The Sun. — London, England, 1870-10-24 00:00:00

MONETARY REPORTS.-SATURDAY. The stock markets opened this morning with a steady appearance, and with the prospect of a general improve ment. Later in the day, however, owing to the news from abroad being less favourable for the return of peace, the tone became less firm, and towards the close there was a general tendency to lower rates. Railways have shewn but little alteration, the principal changes being in foreign bonds. The market for home securities has been depressed. Consols have fallen 1 per cent., being quoted at 92*, 921 for delivery and the November account ; Reduced and New Three per Cents.. 911, 91 ; Bank Stock, 232, 234 ; Exchequer Bills, 6s. to Us. prem. ; India Five per Cents., 1102, 111/ ; and India Bonds, 18s. to 235. prem. Colonial Government Securitieshave been quiet ; New Zealand Consolidated, 981, ; Victoria (1883-5), 111, In English Railway Stocks very few transactions have taken place, and the tendency at the close has been towards a lower range of values ; Midland at 1271, 1271, and Great Western at 703 to 711, are each 1 lower. Metropolitan is quoted at 64g to 64g ; Caledonian, 76 to 764 ; Brighton, 42/ to 43 ; South Eastern, 74/ to 751 ; Great Northern, 122 to 123 ; ditto A., 134 , 2 to 135/ ; Great Eastern, 38* to 38i ; North Eastern, 144/ to 1441; and North Western, 1283 to 1291. For Indian railway stocks the demand has been inac tive. Bombay, Baroda, and Central India, 104/ ; East Indian, 10ct to 1101 ; Great Indian Peninsula, 106* ; Madras, 105/ ; Oude and Rohilkund, 104 ; and Scinde, 103/, 1041. Canadian shares have changed hands quietly. Great Western, 141. Foreign shares have sold slowly. Great Luxemburg, Lemberg Czernowitz, 16-1, ; Recife and San Francisco, 15/ ; and Lombards, 14/, #. In the foreign bond market, there has been a want of animation, and the preponderance of sales over purchases has weakened the value of the leading specul ation stocks. Egyptian 1868, at 77#, 77#, are lower; Italian 1861, g, at 55*, 55g; Turkish Five per Cents, 1, at 431, 433 ; ditto 1869, 1, at 511, 51#; Mexican, 1 at IR, 15 ; Brazilian (1865) are quoted at 90-i, 902; Peru. vian (1865), 89/, 901 ; Egyptian Nine per Cents., 1002, 101/. American securities have been dull. The Five- Twenty (1882) Bonds have fallen 1, or to 891, 891; the 1885 are quoted at 88fr, 881; Erie shares have fallen fir, or -18, 19i ; Illinois Central, 109*, 110*. Business in Bank Shares has been on a limited scale. Anglo-Austrian Loan marked 18k; Consolidated, 4 11-16; Imperial Ottoman, 11, ; London and County, 48k, ; London and Westminster, 601 61. Telegraph shares have been in moderate request. Fal mouths, 10a, 10-2 ; Panama and South Pacific, 2 ex-div.; Hooper's Telegraph Works, 4 13-16 ; and Telegraph Con struction, 27k. Miscellaneous securities have been quiet, but firm. Bahia Waterworks, 15 ; Credit Foncier of England, 2i ; Fore-street Warehouse, 19i ; Peninsular and Oriental Steam, 50i ; Royal Mail Steam, 58i ; Thames and Mersey Insurance, 5i ; and Universal Marine Insurance, 10. The discount market has been devoid of any feature of especial interest. Capital has continued abundant, and the demand for accommodation has been only to a mode rate extent. In Lombard-street three months' paper has been taken at 2i to 2i per cent. The Louisiana has arrived at St. Nazaire, from New York, with £32,000 in specie. The Nubia, from India and China, has brought £183,200, principally in silver. The Delta has taken £28,400 for the East. The sum of £lO,OOO has been sent into the Bank to-clay. The following is from the Levant Herald of the 12th inst. :—" The Treasury has contracted a ' temporary ' loan with the Societ6 G4ndrale for £1,200,000 at 12 per cent per annum interest, plus the usual bank commission. Having regard to the present tightness of money, these terms are quito as favourable as could have been ex pected." The report of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, of which Captain Mangles is chairman, to be submitted to the shareholders at the City Terminus Hotel, on Wed nesday, has been issued. The directors, after reviewing the state of the accounts express themselves able to re commend a distribution of £3 a share, free of Income Tax ; viz., a dividend of 15s. a share from the ordinary profiits, a bonus of ss. a share from the "Repair and Renewal Account," and a further bonus of £2 a share from the " Insurance Fund ; " payable by warrants to be issued on the evening of the 29th instant. The " surplus " on the " Working Account " for the six months ended 30th June, 1870, laid before the shareholders, is £15,514 13s. Bd. in excess of that for the same period of 1869. The commercial editor of the Times calculates that the cud of the war can hardly arrive without an addition being witnessed of at least 200 millions sterling to the existing debts of European States. LONDON STOCK EXO HANG E.-SATURDAY. I.A TEST PRICES.-AFTER OFFICIAL HOURS. The prices under the lines indicate the business done. GOVERNMENT BEOURITIES. Three per Cent Consols 921 Vict 5p a Jan & JulylB94 103 104 921, / Brazilian. 1865, 5p a .... 90 91 Do for Account Three per Cent Reduced 911 915 Egyptian 1862. 7pc .. .. 81 83 521. 5 Do Rail Deben 7 p .. 99 101 New 3 per Cent 911, 1 Italian, 1865, 5p a Exchequer Bills, March 6 11 pm Peruvian. 1865. 5p a 7s pm 895, 90 Do, June 6ll pm Portuguese 1869 3pc .. 301 311 11s pm Russian. 1862. 5 p c.. .. 88 89 Bank Stock India 5 per Cents -1111, 11 695. 5 India Bonds — Spanish. 1867. 3PO pm 295, 301, 295, 30 6pcJan&Julyll77-84 10511065 Do, 1869. 3p c Do March & Sept. 103 105 295, 5, 1 Do 5p c Jan & July .. 985 995 Turkish. 1854, 6p a Bl 83 Do inscribed Stock .. 97 99 811 Dom of Can 5p a 1903 .. 96 98 Do, 1865. 5p a Ceylon 6 p c May and 445, 5, 4 November 1878 lO7 109 Do, 1865 6p a Mauritius G p o Jan and 631 July 1873 lO3 105 U. 5.5-20 lionds,6 p c 1382 895 891 New S Wales 5p 01871-76 10151021 895, 1 x d New Zealand 6p c 1891 lO7 109 Do do 1885 885 885 Do spc Do 5p c Consolidated 98 99 Do 10-40 Buds, Spa 1901 87 87i 81. 5 x d 8 75, Do 6 p 9 c Mar & Sept 1891 106 108 Erie Sha, 100 dots, all paid Do June & DeclB9l 108 110 Illinois Central Shares .. 110 111 V ict 6p c Jan & July 1891 113 115 Atlantic and UW R Con DoApril St Oct188:3-85 1105U19 Mortgage Bonds 291 305 111, * RAILWAYS. Bristol and Exeter BB 90 Grand Trunk of Canada 89 2nd Prof Stock Caledonian a d Grand Trunk of Can'ada Great Eastern 384, 4 171, 2 Great Northern I dia 4 n Pen gsp o 10511064 123 06 Do A • 13441354 Great Western ofCanada 144 144 Great Western 704 714 144 x d 7ez, 14 Do Op c Bonds, 1873.. 101 103 Lancashire & Yorkshire 13041314 Do 54 do, 1877-8 96 98 131, 4 Do 5 p c pref. Issued 80 par 2pm Lon, Brigh. and S Coast 424 43 a d 43, 24 Madras guar 5 p o Lon, Chat, and Dover .. 134 14 1051 Di. 4, i N. Railway of Canada, Lon and North-Western 12811291 6p o Ist Prat Bonds 1284 Oude and Rohilkund g Lou and South-Western 89 91 5p a Man, 5h0t, 894 and Lincoln 444 454 Scinde, lo4 Punjaub, and 45 Delhi guar 5 p c Metropolitan 644, 4, 4 Bahia and San Francisco Midland 127 1274 g7p o a d l7l 184 1271, 7 North British North-Eastern Consols 144 145 Buenos Ayres Ot Sthrn.. 254 254 1444, 4, 4 Dunaburg and Witepsk 18 184 South-Eastern 744 75 Dutch-Rhenish 22 24 751, 44 Eastern of France — Atlantic and St Lawrnce 77 79 Great Luxembourg ~., 114 12 Bombay, Baroda, and llf, 4 Central India, g 5 p c.. 10441054 Lemberg Uzernowitzgua 1044 7 p o 164 164 Buff & Lake Huron Pref 164, 4 Do 54 p c Bonds, 1872-3-4 80 82 Northern of France Cape guar 6p c East Bengal guar 5p c lO5 108 Recife and San Francisco East Indian, g 5 p c 1104 94 154 x d Grand Trunk Canada ~ 124 124 San Paulo (L) guar 7p o 21 211 Do Equip Mort Bud 1 South Austu & Lom-Ven 144 14 charge 6v 0 a d _ _ Southern of France . no 2oti do Scrip .. Do let Pref Bonds.. 59i, 60. 59 1 3prn 59 61 BANKING COMPANIES. Pd Pd 1 Agra Bank (L) A 8 19) 20 LOU Char of Austrlia 23 24 2.5 Alliance iLI 10 Au 10-7 7 9 pin 20 London and County 47 49 181 481, 1. i 20 Anglo 3 do -Egyptian (L) 225 23 15 London Joint-Stock 32 33 2 33 50 British N American 53 55 20 Lou andWestmnster 60 61 20 Ch of India. Austrlia 14 15 601, 1 25 Char Mere of India 245 255 10 Metropolitan Bl 81 25 20 Midland (L) 10 City 25 Colonial 4 Consolidated (L) 4 11 16 4 20 Eng. Scot. and Ansel 16 17 15 Union ls of London... 37 38 20 imperial IL) 10 Imperial I ittonian 111 3 TELEURAPH COMPANIES l'd pit IGO A ;iglo-% !nerleau L) S 5 88 10 Great Northern .... 11 115 M 86',, 6 6 Great N. China, and Jditril (L) l3l 14 Japan ExtenSlMl.. 5 Indo-European (14.. 10 Marseilles, Algiers, and Malta, (L) .... 6 65 6 .. 1 ir, u t il,; s l, iodExten (L). G 6‘, 10 Mediterrn Ex (L) .. 41 4( 10 British Indian Sub- 25 Pnma and S. Pefe(L) 3 2 dia ~, i ,ie (IA ini,(l,) 4141,1i3 8 Iteuter's .2D Stu Trans Fralice(l ) 142 145 100 ;,4111,iitantlo 233 2:- 10; 104 Do Scrip 10 W India &ranama(L) 41 51 10 Anglo-I 10(.! Atlant - 1. 10 Oki tish Z. tistraln 14. 3 25 dig 12 14 F.,14 ,- titl). (411 , ra1tar, thud 01a to I MISCELLANEOUS SECU Pd .. ~ Anglo -Austrian 'find- - 311 London Fin Assoc (L)18117 ,lis holders' Certificate 11 2 4 Lon Gen Omnibus .. 21 3 10 BerliuWa6erworks(L) 141 Hi 3, 25 15 2 Lon & Prov Marine Liparlpiu 30 Bolckow-Vaughan (L) 33 38pm 100 Madras Irrig. &Canal Boston City (U.S.) 5 g 5 p c by Ind Gov. 100 102 p C Sterling Loan 91 93 2 Mauritius Land (L) 1 dis. par 4 Brit & Fgn Marine (L) 221 pm 5 Natnl Disct Comp (L) 11 11 25 Canada Company. 72 76 21 N Zealand Loan and 10 Ceylon Company (L) 41 31dis Mere Agency t 1.1 .. i 1 pin 35 City Offices (L) 25 24dis 5 N Zealand Loan and 20 Colonial (L) 5 Com 'Union Assurnce 21 3pm 6) N BritshandMere (L) 27 23 10 Crdt Fonc of Eng (L) 2/ 21 5 Oceanlidarinelnsur 2) 50 P and 0 Steam 49 11 100 Crystal Palace 100 Do Pref 100 Do 6p c Perp Deb 169 114 81, i 114_12 50 Rhymney Iron 271 Y Ebbw ale Steel (L).. 8)81dis 15 Do New 8) 91 100 Lgyp 9 p cV'roy :Loan, 60 Royal Mall Steam guar by Egyp G 3V.. 100 102 581 100), 1) 12 Tel Con and Main (L) 26) 27) 13 Fore-st Warehouse (Ll 6) 7 pin 27). 7, 8 191 2 Thames and Mersey 100 Fgn and Colonial Gov Marine Insur (L , . ?.12) pul Trust 6p c Bonds.. 96 100 51 71 Geu Credt&Disct (L) 1 dis St Tobacco 6p 0 Loan. 1 14 Gen Stm Navigation 28 30 guar by Italian Gov. 86 89 7 Hooper's Tel Works 2) 2dis 5 Trust and Loan Co of 4 0-16 Upper Canada 17 Hudson's Bay 99) S(T Marine, Lvpool IL 41 51pin 45 Indrbbr,Gut Per, and 20 Union Steamship (L) 24 26 Tel Works (L) .... 38 39 6 United Dis Corprn (L) 11 Idis 38/ 5 UnivlVlarinelnsur (L% 4) spin 5 InterulFinan SooIL) 11 11dis 10 20 It Irrie Can Cavour 3) a Viceroy of Egypt 7p 0 100 Do 6p o Bonds. re- Mortgage Loau.... (learnable 1870 . 62 65 12 Warrant Finance .... 9 7 dim MARKETS. NEWCASTLE CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—There was an active sale at this market to-day. Wheat was from ls. to 2s. per quarter higher, of which there was a good supply. Flour was from is. to 2s. per sack higher. Oats and barley were un changed. LEITH CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—Wheat continues to advance, and is again ls. per qr. dearer. Flour ls. per sack higher. Barley is fully as dear. Oats are taken off rapidly, at 6d. per qr. advance. Peas and beans steady. Arrivals for the week amount to 5,351 qrs. of wheat, 3,372 barley, 10 peas, 2 rye, 115 tares, and 3,725 sacks flour. KIRKCALDY CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—At this market to-day there were moderate supplies of all kinds of grain, and last week's prices were fully sustained. The quotations for the week are 385., 485., and 555. 63. per qr. Barley, 265., 355. 3d., and 335. 6d. per qr. Oats, 18s. 6d., 235. 9d., and 28s. per qr. NORWICH CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—There was a fair supply of wheat offered at this market to-day, which met with a rather brisk sale, at an advance of fully is. to ls. 6d. per qr. Good wheat may now Tie quoted at 50s. per qr. Barley was in request at a slight advance. Other kinds of feeding stuffs were at the full rates of last week. Averages : Wheat, 1,890 qrs. 2 bush., 465. 7d. per qr. ; barley, 12,088 qrs. S bush., 355. 2d. per qr. READING CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.--Thero was a short supply of English wheat on offer, consequently higher prices were obtained. Large supplies of foreign corn were on sale, the trade was active, at an advance of ls. per quarter. Oats were dearer. Barley was quite as dear. Beans and peas were without any material change. Malt and maize were in better request. The tone of the market generally was good, and considerable activity was manifested. The attendance of millers was larger than usual. DONCASTER CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—There was a limited supply of wheat at this market to-day, and trade was lively at from 6d. to ls. advance per three bushels. Barley was more in request, especially malting lots, at last quotations. There was little passing in oats and beans. GLOUCESTER CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—There was an average supply of English wheat at this market to-day, for which farmers obtained from ls. to 29. advance. There was a better demand for finer descriptions of foreign wheat, at a similar improvement. Grinding barley was fully as dear ; but malting barley was rather cheaper. Oats and maize were un changed. DONCASTER CATTLE MARKET, SATURDAY.—The supplies of cattle and sheep at this market to-day were good, and trade was moderate at the last quotations. Pigs were in slow de mand, but prices were the same. METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET, SATURDAY.—The supply of meat has been moderate. The trade has been dull, as follows :—Beef, from 3s. Bd. to ss. 4d.; mutton, 3s. 10d. to Cs. 4d. : veal, ss. to ss. 6d. ; and pork, 4s. to ss. Bd. per 81b. by the carcase. METROPOLITAN HAY AND STRAW MARKET, SATUR DAY.-Mr. Charles James Easton thus reports on the state of the hay market. Notwithstanding that there was only a limited supply on offer, the trade ruled heavy, but prices were unchanged :-Primo old hay, 1275. 6d. to 1358. ; inferior ditto, 110 s., to 120 s. ; prime new hay, 115 s. to 1255. ; inferior ditto, 100 s. to 110 s, ; prime clover, 130 s. to 140 s. ; inferior ditto, 115 s. to 1255. ; prime new second-cut clover, 120 s. to 1305.• inferior ditto, 110 s. to 1158. ; and straw, 30s. to 345. per load. METROPOLITAN HIDE AND SKIN MARKET, SATURDAY. -Market hides, 561bs. to 641bs, 31d. to 31d. ; 641bs. to 721bs, 31d.; 721bs. to 801bs., 31d. to na. ; 801bs. to 881bs., 31d. to 4d. ; &lbs. to 061b5., 4d. to 41d. ; Nibs. to 1041b5., 41d. to 44d. 1041 b. to 1121 b., 41d. to 41d. Horse-hides, 10s. to 12s. Calf-skins, light, 2s. to 4s. ; full, 7s. 6d, Sheepskins, polled, ss. 6d. to 75.; half-breeds, 4s. 3d. to 4s. 9d. Downs, 3s. 2d. to 3s 9d. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SATURDAY. - Opening Report.-This market opened strong to-day. There was a large business done in Surats late yesterday. Probable sales, 12,000 bales. Ship-named Orleans, Bid. Imports not reported. Closing report.-This market closed strong to-day, at d. ad vance on the spot. Sales, 20,000 bales. Arrivals steady. Or leans ship named Sid. ; Charleston Savannah ditto, Sid. ; Octo ber and November shipment, 81d. Imports, 2,485 bales. No Surats. LEEDS TRADE REPORT, SATURDAY.—There was an im proved state of things in the cloth halls this day. Notwithstand ing drenching rain the local home merchants assembled strong. Manufacturers of tweeds experience a lively inquiry tor tweed waterproofs, particularly in strong request here at from 2s. to 2s. 9d. per yard ; a few at Ss. were also saleable. The mills to the west of Leeds are busier ; this revival is supposed to be because of better peace prospects. London, Scotch, and provincial buyers have been here during the week, and have shown such a spirit that the merchants are speculat ing, knowing that, should hostilities cease, tweeds and all other woollens will go up in price. The shipping trade here is quiet, no advices baying come from the Continent since the surrender of Metz was probable. In the Dewsbury district there are large consignments continually going to Germany. One night, after the usual warehouse hours, no less than thirteen carriers' wherries arrived at the railway in Dewsbury with heavy loads of rugs, blankets, &c., to go via Grimsby to Hamburg. Presidents for mantles still sell fairly, though goods are rather dearer. Wool itself is slightly cheaper. In iron tools and flax there is no change. CLYDE CRUSHED SUGAR MARKET, SATURDAY. —This market closes to-day without much activity, but the few sales making are at very firm prices. The values are about the same as last Saturday. TILE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION.—The Shipping Gazette is informed by its Havre Correspondent that a number of persons, British subjects, are being collected at Cherbourg, and at Caen, with a view to the formation of a Foreign Legion, to fight in the service of France. This (says the Gazette) is a serious matter, and, if our Govern ment do not put a stop to it, will, in all probability, involve us in a quarrel with the Germans. This involves an open violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act, the provisions of which statute were made more stringent only last session, in view of the then pending hostilities, and with the avowed object of preventing anything like a compromise of our neutrality. Swiss SYMPATHY 'WITH FRANCE.—The Swiss press, following the example of its Government, which recognised the French Republic before its legal rati fication by the French people themselves, has be come very sympathetic for }ranee since Sedan, and more and more distrustful,, especially in the German can tons, of the conqueror's intentions. Consequently the Swiss press, like the Belgian, is becoming the object of attack on the part of some Liberal journals in Germany, and a very animated controversy has arisen in conse quenoe. A German paper, the Sunday Post, accused the Swiss Federation of ulterior motives in its sympathy with the new Republic, and a desire of enlarging its frontier line. This was indignantly denied by the whole Helvetian press, and so much angry feeling has resulted from the affair that the relations between the two peoples on the Baden frontier are becoming affected. Some Swiss villages have complained to Berne that the Baden people celebrated their victories by a discharge of cannon loaded with stones on the Helvetic territory. The Federal Council has forwarded this complaint to the Cabinet of Carlsruhe, and demanded an inquiry, and the punishment of the culprits. WAR MAPS.—Among the numerous series of war maps which have been produced to illustrate the present struggle, those of the well-known geographer, Mr. Wyld, will bear favourable comparison with any. His Paris maps are of special merit. Two of these have been issued. On represents the city itself on a good scale, with the forts, and the ground immediately beyond them—thus shewing most of the positions occupied by the Germans. This map is all that is required for following in detail the operations around the besieged city. The drawing is extremely exact, and finished ; and the value of the work is greatly increased by contour lines, shewing the different elevations of the ground. The second map represents the country round about Paris. It extends from Rouen on the north-west, to Soissons on the north-east ; from Provins in the south east, to beyond Chartres on the south-west. The work is beautifully clear,- and yet so minute that nothing is omitted which ought reasonably to be found. Every hamlet is notified, wooded ground is coloured ; and the positions of the Germans in all the Paris district are pointed out. In short both maps will amply supply the wants of the ordinary student. GAMBETTA'S ECURSION TO THE EAST.—The journey of Gambetta to the Vosges was intended to facilitate an understanding between General Cambriels, commander-in-chief of the regular troops in those parts, M. Keller, the former clerical representative of the Haut-Rhine, who is now the head of the Freeshooters, and Garibaldi, who has under taken the command of all the irregular forces in central Vosges and the Jura. He has established his headquarters provisionally at Dole, from whence he in tends to harass the force under General Warder, who is marching on Lyons through the valley of the Saone. Before he can do this, however, he must, concert operations with the Bavarian General Von der Tann, who con templates advancing on Bourges, where there are large cannon foundries and other establishments at work for the armament of the new levies in the south. Gari baldi, meanwhile, has left Besancon for Belfort, wishing to see all the different generals commanding in these parts. General Cambriels will be a congenial spirit, for he is an energetic man, the declared enemy of routine, who is ready to take any measures which circumstances may require. Since he has arrived at Belfort the morale of the troops is wonderfully improved, and the force there is now composed of 45,000 efficient soldiers. A BooN FOR LADlEs.—Highly as sewing machines are prized, there is one great fault to which they are addicted—they make a great noise while doing the work ; a noise so great that for a worker herself to talk at the same time is out of the ques tion. We need not say how trying this must be to a lady. To be not only prevented from talking, but also from listening to the gossip of those around her—the very thought of such a thing is unendurable. Well, an inventor has come to their rescue with a SILENT SEWING MACHINE; and as it comprises all the appliances ;yid devicesfor varied work with which all the best sewing machines are provided, and several in addition, and exercises them all so NOISELESSLY that the lathes may gossip oven in whispers i and the infant or invalid sleep on in p eace , we expect that most of the old tna , ehlne s s i tz lic ii k er i e E l u o s ng E,,, be il t i e e ft s rd il , en or t heard of, no more, and that ,i Sewing Machine (at Messrs. POLLACK, SCHMIDT, and Co.'s, 210 A, REGENT-STREET, LONDON, W.), will quietly take their place, as the universal domestic helper.—"lnvestment Circular and Financial Record," September 7, IS7O. rJlj [ WA R. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. WORKS FOR THE DEFENCE. The Minister of Public Works has joined the Civil Engineers and the Mining Engineers to the organised forces who are engaged in the work of defence. The en gineers of bridges and roads have been active auxiliaries of the military engineers and artillery in the tremendous works which have heen raised round Paris. They have often had to seek their materials of wood of all kinds thirty leagues from Paris. This service in connection with the military has formed the second enceinte of Paris, and has transformed the Arc de Triomphe into a veritable place d'armes,which can present it is claimed, an insurmountable obstacle to the enemy, should they break through the first lines. The same corps has also constructed in eighteen days the railway in the Rue Militaire, which comprises forty kilometres, and these State Engineers, in common with the Civil Engineers, have built the barracks of the National Guard. The mining engineers have explored the subterranean ways which abound in the neighbourhood of Paris. They have constructed a vast powder magazine, which is to serve as a depot for the artillery munitions, and have superintended the difficult task of removing into Paris the stores of petroleum and other incendiary materials with which the en virons were plentifully supplied. The Minister of Public Works has directed great attention to the water supply during the siege. The great reservoirs of Belleville and Menilmontaut will supply the place of the aqueduct of La Dhuys, which was cut off by the enemy. Several committees have been formed for the study and application of the means of defence. Since the 4th of September the Committee of Designs has examined more than one hundred and twenty different schemes. The Committee of Armaments is intended to centralise the purchase of arms, and has been divided into two sections ; one at Tours will facilitate the opera tions of purchase, and the other at Paris will superintend the manufacture of arms, and attend to their transfer, mation. The central workshop at the Louvre has repaired more than 20,000 guns of differentmodels. The fabrication of Chassepat guns in Paris has been the most difficult pro blem solved, but, after laborious researches, the task has been accomplished. The Committee of Civil Works has organised a special service for the prevention of fires, and has established suitable appliances in the neighbourhood of the museums and public buildings. All the Committees have received the proposals of inventors in the most favourable manner, and granted encouragement to those schemes which promised to work well. A FAVOURABLE ESTIMATE. The Spectator, in its admirable review of the week, considers the general effect of the news from Paris as good :—General Trochu is overcoming his grand difficulty, want of equipments. According to his own letter to the Mayor of Paris, and to an invaluable letter of 10th October in the Daily News, he has " found," or manufac tured enough breech-loaders—of two kinds, we fear, and possibly of three—for all his Mobiles, all his regulars, and four-tenths of the National Guard, if willing to go to the front ; in all, for 210,000 men. He has muzzle-loading rifles for about 110,000 more ; and M. Dorian, Commissary of Arms, himself the greatest arm manufacturer in France, is rapidly manufacturing the balance required, or say 150,000 more. He is, moreover, founding brass, or rather bronze, breech-loader field pieces, and shells for them, quite "as fast as it is desir able." He has 8,000 omnibus-horses accustomed to heavy loads, and a splendid place in the ruined benlieue for effective drill. As we understand the facts, he is so nearly ready that he is forming his reserve field regiments from the National Guard. `TIE SUN, LONDO,N, XIONDAN, OCTOBER 24, AN UNFAVOURABLE ESTIMATE. "A North American Officer of high rank," presumably . General Burnside, who has returned from Paris to Ver sailles, dt aws a gloomy picture of the city. His views, be it noted, however, are published in a German paper, and they are given thus 2--" Numerous barricades have been erected in the streets, especially in the Faubourg Antoine, as many Parisians foolishly fancy that we shall enter on a street fight within the place and sacrifice the blood of our German soldiers by storming barricades and exposing them to a fire from the windows. Only the heavy artillery, however, will play a leading part in the struggle ; but if the eager Parisians like to sally out of the city and meet us in the open field our infantry, cavalry, and field batteries will have something to say which will probably soon dispel all desire for a second visit. The boulevards are regularly covered with herds of cattle, and the effects of the fugitive rustics of the neighbourhood, so that the traffic is often blocked. Nobody knows who is at present governing the city, for everybody commands and nobody obeys more than he likes. This American, a very quiet and intelligent man cannot adequately describe the anarchy which exists, and the fear and alarm of nearly all the inhabitants who possess anything. More than half the people, particu larly those having anything to lose, wish for nothing so much as for the speedy entry of the Prussians." THE BURNING OF ST. CLOUD. St. Cloud has been utterly destroyed. Bare walls only remains. A hazy smoke rises from the ruins as is usual in cases of complete gutting by fire, and so thorough is the disappearance of the building's gorgeous contents that it is possible to stand on the further side and see Paris through the opposite windows. The position was always one of danger. When the Ger , mans first took possession of the palace, the sharpshooters on the French side were always popping at it. It was in the park that Duke Max of Wurtemberg was wounded by a tirailleur, and a wish was then expressed that no one, not on duty, should visit the spot. " Further approaches were made by the Prussians," says the correspondent of the Daily News, " the French grew uneasy as to what the palace might shelter in way of besieging force, and shells were discharged into it, which quickly set it on fire. The flames lose high above the roof. Far away outposts, to the east and north, saw the blaze, and wondered what building could be burning so fiercely. The outposts nearer at hand did their best to carry forth and save the hand some furniture. Not a moment could be spared, for the flames were licking up the floors and pannelling with ter rible swiftness. Pictures were shrivelled in an instant, mirrors were splintered in the glowing heat. The State Apartments, the Empress's boudoir, all the pride and splendour of the Palace, vanished into empty air." • The correspondent of the Standard with the Prussian headquarters, writing on the 14th inst. says :—The Palace of St. Cloud is a heap of ruins. It has perished by the hands of its children. Shells hurled from Mont Valerin set it ablaze yesterday morning at eleven, and it has been burning ever since. It will not burn much longer, for now little of it that is consumable remains. To-day it has presented a strange sight. Of all the glories and luxuries of that favourite Imperial abode—the Empress loved it beyond all others—what was there to be seen? A house utterly gutted, black with smouldering walls, and on the green grass outside it confused heaps of what had been saved from destruction. Comfortable chairs of gilt frames, softest padding, perfect springs, and red velvet coverings, stood out in the open, some occupied by Prus sian officers, some at liberty for the next comer. Close to them were piles of priceless tapestry, snatched from the burning. But, perhaps, the objects which most caught the eye were the rows and heaps of handsomely bound books, with gilt leaves, and " N "—ominous letter 1 — stamped in rich gold on the back. DUCROT'S DEFENCE. The Paris correspondent of the Standard, writing under date October 18, forwards the following letter : In the Journal Officiel of this morning (which by the way publishes a translation of Count Bismarck's version of the interview with Jules Favre) appears a long letter from General Ducrot, commander of the 13th and 14th corps d'armee, now operating under the walls of Paris, explanatory of his escape from the Prussian lines. Gover nor Trochu had seen an article in the copy of the Standard which has got into the city, commenting on his subordinate's conduct, and had it immediately brought under his notice. The consequence is this letter, which is dated October 17, and opens thus : " Monsieur le Gouverneur,—l have just read the article in the Standard you were good enough to com municate to me. It results from that article that the German press, doubtless under the inspiration of com petent authorities, accuse me of having made my escape while a prisoner under parole, and of having failed in an obligation of honour, and thus placed myself outside the law, conduct which would give to the enemy the right to shoot me if I happened a second time to fall into his hand." The general dismisses the threat of shooting with contempt ; but expresses himself cruelly touched by the impeachment of traitorism (felonie) made against him. Ile says he rejected the clauses of the capitulation of. Sedan which would make his lot other than that of his soldiers, and openly expressed his disdain for those who had accepted them. Thus preferring to consti tute himself prisoner of war, he admits having given his word of honour to go from Sedan to Pout-a-Mott:lsola, where he was told to present himself before 12 o'clock on the 11th September, to the Prussian staff, to reconstitute himself prisoner. He narrates that he was alloWed to pass freely by the Belgian frontier to his destination, and that i he had a splendid opportunity then, if his intention were such, to violate his parole. But he went on, and ar rived at Pont-a-Mousson on the appointed date. On going to the railway station there to report himself he was told that the train to convey him to Germany would leave at half-past one. At a quarter past one he went with his staff to the station as arranged ; his orderly officer, Captain de Gaston, delivered up the sauf-conduit of which the general was possessor, and the baggage of the party was put into the train. Then came a hitch. There was no room for General Ducrot in the train, and the Prussian officer charged with its departure told him another would be formed later for himself and party. Here follows the passage in the letter oh which contro versy will turn. I translate it in full:—" I enter into these minute details in order to let it be clearly known that I had scrupulously kept the engagement of honour I had taken to re-constitute myself at the day and hour fixed, and that it was from that moment, that is to say, after having resumed with my staff the right that belongs to every prisoner of war to try and recover his liberty at his risk and peril, that I escaped from the hands of the enemy. I will not say -where nor how, lest it might compromise the worthy people who aided me. But that which I can avow publicly is that I traversed the Prussian columns and posts in the dress of a workman, and that in a few hours I got over on foot or in waggon, upwards of a hundred kilometres (about sixty two miles English), and that I got back into the centre of France by way of Epinal, and to Paris by the Orleans line of rail—the direct communications being already inter cepted." The French troops, who took part in the affair at Bagneux, before Paris, on the 13th, were mostly Gardes Mobiles. They behaved exceedingly well. The Times correspondent mentions a report that the King of Bavaria, the King of Wurtemburg, the Grand Dukes of Baden and Hesse are coming to Versailles, and that they, in conjunction with the German Princes now at Versailles, will hold a Grand Council, at which the King of Prussia will be declared Emperor of Germany. This is stated with all needful reserves. A now paper has appeared at Versailles, under the title of the Newsmonger of Versailles. It is printed in French, but it is edited by Germans, .and merely chronicles the events of the day without any political news. The paper was read with great interest by the population, and the first edition was - bought up within two hours. The brother of Count Daru, Minister for Foreign Affairs to the 011ivier Cabinet, has written a favourable letter about the state of Paris. He says the men are well led, and march with courage and decision against the enemy. "We have meat—beef or horseflesh—for forty days, and bread and wine for four or five months, and we have a good supply of cartridges." The Mayor of Palaiseau has been executed by the Ger mans. His house was occupied by half-a-dozen of the enemy's officers, who came to settle the terms of a requi sition. An altercation ensued, and the Mayor, Dr. Morbre, an old man of 75, losing his temper, drew a revolver and fired off six barrels at the officers, wounding four of them badly. The other two seized the Mayor, who was summarily tried and shot within an hour. A Wurtemberg infantry company encamped before Paris has sent the following advertisement to the Ellwanger Zeitung :—" Villiers, near Paris, Oct. 9, 1870. Housekeeper Wanted.—The occupiers of a picturesque country seat in this village require a house keeper. A person fond of cleanliness and conversant with cooking preferred. A French cookery book and cooking utensils are available. The situation can be entered on immediately. Applications are to be addressed to the undersigned soldiers." At the 87th bastion, facing the fort of Bicotre, the students of the Polytechnic School serve the marine guns on the ramparts like old artillerymen. With praiseworthy devotion and self-sacrifice, the professors of the school, notwithstanding their age, dignity, and position, willingly serve as simple soldiers, under the orders of such of their pupils as are invested with the grade of lieutenant. Savants like M.M. Bertrand, Bonnet, Tissot, La,guerre, and other members of the Institute, who are Professers in the College of France or at the Sorbonne, may be seen working assiduously at their posts in the bastion, which is admitted to be the best worked of the whole enceinte. The other night a party of Prussian Jagers tried a daring experiment near Argenteuil. They crossed the river in a boat in the night, and crept up to a French post, which surely could not have been of regulars. The men were all asleep. The Jagers, who were aware, perhaps, that any firing or any violent attack would arouse the pickets along the river, played a practical joke on their enemies, which the latter relished, it is likely, more than they would have appreciated bayonet thrusts or bullet wounds. They took away all the arms, and carried them off in triumph to the other side of the Seine without Arousing a man. THE AFFAIR AT MONTDIDIER. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing from Amiens October 20, says :—The affair at Mont didier seems to have been a sad business. Montdidier is a small town, about twenty miles from this place, con taining some 3,000 inhabitants. On Monday morning a detachment of 1,800 Prussians, having with them four field-pieces, arrived before the town, which is completely commanded by a rise in the road about half a league away. The garrison of Montdidier con sisted of 300 Mobiles, raw lads who had never been under fire, and many of whom hardly knew how to load a mus ket. The Germans most wantonly sent about two dozen shella into the town, although the latter never fired a tot ; and they killed three of the inhabitants, among them a very old retired officer, who had fought under the First Empire—while several other people were mortally wounded. What, in the name of common sense— if that virtue is known at the present time in France, which I really begin to doubt-300 untrained Mobiles could effect in an open town against a force five times their number, accompanied by artillery and cavalry, lamat a loss to conceive. But, be that as it may, I see by the Amiens papers of this morning that Monsieur Baudelocque, the Mayor of Montdidier, has been, turned out of office by the Prefect of the Somme and the municipal council of the place dissolved, because they did not resist the enemy, and, in order to avoid useless bloodshed, prevented the National Guard of the town from arming and firing on the Prus sians. I suppose this energetic measure has been carried out pour encourager les autres ; and I trust it may have the desired effect. Opinions differ, however, as to the wis dom or the justice of the act. The result of the enemy's visit was sad enough as it was ; had the Mayor persisted in opposing the Prussians, the whole town would have been knocked about the ears of its inhabitants. Even as it was, the enemy exacted a fine of 50,000 francs from the town, and at first insisted that the sum should be paid in gold. When this was shown to be impossible, they accepted the money in bank-notes, and towards evening they took their departure, never having entered a house, or dune the slightest damage after they ceased firing. OCCUPATION OF GISORS. On Saturday, the Bth of October, a Prussian officer and 40 Uhlans presented themselves before Gisors about m id-day, and summoned the mayor to deliver arms. The mayor, whose name is Le Pke, having refused to do so, the officer bade him tell the people of Gisors that next day they would return with cannon. The authorities hearing of this despatched 500 Mobiles to Gisors from Les An delys, and the captain of the National Guard at the latter place was sent to take command at Gisors, where the guard was weak and thoroughly disorganised. It was decided that the forces should be massed together at the gates of the town, and this had scarcely been done when the TJhlans were seen in the distance, and batteries of artillery were ranged on the heights commanding the railway station and the principal roads. Suddenly the cannon fired. They were being loaded the second time, when the Mayor and the municipal authorities advanced to the Prussian General, Prince Albert, nephew of the King, and protested rgainst the bombardment or the of a town full of women and children. Meanwhile shots were heard in the direction of Mont de l'Aigle, and the Mobiles were seen retreating to the forest. The Prince ordered shells to be fired to sustain the attack, and then turning to the Mayor he said ho would consent to spare the town on condition that they did not fire on the troops inside, that the bat teries remained in position, and that the mayor and one of the council remained as hostages. He despatched another councillor to the town to convey those terms to the municipal and military authorities. M. Passy, the messenger, thus despatched, suceeded with great difficulty in reaching his colleagues, who had remained in session during the interval. The rest of the municipal authorities hastened to join the mayor as hostages, and M. Passy, entering the town, found that the mobiles and Garde Nationale had retreated into the forest, the streets were deserted by the inhabitants, and a detachment of Prussian cavalry was parading them. He immediately re turned to the Prussian headquarters and told the Prince that Gisors was occupied by the Prussian troops, and the Municipal Council had no choic,. but to subMit. He only asked that the mayor and other authorities should be allowed to enter the town first, to be spared the pain of joining the cortege of the couquerers. The Prince agreed, but the municipal body were speedily eirertaken by the cavalry. Meanwhile Gisors was surrounded on the south by Prince Hohenlohe's troops, and the town was taken without resistance. In the direction of Bazincourt there was a brief but disastrous encounter. The mobiles had fallen back on the forest, but there the National Guard and Mobile were stationed to arrest the progress of the enemy. Hidden behind houses and trees they ex changed shots, until the Mayor of Bazincourt courageously intervened and stopped the fight. Some twelve persons lost their lives in this manner. At two o'clock on the 9th, Gisors was occupied by 4,000 men, six field pieces, two howitzers, and two mitrailleuses. WHY SOISSONS CAPITULATED. There was plenty of ammunition ; but the siege having been expected to last long, and hopes being entertained of a rescue from without, the authorities of the place urged the artillery not to use their ammunition too lavishly. In fact, the orders with reference to these matters were so strict that only a few shots per cannon were allowed a day; and so when the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg tri umphantly entered the capitulated fortress last Sunday, there were still something like 20,000 cannon balls iu stock. This is, perhaps, the best illustration of the difference which exists between old and contemporary France. In 1814 Mortier having entrusted to Moreau the defence of Soissons with only 1,000 men and four guns, and the place, attacked by the combined corps of the Russians under Wintzengerode, and the Prus sians uuder Bulow, having capitulated, Napoleon wanted to bring Moreau before a court - martial and to shoot him. Now five thousand men with 130 guns held out only four four days, and think them selves thoughly justified in their capitulation. And other people seem to think so, too ! " Les ages se suivent, mais ne se ressemblant pas." It must not be thought, however, that it was the garrison who were unwilling to make a defence. Everything shews that they did their best : but the commander of the fortress and the military counci formed by him lost their heads under the pres sure of the civil population, which preferred safety to glory. Great part of the forces consisting of the Mobiles of the town, the authorities were under the con stant pressure of the families of the soldiers engaged on the ramparts and about fifty citizens having been killed in their houses during the bombardment, the commanders felt themselves obliged to sign the capitulation, notwith standing the willingness of the soldiery to continue the struggle. Two breaches, opened on . Saturday, gave addi tional force to the arguments of the civilians. It must be borne in mind, however, that the German officer who visited the commandant on Saturday declared that if the capitulation were signed at once, terms would be very easy ; no contribution would be demanded, and all the officers would preserve their arms and baggage; that is to say, they would be allowed to capitulate with all the honours of war. On the other hand, it was declared that, should the defence be pro longed, and the Germans forced to make an assault, the garrison would be treated very differently. At the same time attention was called to the circumstance that on the neighbouring hills a battery of large mortars had just been established, and was sure to demolish within a day or two the northern part of the town, which remained as yet comparatively safe.—Pall Mall Gazette. GENERAL BOYER'S MISSION. The Independance Beige of Friday evening states that General Boyer, who recently left Metz for Versailles, arrived in Brussels yesterday, and started at five o'clock last evening for England, entrusted, it is said, with a mission to the Empress Eugdnie. THE MILITARY RESOURCES OF FRANCE. The Minister of War has made a statement to his col leagues, of the war material and men available in the pro vinces, from which it appears that in the provinces not invaded by the enemy there are thirty-six batteries of different calibre ready for use, and two parks of artillery, each consisting of 180 carriages. There are also rifle barrelled cannon on carriages of considerable number. With regard to portable arms, there were before the rup ture of communications nearly 300,000 guns of 1866 and nearly 500,000 percussion rifled guns, divided between the Garde Nationale and Mobile. The cart ridges on the 1866 model, exclusive of those in the hands of the troops did not exceed 10 millions. But since the 15th of September great numbers have been manufactured in the different establishments, and every week between 4 and 5 millions are produced. The muni tions for the percussion guns were very insufficient, and orders for their immediate manufacture were given at the beginning of September at Bourges and Nantes. At the latter town the manufacture of the mitrailleuses has been organised by M. de Reffye, chief of the squadron, but no returns have yet been made. Other depots have been sent to Bourges and to Rennes, and there are only wanting the depots of the seven regi ments which garrisoned Vincennes, Metz, and Strasburg. In the departments not invaded there are depots of seventeen regiments of artillery, which, united, could produce a considerable number of men and horses. The list of officers is defective, but the decree of the 30th September will, it is hoped, supply it. Orders for harness have been given, and should they fall short sub stitutes can be employed. The artillery has sent a dele gation to Tours of two head officers of great ability and experience, to assist in organising these various re sources. AMERICAN VOLUNTEERS. The steamer Ville de Paris has arrived at Brest from New York, having on board 120 American volunteers and a number of guns and warlike provisions- The volunteers, on their landing, waited on the Vice-Admiral, who informed them that there was nothing for them to do unless they entered the marine infantry. They were afterwards told that if they went to the Mairie the next day they would be divided among different regiments. The volunteers were indignant at this treatment when they had left their homes to offer assistance to France. Instead of being cordially welcomed they were repulsed in all directions, and left without food or shelter. A protest is said to be in course of signature against the unheard-of conduct of the authorities in re fusing the assistance of those' who are willing to fight. The American volunteers have stated that if there were better means of transport between the United States and France an enormous number of Americans would come over, for thirty thousand men are willing to render assist ance to France. St. Quentin has been occupied by the Prussians, after a short cannonade. Cannon of long range are being embarked at Toulon to complete the defences of the fortifications of Lyons. The Moniteur Beige denies that the Government has received any communication from Germany demanding the adoption of restrictive measures towards the Press. The Neufchatel correspondent of the Etoile Beige says that the intelligence of the arrival of Garibaldi in France to take part in the war fell like a thunderclap in Switzer land, and that already numbers of young men were leav ing Le Tessin for Besancon to join the hero of Caprera. An official notification published in Paris states that General Burnside had no recognised capacity ; he came to the capital on his own responsibility, and bore no letter from Count Bismarck, nor even a verbal message. The Siecle says the only town in the Seine Infdrieure that has taken adequate measures for the reception of the enemy is Havre. That town has, unaided, fortified, provisioned, equipped, and armed itself ; it has procured the best fire-arms from England and America, paid for by means of a-loan of 1,300,000 f, raised in four days. General Blumenthal has expressed to Colonel Lindsay his decided dislike to flags of truce and to the " red cross." " We must put an end to it," he said; "we cannot tell who wear it, and there are spies everywhere, The new device is to dress as clergymen (priests). The Polish soldiers will not fire on clergymen." The pleasures of life in a besieged town were forcibly exemplified a few days since at M. Jules Favre's dinner table. Throe chops came up for seven people. No one liked to take them, and, consequently, they were left for the servants ; while the party in the dining room con tented themselves with demolishing a ham. The free-shooters of the Garde Mobile of Nantes fell suddenly, in the environs of Villejuif, on a squadron of the enemy at the time when they were resting beside their horses. Roused in a fright, the Prussians seized their carabines and fired. The free-shooters responded, and killed several returning to Paris with 20 prisoners and 15 horses. The New Freie Presse of Vienna says that Count Bis marck has made advances to Austria, as he is convinced of the hostility of Russia, and the necessity of preparing for a struggle with that power. The Czar is friendly to Prussia, but nobody else in the Muscovite Empire is. The vast bulk of the people and of men in power are sympa thetic with Francs. The Czar is so impressed with this fact that he wrote twice to King William, urging him not to claim any territory from France. It is said at Nemours that the Bavarians committed some unjustifiable acts at Jouy le Chatol. An informer having told them that guns were hid in the cemetery, the soldiers, on the order of the Bavarian officer, armed them selvci with pikes, and ransacked the cemetery in all directions, Coffins were unburied and bro4en to pieces, and corpses were stripped of their coverings, and left exposed on the ground. These fearful investigations onlY brought to light four guns. The town was called upon to furnish £2OO and contributions of all kinds. Private letters received in Brussels froth Prussian corres pondents, say that a commercial crisis is wasting the re sources of Germany, and that the people are indignant at the unnecessary continuation of the war. M. Gambetta decreed the dissolution of the Civil Guard of Marseilles, and this decree reached the Prefect of the Bouches du Rhone on the 13th, but four days later it had not been published, and the Guard rem9,ined installed in the barracks where they had placed themselves. Disturbances have occurred at Tirare. A mob at the Hotel de Ville stopped suitors gaing in to the magistrate, and handled them roughly, declaring there was no other justice than the justice of the people. The Semaphore of Marseilles publishes a letter from General Uhrich, in which he indignantly rejects the accusation of treason against the Republican Government and declares that further defence of Strasburg was im possible. The state of the defenders was aggravated by the burning of 35,000 metallic fusees in the citadel, which loss was irreparable. A pretended teronant has been executed at Besanvo• He took the name of Lutz, the teronant whose balloon decended in the midst of the Prussians. The Germans, so runs the story, put another man in the balloon as a spy. How he got to Besancon nobody knows ; but he has met, we are told, his due reward. Forty-seven police commissaires have been removed and replaced by functionaries who are devoted to the Repub lic. A hundred and fifty employs of the Prefecture of Police have been removed. News from Lille says the subscriptions to the loan of fifteen millions, voted by the Conseils G6ndraux of four departments, are very languishing, and a pressing appeal has produced no effect.. It is, however, remarked that in no other part of France are there so many men of fortune and especially so many millionaires. A large number of diplomatists in Paris have signed a protest against Count Bismarck's refusal to allow them to communicate with their respective Governments, except by means of open despatches, making no allusion to the war. They urge that .on such conditions they will be unable to communicate with their Governments at aIL The disturbances at St. Malo on account of the loading of food by English vessels have been quelled. The ships load as usual. The South-Western Company's steamship Alice, which arrived at Southampton at eleven o'clock on Thursday night from St. Malo, brought. over a very large freight, including 3,445 packages of butter, 4,204 cases of eggs, 626 packages of fruit, 81 cases of preserves, 81 cases of sardines, 36 sacks of seed, 29 bales of rags, and sundries. The Prefect of the Landes has issued a decree deposing M. Delaroy, the provisional governor of the cominune of Laglorieuse, from his office. The Republican Govern ment, whose first qualification is honesty, cannot, says the Prefect, maintain the salaried agents of the shameful secret police of the ex-Emperor. M. Delaroy, besides the monopoly of the judicial announcements conferred on him by the Empire, which amounted to 10,000 f. or 12,000 f-, annually received from the secret funds, as editor of the Journal des Landes, an annual sum of 600 f., for which he gave quarterly receipts. The Hamburger Nachrichten reports that on the 12th of October the French fleet captured a North German schooner and a brig. Both vessels were taken in tow, and, accompanied in the evening by the whole squadron, drew off in a westerly direction. During the night a violent south-easterly wind sprung up, and forced the fleet to make for the open sea. On the afternoon of the 13th October the French men of war lay about thirty miles north-west of Heligoland, as also the brig captured on the 12th instant., but the schooner was nowhere to be seen. It had been taken into a French port, and the brig soon followed it. Much that is unfavourable has been said of the condi tion of Lyons, but a correspondent of the Standard given excellent news of the army inside. A review lately held went off in excellent style. " Every day fresh recruits come pouring in by hundreds at a time. I have half a dozen times in the day been up to the station for one rea son or another, and never yet have found it in any other condition than absolutely flooded with new arrivals. Every day almost, recruits who have undergone their training pass out by trainsful to the field. The supply of men is enormous, and their spirit, so far as the enemy is concerned, excellent ; arms and ammunition alone have to be supplied, and the former are now at last beginning to come in with tolerably satisfactory rapidity." The ford fications are very strong. A patriotic French soldier, now interned at Magde burg, had, on the field of Sedan, attempted to save the colourband of the 49th 'French Infantry Regiment from falling into the victor's hands, by concealing it under his uniform. He had managed to hide it from his captors until a few days back, when, on account of some suspicion, he was searched and the band found on him. It measures about three feet in length and four inches in breadth ; it is nicely embroidered, and bears the Emperor's initials in gold letters at one end. The Spectator says :—The defeat of the Army before Orleans and occupation of Orleans, bad as it was, was certainly not what the Prussians said,—whose telegraphic accounts of military proceedings are less and less to be trusted, a defeat of the whole Army of the Loire. It aP. pears from the report of General de is. Motte Rouge that, having plenty of guns, but no gunners, he thought it would be pure madness to give battle, and therefore ordered forward a force of 3,500 men to support the force already under General Reyan, and cover the retreat of his main body across the Loire. The General in command got his whole army to the south side of the Loire without the loss of a single gun ; and the latest accounts of that army from English correspondents shew that it is grow ing in force, and especially in the strength of its artillery, every day. A curious episode took place on the occasion of the Prussian attack on Argenteuil. Two battalions of Mobiles protected the approach to Argenteuil, and the commander of this small corps had recourse to an original stratagem to deceive the enemy. The Mobiles were placed by the vines on the road which leads to the forts, and when the Prussians appeared the commandant made the men put their caps on the vine branches, and then go out on their hands and knees in the direction leading to the right. The Prussians, deceived by the appearance of things, kept up a vigorous fire on the vines, while the French troops threw themselves on the flank and rear of the enemy, who were driven under the forts where they sustained serious losses and were compelled to retreat into the woods and behind the hills. Among the papers found at the Tuileries was a letter of Count Persigny's, which proves the exxistence of the Cabinet Noir. It is addressed to the Emperor, an d the Count said that he had received revelations on the subject of the service of the Cabinet Noir from the head of that bureau. He could not tell his superiors what the man had said, and therefore he begged the Emperor on his return to Paris to give him an audience, but not at Cora peigne, added the Count, because that made too much excitement in the Government. Another letter from Pietri states that Count Persigny had been seen iu restaraunt at Paris shaking hands with Giais-Bizoin, and hud been heard to utter alarming sentiments respecting public affairs. An extract from another letter of Count Pecsigny foretell the fate of the Empire. and blames Napoleon for persisting in keeping the command of the army in spite of his ignorance of military affairs and his repeated defeats. [ADVERTISEMENT—HoIIoway's Ointment.—A fair tria is all that is asked to! prove the sterling and superior merits of this Ointment, and to demonstrate how m uch more success;ul it is in curing old ulcers, inveterate sores, and disfiguring eruptions than any other application. When.properly used it lessens the inflammation which invades parts adjacent to the wound or ulcer, whereby much local pain is immediately assuaged, and in the course of an hour or two the most satisfactory results invariably follow, which will steadily advance to a thorough. and permanent cure. This treatment, so much at variance with the old-fashioned views of cauterising, blistering, eechin,g, &c., has by common assent been pronounced to be the greatest blessing to persons thus afflicted. BIRTHS. On the 21st inst., at 26, Onslow-gardens, S. Kensington , the wife of Wm. Reed, Esq., of a daughter. On the 20th inst., at 9, Devonshire-road, Balham, the wife of J. H. Pontifex, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. On the 20th inst., at St. John's, Notting-hill, Jas. Harmer Hayes, Esq., of 11, Caroline-street, Bedford-square, to Mary Anne, only daughter of James . Woodward, Esq. , of 53, Norfolk-terrace, Bayswater. On the 20th inst., at Highbury, George, the eldest son of the late George Train, Esq., of Compton-road, High' bury, to Julia, youngest daughter of the late G. Elwick , Esq., of Wilmington-square, and Nottingham. DEATHS. On the 20th inst., at Cowling House, Wigan, Georg e Daglish, Esq., ]f.R.C.S., aged 65. On the 20th inst., at Forest-hill, Wm. Oppenheim, Esq. , of 75, Newman-street, Oxford-street, W. London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOYCE, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by him at THE SUN Office, No. 112, strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex. analay, October 21, 1870.