The Sun. — London, England, 1870-11-29 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 2.30 P.M. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. THE WAR. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. BERLIN ; November 28 (11.22 p.m.) Tile following is an extract from the official r eport, dated Versailles, November 23 : "General Trochu, upon the approach of the Army of the Loire from Orleans, intended to effect a grand B ortie on the 17th instant. The corps, provided With six days' rations, were to sally forth .owards e hoisy le Roi, under cover of the southern and east ern forth. " French officers, with a flag of truce, sometimes e ° lll e to the German lines begging f o r p rovisions. Large numbers of poor people have repeate ily asked :he outposts on the northern lines for permission to l eave the city; but were sent back. "From the 30th instant the use of gas will be restricted to the illumination of the public tho r°llglifares. Since the beginning of November it has been partly made ftom timber felled in the Bois de Boulogne. "The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg is approaching ' 4O Mans, where li6ratry is reported to have concen trated 27,000 men." M. DE KERATRY SUPERSEDED. TOURS, Monday. M. De Keratry has been indirectly cashiered by a decree appointing General Jaures commander in chief of all the forces in the west. DEFEAT OF THE ARMY OF THE NORTH. (OFFICIAL GERMAN DESPATCH.) MOREUIL, November 28. Yesterday, till after dark, a victorious battle was fought by the Ist Army Corps against the advancing Northern Army of the French. The enemy, though superior in numbers, and well armed, was repulsed, With the loss of several thousand men, towards the River Somme and the intrenched position near Amiens. A French battalion of Marines was ridden over by the 9th Hussars. Our loss is not inconsiderable. ROYAL HEADQUARTERS, VERSAILLES, November 28 (8.26 p.m). General Count Groeben has occupied Amiens. The following proclamation has been issued at Amiens by the Prefect of the Department of the Sennue Citizens !—The day of trial has arrived. Not- Withstanding my efforts, Amiens is about to fall into t he hands of the enemy. A Council of War has decided on the retreat of the Army of the North, and on the disarmament of the National Guard. I h ave to `leave you fur the present, but hope to re tarn soon. Remain calm and coufident, and France Will be saved. Long live France ! Long live the the Republic !" CAPITULATION OF LA. FERE. (OFFICIAL.) VERSAILLES, November 27. La Fire has capitulated, after two days' bom bardment. Seventy guns and 2,000 men were taken. In the night of the 26th the southern forts of Paris kept up a severe fire. On the occasion of the reconnoitring skirmishes near Orleans on the 24th two brigades of the 10th Corps fell in with the French 20th Corps, which was advancing. Our troops inflicted a considerable loss upon the enemy, drove him from his position at Ladon and M6zieres, and took 146 prisoners. Our Ines Was 200. On the 26th several French companies advanced against the 10th Corps, and were repulsed, leaving 4 0 killed on the spot. Among the prisoners taken 16 a General. Our loss was three officers and 13 man. DEFEAT OF THE GARIBALDIANS. DIJON, November 27, yesterday's reconnaissance, Garibaldi was as certained to have set out from Pasques at dawn. Our foreposts of the Third Infantry Division being vigorously attacked were succoured by the battalion Unger, which repulsed the charge at fifty paces dis tant. The enemy fled in disorder, throwing away arms and baggage. To-day General Werder attacked with three bri gades, and', turning the enemy by way of Plombibres, came up with his rear at Pasques. The enemy lost between 300 and 400 killed and Wounded; our loss on both days was about 50. Menotti Garibaldi is reported to have commanded on the 26th. ENGAGENIENT AT BOVES. LILLE, November 27 The Echo du Nord of to-day says : " After two days of anxiety, reassuring intelligence has been received. An engagement has taken place at Boves, a commune situated south of Amiens, on the Northern Railway, at the foot of the hills of Artois, and skirting the wDods. Our troops at tacked the Prussians with the bayonet, repulsing t heln everywhere, the battle field being covered With their dead and wounded. Although the en gagements which have taken place up to the present time cannot be considered of great importance, yet i t is incontestable that the result of cur military ope rations has been to drive back the Prussian troops towards their centre of action. DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH. Ofhcial.despatches received from Tours yesterday State that a battle was fought on Sunday between `'fillers Bretonneux and Soleur, near Amiens, which lasted the whole of the day. At the corn- I nencement the fortune of the day was in favour of the French, who maintained their position up to half-past four, when V illers Bretonneux was abandoned before the superior forces and powerful artillery of the Germans. The French also sus tamed a defeat before Boves, but at Dury they I naintained their position. The number of German troops engaged is estimated at 3,000. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE CROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA, VERSAILLES, November 26. No sortie from Paris yet. The delay is attributed to the desire of General Trochu to give his troops the best possible chance by drilling them for a lo n g Period and preparing them for the itruggle. Much satisfaction is felt here at the conclusion of the treaty with Bavaria securing the unity of Ger many for all military purposes. The Ki n g of Bavaria i. 3 Comman ler-in-Chief of the army in time °! . peace, but is under the supreme direction of the .111 g. of Prussia in time of war. BERLIN, Ncvember 28. Prince Wittgenstein, the Russian military agent at Paris, has been forbidden by General Trochu to l eave the city, as his Government has ordered him t° do . It is supposed that General T r ochu does not wish to run the risk of having the truth about the state of Paris communicated to the enemy. The German foreposts have been forbidden to give bread and peas-pudding to the French f ore- P° B ts• Large numbers of the Parisians, digging for potatoes in the fields, have been fired upon by the Germans. Fuel, petroleum, and oil are very dear in Paris. GENERAL WAR NEWS. It is rumoured that King William and his staff Lave left Versailles for Meaux. MacMahon has left Brussels for Wiesbaden with his staff. The Ardennes are free from Germans The enemy has sent towards Montmedy the siege guns which were employed against Thionville. Accounts from several quarters state that the .ssian percussion shells fail to explode on the soft and muddy ground. The Prussians entered St. Calais on the 25th, and flamers on the 23rd. On leaving Manners they .ed towards St. Cosine. Prue THE NORTH. GERMAN PARLIAMENT. BERLIN, November 28 (A fternoon). llerr Delbriick, Count Bismarck's representative in the Reichstag, to-day postponed till the end of the week his reply to Herr Duckens on the subject of Dr. Jacoby's imprisonment. A stormy discussion took place on the war loan, the Democrats making obstinate resistance to the third reading, which was, however, eventually carried by 178 against 8. Under the new German constitution, just sub mitted to Parliament, the Federal Council, which forms the Government of the Confederacy, will in chide 58 votes, ~ nly 17 of which are allotted to Prussia. This and the concession made by Prussia that declarations of war except in case of attack by a foreign enemy are to proceed not from herself but from the Federal Council are regarded as proofs of temperate and pacific policy. Prussia, however, reserves to herself the right of veto in all that regards the army and navy, the tariff and excise. A committee of English bankers has offered to take up a new Federal Loan of 100,000,000 thalers. THE EASTERN QUESTION. HEADQUARTERS OF TIIE CROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA, VERSAILLES, November 26. The German feeling with regard to the Eastern question is that England is making too much of a small affair, and that war is impossible, in face of the attitude assumed by Turkey herself. The report of a secret Russo-Prussian Treaty is said to be premature. such a treaty would only be provoked by a policy of meddling with the right of German conquest. It is also premature to asser that there is any plan to restore Napoleon. The Re. public may be recognised if it will abandon territo rial pretensions. VIENNA, November 28. It is reported here, though not on authority, placing the statement absolutely beyond question, that Count Bismarck, by desire of King William, has written to urge on Prince Gortschakoff the earnest hope that Russia will accept the medi ation of Prussia in regard to the complaints alleged regarding the Treaty of Paris; and pro mising in the event of Russia's compliance, that the influence of Prussia will be exerted to secure such modifications of the Treaty as will be acceptable to the Russian Government. FLORENCE, November 27 (11 p.m.) In political and commercial circles in this city the opinion gains more ground that the question raised by Russia regarding the Treaty of Paris may find a pacific solution. BRUSSELS, November 28. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Inde pendance Beige says : " The municipal address to the Emperor, wnich has already been published, was voted unanimously on the 21st November. The text of the address was revised by Prince Gorts chakoff before being proposed by the Mayor of St. Petersburg to the Municipal Assembly, and it is asserted that the reference made in the address to the benefits of peace was inserted by Prince Gorts chakoff himself, and that it did not appear in the original address." AMERICA. (BY ATLANTIC CABLE.) NEW YORK, November 28. Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, has ordered the sale of 1,000,000 dollars in gold on each Wednesday, and the purchase of 1,000,000 dollars in bon is on each Thursday during De- cember. The schooner Friend ; of Gloucester ; Massachu setts; has been captured near Charlottetown by the British steamer Plover, for violation of the Fishery Laws. The captain and crew are held prisoners. Gloucester is in General Butler's Congressional district. (CRNTRAL PRIM TBLIGIUMB.) THE EDUCATION ACT. The Corporation of Rochester has decided to apply, under the provision of the new Education Act, for a School Board for the city. CAPTAIN SCOTT'S GUN APPARATUS. Some experiments were made yesterday afternoon on board the armour-plated ship Lord Clyde, 24 guns, for the purpose of testing Captain Scott's turn-tables, for rapidly transferring guns from one port to another. Tha ship was taken outside Plymouth Breakwater, and the weather was of a character well calculated to test the value of the invention. The Lord Clyde rolled up to 22 degrees, and took occasional seas through the bow ports, on one occasion men leading guns being washed in from the port. The result of the experiments was satisfactory. On board the Lord Clyde were Admiral Sir H. Cocking ton, K.C.8., commander-in-chief ; Rear-Admiral J. H. Stewart, C. 8., superintendent of Devonport Dockyard; Captain the Hon. F. A. Foley, and other officials. THE SCOTCH IRON PUDDLERS' DISPUTE. Mr. George Anderson, M.P., who some time since agreed to arbitrate upon the dispute between the Scottish iron puddlers and their employers, has decided that the workmen are entitled to an advance of 6d. per ton on puddling, this advance to date back to the period when the men returned to work after the May lock-out. Mr. Anderson has also decided that there shall be a reduction of 61. on all such doubling as has been paid for at the rate of extra, this reduction to date back to the Bth of August last, the limit to which the claims were restricted. The costs of the arbitration are to be paid conjointly. We are glad to learn that the Princess Louise is satisfactorily recovering from the sprain, which still neces sitates recourse to an invalid chair. Last evening summonses were sent out for a Cabinet Council to-morrow afternoon, at one o'clock. The Foreign Secretary, after the Council, left town early last evening to visit her Majesty at Windsor Castle, CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day, Monday November 28th, 1870.—Admissions by season tickets 1,022; ditto on payment, 422 ; total -visitors, 1,444. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION. —A new portrait model of his Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Prussia has been recently added to this Exhibition. It may not have been generally observed, but it is . a fact, that Prince Napoleon's country seat on Lake Leman, known as the Villa de Prangin, is advertised for sale in this country. THE "MORNING ADYFRTISER." -- The London Figaro, we understand, was slightly incorrect in its state ment that the name of Mr. Walter Woods was placed next to that of Mr. A. B. Richards' for the editorship of the Advertiser. We believe we are correct in declaring that the competition for the coveted post was very close between Mr. Richards ? who obtained it, and Mr. Came ron, of the ?forth British Daily Mail, Glasgow, and that the latter gentleman at the last had received more votes than Mr. Woods, although the latter was a strong favourite all through. The preface to Mr. Tennyson's new book of songs, "The Window ; or the Loves of the Wrens," is as fol lows :—" Four years ago Mr. Sullivan requested me to write a little Leiderkreis, German fashion, for him to exercise his art upon. He had been very successful in setting such old soLg, as Orpheus with his lute made trees,' and I Brest up for him a puppet chiefly in the old style— a mere mot for an air—indeed, the veriest nothing unless Mr. Sullivan can make it dance to his instrument. I am sorry that my four-year-old puppet should have to dance at all in the dark shadow of these days ; but the music is now completed, and I am bound by my promise. —A. TENNYSON.' ME SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29. 1870. A CLUE THROUGH A LABYRINTH. GREAT BOAT RACE AT SOUTHAMPTON. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) Another and yet another quarterly Index to the Times, being issued from the press by Mr. Palmer as the months roll round, seems to realise to us anew the immense bene faction he ha 3 bceowed upon his subscribers by this com pilation. Practice has already got his and his assistants' hands well "in " to the work thus courageously under taken ; and, even now, although the series is of compara tively recent date, the Index, gnat ter after quarter, is ap prox4nating more and more nearly to perfection. Whim sically, it may be Laid, bat very distinctly nevertheless, it recalls to our reco'lection one of the most remarkable of the many wonderful definitions given to the world by Dr. Johnson in the original quarto edition of his Dictionary of the English Language, namely, the definition there given by him of— " Nrrwonk—Reticulations and decussations, with in terstices between the intersections." The four-oared race between a Thames and a Southamp ton crew came off over a five-mile course in Southampton Waters yesterday afternoon. The London crew were John Coxen, 9st. 61b. ; Joseph Sadler, list.; W. A. Messenger, list. 61b. ; George Hammerton, stroke, 12st. 41b.; Edward Surk, coxswain, Est. The Southampton crew were W. Budden, lOst. 91b.; T. Sutton, list. 81b.; S. Maple, list. 111 b.; J. Holderway, stroke, list. 51b.; h. Yarrold, coxswain, Est. 121 b. The stakes were £2OO. The Thames crew, who had the choice of positions, took the lead at the outset, and in a couple of minutes' time were a clear boat's length ahead, rowing 43 strokes a minute. They were soon, however, overhauled by the Southampton men, who suc ceeded in time heading them by a boat's length. By the time half the distance was covered it was found that the race was virtually over, the Southampton men increas ing their lead steadily, and coming in first by some 200 yards. Time 31 minutes. A bewildering mass of network, of reticulations, of decussations, ofiinterstices, and intersections is the Times; but thanks to Mr. Palmer's industry and perseverance every one of them is now labelled and can be upon the instant identified. The maze of facts massed together day by day, week by week, month by month, in Printing House-square, can at length every quarter be threaded easily enough under the guidance of Mr- Palmer's Index-finger through all the winding involutions of that great newspaper labyrinth. A friend, indeed, be cause so often a friend in need, is the compiler of this really wonderful book of reference, THE EXPLOIT OF THE GARIBALDIANS AT CHATILLON. The Daily News correspondent at the headquarters of Ricciotti Garibaldi, writing on November 20, says :—On the 17th he (Ricciotti Garibaldi) was at Sanlieu (whence I addressed my letter of yesterday evening), and whilethere received information that 800 Germans belonging to the 7th Army Corps, 11th Division, 27th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Landwehr Regiment were quartered at Chatillon whichlies at about 30 kilometres from here, and 89 kilometres N.W. of Dijon, on the road to Troyes. Ricciotti had with him 560 men, composed of the Chasseurs du Doubs, the Chasseurs du Havre, the Chasseurs de Lisiere, the Chas seurs de la Haute Savoie, the Chasseurs de Drole, the Chasseurs des Alpes, and the Francs-tireurs des Vosges. He immediately ordered a forced march to Mont bard, forty-two kilometres distant. He reached this place during the night, and the following morning set out for Culmier -le - See, where he arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon. Ac Cuhnier-le- See he rested his men, and at one o'clock in the morning he marched towards Chatillon. At 5.30 a.m. he arrived within a few hundred yards of the town, and immediately divided his troops into two corps, one being sent to make an attack on the western side, on the road to Tonnerre, while the other attacked on the southern side. Eighty men, the Francs•tireurs of the Haute Savoie, were then despatched to surround the Hotel de la Cote d'Or, where Colonel Ricciotti knew the staff officers were lodged. The attack was commenced by surprising the enemy's foreposts and the sentinels. A little be fore six o'clock in the morning the Colonel en tered the town at the head of his troops, and fight ing then commenced. The war cry was Garibaldi! Garibaldi ! Almost all the German soldiers were in bed, so that an immense number were made prisoners in the houses, the doors of which were forced open. The remainder rushed out only half dressed, with whatever arms they managed to lay their hands on, and as they appiared in the street were shot down. In the meanwhile the Francs-tireurs of the Haute Savoie had surrounded the Hotel de la Cote d'Or and surprised the officers in bed. The greater portion of them were made prisoners, but several desperately defended themselves and were killed. Shortly after Ricciotti and his men entered Chatillon aouriers on horseback were despatched by the enemy in the directions of Chaumont and Laignes. After thirty minutes' fighting a considerable number of the enemy abandoned the town, escapading along the high road towards Chaumont. The remainder, who had recovered from their surprise, concentrated themselves in the Town Hall, which Colonel Ricciotti decided on not attacking, the enemy holding a tolerably strong position, and he not wishing to lose men, his force being small. Besides, news came that 4,000 Prussians were at Laignes, and 1,400 on the road between Chaumont and Chatillon, and it was feared that reinforcements would arrive before the Town-hall could be captured. I should mention here that of the 060 men who marched with Ricciotti from Sau lieu, 150 had been sent out reconnoitring, so that in reality he made the attack with only 410 men, while the enemy numbered 800. After holding the town for precisely one hour and a quarter, news came to the effect that the German troops, already signalled on the road from Chau mont to Chatillon, were only 5. kilometres distant. Col. Ricciotti at once ordered a retreat, which was executed in the most perfect order, the Francs-tireurs carrying along with them 167 prisoners, among whom were 11 officers, as well as 62 horses, four carriages, saddles, and harness ; arms such as sabres, revolvers, and needle-gun rifles ; quantity of ammunition, several cases of German cigars, and boxes of papers and letters belonging to the staff. The enemy's losses in killed and wounded are calculated at more than 100, among whom two colonels and two majors were killed—one of the colonels was ,the Ger man prefect of the town. From the state of his helmet it would seem that he had been shot right through the head, for the back chews distinctly the place where the ball came out. Our losses were three killed and twelve wounded, but one of these is very dangerously hurt, and not likely to live for more than a few hours. After retiring from Chatillon, Ric ciotti proceeded at once to Culmier-le-See, and after resting his men for a few hours set out for Montbard, where he arrived during the night. He has since heard frem Chatillon that after his retreat the enemy left the townhall and killed every one they found in the streets, and even fired into some of the houses through the win dows. A gentleman who escaped from the town during the night, accompanied by his wife, says that patrols pass down the streets every quarter of an hour, and that the enemy talked of sacking the town during the night. THE MONEY MARKET. CITY, Two o'CLoox. On the Stock Exchange to-day the settlement engages attention, almost to the exclusion of general business. The tone is steady, but there is rather a tendency to re action than to further advance. The Funds are lower. Consols are quoted 921 to 93 for money and account ; Foreign Stocks are dull, bur the prices now current are about the same as last night, with the single exception of Turkish, which are lower. An instalment of 20 per cent., making 40 paid, falls due on Thursday next on the French loan for 210,000,000. Messrs. J. S. Morgan and Co. notify that they are authorised by the French Government to receive the in stalments due, payable by decree in France, upon the loan for £30,000,000 issued in Paris in August last, from such subscribers as may desire to make the said payments in London. The Mexican dollars (2480,000) recently arrived from Vera Cruz, have been sold at 581 d. per oz., being -id. de cline from late quotations. Telegrams received from Lima announce that the bill ratifying the Dreyfus Guano Contract, which lately passed the House of Representatives, has now received the sanc tion of the Senate by 26 votes to 10. This question, which has, for more than a year pait, strongly agitated political feeling in Peru, is therefore finally set at rest. At Frankfort quotations have been very firm. Austrian railway shares have advanced 5 florins on account of the opening of the line from Bresiach, on the Danube, to Bodentach, on the Saxon frontier. A report that the Silver Eagle, with troops on board, from Sydney, had been lost off Cape Horn, is stated by her owners, the Merchant Shipping Company, to be wholly without foundation. The Silver Eagle arrived off Queenstown on Friday last (all well) and proceeded at once for Plymouth, where the troops are to be disem barked. Berger, Spence, and Co.'s weekly report says :—The continental trade generally has been very good, and large quantities of alkalies have been shipped. American con sumption, although satisfactory, is not quite so extensive as last week, and the Canadian trade is almost closed for the season. The home market does not manifest so much buoyancy as it did a few days ago ; but manufacturers continue to be well supplied with orders in this branch for present execution ; and, as a rule, they prefer waiting rather than give quotations for forward delivery. There is an improved feeling to be noted in the metal market of the past week. Scotch and Cleveland pig irons remain steady. Copper is firm, and tin maintains its value. Lead continues to sell freely, and a lively demand is also springing up for speller. M. JULES FAVRE ON THE ARMISTICE. The text of M. Favre's last circular to the diplomatists has been published in the French papers. He says it is necessary for him to reply to Bismarck's circular, inas: much as the Prussian Chancellor speaks as through the Government of National Defence hed directed M. Thiers to open negotiations, and Prussia had only consented out of res pect for the character of the envoy, and the desire of con ciliation. M. Favre says it is important to remember that the proposal for an armistice originated with the neutral Powers, and he cites a long passage from Lord Grauville's despatch to Lord A. Loftus, and says the English Ambassador at Tours employed the same language without ever raising a doubt that an armistice must necessarily be accompanied by a revictualling of Paris. The opinion of Bismarck himself could scarcely have been different, since during the mission of General Burnside he spoke to him of an armistice without revictualling as being what the Govern ment of National Defence could not accept. None of the Powers entertained a doubt on the subject, and M. Thiers himself never questioned the prin. ciple, but merely its details. The statistics of daily consumption were carefully prepared by the Minister of Commerce, and M. Favre plainly intimates that Prussia would have agreed to these terms had it not , been for the news of the bricute of the 31st. The Govern ment, he says, are ready to convoke an Assembly if an armistice with revictualling is allowed ; but it must be understood that in refusing it, Prussia, in spite of all her declarations, seeks to augment their difficulties by pre venting them from consulting France. The Edinburgh Courant states that 2,109 Snider- Enfield rifles intended for the use of the Queen's Edin burgh Rifle Brigade have been brought from Birmingham to Edinburgh. CHAMPION'S BILLIARD MATCII.—A match be tween J. Boberts, jun. (the champion) and J. Bennet, for the champion challenge trophy and £lOO, was played last night, at St. James's Hall, in the presence of a large gathering of the nobility and gentry, amongst whom were the Nawab Nazim of Bengal, the Princes his sons, and suite. The champion played indifferently at tho com mencement of the game, and, moreover, had very bad luck. Bennet was altogether as fortunate, making several lucky flukes from time to time. The game was 1,000 up, and when the first 100 was called for Bennet, who took the lead from the commencement, Roberts stood at 76. At 200 for Bennet, Roberts stood at 144 ; and for the remainder of the game the respective numbers were as follows :-300 and 238, 400 and 295, 500 and 354, 600 and 446, 700 and 553, 800 and 635 ; 900 and 764. At the close of the game, which was, as usual, 1,000 up, Roberts stood at 905, having made some magnificent play towards the last, and shewing that he possesses the quality of fighting a good up-hill game. The best break by the winner was 47, and by Roberts 54. Long odds were laid on the winner, whose victory was loudly cheered. A SKELETON KEY THIEN.—A lad of about 18, gave the name of Cox, was brought up at the West minster Police-court, charged with stealing a skeleton clock, valne £4. Mr. Thomas Hawkins Rogers, of 16 Peterborough-road, Fulham, said the clock produced was stolen from his house on the 19th pf September, or there, aborts. lle identified it at a pawnbroker's on Saturday week. Walter Bird, assistant to Messrs. Debree and Avant, Drury-lane, produced the clock pledged on the 26th of Sept. for 15s. by the prisoner. Mr. King, a carman, proved giving prisoner a ride about the time of the robbery and he had a clock with him like the one produced. It was pledged in the name of Henry Palmer, an associate of the prisoner, and now in custody for various offences. A detective proved searching the prisoner's room ; he found three Brainah keys, and all the robberies had been done with these keys. Remanded for a week. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Tms DAY. DESFERATE ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.—Thos. Welsh 33, a deserter from the Royal Naval Reserve, was charged , at the Westminster Police-court, with assaulting the police and resisting his lawful apprehension, and James Marney, 19, a labourer, was charged with attempting to rescue the prisoner and assaulting the police also. The facts were not disputed. Detectives Watts and Clough, of the B Division, went to Exeter-street, Chelsea, and apprehended Welsh on the charge of desertion ; after he had gone a few yards he called on the crowd to rescue him, and Marney was the first to volunteer for that purpose ; he knocked Watts down and kicked him, enabling Welsh to get free, and, after escaping, they with a vast crowd made a vio lent attack _upon the police, and grievously assaulted Watts, Clough, Parish, 339 B, and Ross, 206 B, the whole of them being smothered with blood and bruises. Prisoners only pleaded drunkenness in excuse, and Mr. Woolrych, after describing their conduct as cowardly and ruffianly, sentenced them to three terms of six weeks' hard labour, making four months' and a half in all. AN UNFORTUNATE PROSECUTOR.—Edward Murrell and Henry Jones, two young men in the employ of Mr. Thompson, draper, Regent-street, were brought !before Mr. Benson, at the Marlborough Police-court, charged with embezzling money received on account of their employer. The cases were heard fiseparately, but the evidence in each case was nearly the same. The prisoners, who were in the employ of the prosecutor as porters at a weekly salary of 16s. each, had goods given them to deliver, for which they were to receive payment ; they received the money, and then absented themselves from their employ, and on being taken into custody by Detective Shrives, of the C Division, they each made a similar statement. Mr. Benson sentenced Murrell to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour ; and committed Jones for trial. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, TATTERSALL'S-LAST ETENING. CROYDON GRAND METROPOLITAN STEEPLE. M sto 1 agst David Copperfield (offered—t 11 to 2 6 to 1 agst Q.C., (taken and wanted) 6to 1 agst Souvenance (offered) 7 to 1 agst Lymington (taken and wanted) 10 to 1 agst Red White and Blue (taken) DERBY. 10 to 1 agst Albert Victor (taken) 10 to 1 agst General (taken) CITY BE'rTING..--INEITETIDAY. CROYDON GRAND METROPOLITAN. sto 1 agst David Copperfield (offered-11 to 2 taken) 11 to 1 agst Q.C. (offered -5 to 1 taken and wanted) 100 to 15 agst Souvenaiice (taken) 10 to 1 agst Lyrnington (taken) 12 to 1 agst Rod, White, and Blue (taken) 12 to 1 ag,pt Ampleforth (taken) GRAND NATIONAL HURDLE. 5S o 1 agst Standard Bearer (taken) 6to 1 agst Ampleforth (taken) 7to 1 agst Scarrington (taken) Bto 1 agst Q.C. (taken) 10 to 1 agst The Czar (taken) 10 to 1 agst Bliss (taken) 10 to 1 agst Magdala (taken) 10 to 1 agst Broadlea (taken) FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE A.' NORTHAMPTON. On Sunday night, 1-etween eleven and twelve, a fire occurred in a house and shop in St. (}ilea's-street, occupied by Mr. Wm. Watts, tailor and draper. The fire was die -covered by a police-constable on duty in the neighbour hood, who observed flames shining through one of the shutters. The constable raised an alarm, and endeavoured to arouse the inmates, but at first he was unsuccessful. After a time he succeeded, and Mr. and Mrs. Watts and three of their children were rescued through a window at the back of the house. Two other children, the youngest of the family, aged 5 years and 3 years, were left in the top room of the house, and it was impossible to rescue them before another twenty minutes had elapsed. They were then found dead, having died from suffocation. Mr. Watts is said to be seriously affected by the smoke. All stock in the shop and the furniture were destroyed. MURDER IN TIPPERARY. News arrived in Dublin on Saturday of a murder near Cahir, county . Tipperary, which it is greatly to be feared (despite Mr. Gladstone s Land Pacification Act) has an agrarian character. The victim was the bailiff of Colonel Charteris. He was assailed when on his return to his house, and his head beaten in with stones. He died be fore making a deposition. It may here be remarked that, although there is a detective department in connection with the constabulary force, the perpetrators of the murder committed a fortnight since near Templemoro have not been discovered. The Ribbonmen now seem to prefer seeking victims among the tenants of landlords rather than the landed proprietors themselves. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. The correspondent of the Daily News., writing from Oa' headquarters of the Crown Prince of Prussia on Novem ber 23rd, says :—There is an expectation of news from Orleans which relieves to some degree the absenci of news hereabouts. It is supposed that Prince Frederick Charles, the Grand Duke of Meeklen burg, and General von der Tanu, are moving against the Army of the Loire in such a way that it must either beat a hasty retreat, or be obligel to fight in a dangerous position--in a position where defeat would mean utter destruction. If Aurelle de Paladine should take example by Metz and Sedan he will avoid the snare. But it is very likely that even in avoiding it he will lose a good many of his rear guard. The city of Orleans will be shut in on three sides so soon as Prince Frederick Charles has crossed the Loire at Chateauneuf and occupied St. Aubin on the Vierzon line. There will then only be the side of Oozier and Illois by which the French can escape, and even this line may be threat ened by a forced march of the Grand Duke of Mecklen burg to the southward. The notion at headquarters, however, is that Aurelle de Paladine has his men so well in hand since his recent success that he will venture to retreat under the eyes of the Prussians, and ;he recapture of Orleans with a brigade or wo of Frenchmen will be the only immediate result of this masterly concentration of troops on the Loire. It will be the only immediate result, but it will leave Paris once more without hope of relief. When the siege began ' the capital of France seemed quite abandoned to its fate. The French armies had been destroyed or hn prisoned, and Paris stood alone. Then Gambetta escaped in a balloon, and the wonderful energy of the man gave new life to the provinces. Garibaldi appeared on the scene, Keratry roused his friends of the western coast, and Bourbaki took the command of the north. I doubt whether any country in the history of the world has rallied in suen a way as has France during this last autumn. Certainly no country has ever had more able and determined invaders. The race has been one of giants, but the German has outstripped his oppo nent, and towers over him tremendous as before. The new armies of the French are borne back by troops from Metz, the new works round Paris are faced by the great works of German skill, and Paris must again for a time stand almost alone on her defence. Happen what may elsewhere, the great city is the prize which will not be relinquished. By force _or famine the Germans must enter its gates before they turn their steps homewards, unless it can resist until France has put out all her strength. This last possibility seems to me very slight. I do not go so far as those who wager that by the Ist of December Paris will have fallen. But I doubt whether Trochu will per suade the people to fight for more than a month without meat, and the meat—even the horseflesh—is to be clean gone by Christmas time. So says every report and rumour from the city. "No meat after Christmas"—that is the tone of them all. Horses and donkeys, beasts from the menagerie, and tame domestic cats will then have disappeared, and Paris will be limited to bread and wine. She has plenty of these two things for two months longer than the meat will last —so says many-tongued rumour. But when the diet of the city is reduced to bread and wine, the people will demand to be led against the enemy. Being duly led, they will be, in all likelihood, driven back with loss. Then they will lose heart, and cry out for a surrender. If the German leaders did not look for some such programme as this, they would push on the attack by force, would bombard at least the outlying defences. But they reserve their fire, and prepare to repulse a sortie, It is said that they feel confident of being attacked before the end of the month. Everyone is ready, night and day, to start up at the first alarm. The great restless mass of armed men and women and children, which lies in the centre of the circle of steel, is carefully watched. Who / can tell what despair may not attempt? THE BELEAGUERING LINE. The Daily ails correspondent at the Headquarters of the Crown Prince of Saxony, at Dugny, writing on November 22nd, describes the strength of the besiegers' line, and remarks :—Each of these old-fashioned villages surrounding Paris is all but a fortress in itself. The walls are of great thickness, and there is so little wood work that shells will not fire the houses. This Dugny, for instance, might be held by a hand ful of resolute men against all corners. Its streets—if streets the wall-bordered roads can be termed — are so many covered ways affording safe passage even under a hot artillery fire. The farmhouses are built like citadels, walled in on all four sides, and with the windows looking inward. Some of them are even loopholed. A few judicious barricades are all that is needed as the com plement of the defence. These, it is needless to say, the Prussians have not neglected. In Dugny are some of the ' most artistic barricades I have ever seen—in fact, barricade is hardly the term for them—constructed as they are of stones taken from the ch,aussee, faced with a deep slope of earth, and capable of protecting their defenders from the fire of the heaviest ar tillery. Their appreciation of the axiom that water is a better barrier than earth the Prussians have shown by effecting an extensive inundation between Dugny and Le Blanc Mesnil. Into greater detail Ido not consider myself justified in entering, but thus much the French must be able to see from their own ob servatories. This MO: OUR COTE THE FOOD PROSPECTS OF PARIS. The Temps of the 24th, which has succeeded in making its way out of Paris, contains a remarkable article on the state of the besieged capital. When the Government began to prepare earnestly for a siege it was calculated that 200 grammes of meat would be required for 2,000,000 inhabitants. It was, therefore, ordered that 300,000 oxen, 225,000 sheep, 30,000 cows, and 110,000 pigs should be pro vided for the city. In reality, however, on the 12th of Sep tember, when the siege really began, there were wanting of the number required 6,000 oxen, 75,000 sheep, more than half the cows, and almost all the pigs. Flour and corn were, however, in abundance. The Temps had said that towards the 20th or 22nd of this month no more beef or mutton could be distributed. There will still be some to be had for a few days, because a portion of the consumers have decided on eating only horseflesh, and because the beasts which have been reserved to be last slaughtered, being the best in health, will furnish more flesh. " But," says the Temps, "on some days we will have only horseflesh, and it is quite useless to make people believe that which really does not exist." " The assertion is also wrong," adds the Paris journal, " which is continually repeated, that we have salt meat for several weeks ; what we have will be exhausted in loss time. Less meat has been salted than might have been wished, and it has been necessary to reserve all that has been prepared for the support of the troops on duty. This necessity is the cause of the so rapid disappearance of pigs." The Temps seems to doubt the assertion of a contemporary that there is cod and other pre served fish for ten or twelve days ; it says also that it is an exaggeration to say that there is chocolate, rice, and oil for five months. The chocolate, according to the Commision of Subsistence, would, if divided, give each citizen 750 grammes ; there is much rice still, but not enough for five months ; oil begins to be scarce. Sugar and coffee will not be wanting, nor wine, which, however, will not last for a year, as some affirm. Bread will certainly last at least far into January; rice, sugar, coffee, wine, and bread will permit the citizens to proloni the siege, if necessary, with health and strength. As to horseflesh, at the lowest account, without disorganising the important military services, Paris can supply itself with this article of food almost as long as with bread. "So that," says the article, summing up, "for a month from this our diet will not assume any over-great modifications, and for two months we are sure of being all conveniently supplied." The writer in the Temps asserts positively the correct ness of his figures, which he has got as member of the Society of Political Economy from M. Andre Cohert, a member of the Central Commission of Subsistence, instituted in connection with the Government, and, as a member of the Consultative Com mission for the Establishment of Municipal Provisioning, instituted near the Hotel de Ville, from M. Clamergan, its President, also a member of the Commission of Sub sistence. The association over which M. Clamergan pre sides has, the Temps explains, for its object to organise the supply of food, for the most part gratuitously, to the 500,000 or 600,000 persons who will, should the siege last, be left without means. who CABINET COUNCIL.—A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at Downing-street. The Ministers present were the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, the Lord Chancellor, Earl de Grey and Ripon, Viscount Halifax, the Right Hon. H. A. Bruce, Earl Glanville, the Earl of Kim berley, the Right Hon. E. Cardwell, the Duke of Argyll, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Hon. Hugh Childers, the Right Hon. G. J. Goschen, the Marquis of Hartington, and the the Right Hon. W. E. Forster. Earl Granville, after the Council, left town to visit her Majesty at Windsor. Yesterday summonses were issued for another meeting of the Cabinet Ministers to-morrow (Wednesday) after noon, at the First Lord of the Treasury's official residence in Downing-street. THE EASTERN QUESTION. The Times says : The telegraphic despatch from our special correspondent at Versailles which appeared in our later issue of yesterday gives us some assurance of a peaceful solution of the Russian difficulty, but we are glad to know that the reply proposed by the Cabinet to Prince Gortschakoff's second note is as firm and decided as if the promise of peace had not been vouchsafed us. It will not be supposed that there is any desire for war on the part of our Ministry. The cha racter of Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues is the best guarntee that war will not be invoked unless it is plainly inevitable. They are one and all emphatic men of peace, and the Emperor and his advisors may perhaps have thought that they were ready to sacrifice everything for peace. If this was the opinion held at St. Petersburg, it must by this time be dispelled. Even now, when the disposition of Prussia has been made plain, and her friendly offices are energetically employed in bringing about a Conference with a view to the settle ment of the question at issue, our Ministers have declined to be diverted from the path before them by hopes that may prove fallacious. Their plain duty on the receipt of Prince Gortschakoff's second despatch adhering to the claim of his first, was to re-affirm in more decided language the protest, that England could lend no countenance to such an assumption. This, we believe, has been done. Lord Granville's reply will, we under stand, be found so plain and direct, that its meaning can not be misunderstood, and it is very clearly intimated to Russia that, though verbal claims may be met by verbal protests, acts done in pursuance of such claims, acts violat ing the stipulations of the Treaty of 1856, must be met by acts of repression. The attitude of Great Britain in defence of the settlement of 1856 being thus sharply defined we can afford to entertain, and even welcome, the sugges tion of a Gonference. Our object is peace. The intense indignation that has been provoked by the Russian Note is due to the feeling that it is in itself a deadly blow to the spirit of peace, inasmuch as it strikes at the root of international confidence. Europe was described some four years ago by Mr. Disraeli as an armed camp, so great was the multitude of troops which the jealousy of the Continental Powers had marshalled one against the other ; but, if actual engagements are worth nothing, every nation must be armed to the teeth, and the ships of war of naval Powers multiplied till they sweep all the seas. We shall do our best, in the interests of peace, to support the pacific action of Count Bismarck, while we cannot withdraw one hair's-breadth from the position we have taken in repudiation of the principles of Prince Gortschakoff's circular. The Daily News observes that neither Prince Gorts chakoff's second circular, nor Earl G ranville's reply to it, is before the public as yet. The Foreign Secretary went to Windsor last night with his answer in his hand, and it will probably be by this time on its way to St. Petersburg. Earl Granville, of course, in no way lowers the tone of England's determi nation, nor relaxes in any sense our stern un bending faithfulness to onerous obligations. It is evident that it is this tone which has taken Russia by surprise. That England will never fight is the fatal delusion of foreigners. They come to us, and see a civil life in which the military element hardly seems to enter. They see us busy and pros perous in all the arts and all the conquests of peace. They hear among us on all sides a hearty horror of war, and a fervent wish for universal peace, and they take all these things for signs that the old warlike energy has died out of the nation. They go home and k say England will never fight, and repeat the de lusion till they believe that they have it on the actual authority of Englishmen. When Prince Gortscha kofrs note was read in the Emperor's Council, it needs no great stretch of imagination to be lieve that when it was asked how England would take it, the confident answer was that England would not care. It has gone like a revelation to St. Petersburg that Eng land does care ; and it will go back again now that England cares still, and will care to the end. What Eng land cares for, however, is not the Black Sea, and not even the Bosphorus ; it is her own plighted honour and the faith of a nation's word. Austria and Turkey have a right to reckon on us in forcing Russia to keep the bargain she made with them and us, and Austria and Turkey will find that we are faithful to our obligation, and that they will not count on us in vain. If Russia means to fight, she may, and we shall fight her ; if, on the contrary, and as we hope, she has no such intention, she will find in us a most hearty, ready, gratified response to her peaceful wishes. The matter rests with Russia. Lord Granville can only in this despatch throw back the responsibility on her. We must pick up the gage of battle:l,, if she throws it down ; but we earnestly hope she will not throw it. Already she falters in her pur pose ; already, therefore, war's rumours begin to die away. The Telegraph says : Our predictions of a Conference is in a fair way of being fulfilled. Prussia has, we believe, succeeded in convincing our Government that she does not in any degree share the responsibility of Prince Gortchakoff's Circular, and has no desire to identify herself with the policy which it pro pounds. But, on the other hand, it must be remembered that Prussia is not bound, as France, Great Britain, and Austria are bound, to reeent the threat of Russia to violate the neutralisation of the . Black Sea. A fortnight after the Treaty proper was signed, England, Austria, and France entered into a separate engagement to guarantee the integrity and inde pendence of the Turkish Empire, and those Powers under took to resist by force of arms any violation of the Treaty of Paris. The consequence of this separate engagement is, that the three signataries to it stand bound to each other to make any formal and deliberate violation of the neutrality of the Black Sea a carts belli against the Powers which so offends. Prussia and Italy stand in a different position. They are bound generally, in common with the other signataries, to respect the territorial in tegrity of Turkey ; but they are not pledged to punish the aggressor. This difference of obligations entitles Prussia and Italy to take a view of their duty different from that held by Austria and England on the present occasion. The Governments of the two latter countries are under a compact to treat the entrance of a Russian navy into the Black Sea as a cases belli against the Russian Government. They have no option in the matter. Whenever the Sultan calls upon them to redeem their pledge, they are bound to expel the intruder. They have no more right to shirk their engagement than Russia has to violate hers. It is, therefore all the more honourable to Italy and Prussia, which are not bound as we are, that they have separated themselves from the policy of St. Petersburg. Italy has refused her sanction to the claim so arrogantly made by Prince Gortscha koff, and Prussia suggests a Conference, probably to . meet in London, for the setliement of the question. To . the principle of such a refegnce, however, our Govern. ment can have no manner of objection. We believe, and have taken some pains to she w, that Count Bismarck, of all men, has no interest in furthering the designs of Rus sia on the Bosphorus, and we may be sure that, with eve ry disposition to do her a g ood turn, he will take very good care to keep her as far as possible from the mouths of the Danube, and therefore from Constantinople. On the other hand, if Russia agrees to submit her cause to the consideration of a Conference, she thereby withdraws the claim asserted iu Prince Gortchakoff's circular,. and restores herself to the comity of nations. THE TICHBORNE BARONETCY CASE. This cause cilibre came before Mr. Baron Martin and a special jury, in the Court of Exchequer, in connection with an action brought by Messrs. Sedgfield, a firm A Melbourne solicitors, against Mr. Moogen, a gentleman of the same profession in Lincoln's-inn-fields. Mr. Joseph Browne, Q.C. in stating the case, said that his clients were employed' by the defendant, who acted as the legal adviser of the gentleman known as Sir Roger Tichborne (who laid claim to the extensive property in Hamphahire owned by the Tichborne family, and the ancient baronial title of that house), to execute a commission in collecting evidence and facts in Australia to establish Sir Roger's claim, and for this purpose It was necessary to travel thousands of miles, visit wild and remote parts of the colony of Victoria, and incur risks and adventures that the learned counsel said would form the groundwork of a not uninteresting romance. Their personal disbusements alone were £2,200, calculated at ten guineas a day, and this sum, with £l,lOO claimed as remuneration and other money expended in procuring copies of documents, made the total amount claimed in the present action £,3,500. —Mr. Joyce, for tho defendant, did not deny the question of retainer, but con. tended that the amount charged was excessive, and the matter should be referred to one of the masters of the court.—The jury, under the direction of the learned judge, found a verdict for the plaintiffs for the full amount claimed. ----- GEORGE F. TRAIN ONCE MORE IN PRISON.—Mr George Bennis " private secretary" to George Francis Train writes to say that his chief has been secretly incar cerated in Lyons bastille, without accusation or explana tion. "No communication with the outer world." A number of gentlemen, interested in British South Africa, assembled at the Royal Colonial Institute. Suffolk-street, London, on Wednesday last, to present a congratulatory memorial to Sir Henry Barkly upon his appointment as Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Amongst those who attended on the occasion were Lord Bury, Sir John Swinburne, and Sir Henry Denni son.