The Sun. — London, England, 1870-08-11 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE. THE WAR. GREAT EXCITEMENT IN PARIS. DOWNFALL OF THE OLLIVII4R CABINET. THE CROWDS CHARGED BY CAVALRY PREPARATIONS FOR A BATTLE BEFORE METZ. THE . NEW MINISTRY. At the second sitting of the Corps Ltislatif on Tuesday night, M. Duvernois proposed the following order of the day :—" The Chamber being determined to support a Cabinet capable of organising the defence of the country, passes to the order of the day." M. 011ivier declared that the Government could not accept the motion, which the Chamber never theless adopted. At the request of M. 011ivier the sitting was suspended. The sitting of the Corps Dsgislatif having been resumed, M. 011ivier announced that in consequence of the adoption of the order of the day proposed by M. Duvernois General Montauban (Duke of Palikao) had been charged with the formation of a new Cabinet. In yesterday's sitting of the Legislative Body a pro posal was adopted to declare urgent a resolution to post pone all payments for one month, dating from the 11th instant. M. Forcade de la Roquette read the report of the committee appointed to consider the project brought forward on Tuesday. The report ac cepts Count de Keratry's amendment, to call out the soldiers no longer liable, of the classes from 1858 to 1863, a step which will furnish about 300,000 men who have seen service, and also to make a levy of all citizens who have been under arms. The com mittee proposes, moreover, that all men between twenty five and thirty-five years of age who are unmarried and have no children shall be required to join the army. It is further proposed to raise the grant of 4,000,000 francs for the assistance of families of the National Guard to 20,000,000 francs ; and the report concludes with a few vigorous sentences upon the necessity for union among all parties, and for the display of public spirit, which were received with unanimous applause. M. Forcade de la Roquette, before resuming his seat, moved a vote of thanks to the French army, declaring that it had deserved well of the country. Unanimous cheering, three times renewed, greeted this motion, and the HOuse decided that the President should transmit it to the army. The above propositions were unanimously adopted. The Count de Palikao then announced that the new Ministry had been constituted as follows : General Cousin-Montauban (Count de Palikao) M. Chevreau ... Minister of War. ... Interior. M. Magne... ... ... M. Clement Duvernois... ... Finance. ... Commerce and Agricul ture. Admiral Rigault de Genouilly Marine. Baron Jerome David ... ... Public Works. Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne Foreign Affairs. M. Grandperret ... M. Jules Brame M. Busson-Billault ... Justice. ... Public Instruction. ... President of the Council of State. M. Estancelin moved that the Legislative Body should sit en permenance until the Prussians evacuated France. On a vote there were 117 ayes against 117 noes, and the motion was consequently lost. M. Jules Ferry questioned the Cabinet as to the use it intended to make of the powers conferred upon it by the state of siege, and criticised the repressive measures resorted to. No reply was given by the Government, and the matter dropped. M. Lecesne proposed a resolution, having for its object the establishment of the forced currency of bank-notes. Urgency was refused. THE NATION iL GUARD REFUSE TO ACT. L'Opinion Nationale of Tuesday night publishes the following :—" The crowd is summoned to disperse. Several of the Garde Nationale at the moment they receive the order to advance throw up their rifles, and leave the barracks. Others remain in barracks, but do not move their arms. Charges of Dragoons and of the Garde Municipale are made to clear the vicinity of the Palais." " 2.30 P. M. =Le Marechal Baraguey d'Hilliers arrives, accompanied by his aides-de-camp. He orders a new dis position of the troops. Charges recommence. We hear the drums and bugles on all sides. Consternation is general. Inside the Corps Ldgislatif deplorable scenes are taking place." A telegram states that later in the evening the Gardes de Paris dispersed all assemblages, and at 11 p.m. tran quillity was restored. The Soir deeply regrets the spectacle of dissension and violence afforded by the Corps lAgislatif, and says the sitting will not increase the prestige of the Chamber at home or abroad. The journals almost unapimously de mand the general armament of the population. There was a great display of military forces in Paris. Ten thousand men of the marine and infantry arrived from Cherbourg and other ports on Monday. The people cheered the troops, and shouted, " A la Frontiere I" THE STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT. The following is the statement made respectively by M. Parien and M. 011ivier to the two Chambers :—" The Emperor promised that the Empress would convoke you if difficult circumstances should arise. We did not wish to delay summoning you till the situation of the country was compromised. We have called you at the first difficulties. Certain corps of our armies have suffered defeat ; but the greater part has neither been conquered nor even engaged—that which has been repulsed has only been so by a force four or five times more considerable, and has displayed in the combat a sub lime heroism which will secure to it a glory at least equal to that of the victors. (Bravo.) All our soldiers who have fought, like those who wait the hour of battle, are animated by the same ardour, the same impulse, the same enthusiasm, the same patriotism, the same confidence in a speedy revenge. None of our natural defences or fortresses are in the hands of the enemy. Our immense resources are intact. Instead of allowing itself to be disheartened by reverses which it did not expect, the country feels its courage rise with its disasters. (Bravos.) We ask you to aid us in sustaining and in augmenting the national movement, and in organising a levy en masse of all that is capable in the nation. Everything is prepared. Paris is being placed in a state of defence, and is sup plied with provisions sufficient for a long siege. The national sedentary guard is everywhere being organised. The regiments of firemen in Paris, the custom house officers, will be united to the active army. Every man who has seen naval service for more than six years has been called out. We shall shorten the formalities to which voluntary enrolments are subject. We shall fill up with our disposable forces the gaps in our army, and to do so the more completely, and to form a new army of 450,000 men, we propose to you to increase the Mobile National Garde, by summoning to it all unmarried men from 25 to 30 years of age ; to grant to us the power to incorporate the Garde Mobile in the active army ; and, lastly, to summon all disposable men of the class of 1871. Not shrinking from any of the duties which events impose upon us, we have placed in a state of siege Paris and those departments which the enemy menaces. To the resources which they have at their disposal against us, the Prussians hope to add those-which may arise from our intestine discords, and they consider the disorders at Paris as likely to be worth an army to them. In this im pious hope they will be disappointed ; the immense ma jority of Paris will preserve its patriotic attitude. And if a minority attempted to trouble by force the national accord. we should use the powers which the state of siege places in our hands ; we should not only appeal to the courageous and devoted National Guards of the capital, we should summon to Paris the National Guards of all France, and should defend order with all the more firm ness that on this occasion order means salvation." M. 011 icier added, in reply to several interruptions from the Left : —" It would be failing in our duty to the country to lose a moment upon a question of persons. You may accumulate reproaches against the Ministers, but we shall keep silent. We shall only defend the measures which are proposed. The Ministers ask that the Chamber should continue its confidence in them. If other Ministers can better face events, dismiss us—but immediately, as now we must not speak, but act." THE POSITION OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES. The following official news received from headquarters is dated yesterday :—"A great part of the French army is concentrated before Metz, Marshal Bazaine is charged THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORMNG, AUGUST 11, 1810, with the direction of the opei ations. The army corps of General Frossard is retiring in good order upon Metz. The night passed off quietly. The Emperor is about to visit the quarters of Marshal Bazaine." Intelligence from Metz states that General Decamp has been appointed to the command of the Third Army Corps. The greater part of the army corps of Marshal MacMahon had rallied, and had fallen back upon Nancy. The proprietors of the land comprised in the first and second zones of the fortifications have received notice to demolish all buildings and cut down all trees, hedges, and other obstructions within three days. A French official despatch, dated Metz, August 9, 9.25 p.m., says :—" No important engagement has taken place . to-day at the front of the army of Marshal Bazaine. A squadron of French Hussars drove back a reconnoitring force of Prussian Lancers." Later telegrams, dated yesterday morning, flay :—" The Emperor is about to visit the cantonments of the army. During the last forty-eight hours the commissariat stores have been increased, and the soldiers are resting in expectation of the signal for action. The Prince Im perial is still here. General Changarnier will remain attached to the staff at head-quarters." It was believed that a battle would be fought yesterday or to-day. STRASBURG. Things were quiet at Strasburg yesterday morning. All necessary defensive measures were being taken. CONCENTRATION OF THE PRUSSIANS. A French official despatch from Metz, dated yesterday morning, says :—" An army'of the enemy is concentrat ing on the Saar. The King of Prussia has established his headquarters at Kaiserslautern. No movements have taken place to-day." THE FIGHTING AT SPICHEREN. According to the German account the fight at Spicheren near Saarbrucken, on the 6th ultimo, was of considerably larger dimensions and greater results than were known previously. The corps d'arme6 commanded by General Frossard was nearly entirely broken up, its losses in killed and wounded being extraordinarily heavy. The encampment of one division, and considerable stores were captured by the Prussians. A great many prisoners were taken, the number of whom is increasing hourly, and amounts already to 2,000. But the losses of the Germans were also considerable. The Fifth Division alone lost 1,800 men. THE EMPEROR'S RETURN TO PARIS. A telegram from Frouard, at the junction of the road from Nancy to Metz, under date midnight between Mon day and Tuesday, announces that— " The Emperor, solicited by several Generals to return to Paris, had replied— " ' Dead or victorious ! (Mort ou victorieux).' " REPORTED ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL IN LONDON. The Pall Mall Gazette says it . is rumoured that Mr. Smifh (a secret agent of the Emperor Napoleon) has arrived in Lon don, having under his charge the Prince Imperial, the jewels of the Empress of the. French, and the valuable diamonds of the Duke of Brunswick. NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM. The Independence Beige of last evening contains the fol lowing :—" We learn that the Municipal Council is con voked in order to deliberate upon a proposal to draw up an address to the English people. We have reason to be lieve that the Communal Council will proceed in a body to the British Minister, and beg him to forward to London the expression of the sentiments which animate the inha bitants of Brussels." THE NEUTR,IL POWERS• The North German Gazette of last evening publishes a semi-official note stating that an article contained in the New Prussian Cross Gazette, and headed " The Neutrals," has, with justice, excited considerable surprise in political circles. The North German Gazette adds that it is only empowered to declare that the article in question, in the views it expresses upon the attitude of the neutral Powers is not a correct representation of either existing facts or of the sentiments of the Prussian Government. The article of the Cross Gazette herein alluded to contained the following :—" Certain neutrals would now give a good deal to have joined us in the war at its outbreak, but the attitude of certain of the neutral Powers will always be borne in mind by us Germans." SPAIN AND THE WAR. _ There is considerable excitement in Madrid over the French defeat. The Republican party are prophesying a speedy triumph, and their press are calling for the in stant proclamation of a republic in Spain. The Cortes committee have decided by 9 to 5 not to convoke the Cortes at present, in spite of the petition of Rios Rosas, Topete, and others. THE FRENCH MISMANAGEMENT. Azamut Batuk writes from Metz to the Pall Mall Gazette on Sunday :—" Let me say now how the events of the last two days appear to an eye anxious to find an explanation of a fact in the possibility of which it would never have believed. You know how long was the French line. From Sierck to Weissenburg, on the whole of the distance, four corps were scattered in thin detachments, all of them unaware on which point the attack might begin. Out of these troops a corps is to be deducted—that of Ladmirault (the 4th corps d'arm4e), which had the special duty of protecting the valley of the Moselle. Only three remained then—the 3rd corps of Bazaine, the 2nd of Frossard, and the Ist of MacMahon. The corps of the Imperial Guards, under Bourbaki, is not to be reckoned, as he was near Metz ; while the sth of Failly, was at Nancy. The official bulletin has further shewn that even the corps of Bazaine did not take part at Forbach. The whole of the Prussian forces had thus prac tically only two French corps to oppose them at the places selected for the attack. The results were only natural, and you know them already. Of Frossard's corps, one regiment (the 60th of the' Line, if I rightly remember) numbered after the Battle of Forbach only about 100 soldiers and one officer; while two of MacMahon's Turcos, covered with blood all over their ragged dresses, were seen last night by a friend of mine, at Nancy, rolling on the pavement of the railway station, and crying aloud for their regiment, about whose fate no one seemed to know anything. And why was there such a want of concentration on the points of attack ? What were the arrangements which made it possible that isolated divisions and brigades should be surrounded by two and three corps ? No one is able to answer ; not even the officers at headquarters whence all the orders must have been issued. Igo to write to you with a very heavy heart, and the profoundest hope that I may be able to see and hear to-morrow something different from what I see and hear to-day. One symptom impresses my mind most unfavourably. We see almost no wounded here, although their arrival has been many times announced and the best possible preparation made for them. Is it possible that the retreat was of a nature which did not allow them to be carried off ? THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE EMPEROR. The High Court at Blois has delivered its verdict in the case of the individuals charged with conspiracy. Mdgy was sentenced to twenty years' hard labour; Beaury to twenty years' imprisonment ; Dupont, Fontaine, Sapia, and Gerin, to fifteen years' imprisonment : Petiean, Mollin, Godinot, and Pelerin, to five years ; Grenier and Greffier to fifteen years ; Ballot and Gronuer to five years; and Direnze to three years. Verdier was acquitted, having given evidence for the Government. All the other pri soners were acquitted. THE EVACUATION OF ROME. The evacuation of the French troops is completed, and General Dumont has been authorised to cede to the Roman Government 35 mortars and 15,000 shells. The cases of desertion are more numerous than ever from the Antibes Legion, twenty-seven of that corps having disap peared. THE MASSACRE IN GREECE. The Greek Government has refused to permit English barristers to be present at the inquiry relative to the affair at Marathon. The English M inister has protested against this decision. THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. The special correspondents of the Toronto papers with the Red River expedition announce that all was going well up to the 28th of July. Labour was very scarce at Portage, but steady progress was being made without any accident. The first detachment, consisting.of part of the 16th Rifles; the Artillery, and Engineers, lind then reached Deux Rivibres Portage. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) LORD DERBY ON THE WAR. Lord Derby presided Last evening at the annual dinner of the North Lancashire Agricultural Society, which was held in Blackpool. His lordship, in proposing the toast of the army and navy, saidthe toast was one which six months or even three months ago would not have excited more than ordinary interest. But it was not too much to say that the events of the last few weeks had produced on the minds of all thinking men a painful sense of awakening from ideas which, however pleasant, had unfortunately been shown to be illusory. The idea of a mere aggressive war was scouted by every Englishman. We had flattered ourselves until very lately that the feeling which we knew to be universal amongst us prevailed over continental Europe. We had learnt now that in this respect we were mistaken. Under these cir cumstances men very naturally asked what ought England to do. That was a serious question. He would not then undertake to supply the answer. That would not be a . fitting time or place. But there was none the less neces sity that he, should do so, because in a place which he had lately quitted opinion upon that'subject was pretty unani mous. But although he did not undertake to say what this couutry ought to do, he might venture to say that it did not follow that because some of our neighbours had chosen to run mad that we had to run mad also. We might have been a little sanguine in our hopes of a quiet life. We might have been a little too eager in try ing to reduce to what we supposed to be the simply neces sary amount of our naval and military expenditure. But don't now let us run into quite the opposite extreme, and don't letus because for the moment some expectations in which we have indulged are disappointed. , Not as if we were about to get under the influence of possession, panic. There were no doubt circumstances which might compel us to take part in the quarrel. For his part he told them fairly he thought the chances were a thousand to one that these circumstances would not arise, but they were bound to be prepared for the contingency. On the one hand, and no less on the other, to do nothing by foolish talk, by unnecessary threats, or by expressions of defiance addressed to those whatever wrong they had done to one another; they had done no wrong to us. In point of moral power he believed we had never been so strong, or nearly so strong as we were at present. We had a fleet equal to any two of those afloat. As to mil' army, it was undoubtedly relatively small, but taking into consideration the limited amount of our forces, our arma ment was about the best in the world. There was not, therefore, as far as he could see, any cause for alarm, though there was sufficient cause for vigilance and for precaution, and for provision against that future which was necessarily uncertain. FIELD DAY AT ALDERSHOT. H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge arrived at Aldershot yesterday morning, accompanied by General Sii William Knollys, G.C.8., Lieutenant-General Sir Hope Grant, G.C.8., Colonel Herbert, C. 8., and Colonel Clifton, A.D.C. The troops formed at 9.30, and on the arrival of H.R.H. a sham fight on an extended scale took place. The attacking army was underthe command of Lieutenant- General Sir J. Yorke Scarlett, G.C.8., and consisted of four regiments of cavalry, eleven battalions of infantry, and thirty guns. The defending force was commanded by Major-General Carey, C. 8., and consisted of one cavalry regiment, four battalions of infantry, and twelve guns. The troops were in excellent position at 12.15, when the battle terminated. Each corps is to take up the position it held at the close of the fight to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock when the engagement will be renewed, under the observation of H.R.H. the Duke, who will remain at his camp quarters for several days. VISIT OF THE QUEEN TO THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON. The yachts belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron Club yesterday sailed in sub-divisions, under the flag officers. They got under weigh at half-past two, and followed the commander up Southampton Water. On their return they were met at Callshott Castle by the Alberta, with her Majesty on board. The royal yacht accompanied them a short distance on their return, and then proceeded for the Queen to view the forts at Spit head. THE RE-ELECTION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. The Conservatives of Plymouth have resolved not to oppose the re-election of Sir Robert Collier. The interval is too short, the nomination being fixed for Monday, to allow of any candidate properly canvassing the borough. There is no immediate eligible candidate, and many leading men of the party are away from the neighbour hood. So it has been determined not to contest the borough on this occasion. MR. DICKENS'S SALE The first day's sale of the household furniture and other effects of the late Mr. Charles Dickens took plack at Gadshill-place, Higham, yesterday. The gardening utensils were first disposed of. The flowers in pots, and other such relics of the novelist, sold well. The carriages went very cheap. An Irish jaunting-car sold for ; a double-seated basket phaeton fetched £l5 ; and a modern brougham £34 ; a grey cob, six years old, had £2O bid for him. The furniture in the Swiss chalet commanded great attention, and there were many eager bidders, An oak tool chest about 2 feet by 14 inches without tools sold for three guineas ; an oak table said to be the one on which Mr. Dickens last wrote, £5. The bird's-eye maple bergia arm chair, the one in which he constantly set when in the chalet attracted many bidders, and after sharp con tests between three or four who were anxious to possess it, was knocked down for £ll. NEW TOWN HALL AT BRADFORD. The Mayor of Bradford yesterday morning laid the foundation stone of the new town hall. The building is to cost £43,000, in addition to the site, valued at £3,000. The style of architecture is mediceval. Messrs. Lockwood and Mawson are the architects. At luncheon, given by the Mayor, it was stated that the local trade was in a sound condition, and if peace were concluded there was every prospect of continued prosperity. PREPARATIONS FOR THE 12TH AT DERRY. Large forces of troops and constabulary are arriving in the city of Derry to prevent a breach of the peace on the approaching anniversary on Friday. There will be a thousand men of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and up wards of a thousand infantry of the line, besides three troops of cavalry and a number of horse police. Fifteen hundred men have already arrived. Both pa rties, it is believed, will have monster processions. The Protestant party will not go outside the walls, but will parade within the city. The authorities have determined to allow the Catholics to parade inside of the city, but will not allow them to go upon the walls. They express their resolution to force their way there. Reinforcements to increase the strength of both parties are expected from the rural districts, and preparations on a large scale have been made by their respective friends to entertain them. The rooms of the apprentice boys have been broken into, and two drums carried away. The excitement in the city is increasing very much. The rail way companies have cancelled their advertisements set ting forth that trains would run to Derry on Friday at reduced rates. ALTERATION OF GOVERNMENT ARMS. A few days ago the War Office decided to convert all muzzle-loaders in stock into breech-loaders. Orders were yesterday given out to the Government factory at Enfield and to the small arms factories at Birmingham and Lon don to effect this alteration with all speed. Two boys, named Crook and Gameson, quarrelling in Birmingham last night over some corn, the latter was stabbed by the former with a pocket-knife, and lies in a dangerous condition. The boys are the sons of respectable tradesmen. By a large majority the Newcastle Chamber of Com merce yesterday refused to pass a neutrality resolution similar to that adopted by the Liverpool Chamber. At the meeting of the British Medical Association at Newcastle yesterday it was decided that the meeting next year should be held at Plymouth, and that Dr. Whipple, of that town, should be president. HEALTH OF MR. BRIGHT.—We are glad to learn that, except a certain degree of nervous depression, no trace remains of the malady which for six months has withdrawn Mr. Bright from public life. So far from apprehending permanent or even prolonged disability, the right hon. gentleman's medical advisers anticipate that in a few weeks he will be restored to his usual health. — Daily News. FRANCE AND AUSTRIA.—We are requested to give a positive denial, as far as Austria is concerned, to the Paris telegram of the Manchester Examiner, copied in some London papers yesterday, to the effect that Italy will fulfil her secret league with France by sending 100,000 men to the assistance of France, and that Austria also is preparing to do the same." In answer to inquiries made in authentic quarters this afternoon it was stated that nothing has occurred during the last few days to induce the Austro. Hungarian Government to deviate from its resolution of 'observing a strict but watchful neutrality. The position of the Austro-Hungarian Government is that which was defined in Count Beust's circular despatch 'of the 20th elt. to the Imperial-Royal representatives abroad.—Post. THE BATTLE OF SAARBRUCK. (From the Times' Special Correspondent.) Forbach lies at the end of a valley which runs for about eight or nine miles in a north-easterly direction—a fertile, very level valley, varying from one and a half or two to four miles in width, and bounded un either side by densely wooded slopes and heights, which are, how ever,. of no great altitude, in the neighbourhood of the plain. At the other extremity of this valley, and on its left hand side looking from Forbach, lies Saarbruck, but the two towns are not visible from each other, the latter being buried in a hollow of the hills. Sarregue- mines (within the French frontier) lies at a some what greater distance from Forbach in a south easterly direction,:--that is to say, on the right-hand side of the valley and at the extremity opposite to that in which Saarbruck is situated. In plain terms if you looked straight up the vale from Fotbach you would have Saarbruck on your left front, while Sarreguemines, also hidden from view by the heights, would.be on - your right, perhaps slightly to your right rear. Proceeding along the roadin the direction of Saarbruck, we began to pick up some information as to the actual state of things, and I found to my great surprise that the French divi-lon which had occu pied the heights overlooking Saarbruck, on the Forbach side, had voluntarily abandoned that position on the previous evening, and retired within their own frontier, being at this time disposed about Forbach, but how and where I could not then precisely ascertain. At about two kilometres from the town, in the direction of Saarbruck, the long valley narrows itself slightly. Here the road turns at a sharp angle to the left, and with the trees which are planted beside it and the village of Styren-Wendel (consisting mainly of the buildings connected with a large factory) divides the valley, as it were, into two sections. In front of this quasi-barrier—that is to say, in the outer section of this valley —we came upon a regi ment of infantry and a battery of artillery, which were the furthest advanced troops we could see at this time. The arms of the infantry regiment were piled, the men were lounging about in easy deshabille, some of them lying in their tentes debris, some cooking, some cleaning their accoutrements ; the same symptoms were observable among the gunners ; nothing betokened any expectation of trouble or disturbance from the enemy. We had scarcely made these observations when of a sudden the roar of a cannon was heard, sounding quite close to us, and, on looking through my field glass ] I saw that a Prus sian battery, posted on the external slope of the heights, which the _French had abandoned the night before, and in - - front of a large farm-house (to which, for convenience and because of its red roof, we gave during the day the name of the " Maison Rouge,)" had opened fire on some French troops at the farther extremity of the valley which were then invisible to us, but which afterwards represented in the battle of the French Right. Immediatelyall was hurry, and bustle. Orderlies and aides-de-camp began to tear back and forward alongtheroadtoForbach. The battery of artillery was got into position facing up the valleys, the arms of the infantry were unpiled, their tents were struck, and, as quick as lightning, a working party were hard at work throwing up an intrenchment in front of their posi tion. At this time we were ordered back, and we turned off the road and clambered up the wooded heights on the right of the valley, in the hope of seeing to advantage all that passed. Nor were we unfortunate :of course, we had constantly to shift our ground in deference to sundry projectiles, which came unpleasantly near us; and in - shiftingabout among the woods and hollows we were obliged, every now and then, to lose sight of the battle for a time, and thus to drop, as it were, the thread of the argument ; but on the whole we did very well. When we first reached the summit we found ourselves behind the French Right Centre ; on their right their artillery was replying with considerable vigour to the Prussian guns which were firing at them across the valley from a plateau in front of the " Maison Rouge." The Prussians seemed to be very strong in artillery, and every now and then a new battery was brought into action, moving for the most part (at this time) along their own left, and thus forcing the French to extend their right in a way which, considering the manifest inferiority of their numbers, must have made their position, I should imagine, a very critical one at this part of the day. A little later fresh Prussian batteries began to descend straight into the plain from the direction of the " Maison Rouge," and the French Right and Right-Centre ap peared to me to begin to fall back. Regiment after regiment, indeed, descended in skirmishing order into the plain, and, fighting like heroes, did their best to check the forward movement of the Prussians, but they were always obliged to recoil before the superior numbers of the latter, and to withdraw up the heights on their own side of the valley. At this time we, the spectators, began to find our position rather a hot one, and beat a retreat in the direction of the French Left, working our way through the dense woods, always in search of some coign of vantage whence some part of the action might be visible, and kept on the qui rive by occasional stray bullets from the Prus sians, which rattled through the branches over our heads. At this time also—that is to say, some two hours after the commencement of the action, or about 1 30 p.m.— I believe the French Right must have been rein forced, and particularly in artillery, for oue could see by the line of smoke from the French guns that the backward movement was not continued. On taking up our position behind the French Left we found that the woods on the opposite side of the plain were by this time filled with Prussian infantry, who were keeping up a murderous fire on the French infantry in the open, and n some artillery which was replying to certain Prussian guns now in position on the plain below the " Maison Rouge," and firing up the valley in the direction of For- bath. It was here where the heaviest losses of the French must have been sustained. Obviously they fought at a tremendous disadvantage ; and the effect produced by the fire of their tirailleurs upon the enemy, who kept themselves carefully concealed, must have been infinitely less than of that which was directed against them from the dense cover of the woods. It would be impossible to overrate the dash and valour of the French infantry at this point, or to pay too high a tribute to their en durance under such trying circumstances. A hundred times they advanced close up to the wood with a desperate i m petuosity, but, although they did all that could be expected of mortal men, they were always obliged to refire, and from our position we could see them dropping in scores at each successive ad vance or retreat —a truly lamentable sight. This sort of fighting appeared to me to go on steadily for a couple of hours, the artillery being engaged incessantly on the right and the contest between the French in the open and the Prussians in the wood never flagging for an instant. At about the end of this time, a contest which had been go ing on at intervals between the Prussian battery fi r ing u p the plain from below the " Maison Rouge " and the French battery or its successor) which I men tioned as bein g rin position at the end of the plain at the beginning of the day, was suspended for a time by the explosion of a caisson in the rear of the French bat tery. The effect was tremendous. The battery was put entirely hors de combat ; everything was a wreck ; remark ably enough, all that remained of the battery was one poor horse, which by some singular chance, remained alive and erect, standing pathetically motionless among the debris. Another french battery was brought up, I think, but the Prussians did not seem to push their advantage. Their tirailleurs in the wood, however, seemed to redouble their efforts, and for the first time in the day ventured out of cover, threatening to advance from the corner of the wood and effect a lodgment about the factory buildings in Styren-Wendel. A battalion of Chasseurs de Vincennes, who occupied this position, very effectually checked . the proposed movement, dashing out across the open with immense elan, with fixed bayonets, it is - said, charging the enemy, who at once gave way before the vigorous onslaught, and made a hasty and undignified retreat to their friendly woods. I am told that on this occasion the mitrailleuse was also used, but no part of the day was I able to see the effect produced by it. lam told the French are disappointed with the new weapon, which was relied upon with an almost superstitious faith; but, after all, if it was only tested upon troops protected by thick cover it is scarcely fair to condemn it upon this one trial. From this time, which was, I should say, about five o'clock, the battle languished all along the line, and, in fact, died out altogether for a little, so much so that we considered the affair at an end, and began slowly to return through the woods towards the town. By the time we had reached a height just overhanging, the town, and . from which we had an open though distant view of the field, a tremendous cannonade had recommenced, principally in the Saarbruck direction, and large rein forcements—four or five regiments of Chasseurs and Dragoons, and several regiments of infantry — arrived about the same time for the French, from the Sarreguemines direction. The cavalry pused rapidly up the inner section of the valley, and I lost sight of them for a time behind the road and the trees, in the direction of Styren-Wendel, but I believe they took up their position somewhere thereabout, and were not advanced into the outer plain. The infantry, on the other hand, were thrown at once into the woods on the right, through which we had just passed, and were, I presume, ad vanced to reinforce the French line all along its extent. The battle now raged with redoubled vigour, but the effort of the Prussians were apparently directed for the time chiefly against the French right. The Prussians were, also at this time strongly reinforced, and I saw an immense column of their infantry descending had the plain, in the distance, from the Saarbruck direction, Their cannonade then became more and more vigor,. ous, and I could see by the line of the smoke that the whole French line was gradually giving way. At this critical juncture we were startled by a sudden cannonade in a totally new direction, and quite close to us. The Prussians had Suddenly descended from the heights, and shevin themselves in force opposite the French left, which their fire, directed across the railway and high road, was threatening to turn and cut off from their communication with Metz. The Frenoh reply was as feeble as possible, and already along the road ominous symptoms of retreat began to be visible. The Prussians had evidently been strongly reinforced simul taneously at either extremity of their line, whereas the French reinforcements must have been sent away to their right and right centre, and there was nothing to meet the Prussian atfack When it fell thus unexpected on their left. The battle was clearly lost: STRATEGY OF THE CAMPAIGN-. Up to our latest advices, the Emperor appears resolved to give battle under the walls of Metz. The proprietors of the land within range of the guns, not only of the enceinte; but of the detached sorts which form the outer line of defence, have been ordered to cut down all trees, hedges, and obstructions, even to destroy all buildings. But the despatch which announces this; though dated Mon day night, says that three days were allowed for the work of demolition. We should have thought this too long a time to be given. The Prussian despatches of the same date announce the occupation of St. Avoid by their forces, and that their patrols extend to within be tween nine and ten English miles of Metz. Already a reconnoitring party of Prussian Lancers had advanced so far as to be driven back by French Hussars. Our French correspondent tells us the Prussians have left Sierck and Bouzonville. Unless the Prussians have strong need to delay, the battle must be imminent.—Standard. It is not yet clear whether the Prussians will seek to turn the line of the Moselle, or Will risk their fortunes on a pitched battle in front of Metz. In the line of the river Nied, with its two branches meeting a few miles west of Metz, and the well-marked heights en its western bank, the French have a strong position, which the Prussians might think twice before assault ing, if it were seriously disputed by Bazaine's forces ; while . in the event of a defeat, the fortress and its outworks are ready to receive the beaten army, and excellent roads in the rear lead to the line of the Meuse. with the support of the bastions of Verdun. It is possible that the Prussians might find it an easier and less costly enterprise to use their great numerical prepon derance in outflanking the French line of defence on the Moselle, by passing to the northward and swooping down towards Chalons, while the troops of Bazaine were held in front of Metz by the central army; and the Crown Prince operated on the right flank of M`Mahon and Canrobert at Nancy—threatening to roll up their forces on the left, and thus to cut them off entirely from Lyons and the south, as they are now cut off from the Rhine. But such a plan of campaign would be exposed to the dangers which, in 1814, the greatly superior invaders of France encountered from the blows of Napoleon, placed in the centre of their converging armies and able to throw his whole forces on the one or the other as opportunity offered. Besides the Prussians have to fight against time; not only because the organisation of their army system prescribes as speedy as possible a prose cution of the campaign, but because the enemy will put new men in line every day that passes. The event of Tuesday at Paris the prompt substitution of a warlike and vigorous Ministry for the ambiguous and discredited Cabinet of M. 011ivier—sufficiently proves that the French people are resolved to make any sacrifice rather than tamely succumb to the arms of Prussia. The•• measures adopted yesterday—calling out 300,000 men of the soldiers no longer liable for service who belong to the classes of 1858-63, and levying all citizens who have borne arms— cannot tell on the numbers or composition of the French army for many days to come. But Trochu's troops from Cherbourg, Douay's Corps from Bel fort, and the reserves drawn from Lyons, may in a very few clays be in line on the Moselle, bringing 80,000 or 100,000 excellent soldiers to the aid of the Emperor's beaten army ; and the Prussian chiefs, weighing the chances of the campaign, may reasonably prefer, with their vastly superior forces, to brusquer 200,000 men now, rather than outmanoeuvre 300,000 a week or ten days hence.— Telegraph. REJOICINGS AT BERLIN.—The Berlin correspon dent of the Standard describes the reception of the news of the Worth and Forbach victories in the Prussian capital :—The joy in every eye and the exultation on every tongue beggar description. One could scarce move along for happy people ; everybody knew everybody in that delightful moment, and all reserve was scattered to the winds. The densest and most enthusiastic portion of the crowd was, as usual, round the statue of the Great Frederick and in front of the Royal Palace. Every patriotic song that could he thought of was sung by thousands of exhilarated voices before the walls which screened from view the venerable Queen. All the wihdows of the Palace, however, were thrown open, and the rooms were brilliantly illuminated. Would not the Konigin Auguste come forth? She did so once ; she did so twice ; but the crowd would have had her perpe tually before them. Royalty has no privileges on such oc casions, and the patriotism of her husband's people would not allow her that sleep after excitement which no doubt she needed. Every conditorei—that happy cross between a café and a confectioner's—was crowded with liberal truants. When we are beaten we go home with our purse between our legs, and never a penny slips through our bitterly tightened fingers. But when we win, then how prodigal we grow. Thalers flow like wine, and silver groschen melt like the ice now in these sweltering days so perpetually in request. How they drank, and ate, and smoked, and laughed, and cheered last night, the good men and women who congregated to talk of victory? As I walked finally home I leaned for a moment against the walls of the University. Before me was the Palace, glittering with light, and between me and it a vast concourse chanting hymns of victory. Over their heads could be seen the moving bayonet of a solitary sentry who walked backwards and forwards on the Palace terrace. Soaring into the clear night air, and lifted above all the clamour, was the equestrian statue of the real founder of this mighty and military nation. Is it on the eve of seeing events even more glorious and gratifying than he enabled it to achieve ? I have firm con fidence in the triumph of Germany. The Telegraph notices a very active and buoyant ap pearance in the stock market, the leading securities being in demand at greatly enhanced prices. The impression is very general that notwithstanding the excitement in Paris there will be an abrupt termination of hostilities at an early date ' • and; active buying on behalf of large foreign houses both here and in Paris has taken place, leading to an improvement which has been dis tributed fairly over all classes of stocks and shares. One circumstance which aided the upward ten dency, particularly in Consols, was the knowledge that large sums are now being remitted from Paris for the pur pose of safe investment in England, the realisation of securities and their conversion into specie at the Bank of France proceeding very rapidly n ow that apprehensions are entertained of a siege of the capital or a hostile occu pation, or of a third issue, more dreaded than either of these. THE REPRESENTATION OF DUBLIN.—A meeting of Captain King Harman's supporters was held on 'Tues day evening at the Rotunda, Dublin. Alderman Plunkett presided. Captain Harman addressed the meeting, and expressed himself strongly in favour of home rule. He was an advocate of the national system of education, but would allow those who preferred denominational education to have it. The Rev. Mr. Galbraith, Professor, Trinity College, moved a resolution approving of Captain Har man's candidature. The motion was seconded by Mr. Begg, wine merchant, a Roman Catholic, and adopted. Martin Carey, an ex-Fenian prisoner, attempted in vain to address the meeting. HE PARTS HIS HAIR IN THE MIDDLE.—At last we know the real cause of the removal of Mr. Motley, and we feel relieved to be assured that he is not with drawn for having written his own instructions. It seems he parts his hair in the middle ; and old Zach Chandler, who went all the way to London to make this discovery, bad no sooner become aware of this astounding weak ness on the part of our Minister than he rushed to Washington from London brimful of good old Michigan indignation, and demanded the head whose covering was thus divided in defiance of every Americati sentiment of manhood and propriety. What could the President say ? Could he hope to make anybody believe that a man who parted his hair in the middle could correctly represent the American people in an argument on the Alabama claims? Did not this very fashion of parting the hair at once and for ever acknowledge the supremacy of England in matters great and little, and by inference yield the point in dispute. No man could soberly argue against this view, and the , President gave way, and Motley's head falls to theKowess of old Zach. But if a man who parts his hair in the middle is prejudiced toward English thought, is not one who parts his hair in any other way prejudiced against them ? And will not England make this objec tion ? Then we shall have to send a bald-headed man, and Ben Butler will come in the foreground as probably the baldest-headed man in the republican party.—New ' York Herald. OUR COTEMPORARIES—This Morning, TIM TWO ARMIES. There will, concludes the Times, in all probability be a battle ; for, were the Prussians to hesitate the French would soon take the offensive. There must be a battle, for, were even the Prussians to proceed in accordance with the plan universally ascribed to them of investing net; so DA to be able either td starve the French iii it by cutting off their communication or to leave the place in their rear and steal a march upon Paris—the rrouch, in their new Mood, would not fail to sally forth and meet them in the open, a point which was by no means so clear three or four days ago. It is more than probable that in such a conflict the Prussians will still have a numerical advan tage: But hitherto it has not been by mere numbers that they have prevailed. It was also, and principally, by the art with which they brought the main strength of their troops to bear on some vulnerable point in the enemy's array. The French lay great stress on the fact that they were fearfully outnumbered in every engagement, their enemies being in some instances three or four against one. But an army necessarily consists of soldiers and generals, and the soldiers must needs pay the penalty of the blunders made by their leaders. All the skill of a general lies precisely in his power of combining a concentration of superior forces at a given point so as to render their onset irresistible. It was the wretched generalship of the French Marshals, and the nature of the narrcw and rugged mountain gorges iu which the war was waged, that has hitherto befriended , the Prus sians. On a wider arid more unimpeded field, and by better management, the French may have a better chance. It was by delay, mainly, that the French brought upon themselves the defeats of Wissembourg, For bach, and Woerth. An equal remissness on the part of the Prussians may procure the French that " revenge " for which they are calling so loudly. It is true we have no means of judging what the Prussians are really about. Their management has hitherto been admirable, and they must be left to their own appreciation of opportunities. The proof of the strategy is the victory, and whether it was in the war against Anstria, or in this against France, it is difficult to point out any encounter in which the " Man in Spectacles " may be said to have been too quick or too slow, THE CRISIS IN PARIS. The Standard thinks it would be very rash to promise that the accession to office of the new Ministry would not be marked by some disturbances in Paris. There is in that city, as unfortunateiy there is in London, an army of roughs to whom the idea of patriotism and of citizenship is altogether unknown. But the fact that Tuesday night passed over without any disturbances, and the fact that in times like these the military titthorities will act sharply and energetically, leave little doubt that the promised revolution in Paris will not come off: The feeling of the people of the capital, whether for or against the Emperor, whether for or against the Republic, is clear and unanimous for war. Even the most i'iolent and the most foolish of the actors in that most undignified sitting of Tuesday ask in the most energetic manner for the prosecution of the struggle. The cry throughout France is attx arm es, and although it would be most unsafe to speak with assurance upon such a point, it is our firm conviction that a revolution will not break out. The sentiment of a national danger, the conviction that the safety and the honour of France depend upon the cordial action of all Frenchmen, are too strong and too universal. The blatant declarations of the Corps lAgislatif, for whom the one great object is the gratification of their personal hatreds, do not represent France, do not represent the electors who returned them. 100 doubt, if the conduct of the war should be marked by the same mistakes which have hitherto attended it, the nation would ask, and with justice, for the transfer of power to other hands. But there is every reason to believe that these blunders will not be repeated, and that if the French army is not aided to victory by the superior strategic talent of its generals, it will not be condemned to defeats by the singular incapacity or indecision of those responsible for its position. The Telegraph says the meeting of the Chambers re calls such historic incidents as the dispersion by Bona parte of the Council of Five Hundred ; the strife be tween the Provisional Government and the Legisla- tive Assembly in 1848 ; and, most vividly of all, the armed dissolution of the Chambers in the coup &eta of 1851. The whole of Paris seems to have expected that the meeting of the Chambers would be the signal for the outbreak of revolutionary vio lence. The courtyard of the Tuileries was filled with lancers and dragoons ; the great expanse of the Place de la Concorde was covered with a surging crowd, which belied by its cries and its movements the appellation of the square ; the cavalry were charging the excited people, who in turn were clamouring far arms ; and all the neighbouring streets were filled with fierce blouses, held back only by the swords of the troopers. A part of the Garde Nationale, when summoned to join in the task of keeping order, flatly refused, and throwing down their arms, declared that they would not leave the barracks, since their duty was not to fight their fel low-citizens, but to go to the front, and do battle with the invaders of France. That refusal recalls the conduct of the bourgeoisie in 1814, when they listened with deaf ears to the frantic assurances of the Emperor, that, if they would only empty their money bags, and send their surviving sons to the front, he would still save France. They preferred to save France by leaving him to his fate, and thus Napoleon the Great fell. •rust as on Tuesday last, so on the dark Tuesday nineteen years ago, and on the subsequent days. Paris was in a state of siege, the streets were filled with tumultuous crowds, the cavalry charged the people, and then there came a ffght which Paris has not forgotten. The two Tuesdays are strangely alike in their lurid brightness and their suggestion of coming woe. Both witnessed a scene of revolution — strife in the Chambers, battle in the streets. The one witnessed the birth of the Empire ; does the other fore tell its end ? THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION. The Daily News draws a contrast between the circum stances in which our own Legislature separates and those in which the French Chambers have been called together. At home a peaceful revolution is in the course of develop ment, two of the stages of which are marked by the passing of the Irish Lank Bill and the English Ele mentary Education Bill. On our side of the Channel, we see a stl,ble Throne, a Ministry strong in the confidence of Parliament, and a Legislature which reflects the opinion of the country. On the other, we behold a tottering dynasty, a Ministry not created by the people, but called into existence that the army which has been beaten in its conflict with foreign foes may be used without any lingering scruple against a justly exasperated people. In France, the only question is whether the world will see a repetition of the scenes of February, 1848, or the darker days of December, 1851. In England, the triumphs of '29, of '32, and of '46 renew themselves. Mr. Gladstone, in spite of some error? of temper, of tactics, and even of policy, parts from the Legislature with increased claims to the confidence of his country. THE QUEEN'S SPEECH. The Yorkshire Post of to-day, in reference to the Queen's Speech, says—" The harvest of measures is small in comparison with the large crop promised at the opening of Parliament. But we cannot say that the session has been wasted. The accom. plishmen tof such work as has been done is due mainly to the forbearance and absence of party spirit displayed by the Opposition, and the feeling with which foreign policy of the Government is supported throughout the country, is a sufficient proof that where the interest and honour of the nation are concerned all Englishmen are of one party. In this spirit we firmly believe every heart in the kingdom will earnestly echo the prayer with which the Royal Speech concluded—that when the Houses of Parliament are again summoned her Majesty will be enabled to rejoice with them in the re-establishment of peace on the continent of Europe." THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.—It is not improbable that Mr. Ayrton will be prevailed upon to accept this appointment, which would not necessitate his retirement from the House of Commons.—Post. THE ORLEANS FAMILY.—We are informed on good authority that the whole of the Orleans family have left this country for the Continent. It is supposed that Begium or Switzerland is their destination.—Standard. EMBARKATION OF FRENCH TROOPS FOR THE BALTIC.—A private telegram received late yesterday afternoon at Liverpool states that large numbers of French troops have been embarked at Cherbourg, and that they are destined for an expedition to the Baltic. RE-ENLISTMENT OF DISCHARGED SOLDIERS.—W 6 understand that discharged soldiers who re-enlist are now allowed to count their previous service, together with other advantages ; and that, if they present themselves at the offices of the recruiting districts, or at the head quarters of a regiment, they will be entitled to ten shillings levy-money, which will cover their expenses. Telegraph,