The Sun. — London, England, 1870-08-23 00:00:00

THE WAR. MARCHING OF THE CROWI4 PRINCE ON PARIS WITT] 150,000 MEN. VERDUN SURROUNDED. PREPARATIONS AT CHALONS FURTHER DETAILS OF THURSDAY'S BATTLE. The correspondent of the Daily hews, telegraphing Ir om Pont-a-Mousson on Friday, says:—"l wi Dossed the great battle of the 18th inst. The French were completely :driven back to St. Quentin, and they can be seen from the front of the German position. The villages of Vion vine, Flavigny, Rezonville, and Gravelotte are much burnt, and seem like so many slaughter-houses. The fields round about are literally covered with dead bodies. 3,000 Prussian cavalry, in charging the heights beyond Gravelotte, suffered terrible losses. There are still large numbers of the French dead on the battle field of the 14th. This shows that that day was as disastrous to them as the 16th proved to the bOth division of the Prussians, now no more. The King of Prussia came here last night, and it is said that the Crown Prince visited him this morn ing, and then returned in the direction of Vihy. There are many rumours of peace negotiations." THE STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES. According to [the Times' Berlin correspondent, Marshal Bazaine's army after the last three battles is estimated at 100,000 men. About as many old troops are near Chalons, and about half as many at Paris and elsewhere. The Germans, after the recent arrival of the Pomeranian and Silesian Corps and two Landwehr Divisions, number above 500,000 men. The last battles were fought by the German] to keep the two French armies asunder, and to detain Bazaino at Metz and prevent his supplying badres for the new troops in course of formation at Paris and Chalons. Six weeks, at least, are required for the formation of new troops. The Artillery and Engineer Generals Colomier and Mertens, who bombarded Dybboel, are ordered to besiege Strasburg. THE DISMEMBERMENT OF FRANCE. The Independance Beige of last evening, in its political bulletin, says that, according to a telegram received from its own correspondent in London, England and Russia have agreed to oppose any dis memberment of France. MISSION OF PRINCE NAPOLEON. A telegram dated Florence, Aug. 22, says :- 0 6 Prince Napoleon arrived here yesterday, with the view of soliciting the mediation of Italy, with the concurrence of the other friendly Powers, in favour of France. Other statements put forward regarding the object of his visit are without foundation." It is asserted in well-informed quarters that the Prussian Ambassador at Florence has communi cated to Count Visconti a note from the North German Cabinet, in which the powers are solicited to take into consideration the internal condition of France which might result from the issue of the war, and to take measures of precaution against anarchy. Signor Visconti has taken note of this communication under great reserve. The Chamber of Deputies has voted the armaments by a large majority. A summons has been issued for the Deputies to assemble. THE FRENCH LOAN. The Siecle of last evening says that the National Lou], the subsk..ription list to which is to be opened to-day, is already more than subscribed by anticira tion. BOMBARDMENT OF TOUL. A telegram from the Paris correspondent of the Standard states that the Gaulois announces the bom bardment of Toul. ROME AND THE PRUSSIAN GOVERNMENT The Korth G man Gazette denies the statement that the North German Envoy at Rome has offered troops to the Pope for the occupation of the city. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY. A telegram from Philadelphia says that yesterday the President issued a Neutrality Proclamation. declaring that during the European war neutrality Maas would be strictly enforced, and, while not interfering with the free expression of opinion or sympathy, commanding people to take no part. directly or indirectly, or give aid to either belli gerent. THE SITUATION AT PARIS. SUNDAY. The state of public opinion here is very peculiar. From the Ministry and the Head-Quarters there is next to no news, and the intelligence we get by way of England is alarm ingly unfavourable to the French arms ; and yet it is amazing how the Parisians seem to delude themselves with the notion that everything is going on well. The Ministry has set aself to work with right good earnestness to impose upon the public, and it appears in a great measure to have succeeded. You will have learned that the army of Prince Frederick Charles succeeded in interposing botween Bazaine and Chalons. In that position two battles were fought ; both armies claim a victory ; but one result of the fighting is that, victory or none, Bazaine has not got away from M-etz. It is too much to be feared that he cannot get away. We have received no news from him, and all the public has had to live upon for the last forty-eight hours is a wretched declaration from Count Palikao in the Corps I,6gislatif, to the effect that Marshal Bazaine had not been beaten. "Beaten !" said the War Minister, "Oh ! no, quite the reverse—he had driven the enemy into some quarries." He did not say whether the whole German army had got into these quarries, or whether, whilst 200,000 men were thus floundering about amid unhewn stones, Bazaine had made any effort to get to Chalons. The whole communication consisted in the statement about the quarries. It is with this kind of information that Paris is struggling to make itself cheerful. The journals, even the most respectable, seem seized with a strange infatuation. Disregarding altogether the prime question—whether Bazaine is or is not shut up in a for tress where he cannot exist,they continue to assure us that the French marshal has won two battles, and that therefore he must be safe. The Patric actually goes so far as to affirm that if Bazaine has gone into Metz, it is in pur suance of a plan of his own choosing. He must have shut himself up voluntarily. One paper alone forms an honourable exception to this foolish policy of self-decep tion. The Siecle sums up the situation in an article so impartial as to well deserve reproduction. This is what it says on the military position : " We do not wish to disenchant anyone, but we feel our selves obliged to recall that after the fight at Gravelotte, Marshal Bazaine, however victorious he may have been, did not think it advisable, or found it impossible, to continue his march to Verdun. On the contrary, he drew closer to Metz. Sainte Marie-aux-Chenes, where one French regi ment is said to have borne the attack of three Prussian divisions whilst Bazaine executed a flank march, is a little village in the canton of Briey, 18 kilometres to the north-west of our great stronghold. We hope that the account of the military achievement at Sainte Marie, which allowed the Commander-in -Chi e f to execute an im portant movement in another direction, may be verified ; but we cannot conceal from ourselves that the position of our troops seems anything but free and unfettered. We , find in the correspodence of the Gaulois, which is gener ally optimist in its views, that at Verdun, where great , preparations in the way of provisions and military stores had been made, the advance guard of the Marshal wa s vainly expected during the 17th and 18th. Not a single TM, SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVEMNG, AUGUST 23 5 1870. French cavalier was to be seen. The Prussians occupied the two routes which lead from Verdun to Metz by Gravelotte, and they intercepted all communications. Two conclusions must be drawn from this information, which cannot be doubted, as it proceeds from an eye-wit ness. One is that Marshal Bazaine is for the time cut off, and that Verdun may look for a speedy investment. These grave facts confirm us in the belief we have already ex pressed, that it is time for the Parisians to open their eyes, and to accustom themselves to the idea of a siege. The time for illusions is past. In default of news from Metz, the measures taken by the authorities give abundant proof of this. The proclama tion of General Trochu is addressed to the Garde Nationale, the Garde Mobile, to the forces of land and sea, and to the army of Paris—in a word, to all the defenders of the capital in time of siege. The Journal Officiel of this morning contains a still stronger resolution, referring to the formation of a defensive committee for the Paris fortifications. It is, then, on Paris that all our thoughts must be centred for the future. Paris will be the bulwark of national liberty and independence. In such a state of things, and in face of such urgent need, we should have liked to have heard that the National Guard had been summoned for the immediate election of its officers; that the municipal officers appointed by the arrondissements would preside at the immediate distribu tion of arms. The existing municipalities have not the the confidence of the people ; the former officers of the National Guard, were the result of favouritism. The one must be changed, the other reformed. The feeling of Paris is unanimous on this point, and it is only in the satisfaction of that feeling that the moral force can be ob tained, which was so eloquently invoked two days since by General Trochu." This is honest writing, and as the Siecle is a paper cir culating almost more widely than any other, it does something to bring the French to a very needful awakening. The Siecle continues after publishing the statement of Palikao and the proclamations of the generals, " What is it we are waiting for to open our eyes to the gravity of the situation ? While the Optimists are singing victory, the Governor-General of Paris recalls us to our duty, and summons us to make manly resolutions. Does the Chamber at last perceive the danger? There is not a day to lose. The authorities think a great deal is done if 8,000 guns are distributed daily. But the whole population ought to be armed in one day. The country is really in danger. Them is very little news of general importance to give The Ministry, the deputies, and all Government circles are remarkably quiet—the calm preceding the storm. Possibly the Government is debating what it shall do when the terrible reality of the situation is dis closed. At present all parties seem to be in secret session. The Corps Legislatif meets, but does nothing, and the uproar of last week is quite wanting now. In the presence of great coming events, men are preparing for action. A very significant disclosure is made to-day in the Gaulois by one of its correspondents, M. Wachter : Alarmed by the non-appearance of M arshal Ba zaine, or any of his regiments, at Verdun, he attempted to reach his lines on Friday last. Starting from Verdun at mid-day he drove along the Metz road as far as the village of Abancourt, from from whence he could see, in the direction of Gorze, the smoke of on engagement. Proceeding thence towards Etain, he was very politely stopped by an outpost of Prussian Lancers, and informed that the route was barred. Similarly he found every road to Metz in the possession of the enemy. Yesterday morning upwards of one hundred thousand stand of arms reached Paris from the inland manufac turers. They are principally breechloade.s, and they are destined to arm the National Guards. Men of all ages enrol themselves as simple volunteers. Yesterday a peasant, aged 65, presented himself, and after an examination by the military medical officers, he was declared fit for service, and has left for Chalons. Men of a more advanced age, offer to the hospitals and take care of the wounded. Mr. George Mitchell, the father of Mr. Robert Mitchell, the principal editor of the Constitutionnel, notwithstanding he is 76 years old, has enrolled himself as an hospital infirmier. Yesterday, one of the drivers of an omnibus, arrested in the Rue Royale, a " sister" of charity. Taken to the police-station and examined, the pretended sister of charity turned out to be a Prussian spy. The Bavarian officers who were recently taken prisoners have arrived at Paris. They were treated with the utmost courtesy, and sent to Bourges, which will be their prison. Among the allies of Prussia the Bavarians, who have so frequently occupied the post of danger, appear during the war to have suffered the most severely. The Paris correspondent of the Independance Beige says that not only was the Emperor very badly received at Chalons, but the exasperation against him was such that he dared not go out. He remained several days at his residence—literally a prisoner. This ho3tility is shared by all the army, but the Garde Mobile of Paris were the chief offenders. A naval lieutenant presented himself at the fort of Mont-Valarien with a permission from the Minister of War to see the place. The document was quite regular, signed in form, and drawn up on Ministerial paper. The naval lieutenant was shewn all over the fort. Scarcely had he departed before a police agent came up, with the description of a Prussian spy, who was none other than the naval lieutenant. The police are still seeking him. The suppression by the French of information respect ing a battle in which, by their enemy's admission, their army fought nobly, is to be regretted. The statement put forth in Paris that Marshal Bazaine was in a position where he was free to March on Verdun if he liked, but that he had voluntarily abstained from doing so, is more damaging than the candid admission of difficulties, and, made as it was in connection with the statement that the communication between Chalons and Metz had be come difficult, sent down the price of the Rentes. If even there could have been any doubt about the position of Marshal Bazaine's army, it must be considered to have been removed now, by the confirmation of the intelligence three days after the event, and the obstinate silence of the French. Whether Bazaine's sixty thousand men shut themselves up in Metz, or attempt to escape, they are equally in the toils of Prince Frederick Charles's army. The Prince appears to have practised upon them the same device that Napoleon employed after the battle of Jena. Being asked by one of his generals whether he would take measures to close the gates of Magdeburg against the fugitives, he said, " No leave them open, all the fugitives will then go there, and thus we shall catch them like fish in a net."—Daily Netn. whose object was to occupy the French outer line of de fences, advanced no further; they continued to fight with coolness and intrepidity, but visibly lost ground. The Chateau of Colombey was taken and retaken three times. A portion of the Prussian forces having advanced to Borny, the fort St. Quentin's artillery fired a few rounds, and received a few harmless shells. As night fell, the Prussians resumed their attack on Ser vigny, but two regiments concealed in the vines opened fire on them at close range, and threw them into confusion. Bazaine's army forms two sides along the Verdun toad and the Moselle, while MacMahon's army forms the third side. This situation, which would shew a true strategical conception on the part of our generals, would hold them cut off from their base and thrown back towards Paris, whither they were in such a hurry to go, but where, under these conditions, their fate might be miserable. There is, however, this danger. Their defeat appearing incomplete, it is feared that the struggle may be recommenced to-day, and that they may in the night have brought across the Moselle the army of the Crown Prince, repulsed on Sunday before Metz. At Labry the inhabitants stopped us saying Do not go further ; they are going to fight.' We continued our way nevertheless. The village cf Jarny was only two kilometres distant, and we hoped to find there some information. There we met three squa drons of the guard, who persuaded us to go their way towards Conflans. Near Conflans, in a field, were some dragoons and lancers bivoucking, their horses saddled, and the men stretched on the ground close to them. Could it be possible that these were two regiments ! Altogether I could not count as many as 300 horseman. We were enter ing Conflans when three dragoons of the guard, who had gone beforeus suddenly came back at a gallop. They motioned with their hands, and at once all around us was heard the cry, The Prussians ! the Prussians The road was full of cantinieres, carts, waggons, and ambulance carriages. All of them turned about, the one on the other, in less time than I take to write it. We followed the movement as quickly as possible. Everybody goes at a gallop. The peasants regained their houses with lamentable cries. At last we arrived at Labry, with all the population which fell back with us." His second letter is from Charleville, Mezieres, and is dated Thursday :—" I have again retrogated. I find here the papers which always arrived too late at Metz, and which at Briey never arrived at all. I see in them mention of the fight of Longeville, near Metz. Pray correct this. Longeville, a parish of the suburbs of Metz, and three kilometres from it, has never been the theatre of any combat. There has not been a sword drawn or a cartridge fired in it. The following, I believe, I can say for certain, is a correct account of the movements of the last three days. The 10th, 12th, and 13th, the army (three corps and the guard) was encamped in front of Metz in excellent positions facing the N.N.W. ; that is to say, the roads from Sarrelouis and Saarbruck.—Saturday, the 10th.—All the divisions received four days' provisions and the order to hold themselves in readiness to march. On Sunday, the 14th, the movement appeared to be a retreat through the town to the left of the Moselle. At two o'clock the enemy, informed by spies, as some say, or, as others state, by a ruse of Bazaine's, crossed the Nied and attacked L'Admirault's and Decaen's corps, which had not yet moved. In the evening, the Prussians having been driven back to their lines, L'Admirault, De caen, and the guard turned round and put themselves in movement in their turn. All the night between the 14th and the 15th there was one long procession of troops and conveyances through Metz, from the Porte des Allemands to the Porte de France. The 15th. —Continuation of the movement. Froissard mounts the high ground at Grave lottes, to make room behind him. Little or no engagement The 16th.—The column advanced towards Verdun, and then took place from Gravelottes to Mars-la-Toml that series of bloody combats of which the telegraph must have told you. The 17th.—The struggle recommenced, but a little nearer Verdun. Since I was driven out of Conflans by the Prussians, and yesterday, there, was, it is said, fighting at Jaudelize, still further to the west. The battle of the 14th may be called anything but the battle of Longeville. Some of our soldiers, encouraged by the success of the day, cried out Bazaine, Duke of Metz.' It might then be called the battle of Metz. What is really too extraordi nary is the coolness of the Prussian despatches, pre tending that they had the best of it. We did our work well. Before leaving Metz I went to see the field, which I assure you bore ttaces of it. The hill of Vautoux was like a slaughter-house, and the Prussian dead were in layers. The debris of helmets, of arms, and of sabretaches with the royal cypher shewed that the eliieof the Prussian army had taken part in the affair. It must really require a strong will to attribute to on e's self the victory after such punishment, and after having allowed a vanquished enemy to go off so quietly. During now four days our officers and soldiers have never ceased to work and be under fire. We have evidently, half by address, half by force, slipped between superior forces, and the proof that the enemy, still too strong to be driven away entirely, has yet not been able to do anything, is that by the last news our liberty of action seems assured, whether we wish to rally at Metz or to make Verdun our object. The latter is the general belief, encouraged by the official despatches. Let me, moreover, suggest another plan. It was so natural to press down the enemy on the Moselle, to make him repass it in disorder, and perhaps to throw him under the guns of Metz, that I asked myself if that is not what was attempted without success." THE FRENCH WOUNDED—THE PRUSSIANS ON FRENCH SOIL. The same correspondent of the Temps has another letter, dated Friday morning, and written from Mezibres- Charleville. He says :—You are probably acquainted with these two twin towns, which are only divided by a bridge thrown over the valley. lam not speaking of the Meuse, which is insignificant here, and flows between the first and second enceinte of the chief town of Ardennes. These cardinal points of the fortifications of former times now constitute very slender defences, and Mezieres and Charleville must - content them seles with being nothing more than rich, well built, and prosperous towns, which, notwithstand ing, their keen interest in the events of the day, present stiking contrast to our recent panics. Nothing could be more dismal than the train in which I passed the night. To the right and the left of the passenger carriages were the goods' vans which are used for the con veyance of the wounded, full of hammocks, on each of which laid a man. We brought from three to four hundred of these sufferers, and this number was repeated at intervals throughout the day. At every station we stopped. It was necessary to tend some of the wounded, to remove others who could go no further, or who were to be given in charge to their families in the neighbourhood. This caused an immense delay, and gave rise to many painful reflections. In the middle of the night in the woody passes of the hills the plaintive voices of the sufferers were heard all along the train, mingling with the murmurs of the neighbouring inhabitants, who flocked to witness the passage of the melancholy train. The sight of the wounded men bearing ghastly traces of their misfortunes was shown us plainly by the clear moonlight and pre vented all thought of sleep. The great number of wounds in the head has been noticed everywhere. This is ex plained by the manner in which the Prussians hold their guns. The supply of medical attendance is short, there is no denying it ; but it is difficult to say who it is to blame. The fact is the number of the wounded has sur passed all calculations. An official who had crossed only a corner of the field near Gravelotte said to me, " This is no longer war; it is massacre." At Metz every establish ment was full—three great barracks, the Jesuit College, the hospitals, and the private dwellings. The whole feminine population is divided among these several esta blishments. The surgeons said to them, " Mesdames, do all that you can ; leave us nothing but the operations and the more difficult cases for dressing, and even then our task will be too heavy." As may be supposed, all ladies were not equally useful or expert. The realities of such a task are something different from a promenade through a. hospital, en grancle toilette. The doors are accordingly closed against everyone who does not come to render active personal service. They are trying to remove the disabled as much as possible into the less encumbered districts. All those who can bear the 'removal are sent on to the North, for the wounded are better off in the small towns where the people can give them undivided attention. It is thought that the line of Ardennes will soon be cut, if it has not been cut already. At a little distance from here the enemy arrived a short time since and made. the em ploy& themselves take up the rails. At Thionville great mischief has been done by the Prussians of whom no very favour(' cle accounts are given, thoughit is necessary to re ceive the stories one hears with caution. Ido not believe for instance that the Prussians seize the French residents and compel them to march at the head of their columns. This report has arisen out of isolated acts. A peasant belonging to Couicy, near Metz, was shot for refusing to guide the Prussian troops to the French Army, and other ncidents of the kind are recorded. The hatred of the Prussian wounded against the French has often been described to me, but I thought it exaggerated. However, I have been told, on good authority, of a slightly wounded Prussian who was care fully attended along with our wounded by the soeurs. One day,when many little comforts, such as wine, tobacco, and bouillon, had been brought to him, a Frenchman drew near, when the Prussian struck him violently on the face. Our soldiers in their turn grow merciless. I have been assured of the truth of the following story. A wounded Prussian was lying on the field, and a surgeon stopped to attend to him. Having dressed his wounds, the surgeon was about to remount his horse, when a Uhlan coming up shot him through the head. The greatest indignation is expressed at this affair, which is talked of everywhere, and the French dragoons declare they will give no quarter. An old dragoon, one of the few survivors of his regiment, which was well-nigh destroyed on the 16th, said to me, "We have been annihilated, but each of us struck down three, and now, since they fire on surgeons, they shall have no quarter. I found one of them, this morning, astray in the woods. He threw away his gun, crying out, " A friend ! " No friend for me ! I buried my sabre in his body." In fact, the war is beginning to assume between the armies an exterminating character. The invaders seem to me to be inclined to treat the population on a system of alternate caresses and threats. They say to the inhabitants of Alsace and Lorraine, "You are Prus sinus for the future. Why should we hurt you. Only if you prefer to remain French take warning." The Uhlan in the Prussian army resembles our Zouave, being as superior for cavalry as the Zouaves are for foot soldiery. "The Uhlans are everywhere," said a peasant to me, and four or five of them will dash into a town, giving rise to the cry " The Prussians are here !" while the army ii perhaps a good way off, and yet they are unmolested from the popular fear. On the other hand the Prussians try to flatter the people, and have even promised the railway officials near Sarreguemines that they shall keep their old regulations of service, which are more favourable than those of the Rhenish provinces. Our men are worth as much as the Prussians, or rather for humanity and other moral qualities they are worth more, buttheir leaders have been altogether deficient. I have been told that I have been harsh on General Frossard, but the information I have received respecting him came from his own officers, and it must be admitted that if he has been unfairly judged, misfortune has dogged his steps in the most surprising manner. Those who were wounded on the 16th declare that the day opened in a manner very unfavour able to the military reputation of the general. The sol diers were at bivouac, and were told they might take their ease. They were eating their breakfast, when the Prussians were suddenly upon them. How was it there was no better knowledge of the enemy's whereabouts ? How is it again that the enemy can profit so well by his acquaintance with the nature of the ground, while we began the war without seeming to know whether the ground was woody or marshy. For instance the dragoons and the lancers of the Garde were in reserve between two woods, and thought themselves quite secure, when a battalion showed itself. What a fine oppor tunity ! The Frenchmen pursued, and the battalion was in truth cut to pieces, but there were other Prussians in the woods and the Frenchmen fell into the trap. This Prussian method of ambush has cost us, one would have thought, enough men already to make it known and and remembered. ' It appears that everywhere in the two provinces of Alsace and Lorraine the Germans levy a contribution of two francs a day on the inhabitants of the two provinces now in the hands of the invaders. The distress caused by these exactions in an impoverished district is extreme. Moreover, all the post offices are in the hands of the Ger- mans, and the letters which arrive at Paris have German stamps. The humiliating spectacle excites, more than almost any feature of the war, the wrath of the Parisians, who declare that whilst a man or a centime remains they will not rest until the two provinces are delivered. The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian writes :—"lt has, by degrees, become generally known that the Emperor hesitated to the last to throw away the scabbard, and that he was half duped, half driven by his incompetent and unprincipled advisers into taking the fatal step. It was not until he arrived at head-quarters in the valley of the Moselle that the unreality of the vaunted preparations for the struggle began to dawn upon him. The first roll-call disclosed the fallacy of the numbers whereupon he had been told to rely. For years a gigantic system of fraud had been carried on in the War Department whereby the pay had been drawn for regiments consisting on paper of 1,000 men which did not actually muster 800. In ammunition, arms, and commissariat similar deceptions had been systematically practised. The whole organisation of the empire had long been honeycombed by fraud. Small rogueries were here and there detected and from time to time punished; but the great delinquencies by which vast fortunes, civil and military, were accumulated, screened, and propped one another ; while ill-health and indolence rendeied the once scrutinising chief unconscious of the danger under mining his throne. DENMARK.—The success which has attended the German arms has deprived France of all chance of assis tance from Denmark, although the feeling there is so strong against Prussia, that if the Marquis de Cadore's mission had been better conducted, little would have been required to induce the people to declare themselves against their old enemies. But it appears to have been thought that the mere presence of the Marquis would have been sufficient to induce the Danes to declare war against Prussia, and the consequence was that the Marquis brought no letters and no instructions. He was therefore received merely as a distinguished stranger by Baron Rosenoern, and had no interview with the King. The feeling against Prussia was in Denmark so bitter that the first conflicts between the armies were reported as resulting in every instance to the discomfiture of the Germans, and, to increase the hatred already existing, four • French journalists from the Siecle, the Liberte, the France, and the Figaro paid a special and professional visit to the country. But the Danish officers sent to the Camp at Chalons had reported that, in spite of the adoption of the Chassepot, the tactics and the drill of the French army had remained unaltered until within the last three months, and the Danish Government were, therefore, doubtful of French suc cesses.—Times Correspondent at Hamburg. PARIS METAMORPHOSED. - The capital of European good living, whither M. Haus smann attracted all the eaters, the drinkers, the flat terers of the world, has within a few days assumed a Spartan aspect. The theatres are closed, except four or five, which play to empty benches. Dress has become plainer and more subdued ; a gay toilet would be as discordant as a false note. To complete the picture of this proud and happy metamor phosis I will tell you that Paris, but lately too rich, has suddenly become poor. All those documents representing shares and stocks—the pieces of paper, blue, pink, or green, which M. Rouher pompously estimated en bloc at 40 milliards — become reduced to their real worth. The bank-note has undergone the logical depreciation entailed by a forced currency, gold and silver are scarce, and each keeps by him the little that he may possess in case of possible contingencies. An entire population which hitherto had the foolish habit of living upon its capital, discounting the future, and making extravagant abuse of credit has returned to habits of fore sight, of saving, and of that worldly simplicity which constituted the strength of our forefathers, and which un happily now constitutes that of our enemies. For 20 years we have been, or we fancied we were, too rich ; luxuries had been forced upon the most modest tastes and fortunes; parvenus being permitted to set the fashion it was almost discreditable not to spend 100,000 f. a year. War has restored the credit of poverty. We may now venture to walk, and we nolongerfear to ask four friends to dine off beef and po tatoes. When I think that only last winter, scarcely six months ago, the humblest bourgeois of Paris would have lost caste had he failed to offer his guests sham Chambertin and diFguised Chateau Yquem with a pheasant stuffed with woolly balls, Vive la misfire if it makes us more wise at the same time that it makes us more manly. Paris is beginning to comprehend that it can dine sufficiently well without truffles, and that a woman may look as pretty in a 50f. dress as in a gauzy wave which cost 30 louis. We shall emerge from this crisis better than we began it, and France will gain in elevation without any diminution of her surface."—Edmond About in Le Soir. Baboo Keshub Chunder Sen delivered an address in Edinburgh on Friday. It is believed that, in the event of a vacancy occur ring in the representation of Tyrone, Sir John Marcus Stuart, of Ballygawley House, will be a candidate for the seat. At the close of his visit to Tulchan, Strathspey, the Home Secretary will go with Mrs. Bruce and family to Eden, the seat of Mr. Grant Duff, M.P., near Banff. _ A marriage is arranged, and will take place towards the close of next month, between the Earl Cowper and Miss Compton, eldest daughter of Lord and Lady William Compton. THE BREADALBANE PEERAGE.—The following appears on the minutes of the House of Lords, dated Bth August .—" Petition of John MacCallum, late of her Majesty's 101st Royal Bengal Fusiliers, and presently residing at No. 96, George Street, Edin burgh, in the county of Edinburgh, esquire, to her Majesty, praying that it may be adjudged and declared that the dignities, honours, and titles of Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, Viscount of Tay and Paintland, Lord Glenorchy, Benederalock, Ormelie, and Weick, in the peerage of Scotland, which were enjoyed by the petitioner's ancestors, of whom he is the lineal heir, do now of right belong to the petitioner, together with Her Majesty't reference thereof to this House : Presented (by command), and referred to the Committee for Privi leges to consider and report." SUNDAY'S BATTLE.-BORNY. A Metz paper, the V;zu National, gives a clear account of the serious battle—though inferior in importance to those of Tuesday and Thursday—which took place on Sunday week at Borny, on the east side of Metz. It says :- --By order of Marshal Bazaine the camp under the walls of Metz was raised on Sunday morning, and the bulk of the forces made a retrograde movement to gain the road leading from Metz to Verdun. Pon toon bridges were thrown above and below the town across the several blanches of the river, and towards the afternoon the columns might be seen debouching from the road, and passing over from the right bank to the left. But as the greater portion of the French forces was on its way from Longeville to Moulins, a large Prussian corps d'armee advanced on the position it had just evacuated. The first shots were fired about noon towards the extreme left, at Ste. Barbe, a vil lage about eleven kilometres (about seven miles) from Metz. It soon became evident that the engagement was serious. The French corps, which had not yet passed the river, faced right about, and the battle soon extended from Ste. Barbe to Grigy, its length being about three leagues (seven and a half miles). The Prussians were every minute receiving fresh reinforcements, and the French forces, unable to check their advance, slowly fell back upon Metz, fighting all the while. The Prussians, however, were for a long time kept at bay at the village of Servigny, where a fierce struggle took place. The vil lage and the neighbouring hamlet of Paixe (five miles from Metz) suffered considerably. They were taken and retaken by storm several times, and were partly burnt down. A desperate conflict also took place for the pos session of Noisseville, which was also partly destroyed by fire. The Prussians, however, managed to carry them, and debouched by the valleys of Noisseville and Lanvalliere. On that latter point they were received by an artillery fire which committed great havoc in their ranks, and two batteries of mitrailleuses planted in the orchards of the farm of Bellecroix, swept whole ranks away at each discharge. At the same time the 4th Corps (General Ladmirault's) which had already reached the Moselle, retraced its steps, and debouching into the plain by the valley of Vallieres, was able to attack the Prussians in flank, whilst the French artillery thundered against him from the heights of Vantoux. The Prussians, TUESDAY'S BATTLE-VIONVILLE. The correspondent of the Standard, writing from Dan wilier, gives so me details of the great battle fought or Tuesday, no account of which, so tardy is the march of news, has previously appeared. Of course this corres pondent writes in ignorance of the still more terrible fight which took place on Thursday :—On Monday night a great part of the French army was placed in battle line at Gravelotte, at the intersection of the two roads leading to Verdun; no engagement took place on that evening. I left at five o'clock p.m., and at seven I was in the neighbourhood with the Chas seurs d'Afrique, hunting _ the Uhlans. I know well the position of the two armies, and send you a sketch of the battle-field. At nine on Tuesday morning the Prussian line had advanced as far as Doncourt, and their tirailleurs began the attack on the French positions, occupying Rezonville and Vionville. Those villages are situate on a plateau, known as La Plaine de la Warfe, at a distance of 14 kilometres from Met; and commanding in the eastern direction a full view of Metz, and the Valley of the Moselle. The battle-field is situate between the two roads leading to Verdun near Grave lotte. From nine o'clock, when the Prussians began the first attack, up to eight in the evening, the tremendous struggle has been lasting, and from the different reports I have been able to gather, no engagement since the be ginning of the war has been so serious in losses on beth sides ; two hundred thousand men appear to have been en gaged, during the day, on one side, part of the united army of Prince Frederick Charles and Count Steinmetz ; on the French side the three corps of Marshal Bazaine and the Imperial Guard. The 2d Corps of General Frossard, and the cavalry of General de Forton, accomplished prodigies of valour, but at a very dear cost ; they lost a great many men, and were successfully reinforced by the 3rd Corps and the divisions occupying Rezonville : in one of these furious engagements General Bataille, com manding the 2nd division, 2nd Corps, has been seriously wounded. The Prussians have successively advanced with new and strong colums. Their forces were considerable, and by far superior to the French. The greatest part of the day they maintained the offensive with a certain success, and according to their custom towards the evening brought an immense corps d'armde of entirely fresh troops, attacking vigorously the left wing of the French and trying to break it. After several attempts, more or less successful, they were definitely repulsed on the line, and by the evening Marshal Bazaine was occupying the head points of Prussian lines. The losses are considerable on both sides, and until I have full details and true num bers I shall repeat the words of Mashal Bazaine— The losses of the enemy are great ; ours are serious. As usual, the Uhlans have played an important part in the battle ; they are to be found in every spot where daring is wanted. It is no doubt a marvellous cavalry, composed of some of the elite of the German nation. I have seen them as eclaireurs, I have seen them everywhere in the country I have crossed, and I hear that at this battle near Gravelotte a regiment of them attacked the staff of Marshal Bazaine, killing twenty men of the escort, and retiring after the death of their commander. Seldom has such a brilliant coup de main, attacking the staff of the commander in chief, been witnessed, and it is well worth mentioning. Sunday was a victory for the French, Tuesday a more important one; it remains to be seen if it will alter the movements of the , French army; but the departure of Napoleon for Chalons during the contest would seem to infer that the French will continue their retreating tactics. OFFICIAL GERMAN REVIEW OF THE CAMPAIGN. The latest German official details of the campaign are important, as containing information respecting the move ments during the period which elapsed between the battles Forbach and Woerth and the combats round Metz. The document observes :—" The advance of the German armies towards the Moselle could not on all points of our extended line be equally rapid. After invading France and making good their stand in the coup• try, our armies were disposed between Forbach and Haguenau, forming a line which stretched east south-east. The Moselle between Metz aed Nancy flow ing straight south and north, it follows that a portion of our troops found themselves considerably nearer the river than the rest. Our first, or northernmost army, under General Steinmetz, was in closer proximity to the stream than our second army, under Prince Frederick Charles; that under the Crown Prince, the third, being the most distant of all, and, moreover, separated from the Moselle by the most difficult ground. It being expected that the enemy would try to concentrate his forces as soon as possible, and make another stand in the favourable posi- tion on the banks of the Nied between Metz and Marsal, orders were given to our different armies so to time their advance as to remain in close contact with each other, and form gradually into a straight continuous line. While the whole of our cavalry were keeping on the heels of the enemy the three armies followed in forced marches, in spite of the rain and the uneven nature of the ground they had to traverse. This quick pursuit did not allow the French to form again. One after the other, they first abandoned the line of the Nied, and subsequently, when our van had reached Metz, Pont-k-Mousson, and Nancy, the line of the Moselle. The Emperor Napoleon likewise withdrew from Metz to Verdun, there to defend the country, as he announced, against the invasion of the German forces. At the moment we are writing Nancy has been evacuated, and Frossard, where the railways from Nancy to Metz and Toul join, occupied by our men. Prince Frederick Charles's van has left Pont-h- Mousson, and is rapidly pushing on towards Verdun ; the Vosges fortresses havo been deserted before our arrival, or have surrendered with all their numerous guns and stores; and the Metz army of the French is in the act of draw ing off, leaving the Moselle for the Meuse. Just as their rear was departing General Steinmetz's van came up, and, engaging them under the very guns of the fortress, forced them to seek shelter behind the ramparts they had just intended to quit. Our van, however, was not strong enough to prevent their crossing the river under cover of the fortress. Hence it would almost appear that the whole French army is retreating towards the Meuse, and does not intend making any decisive stand until reaching Chalons. One motive may possibly be to give time for their reinforcements to come up, another to weaken us by forcing our generals to garrison the country they conquer as they advance. But it may be confidently anticipated that any reinforcements of troops, Garde Mobile, and general levy the French are likely to collect will not materially alter the present numerical proportion between the two contending armies. Care, moreover, has been taken to fill up the gaps in our forces by throwing in a sufficient supply of reserves. We shall occupy the con quered provinces and besiege Strasburg and Metz without reducing our available force in the field." A FRENCH OFFICER'S NARRATIVE. Captain Jeannerod, of the Paris Temps, is one of the few correspondents of the French journals—usually they are much too imaginative—who can be depended upon. The particulars he gives of the struggles round Metz up to Wednesday last are, therefore, worth notice. He says nothing of Thursday. His first letter is from Briey, dated Wednesday last :—"Yesterday I found Metz in greater movement than ever. The army, it was said, was accele rating its retreat on Verdun, and, attacked on the way by the Prussian army, was then fighting a great battle. For fear of being shut up I tried to get a conveyance to leave Met; but no carriage proprietor would hear of it, at any rate not for a further distance than Gravelottes, where the left of our line of battle appeared to end. I decided to accept at any rate, and at five o'clock in the afternoon took my place in the Briey con veyance. No incident whatever on the road. We meet only here and there a hundred of soldiers. Ido not know what they do here, so far behind the line. Perhaps it is as well not to ask. The news of the victory has already spread everywhere. Nevertheless, at Briey, a little town of 2,000 inhabitants, nothing pre cise is known, except that a most important and hotly disputed battle has taken place between Gravelottes and Mars-la-Tour. From the higher part of the wn, built upon an almost perpendicular height, the principal phases of it were followed. It appears, from the account of the inhabitants, that we had to deal with the army of Prince Frederick Charles, arriving from Pont-a- Mousson and Nancy. We had tried to cut it off from the Moselle, and, thanks to the intervention of MacMahon, who came upon the left of the Prussians at mid-day, we had partly succeeded. We had even won completely till four o'clock. But at that moment a last effort had enabled the Prussians to pre serve some of their positions, and I was assured that they were still in occupation of Mars-la-Tour. These positions, , however, would be the worst possible for them, for they would be between three sides of a parallelogram, of which THE CENSUS-NEW YORK CITY. The new Census, besides bringing many interesting facts to light, will tone down many big figures and dissipate much exaggeration. The population of the City of New York, independent of its suburbs, has been generally over estimated. It now begins to transpire that, instead of a million or a million and a quarter with which it had cer tainly been credited nearly five years ago, it will be under 900,000. If, however, the extensions in Long Island, Westchester County, New Jersey, and Staten Island be included, two millions is not an excessive estimate, and the inhabitants are prac tically New Yorkers. The city proper is becoming to the American metropolis much as what is known as " The City " is to London ; the centre of business, where men spend the toiling hours in offices, though residing perhaps miles away with their families. It is said that there are in the streets down town at midday fully 150,000 people, more than at midnight. Formerly the district from the Battery to the upper boundaries of the Eighth and Tenth Wards and the east side of the Seventeenth Ward was occupied by the most respect able and well-to-do of the citizens, but they have gradually been expelled by the demand for space, and consequently the high value of the ground, and by the crowding together of people the bustle and inconvenience a family must experience which lives in the very centre of a national traffic. Nearly all who have now migrated to where they can obtain more elbow and breathing room, a move facilitated by the improved means of communication. Nor did that advantage affect them only, for high rents and a cheap and ready means of locomotion induced mechanics and the poorer class to live in the suburbs. In 1790 the white population of New York City was 33,131 ; i n 1820, 123,706 ; in 1850, 515,547 in 1860, 813,669; but in 1865 thepopulation had diminished 726,386. The belief is, however, that the census of 1860 over-estimated the population. The city in crease from 1840 to 1860 was 160 per cent., while the suburban, increase was 202 per cent. In 1840 the New York counties over which the suburbs spread contained 137,588 persons, and the New Jersey 85,271; while in 1860 the figures were 461,502 and 212,223 respectively. About one-half the resident population is of foreign birth, and different wards of the city are occupied by distinct nationalities. The Germans, for instance, gather around the Seventeenth Ward, and there are districts given up to the Irish. In 1855 the Irish num bered 175,735 ; the Germans, not quite 100,000 ; British. 32,000. In 1865 the Irish had diminished to 161,334; the Germans had increased to 109,000, and the British had decreased to 25,0J0, The number of alien pas sengers landed at Castle Garden in twenty-two years was—lrish, 1,597,805 ; Germans, 1,536,649; British, up wards of 600,000 ; the grand, total being 4,038,991. Of these 886,457 landed without knowing where to go, but 604,203 were bound West, and the remainder for the New Eng land States and Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. It appears that foreign characteristics remain with the children of foreign parents born in the city, and more especially is this the case in the haunts of vice. " The worst rowdies and most dangerous criminals in and around the metropolis are the children of foreign-born ances tors, and truth demands the statement that nine tenths of such rowdies and criminals are of Irish origin." The proportion of arrests to nationality should be 567 in every 1,000 native born, whereas the proportion was 309 ; but the Irish, who should have had 223, really had 506, and the German 104, instead of 147 ; all the others requiring 63, had . really 8L The great proportion of those entered as Americans were the children of foreign parents, with nothing more American about them than birth in the city ; yet the native arrests were only 53 of their due proportion, while the Irish arrests were 129 per cent. above their share, while the Germans were much under theirs, and other foreigners a little over. Summing up, the record is, for the United States, 55,000 ; for Ireland, 460,000 ; for Germany, 115,000 ; for all others, 86,000. The almshouses give a somewhat similar result, the share o f I re l an d being out of all pro portion to the others. These figures are from the census of 1865, and it is believed that since then the German inhabitants have increased in proportion to the Irish.— Anglo-American Times. SPORTING INTLLIGENCE. YORK MEETING.—This DAY. HORSES ARRIVED. Herminie, Frivolity, Normanby, Hawthornden, Con stance, Clifton, •Capucine f., Tullibardine, Gertrude, Ortolan, Little Dutch Woman, Sister to Athena, Prior, Briton, Typhoeus, Ptarmigan, H e tty c . , Ida, Torreador, Lady Highthorn, Agility, Peg Fife f. Mr. Fox, Myosotis, Pistache, Madlle. d e Mailloc, 'Rebecca, La Calonne, Anglesey, Ben (Jaunt, Cherie, Champion, Ida, Camera, Carmenbert, Ch em i se tt e c, Christopher Sly, El feron' King Cole, Defamatio n f, F a lkl an Fragrance, Fast Day, Gamos, Hermi n i e , L a Perichole, tanley, Pit teri, Ploughboy, Paganini, Mysotis, Lady of Lyons, Ro sicrucian, Siderolite. Many others expected. LATEST SCRATCHINGS. Yorkshire Oaks.—PunchinElla, Silver Band, Cestus, Stockhaussen, Masquerade filly, La Ride, Apaturia, Vis countess. Convivial Stakes.—The Roe filly, Hyperion, Toucques, Athol Daisy. Fourteenth Biennial.—Nobleman. Black Duck Stakes.—The Roe filly. Chesterfield Handicap.—Fichu, Fugitive, President Lincoln, The Boy, La Risle, Ralph Lambton, Symmetry colt, Indian Ocean. YORK, Midnight. Rain has been falling for several hours, which has greatly benefitted the course. ADDITIONAL ARRIVALS. PetTonella, The Gift, Simplon, Silenus, Triron, Sheik, Toison d'O r , S ecun d era b a d, and Tocques. TATTE RSA LLS'— LAST EVENING. EBOR HANDICAP. sto 1 agst Myosotis (taken and offered) 6to 1 agst Torreador (offered-100 to 15 taken) 7 to 1 agst Cherie (taken and wanted) Bto 1 agst Blandford (offered—take 9to 1) Bto 1 agst Lord Hawthorn Offered) 10 to 1 agst Toison d'Or (taken and offered, after 100 to 6 and 100 to 8 taken) 100 to 7 agst La Perichole (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agst Ploughboy (offered) 100 to 6 agst Miss Sheppard (taken) 20 to 1 agst Moscow ( offered) 20 to 1 agst Pagani ni (offered) 33 to 1 agst Briton (taken and offered) PLACE BETTING. 6to 4 agst Myosotis (taken and offered) 6to 4 agst Torreador (taken and offered) 7to 4 agst Cherie (offered-2 to 1 taken) 300 to 100 agst Ploughboy (taken and offered) 3to 1 agst Miss Sheppard (offered—take 4to 1) Even on Blandford starting (offered) ST. LEGER. 9to 4 agst Kingcraft (offered—take .5 to 2) 6to 1 agst Palmerston (offered-100 to 15 taken) 100 to 8 agst Macgregor (wanted) 100 to 7 p4,st Captivator (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agst Sunlight (offered) 1000 to 70 agst Normanby (offered—take 15 to 1) 20 to 1 agst Alexander (offered) 20 to 1 agst Tabernacle (offered) 1000 to 10 agst Torreador (offered) CESAREWITCH. 1000 to 15 agst Tamarind (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Pax (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Drummer (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Pero Gomez (taken) CITY BETTING—MONDAY. EBOR HANDICAP. sto 1 agst Myosotis (taken and offered) 6to 1 agst Torreador (taken and offered) 7to 1 agst Cherie (taken and offered) 8 to 1 agst Lord Hawthorn (taken and offered) Bto 1 agst Blandford (offered-9 to 1 taken) 10 to 1 agst Mysotis (offered) 100 to 8 agst Toison d'Or (offered) 14 to 1 agst La Perichole (taken and offered) 100 to • 7 agst Ploughboy (offered) 100 to 6 agst Miss Sheppard (offered) 20 to 1 agst Moscow (offered) 25 to 1 agst Paganini (offered) PLACE BETTING. 6to 4 agst Myosotis (taken and offered) 6to 4 agst Torreador (taken and 'offered) 2to 1 agst Cherie (taken) 3to 1 agst La Perichole (offered-7 to 2 taken) ST. LEGER. 2to 1 agst Kingcraft (offered) 6to 1 agst Palmerston (offered) 100 to 8 agst Macgregor (offered) 500 to 35 agst Sunlight (taken) 33 to 1 agst Champion (taken and offered) sto 1 agst Sunlight and Macgregor coupled (offered) BIRTHS. On the 18th August, at Sutton House, ChiswickAthe wife of Lieut.-Colonel Jeff Sharp, of a daughter. On the 19th August, at Richmond, Surrey, the wife of John Howard King, of a son. MARRIAGES. On the 18th August, at Buckland, Ripers, Dorset, Henry Fuller, Esq., R.M.L,1., son of Major W. R. Fuller, late 52d Light Infantry and Royal Sussex Light In fantry Militia, to Agnes Jane, daughter of the late Lieut.-Col. Anderson, Fort Major, Edinburgh Castle. On the 18th August, at St. John's, Brooklands, Cheshire, George Henry, eldest son of the late George Plow wright, of Gaywood, Norfolk, to Ellen, younger daughter of the late John Buttrum, The Park, Not tingham. _ _ DEATHS On the 19th August, at Great Grimsby, Mr. Fredk. Symons, wine merchant, of Great Tower-street, and late of Lower Thames-street, aged 45. On the 19th August, at 86, Thistle-grove, West Brompton, Middlesex, William Benton, Esq., formerly of the Field Train Department, R.A., aged 88. London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOYCE, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by him at THE Sum Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex. Tuesday, August 23, 1870. ( th: rI