of desperate fighting, including two of alternate success and failure, was at last driven backward on Sedan with enormous losses, and was compelled to abandon finally the idea of relieving Metz. If this is correct, and we see scarcely a gleam of hope that it is not, Marshal Bazaine's position must be utterly desperate. He is completely surrounded, there is no force anywhere which can reach him without passing over an army, and he must either cut his way out at any hazard towards Belgium, or surrender for want of food. As he had with him the Imperial Guard and 80,000 men—possibly reduced by sickness—and was a Marshal of France, it was inevit- able that he should choose the former alternative. Accordingly, he burst out on the 31st August, and endeavoured throughout the whole day and night to force his way through the German lines, concentrating his efforts against the position occupied by the let Corps. They, however, supported by the 4th Landwehr Division, which is specially mentioned in the Berlin official telegram relat- ing the engagement, repulsed the assault, and the Marshal, after a loss which, from the time occupied, must have been terrible, was driven in again upon Metz, where his situation is now past hope.
