The Sun. — London, England, 1870-12-24 00:00:00

M.P., he 30th hursday presided. aunteer ?rred to nOW in n manY is some - E n gland heard it system sful, in Europe ,r. armed e accom• ,security his own po - pula , instead -st War ay night m u nti, lkington accessive ech DTr• ited war, greatest ffe who de- ease Our last few come in y instead feel the live in riven US. mrs elves. ►ur forces es on the ;el that it 'ans that he island he armed knew of a English vase they he should A voluu tt also to pose that re would .eir coun could not try pur lich `vas ly consti is friends ights, the nen as s in Parlia • it had to required Tas done ro were yesterday nwall, or ,osing, he to knoll )nng men teed with place for t in the hospital• ranted to xl of it lent, and d again- ers were mething", if they Let there ke whole outbreak vitbin six. of Paris, out that there was as organi- Ltd to this we should would be Ls in this tion, and t, but tho ,he Crown 6t was not he whole invasion , ) wanted r could all there was I been for ecause it Thursday e students referred to Kensing it ought of design- I BY THF. 'tiers in the n• another that they has taken delegates imittee of ers for an ady E• ter £4,000; he will of the will of c-crescent, ecember 1, r £30,00 0 . New - Vs. he Trig' Thursday, :s Macdon expressed I consented is continn le by the an agree" id-row for ,ported by 313 ah has present are all eau' rong hand which b ds of fifty and priests ii ixty sn education eligion via. 9 master bas of offence 'other bud t L repair and in Vienna Empress at Y has coil - was Li t would talc° In to mak e is denied: alarm' an anti no chalic e reserved on to supßer b tutional l4s rreatly ;'ion of the ,r with the ; has begin inforroa e. It fur' the ;, manufae abault, the .esources of utions, and link 1, the 10- 1, far frel ° d seouritY? Progress 15 settlernen, ‘l 7l l il l e -; ray ration wit' 11 5 sitating , , 8 'rough of the Pi .° „, the ir? . " o . ted 'ie. mdi . tioo. as be THE • WAR. SPECI A_L EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 6 P.M. LATEST INTE LUG EN CE. TIIE GERMANS AT TOURS, An official despatch from the Royal Headquarters, Versailles, states that the Germans have refrained from occupying Tours, although a Prussian garrison Was selected by the Mayor. The shells fired were in return for the attack on the Prussian patrol, and having destroyed the railway station the Germans returned to their cantonments outside the town. BLOCKADE OF FRENCH PORTS. HONFLEUR, December 24. Fteamp and Dieppe are strongly blockaded, but Houfieur yet retiaini open. At Havre matters remain as last reported. THE GERMANS IN THE NORTH. LILLE, Dec. 23 No additional intelligence has been received either from Amiens or St. Quentin. According to the Echo du Nord the Prussian force at Rheims has been greatly strengthened. The number of troops now there amounts to 10,000, in place of 2,500. An order is in force which prohibits all persons from walking in the streets of Rheims without carrying a lantern, and nobody is allowed to leave their houses after 9 p.m. At Chalons the German force has also been rein forced in consequence of the threatening positions of the Army of the North. Three of the principal persons in "Chalons have been seized as hostages, in consequence of the re fusal of the town to grant the requisitions made by the Prussians. The Albert railway station is being repaired. GREAT BATTLE NEAR CORBIP, SUCCESS OF THE FRENCH. LILLE, December 23. An official despatch has been received from General Faidherbe, from Corbie, dated to-day, an nouncing to the Prefect of the Department of the North, the commencement of a great battle. The General says, from 11 o'clock this morning until six this evening a battle has been in progress at Pont Noyelles. We have remained masters of the field of battle, after a long artillery engagement, terminating with an infantry charge along the whole line. LILLE, December 23, The lateit intelligence from Normandy states that the enemy has evacuated Elbceuf, and occupied Evreux. The last engagement fought by General Chanzy, on the Bth, lasted from eight a.m. till five p.m. 300 prisoners were taken, and the village of Origny was recaptured. The enemy's losses were considerable. No intelligence has yet arrived from the army at Bourges. DRESDEN, December 23. A telegram from Prince George to the King of Saxony, published in the Dresden Journal of to day, says in the sortie from Paris oni the 21st the Saxon Army Corps fought against three French brigades. Two of the places evacuated by the out posts were recaptnred, after an obstinate fight in the evening, when 600 prisoners were captured by the 48th brigade. °Limy, December 21 (4 p.m.) At seven o'clock this morning an artillery battle commenced which has not yet concluded. All the French forts on the north-east and eastern side were engaged, and eighteen French field batteries, at Drancy, Le Bourget, and Bondy. Le Bourget was taken by the French early in the day. The Ger mans had along the line, from Sevran to Le Blanc Mesnil, about twelve batteries engaged. Until twelve o'clock the French fire was unremit ting and furious. After that hour the steady German fire began to tell. By half-past two the French, except in the forts, were all but silenced. Shells fell in Montfermeil, and the horse shoe was threatened by French infantry, and fired on from the fort batteries at intervals during the day. Except at Le Bourget no infantry ,was actually engaged. The French have been everywhere re pulsed, but they still continue firing in places The loss is trivial on both sides, except in powder and shot. HEAVY FIRING FROM THE FRENCH FORTS. VERSAILLES, December 23, (10.30 a.m.) Heavy firing last night atid this morning from the forts. There is hard frost, and it is bitterly cold. In the German camps and quarters preparations are being made for celebrating Christmas Day. No important news. GARIBALDI AND THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. BRUSSELS, December 23. The Independance Beige states that a resolution has been submitted to the Municipality of • Lyons proposing that Garibaldi should be appointed a member of the French Government of National Defence. DEPARTURE OF M. GAMBETTA FOR LYONS. A despatch from Bordeaux, dated December 21, says that M. Gambetta, in order to ascertain the true state of the military forces, has left Bourges to pro ceed to the Army of Lyons. The shops in Paris are lighted with petroleum ; nevertheless, theft and murder were never less fro- quent. Councils of war are held under the presidency o. General rrochu. BO URBA.KI'S ARMY. The latest accounts received in Bordeaux state that General 80 - arbaki's army is being strengthened in every way. The General is ably seconded by Generals Clin champs and Billot. NEWS FROINI VIENNA. VIENNA, December 23 A letter from Constantinople to the Presse says that Russia offers Turkey, as compensation for Article 14 of the Treaty, to obtain, with the help of Prussia, substantial modification of the Capitulation Treaties, and to help Turkey to regain her sove reignty over the Bey of Tunis, which was los through French intrigues. The Prince of Roumania has drawn the attention of the Powers to the ambiguous position held by him under the Paris Treaty of 1856. He has not however, made any definite proposals concerning his elevation to the rank of an independent Sovereign. A letter from Signor Visconti Venosta to the Austrian Government was published yesterday. It urges Austria to assist in reconciling the Pape with the Italian Government. Warren's Correspondence says that the Loudo❑ Treaty was meant to prevent war between France and Prussia, and that if these Powers agree at the close of the present war to another agreement there is no reason why the remaining Powers should Object, THE ITALIAN CAPITAL. FLORENCE, December 23 (11.15 p.m.). The transfer of the capital to Rome was voted by a very large majority, and is to be carried into effect on July 1. The Parliament has adjourned until the 16th of January. THE ECLIPSE. The Astronomer Royal presents his compliments to the editor of The Sun, and transmits a tele gram which was despatched by Lord Lindsay imme diately after the eclipse, but which has been received only this morning, December 24. Lord Lindsay's place of observation was La Maria Luisa, which appears to be near Puerto, the mainland station opposite Cadiz. A few cor rections were necssary to the telegram, but it is be lieved that all is certain. "Photographs -successful. Two good pictures of corona. Polariscope doubtful. Sketching good. Corona [gives] continuous spectrum, no lines. Broken sky." THE LUXEMBURG - QUESTION. EARL GRANVILLE'S REPLY. BERLIN, December 22. In his answer to Count Bismark's Circular rela tive to the violation of neutrality by the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Lord Granville expresses his regret that the Grand Ducal Government should have given cause for the reclamations made by the Government of the North German Confederation, However, Earl Garnville adds that, before coming to e decided opinion upon the matter, he must await the expression of the views of the other Governments interested, and especially the of the 'Government of Luxemburg. The tone of the English despatch is friendly and conciliatory. The English Government entertains the hope that Germany does not propose to renounce formally the Treaty of 1867, and that, in any case, she will be prepared to take part in deliberations in view of arriving at a pacific solution before taking any further steps. THE BLACK SEA. CONFERENCE. BERLIN, DecernbEr 22, (9.45 P.m.) The first preliminary sitting of the Black Sea Conference will soon be held in London. To avoid further negotiation with France no special invitations have been issued. Though France may not attend, there will be nothing to prevent her signifying her' adhesion subsequently. THE MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE. We are officially informed that the fist meeting of the Conference op the Neutralisation of the. Black Sea under the Treaty of Paris of 1856 is fixed for Tuesday, the 3rd of January, 1871. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) THE AMALGAMATED ASSOCIATION OF MINERS. The Executive Committee of the Amalgamated Associa tion of Miners, which has been sitting at Manchester for two days, on terminating their meeting yesterday resolved that, considering the state 31 the coal trade was so good all miners in Lancashire, North Staffordshire, and North Wales should be requested to send an appeal to their employers for alO per cent. rise in their wages. Deputa tions will be appointed to wait upon the employers at the end of the month. LORD DERRY ON LITERATURE FOR WORK, ING MEN. Lord Derby, in delivering the prizes yesterday at the Liverpool College, expressei very favourable opinions of the working of the new Education Act. His lordship also strongly advocated the advisability of hard-workers in business refreshing their minds pretty frequently by read ing varied literature, but always bearing in mind that it should be the supreme duty of every man to thoroughly perform his private and public duty. FORGING BILLS OF EXCHANGE. Yesterday afternoon, Thomas Henry Tripney, a Bristo auctioneer, several years in business, was committed for trial, at' the Bristol Assizes, for uttering two forged bills of exchange for £2G and £2l 10s. respectively. He had uttered the bills to discounters, and forged the names of two respectable Bristol firms. Bail was refused. A CRUEL OUTRAGE. A farrier named Mr. Richard Bowers, residing at Braunston Lodge, near Rugby, Warwickshire, has been the victim of'a most cruel and wanton outrage. It appears that he owned five cows, all in calf, and during last week they all died. Wishing to know the cause of death he on Wednesday last called on Mr. Merrick, a veterinary surgeon of Northampton, who made a post mortem ex amination, and found that an instrument two feet in length had been forced into the inside of the cows, and had thus caused death. Mr. Bower's waggoner has been apprehended on suspicion. Tti SUN, LONDON, SAT THE MONEY MARKET. CITY, Two. o'CLocx, The Stock Exchange closed last evening- until Tuesday morning for the Christmas holidays, and consequently no business is being done. The advices from Berlin state with regard to the allot ment of the North German Loan that all subscriptions up .to 2100 will be fully attended to, but that higher applications will be reduced to 16 2-3 per cent., with a proviso, however, that in no case shall less than 2100 be given. The Frankfort advices describe great dullness on the Bourse in consequence of the protracted war preparations visible . on all sides for its continuance. Large reinforce ments are going to France, and new armies are prepared to be sent thither in the spring. The mode of introduc tion of the North GermareLoa,n has been much censured. " There was no necessity to appeal so a combination of bankers, whereby the State lost one and a half million of thalers, as the public would have taken it as they took the first loan before the battle of Woerth, when bankers kept aloof." The colonial produce markets this week have been without movement. The Christmas holiday will - extend to the 3d of January next. The Manchester Courier states :—" At an adjourned meeting of the creditors of Mr. Samuel Shaw, the sur viving member of the firm of Peter Shaw and Co., Micklehurst-mill, Mossley, no acceptable proposition was submitted, and it was decided to wind up the affairs in bankruptcy." It is stated, apparently on good authority, that the Prussians have again prohibited the merchants of Cham pagne from sending their wine to Belgium for transmission thence to England or elsewhere. An order has been made by Vice• Chancellor Bacon for the winding up of the Parcels Conveyance Company (Limited), under the supervision of the Court, and ap pointing Mr. Tunks, the late managing director of the company, and Mr. Joseph Simpson, accountant, official liquidators. Vice-Chancellor Malins, has confirmed the payment of a first dividend of 4s. in the pound to the creditors of the Hercules Insurance Company, in liquidation, on the 29th instant, at the offices of the official liquidator, Mr. White. Mr. B. B. Williams, for many years a large and successful financial operator on the London and Con tinental Exchanges, died yesterday morning. His age was seventy-four. CHARGE OF LIBEL. TO THE EDITOR. OF TILE SUN. SlR,—Will you allow me to state that the Mr. Sidney charged with libel at the Guildhall on Thursday last is not in any way connected with this newspaper.—Yours obediently, F. SIDNEY. London Mirror Office, December 23, 1870. THE ADMIRALTY. It is rumoured that changes are likely to occur before long in the Board of Admiralty. It is said that Lord John Hay does not find his position much to his mind, and it is expected in naval circles that he will make way for Rear-Admiral Hornby. The remarks which Mr. Childers, in his minute, has made on the Controller of the Navy, renders it almost impossible that he and Sir Spencer Robinson should continue members of the same board, and it is fully expected that Sir Spencer will now put in execution his frequently uttered but as yet unful filled threat of resignation. THE EXPORT OF ARMS TO FRANCE. We are told that not less than 120,000 rifles have been exported from this country to French ports recently. The Customs officials have, it is, said, received instructions not to stop transit provided there is no attempt at con cealment. It is only in the event of a fictitious descrip tion that they are liable to seizure. The manufacture of warlike materiel is also going on with the utmost rapidity. So great is the demand for ammunition that a number of persons have entered into the trade at Bimingham who have no license.—Globe. The Dublin mountains have been again clothed with snow, and the winter seems to have afresh set in with severity.• _ _ The Carlisle Town Council have resolved to apply for a School Board. At Leamington and Warwick the school accommodation is believed to be sufficient. The car and cabowners of Dublin held a meeting on Thursday for the purpose of opposing the Tramways Bill for Dublin, but the attendance was by no means large. DEATH OF SIR CLIFFORD CONSTABLE.—The death is announced of Sir Clifford Constable, Bart., of Burton-Constable, Yorkshire. The deceased, who was 64 years old, will be succeeded by his only son, Frederick Augustus Talbot. One Maine editor has sued another Maine editor for defamation of character, and the defence is understood to be that, in the first place, the plaintiff had no charac ter .to speak of, and that, even if he had, nothing the defendant could say would injure anybody. - - - - The German field-post conveyed between the 15th oj October and the Bth of December 1,219,533 parcels. The transmission of these required the services of 560 railway trucks and many hundreds of horses and vehicles, and it was not till the 16th inst. that the last transport could leave Berlin. _ It is stated that Mr. Hugh Law, Q.C., or Mr. O'Hao, - an, Q.C., will be a candidate for the representation of Newry, in the Liberal interest, in the room of Mr. Kirk. A local meeting of the Liberal party has already been held, but the proceedings were private. The Lancet has been informed that some strong evidence has been brought forward before the Royal Commission on the Contagious Diseases Acts, shewing the excellent effect of the working of these Acts in cer tain districts in diminishing the number, by reform and otherwise, of young girls pursuing dissolute lives. It is satisfactory to learn from the Civilian that the re-organisation of the pattern and sample posts is under the immediate consideration of the Postal authori ties, and that early in the ensuing year very extensive alterations will be made, greatly to the advantage of the public. THE FRENCH RESOURCES.—AII the French resi dents at Rome have been compelled to attend at the Embassy titre, in order that their fitness for military service might be ascertained. Several of the number were ordered to depart for France immediately, and to present themselves by a certain date, at places mentioned, in France. THE NORWICH ELECTION PETITION.—The Nor wich election petition is to be tried, after all, in its origi nal form. The date originally fixed for the hearing, January the 4th, is also to be adhered to, as the Liberals will bring recriminatory charges against the Conserva tives. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LATEST LONDON BETTING. WATERLOO CUP. 20 to 1 agst Lord Lurgan's nomination (taken) 20 to 1 agst Lord Haddington's nomination (taken) 30 to 1 agst Mr. Forester's nomination (taken) GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE. 1000 to 40 agst Schiedam (offered-1000 to 30 taken and wanted) 500 to 20 agst The Doctor (taken) 1000 to 40 agst The Lamb (offered) 1000 to 30 agst Primrose (offered) POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—` ms DAY. A CURIOUS CHARGE AGAINST MILKMEN.—Thomas Messer, late a milk seller, in the employ of Mr. Dan cocks, purveyor of milk to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Fulham-road, and Thomas Goddard, his brother in-law, were examined at the Westminster Police-court, charged with conspiring to defraud Arr. Dancocks of his customers by other than lawful means. Mr. W. D. Smyth, solicitor, of Rochester-row, prosecuted ; Mr. Collins, barrister, defended. Messer was bound to Mr. Dancocks under a £2O penalty not to sell milk on his own account within a certain radius, or assist another to do it ; but he appears, however, to have gone about with Goddard, to whom he handed some of the money paid by Mr. Dancocks's customers, the latter imagining that it was Mr. Dancocks's milk. To one customer Goddard said he had bought part of Mr. Dancocks's walk ; and to another when she complained of the milk being thin, he said, " You had better go to the office," thereby inferring that he was in Mr. Dancocks's service. The theory of the prosecution, therefore, was that the two defendants were either selling theft own milk, and attempting to deprive Mr. Dancocks of his customers, or • that the milk was " watered," and the money handed to Goddard was that arising from the extra quantity produced by the water. Mr. Arnold gave 3udgment at some length, but was under the impression that the evidence of " watering " was only evidence of opinion, and, although the two defendants had been guilty of dirty and underhand proceedings, there was no conspiracy in law, and Mr. Dancocks had not been damnified, for there was no evidence that he had lost any of his customers, so, therefore, they had not acted crimi nally, and Mr. Dancocks would have a civil remedy against Messer if the evidence were correct. He should discharge them. MISCREANTS. —Ridding the Public of Dangerous Characters. —George Arthur Woodhouse and Samuel Clements, alias Clement Wix, were charged before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough-street Police-court, with fre quenting urinals as suspected.persons. Detectives Butcher and Shrives, of the C Division, about 12 o'clock last' night saw the prisoners following gentlemen into several urinals, and then took them into custody, having previously seen Clements talking to a fellow named Cassell, better known as " Lady Jane Geey." In reply to Mr. Knox the officer (Butcher) stated that Woodhouse was charged at that court in September, 1869, with a similar offence along with Cassell, and committed for three months hard labour, Cassell being sent to the Ses , sions and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and a flogging, On searching Woodhouse; he found on him a powder puff, used for powdering his face. The prisoners entered into long and rambling statements, Woodhouse in a very effeminate tone of voice, and Wood house called a young man on his behalf, who as well as Woodhouse said the police persecuted them. Mr. Knox said of all the miscreants brought to that court, the pri soners were specimens of the worst, as they were in the practice of frequenting places for the purpose of extort ing money from persons by accusing them of crimes which would drive them from their fellows. ' The pri soners would be committed for three months' each with hard labour, and if they ever came before him again he would send them to the sessions. EXPLOSIVE MANUFACTURES. —A correspondent writes " Permit me to invite your aid in a matter whicl seems to me of much moment to thousands. I live 300 yards from the great cartridge manufactury in Gray's-inn road, and I venture to say am therefore in a very danger ous and hazardous neighbourhood, which it is certainly theduty of the Government to make safe and satisfactory. Amid all the rumours of Continental war and misery, the losses of life by railway collisions and the blowing up in the provinces recently of a place such as that I now speak `of, it appears to me that an accident of the most trivial natdTußrpeEromupY property." THE any moment deprive hundreds of us of life an y. O " F FOG SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS.—The a e s following statement shews the number of fog signals that were exploded at five stations of the South-Eastern Rail way, within the London district, on one foggy day in November last :—Charing-cross, 61 ; Waterloo Junction, 84 ; Cannon-street, 432 ; London-bridge, 360 ; Spa-road, 504—total, 1,441. VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY DRILL.—It is expected that an order will be soon issued directing an extension of drill to the Volunteer Artillery, and that next year the force will be instructed in gun drill practice, in mounting and dismounting heavy siege guns, and various other operations, so as to assimilate the corps to regular artillery. Every corps will be examined as to this extended drill. THE CUBAN REPUBLIC. —The island of Cuba, which has so long been suffering from internal disorgani sation, aspires to add another. to the list of young Republics. General Manuel de Cespedes, Pre- ' , sident of the Republic of Cuba, has written a letter to the President of the Cuban League of the United States, denying the atrocities attributed to the soldiers of the 'Republic. If any Ouban officer or soldier has been guilty of any excess, which has rarely . happened, he has immediately suffered the penalty of death. The Government has never authorised the execution of prisoners taken in arms ex cept after a formal trial by a military court. En revanche, President Cespedes accuses the Spaniards of mutilating the dead and attacking peaceful citizens, old men, women, and children. These horrors will, however, soon be at an end, as the Spaniards will speedily be driven from Cuba, and the beautiful island will take the place which her courage, long suffering, and capacity for self-govern ment entitle her to claim among civilised nations The Cuban people express their grateful sense of the sym pathy.and encouragement they have received from the American nation during their struggle for independence. The statement that the famous steamer Hornet was being fitted out at New York for another Cuban expedition is contradicted. RDAY, DECEMBER 24, THE LATE' ENGAGEMENTS WITLI GARIBALDI. In a communication from Autun, the special correspon dent of the Daily News at the headquarters of Garibaldi, remarks : The Germans as a military nation, have during the present campaign, conquered a reputation superior even to that enjoyed by France previous to its recent disasters. We read everywhere that the German artillery .s both perfect and plentiful, that the soldiers are models of discipline and courage, that their officers are brave, intelli gent , and capable, that the cavalry is the first in the world, and that the fire-arms used in the German armies, if not equal to any that are likely to be brought against them, are at all events very little below the mark. With all these striking advantages before me, I am corn— pletely at a loss to understand how it was that in the re cent affairs which Garibaldi's army has had with that of General Werder the Germans did not cut a better figure. I have already related in a previous correspondence how on the 20th of last month Garibaldi, with two bat teries of artillery (8 -pounders), went to within 500 yards of Dijon, driving before him 5,000 Baden troops, and how when the Mo'bile Guard fled, 500 horsemen—nay, twenty five Uhlans, sent at a gallop down the Paris road, could have slaughtered or made prisoners a quarter of our army. And yet the Germans, with a somewhat formidable artil lery in comparison with ours—for during the day they had used mitrailleuses and 24-peunders--contented themselves with remaining on the defensive, allowing us to get back to Lantenay, 10 or 12 miles distant, without losing a man apart from those killed or wounded in the fight. The following morning they attack us on the plain of Paques, our Mobiles, that is to say the larger portion of our army, break away without firing a single shot, and yet, with our army flying like chaff before the wind, with a large portion of our troops thoroughly demoralised, making off in six different directions, we succeed in In inging what may almost be called our entire army—for we certainly did not lose over two or three hundred men in killed, wounded, and prisoners—first to Sombernom, then to Arnay-le-Duc, and ultimately to Autun, without seeing, or hearing anything of the enemy. Out of the few prisoners that the Ger mans name—about 120 in all, I believe-80 have since escaped. They were all stragglers, who had profited by the precipitate retreat to remain behind and obtain food and shelter from the peasantry. The day the Germans attacked us here they might, had they possessed the shadow of their reputed pluck, have gained a brilliant victory. They managed to get within, !Not three or four kilometres of the town, as I said in the letter I sent you a week ago, but actually within one kilometre, at which distance they planted two batteries. Colonel Canzio, Garibaldi's son-in-law, tells me that they were 5,000 strong, with 1,000 cavalry and 60 pieces of cannon. Certain people have said that General Garibaldi allowed the Germans to. get close to the town in order to defeat them more ad vantageously. This I publicly state to be false. I have already told you how we were surprised. The General with three or four officers was on the hill at the south of Autun, beside the ruins of the pyramid of Couard, look ing out for the enemy with telescopes and field glasses in every direction. All at once he happened to look down before him, and there, with his naked eye, saw the Ger mans quietly placing two pieces of cannon in battery in front of the Convent of St. ' Martin, situated within two-thirds of a mile north of Autun. Before he could descend the hill into the town and reach the Sous-Pre fecture, several shots had been fired. How was it, then, while Riccicotti Garibaldi had arrived in the morning with his Francs-tireurs, having exchanged shots with the enemy at Arnay-le-Duc, that we could be surprised on the afternoon of the same day in this ex traordinary, and, I am constrained to say, disgraceful manner? For it is positively awful to think of the butchery that might have been the result of a successful move ment on the part of the enemy. It appears that as soon Ets General Garibaldi had seen his son Ricciotti, he ordered the chief of the General Staff to send out scouts, and post sentinels and troops at various places in the plain. These directions, it seems, were only imperfectly executed, so that the fault rests entirely with the General Staff or Etat Major. This, however, does not alter the fact that, had we been beaten by the Germans, General Garibaldi would have been held responsible, notwith standing that he had taken all the necessary measures for defending the place. This circumstance was the signal for .the bursting of a tempest that had been hanging about for a very long. On December 2, the day following the fight, Colonel Canzio tendered his resignation, declaring that he would not serve with men incapable of fulfilling the duties incumbent on the posts which they occupied. colonel Canzio's resignation was followed by that of all 6he principal Italian officers, including that of General illenotti Garibaldi, I believe. ' KING WILLIAM AND THE IMPERIAL CROWN. The presentation of the Imperial Crown of Germany ;o King William of Prussia at Versailles is vividly'described by Dr. Russell. The scene on the 13th was a brilliant sne ; Dr. Russell indeed goes so far as ;o . say that the day ought to be ever remembered in the history of France, Germany, and the world. King William attended Divine service in the :hapel of Louis XIV. with more state than usual. There was a strong military guard, who took up their posts in he chapel organ gallery, and also a large assem blage of princes and grand dukes. Curiously mough, the company entering the chapel had ;o pass between two groups guarding the gate. that on the right represents " France triumphant over ;he German Empire," and that on the left, " France aiumphant over Spain." The coincidence is not ► little • singular. At 10. 15., the doors of the lapel, which had been closed, were flung open, and the King appeared. He was in his usual uniform, and his commanding figure was draped In a long military cloak. His Majesty walked with luick, firm strides up the centre, and took his place in a nigh-backed chair on the right, facing the altar. He was alone, and for some seconds his Staff • remained behind, and then came in and sat behind the King. the King-Emperor, who has not entered Pari4 yet, has twice visited it with conquering armies—in 1814 and I.Bls—when it was almost an open city, and when the French ',army, defeated outside its walls, could find so rallying !point ; and it may well be imagined hat the Imperial Crown seems to him not luite his own as yet, When all were assembled the doors were closed, and the band in the gallery played one of the noble hymns of the military service. The sermon which followed was very appropriate and sloquent, but it is difficult to fill the chapel even with the best modulated tones, and the effect of the discourse was somewhat impaired. When the delegation went to he King at the Prefecture and prayed him to accept ;he Crown, the. spectacle outside the building was not very imposing. The townspeople know little and care less for the ceremonials of the conqueror, but nevertheless the fineness of the weather attracted many loiterers. The new royal standard of purple silk, with its cross, white bordered and its golden crown hoisted over the Prefecture, attracted their gaze. "And so King William is to be made an Emperor " said one. " What good will that do him ? " Bah !" answered another, " Let them. I wish them joy. We tried Emperors, and a pretty pass they brought France to." "Perhaps," joined in a third, " this one will give the Germans a pretty turn. I wonder they do not take warning from us." There were some old d6cores there, interrupted in their stroll up and down the avenue, who went grimly on and returned no more—one, a younger man than these ancient generals and colonels, walking with a lady, was pointed out to me as a colonel on Marshal Bazaine's staff here on parole with his family. Before two o'clock the Princes began to arrive. Count Bismarck was by himself in an open carriage, with his invariable Cuirassier undress cap, frock, and overalls. The Crown Prince wore his uniform as Field- Marshal, and looked exceedingly happy. The procession of princes, officers, and authorities of various kinds moved on, but at last there was an end„ and the door closed on the delegation. " And now it is done ! Old Barbarossa may go to sleep now," exclaimed one officer. " Thank God !" "Amen !" answered a grave bescarred old Colonel, " It is His work, and I can sing Nunc IThnittis." Presently there appeared on the steps witnesses of what had passed within ; they were deeply moved—some with tears not in their eyes alone, but on their cheeks,—" Enfin I C'est une ealamite. Voila, Pierre, commie pleurent." But they were tears of joy. The words of those favoured ones were eagerly listened to by the officers outside. They spoke of the King's emotion—of the joy that could only find vent -in sobs among the veteran generals who stood around him as he strove to conquer his tongue and give his Royal answer. The ad dress and the reply have been telegraphed to Berlin, and tliep:e have gone over the world. The Independance Beige publishes several hundred more signatures of French officers protesting against the projects of a Bonapartist restoration. . CRYSTAL PALACE.—The ice upon the great basins in the grounds promises well for skaters to-day. On Boxing Day the Palace will be open from nine in the morning until nine at night. In addition to the success ful pantomime, " Gulliver," there will be a series of amusements at mid-day. The Palace is well warmed each day, and the decorations are unusually gay. BTh. TILE INSI - I:RECTION IN PARIS. Commenting on the late insurrection in Paris, the special,corresl9ndent of the St f tadard, in a letter ,dated December 19, remarks:—Paris continues to be c din , reso lute, and confident. Provisions will hold out for a consi- • derable time. The army and population are full of ardour. This is most excellent news, and I hope that the details will prove that it is true. Some of the • journals aFfinnie that this is a complete contra: diction to the reoin-t- , current during the last day or two of a fresh t•! ,, , L at insurrection. Such is, by no means, my idea. haste which Government has made to lay this dispale before the public contrasts very strongly with their reticence in concealing altogether the news brought by the last two balloons, and is conclusive, to my mind, that the rmuour of the insurrection was well founded, and that the Goveimment were extremely uneasy and anxious as to the attempts at revolt, I have no doubt whatever. I am also told, upon what I believe to be autho ri the plan of the revolutionists was to wait for the next great sortie, and then, when time whole of the troops and Mobiles were fighting, to seize the gates, to man the walls, to refuse to allow troops to re-enter, and to treat with the• Germans for -the capitulation of the town. This last item of news I disbelieve altogether. If the Reds were thus treacherously to deliver up Paris to the Prus . slams, they would excite such a cry of execration•through out the country as to render any hope of their party coming into power for another century altogether im possible. But that they intended to seize the gates, to expel the Government, and appoint one of their own ealour, I believe. Fortunately, the plot was discovered in time. The intended sortie was postponed, and the leader was arrested, not, it is said, without street fighting. If this is the correct account of the affair, and if, as Was asserted, Paris was calm and confident upon the 17th, it is probable .that the Reds are completely cowed, and that things will now go on calmly again for another three weeks or a month. THE RE'T'REAT OF GENERAL CHANZY. ;;.om Bordeaux, iinder date December 10, the special correspondent of the Standard thus' comments on General Chanzy's retreat :—We learn today that Chanzy, upon the day succeeding the battle of the 15th, again fell back with all his forces towards St. Calais and Le Mans, eva cuating Vendome: This, no doubt, will be claimed as a victory by the Germans, but these victories cost terribly dear, and the resistance will become more obstinate asChanzy receives reinforcements, and opproaches nearer to Le Mans, which is his real base of operation. Every foot which the enemy advances in this direction carries them farther away from the army of Bourbaki, and opens more completely the road for the advance of that general. Chanzy will, I have no doubt, continue his retreat until he is in the neighbourhood of Le Mans, and there, joined by the Bretons from Conlie, he will Make a determined stand. He gains strength by falling back, while the Germans lose it in advancing. The obstinate battles which are fought every day must tell tremendously upon the strength of their armies ; and, assuming that they were 150,000 before the commencement of the fighting in front of Orleans, they cannot have more than 120,000 now in line of battle, that is to say, unless they have been reinforced by some• of the newly-arrived Landwehr. I have no fear for the safety of Chanzy's army. Its reinforcements are now so close-to it that even if it experiences a slight disaster, its losses could be far more than filled up in forty-eight hours. The same mysterious silence prevails as to Bourbaki and Gambetta. We have no doubt that they are busy, and they are certainly not disquieted in their work of organisation by the enemy. A sharp controversy is raging between the Opposition and the Government papers respecting M. Gambetta. The Gazette de /a France says that it is quite time that the advocates have given up meddling in matters about which it is too evident they know nothing, and that M. Gambetta ought at once to return to the seat of Government, and allow the generals to carry out their plans without interference. This the Gironde considers to be little short of treason ; and it maintains that the . Gazette in thus attacking the " commander-in-Chief " of the French armies is doing the work of the Prussians. All .sensible persons, however, are of opinion that the Gazette is perfectly right. M. Gambetta has played the part of commander.' in-chief too long. His dipositions before the battles of Orleans were fatally weak; it is evident that he is no heaven-born soldier, and that, though a third-rate advo . cate may make a tolerably good Minister of the In:;erdor, or even Minister of War, as long as ho attends to his proper functions, his assumption of the duties and functions of commander-hi-chief is at once ridiculous and disastrous. THE IRISH PRESS ON THE TEN lAN AMNESTY. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) The Iriskman says -It is ;the substitution of one form of punishment for another, scarcely less severe, It is im possible for any English Minister to abandon the tradi tional English policy towards Ireland. " Liberal " Minis ter Gladstone is as complete a sham to its prompting as the bitterest Tory of them all. Gladstone himself makes out a perfectly unanswerable case for their unconditional release, so that the Government might set them•free, and the people of England could not be very much frightened. But he only banishes them, and it is therefore plain that "Ireland is not prosperous," and that the powers of " disaffection and revolution" aro anything but weakened. The honour of the English Prime Minister is not merely, unfulfilled, it is de liberately broken. The voice of the Irish nation is not only disregarded, it is insulted, and repudiated. The faithlessness of the English Minister will be the only monument in the memory of the people to warn them from putting their trust in the politicians of England. The go forth from their prisoi,s mission aries of other countries' cause, tend Ireland will pray for the day when her. confessors may return. The Nation hails the announcement of the release of the political prisoners as good news, but complains that the stipulation as to banishment spoils the effect of the act, which it refuses to call an "amnesty," but rather charac terises it as " a haltiLg, half-hearted act." The Nation continues : We quite fail to see any approach to wisdom in the limitations with which Mr. Gladstone has encum bered his order of release. Had the men been left free to reside in their native land they certainly would not show themselves insensible to the fact that their libera tion is complete, and that • Government which had acted generously by them was willing to rely on their sense of gratitude as a sufficient guarantee for their future peaceable behaviour; but the steps on whiCh the Government have resolved place no such obligation on the minds of the released men. When we take into con sideration the fact that in America, the• country to which most of the released prisoners will probably take their way, there exists a powerful organisation of armed Irish men pledged to the work of overthrowing British rule in Ireland, we cannot help thinking the more kindly and trustful course would have been the wiser one. The Weekly News takes a similar view. The uncondi tional pardon of the prisoners would have been a graceful and also a safe act. The limited concession granted will not be as potent as a more generous measure in weakening, to use Mr. Gladstone's own phrase, " the power of disaf fection and revolution." The Flag of Ireland says : An amnesty was promised, but banishment is given. This is unjust and unfair. The released prisoners will go forth from their native land, but they shall return again. They go forth like Kossuth and the Hungarian exiles, but, like them, they shall come back once more to be welcomed by the land that gave them birth. They shall be welcomed back triumphant to the council halls d their country, where they shall sit, the representatives of a nation the equal of England, and the peer of any country under heaven. THE WEATHER. The frost continues severe, and all the sheets of water in the parks are now covered with ice, which will be strong enough to bear by Christmas-day if a change in the weather does not in the meantime set in. The arrangements of the Royal Humane Society for the rescue of persons falling into the water have been completed under the direction of Mr. Lambton Young and Mr. Williams, and the icemen have taken up their posts in the parks, with their tents and life-saving apparatus: On Thursday night the mercury fell as low as 18 deg. During the greater part of yesterday it remainsd at 22 deg. and it fell 2 deg. lower last night. The lakes in Batter sea Park, which are sheltered by banks, are now covered witli ice nearly an inch and a half thick, and, as the depth in no part exceeds 2 feet or 3 feet, skating can now be enjoyed on them with little, danger. The Skating Blub are about to erect their tent there. • CRYSTAL PALACE. One Shilling Day, Fri day, December 23rd, 1810.—Admissions by season ticicts 2,154 ; ditto on payment, 1,391; total visitors, 3,545. The Independance Beige publishes a letter from a French Staff Colonel made prisoner at Metz. He is a nobleman, and formerly occupied a high position at the Tuileries. He condemns Bazaine in the strongest terms, and his description of the Marshal's treachery goes far beyond Gambetta's: OUR CO : - .TAYIPORARIES---This Taming CHRISTMAS 1870. The Tiiries;i an ai tide on the itsTieg — Of - affair's at home and abroad, 'says : The sort of Christ Mas oar unfortunate neighbours, the French, are.havines in their devoted city we have to imagine. Their streets and shops are dark from twilight to twilight, more than half the twenty-four hours. Festivity, amusement, and that sociality • which peculiar production and very pride of France, h• .11 given given place to the stern business of self preservation, the first and rudest. law of nature. Hasd ship and self-denial need the relief of hope and the initi 7 • gation of transient success. The entire heart of France is wasted, pillaged, blackened with fire, sodden' with slaughter, and hideo is with sad or evil memories. All this, and the immense mass of domestic miseries which can never be told, we may imagine in some rough outside fashion. Let us strain our imaginations a little more; and suppose our own country in the hands of such a • foe, so strong, so multitudinous, so able, SO trained to the business of war, so resolved to be content with no less than its dues by the laws of war, on its own appreciation. What •if this Christmas had brought before us the certainty of such a • disaster ? The customary congratulations of the season would have been a mockery and an insult with so dire a reality in prospect. Who can be merry, or even cheerful, on the eve of massacre, bombardment, conflagra tion, ruin, disgrace, or famine, and the pests that go with famine ? It is doubtful whether France will emerge from her flood of misery the France she was before ; and it is not less doubtful whether England would emerge from a similar trial the England of • history, of present attainment, and just aspirations. We, too, have home divisions ; we have an Empire held together by the • magic •of a name, with no very material bond ; we have a social development now in active progress, leading to results we know not of, but easily thwarted or warped to results we should little desire. Every institutien in this country is on its trial, and trials are as often decided by rude necessity or blind chance as by wisdom or • justice. A prolonged military occupation, even if it fell far short of a conquest, would precipitate, if not quite foreclose, some of our social controversies. But, putting the future, far or near, out of account,we ask again, how should we meet this Christ mas with the horrid certainty of an enemy at our gates this next year,an enemy who had got over the great difficulty— broken our outer line of waves, rocks, and shoals, and established himself on our hitherto inviolable soil? All the soldiers we have under arms in these isles would not be sufficient to arrest one of. the armies we now see in' the field for more than a day or two, and might only maiph to repeat the tragedy of Sedan. Never, says the Standard, in our Christian annals has the anniversary of peace and goodwill become so great and scandalous a mockery. All that should accompany the time is wanting. Every festive rite is a sarcasm—every joyous invocation an irony. The compliments of the season are fire, slaughter, and famine. The lord of the feast is Death, and over all the scene is one great splash of blood. Wt keep our merry Christmas with half the Continent wrapt in war, and the other half full of suspicion, jealousy, and fear. Barely secure in our own island, we cannot listen to the sound of the cannon from the battle-fields of France without the gloomiest forebodings. The peace we have we must know to be dearly purchased and held by the slenderest of tenures. The goodwill we celebrate we look for in vain among the nations. Everywhere is war or preparation for war. The groans of a hundred thousand wounded and dying men, some lying stark and cold in the Christmas snow—the roar of the cannon and the shriek of the mitrailleuse, these are the chorus whose voices mingle with the " merry, merry bells of Yule," which make hideous the festive apparatus and spoil the sentiment of the blessed Christian festival. It is a season when we may with profit look back upon the events of the past twelve months, and ask ourselves what share we have had in the horrid business which jars with the spirit of the great anniversary. Have we been blameless in the matter of this quarrel between France and Germany ? Have we earned the blessing which is due to the peacemakers? Have we done our best either to prevent the war, or to stop it when it had reached its just and rational conclusion? How have we interpreted tha duty to our neighbour in which a thousand tongues will be eloquent to-morrow? Was this the only issue which we might have promoted? Does our religion begin and end with seeking our own peace? Having the power, have we used it for the best to ensure goodwill upon earth ? Are we not responsible for our brother's blood, even though he would not follow our counsel, and fell into the danger of his own choice? We shall find it hard to answer these questions to our entire satisfaction. Commenting on the return of an " old-fashioned Christmas," the Daily News says :—There are several rea sons why wintry weather is seasonable at Christmas. An old-fashioned Christmas means something more than merely a wintry season. Christmas charity is as old as the Christmas snows, and the two together make Christmas seasonable. Christmas is the sea son of general festivity, when even Dives can hardly leave Lazarus at his gate, and Old Scrooge himself has dreams of the blessedness of giving, and sends Bob Cratchit a Christmas turkey and another scuttle of coals. It is the great humanising season of the year, if it has any meaning at all. It is just the time when we may forget our political economy, our theories of pauperism, and our speculations on the mischief of indis criminate almsgiving, and 'give way t 1 the charitable impulse. It would be a disgrace to 003: civilisation, a blot on our religion, if anybody starved in London in Christmas week. There is not much fear of such an event, but it must at least be remembered that it is not the noisy beggars who shout in the streets, or the impor tunate poor who come knocking at the doors in all the semblance of shivering need, who most require our help or most suffer from the cold. The real suffering is borne in out-of-the-way corners, where it creeps from observation to bear its burden alone. The poor who most need help are those who cannot seek it ; who are ashamed to beg, and to whom charity must go with its blessing in its hand. We corn mend to the public at this season the charities which thus go to the homes of the poor. Not even at Christmas would we recommend almsgiving in the streets ; but the charities which give the poor their Christmas dinners,which lend blankets and sell clothing at a reduced price, the charities which are personally administered by self denying people, who go among the poor and see them in their homes, are worthy of all the countenance the public give them. This is the true form of Christmas charity, and we hope that this old-fashioned Christmas will see much of it. The winter weather, which is so glorious to the, prosperous, is a call to help the poor, to whom it comes as a perpetual trial. While the winter weather lasts, the needy poor must be at least warmed and filled. We may wait till the frost is gone before we criticise our charitable doings—at this Christmas sea son let us only remember that there are those who are in need, and while, in our warm homes, we are sheltered from the frost, and can go forth warm and healthful to enjoy the cold, send something of our superfluous good to make some suffering neighbours enjoy it too. How placidly and uneventfully, remarks. the Telegraph, these twelve months opened ! There was a profound calm over the western world, with exceptions which were but like ripples on the sea of history. Which man of all the tens of thousands slain in battle since the summer " heard in the wild march morning the angels call his soul "? Who felt the storm approaching? The homes of Germany were busy and quiet ; the homes of France were not darkened by any shadow of the coming tempest of death and ruin ; there was, in truth, only last Christmas, a calm that made Peace bold, a sunshine of " goodwill" between the popu lations which flattered the hopes of all good men. It was with our continent, then, as Milton has written of the Eve of the Nativity—" No war or battle's sound was heard the world around. The trumpet spake not to the armed throng ;" and, in regard even to the policy of rulers, we could have said with apparent reason that " Kings sate sill with awful eye, as if they surely knew their Sovran Lord was by." All this was, however, but the hush which pre cedes the Typhoon, when a silence too deep to be natural pervades land and sea, as if creation foresaw the coming fury of the elem en ts, and held its breath in fear. The direst conflict* which modern times have known was at that hour really preparing to burst forth, and to deluge Europe with blood, while we were lulled in halcyon days, saying smooth things to each other. Who caused this dreadful war-- upon what head or beads its measureless guilt must rest, when the final penalty and doom of judgment will des cend, and what result may come from the terrible contest —we do not now examine. The one sad fact that at the present Christmastide two Christian countries are locked in a death -grapple, seeking, not "peace," not " goodwill," but thedeath, the ruin, the utter and final heart-bre a ki ng , -.nd humiliation each f the other—this is the mi sera bl e sight which seems to turn the anthem of the t` multitude of ti he heavenly host " into discord, and to make the errand of those celestial envoys "like a tale of little meanilg, though the words are strong." "Sides," "opinions," " partialities," "justifications "—these terms, full of I .ie wild infection of human. passion, are merged and lost in the horrible thought that, eighteen hundred and seventy years after " the glory of the Lord shone round about," the ghastly roar of cannon and mitrailleuse, the hideous treble of wounded men screaming and furious coil batants yelling, should make, with bugle and cla rion, and " hoarse, 'dull drum," the Christmas carol of the world,