The Sun. — London, England, 1870-11-16 00:00:00

vourable mortality. rred in th e iber by far id fever. :0 mind the St. Heloop inlf-century The fifty nephew Cl ' rears on the Che countrY the revolu the Russian med to the )1e in diplo• etween the ict betwoo l of the New ing to the the Ameri -11 republic. rious exile, )artaltes too. meet. with I Je Republi" er example. Les, Swedqi crusade 01 rms against ake conoes' authority kings With teen receir great Enr )rograramel Lt is rapidly ether color ial change% )wers have ions to the expected to which Was kings and eat Nov. 13. 4 the parish oss of Ely, Pitfour, hall IE. a to rerrii‘iii, i boast of young Duke filar dignitY• n exile, but ranee whO for the re restored ms that the lses of that ler brothers ngland, and ier, and not Ire with her France. It I,n Catholic, :'E LORD lead body, en washed t. Several e also been untess of mbark for a the 21st passengers and Lady in Howe, r. Delane, r A LB OT.--• urn to the be revived the Ports the Lord lence, it is ►rd Henry ill deliver aion of the Consort's Let session, a at eight or David erica in the uthorities, detectives but when a loaded el it at the etained in )ffence the OXFORD. •et is felt ration of n in, Fellow Fs' illness Robinson t class in •st class in 1865, and Queen's. he Indian himself of IN ENG on of the I to have and seems tarianism, as badly whom we one by th. At rnity of w it must ling, then trines as heir good theology. of Eng ity which ristian." LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. THE WAR. LLEGED RECAPTURE OF DIJON. A rep or t, which is looked upon as well founded, W as receiv e d a t L ons -l e -S a ulnier on the 14th, I-tating that Dijon had been recaptured by the French. R EINFORCEMENTS FOR GENERAL VON DFR TAN N. TOURS, November 15. The Government of Defence have appointed General Aurelles de Paladin Commander 'n-'.thief 0f the Army of the Loire. The Gazette de France Bt ates that General Werder is in communica ion With Prince Frederick, and that the advanced guard ° f the latter h a s arrived at Youve. Prussian scouts h ave appeared at Chateau Landon. A German eol l*of 40,000 men is rapidly following them. A force of 15,000 have left Versailles to reinforce eaeral Von der Tanu, which will bring up the German force to between 150,000 and 160,000 men A BATTLE IMMINENT. ROUEN, November 15. • The Nouvelltste de Rouen says a battle is imminent 111 this direction. "We are assured that General 4 . 6 Paladi n ' s f orces excee d 150,000 men, well dis %Mined and armed; therefore there need be no lack confidence." CAPTURE OF WILANS. • A Capture has been made by the French of 47 Cleim an U h l ans at N emours . Th ey were sur p r i se d b the Mobile Guard of the Seine at Marne, and, af ter aome hard fighting, the whole party was taken P r isoners. A German forc e of 800 men have occupied Sens, a nil 500 Prussians are reported at St. Witt. EXPECTED ATTACK ON MEZIERES. • LILLE, Tuesday. .) D espatches from Rouen report fighting going on " Marseille-le-Petit, and that the engagement aP P e arB to be of a serious character. The Francs-tireurs of St. Quentin have captured near Busigny and sent to Lille a waggon loaded ;' fi th champagne from Reims, also two waggons td of merinos and flannels. 'he Prefect of the Ardennes reports that on day a column of 800 Germans pushed reconnaissance to Brailo and Fagnon, where 8 ° 9 ll e Franes-Tireurs were surrounded. After . r struggle, which lasted three hours, the Francs- Ire urs were extricated. The French bad ten '° ll tidecl. Captain Dubois, previously wounded at v t t an, was shot in the leg. Commandant Verlet, led .the sortie from Mezieres, estimates 100 :ussiaru3 hors de combat.. The enemy's forces num ' red- 12,000. The Prussians are concentrating t i le numbers of troops in the environs of Mezieres, P° ll . which an attack is expected. TREACHERY AT VERDUN. I) espatehes from Mezieres, dated Sunday, assert that the surrender of Verdun was brought about by false intelligence circulated by the Prussians, h " led the Commandant to believe that France . 44 made terms with Germany. Verdun had provi -40" and ammunition for several months, and the all . e cesses obtained by the besieged had reduced the 11 ege to a blockade. MUTINY AT LYONS. t h 4 mutiny occurred among the 2nd battalion of legion of the Mobile Guards at Villefrancte, e 'at Lyons, on the 11th. More than 20 of the Mutineers were arrested, three of whom have since den shot by order of a Court-martial. Order is restored. ADVANCE OF THE'GERMANS. tha t latest intelligence received from Tours, states t Doubs and Dole are occupied by Prussiansa. 2,000 Germans have arrived at Varanges. A i 'l b liggian column had - marched towards Bessay. k A .. ti ° ol lo is nearly invested. Nothing new from the —4 . 111 7 of the Loire. THE TREATY OF 1856. Th e d ra announcement that Russia intends with wing from the Treaty of Paris, has produced Erich alarm at Tours. It is said an English Envoy h, B bone to Versailles to take the opinion of Prussia e n the matter. • THE ARMISTICE NEGOTIATIONS. • REPORT OF M. TRIERS. 0;1- 81 nmary of the report drawn up by M. Thiers , niission'to the German Headquarters has been I llb lished'by the Government at Tours. This report T reat com mu nicated to the representatives of the r nt Powers and of Turkey and Spain. M. Thiers says that• he explained the object of hie' 0 1,„ hia visit to Count Bismarck, namely, to , 1 "° 411 an armistice, and the German statesman 4 ra itted the expediency of such a mission ; but made a q allusion to the members of the late rdgime who e3a endeavouring to. 'reconstitute themselves as a tre rnment at Cassel. To this M. Thiers answered thsftt the late Government had for ever ceased to exist.s The co n f ere nces then opened and it was t c : 3 , 11 agreed that , the armistice should last twenty faC • days, and that perfect freedom of election t. (l ald be secured in the occupied provinceSi Count b L ' ln atell promised that - Alsace and Lorraine should Q ! • r epresented by influential persons without any di tto interference. The revictualling of Paris dittethe difficulty. At first Count Bismarck seemed kft ? °B ed to admit the principle, but obstacles were "t wards t°raised, the. Chancellor referring the matter t he Prussian generals. The summary of the p ort says ti :— C 1 the 3rd,K Thiers said that the revictualling of t h e L, i ll 'iaieged places had become- not a mere question of de th. ' b _ u ut a sine quil non. Count Bismarck, on behalf of is,N o rigeian generals, declared that the armistice was 4 /I , t elY against the interests of the Prussians, of d I ,"uat he could only consent to the revictualliug b et -calif,' if , the Government of the Nationa e , ll ee Was prepared to concede some military equivalent, 1,140 r example, a . military position round Paris. M. kili t i L ß having insisted, Count Bismarck added that by a 00 e. , - *Y Position he meant 'a fort; ancl•perhaps more than Thereun M. -Thiers stopped him immediately, "(I declared that to refuse Paris to be revictualled wasa n 7 41 7 to depriving her of her resources for resisting during to : n th, and that to demand a fort was nothing less than 7 1411 c1 a surrender of the ramparts." 'er relating the rupture of the negotiations, M. jud es g ays he will leave the neutral Powers to o f the con d uc t o f th e b e lligerents. Ho con ' c ount have • used all my efforts to recover for my th e 11 7 the e blessings of peace, which it had lost by 1 1 , 48 era of a Government whose existence alone . 11,,, a mistake . F r a n ce having accepted such a r et ' a r ninent, and having abandoned to it, without tr e : n g any control, all her destinies, has been a a nd irreparable fault." NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF CUBA. off savannah arrived to-day of a naval engagement ilte 4°B3i nah on the 9th, between the Prussian war t o ; l er Mete or (3 guns ), an d the French steamer inicivet ( 5 guns). The fighting was desperate, l of ,: as ted over an hour, at the expiration k e „o. ten —lel l time the Bo u vet madooff disabled, but the screw was too much ' injured to allow her to:rBue• Both v esse l s h ave re turned to Havannah lo n l ai r, in order to resume the fight. The Bouve 3 killedn killed, and several wounded ; the Meteor and 1 wounded. H E SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY THE RUSSIAN QUESTION. VIENNA, November 15, (1.45 p.m.) Prince Gortschakoff's note causes great excitement in political circles at Vienna. Count Beust has decided upon taking immediate and serious diplomatic steps. An alliance between England, Austria, Italy, and Turkey is much talked about in diplomatic circles, and seriously contemplated and wished for both by Count Beust and Count Andrassy. The latest intelligence from Constantinople, up to the 15th inst., says that the Porte has not yet received any note from Russia relative to the pro ps,,ed revision of the Treaty of 1856, but it is not in ignorance that the Government of Russia is tatting steps for that purpose. MR. GRANT DUFF, M.P., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) Mr. Grant Duff delivered his annual address to his constituents at Elgin last night. Great changes indeed, sufficient to make interesting the annals of a whole gene tion, had, he said, occurred since'he last spoke to his con stituents on home affairs two years ago. Proceeding to touch upon the war, the hon. gentleman pointed out that ever since dispassionate observers became aware that the politically active portion of the French people were determined that German unity should not be established, they saw a collision in which Germany would be victo rious was all but inevitable. Statesmen were right in doing all they could to postpone that collision, in the hope that some fortunate chance might allow wiser coun sels to proceed on the left bank of the Rhine. That man, however, was not worthy the name of a statesman who had not seen 'that for France to attempt to impede Ger man unity was to try to disturb a chemical process by mechanical means, which, under most favourable conditions was not a very profitable undertaking. Alluding to' the demands made by Germany in reference to Alsace and Lorraine, the speaker expressed the opinion that no proof whatever could be brought forward to 'chew that a loss of territory meant absolute ruin to France, as was thought by some observers. There was probably much more reality in the fear that cutting off from France her semi-German previnces might have the effect of stop ping that infusion of German thought which had for some years been making her an increasingly successful ex ponent of German thought and German research to the races. As to the lessons taught by the war, it ap peared to him . that we had to learn that those were right who held all' through the early years of the French Empire that the danger of a sudden quariel being fixed upon this Country by France was very great indeed. Another important lesson, or rather warning, was to be gathered from the custom in the French army of despis ing the higher and more intellectual'in points of military probatjon, and a third was the necessity for having an efficient diplomatic service. It appeared to him that if France had been well served in diplomacy, she would never have gone to war with Germany. England ought to realise 'the great importance of obtaining the very best national eyes and ears which it was possible to get for her diplomatic service. Mr. Grant Duff then went on to say that he did not think this country could remodel its army on the Prussian system in the two most essential condi tions to the existence of that army not being present in this country. The first of these Was the' existence of a class which was sufficiently unenlightened to think that the profession of arms was the only occupation to which the gentleman could devote himself,and sufficiently enlightened to know that success in the profession of arms couldonly be obtained by the same work which made the despised citizen successful as a lawyer, administrator, or man of books. The second condition wanting in this country was the fixed belief that it was only in and through the state that the individual could come to perfection,lhat worship of the idea of the state leading the citizen to hold that no sacrifice was too great for her service.' He did not believe that events now happening on the continent would lead to the formation of another tremendous and most aggressive despotism, and as to Germany becoming the rival of England in naval power, it was impossible to speak seriously about such a laugbear. This country had nothing to fear from the growth of German power, except an increasingly keen competition in some branches .of manufacture and commerce. The great lesson taught by Russia's discipline and exactitude both in the art of war, ivas—" Don't rush at thingi in a blundering, stupid, or, as it is sometimes called, practical way, but first listen to the teachings of science and philosophy, and then work out the re sults painfully and slowly." Mr. Grant Duff, in concluding, made a passing allusion to the occupation of Rome, and to the work of next-session. A vote of thanks was accorded to the hon. gentleman for his address. MR. EDWARD MIALL, M.P., ON VIE ESTABLISH NIENT (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM,) A Conference of the Liberation Society was held at Bradford yesterday. afternoon. Among the speakers was Mr. Edward Miall, M.P. for the borough, who explained the considerationg which led him to give notice of motion for the disestablishment of the English State Church. He did not think the step he had taken premature. He should bring the question before the House of Commons next session ; but if it had been carried lhst session, it would only have been the natural continua tion of the policy already authorised and sanctioned by Parliament. Of course, tvhenever it would be brought forward would seem presumptuous and precipitate to Churchmen ; but that did not alter the position. His own opinion was that the Liberation Society in taking action were doing that which wp# natural and right— , that which would, when it was understood, commend itself to the conscience of all concerned in it.. Mr. Miall went on to say that he had long regarded the abolition of the Establishment as the consummation of the work to which he had given his life, and to which he believed himself called by Diviire Providence. There was no question of paramount importance to be brought, forward in the next session of Parliament ; and the Liberation Society felt they could no longer put aside ibis, which would be the question of questions for the next few years. There was one general misapprehension which he wished to remove. He desired it to be understood all over the country that this move ment was not directed against.the Church as the Church, but against the institution as an Establishment., It was designed merely to destroy its connection with the State. It was a movement in acconlance. 'with the direction of European thought 'and action,; it was a step of true progress, and the only destructive,iirogramme left to the Liberal party. ... • • • THE 'FLYING SQUADRON. [CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.] The captains of the six ships of the Flying Squadron, which . returned to Plymouth yesterday afternoon, after voyaging round the world, this afternoon paid their 'res pects to the Port Admiral of Devonport. They report a highly successful voyage. Not a man has been lost (over board or by any other accident). The health of the crews has been excellent, a fact attributable to the unusually good quality of the provisions supplied by the Admiralty to departments for the use of the squadron. Three days ago the Phcebe (one of the vessels composing the fleet) lost her foreyard, otherwise there have been no notice able casualties since leaving Valpariso . .,on August 29th. They only touched at Bahia: owing t o the Satellite having lost her rudder, • The Liver pool, Satellite, and Phcebe are ordered to remain at Ply mouth and pay off, whether all standing !or to be dis mantled will not be decided until after inspection to-day. The Endymion and the 'Pearl have, proceeded to Ports mouth to be paid 'off there. " I PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF'S CIRCULAR. The circular of Prince Gortschakoff is dated the 19th (31st) October, and is addressed to the Foreign Repre sentatives of Russia :—Af ter drawing attention to the successive modifications which the compromises that he regards as the foundation of the European balance of power, and notably .the Treaty of 1856, have undergone, Prince Gortschakoff continues—His Im perial Majesty has come to the following conclusions, which the diplomatic agents are required to submi t to the Governments to which they are accredited :—" Our August Master cannot admit that treaties violatedin their essential and general clauses should continue to be binding in those clauses which affect the direct interests of his Empire.. His Imperial Majesty cannot admit, in fact, that the security of Russia should rest upon a fiction which has not withstood the ordeal of time, and that it should be endan gered in consequence of his respects towards engagements which have not been performed in all their integrity. Relying on the sense of equity of the Powers signed to the Treaty of 1856, and the consciousness these must have o their own dignity, the Emperor bids you declare that his Imperial Majesty can no longer consider himself bound, as it were, to the terms of the Treaty of March 18, 1866, in so far as these limit his rights of sovereignty in the Black Sea. That his Imperial Majesty considers it his right and his duty to give notice to his Majesty the Sultan of his withdrawal from the special and additional Convention annexed to that Treaty which fixes the number and the size of the men-of-war which the two Powers bordering on the Black Sea reserve to keep in the said sea. That be conveys loyal information of this to the Powers signed to and guaranteeing the general Treaty, of which this special Convention constitutes an integrant part. That in this respect he replaces the Sultan in full possession of all his rights in the same manner as he re claims his own. In the discharge of this duty you will be careful to state that our august Master has no other object in all this besides the security and dignity of his Empire. It is by no means the intention of his Imperial Majesty to revive the Eastern question. On this as on all other points he har bours no other wish than the maintenance and con soli da-, tion of peace. He'entirely adheres, otherwise, to the general principles of the Treaty of 1856, which have established the position of Turkey in the European concert. He is prepared to come to an understanding with the Powers who signed the Treaty, either with a view to confirm its general stipulations, to renew themor to substitute for them any other arrangement which may seem equitable and calcu lated to insure the peace of the East and . the European balance of power. His Majesty is convinced that this peace and this balance of power will receive an additional guarantee by being laid on more just and. solid bases than those arising from a position which no Great Power could accept as a normal condition of existence." A 'Vienna correspondent of the Kolnische Zeitung recalls the fact that, on taking office in 1856, ,Count Beust ex pressed the opinion that the conditions of peace would be strengthened "if the attitude of the Russian Court towards Turkey were freed from those restrictive and more or less illusory conditions, so that she might commence a rapprochement to the other Powers." " Now," continues the correspondent, "it will be seen how far the Cabinet here will remain faithful to' the opinion then expressed. That Russia's initiath;e should follow in so brusquea manner may not; indeed, have been expected. For Austria and Hungary the Eastern ques tion is certainly a vital one. . . . As regards Prussia the general opinion here is that Russia would not have taken this step in such a manner had she not beforehand been certain of the approval of the Berlin Cabinet." From another source we have the following account of the state of feeling in Vienna : The Russian proposal regarding the Treaty of 185 G has produced a very serious impression here, and Count Beust, has very strongly represented the feeling . of Austria on the subject to M. de Novikoff, the Russian Ambassado r. The Austrian and Hungarian members of the Govern ment are entirely agreed as to the necessity of main taining a determined attitude in the matter, and it is hoped that a like fegling will be exhibited by Eng land, with which it is desired to proceed hand in hand under all circumstances. The principal newspapers of Vienna, without any'distinction of party, all advocate a firm policy against Russia,_ and propose that internal questions should for the present be laid aside. The Hungarian papers write in the same sense. They urge the necessity of a common action with the other parts of the Empire, and ask that the Austro-Hungarian -delega• tions may be assembled as soon as possible. Let us now turn to Berlin : Russia (writes a correspondent from that place) has already privately declared to the different Courts that the conditions of the Paris Treaty of 1856, as relative to the neutralisation of the Black Sea,' had become un- tenable. It pointed out the different material modifica tions which that compact had undergone in relation to' the Principalities, as to the places in the Bast.. . •. . In a despatch of the Ist January, 1867, the Prince Metternich, which is printed in the Red, Book, Count Beust suggested a Conference for the revision of the Paris Tfeaty. The meaning' of this; step was that Austria sought a rapprochement to Russia. The attempt was received coolly enough in St. Petersburg, and the matter had no further result Should an attempt be made to utilise the interlude for convening a Congress, before which the French conflict might in an indirect way be dragged, it would hardly succeed. Projects of inter vention in this way have been Steadily rejected by the German side. ILLNESS OF THE KING OF HOLLAND. Baussims, November 15. The King of Holland has been ill an has been spitting blood. Ile is now better. AMERICA. PHILADELPHIA, November 14. The elections already held • have 'returned 128 Republicans and 94 Democrats to Congress. • Five States, containing _2l' districts, haVe yet to vote. These, it is expected, will return 11 RePub licans and 10 Democrats, so that the next House will consist of 130 Republicans and 104 Democrats, mitring the Republican majority 35. Two. Liberal Republicans, elected over the regular Republicans in Missouri, are in this classed with the Democrats. The Revenue Reformers will have a majority in the next House.. Novoinber 15. Pending the nomination of a Minister, to England the President has determined to appoint Benjamin Morgan Charg6 d'Affaires. Mr. Motley will return home. THE OPERA COMIQUE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin, --We are certainly very much surprised to see in your columns of to-night s a paragraph associating Miss Maitland's name with the direction of this theatre after the clos, of the French season. We have not entered into any negotiations with that lady, and the statement is entirely unfounded. By inserting same at your early convenience, you will oblige, LESLIE, STEELE, & NORTON, Lessees. 299, Strand, W.C., 14th Nov., 1870. We regret to learn that the condition of the Vei. Archdeacon Hale is rather worse. INSTECTOR TANNER.—The Sportsman says Inspector Tanner, who has been so long and favourably known as one of the cleverest members of the detective force, and who has earned the respect of all racing men by the good service which he has rendered them in keeping the various betting rings clear of swindlers,, has entered into business, having taken the Old Swan Hotel at Win chester. THE PRICE OF FOOD IN PARIS. The value . of food has become so excessive in this time of, siege, that the prices eurrent will form a documen interesting for our descendants. Excepting bread, wine, and meat, which - havenot been augmented in price, only that . the latter has been rationed —that - is to say, issued in the proportion of 50 grammes a' - day for every individual until it shall- be entirely gone—all the other provisions, vegetables, '&4., are at a price almost fabulous. The flesh of horses, mules, or asses, •not in4luded in the provisionment, and almost disdained by the public before the siege,sold at 1f.,.15c. the kilogramme; now her.seAlesh sells at 2f. MCI the kilogramMe; mules' or asses:flesh at 6f the kilogram ; 'and se. sought • for are both that tht market is unable to supply the demand: Be fore ' the "Sieg,e - ' a goose cost from - 6f., to' 7f. ; the pricO is now from 25f. to 30E A 'fine chicken could be bought from 3E 'to 3f. 50c ; at present the price is 14f. and 15f. Pigeons arc 12f. the pair. Turkeys are so rare that they are no longer offered for sale in the market ; brit one was sold in • a_shop at 55E, whereas ordinarily the price would have been 10f. or 12f. Rabbits are more plentiful, but none the less dear; a pair has been 'sold at 36f., the price of which would formerly have been Of.' or 7f. at most. Salt meat and green groceries are beyond price ; indeed, they are to be found • with but few and then only as samples. Smoked ham is 16f. the kilog, and Lyons sausage 36E ; the first used to be 2f. .50c., and the second 3f. By way of compensation, I,le have sausage of beef and horse at 4f. and 6f. the kilog. As regards preserved meat, particularly Australian, it has disappeared entirely; the committee of supply were in haste to buy it up. It .was sold at , 3f., whereas the American company who tried Lo introduce it before the siege hardly found purchasers at lf. 20c. Sea fish is a memory. The fish of the Seine does not compensate for the loss of those from the sea ; even they seem to have greatly diminished in comparison. Salt fish disappeared in a few days, cod fish selling at 2f., and a herring at 2f. 50c. Potatoes, which were sold at if., are now Gf., and the `price increases daily. Eggs are so rare that the h ens a re +Weed all laying golden eggs ;" they are 4f. 50c. the dozen. Cabbages, If. 50c. ; cauliflowers, 2f.; carrots, 2f. Beans, peas, &c., do not exist ; the last were sold at sf. the litre ; ordinary price, 60c. Fresh butter, 45f. ; salt butter, poor quality, 14f. Oil is just three times the usual price. Cheese does not exist. Dried fruits are no longer to be found. Rice' and coffee have not increased much in price. Charcoal begins to fail—it is sold at 44c. to <soc, the ltilogranapp. 'NOVEMBER 16 1 187 . THE CAPITULATION OF VERDUN. The correspondent of the Telegraph at the head-quar ters of the Eighth Army Corps, in a communication from Fresnes, dated November Bthi, says :—Another French fortress has capitulated. This afternoon, when I rode into General Manteuffel's head-quarters at Etairi with Count Eilenburg,' I received the official intelligence. The first commandant of Verdun is General Guerin d Walspath ; the sub-commandant whose name France should never forget if her history ,ever relates the ipcidents of the peesent campaign— eneral Manlier. Verdun has been bombarded, it is true, by two strong batteries, the one situated due north, the other east, of . the plade. On the 13th and 14th of Octobers perfect hurricane of shells was poured upon the devoted town ; but with no effect, at least so far as the ardour of the garrison was concerned. Then General Marnier, putting , :• himself at the head of some three thousand men, made a sortie in a north easterly direction. 'At , the point of the bayonet, without firing a shot, he drove back the German advanced posts. He then attacked the batteries, and carried them by assault,. destroying the works, dismounting and spiking the guns ; returning safe to Verdun, where his small but brave force of £7,000 men has held out ever since. The German Generals, intent upon the capture of Metz, could spare but an inadequate force for the siege of Verdun. General Marnier, no doubt, received excellent intelligence about the • German forces around Verdun ; and, profiting by this informa tion, he made the vigorous sortie I have described. The German troops acknowledge the bravery of Marnier and his garrison, and take off their forage caps to him with respect; for none 'can value and respect a brave and determined enemy more than the officers and .soldiers of the invading army. . The officers be longing to the garrison 'of Verdun have refused to give their parole,, and will consequently be made pri soners of war; the men will share the same fate; but the .garrisOn marches out With all the honours of war, 'colours flying and bands playing. The immediate canse of the surrender is not precisely known. In a conver sation with the Prussian officer sent to treat with him, Marnier expressed himself as follows : " Since the capitulation of Metz and Sedan, and the destruction of the French army, I do not see what good it would do my country to hold out any longer, exposing my men to sickness and the heavy fire which no doubt you will shortly open upon us. Political affairs also induce me to surrender Verdun, although I know that I can hold out for many days longer against all your efforts. I have saved my honour and that of my officers and men ; more I cannot do, especially when I do not know for whom or for what I am fighting." Some fragments of the Sedan army are said to be in Verdun. .The artillery fire was especially good and well directed. - Our loss in the sortie made by the French was severe—Officers, as usual, suffering most ; in the artillery alone two were killed and seven wounded. Beyond this, the news at the head-quarters. of the First Army was very scanty. ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH REFUGEES AT , VERSAILLES. Writing from Versailles on the 10th instant, the corre spondent of the Daily Nobs at Versailles thus describes the arrival of the English refugees from Paris :—" The English refugees have reached Versailles, and we gather many interesting particulars of their journey through the lines. The. column, when it started from Paris—at seven o'clock on the morning of the Bth instant—consisted of two carriages belonging to the Embassy, and of about 130 persons in all, most of whom walked. There were some Swiss and Austrians along with the English on the first day, but these went eastward, from Brie-Comte- Robert, whilst the English came on in a body to this litace. It was uo time for carrying luggage with one, as the distance to be marched was considerable. Many of the travellers had little or nothing to bring, and those who had something to bring brought it for the most Part on their shoulders. From Paris by the Charenton Gate and so to the. French outposts at Craeil, the column moved slowly forward under French escort. Then it was handed over to the Prussians, and escorted by Mecklen-. burg Dragoons until about half-way between Boissy-St.- Leger and Brie-Gorate,Robert, where the dragoons halted. Having been brought through the lines and given a fair start well to rear of the siege works, our countrymen had nothing to do but tramp round to Versailles, a disttince of about thirty-five miles liy the route which they followed. Men who escape from a besieged city must not complain of small hardships ; but they may well have thought it a' weary round to go on foot when they remembered how near was their destina tion to the west end of Paris. Engineering reasons are however, supreme in sieges, and thoSe who came from the city were expected to come by Charenton.. The English refugees once arrived at Brie-Comte-Robert were able to secure three carts, which carried some of them upon the next day's march, and most of their effects. They rested there one night and found very poor accommodation. But last night, at Corbiel, +hey were better off, and set forth to-day in good spirits for a long. march through the snow and shish to Versailles. After stopping Longjumeau . for dinner, where refreshments were somewhat scarce, . they completed their journey in the vilest of November weather, getting heie an hour . ; two later on the 10th than we had expected them on the Bth inst. Mr. Wodehouse, the secretary of our Embassy at . Paris, with his family, and the personnel of the Embassy, remained at the head of the column to see it safely to headquarters. It was he who secured' the carts at Brie-Comte-Robert, and the chief complaint that I have heard about his arrangements is that there were not greater means of transport. Some of our ' countryin' en who have come out were in great distress when they started. Many of them received • the hundred francs donation of the English Charitable Tuhd before setting off, and none seem to have felt able to charter means of conveyance on their own account. There are, it seems, a number of English still in Paris—four or five hundred at, least—Who are too old, or too timid, too hopeless perhaps of anything better elsewhere, to come away. They. suffer much, and are glad of the relief which Mr. Wallace so generously ex tends to all who apply." THE CONDUCT OF THE SIEGE.—The correspon d4rit of the Daily News writes from Versailles under date Nevember 18th :—There has only been just firing enough during the last twenty-four hours to confirm our impres sion that the siege is being actively pressed on some parts of the line. An occasional discharge of heavy guns has rumbled among the woods of Meudon, or come more sharply down upon the breeze from Mont Valerien. The Prussians are strengtheniug their works here and there, and are bringing up ammunition in a steady stream. They are not quite prepared to begin the bombardment of the forts, but they are getting to be terribly strong for the repulse of a sortie. First and' foremost they have more men.in hand to mass upon any threatened point— this is a simple result of reinforcement. Then there are sundry finishing touches which the Prussian pos i tions have received, a levelling of walls in one place, a cutting down of bushes in another, that would help the'defen4rs of the siege works. View ing what has been done since we rode along the dusty chaussee, from Chatillon to Versailles, on the Alma anniversary, and remembering how many more chances there were of breaking out of Paris that evening than there are at present, I fancy that the attack has developed' its strength quite in proportion to the defence. Whilst General Trochu has been raising regiments and casting guns within her was, King William has been bringing up guilts and regiments, ready made, without the walls. Vhilst 'the forts have been strengthened, the bdt • terie,s on this side have sprung into existence., "`General November" has arrived upon the' scene, and makes trench work sufficiently dismal, but the snjiply of food in Paris is 'so much the • less by all that the two million of prisoners in Moltke's cage have eaten during these seven weeks. Large soft snow flakes are falling as I write. The streets of Ver sailles are very• cheerless for strangers coming into them from a damp journey, and our countrymen who are expected to arrive this afternoon will he dis appointed, I fear, with the first stag,e,of their escape from Paris. LONDON SCHOOL BOARD. MARYLETIONE. A crowded and enthusiastic) meeting of the ratepayers of St. Pancras was held last evening at the Milton Hall, to hear Mr. Hepworth Dixon. Mr. Rahles, churchwarden, pre sided, and the platform was occupied by the best known ratepayers of the district. The chairman said he need not describe Mr. Dixon as a great traveller and writer, since his name was known and honoured wherever the English laii,guage was spoken. As a Churchman and a Church warden lie .was particularly sensible to Mr. Dixon's services in the cause of Biblical literature and Biblical illustration. The candidate was received with enthusiastic . cheering, which was renewed again during • the continuance of his address. A number of questions were put to the candidate, all of which were .satisfactorily answered. Mr. Churchwarden Parson proposed, Mr. Clutterbuck (a working man) seconded, and Messrs. Andrew Halliday, Endean, Read, and others supported a resolution approving of Mr. Hep worth Dixon's candidature, and pledigng the.meeting to secure his return. The motion was carried unanimously and amidst loud cheering. - SPORTING INTELLIGENCE SHREWSBURY RACCES—YESTER DAY. • SALOPIAN HURDLE STAKES. Standard Bearer Punishment Eight ran. FOREGATE STAKES. Turquoise Lady Evelyn colt Cowboy... Five ran. BOROUGH MEMBERS' PLATE Thais f.. Princess Tiny f... Seven ran. WELTER PLATE. Oliro Aftermath Conspirator Twelve ran. TWO-YR-OLD PLATE. Johannes Rex Agile f Smiling Morn Five ran. BATTLEFIELD HANDICAP. Rosebud..... Miss Waller Masan iello Twelve ram SHOBDON CUP. Cymbal Gantelet Blenheim 2 3 ... Twelye ran. TANKERVILLE .NURSERY. Harold Barefoot Sir Bertram Eleven ran. COUNTY MEMBERS' PLATE. Sophie Herod Royante Seven ran. MATCH. Wild Bee Linsey Wolsey 1 • ••• •••• ............ 2 3 1 ••• 1 •••• 12 CITY BETTING—YE STERDAY. SHREWSBURY CUP. 15 to 2 agst Lac (taken) Bto 1 agst Good Hope (taken) Bto 1 agst Our Mary Ann (taken and offered) Bto 1 agst Indian Ocean (offered) Bto 1 agst Musket (taken and offered) 100 to 8 agst Bobby (offered-100 to 6 taken and wanted) 100 to 6 asst Westley (offered-25 to 1 taken) 20 to 1 agst Viscount (offered) 20 to 1 agst Taraban (offered) 20 to 1 agst Cecil (taken and offered) 40 to 1 agst Monseigneur (taken) 200 to 2 agst Sornette (offered) 10 to 1 each agst Cecil and Our Mary Ann (taken) TWO THOUSAND. 11 to 2 agst Sterling (offered-6 to 1 taken to £250 and wanted) 11 to 2 agst General (offered) 600 to 10 agst Sterling winning the Two Thousand and Albert Victor the Dreby (taken) DERBY. 7to 4 agst four (offered—take 2to 1) THE NEW LAW COURTS. It is stated that no avoidable delay has taken place with reference to the construction of the New Law Courts. An examination of the subsoil is being made prior to the arrangement of a contract for the preparation of the site and excavation of the foundations ; and with reference to Mr. Street's altered plans, he is under an engagement to furnish the sketch-plans by the Ist of January, and the working drawings within six months from that date. AMERICAN AND CANADIAN NOTES. The New York papers delivered yesterday report that a terrific gale raged en Lakes Erie and Ontario on Sun day night (the 30th ult.), doing much damage to shipping:- Several vessels were driven ashore and wrecked, or seri ously damaged, but the crews, so far as reported, were saved. There was also a violent wind in St. Louis, which blew clown several buildings. There were snowstorms in Maine and New Hampshire on Monday. Several lives were lost during the gale on the lakes on Monday. Several vessels were wrecked, and their cargoes, mostly of grain, entirely lost. An explosion of 150,0001 b. of nitro-glycerine occurred at Fairport, Ohio, on the sth instant. Four persons were blown to pieces. A correspondent of the Toronto Globe, writing from Winnipeg, states that the Indians have been suffering from small-pox, and the idea has seized upon their minds that it was given them by the whites for the purpose of their destruction. Whole camps have been destroyed by this fearful plague, and the wigwams are standing tenant less, while their owners lie mouldering and bleaching on the prairie, or are torn from the semblance of humanity by wolves and other wild animals. At Fort Pitt 200 wild Indians died, and the survivors brought their dead and threw them against the stockades to try and give the in fection to the whites. NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. The First Lord,. of the Admiralty, accompanied by Admiral Sir Sydney Dacres and Captain Stanhope (private secretary to the First Lord), returned to the Admiralty; Whitehall, on Monday evening from an official visit to Portsmouth. Her Majesty's ship Juno arrived at Gibraltar on the evening of the 12th inst., and the Lord Warden on the 13th inst., with the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Hastings Yelverton. A detachment of the Chatham Division of Royal Marines have left head-quarters to embark on board the Repulse, 12, armour-plated vessel, in the coast-guard service, for Ireland. The Repulse has changed crews without being put out of commission. LICENSES FOR HOTEL SERVANTS.—A number of hotel proprietors met on Monday at the City Terminus Hotel to consider the unsatisfactory state of the law on the subject of licenses for servants employed at hotels. In the course of the discussion one or two of the speakers dwelt on the hardship of hotel proprietors being taxed for servantwat 011. • The . meeting resolved to support Mr. Spencer, of ' Margate, in his appeal against being taxed for servants employed for temporary purposes. JEnsEt AND GRANVILLE.—A. Jersey correspon dent writes that communication bet Ween Jersey and Granville, which had been discontinued for nearly five weeks, owing to an attack by the populace on the steamer Dispatch, belonging to the London and South Western Company, was resumed last week,. the French Government having ordered troops down to Gran ville to protect the traffic. A body of the Garde Mobile kept possession of the quays during the discharging . and loading of the steamer Granville, which proceeded to the port on Thursday,. returning on Saturday. The people assembled in considerable num bers, but the Mobiles kept them from doing any mischief. On Thursday night, after the soldiers haki been removed to their barracks, some showers of stones were thrown on board the steamer, and on Sunday morning one of her ropes was cut away by some of the mob. The feeling in Granville atill•oontinues very strong against the exporta tion of anything, especially-food. The authorities have promised the steam packet company's agent all needful protection of the steamer and crew. 'FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.—The Chamber of Agricultutv Journal says that at a meeting of the Fareham committee, the foot and mouth disease was .reported to have broken out at fifteen fresh places within a fortnight. There have been 164 fresh outbreaks in Hampshire during the past week. In the last week in October the total numbers were 2,091 cattle, 14. sheep, and 639 pigs. The foot disease Still prevails to an alarming extent in Dorset shire. The returns of the county constabulary shew that in the week ending Saturday last there were within the Dorchester division the following number of diseased animals :—Cows ' 336 ; heifers, 29; swine, 14; oxen, 9 ; bulls, 3 ; sheep, 120—total, 56L This disease continues to. spread at an alarming rate in the counties of Somerset and Gloucester: At the Long Ashton petty sessions on Friday, Mr. Superintendent Jones reported that since the last meeting of the justices 244 animals had been attacked on farms in the parishes .of Bedminster, Nailsea i Yatton, Brockley, Walton, Backwell, Wonford, Dundry, and Cleave. At the meeting of the Lawford's Gate Cattle Plague Committee, the inspector reported the herds on several farms to have recovered, and they were accordingly declared free. The cattle on some other farms were stated to be going on favourably, but there had been fresh outbreaks on farms in the parishes of Charlton and Westbury. There have also been fre s h out breaks on farms in the division situated at Corstun and Wellow, but in this district the return far the past week is the smallest since the Arst appearance of disease some months ago. In Coruwail two fresh outbreaks are re ported, namely, at Helstan and Chasews•ter. - - DIAMONP PIGGING.—A Liveruool man, writing _home to his friends from the diamond fieldti, says "The part of the country we are new In really belongs to no one it has no government, no laws, and until the diamonds were found, no claimants. Now the Free States and the Transvaal Republics have both put in claims, besides native chiefs. All this it is supposed will bring about a war, but in such an event I shall clear out of course, for the simple reason that I did not come here to fight. We have washed out thirty loads of earth, which we carted down from the hills, and have washed in the river and sorted out ; but unfortunately up to the present time we have had no luck. Diamoncf digginn• is hard manual work, and fa vours only the few. Yesterday' I saw a diamond that a ty.Rder haci found for which he refused £6,000 it was a beauty, and almost made my mouth water. "It was as large as a hen's egg and as bilght as a star. It is considered by people who know something of the value of diamonds that if it cuts well it will be worth 225,000. Diamonds of this size are of course very rare, but small ones of the value of £lO to £3O are picked up daily. This is a rough, bagen country, made up of a series of ironstone hill, mtermixed with what is called italcolumite, a substance re . sembling gravel, but mixed with ironstene,liYne, jasper, mica, ruby, garnet, and here and there the diamond. We commence work before sunrise and knock off after sundown, have our supper, and turn in. This goes on day after d t ay until Sunday comes, and then all hands go in f9r rest." OUR COTEMPORARIES—This Morning THE EASTERN QUESTION. We fail to discover, says the Times, in the circular of Prince Gortschakoff any reason for reconsidering the pro visions of the settlement of 1856. If such reasons exist, they must be found outside his despatch. At the same time, we repeat it, if Russia has any good grounds for revising the Treaty of 1856, let her produce them in a proper man ner. She will find Europe ready to listen to argument, but combined against her if she is rude and arrogant. We cannot, of course, pretend that a Treaty once made can never be revised. Time passss and circumstances change, and the arrangement that may be judicious and politic to-day may become pernicious in after years. Nay, it has sometimes happened that later men have found that their predecessors in public life have agreed to Treaties that could not be defended, because they contravened es sential principles of national life. Belgium was sepa rated from Holland, Lombardy and Venice have reverted to Italy, and we have approved, and even. assisted at, those changes, in spite of the settlements of 1815, because we were obliged to confess that those settle ments override in an arbitrary fashion the liberties of nations. But at present we can find no excuse for patting aside the settlement of 1856. Its essential principles are principles of peace, and no cir cumstances have arisen to warrant a departure from them. If Turkey declines to accept the freedom from the obliga tions of the Treaty of Paris which the Czar offers the Sultan, and insists upon holding the Empeior bound to observe the stipulations to which he agreed, we shall not be able to forget our own obligations as parties to the settlement. The prospect is grave, and while we face it without shrinking we do not face it with a light heart ; but, in spite of the gravity of the prospect, we protest that our sharpest feeling at the moment is pain at the apparent faithlessness of the Czar, and at the rudeness with which he has denounced the Treaty. What trust can be reposed in Treaties when the first hour of disquiet is seized for the repudiation of any obligation that ; may be deemed unpleasant ? Public opinion in Russia has supported us in recommending peace between Prussia and France on the basis of stipulations for the dismantlement of fortresses and the like as sureties of peace; but how can we hope that Prussia would accept such guarantees when she sees the Emperor of Russia denouncing similar engagements at the first moment he vainly thinks he may escape from them ? The Telegraph says : If Russia deemed a revision of the Treaty to be desirable for her interests, any representa tions that she might have made at a proper time, and in an amicable tone, with a due regard to the obligations which she had contracted towards Turkey and the other Powers parties to that instrument, would pro bably have met with full consideration. It would be only courteous to a great Power that her allied co-signitaries should examine what weight attached to the facts and arguments advanced in favour of / a modification of the objectionable clauses. But it is im possible to avoid judging those claims by the time chosen for advancing them, and the tone with which they are put forward. The time is so manifestly un suitable that the common sense of Englishmen at once detects some reason for the demand which it is not thought expedient to avow. It seems as if Russia had chosen the present moment because she imagines that England is isolated and relatively powerless, France stricken down, and unable, even if willing, to vindicate the sanctity of treaty stipulations, and Austria held in check by Prussia. The tone employed in the communica. tions from Prince Gortschakoff does, indeed, throw strong light on the intentions of that able diplomatist. The representations made do not suggest changes, but demand them ; and the demands are of a categorical character, and are couched in a tone which, though eminently courteous, is unmistakably im perious. Despite, therefore, the conciliatory phraseology introduced here and there, as if to soften the harshness of the avowal made, it will be difficult to convince English men that the most sinister interpretation of Russia's motive is not as sound as it is obvious. The general conviction will unquestionably be that the Em peror Alexander's advisers are endeavouring to avail themselves of a moment of European disturbance to put forward clainis which could not be supported by argument at a more fitting season. We need not dwell on the gravity of such an incident. It remains to be seen whether fuller explanations may not lessen the most un pleasant characteristics of the diplomatic difficulty thus raised, and whether a timely frankness on both sides may not, by clearly indicating possible consequences, remove the topic from the list of delicate questions ere ani mated discussion has aggravated the points of difference and converted tnem into a serious danger to European peace. Concerning the notification of Russia's wish to have the Treaty of 1856 revised, the Standard observes : Although such an announcement must have been expected before long by all who have followed Russian diplomacy eince 1856, and noted the relations between the Russian and Prussian Governments since the commencement of the present war, it has arisen much earlier than could . have been anticipated, and in our opinion very prematurely in the interests of Russia her self. The Russian statesmen have indeed some good reasons for the assumption that their demand will meet with no resistance of any importance. They are assured of the support of Prussia. France, let fortune be ever so favourable to her, will for a long time be unable to devote attention or sacrifice men and money to general questions of European policy. Austria without an ally on the Continent, and torn by the hatreds of the different nationalities, is hopelessly hemmed in between Russia and Prussia. Italy has too much to do at home. There remain England and Turkey. The Turkish Go vernment cannot alone resist the pressure Russia and Prussia can exert, and the Russians calculate that the present English Government has no heart to stand out against them ; and that—thanks to its policy— England, if the .nation should shew the concern for its honour which the Government is wanting in, would find herself in such a weak position that common prudence would dictate to her the inexpediency of engaging in a war which must be long and costly. It would be impossible to deny the justice of these calculations. England and France are the two Powers with whom Russia made the bargain contained in the Treaty of Paris, who - imposed, in protection of interests of the highest importance, the conditions to which she acceded in ordei to obtain the peace she needed. If England and France will not fight to maintain the stipulations of the treaty, Russia may treat that great European act as waste. paper. The Manchester °Owlet., alluding to the Eastern ques tion, says :—Whether Prussia is successful or unsuccessful in the present war, there is no reason for supposing that she will ever tamely submit to the advance of RusiiauponConstantinople and the consequent promotion of that Power to the first rank amongst the nations of Europe, unless indeed compensation in some form or other were offered to herself. What such compensation is to be can hardly'now be specified. it is, however, by no means improbable that it implies the more or less active support tof ltrussia,. in the present conflict, and the assistance, whether active or passive, of the only ally who can help to blot out th. memory of General Aurelles de Paladine's victory in front of Orleans—A vic tory which, however highly it may have been Coloured, and however much it may have been over-estimated, is, after all, one of the most serious events of the present ghastly struggle. THE CONTINUANCE OP THE WAR. Says the Daily News :—On all sides we hear dishearten ing rumours of the probable continuance of the campaign. Provincial France has learned to be independent of the capital, and may carry on a wild and unavailing contest, whatever should become of Paris. Tho prospect, indeed, at the present moment, is ono of the gloomiest that can well be imagined ; and among all neutral spectators there is but the one sense of pain and disappointment in regarding it. Even the most frivolous amongst us have come to regard the war with impatience. They are tired of it. It offers no longer the brilliant and striking incidents which Europe beheld during the rapid advance of the Germans from Weissenburg to Sedan. It is as if one were com pelled to sit in a theatre with the play finished, the lights out, the audience at once languid and restless ; a n d if, in the sombre darkness, any movement is visible on the stage, it represents only some such hideous picture as that which Alfred Rethel engraved long ago—Death stalking triumphantly towards the footlights, and scatter. t ing on each hand a terror-stricken group of men an d playw women, w ith ghastly faces and dishevelled atti re . Th e at is being played there is Der Tad als How long will it last? France, according to the unani mous testimony of all observers, is growing more and more desperate in her determination. It is na longer a question of dying for the galke at victory hut of dying out of mingled obstinacy and despair. There is something very strange in the way she has received the news of the victory of Orleans., It would almost appear that she had resolved to gorawe v further illusions. There is no wild and eager exultation—no sudden upspringing Of con fidenoe, with prophecies of approaching success. She accepts her good fortune at Coulmiers for what it is worth; and has not apparently allowed it to influence in any way her attitude of dogged and sullen resistance. ... 1