The Sun. — London, England, 1870-12-07 00:00:00

LATEST - INTELLIGENCE• SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. TIE WAR. OCCUPATION OF ORLEANS BY HE GERMANS. COMPLETE DEFEAT OF THE ARMY OF THE LOIRE. VERSAILLES, December 6. 1 • Prince Frederick Charles has forwar 'ed the following telegram to the King : "The French Army of the Loire is utterly de feated, and Orleans has been occupied. "Up to last night more than 10,000 unwounded Prisoners, 77 guns, several mitrailleuses, and four gunboats on the Loire, have fallen into our hands." The following telegram has been received by Queen Augusta from the King of Prussia : " Orleans was occupied by our troops last night, without being stormed. God be thanked." Prince Frederick Charles has forwarded the fol lowing telegram : " Orleans was occupied last night. Nine cannon and one mitrailleuse were taken by the 3rd Corps." ROYAL HEAD-QUARTERS, VERSAILLES, December 5, Evening. The Germans occupied Orleans last night. An officer has been sent into Paris with a letter to state that Orleans had been taken, and the Army of the Loire routed, with the loss of 30 guns and several thousand prisoners. General Ducrot is supposed to have been killed in the sortie. Another telegram relative to the great victory, is as follows: " BERLIN, December 6. "Orleans has been reoccupied by the Germans; oeveral thousand prisoners have been taken, and a peat many guns. The Prussians cut the railway between Orleans and Tours. "The Bth Army Corps is victoriously advancing 01 1114 men. "King William has accepted the title of Emperor of Germany." HEADQUARTERS OF THE CROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA, VERSAILLES, December 5. A. decisive battle was fought yesterday at Orleans. The city is now in the hands of the Germans, who have taken more than thirty guns and several thousand prisoneis. The French army has retreated behind the Loire, and is closely pursued. All quiet to-day befor e Paris, save for a few stray shots from the forts. The King of Prussia has sent a telegram to the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh acquainting her with great victories won by her son. His Majesty tells the Duchess that in three days no less than three victoriss were sscured—on the 2nd tear Bazoches, capturing 12 guns ; on the 3rd, near Chevilly, capturing three guns, and on the 4th, north and west of Orleans, where General von Treskow carried three villages at th e point of the bayonet, taking- 22 guns and 5 ,000 prisoners. On the 3rd and 4th the armies of the Grand Duke and of Prince Frederick Charles likewise fought around and in the forest of Orleans. General Manstein last night stormed the suburb of St. Jean, and occupied the town during the night. Our losses were not excessive. Here we have had three sanguinary fights in front of Vincennes, alternately taking and losing several villages, until the enemy yesterday entirely withdrew without beingattacked. Our losses are heavy, especially those of the 2nd Army Coips and of the Wurtembergers, Who fought heroically ; the losses of the Saxons • Were less severe. The intention of the enemy, tamely, to break through our lines in the direction of Orleans, was entirely frustrated." The Grand Duke himself telegraphs to the buchess informing her that he entered Orleans on the night of the 4tn, and that 4,000 prisoners and 18 guns were taken. • ENGAGEMENT NEAR ROUEN. A telegram from Versailles says that on the 4th the Bth Army Corps of the First Army was engaged in several successful fighting to the north-east of Rouen. Four hundred prisoners and a cannon were taken. The Germtm loss is put down at one killed, and 10 wounded. THE WAR NEWS FROM TOURS. Yesterday (Tuesday)despetches were received from D'Aurelles de Paladine, stating that the Army of the Loire had effected its retreat intact and in good order. The Minister of War and Interior has appointed commission of three members to inquire into the events which led to the evacuation of Orleans, and without any other sacrifice than the heavy naval guns of the intrenched camp, which were left Spiked. No portion of the field artillery or military train was abandoned. M. Gambetta has addressed a communication to the Prefects directing them to deny the false rumours prevalent with respect to the Army of the Loire. He tells them they will be strictly within the bounds of truth in affirming that the Army now occupies excellent positions, that its war material is intact, or that the losses therein are repaired, and that it is preparing to resume the struggle with the invader. Let each one, he says, be firm and resolved; let us all make together a great and supreme effort, and France will be saved. One of the latest arrivals here is M. de XiSratry. The provisions intended for the relief of Parishave not been captured by the Prussians. BALLOON NEWS FROM PARIS. PARIS, December 4. The whole of Saturday was occupied in burying the dead and attending to the wounded. The Prussian losses in the engagements of Wed nesday and Friday were estimated in Paris at 15,000 to 20,000 men. On Saturday the French, in their passage across the Marne, were not interfered with by the en emy. General Renault, whose foot had been amputated, was progressing favourably. General La Charriere was killed, and Generals Paturel and Boissonet wounded. In the engagement on Friday the German forces were composed of fresh troops, exceeding 100,000 men, the greater portion belonging to the Saxon and Wurtemberg contingents. General - ,..!;chmitz issued the following official report of the engagement of December 2 The army which is outside Paris is without the r each of any attack, and is gathering new strength f rom the short repose to which it was entitled after such severe fighting." It is stated in letters from Havre, that Rouen has been called upon by the Germans to pay an in demnity of 17,000,000 francs, of which 7,000,000 francs are to be paid at once. L" th THE GERMAN EMPIRE. ca B ERLIN , December 0, ( 4 . 2 G p.m.) 0 0, yll e following letter has been addressed by the o 'King of Bavaria to the King of Prussia : [l' d " Alter the adhesion of Southern Germany to the German Constitutional Alliance the Presidential IHE !!SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7,187 e. rights vested in your Majesty will extend overall German States. In consenting to those rights being vested in a single hand I have been influenced by the conviction that the interests of the whole German Fatherland and its . Allied Sovereigns will be offeetually promoted by this arrangement. I trust that the rights constitutionally possessed by the President of the Confederacy will, by the restoration of the German Empire awl the German Imperial dignity, be recognised as rights exercised by your Majesty in the name of the entire Fatherland, and by virtue of the agreement effeete,d between its Princes. I have therefore pro posed to the German sovereigns, conjointly with myself, to suggest to your Majesty that the posses sion of the Presidential Rights of the Confederacy be coupled with the Imperial title. As soon as I have been informed of the resolutions of your Majesty and the Allied Princes, I shall direct my Government to take steps to effect a formal agree ment on the subject. " LUDWIG." 11.20 p.m. To partially cover the damage occasioned by the expulsion of the Germans from France, and by the capture of German merchantmen, a contribution of 750,000 f. is exacted from the arrondissements of Nancy, Toul, and Luneville. M. Lefaivre, French Consul at Vienna, publicly thanks the four Communists in the German Federal Parliament for defending the cause of the French Republic against an Assembly intoxicated with the lust of conquest. Lefaivre says he has been accredited to German Democracy. THE IMPERIAL CROWN OF GERMANY. BERLIN, December 6. The creation of a German Empire on a Federal basis is certain. King William of Prussia will become German Emperor in a Federal but firmly united Germany, where the decision of peace and war will rest with the Confederate Council, of whose 58 votes Prussia claimed but 17, and in which Alsace and Lorraine are to be incorporated. The King of Wurtemberg has sent his Adjutant to Versailles, bearing his Majesty's adhesion to the proposition of Bavaria, which is considered here to offer a sure guarantee for the future peace of Central Europe. The reading of the new Treaties passed the Reichstag to-day, after several strong speeches in opposition.— Telegraph. THE NEW GERMAN FEDERAL LOAN. BERLIN, December 6. The bankers have paid into the Treasury the first instalment of their subscription of one-third of the 34 millions loan. They say they are quite ready to take another 17 millions of the same loan. THE PROPOSED CONFERENCE ST. PETERSBURG, December 0 (3.30 p.m.) The Ojiciel Journal publishes the answers of Prince Gortschakoff to Count Beust's notes. In a leading article it expresses the hope that the Con ference will be successful, and assures the world once more of the peacelul disposition of Russia. The Golos defends the opportuneness of the G-ortschakoff circular, and says that Russia has no object in re opening the Eastern question, or in hastening the end of the Siok Man. It is more profitable for her to wait. The St. Petersburg Gazette praises the Govern ment for avoiding bloodshed by straightforward and hon st declarations. It goes further than Mill, and says it is better to have no treaties at all than those which k are the result of war. Only those which are the results of peace can last.—Duily News. VERSAILLES, December O. I have good reason to suppose that the project of a Conference in London to settle the Eastern ques tion is likely to be successful, Russia has been found conciliatory, and Count Bismarck all that could be desired. Austria, it is said, did not in the first instance enter very warmly into the idea. She seemed to desire that certain points in the Treaty should be first gone into before the Conference as sembled.—Telegraph. A. telegram from Constantinople, dated the 3zd inst., says the Porte has agreed to the Conference on the understanding that the points raised in Gurtschakoff's despatch shall be the only matters discussed. OPENING OF THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT. FLORENCE, December 5 (4.30 p.m.: The Italian Parliament was opened to-day with the usual pomp. The Speech from the Throne referred to the crowning of the national edifice by the union of Rome to Italy, as its capital. The promises with regard to the freedom of the Church and the full independence of the Pope will be faithfully observed. The •approaching removal of the capital must incite the Government to the reform of the adminis tration, the bringing of order into the finances, the improvement of the military organisation and of the national defence, guided by the experience of the present war. The Royal Speech pointed out the wisdom of Italy's conduct in maintaining an attitude of neu trality during the Franco-Prussian war, and ex pressed a hope that the efforts of the neutral Powers would re-establish peace between two na tions the greatness of which was equally necessary to the civilisation of the world. The Address concluded by referring to the election of Prince Amadeus to the Throne of Spain, and by declaring its wishes for the prosperity of that country. The Royal Speech was received with enthusi astic applause, and with vivas for the new King of Spain. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES TO WOODS'I'CCK. The Prince and the Princess of Wales arrived at Wood stock at five o'clock yesterday afternoon, on a visit to the Duke of Marlborough, at Blenheim Palace. An illumi nated address was presented by the Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation. The Prince bowed in reply. A detachment of Mounted Yeomanry formed the guard of honour. GLAMORGANSHIRE ASSIZES. The Glamorganshire assizes were opened yesterday before Mr. Baron Bramwell. The calendar, though not large in point of numbers, is a grievous one in point of quality. There are n;:f less than five cases of homicide, one of wounding with intent to murder, and three of violence to the person. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. An outbreak of foot and mouth disease has occurred at Maesden, Llandudno, but prompt measures have been taken to stamp it out. SUFFOCATION BY IMPURE AIR. Yesterday morning one of the crew of the screw steamer Erimas, of Shields, which had arrived on Monday night from Amsterdam, jumped down into the fore-hatch to get some 'tackle, when he was overcome by the impure gas, generated by bones, and died almost immediately. A fellow sailor, who went to his assist ance became insensible, but was got up in time to save his life. THE BEDFOIZDSHIRE OUTRAGE AND MURDER. At the Bleksoe Petty Sessions yesterday, William Bull, aged 22, was charged with the wilful murder, at Little Haurbarton, of Sarah Marshall, an imbecile woman, upon whom he had previously committed an outrage. The prisoner,_ who hears a very bad character, was•re- manded. . , • COURT MARTIAL. • A court martial was -held •on board the Duke •of Wellington yesterday for the trial of William Hunt, a marine serving on board the Hector. He was found guilty of attempting to strike one officer with a chopper, another with a winch handle, and drawing a cutlass on a third. Also with using imprecations and resisting the escort. Prisoner, in defence, said that he was drunk at the time. He was sentenced to receive 48 kohes, to be imprisoned for two years, six days of each month to. be spent in solitary confinement, and then to be dismissed the service. FALL OF A BOY DOWN A SHAFT. Yesterday afternoon, a boy, eleven years of age, named Joseph Hague, employed at some coke ovens at the Gras borough Colliery, after finishing his work, began to play with a piece of lighted tar rope. While so doing he went too near the pit's mouth, and fell down the shaft a depth of forty yards. He was instantly killed by the dislocation of the neck. ANOTHER SENTENCE OF DEATH AT THE MANCHESTER ASSIZES. Another indictment for wife murder was preferred at the Manchester Assizes yesterday. Edward Giateley was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, at Tatton street, Salford. The prisoner struck the deceased about the head with a_poker ; very great loss of blood was the result, and the poor woman sank from exhaustion and nervous prostration. THE FRENCH REINFORCEMENTS. Writing from Tours on the 2nd inst. the correspondent of the Telegraph says : A large body of cavalry, both French and native regiments, arrived last night from Marseilles and Algeria, and this morning started for the front. Several battalions of regular troops—where the French' get their apparently inexhaustible supply of men is a problem which I cannot solve—also came into Tours last night and this morn ing, and proceeded to join the Army of the Loire. Of the number of those who arrived I have no idea, for they made their entrée in the night and the early morning, whilst it was yet dark. But it must have been considerable, for the tramp of soldiers, the clank of arms, and the rattle of scabbards against stirrups and spurs, did not cease under my windows for some four hours. This morning some hundreds of Chasseurs d'Afrique arrived, were marched into camp, and left again in the afternoon. With the horses the French are able to procure in Algeria, they might have with a little care a magnificent body of light cavalry. But the men are bad horse masters. They are apparently not taught as our men are to look after the wants of their horses before looking after their own. The horses are not badly groomed—they are really, so far as one can see, never groomed at all, and are dirty in the extreme. The most irregular of Indian irregulars are first-rate grooms compared to the French cavalry. As for belts, bits, saddles, spurs, scabbards, and all the odds and ends that, when clean, made up what we call a " smart" soldier, these are left in the French army to clean themselves. I have seen —who has not that has served in India 2—the men of an English regiment, whether cavalry, infantry, or artillery, turn out as smart and clean for guard in the Punjaub, after a long weary march under an Indian sun, as if they were to be paraded in front of the Horse Guards in St. James's Park, A Frenchman can not understand this. The moment he is ordered on ser vice he seems to think that in cleaning himself he will wash off his war paint. He therefore gives up all ideas of washing and shaving or of cleaning his horse. He then, if an officer, slings about him some fantastic bag, and puts on some article of dress which, with the exception of the buttons, is not uniform. When he has done this, and, to use an American expression, " skinned his boots," or pulled them up over his trousers, he begins to believe himself on the war path. But he cannot under stand washing and fighting, or shaving and marching, or campaigning and cleanliness, going together. Again, the horses are greatly over-weighted, having to carry besides the soldier and his kit, a Mgt, d'abri, number of cooking pots, and other incumbrances. The men have slung round them a long carbine, which must be useless until they are dismounted, and even then a revolver would be of much more service in preserving their lives. But, above all, the French cavalry ride very badly. Many of them roll and slouch in their saddles, thereby creating sore backs, and making their arm of the service more inefficient than it would be other- wise, POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. The exhibition of poultry and pigeons at the Crystal Palace will be thrown open to the public to-day. The judges were busy fixing their awards yesterday, and their task was by no means a light one. There are upwards of 2,000 entries, including about 800 pens of pigeons. Of the 800 pens of pigeons it is not too much to say that they form the most magnificent show of the kind ever seen in this country, or in deed in any other country. The collection con tains carriers, pouters, from all parts of the world, tumblers, barbs, jacobins, fantails, nuns, trum peters, tubbits, and other varieties too numerous even to mention. Besides the " so-called carriers," there is a collection of the Antwerps, or r real carriers "—the birds that are actually employed in flying messages—and this part of the show therefore possesses a peculiar in terest. The heaviest variety of pigeon is the runt, some of which have been known to weigh 141 b. 15oz. the pair, although in the present collection there are none quite so heavy. There are pigeons in this show which £2O or even £3O a head would ,not purchase, and the whole collection would probably not change hands for less than £5,000. Visitors to the show will be admitted each day this week up to seven o'clock in the evening, and the greater part of the Palace is to be illuminated for an hour beyond that time. THE BOULTON AND PARK CASE.—There is some misapprehension about the proceedings against Boul ton, Park, and others. On the application of the defendants the case was removed from the Central Criminal Court to the Queen's Bench, and they were thereupon bound to plead and give notice of trial in Michaelmas Term. The three principal defendants pleaded on the 7th of November, but did not give notice of trial. At that time the number and character of the causes entered put it out- of the question (as, indeed, the result has proved) that the cause could be reached at the present sittings, which end on Friday next. Three of the defendants have not as yet been ap prehended, although warrants have been issued. Under these circumstances the Crown did not attempt to force on the trial, which (if, against all probability, the case had been reached) would only have proceeded against those who had pleaded, and a second trial would have been necessary in the case of those who might be afterwards arrested. The case will now stand for the sittings after Hilary Tenn, and all the de fendants who may at that time have appeared and pleaded will be put upon their trial together. A Havre paper states that it was in contemplation at one time to defend Rouen to the last, but at a meeting of the principal inhabitants and the military and civil authorities it was determined that in consequence of the incomplete state of the lines of defence, which had been too tardily commenced, it would be useless to attempt resistance. The Nouvelliste, of Rouen, appeared on Sunday with one of its pages blank, which, it was explained, was caused by the absence of the greater portion of the workmen employed. The same paper contained the following proclamation from the municipal authorities to the citizens:—"National Guards,—The enemy approaches nearer and nearer ; our forces are being concentrated upon the line of posts the establishment and defence of which the municipal ad ministration has thought it right to intrust to the military authorities. Our generals have promised us energetic protection, and we have undertaken to give them our fullest co-operation. We rely upon the devotion of To-day, to address the National Guard is to address all citizens, for henceforth they are all sufnmoned to the ranks. Your courage and your effortS will be equal to the sacrifices which the country expects from you.—Rouen, Dec. 4, 1870." The Nouvell-iste also gives some details re specting the engagement at Bachy, which preceded the occupation of Rouen :—" According to the information we have received the Prussians had a formidable artillery and very numerous forces. At five o'clock in the morning the Mocquatt eelaireurs, who had passed the night at Buchy, made a reconnaissance towards thd '‘voods of St. Saens, when the Prussians, who occupied those woods, suddenly presented themselves. A severe engagement ensued. The eclaireUrs did their duty bravely, and suf fered heavy losses, but, after a stout resistance, were compelled to retire. The artillery of the National Guard, under the command of M. Waddington, covered the retreat. During the morning the National Guard of Rouen was put in movement, but was obliged to return to the city in conseqnence of the events which have occurred, but only to proceed to another point, where it will prepare for determined resistance." THE GREAT SORTIES' FROM PARIS. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, in his letter from the Royal head-quarters, dated December .Ist„.gives the following account of the great sortie from Paris : The advancing force numbered, I should say, about 25,000 men ;. and these wbre supported by about 35,000 more, who did not come into action, and at first the French had it all their own way, They drove in the German front rank, ain't they took a couple of villages. One of these in fact Champigny - sur - Marne they at present partially hold; that is, they are at ono while the Wurtem bergers occupy the other end of the place. I cannot suf ficiently express my astonishment at the manner in which the French acted during the later portion of this sortie. While they began with energy and skill, they ended with displaying a want of both these qualities. When they had conquered and thrust back the Germans, that was the time for a general rush from Paris—that was the Moment when the besieged should have followed in thousands on the heels of the pioneers of victory. Had they done so—had some I one hundred thousand men supported the twenty-five thousand who opened the attack—the investing line might have been burst through, and the army of Prince Frederick Charles might in a day or two have been surprised to find in its rear a powerful and victorious - army, elated with its triumph in escaping from the besieged city. The French, in fact, might this morning be in Meaux, while in reality they occupy positions at least two miles and a half further back than those they held at one period of yesterday's sortie. They have thus given the Germans time to con centrate themselves, and to strengthen the point that was weak ; and the infallible consequence will be, that before two or three suns have set the French will be driven back from the places they now hold; the two armies will resume their former positions ; and all the blood, all the energy, all the success of yesterday will have been unattended with any material result. We have heard a great deal of Trochu's plan. By dint of repetition at first, and latterly by means of mysterious silence—silence no less from the forts than in the official journal—many people have been brought to believe that Trochu has really some great design. If such he really has—if he wished to express this mighty and portentous intention in real action why then did he not push his advantage when he had got into the very heart of our weakest point ? In place of adopting this bold but really rational plan, what has Trochu done? He has occupied a couple of trumpery villages ; he his even set his men to work at entrenching themselves. What incomprehensible folly I These places, which he is taking such pains to defend, are com manded on both flanks by an enemy to whom every hour is adding numbers and strength. The men that might have been using the bayonet to some purpose are engaged with the spade in the pursuit of the unattainable. 'Troche, I repeat, should have pushed forward, and at any cost. He might have relieved Paris by forcing the enemy to pursue him. This—l have not the smallest doubt or hesitation in'saying it—this he might have, but this he has not done. His chance has come : his chance has gone. Meanwhile, although the French have thus, So my mind, acted with the utmost folly, they have at least in this much succeeded the Wurtembergers and the Saxons have been greatly cut up. The former lost no fewer than 33 officers (seven killed outright) ; the latter 17 officers and a large number of soldiers. It was, in deed, on both sides a bloody—on both sides a well-fought —day. The Wurtembergers acted with the greatest bravery ; indeed, they were as fierce in the onslaught as tigers. They were, however, far too few in num ber for the powerful enemy that attacked them. Nor do the French deserve less praise for their conduct. They undoubtedly behaved with great intre pidity ; and they took prisoners 120 Saxons. The line of battle was not less than four English miles long. The closing scenes of the conflict were enacted at Mesly, not far from Creteil. The Saxons were very roughly handled, and the 4th Corps had by no means an easy time of it on the north-west—the other side of Paris. In prisoners, killed, and wounded, the French, in their fight with the Wurtembergers alone, lost no fewer than 2,000 men. The following is the proclamation addressed on the same occasion by the Government of the National Defence to the population of Paris :—" Citizens—The effort which the honour and salvation of France required has now commenced. You were waiting for it with a patriotic impatience which your military chiefs could hardly moderate. As determined as yourselves to dislodge the enemy from the lines in which he has en trenched himself, and to wish to meet your brothers of the Department, their duty was to prepare powerful means of attack. They have done so, and now they fight. Our hearts are with them. We are all of us ready to follow them, and, like them, to shed our blood for the deliverance of our country. In this supreme hour, when they nobly expose their lives, we owe them the co-opera tion of our constancy, and of our civic virtues. However, violent may be the emotions by which we may be agitated, let us have the courage to remain calm. Whosoever might foment the least disturbance in the city would betray the cause of her defenders, and help that of Prussia. Just as the army can conquer only by discipline, we can resist only by union and order. We rely on suc cess ;no reverse could discourage us. Let xis above all seek our strength in the indomitable resolve to shun all incitement to civil discord as we would a disgraceful death. Long live France 1 Long live the Republic !" [Here follow the signatures of the members of the Government of National Defence.] The Jonrrta,l Officiel of this morning publishes the follow ing :—" Paris, November 29 (Evening). This morning at daybreak two attacks were made, under the orders of General Vinoy, on the cattle railway station at Choisy-le- Roi and on L'Hay. The first, directed by Admiral Poth nau, vigorously carried on, has fully succeeded. The position was carried before daybreak by companies of the 106th and 116th battalions of the National Guard and of Marine Infantry. The enemy was taken by surprise, and withdrew in disorder, leaving in our hands some prisoners, one of whom is an officer. In the direction of L'Hay, Colonel Valentin, commanding a brigade of General Me.udhuy's Division, attacked that village with the 109th and 110th Regiments of the Line, and the 2nd and 4th battalions of the Mobile National Guard from Finistere. The position was attacked with much resolution ; our troops penetrated into the first lines, which they gallantly carried ; and, according to in structions given to General Vinoy, with a view to future operations, which will be developed in due course, orders were given not to push the attack any farther. At the moment our troops were withdrawing; and when the Prussian reserves were arriving in considerable force in the village, a formidable artillery fire from the Hautes- Bruyeres and the adjacent batteries covered and crushed L'Hay, as well as the columns which sought to approach , it. At the same time the gunboats of Captain Thomassiss, of the navy, above the Port d. l'Anglais, ordnance of large calibre, mounted on ironclad carriages on the railway ; the batteries around Vitry, those of the Moulin Saquet, and, lastly, a portion, of the artillery of Fort Charenton —opened a scathing fire on the position occupied by the enemy, and caused an immense loss. The report of the exact number of our wounded is not yet to hand — it probably amounts to about 500, amongst whom is Lieutenant-Colonel Mimerel, of the 110th Regi ment of the Line, grievously wounded. Christian de Ravaran, commanding the 110th, was killed. Chef de Bataillon de Reale, commanding the 4th Finisthe Bat talion, has been wounded. General Vinoy praises the good behaviour of our troops in this affair. Various tac tic movements were carried out during last night and this morning, but it is important that they should not be dwelt upon, as they are closely connected with prospec tive operations." IMPORTANT TO TRADESMEN.-Mr. William Haynes, all extensive greengrocer, carrying on business in various parts of London, was summoned, at the Westminster Police-court, under the Metropolitan Streets Act, for allowing vegetable on a barrow to rest longer than neces sary for loading or unloading in a certain public carriage way in Tachbrook-street and Churtin-street, Pimlico. The facts were not disputed ; Sergeant Hillock, of the B Division, proving the barrows standing for five hours, and the defendant and his servants serving therefrom. Mr. W. D. Smyth, of Rochester-row, appeared for the defendant, and submitted broadly that the commissioner of police, under the powers of the Metropolitan Streets Act, had made regulations for the guidance of coster mongers, itinerant traders, and hawkers, who congregated in large numbers round the defendant's p remises, and in some instances undersold him. He saw no reason to believe that the defendant, although a tradesman, should not be a costermonger, if he chose, for his own protection. After referring to the definition of the word costermonger, which appeared very vague, Mr. Smyth said his client had no wish to offend, but he required the matter set at rest, and to put an end to the frequent complaints of the police. Mr. Woolrych was clearly of opinion that a costermonger was not a shopkeeper, but an itinerant vendor. He, therefore, was against the defendant, but in consideration of the question he had raised he should only order him to pay the cost of the summons. ANOTHER TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT. SIX PERSONS KILLED AND THIRTY INJURED. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) We record with painful feelings another very shocking railway accident. A collision, resulting in the loss of five lives, occurred yesterday morning at Brockley Whine, a junction on the North-Eastern Rail way about four miles from South Shields. As an express train, consisting of four or five carriages, was advancing towat de the station, it ran right into a long - goods' train, which wee running in a contrary direction. The result was most disastrous. Two of the carriages in the passenger train were smashed to atoms. The engines of both trains were completely wrecked, and in a few minutes five grown-up passengers were taken dead from among the debris, and a large number of others were found to be seriously injured. The drivers of the engines saved themselves by jumping off in time, but the guard of the express is supposed to be hopelessly injured, both of his legs being almost torn off. The goods' train was heavily laden with coals. The cause of the accident was, it is said, a mistake of the pointsman, who turned the wrong switch for the goods' train. Medical aid was telegraphed for from South Shields, and a number of doctors were soon upon the spot. Upwards of thirty persons are injured by the accident ; several of them are not expected to survive many hours. Frederick Younge, actor, who manages Caste's Company, is reported to be among the killed; as is also a well known colliery owner in the Tyne district. The whole traffic is stopped ; and the line is torn up for some distance. Only a half of one of the carriages is left from the express train, the rest being smashed. The express was going at from twenty to thirty miles an hour. Great crowds were gathered on the spotwhere the accident occurred. (LATER TELEGRAM.) LIST OF THE KILLED. The names of the killed include those of Frederick Young, actor (as before mentioned) ; Mr. Richard son, proprietor of extensive paper mills at Spring well -on - the - Tyne ; Mr. Hodgkin, large colliery owner, and also two other influential local gentlemen. The pointsrnan is not to be found. He is an old man, and has for many years borne a good character for sobriety and steadiness. Tapley, the guard of the express train, who had both his legs injured, has since died. Amongst those seriously injured are Mr. Shuttleworth, traveller for Messrs. Lazenby and Co., London ; Mr. Reay, a member of the Sunderland Town Council ; and 11liss Martell, a London actress. THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY. The eighteenth annual meeting of this society was held yesterday at the Norfolk-street offices, Viscount Ranelagh in the chair. The secretary (Mr. C. L. Gruneisen) having read the advertisement convening the meeting, the fol lowing report of the Executive Committee was submitted : —The Executive Committee, in laying before the share holders their eighteenth yearly report, are enabled to append thereto a satisfactory return of the busi ness of the Society, as shewn in the audited ab stract of accounts and balance-sheet for the financial year ending the 30th of September, 1870. It will be seen from the subjoined tabular form, that the receipts for the four quarters andthe grand totals to Michaelmas, indi cate that no change has taken place in the continued prosperity of the Conservative Land Society, notwith standing the unforeseen and disastrous events which have marked the present year, causing such large fluctuations in the prices of public securities • Shares in Shares Total Qrs. ending proess. Complete. Shares. Receipts. prod - ...... • Dec. 25, 1869 3Larch 25, 1870 ..... 383 88 471 2 . : 4 ,365 2 1 Juno 25, 1870 ...... 516 IC2 618 36,093 14 3 Sept. 32, 1870 ...... 4 1 77 478 36 6.d3 7 0 1,816 :44 2,160 133,276 15 11 Totals to 611. chaelmas, 186. ' 26,237 6,3.19 32,596 1,450,082 19 3 Grand totals to. Allehaelmas,l• 70 , :8,1151 6,701 34,756 1,683,359 15 2 Total withdrawals under the rules since the formation of the Society (1852) to Michaelmas, 1870, are ... £399,971 3 9 The last share number issued to Michaelmas, 1870, was No. 34,756. The reserve or surplus fund to Michel• mas, 1870 (exclusive of office premises and furniture account), amounts to .... £10,500 0 0 The four auditors appointed at the quarterly meeting of the shareholders, on the 10th of October last, namely, Mr. Clemow, Manager of the Dudley and West Broomwich Bank, and Mr. Goad, Estates Agent, Essex-road, Islington, elected by the members, and Mr. Thomas Russel. Public Ac countant, and Mr. Newman Winstanley, nominated by the board, under the certified rules, met on the Bth, 9th, and 10th of November, verified the vouchers, books, and accounts, duly signed the balance sheet, and certified as to all deeds and securities being deposited in the strong room. After leaving the reserve or surplus fund at £10,500 (exclusive of office premises and furniture account, which now stands at the present value of £2,533 10s. 5d.), the executive committee are enabled Ist. To provide for the interest, at five per cent. per annum on shares (completed, or paid a year in advance), and for the interest -of four per cent. per annum in De posit Department. 2nd. To add to the accounts of mem bers holding uncompleted invested shares, not in arrear (iu respect of which no interest has been paid}, a bonus equivalent to five and a half per cent. per annum, and on shares paid a year in advance and upwards, a bonus of half per cent. will be added to the accounts in the Pass-book. 3rd. To pay to the holders of Completed Shares 'Alf per cent., in addition to the five per cent. already paid. Every payment on the shares on the register at the pre sent annual meeting, not being in arrear, will therefore realise 5i per cent. per annum for the present year, ending the 30th September, 1870. As regards the additional interest of half per cent. to which the holders of com pleted shares will be entitled by the above declaration of bonus, the amount will be included in the half-yearly Lady-Day interest warrants issued and payable on and after the Ist of May next (1871). The rate of interest on shares (completed) and those in progress (paid a year in advance), will remain for the present at 5 per cent. per annum, and the half-yearly warrants up to Lady Day and Michaelmas will be issued at the customary periods, namely, the Ist of May and the Ist of November. As regards rate of interest for the deposit department, that is, for investors who are not • members of the society, it will remain unchanged at 4 per cent. per annum, payable half-yearly on the Ist of May and Ist of November, simultaneously with the interest warrants of the share department. The ordinary quarterly meetings of the members were held on the sth of April, the sth of July, and the 10th of October. Since the last annual report, H. W. Currie, Esq., has 'ceased to be a member of the board, and J. C. Cobbold, Esq., honorary member of the executive committee, has retired from the office of trustee. The executive committee, under the rules„have appointed N. W. J. Strode, Esq., of the Alliany, and Camden Place, Chislehurst, a member of the board, as trustee, and the resolution as to the nomination has been duly certified as a rule of the society. The following members of the executive committee retire by rotation, viz. ;—The Hon. Robert Bourke, M.P,. Colonel Augustus Meyrick, Sir Lawrenc e Palk, Bart., and Newnham Win stanley, Esq. ; and, being eligible,. offer themselves for re election. The beneficial effects arising from the co-osuffi- sta tion with the United Land Company (Limited) are ciently indicated in the subjoined return of estates on which the society has made building advances during tie past year: Kilb u rn and Harrow - roa d, Middlesex ; Finchley, Mid dlesex ; Ealing, Middlesex ; Fulham (West London No. 1), Middlesex Fulham Fields (ditto No. 2), Middlesex ; Hammersmith' (ditto No. 3), Middlesex ; Holloway, Middlesex ; Kentish Town, Middlesex ; Wood Green, Middlesex ; Willesden, Middlesex ; Portsmouth (Nos. 1 and 2), Hamps hire ; Cl a pham Junction (Nos. 1,2, and 3), Surrey ; West Hill (Putney Heath), Surrey ;Plough___ Essex ; Forest Lane IBattersea), Surrey ; Red Hill, Surrey ; Walling- Putney Common, Surrey ; Sutton, Sur reyton, Surrey ; ; Carshalton, Surrey ; Wanstead, Gate, Essex ; Sheerness, Kent •; Sandown, Isle of Wi g ht ; New Ferry (opposite Liverpool), Cheshire. As regards the Advance Department for the current year, applications have been made for the annexed properties : Wellingborough, Northamptonshire ; Northampten (Ki ngs thorpe), Northamptonshire ;Havant, Hants ; G'ipsy Hill (Norwood), Surrey ; Muswell Hill (Alexandra Palace), Middlesex. As the - United Land Company, Limited, have acquired estates at Wolverhampton (Stal fordshire) and the 'Forest of Dean (Gloucestershire), and are in treaty for other eligible properties, there will be no lack of building proposals, the extent and proportion of the loans on which are matters of consideration at the weekly Boards of the Directors. The Execu tiOe Committee have again to refer with gratification to the success of the system of combinedaction ,• as proved by the readiness displayed by the members in the taking of the shares of the United Land Company (Limited), on their third issue. The nineteenth year of the Conserva tive Land Society is in progress, and no exertions will be spared by the committee to secure a continuance of the confidence reposed in them for so many years by the members, and to ensure a steady rate of interest for their investments. It never has been, and it never will be, the policy of the board, to embark into speculative transac tions on the chance of obtaining large profits. Security is the first consideration, and no sounder security can, be found than that of laud and houses, OUR CO rE h s rning THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. The Times, in discussing the American President's speech, says: General Grant charges the Dominion Govern ment with unfriendly conduct in their mode of protecting the fisheries on the Canadian shores, and in their mainte nance of the right to close the St. Lawrence against the commerce of the United States. Both charges appear to be made on exparte statements, and there i 3 considerable difficulty in meeting accusations without hearing the other side, but the Statutes of the Dominion E re before us, and we cannot discover in the Act of 1868, or in the • supplementary Act of the last Session anything to justify the President's reclamations. The Canadians have, by the universal law of nations, an exclusive right of fish ing in the waters within a league of their shores, and the Acts in question are simply devised to pre vent poaching in these waters. Foreign fishing vessels wilfully trespassing in them are liable to seizure at the hands of properly commissioned officers, and to be condemned if the charge be subsequently pioved against them in a civil court. The Canadians, in fact, seek to protect their fishery rights just as England and France have, by repeated conventions, protected the fishery rights of their cwn coasts. If the Acts of the Canadian Parliament do not contain adequate secu rities that they shall be properly executed, they may be amended so as to remedy the defect ; but the principle of the Acts is clearly just, and there is no instance in which it is alleged that they have been abused. The case of the navigation of the St. Lawrence is equally plain. We should certainly never pretend to deny the United States the use of this outlet of the North-West, subject only to such conditions as are essential for the independence of the Dominion, and to such transit tolls as may be necessary for the preservation of the canals used in the transit from the Lakes. On such conditions the navigation of the St. Lawrence may be free and neutral, and we do not know that the Cana dian Government have ever shewn any disposition to close the river to commerce. The Standard is surprised that even an American states man can venture to accuse us of failing in due willingnes s to settle the Alabama claims, if those claims can be fairly established; or can speak of our " desire for a full and friendly adjustment" as a future and problematic possi bility. We, observes the Standard, offered a general reference of the whole question to arbitration, on terms heartily approved by the then representative of America, and endorsed by General Grant's predecessor. The treaty was rejected by the Senate. It is somewhat hard that the blame of refusing a "full and friendly ad justment" should be thrown on the shoulders of those offered arbitration by those who suddenly, peremptorily, and not very courteously declined it. By proposing to purchase the claims of individuals, General Grant shows that his Government looks upon those claims as demands to be pressed, and one day likely to be satisfied ; and we fear, therefore, that we must not hope from him either a quiet abandonment of unreasonable pretensions, or a colourable withdrawal of the refusal to submit to arbitration which has hitherto rendered a settlement impossible. A newer and perhaps more troublesome grievance is found in the conduct of the Canadians. The disputes concerning the navigation of the St. Lawrence and the Newfoundland fisheries are of old date. There can be no doubt that the Canadians are only acting within their right ; though it is probable they are pressing that right harshly. Under such circumstances the proper mode of settlement is by a treaty, in which the obnoxious right shall be exchanged for a fitting equivalent. Such a treaty did exist between Vngland and the States ; and under it the States enjoyed perfect freedom from all the molestation of which they now complain—were admitted to Canadian fisheries and to the Canadian inland waters. They suddenly abrogated that treaty ; and thereby renounced the privileges it con ferred ; and withdrew the benefits in exchange for which Canada had conceded those privileges. They cannot wonder if the Canadians are resolved that they shall feel to the full the inconvenience of the new state of things, in order that they may appreciate, the mutual advantages of the Reciprocity Treaty. And this General Grant admits to be the Canadian object. But in stead of proposing to restore the treaty he proposes t 3 reta liate upon the Canadians—to forbid the transit of goods in bond across American territory, which would close the markets of Canada against foreign produce during the entire winter, and, if need be, to exclude Canadian vessels from American ports. It is easy to see that such a course of mutual injury and annoyance is not compatible with friendly understar ding or permanent peace. If Canada were an independent and equal Power such a policy would lead to war. THE CRISIS IN FRANCE. The Daily News says:—The war has reached another crisis ; and is there any chance of that crisis being the final one ? We should be sorry to discountenance any reasonable hopes of peace which may have been forme ,1 by the friends of both nations ; but it is, nevertheless, we fear, unlikely that the failure of the great sortie willbe accepted as a final issue by the French. We must not, in the first place, overrate the importance of the retreat across the Marne. So long as the German lines remained unbroken, the positions of the French on the left bank were more dangerous to them than useful. It is not a victory within the German circle of investment which the Paris troops desire, but an opportunity to break that charmed ring and co-operate with the pro vincial armies of France. The retreat to the right bank of the Marne may only be the prelude to a sortie on a still greater scale. Against the success of this renewed attempt, should such be made, there aro now ranged several grave considerations. Doubtless Trochu selected for his attack that point at which he thought the Germans were weakest ; and the vivid account of the fighting which we publish this morning from our Special Correspondent at Ore Saxon Headquar ters reveals how vigorously his intention was carried out. The result, however, shows that a surprise was im practicable, and also that the Germans make up for the scantiness of their forces by their rapidity of concentration. It has puzzled many to understand how the immense forces of Paris could be hemmed in by a body of men, inferior in number to themselves ; but the explana tion lies in the fact that each Prussian soldier, in the event of an alarm, " knows precisely what he has to do, and does it." Further than that, the ill success of the first great effort to get through the lines of investment must have to a considerable extent damped the ardour of Paris, and is likely to influence the temper of such troops as may again be led to make the attempt. In the meanwhile there is a pause. France . has yet to learn accurately the details of the various defeats she has recently suffered. An officer was sent into Paris from Versailles on Sunday to inform the Government there of the defeat of the Loire. Should the news come to the ears of the people of Paris, it will doubtless produce a great depression of the public feeling ; but we are not sanguine enough to consider the war as having reached its final stage. GAMBETTA AND THE WAR. The Telegraph, in commenting on the ultimate results of the war, says:—Whenever that end may come, and whatever it may be, there is one man whose efforts of brain and will have raised him dear above most Frenchmen, and given him a right to an im perishable place in the history of his country, beside the men who organised victory for the First Republic. If the troops of King William should ultimately be driven from the soil of France, Gambetta will be lauded as a second Carnot. If, on the other hand, the Prussians should complete their conquest by the capture of Paris and the permanent occu pation of the border provinces, he will be remembered with gratitude as the man who so nerved and directed the French people that they have displayed the qualities of a great historic nation, and have fought against disaster with a heroism which has wrung words of admiration from their foes. Only a few weeks ago it was the fashion to sneer at Gambetta as a noisy barrister, a loud-tongued rhetorician, a mad Re publican, a moll orator, whose trust lay in gasconade and falsehood ; an unscrupulous adventurer whose chief aim was not to save France, but to win notoriety and power for himself. Calumny itself is now ashamed to utter such taunts. Gambetta may as signally fail to save France as the First Napoleon failed to save his throne after the crowning defeat of Leipsic, or to regain his throne after the return from Elba. The Dictator, like the Emperor, may be baffled by the overwhelming force and skill of hi?. foes ; he may repeat the mis takes of which he has already shewn himself capable, I and which compel us to suspend any complete or , I final judgment on his character and conduct. But whether utter collapse is now to be the fate of the nation, or reverse is only to prove the prelude of another glorious struggle against overwhelming odds, it would be unjust to a very remarkable man not to admi that Gambetta's is one of the few names which will shed a lustre on this disastrous contest, and will help to redeem the honour of the nation.