The Sun. — London, England, 1870-08-09 00:00:00

treaty, the Powers should then fall back upon these obligations of 1839. Briefly stated, and divested of diplomatic and technical language, this was the whole of the contents of the treaty. On the same day, namely, last Saturday week—two days before the discussion which took place in that House—the proposal was made known by the British Government to Austria and to Russia, and the confidence of the former was expressed that although the extreme pressure of the time had forbidden the com paratively complicated intercommunications, the pro- Posals would be approved by those Powers, and that they would be ready to adopt a similar course. (Cheers.) So far as he had been made aware of the view taken of the matter by Austria and Russia that it was favourable, but he did not say that the Government could hold them bound at present to a particular course.. On the sth, Count Bernstorff informed Lord Granville that Count Bismarck had left Berlin for head-quarters, and in consequence of his having so departed the com munication to Lord A. Loftus had been delayed. Subse quently Count Bismarck telegraphed to Count Bernstorff stating that although he had not received any proposal from Lord A. Loftus, he was ready to agree to any mea sure which would contribute to strengthen the neutrality of Belgium. A later telegram on the same day, namely th e sth August, was received from Count Bismarck by the Prussian Ambassador in London to the effect that he had then received a draft of the Treaty which had been sub mitted to the King of Prussia, who had authorised an agreement to it. v (Cheers.) Later still in the day a telegram was received, stating that Count Bernstorff was authorised to sign the Treaty. When he (the Premier), Came into the House that day, Count Bernstorff had not Yet received full powers in a technical sense, but be expected to receive them in the course of the day. He (Mr. Gladstone) thought the engagement might be con sidered complete on the part of Prussia. The Prime Minister then informed the House that France had accepted the Treaty in principle, but the Government of that country were desirous of introducing some modifica tions in the Treaty. They were not, however, modifications of the nature to interfere with the substance of the Treaty, and the - House would perceive that as the Eng lish Government had made an identical proposal to the two powers, it was impossible for them to undertake to alter the instrument for fear of disturbing the old arrangement. The object of the modifications asked for was simply to prevent misunderstanding and although they were not able to make any modification, they were able to give certain explanations as to what they conceived to be its simple and clear interpretation. That interpretation was sent to Paris on Saturday evening, but the pressure of affairs in that city might account for the fact that an answer had not arrived by return of post in the regular Manner that morning ; but the Government had every reason to believe that the explanation was likely to remove all difficulty on the part of the French Govern ment. It was quite possible, therefore, that during the evening he might be able to give further information. Mr. DISRAELI hoped that before the House was pro rogued further information would be given on that important subject, and that when they met on the following day they might hear what progress had been made. He had no doubt that the information that her Majesty's Government had decided to defend the n eutrality of Belgium would give satisfaction to the country at large. (Cheers.) He would not at that Moment give any opinion as to the peculiar diplomatic co ur s e w hi c h h a d b een followed by the r ight hon. gentleman. It was really too grave and abstruse a question to be decided in that off-hand and almost conversational manner. (Hear, hear.) He thought that where there was a guarantee so explicit as that which Was expressed in the policy of the treaty of 1839 2 the wisdom might be questioned of founding u pon that another treaty which involved us in any engagement of a nature he did not precisely understand. If, for instance, they joined with one of the belligerents to indicate the neutrality of Belgium against the other who should violate it, what limit was there to their interfe rence ? (Hear, hear.) It would appear to him that in that e ase they wouid have to share the fortunes of war with the belligerent with whom they had joined. It would be in- Possible to limit their co-operation with the belligerent me rely to the frontier of the neutralised country. ( Cheers). He, notwithstanding, rejoiced at the declara tion which the right hon. gentlemen had made, because it sheaved that they were determined to maintain the inde pendence of Belgium. He accepted it as a wise and spirited policy, and not the less wise because it was spirited. (Cheers.) Mr. GLADSTONE observed that the reason why the Government resisted the inclination of the House as well as their own inclination on Monday last to make any declaration in general terms with respect to Belgium was that th e y m i g h t g i ve utterance to words which might be held to impose obligations almost unlimited. T hey were obliged to admit that the declara tlens which were made by the belligerent Powers B ' B to the neutrality of Belgium contained every thing they could reasonably expect. But they involved one element of weakness. In the event of a violation of Belgian territory by Prussia, France was to be released. In the event of a violation by France, Prussia was to be released, and it was obvious that a joint engage ment of that kind would remove the element of weakness which he had mentioned. The Militia Acts Amendment Bill passed through all its stages, and was read a third time and passed. THE CENSUS BILL. Mr. BRUCE moved that the House object to the amend- Mont made in the other House to this bill by the intro duction of the words " Religious profession " in the Census returns. The House divided, when there appeared For th e propos i t i on of the Home Secretary, 101; against it, 40. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE BILL. t ,,,tk division t oo k pl ace on th e mo ti on o f M r. W at ki n :;illiaras, that the House resolve itself into committee on the above bill that day three months, when the rroposal 'as rejected. Great opposition was offered to the mea sure in committee, and the Government, seeing the i_ e3ceee ding unpopularity of the bill, determined to abandon t a course which gave unmistakeable satisfaction. The Lord s ' A men d men t s t o th e Cl er i ca l Di sa biliti es ".;u ll , having been considezed, the Divine Worship in "'licensed Buildings Bill was withdrawn, and the House atlj c urned at eight o'clock until h a lf-past twelve on Tuesday. A CHALLENGE BETWEEN IRISH JOURNALISTS. 4 ., 1111 awkward affair has just occurred between two gen neirten of the Dublin press. An article was lately published 111 the Irish Times, which in the opinion of Mr. Edmund Gray °ll e of the proprietors of the Freeman' s Journal cast ridicule u i tth e War correspondent of the latter paper. He there -41,7,T1 went to Major Knox, the proprietor of the Irish Times, e demanded an explanation. A very stormy scene f l r l e, during which Mr. Gray is alleged to have flaunted L, glop_es in Major Knox's face. Finally Major Knox irpcked down Mr. Gray, that being the only coursee W elt to be open to a gentleman under such circumstances. ' afterwards wrote a challenge to the responsible 4Plletor of the Fre , man's Journal, Sir John Gray let t Iv ir• Gray, through whom the Major transmitted the 41 _ 1 :r declined to have an ythin g t o d o with s u ch a conl b4ltY he hadl 'c or to transfer to another any of the responsi incurred. • tI i L CIIE SS CONGRESS AT BADEN.—The players at if g r eat tournament were :—Anderssen Blackburne, P a e „, V ere, Rosenthall, Steinitz, Minewitz, Minewar, Ll E ,: ) , B eri, and Neuman ; and in spite of the war, the tour fira—tent Was brought to a successful issue on Friday. The (646 f1 Priz, e 13,000 f) was won by Anderssen ; the second ate- kr " by Bteinitz ; and for the third (400 f), Blackburne -- Neuman were equal. • TLC°I4IPERENCE OF CHRISTIANS OF ALL NATIONS.— 'ue London secretaries request us to state that, in conse (lnert e p ee ee of th e war, the New York committee has dec i ded ua°,Postpone the gen era l con f erence o f Ch r i s ti ans o f all 0 1 „; 1 , ° 2 1 ., , which was to have been held in that city in the ef September. All the arrangements had been 1113416. in P, but as so many d e l eg at es were p reven t e d f rom iiPvg Europ e at *the present time, it was considered edient to abandon the intention to hold the meetings um Year. - .A .f A T \--''VEST ISEDIENT.I — HoIIoway ' s Ointment and Pills.— re quent cause of gout and rheumatism is th e inflam !4„tterY state of the blood, attended with bad digestion general debility. A few doses of these Pills taken in t !Ille are an effectual preventive against gout and rheuma -481n• Any one who has an attack of either should use wejloway's Ointment also, the powerful • operation of i•Peh, combined with the effect of the Pills, must infal wip, effect a cure. These Pi ll s act directly on the blood, le , ll theY ,purify and improve. Having subdued the severity of these diseases, perseverance with the brine,Oint after fomenting the affected joints with warm _ will speedily relax all stiffness, and prevent an y permanent contraction. of DutiviLLE and Co., Belfast, are the largest holders i ty w ti lliskY in the world. Their Old Irish whisky is r ommended ,pliecie medical profession in preference to French brand - . Sup. on a 11 caeks and cases for home use or exportation. Quotations tillerrP ication to Messrs DUNVILLE & Co., Royal Irifth . Dis ~ es ,l 3elfast •or at the' Lo d Offices 4 Beaufort Buildings otra,,,, i. wv.li . 1 non „ Till LATEST INTELLIGENCE THE WAR. ADVANCE OF THE PRUSSIANS INTENSE EXCITEMENT IN PARIS TWO MILLIONS OF FRENCHMEN TO BE ARMED. NEW MOVEMENT OF THE FRENCH AUGUST 8 (7.50 A.M.) The army is concentrating to march on the Vosges and defend the passes. The night has been quiet, and no en gagement has taken place. • - AUGUST 8 (10 A.M.) " General de Failly is in communication with Marshal MacMahon. The morale of the army is excellent. There has been no attack since my despatch of yesterday. In the battle of Freschwther 140,000 Prussians attacked Mashal MacMahon's Corps, numbering only 33,000 men. " NAPOLEON." GENERAL STEINMETZ'S REPORT OF THE BATTLE OF SAARBRUOK. The following official .report from General von Stein metz, regarding the battle at Saarbruck on Saturday, has been communicated from Berlin, under date of Sunday evening : MAYENCE 3 Sun day (9 A. M. ) "The following telegrams relative to the battle at Saarbrucken on the 6th of August have come to hand here : " 1. To-day, from noon till after dark, a severe and well-contested battle has been fought between Saarbruck and Forbach. The 14th Division commenced the engage ment, and was successively supported against the enemy, who had fortified themselves, by three battalions and the battery of the 16th Division, three battalions, two bat teries, and cavalry (the telegram does not specify which). The heights of Spicheren, to the rsouth of the exercise ground, were taken by storm, and the enemy driven back upon Forbach. While this was going on, the 13th Division advanced opposite Volkingen, took Rosseln, and by nightfall established the head of the column at Forbach. General Francois was killed. Very many wounded men and a large number of prisoners from the different regiments of Frossard's corps. The number has not yet been ascertained. " I have assumed the command. " `V. STEqMETZ.7 " `2, Divisions of the Ist Army Corps were opposed to Frossard's corps. In the fight the sth Division and por tions of 6th engaged ; they attacked at the same time. It was a heavy and bloody fight. The French positions at Spicheren and on the Kreuzberg were stormed. At nightfall the victory was completely decided in our favour. " ' General-Lieut. V. ALVENSLEBEN. (By order) " ' V. VERDY.' " ADVANCE OF THE PRUSSIANS. A telegram from Colmar, dated yesterday morning, states that a Prussian army corps crossed the Rhine. This movement is denied in a despatch dated from the Prefect of Colmar. The despatch says it is probable that the Prussians are moving on Saverne, along the right bank of the Rhine. THE FRENCH DEFEAT AT METZ. The following official telegram from Metz gives the condition of affairs after the defeat : AUG. 7 (12.2 P. M.) Marshal MacMahon has experienced a serious check at Reichshoffen. He has retired, and is covering Nancy. The troops before Metz are in excellent spirits. This morning three entire Army Corps have not taken part in any engagement. The losses of the enemy were very considerable, and retard his march. The trial is a serious one, but is not beyond the efforts of the patriotism of the nation. It is not possible to estimate the number of our losses. The movement of retreat and concentration is accomplished. General Coffiniere is organising the de fence. Aua. 7 (1.20 P. M.) The Prussians are reported to be at St. Avoid, at 28 kilometres from Metz. The town is tranquil and ready for defence. There is some question of transferring the head-quarters to Chalons. The corps of Marshal Bazaine and General Ladmirault are intact, and a great battle is expected to-moraow near Metz. AUG. 7 (7.30 P. M. ) In the battle at Freschwiller the chief of Marshal MacMahon's staff, General Colson, was killed at the Marshal's side. General Raoult is missing. Our artillery suffered greatly. Marshal MacMahon is in communica tion with General de Failly. Metz is preparing for a vigorous defence, and the Commandant has ordered Ger man residents to obtain permits if they wish to remain. AUGUST 7 (7.35 P.M.) The enemy is not actively pursuing Marshal MacMahon; all pursuit has now ceased. The Marshal is concentrating his troops. FRENCH OFFICIAL DESPATCH. AUG. 7 (12.2 p.m.) Marshal M`Mahon has experienced a serious check at Reichshoffen. He has retired, and is covering Nancy. The troops before Metz are in excel lent spirits. Up to this morning three entire Army Corps have not yet taken any part in any engagement. The losses of the enemy wcre very considerable, and retard his march. The trial is a serious one, but it is not beyond the efforts of the patriotism of the nation. It is not possible to estimate the number of our losses. The movement of retreat and concentration is accomplished. Gen. Coffinier is organising the defence. An unofficial account from Metz, of August 7 (1.20 p.m.) says :—" Intelligence of Marshal MacMahon's defeat has been placarded here to-day. The Prussians are reported to be at St. Avold, 28 kilometrbs from Metz. Metz is calm, and ready for defence. There is some question of transferring the headquarters of the Army of the Rhine to Chalons. The corps of Marshal Bazaine and General Ladmirault are intact. A great battle is expected to morrow not far from Metz. Two Prussian spies have just been brought into the town." Later intelligence states that the headquarters of Mar shal MacMahon are at Saverne. His corps has suffered much less than was at first supposed. The same despatch says that Strasburg is in a perfect state of defence. INACTIVITY OF THE ARMIES. An official despatch from Berlin states that there was nothing to report yesterday from the Royal head quarters. THE FEELING IN PARIS. PROCLAMATION OF THE FRENCH MINISTRY. PARIS, AUG 8 (5.30 P.M.) The following proclamation, signed by all the Ministers, was yesterday evening posted throughout Paris : " Frenchmen ! We have told you the whole truth ; it is now for you to fulfil your duty. Let one single cry issue from the breasts of all, from one endof France to the other. Let the whole people rise quivering and sworn to fight the great fight. Some of our regiments have succumbed before overwhelming numbers, but our army has not been vanquished. The same intrepid breath still animates it. Let us-support it. To a momentarily suc cessful audacity we will oppose a union which conquers destiny. Let us fall back upon ourselves, and our invaders shall hurl themselves against a rampart of human breasts. As in 1792 and at Sebastopol, let our reverses be the school of our victories. It would be a crime to doubt for an instant the safety of our country, and a greater still not to do our part to secure it. Up, then, up ! and you, inhabitants of the Centre, the North, and the South, upon whom the burthen of war does not fall, hasten with unanimous enthusiasm to the help of your brethren in the East. ' Let France, united in suc cess, be still more united under trial, and may God bless our arms !" THE DEFENCE OF THE CAPITAL The official telegrams announcing the defeats sustained by Marshal MacMahon and General Frossard were posted up in all the departments of France, and caused a great patriotic excitement throughout all classes of society. The Garde Nationale Mobile asked to be sent to the army. The streets of Paris were on Sunday filled with groups reading the telegrams posted on the walls and the proclamations of the Emperor and Empress and Ministers. In all parts of the city, especially those inhabited by the lower classes, great patriotic emotion prevailed. Num bers of persons asked for arms, and were directed to the Ministry of War. The journals of Sunday evening manifested no dis- Couragement, butexpress confidence in the patriotism and heroism of the nation to redeem the disaster. They de- SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, iB7O manded the instant mobilisation of the whole available strength of the National Guard, the Gat de Mobile Pompiers, and, finally, that all citizens should at once be placed under arms, to form the army reserve. The Soir contained the following on the subject : " This,js necessary : the people will, by their supreme will, under take themselves the national defence. Allen and seconded by Mr. Alderman Sylvester, was carried—" That the thanks of this Council be given to Sir Henry Edwards, Bart., for his long and valuable ser vices as representative of this borough." The Mayor and other members of the Connell strongly condemned the prosecution to which the late member had been sub jected. THE LATE ACCIDENT AT THE DRAINAGE WORKS, HASTINGS. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at Hastings, on the bodies of Paul Fry and William Nash, who lost their lives by suffocation in the drainage works. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death from inhaling noxious gases, but how gas was generated there is no evidence to show." A similar verdict was returned by another jury in the case of John Porter, who lost his life in a similar manner, but whose body was not found until later. THE B iTTLE OF WEISSENBURG. Writing on Friday the correspondent of the Standa at Mayence gives a clear description of the brilliant en gagement at Weissenburg on the previous day—two days before the more deadly reverses of the i French'at Woerth and Saarbruck :—" Weissenburg is a little town of 6,000 inhabitants, situated upon the Lauter, at the edge of the French frontier. It is a station upon the railway from Strasburg to Mannheim. It is generally marked upon maps as a fortified town, but this is an error. The Weissenburg lines still exist, but are unarmed and are in a state of ruin. These lines were constructed by Marshal Villars, in 1705, during the Spanish war of succession. The best proof that they are not at present armed is, that although the Prussians have taken the town, the only gun they have captured is a small field-piece. Had there been many guns in position, they must of course have fallen into their hands. Between Weissenburg and the Rhine the country is nearly a dead flat; to its left, however, it is broken up into hills, among which the Lauter, which above Weissenburg is a Bava rian stream, has its source. The hill immediately to the left of Weissenburg appears to be called Giesburg, though it is not marked by that name in the maps I have by me. Between one and two o'clock yesterday a French division, estimated at 25,000 men, advanced from Weis senburg, crossed the Lauter, and attacked the sth and 11th corps de armee of the Pruesians„which were stationed in or near Bergzabern in the Landau-road. Here the fight raged with the greatest fury. Every orchard, every dwelling was contested with the me st extreme obstinacy. The French Chassepot com mitted the greatest destruction among the Prussian ranks at short distances ; but I have not been able to hear whether the mitrailleuse was brought into action, or, if so, with what effect. The contest was a most obstinate one ; the French claim that they were gaining ground, while the Prussians admit that the French fought with extreme and desperate bravery. At this time the Crown Prince moved the second Bavarian emps d'arnae down behind the hill of Geisberg, probably as far as the village marked on the map at Lemb, which is about two miles distant from, and a mile to the south of Weissenburg. Following the Lemb-Weissen burg road, they crossed over Geisberg, and fell upon the rear of Weissenburg, capturing some 500 prisoners, the French tents, and stores, and then attacked the French in the rear, these being, therefore, taken between two fires. Although taken by surprise the French appear to have defended themselves with extreme gallantry, and contrived to retire from the field of action with the loss of only one four-pounder gun; of which the horses were killed. The Prussian officers speak in terms of high admiration of the gallantry of their enemies, and these return the compliment, speaking with special laudation of the Bavarians. How far this ac count is true I know not, but it bears strong marks of likelihood - on its face, and if si non e vero is at least ben trovato. It is at least the connected story which I make out from a variety of statements. I admit that there is a weak point. It is difficult to see how the French, caught in so complete a trap, extricated themselves with the loss of so comparatively few prisoners and of one gun only. Driven off the road to their right they would have no road crossing the Lauter until they reached Lauterburg, close to the Rhine, a distance of seven or eight miles from Bergzabern, and which a beaten armycould hardly accom plish in the face of a greatly more numerous enemy without the loss of many guns and prisoners. The more probable explanation appears to me that the Prussians, coming down from Geisberg, kept to the left of Weissenburg,. and that the French remaining in Weissenburg kept them at bay until the French General was able to throw back his left wing to cover the lines of retreat for his right and centre, in which case Weissenburg' itself would not have fallen into the hands of the Bavarians until the French had passed through it. This, supposing the other portion of the narrative to have been correctly stated, would appear to have been the most probable course of events. In respect to the number of troops engaged, except as to the broad fact that the French were greatly outnumbered, it would be difficult to form an opinion. The French force was stated at 25,000. but I have no means of judging of the accuracy of the statement. Upon the Prussiaa side, according to their own telegrams, three corps d'armee were engaged. The peace footing of oach corps d'armhe may be put roughly at 25,000 men, the war footing at 50,000, or, with the addition of the Landwehr, at nearly 100,000 men. At present it may be assumed that the strength of each corps is 50,000 men ; but at the same time it is not probable that the whole force of each corps was engaged. If only half the strength (if each corps was brought into action we should have a total of 75,000 men, in addition to which we know that a portion of the Guard was engaged, as the telegram mentioned the first regiment of the Guards as having specially suffered. Making, therefore, every possible deduction, it is evident that the Prussians must have had a force engaged at least double that at which the French division is estimated. The action, therefore, although an undoubted French, defeat, cannot be con sidered as anything but creditable to French valour. Edmond About's last letter in Le Soir (it is dated Sar reguemines, Saturday) is devoted chiefly to pointing out the defects in the French organisation and strategy : " We committed the first fault in waiting for invasion. It is we who declare war, and yet we wait at home until the others make war upon us. For twenty days now we have been playing the fool this side the frontier, instead of daring at the enemy. We were not ready —admitted ; but were the Prussians better prepared? I have watched how these twenty days have been employed ; they have been wasted in useless marches and countermarches, which have bored our soldiers, Many have marched more than was right, have weak ened themselves, and scarcely recruited their strength. The order for distributing rations in the field has only arrived to-day. These fatigues and these privations, had they any object? Was the soldier's flesh thus chastened to lead him to certain victory ? Was there any plan of the campaign at all ? It would be excu sable to doubt it ; the corps which go backwards and for wards, as if haphazard, on the frontier, do not seem to be grasped in a firm hand. Perhaps unity of direction and command was wanting. The generals —are they all young enough ? It is said not. As to the soldiers many of them are too young and too new to the service. Many of the reserve still have to learn how to manage the Chasse pot ; they are only acquaint e d with the old-fashioned piece. These men are drafted off into other companies. which they weaken instead of reinforcing. Such con scripts fire at random like wild things, they are subject to panic, disorder, and demoralise the old soldiers. There are a hundred other things to say, and if I published all that I hear, even in general officers' quarters, we should not have done all day. But certain criticisms ought to be laid aside until the campaign is settled and over. That which we must emphasise, and vigorously, from this day, is that of all Euro pean armies, ours is that which keeps the worst guard. Few or no videttes are posted; we are de plorably economical of skirmishers. The Prus sians compensate for the spirit in which they are lacking by excessive prudence and cunning. As for us, we encamp under Heaven's protection, and we allow ourselves to be suprised—witness this affair at Weissem burg ! When there is no surprise, we are incessantly worried by.alarms, which succeed, each other night and day. If Marshal Lebceuf only employed in watching the Prussians those men whom he puts into the field against the jpurnalists, affairs might perhaps go better. The Daily News correspondent at Metz gives these par. ticulars Whilst General Douay's division, composed of the 74th and 50th Regiments of the line, the 16th Bat talion of Chasseurs on foot, one regiment of Turcos, and a regiment of mounted Chasseurs, were encamped in the neighbourhood of Weissenburg, they were startled by a tremendous discharge of artillery. As the patrolles, which had been posted all along the line of the frontier, had not signalled the presence of any Prussian troops, the men believed for a moment that they were surrounded by the enemy. This was not the case; but the Prussian s , in great force and well supplied with artillery, appeared on the heights of Schwergen, occupying the whole of the country near the small Bavarian village. General Douay ordered his troops to advance before the enemy, keeping as much as possible behind Weissenburg, which lay just between them and the Prussian forces. But this precaution proved quite useless, for the guns were pouring a tremendous fire upon them, and the troops were falling in great numbers in the village of Weissenburg itself. The French retired from their former position, and commenced marching on the right side of the village. The Prussian guns were firing at a tremendous rate, and three rounds fell partly iu the town and partly among the troops. Several of the houses were set on fire, and a good number of soldiers lay dead or wounded. At about eleven o'ciock General Voscan's division began to retire. However a new attack wa s or d ere d. Th e T urcos l e d th e way, and, bayonet in hand, threw themselves on one of the Prussian batteries of artillery. All proved useless. Had the French insisted on attacking the enemy any longer there would not have been one of them left alive on the ground. As soon as what was left of General Douay's forces began retiring the Prussian artillery was after them. About twelve o'clock General Douay himself fell a victim to the Prussian artillery. The troops com menced running without order, crossing roads and vmeyards until they reached the farthest point of Weissenburg. The number of dead and wounded must have been very large indeed. The remaining troops are eager to avenge lie death of their general. The country people seem to I,e in great consternation. The roads which lead to Haguenau are covered with peasants carrying their goods and cattle with them, and lamenting over the sad fate reserved for their humble cottages. OUR COTEIVIPORARIES—This Morning. INCREASE OF' THE NATIONAL GUARD. Decrees were published in the Journal Officiel yesterday calling out all able-bodied "citizens between 30 and 40 years of age for service in the National Guard. The defence of Paris is assigned to this guard. It is intended to incorporate all citizens under 30 years not belonging to the Garde Mobile into that force. In Madrid it was expected that an order would be published by the French Embassy that all Frenchmen liable to serve in the Garde Mobile shall report themselves at their respective parishes. The majority of Senators and Deputies being now in Paris, another decree summons the Senate and Legislative Body to meet to-day. MEASURES OF DEFENCE. General Dejean, the Minister of War ad interim, has addressed a report to the Empress-Regent enumerating the measures which have been adopted, or are proposed to be taken, for securing the defence of Paris and filling up the gaps in the army. It states that the forts and the oncieute of the capital will soon be capable of sustaining a regular siege. The gaps in the army may be immediately filled up by sending to the army 150,000 men, taken from various arms of the service. These, together with the class of 1869, the National Guard Mobile, and Reserve and Free Corps, will form 2,000,000 defenders. All the necessary muskets for arming them are ready, and there would remain 1,000,000 in reserve. Telegrams from the Departments state that men of all parties are demanding arms, and are enrolling themselves against the common enemy. The Deputies of the Left have published an appeal calling for the immediate arming of the citizens of Paris. The com mittee of the Opposition journals demand that all French citizens should be armed. An official despatch from Metz announces the arrest of a Prussian officer, who was taken into custody on the charge of being a spy, and was sent immediately to head quarters. THE BOURSE. PARIS, AUGUST 8 (3.30 P. M. ) Scarcely any business has been transacted on the Bourse to-day, and prices are nominally very flat. The final quotation of Rentes was 65f 85c, or nearly 2f lower than on Saturdays THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF FRANCE. The Official Journal says :—" The relations of the Go vernment with other Powers continues to be satisfactory. There is every reason to believe that late events, far from injuriously affecting this state of things, will render it still more marked. What the Governments desire, like ourselves, is the maintenance of the equilibrium." THE DIPLOMATIC CONTROVERSY. The Berlin Official Gazette of yesterday published a tele gram sent by Count Bismarck to the Foreign Office in reply to the communications published by General Turr in the Wiener Tageblatt. Count Bismarck says that, at the wish of the Emperor Napoleon, he had an interview with General Turr, and from him had received verbal—as well as from other better accredited agents written—communications, which are ready for publication. Count Bismarck had, however, never given any verbal or written answer. General Turr himself had been pointed out to him by the Emperor as unreliable, but in military respects as useful. IMPORTANT SPEECH BY THE KING OF BELGIUM. The King of the Belgians opened an extraordinary session of the Chambers yesterday. The King's speech is highly important. In particular it contains the fol lowing momentous passage :—" The Emperor of the French has written to me that his distinct in tention, in accordance with his international duties, is to respect the neutrality or Belgium. Iffs — imperial Majesty at the same time expressed to me his desire to be confirmed in his opinion that Belgium would herself make her neutrality respected by all the means in her power. I have been happy to declare in my reply that the Emperor has not mistaken our intentions. The Government of his Majestythe King of Prussia has equally hastened to give me the written assurance that Belgian neutrality will be respected by it, if the other belligerent party does not violate it. Among the friendlytestimonies I have received from foreign Powers, I am pleased to mention with a gratitude which the whole country will share the solicitude of the Government of her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain for the interests of the Belgian nationality, and the generous support which those senti. ments have received in Parliament as well as in the public opinion of England." The King then proceeded to speak of the military measures which the Government would take to put Belguim in a state of defence. The speech was received with great enthusiasm, and cries of " Vive l'Angleterre," (" Long live England.") The electoral victory of the Democratic party in North Carolina is confirmed. They have a majority of about 10,000. The Duke of Argyll's recommendation that an income. tax should be a permanent instrument of Indian finance has been received at Calcutta with general dissatisfaction. Intelligence from China announces that there have been no further disturbances, and that a considerable force of gunboats is protecting Tientsin. There are rumours of ill-feeling existing among the Chinese at Shanghai, but there are no grounds to apprehend danger. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) YACHT RACE FOR THE QUEEN'S CUP. NEW YORK, MONDAY NIGHT. The Yacht Race for the Queen's Cup was won by the Magic, the Dauntless being one minute behind. Th e America was eighth, the Cambria twelfth. The latter having been disabled, came in twenty-seven minutes behind the winner. MANcEUVRING OF IRON-CLADS. A telegram from Plymouth mentions that an unusual manceuvre was gone through by the Achilles and three other iron-clads belonging to the coastguard service. The ships entered the Sound by the western end of the Breakwater, and, without stopping, passed out at the eastern end, having in the meanwhile signalled to and received answer from the signal-station of the admiral commanding the district. This was done in pursuance of a preconcerted arrangement to call and ascertain. if their services were required for more serious business than their present Channel cruise. SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM. The siege operations, arranged to take place on. Chatham lines yesterday, commenced early in the forenoon. The Engineer Volunteers, consisting of the Ist London, Lieu tenant-Colonel Man.; Ist Middlesex, Colonel M`Lood; 2nd Tower Hamlets, Lieutenant-Colonel Comyn ; and the Ist Hampshire, Captain Buchan, arrived about ten o'clock by train, and after inspecting the school of the Military Engineers, the model and lecture-rooms, they took part in the siege operations, in which the whole of the troops in garrison, including the Royal Engineers, were engaged. Major-General J. Brownrig, C. 13., com manded the whole force. The defending party was under the command of Colonel Louis, R.M.L.1., consist ing of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, under Colonel the Hon. Savage Mostyn, and a party of the Royal Engineers, under Lieutenant J. Russell, R.E. There were two columns of attack, the left column under Lieutenant- Colonel Addes, C. 8., A. D. C. , R.M.L.1., which assaulted Prince Henry's bastion, and the right column under Colonel Rickman, General Depot Battalion, which as saulted Gillingham Face. The whole of the attacking party was under the command of Colonel Lennox, V.C., C. 8., R.E. The whole of the manoeuvres were well carried out, and afterwards the volunteers and troops marched past Major-General Brownrig, who compli mented the volunteers on their efficiency, and hoped to see them at least once a year during the time he was in command of the garrison. THE LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON NEUTRALITY. The Council of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, at a full meeting yesterday, unanimously confirmed the recommendation of a sub-committee to apply for the issue of an order in council to prohibit the export of arms and munitions to either belligerent. It was argued that true dignified neutrality lay in refraining from helping either of the two Powers. By so doing we should be in a position to mediate afterwards. THE PROSECUTION OF SIR H. EDWARDS. At a meeting of the Town Council of Beverley held yesterday, a resolution proposed by Mr, Alderman SWIMMING MATCH. A swimming match came off at Plymouth, yesterday, when for the All Corners' Prize seventeen men, including the best swimmer in. England, competed. The distance was a thousand yards. Mitchell, of Penzance, came in first ; Dawe, Plymouth, second; Morris, London, the holder of thirty-four cups and medals, third ; Professor Johnson, Leeds, fourth. Pamplin and Coulter, of London, were nowhere. Morris says he was never before beaten. A second batch of enthusiastic Germans—mostly shoe makers and cigar makers—left work in Leicester last night, and leave to-day for the seat of war. Telegrams have been received at the Government esta blishments, Plymouth, directing careful inventories to be made of all stores of every kind to be immediately pre pared for the use of the Lords of the Admiralty. Orders have been received at Plymouth for the imme diate despatch of a detachment of 400 men from the Plymouth division of the Royal Marines to Japan, in the Indian troopship Tamar, now at Devonport. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. EGHANI MEETING—THIS DAY. HORSES ARRIVED. Alex. Hawthorn, Adelaide, .Bordeaux, Baune, Braze nose, Breach of Promise, Bide-a-Wee, Chilham, Colonia, Cecil's dam filly, De la Motte, Dumbarney, Electricity, Feronia, Grace Darling, Light Cloud, Locust, La Giroflee, M orn i ng t on Pucelle Plenipotentiary, Royal Arms, The She ans , Siderolite, Split Vote filly, Sulphur, Tangerine, Tonic, Violet, Wilful. SCRATCHINGS. Nursery.—Gunga Jee, Pretty Bird, Alma Mater, Olympia. King John Stakes.—Sash, Sunspot, Delay, Azalea, Birchrod. Stand Plate.—Laird of Scotland. Out of all Engagements at Egham.—Disdain, Soucar, Roxana, Minnie Warren, and all Mr. Ray's horses. LATEST BETTING AT THE WEST END. MONDAY, Midnight. A very small attendance, and the business of the even ing confined to the following quotations : WOLVERHAMPTON STAKES. 3to 1 agst The Boy (taken and offered) 100 to 30 agst Fleets (taken and offered) 4to 1 agst Royal Head (taken and offered) SURREY AND MIDDLESEX STAKES (EGHAM) 2to 1 agst Violet (taken) 3 toi 1 agst any other (taken) GREAT EBOR HANDICAP. 9to 1 agst Mysotis (taken and offered) 10 to .1 agst Myosotis (taken and offered) 100 to 8 agst Good Hope (taken and offered) 100 to B'agst Torreador (taken and offered) 100 to 8 agst Sweet Sound (taken and offered) TATTERSALLS'— LAST EVENING. EBOR HANDICAP. 9to 1 agst Mysotis (taken and offered) 10 to 1 agst Barford (taken)' , 10 to 1 agst Toison d'Or (taken) 10 to 1 agst Myosotis taken and offered) 100 to 8 agst Sweet Sound (taken) 100 to 8 agst Torreador (taken) ST. LEGER. 2 toll agst Kingcraft (taken and offered) Gto 1 agst Palmerston (taken and offered) Bto 1 agst Macgregor (taken and offered) 20 to 1 agst Astolfo (offered) • 20 to 1 agst Captivator (offered) 25 to 1 agst Alexander (taken freely) 30 to 1 agst Normanby (taken and offered) 1000 to 15 agst Fragrance (taken) CESAREWITCH. 1000 to 20 agst Capitaliste (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Ethus (taken) CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 1000 to 20 agst Hawthornden (taken) 500 to 7i agst Oxonian (taken) CITY B ETTIN G—M oNDAY EBOR. HANDICAP. 8. to 1 agbt Blandford (taken and offered) 100 to 12 agst Toison d'Or (taken and offered) 10 to 1 agst Mysotis (taken) 10 to 1 agst Cherie (taken) 100 to 8 agst Torreador (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agst Myosotis (taken) 100 to 7 agst Good Hope (taken) 100 to 6 agst Jarnac (taken) 20 to 1 agst Fleets (taken) ST. LEGER. 9to 4 agst Kingcraft (offered-210 to 100 taken) 13 to 2 agst Palmerston (taken and offered) Bto 1 agst Macgregor (taken and offered) 20 to 1 agst Astolfo (offered) 20 to 1 agst Captivator (offered) 1030 to 30 agst Normanby (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Fragrance (offered) 1000 to 10 agst Bridgwater (offered) CESAREWITCH. 1000 to 20 agst Barford (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Revenge (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Sarsfield (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Islam (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Morgan la Faye (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Hawkhead (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Lac (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Drummer (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Anarchy (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Ashfield (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Blandford (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Cherie (taken) 1000 to 10 agst Tabernacle (taken) CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 1000 to 15 agst Revenge (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Barford (taken) 1000 to 15 agst rums (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Vestminster (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Vandenhoff (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Hobart (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Albuera (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Fugitive (taken) BETTING AT MANCHSTER—MONDAY. EBOR HANDICAP. 9to 1 agst Blandford (offered) 10 to 1 agst Cherie (taken) 10 to 1 agst Good Hape (offered) 10 to liagst Lord Hawthorn (offered) 100 to 8 agst Toison d'Or (taken) 100 to 7 agst Miss Sheppard (taken) ST. LEGER. 2to 1 agst Kingcraft (offered) 13 to 2 agst Palmerston (taken) There is no foundation for the statement that the King of Hanover has embodied a Hanovarian legion for service with the French army against the Prussians. The report that a son of the King of Hanover had taken service under the Emperor Napoleon is equally in correct, LARGE ARRIVAL OF SHIPS AT SHIELDS.-011 Sunday the largest fleet of vessels entered Shields harbour that has arrived for some time, upwards of two hundred ships coming in. Among them was a great number of Norwegians and Danes. In the course of the day the steamer Lord Raglan arrived from Hamburg, and reported having been informed that a Hull steamer, with a number of Prussian seamen on board bound for Rotterdam, had been seized by a French war vessel. The Lord Raglan reported also that the entrance to the Elbe is blockaded, and only a small passage is left for steamers. In the evening the screw steamer Ulster, one of the North German Company's boats arrived in the Tyne from Rotterdam ; the screw steamer Harsa also, from Ashuns ; and the barque Young Heinrick. SWIFT PREPARATION.—A fact eminently worthy of notice, as proving the perfection of organisation attained in the " National Army " system, as adopted by Prussia, is that within the space of 16 days 930,000 men have been mhbilised, put en pied de guerre, and transported to their respective stations. On the morning of the 16th ult., the order to mobilise was telegraphed from Berlin to every district com mand throughout the monarch ; by the night of the 2ndlinst the whole of the Prussian army (as well as that of Southern Germany) was armed, equipped, and in its appointed place, with all its baggage, materiel, ammuni tion, forage and other appurtenances. On the 21st, five days after the calling out of its first man (that is of its war increment), it began to move ; and now its older of battle is complete in every direction.—German Corre spondent of Telegraph, THE POSITION OF THE EMPEROR. The Pimes considers that there is something mournful in every line of the Imperial bulletins. He, the. Commander-in-Chief of a huge army, after only partial encounters, and with three Army Corps perfectly untouched, can hold out no better prospect than of " a retreat in 'good order," and hints at the possi bility of a new combination of circumstances by which " all may yet come right-" It would be impos , sible for friend or foe to contemplate with out emotion the state of feeling from which so mortifying a confession must have been wrung, More bitter still than the sense of humiliation implied by it most be the consciousness that the calamity by which himself !and his country are overwhelmed is in a great measure his own work ; not merely because war would never have been declared without his deliberate act, but also because the result would hardly have been so unfavourable had any other than himself been the ieader. With another fatal error the Emperos must reproach himself. He has always been anxious to carry on war and diplomacy with the same hand. Much of the valuable time that has been irrevocably lost at Meta was taken up with vein endea 'lours to negotiate at Vienna, at Florence, at Copenhagen and elsewhere. Parties in France, indeed, seem bent on making the Emperor bear the penalty of his want of suc cess., His name is ignored in Paris in all the acts by which the Government endeavour to raise the spirits of the dismayed multitude. One would say that things were beginning to arrange themselves as if the Emperor were never likely to reappear at the head of affairs, and as if people were considering hew his presence might eventually be dis pensed with altogether. It seems, indeed, only to be a question who shall first pronounce the word Abdi cation." THE RISE OF Tilt FRENCH NATION. The Standard says that the Crown Prince of Prussia and General Steinmetz have, by the heavy blows they have struck the French army, welded together all parties and classes in France. Empire or Republic, Na poleon or Bourbon, Ultramontanism or Free Thought, are for the moment idle questions throughout France. But one sentiment pervades the nation, and that is the vindication of French honour, and the expuLsioa of the invaders from French territory. A spirit has been awakened, if we may trust to the telegrams—and they record just the events which we might expect to occur—the like of which has nOt been displayed since the time when the raw levies of the Republic arrested the Prussian triumphant march, and hurling the invaders back beyond the Rhine, inflicted upon Germany the peace of Basle. The French Government, of its own authority, incorporates in the National Guard all the citizens between thirty and forty years of age. It proposes a law, which no one can doubt will be carried by acclamation, although it may possibly give rise to some discussion, by which every Frenchman under thirty years of age is at once brought into the Garde Mobile. Will these measures amount to a levy en masse? The National Guard will garrison the fortresses, will compose the bulk of the army which holds that great entrenched camp, Paris ; the Garde Mobile will form at first the reserve, but soon the main body of the new and greater French army. Every man .in France under thirty is called to arms, called to engage at once in the fight which France has to make to drive the foreigner from her borders. Well, this is a force which the Germans will find very difficult to dispose of. Allow everything that may be alleged for inexperience, and the Garde Mobile will yet form an army before which the German armies may have to retreat. The war has just begun, and its character and conditions have altogether changed. It was, on the whole, popular in France ; the reverses of Saturday have made it a war in which 'every Frenchmen feels his own honour, as well as that of his country, involved. We may no longer enter tain the slightest hope of its early termination ; the only chance of that lies in an immediate French victory, upon a scale far larger than the French defeats of Saturday, and although such an event is possible it is not probable. PARIS. The Telegraph exhorts Paris to hear, if she can hear anything, that her grief is not a joy to the world. We wanted peace; we wanted a settlement of these interne cine questions by reason instead of force ; we wanted an end to the intolerable armaments of France and Europe ; and we could not brook that our peaceful allies should be menaced with a policy of foreign dictation. But none of us have desired humiliating trials for beautiful, high-spirited France; and we trust that she may know how to trace her reverses to the false systems which, even in this early hour of the contest, might seem to be break ing under the load of an incredible catastrophe. The defeat may perchance disappoint some among her wildest spirits who dreamed of dominating the history of Europe ; but it does not diminish her name for valour and chivalry, nor dethrone her from her intel lectual and artistic seat among the nations. If the worst that can befall her arms should be accomplished, and the Imperial policy should be condemned and confounded before the incensed national feeling of Ger many, she also—France—be it remembered, is a great and united nation, and she will abide when dynasties have passed away and done with. No one man is indispen sable to the history of such a land. This calamity is the Sovereign's rather than hers, and we should separate her from its bitter mortifications and its penalties, while we feel for the agony of disappointment which she endures, and foresee for her a better future than one of mere mili tary fame and personal "glories." BELGIUM. The Telegraph is stern on the subject of Belgium. Were England, it says, to forsake Belgium in the hour of need, she could no longer hold up her head in the community of nations. She would be attainted of cowardice. She would be outlawed from the Republic of honour, and henceforth would indeed be La Perflde Albion. Better for England to subject herself to a conscription, and add a hundred millions to her debt, than thus to skulk away from the fulfilment of her obligations in the face of a jeering Europe. After such a display of cowardice, she would be made the butt of con - temptuous aggression, until, stung to madness by the taunt. of 33...pe, she might plunge, half-armed, into the first war which gave her a chance to win back her fair fame, and might reap in disaster the fruits of angry haste. The Standard does not think the treaty of much value in itself. Its only possible value is that which limits the part of England in the war to so much of the war as might take place in and off Belgium, that is to say, pre venting England from striking where her blows would be most effective. Still the Standard receives with satis faction the announcement that such a treaty is about to be signed. It will put distinctly upon re cord the determination of England to fulfil her obligations, we will not say to Belgium, but to herself and to the world ; and it will pledge emphati cally the two belligerents to the line of policy which honour certainly, and, we should add, interest clearly, enjoins upon them. England is now bound in the most solemn manner to protect at all cost Belgian neutrality and independence. There is no longer any room for question as to the validity of the engagement or the expediency of fulfilling it. Lord Granville, by this pro ject of a treaty, has disposed altogether of the con tention that England ought not to interfere to protect Belgium. CRYSTAL PALACE.—THE SEAT OF WAR.—The great pictorial map of the country surrounding Metz and Nancy, and also giving the course of the Rhine and the rcenes of the recent great battles, will be exhibited this day in the Great Concert Hall at the Palace. This map, which has been expressly painted for the company by Mr. Fenton, the scenic artist, is on a large scale, and shows by moveable indicators the positions of the six corps of the two armies day by clay. The progress of events may thus be better understood by an ordinary observer than by any written description and reference to painted maps. Mr. Arthur Sullivan's comic operetta, " Box and Cox," will be played this afternoon. The number of visitors present yesterday was 6,397. EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF FORGERY.—AT TEMPTED THEFT OF £7o,ooo.—An extraordinary system r o f e f ve o a r l g e forging g at orders the to Dale-street obtain deposited ro li cec Police-court, r v b e r o p x o e w o s ,o a n s Saturday, in a case which was heard before Mr. J. Wood ruff. James Joseph Tully Egan, a man who walks with crutches, and has been employed in the capacity of clerk, was charged with forging three separ a t e or d ers , which we re uttered for the purpose of obtaining possession of cash-boxes left in custody. Mr. Davies, who prosecuted, said the evidence showed that the prisoner Egan had written orders for obtaining deposited cash-boxes in order to steal their valuable contents ' • and that the other prisoner who would be ch arge d w ith him in one of the cases—in the two other cases the persons who uttered the forged orders had not been identified—would be shewn to have acted in concert with him by presenting one of the forged orders and obtaining a cash-box, which for tunately contained only a comparatively small sum, about £ll. In another case the cash-box, which the operators very nearly succeeded in obtaining, contained nearly £6OO in cash, and securities amounting in value to about £60,000, and in a third case the cash-box contained about £2,000 in cash, besides valuable securities. The evidence against Egan was the identity of his handwriting with that of the three forged orders, and his having been seen in company with the other prisoner, M,Evoy, who obtained one of the boxes. Evidence having been given against both prisoners they were committed for trial at the assizes. Beg the end an