The Sun. — London, England, 1870-12-30 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. THE WAIL ENGLAND AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. BORDEAUX, December 29. The French Government, both of Paris and of Bordeaux, have determined to send no representative to the Conference about to be held in London, unless t he English Government previously recognises the, I tepublic in a formal manner. Lord Lyons is on the point of being informed of We determination. THE INVESTMENT OF PARIS. BERLIN, December 20. The following despatch has been received:— " Versailles, December 28. " Mont Avron did not reply to our siege artillery to -day. Only the forts fired. 4. On the 26th the Ist Army reached the neigh °°llrhood of Bapaume. The number of prisoners still increases." PARIS, December 27. General Schmitz, the chief of General Trochu's b taff, has published a report on the recent sortie, Which explains the withdrawal of the troops from before Le Bouiget as a measure taken to preserve the troops, and in no way due to an intention t ° abandon the operations which have been com menced. C.TIELLES, December 28. The German heavy batteries ranged at intervals f roth Noisy-le-Grand on the south to Rainey on the 114 th. The German fire was steady, the average b eing 24 shots per minute. The French was more irregular; at times quite furious, than nearly l ilent, and towards sundown it slackened perceptibly. Both sides are now much slacker. Our fire will be c ontinued steadily. The air was full of snowflakes, at the commence kept interfering with the aim of the gunners, and / ' 4 th the ability to discern and follow up results. GENERAL FAIDHERBE'S POSITION. BRUSSELS, December 29. General Faidherbe's beadquarteis are now at t iltry, the sonstaon on the Pa:is line south of °uai. The ec Prussian cavalry is at Masnieres, about f our miles from Cambrai. There has been an engagement at Abbeville 11 tween 400 Germans and an equal number of I,e rench. General Faidherbe makes Lille the basis of I E 4B operations. It is expected that the place will be besieged. C ONTINUED RETREAT OF THE GERMANS. BESANCON, December 28. Th e Germans continue their movement of retreat 41 the Departments of the East. They have e :acuated Gray, thus indicating that Vesoul is the d estination of their march. These movements of General Werder plainly in `l „I cate at once a strenuous operation of the French a rmies of the Upper Loire and Upper Saone, and se rious apprehension on the part of the Germans 'Or the safety of their great trunk line of communi eations. PREPARATIONS AT MARSEILLES. MARSEILLES, December 26. Thirty-seven batteries of 34-pounders, and twenty ejght batteries of 7-pounders, 390 pieces in all, a rebein g manufactured at La Ciotat and other fo undries at Marseilles and Toulon—all the a bove to be delivered, fully equipped, by Janu ary 31st, 1871. The hors -3s for the batteries Arl es. been requisitioned Marseilles, Aix, and Fifteen thousand Mobilised National Guards 4 e already equipped and armed with rites, //l 'ich will be exchanged for ChaEsepots as soon .._ Possible. THE INVESTMENT OF MEZIERES. LIEGE, December 27. t he the investment of Mezieres the employes of ti lled railway from Givet to Oharleville have been l ted as soldiers and artillerymen. Their principal d uty is to destroy the railways before the passage of tt ie enemy, and to re-establish them afterwards. 1 ;e environs of Mezieres are full of Francs-tireurs, 11, i le , conceal themselves in the woods for a whole tk e ek well provided for. They iuflict great losses on g e Prussians. INTERCESSION OF THE POPE. BORDEAUX, December 26. p eal Liberte states that the Pope has made a pro rgal to the European Powers to act as a mediator °l'der to put an end to •the war between France Prussia. La Liberte adds that it does not yet know the . Q eeptiou which has been accorded to this august ~, 44tiative. REPULSE OF THE GE.RMA.NS NEAR ABBEVILLE. The Geueral-in-Chief at Lille has received the t o llownr, report from the Commander of Abbe ° 66 ABBEVILLE, December 27. " A detachment of the garrison of Abbeville had engagement ti-day at the village L'Etoile, near T (111 6 1 13re, with 400 Prussians, infantry and cavalry. 4 e latter, although superior in numbers, took to N i ght, aft er a fi g ht which lasted two hours and a ha lf, leaving 20 killed and wounded on the field. ( I 1 Our aide .one man was killed and two slightly ..°Nnded." " Abbeville, December 27 (Evening). 14 continuation of my message of to-day it has bee n ascertained that the enemy had 49 men and h it :e hor ses kill e d. . The number of wounded, not 01 11, but seems to be rather large." LATEST }SALOON NEWS. Co m • • t r munications have been received at Bordeaux 2 2 °41 Paris, bearing date up to the 25th. On the 4 11 d th e Commannadt of Fort Issy made a powerful b e°4 naissance in the direction of Bois Clamart. to l l the 24th General Trochu paid a visit the troops, making large distributions, b.," the same day a reconnaissance was made two battalions of the National Guard in the to 'ectiou of Rainey. The entrenching and 4 : ti c fling of the French positions was carried on tC v elY until the 25th, when it was in terru p ted b y of hardness of the soil, which had frozen to a depth 6- C 1 centimetres. The frost is intense, and un paralleleda in the memory of man. Gener al Trochu h: therefore ordered, that it was not necessary to t e : l3 the capturedositions. The troops will be guar t'cl in sheltered cantonments. The trenches are 4 0h , 4 ded by different reliesf overnight. On the 22nd 6 Prussian soldiers who had remained in the pits at Vale vrard attacked the French outposts, but were 6rl'eusly re p u lsed, the greater part being killed , I) ;ne ra l Blaise was killed in this engagement. as ~t 1 57 4% ia1l prisoners confirm the losses of the enemy te at heavy. On the 22nd the Seine rose to a height, and is still rising. An inundation in /; direction of ChoiSy is probable. General Gamb e tt a h a s received the following from G eneral Chanzy, dated Le Mans, December 28th : tt Mobiles Jouffroy left yesterday with a column v i , 4 7 o biles to surprise the enemy at Montovie. A 4 11 41 engagement ensued between Fontaine, St. i ll. ! I:11 in, and Montovie. The enemy beat a retreat t he direction of Chateau Renault, and were pur sued five kilometres beyond i\lontovie. The Ger mans left 100 prisoners, some carriages, and ammu nition waggons in our hands; two officers were killed and several wounded." M. Gambetta has expressed himself very well satis fied with the military situation. EXPECTED BATTLE NEAR HAVRE. HAVRE, December 29. The Germans have assembled in great force near 8(.1 , ec, and an engagement is looked upon as im minent. The enemy also occupy strong positions between Duclair and St. Paer. THE BATTLE OF PONT NOYELLES. LILLE, December 29. General Faidherbe has issued an order of the day to the Army of the North, congratulating the troops composing the Army of the North on their gallant conduct at the battle of Pont Noyelles, and on the glorious success which has been their reward. He says the artillery was well directed, and he compli ments the Mobile and National Guards on their bravery under fire. He concluded by saying that some days' rest merited by their glorious deeds will soon make them forget the privations and the rigour of the temperature which they have borne with resignation. Let us be penetrated with this thought that these rude trials are imposed upon us bg the safety of the country. THE PILLAGE OF ST. CALAIS. BORDEAUX, December 27. The Germans at St. Calais, on the 25th inst., de manded 20,000 f. but finally accepted 15,000 f., and levied heavy recquisitious of all kinds. The town was delivered up to pillage during one hour. BLOCKADE OF FRENCH PORTS. COPENHAGEN, December 28 (3.50 p.m.) The French Charge d'Affairs has made officially known to the Government of Denmark that all the French ports occupied by the Germans are to be blockoded. The port of Kiel is completely shut up by ice. THE CONSPIRACY AT COLOGNE. The Allgemeina Zeitung states that the French prisoners at Coblentz, and Mayence, numbering 60,000, plotted an outbreak on the night of Christmas Day. They proposed to fall on their guards at a given signal, disarm and kill them, and then hasten to the French frontier, where they calculated on assistonce, especially in Alsace. The military and police authorities had, however, a timely warning, and on the 24th brought up considerable reinforcements of infontry and artillery. At Cologne 10,000 troops were posted in the barracks, ready to march out at the first beat of the drum. No outbreak, however, was attempted. Many of the prisoners had pre viously asked whether they would be allowed to receive Christmas presents from France, and, being rnswered in the affirmative, boxes containing weapons were forwarded to them. These were con fiscated. At Coblentz a chest arrived, addressee to a French officer, which was proved to contain five six-barrelled reuolvers and a dagger, concealed in clothing. '1 he defiant and. insolent demeanour of the officers is strongly complained of, and 300 of them have consequently been removed from Wiesbaden to tho eastern provinces, where they will be subjected to stricter au• pervision, and will be further from the French frontier. On the 19th two officers escaped from Dusseldorf, and a number of Mobiles recently attempted to escape from the Saxon fortress of Konigstetn, having constructed a rope out of towels. They were, however, detected in the act. It is said the prisoners will in future wear an epaulette, on which will be stamped the place where they are interne], and their name, battalion, and company. ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF MARSHAL PRIM. MADRID, December 28. While Marshal Prim was proceeding to the Cortes from the Ministry of War some individuals fired at his carriage in the Calle Alcala. The Marshal was wounded, as was also one of his adjutants, but not dangerously, Eight balls entered the Marshal's left shoulder ; seven have been extracted. A. finger of the right hand had to be amputated, and it. is feared it will be necessary to amputate another. In the debate on the Civil List in the Cortes Marshal Prim said that he would override the Con stitution, if necessary, in order to save the liberty of the country. He also said l►e intended to tender his resignation to his Majesty, as he was desirous to re tire into private life. The utmost indignation is felt at the villaneous attempt. The authorities at once took steps to repress any outbreak, and also for the arrest of the assasins. The city remains tranquil. MADRID, December 29. The Marshal is progressing very favourably. GREAT FLOODS IN THE CAMPAGNA. ROME, December 29. A great part of the city and the surrounding neighbourhood is under water. Considerable damage has been done. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) A SCHOOL BOARD FOR LEICESTER. Last night a meeting of the representatives of the various trades was held in the Town Hall, when it was decided to nominate throe working class candidates to the School Board. Tho candidates are to favour secular education and Bible reading in the school, and are to be recouped for their loss of time by contributions from the various trades unions. The contest is expected to be very severe, a proposition to avoid a struggle, by allowing the nomination of five Churchmen and Dissenters, two working men, and one Roman Catholic candidate being rejected, although approy.d of by the Bishop of Peterborough. Eight Churchmen, including several of the clergy, besides several schoolmasters, have already been nominated. The Dissenting party intend to put in nomination 18 can didates for the 13 seats. The Liberal Registration Asso ciation will reduce this number to five, and use every en deavour to return them with the three working men's can didates, so as to secure a majority of Dissenters on the Board. THE FRENCH REFUGEES IN JERSEY. Monsieur Clavoine, Vice-Consulate at Jersey for the French Republic, has just issued a proclamation, which has caused much consternation among the French refugees in the island. It is ordered that French citizens, from nineteen to forty years old, are liable to be successively levied whether they have satisfied the conscription or not, or whether married or unmarried. They must present themselves at the Vice-Consulate before the Ist January in order that they may take their posts in the army. De fault will be considered as desertion. THE ADJOURNED INQUEST ON THE BODIES KILLED IN THE BIRMINGHAM EXPLOSION. Yesterday was the day appointed for holding the ad journed inquest upon the bodies of the seventeen persons killed on thel9th inst. at the explosion at Messrs. Ludlow's ammunition manufactory at Witton, near Birmingham. When, however, the names of the jury were called over, one of them, a Mr. Taylor, did not answer, and the coroner, Mr. Hooper, said he had received what purported to be a certificate from Mr. Hopkins, surgeon, to the effect •that the absent juryman was suffering from catarrh, and would be unable to attend. The Coroner added that he happened to know Mr. Hopkins's handwriting, and he was satisfied that the certificate was a forgery. A policeman was then despatched in a cab to Mr. Taylor's house, with instructions to Mr. Taylor to attend the inquiry at once. He was, however, absent from home, and on the police asking where he had gone he was informed by Mr. Taylor that he had gone to his medical adviser, and that lie after wards intended to go to market. The market was searched by the officer, but he could gain no tidings of Mr. Taylor, and returned to Witton and reported to the coroner that his search had been in vain, and that he understood Mr. Taylor had gone to market. The Coroner said there was no other course but to adjourn the inquiry, and order Mr. Taylor's recognisances to be estreated. He regretted that he could only inflict a fine of £lO, and if he could order Taylor to pay a penalty of £5O or £lOO he should certainly do so. He (the Coroner) regretted the great inconvenience that had been caused to the jury and several legal gentlemen, also to Captain Majendie, the Government Inspector, who had come from London, especially to attend the in quest. The inquiry was then adjourned to the 16th of January. The Lords of the Admiralty have presented to Lieu tenant-Colonel Sir J. M. Burgoyne a flag, mounted on a boat-hook, both of which were saved from her Majesty's ship Captain, as a momento of his son, the late Captain Burgoyne, who went down in that ill-fated vessel. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1870. THE LONDON SC iIOOL BOARD. This Board, through its chairman, Lord Lawrence, has invited applications from candidates for five of the prin cipal administrative offices at its disposal—namely, first a clerk of the Board, at a salary of £BOO a year, who is to discharge the duties of secretary, act under the control of the Board in all executive matters, and have charge of the entire establishment ; second, a clerk, at a salary of £350 a year, who is to have the qualifications of an experienced statistical officer ; third, a clerk, at £250 a year, who must be a com petent book-keeper and accountant ; fourth, a clerk, at £2OO a year, who is to be a good shorthand writer, and to be able to take minutes ; and, fifth, a junior clerk, at £100; well educated, and not ander 21 years of age. The whole time of each officer is to be at the disposal of the Board; and while they will be elected with reference to the qualifications described they will be required to discharge any duties that may be assigned to them from time to tithe. Every application for those five offices must be made by letter addressed to the Chairman of the School Board, Guildhall, so as to be delivered there on or before 10 in the morning of Thursday next, the sth of January, and marked outside with the number of the office, 1,2, 3,4, or 5, as the case may be, for which the applicant desires to be a candidate. He is also to en close 15 copies of the letter and testimonials, and give names and addresses of some persons for reference as to his character and ability. These copies are to be in print or legible writing, and fastened together in 15 separate sets. Notice will be sent in the event of the Board desiring to see the applicant in any one of the five cases. No original tes timonials are to be forwarded. According to a resolution passed at the last meeting of the Board the candidates for each of the five above-mentioned offices are to be eventually reduced to not more than six by a committee of the Board, appointed for the purpose, and afterwards from the six so submitted for competition in each of the five classes the whole Board assembled at a general meet ing will make the elections. At present there are at least five declared candidates for the office of clerk, at £2OO a year, all of them men more or less experienced, and there may yet be many more. TWO POLES SHOT BY A. FRENCHMAN IN SHOREDITCH. A shocking and singular occurrence has taken place in Commercial-street, Shoreditch. Between seven and eight o'clock on Wednesday night a number of persons who had assembled near the Canibridge Music Hall, in Commer cial-street, were alarmed by hearing, shots fired, and they immediately afterwards saw two young men fall upon the pavement. A few yards behind them was perceived a Frenchman lying upon his face and hands, and under his right hand was s double-barrelled gun, which had evidently been recently discharged, smoke issuing from the muzzle. Four or five police-constables rushed from different parts of the street; the Frenchman was arrested, and the wounded men conveyed to the Spital-square Police-station. The three, individuals were followed by a crowd of over 15,000 persons, and the excitement was intense, for a rumour quickly gained currency that a Frenchman had shot two Prussians. Dr. Phillips, of No. 2, Spital-square, the police surgeon, was instantly sent for, and upon seeing the wounded men he asked them whether any of the shots had entered their bodies, and one of them replied, with a shriek, "We are full of shot ; we ate both killed." Upon the doctor making an examination he discovered that the backs of both their legs were literally riddled with small shot, generally used for bird-killing. The men were in a state of most intense agony, and they screamed loudly when the doctor pro- i ceeded to extract the shot with a pair of tweezers and a knife. They were assured that there was no immediate danger, and that piece of information appeared to calm them, for thy were enabled to state that they were Russian Poles, and had been sup porting themselves by tailoring in England. Their names were Alfred Wohlman, of No. 0, Jeff-terrace, Commercial-roadißatclitf, and Ephraim Berdenbalg of 60, New-street, Gravel-lane. Yesterday they applied for ad• mission to the London HospitaL Inspector Older, of the H division, was then informed by the constable who had brought the Frenchman to the station that they had him in custody. Upon being questioned, the unlucky Frenchman said that he was M. Walter Ringer, a looking glass manufacturer, in Commercial-street, Shoreditch. On Wednesday morning he decided upon having a day's sparrow shooting at Tottenham, and for that purpose he took down to Tottenham a double-barrelled gun. He wandered about the fields at Tottenham for the whole day, but he was not able to shoot a single sparrow. In the evening he returned home, but he did not take the pre caution of discharging his gun, but he put the triggers down. While walking along Commercial-street with the rifle in his right hand he slipped on the snow and fell upon the pavement. The shock of the fall, he alleges, fired the two barrels off, and that was all he knew about it. He had seen a large crowd of people before him waiting for admission to the Cambridge Music-hall. The police then decided not to retain M. Ringer in custody, and the Poles were informed that they have a civil remedy for the injuries inflicted upon them. Neither of the sufferers is at present quite out of danger. Dr. D. T. T. Mauusell, of Dublin, has just been presented with a valuable testimonial in appreciation of his services in the cause of the poor-law medical officers in Ireland. In Ireland, a man named Thomas Egan has just recovered £5O from Father Reynolds, damages for assault and battery committed by defendant during the late Longford election. Intelligence from New York states that the health of Chief Justice Chase continues steadily to improve. Beyond mere bodily weakness, he is as well now as he was before the attack in August. RELIEF FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE WAR.--The Countess Bernstorff having obtained every facility for sending a messe. s .r with stores to Vorcwillks. via Cologne, Saarbruck, Nancy, Epernay, Meaux, and Lagny, has requested us to s;ate, in answer to the many inquiries addressed to her Excellency about forwarding things for the wounded and for the French prisoners to Germany, that the messenger will leave London on Friday, January 6, at two o'clock, and that any parcels or contributions sent to Prussia House before Thursday next will be entrusted to his care. Help is still very much needed, and kind gifts of new warm underclothing, socks, blankets, quinine, chloroform, Liebig's meat extract, &c., will be most thankfully re ceived. Perhaps the most convenient of the many classes of pocket-books issued for the new year are those just en tered at Stationers' Hall by an Irish firm—Marcus Ward and Co. The great advantage of the memorandum por tion is that only a quarter of a year's memoranda instead of a whole year's notes, as is usual, need be kept in the pocket-book at one time. This arrangement gives more space for occasional jottings, and prevents the possibility of bulkiness in a pocket companion intended as a purse as well as a note book. SERIOUS EMBEZZLEMENT BY A HOSPILAL CLERK.—WiI- Hui). Henry Simpson, clerk to the Secretary of Westmin ster Hospital, was charged at the Westminster Police court with embezzling the sum of £249 7s. 6d., the monies of the Governers of the hospital. Mr. Wontner, solicitor, conducted the prosecution, and proposed to give merely preliminary evidence, and then ask for the remand of the prisoner till a future day. Mr. Wilson, the secretary of the hospital, proved that it was the duty of the prisoner to pay monies into the Messrs. Hoare, of Fleet-street, the bankers to the hospital, and the prisoner had not paid in four sums amounting to £249 7s. 6d., but had falsified the pass-book and made four entries as if made at the Bank. When taken by the officer he gave up a bag containing £57 10s. 10d., which formed part of the pro ceeds of his defalcations. Mr. Woolrych said it was a serious case, and remanded the prisoner. Mr. Wontner said he should also have to prefer a charge of forgery. Mr. Woolrych said that was rather a matter for the Bank. Prisoner was remanded. BATTLE OF PONT-NOYELLES. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing from the headquarters of the Eighth Army Corps, at Amiens, under date December 24, says :—I have already told you the position of the armies, French and German, when it had been definitely settled to attack the French forces under Generals Faidherbe and Le Coing. The morning of the 23rd of December was bitterly cold—the frost most intense. The 29th Brigade, commanded by Colonel von Boa, and composed of the 33rd and 65th Regiments, with artillery, and one squadron of the King's Hussars, marched forward to the right of the farm of Les Alencons; the 30th Brigade, with the 70th and 28th Regiments, and two batteries of artillery, advanced upon the left of Altonville, covered by a regiment of Lancers ; whilst Count Gro ben's Dragoons rode along the crest of the hill looking across to the heights, on the other side, above Cor bie. Steadily, as if on parade, marched the compact I masses of infantry, the skirmishers in front, with their supports t ) the right and left of the Albert-road. They take possession of the woo& beside Allonville ; in a Moment the village is occupied ; still not a French soldier to be seen. Had the enemy then retreated ? No ; an orderly gallops up to say that the village of Querrieux, in our front, is strongly held by the French troops. We mount our horses and ride straight up to Albert. At Les Alencons there is a road which leads off to the left through the village of Cardonette and on to the Pierregot road. Along this galloped Captain All born with orders from General von Goben to the 16th Division to change front to the right flank, and, marching across between Molliens-aux-Bois and Mirvaux, to storm the French positions in the villages of Bavelincourt, Be hancourt, and Frechencourt. Arrived at the Chateau of Bengerie, we saw the French tirailleurs retiring upon Querrieux. The 29th Brigade then brought their left shoulders forward, two batteries of artillery took up posi tion on the right, and at ten minutes past eleven the first shot was fired by the French infantry from a windmill to the right of Querrieux. So the battle of Querrieux com menced. By twelve (noon) the village was stormed, and the French had retreated upon their position. The position of the Prussians occupying the lower ridge opposite was anything but pleasant. The French batteries all along the plateau, especially that to the right of the village of La Houssoye, kept up a . determined and well-directed fire upon Querrieux. Meantime, to the right, the villages of Daours, Vacquemont, and Bussy had been taken by the Prussians, the French retiring upon their intrenched positions in front of Corbie. The fighting here was also hard, for both sides appealed to the bayonet to settle the disputed possession of the villages. At two p.m. the enemy, under a heavy fire of artillery, endeavoured to retake the village of Querrieux. Hard, indeed, was the struggle between French and Germans. For nearly twenty minutes they fought actually looking into one another's eyes. But the French again re tire, and again their five batteriCS of thiitY guns open a crushing fire upon the Prussian line. Every eyiJ is now anxiously turned to the flank, but as yet no signs of Barnakow'S division. The PrUssians are very Weak before Querrieux, and the reserve is ordered to move Up to the left of that village. The 30th Brigade have de ployed in the valley, and taken a small vil lage, into which the French are pouring a shower of shell and shrapnel from their bat teries to the right of the Albeit-road. At 2.30 p.m. the French made a strong demon stration between La NeuVille and Daours. The French guns to the left of La Houssoye took ground there, whence they opened a heavy fire upon our right flank, a considerable body of troops at the same time advancing as if to retake Bussy. At four p.m. the 16th Division had stormed the villages of Bavelincourt, Behen, .court, and Frechencourt, but their further advance was stopped by, the same formidable position which had brought tie sth Division to a halt. The whole Prussian army now held a line of villages in a valley through' which flows a small tributary to the Somme —WhiCh tributary formed the line of demarcation between the two armies. On the other side of this stream, a natural glacis extended to the summit of the ridge of hills occupied by the French army. Up this glacis, with 50,000 troops at the top, and fifty or sixty guns, it was both too late and too dangerous to advance ; so the artillery pelted away at one another, whilst the skirmishers of both armies kept up an incessant fire—a distaned of brit 300 yards between them. Meantime the village of querrieux was held by two battalions of the 33rd and the 65th Reg l. meat. Again and again had the French tried to retake it, without success. At 4.45 the French had again attacked Querrieux, and the 65th were retiring. The 33rd and 65th were now nearly destitute of ammunition, but the gallant fellows would not giVe up the position so dearly bought at the price of Many pre cious lives, and there they stood, each man in his place, determined to make cold steel take the place of ball cartridge. It was now dark. The Prussian artillery had ceased firing, and the village of Querrieux was in flames in four places. Six companies of the 33rd Regiment determined to avenge the lagt attack made by the French. In the dark they stole Out of the formed line, and at the point of the bayonet charged up to the French battery on the right of the Albert-road. They had spiked two guns and taken the horses, when they were attacked by five French battalions, before whom they were forced to retire into Querrieux, the French following so closely upon them that at oue moment I thought the village was lost. By this time, however, the 65th having received ammuni tion, drove the French back with a withering fire. And now it was 5.30. The battle of Pont-Noyelles was over, the Prussians having taken seven villages and 900 pri- bonem THE MILITARY STRENGTH OF GERMANY. Commenting on the eerious aspect of the struggle, the special correspondent of the Daily News at the head quarters of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Villeneuve St. Georges, writing on December 25, says :—I hear from art intelligent young soldier who has just travelled up to the front that all the strength of Germany is gathering against France. The struggle is seen to be very serious in spite of what has passed. A captured Emperor, a captured army, ruin, invasion, and political change, have left the French still able to fight. Thoy "come up to time" after each knock down with sur prising alacrity, and though the chances are in favour of Germany, the. German people must not be disappointed at one, or two, or three months of delay. Such a work as the destruction of France requires patienle. What if they resist after Paris has fallen ? What if Trochu, to begin with, should push his defence to the point of starvation, and not surrender until February is well advanced? The best of the German leaders have seen that no chance must be neglected, and fresh forces are being called up, and the King himself has spoken boldly of the delay which may occur. When the whole of the Landwehr is in readiness, as it soon will be, and the strong places in rear of the army are garrisoned by this formidable militia, there will be such a force for active operations as will tax every effort of M. Gambetta to confront. The new levies in France fight as well as the old and vanished army, or, at least, they seem to stand their ground with as trattch cfrcelo. Dub 4ho Nrcain tot., Ghe country of having such men shot down will become almost insupport able. It has been my fortune to see many of the recent prisoners, officers of the Gardes Mobiles, and officers come back from honourable retire ment to serve the cause in extremity. I have found the same obstinate spirit in most of them. They own that they are worsted, but stick to the " na tional idea " with a faith in France that cannot be denied. They will not believe that the frontier is to be changed, and here is the difficulty of the solution, the sore point of the whole matter to Erenchmen. "If we do give it up," they say, " we will try for it again." }RANCE'S CHRISTMAS FEAST. Writing from Bordeaux on Christmas Day, the special correspondent of the Standard thus dilates on the French position.—lt is difficult to believe that it is really Christ mas Day, and that in thousands of quiet churches in 'England the choirs of village children are singing the good message, " Peace upon earth, goodwill towards men." There are millions in desolated France who may repeat the wish and a prayer to themselves, but it is only a wish and a prayer ; the good tidings are far from her yet, with 600,000 men warring, plundering, and slaying in our midst. Tr'ily it is rather a fast than a feast which France keeps this year. The shops, usually so gay at this season, are bare and sober ; the showy boxes for cakes and bonbons, the thousand pretty trifles, the bright-coloured almanacks make no appearance this year, for their manufacturers are shut up in Paris, their vendors are handling a rifle and facing the foe upon the snow-covered plain. Ladies and children are alike content to forego their New Year's gifts, and to know the money which would have been spent upon them is devoted to the wounded, or to the prisoners dying of cold and of bad food in the German fortresses. Last night I was at the midnight mass at the Cathedral, which, in spite of the bitter cold and the driving snow, was crowded. What a Christmas Eve for France, what a Christmas Eve for Germany? How many millions of people were last night and to-day specially thinking of those dear ones who, but for the ambi tion of the King of Prussia and his advisers, would be gathered round the hearths ? Where are they now ? Some are standing as sentries, with the snow driving in their face, their eyes upon the distant foe, their chilled hands grasping the rifle, their thoughts far away ; others are huddled together under the flimsy tent, half perished with cold, worn out with fatigue and watching ; others sleep quietly beneath the snow, and the loved ones who to-day are praying for them will never hear of them again until the day when the official list is published, and the names will appear with the short word, Dead. Better, far better, so than to be in the place of him who will pass his Christ mas at Versailles, and will thank his God for all his mer cies. while the curses of millions are crying to Heaven against him. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WAR. A "'remonstrance " has been forwarded to Mr. Glad stone, neon his declining to receive a deputation on the subject of the war between France and Germany. It expresses surprise and regret that official recogni tion continues to be accorded to the deposed Im perial dynasty, whilst it is still refused to that Govern ment which for three months has been accepted by the French people. More immediately the English Government is urged to call upon that of Prussia to make peace on reasonable terms not involving the seizure of French territory. Failing this England should, without further delay, " join France in her resistance, and declare war against Prussia to aid France in resuming that posion amongst the Western Powers to which she is rightly entitled, and which has been recognised by English statesmen in former settlements of Europe." The signatures to the " remonstrance " include those of Mr. Richard Congreve, Mr. Frederic Harrison, Mr. E. S. Beesly, Mr. H. Dixon Hutton, Mr. George Odger, Mr. W. Allan, Mr. It. Applegarth, and Mr. George Potter. FLOGGING GAROTTERS AT BIRMINGHAM. • At the last Warwick AsSizes four Birmingham thieves were convicted of robbery with violence, and sentenced by 13aron Bramwell to eighteen months' imprisonment, with, in addition, "twenty lashes from an instrument called a eat." In passing sentence the Judge observed, "I intend that you, and persons like you, shall know that if you rob you will be imprisoned, and if, in addition to that you ill-treat those you rob, you will be whipped. It is right that, if you inflict pain on others, you should be made to feel pain yourselves." The follow ing details of the flogging on Wednesday will be suffi cient, it is hoped, to convince garotters that the " cat" is a most unpleasant addition to the customary punish ment of imprisonment, hard labour, and low diet, The prisoners—Worrall, Smith, Garret, and Simkins—were brought from their cells in turn to the place of punish ment, and the flogging was administered in the presence - of Mr. Meaden; thti governor, Dr.. Hill,. the surgeon, and six of the wardeni. Each prisoner Was fastened to a wooden framework, his hands being strapped to the upper part of it, his feet to the lower part, and a strong belt, also fastened to the frathework, or triangle, being placed round his waist. The back of the criminal was laid bare, in order that the strokes of the " cat" might take due effect. A couple of stout warders then proceeded to ad minister the flogging. The "cat" consisted of a thick, straight; wooden handle, about a foot and a half long, to which was attached about a dozen thongs or lashes of strong whipcord, two feet or more in length, each thong being twisted of considerable thickness, and well knotted. Altogether, it was a most formidable weapon. The ope rator stood about two feet distant from the prisousr, to get a better purchase. Then, with a long, steady. "swishing" stroke, the lash of the "cat" came down upon the bare back of the garotter, taking a slanting direction, from shoulder to waist, every stroke being delibetately and firmly given.. Obviously, the punishment was no child's play.' As the lash fell each time, it seemed to produde a stunning or deadening sensation, and then an instant yell of pain told of the' succeeding smart, and proved that these ruffians, who had inflicted pain and injury upon their victims, were quite capable of feeling it themselves, and quite .-owardly enough to manifest the utmost terror and anguish during its infliction. So the punishment Went on, until each pri soner had his received twenty lashes, and was removed from be triangle to be taken to his cell there to meditate on garotting and its consequences. As each was cast off his naked back presented to view a belt of livid flesh, about seven or eight inches across, in a slanting direction 1 from shoulders to waist, so that no part of the back I escaped the blows of the lash. • Each of the prisoners ap peared to suffer in much the same degree of intensity, and gave indidations of the severity of the pain by incessant tcreams and cries, repeated with every stroke. These cries continued for some time after the punishment was over. Indeed, had not the prisoners been powerful, athletic, strongly-developed men, it is doubtful if they ! Could have borne the infliction'at BURNING AND UINBURNING. Yegterciay (Thursday) afternoon Dr. William Odling, F.R.S., delivered his second lecture on this subject, to an overflowing audience, at the Royal Institution. The lecturer called attention to the nature and properties of flame, illustrating his remarks with a great many simple and well-executed experiments. When speaking about paraffin oil, he said that this liquid, in its original state, consists Of a number of hydro-carbons, some of which are volatile, and dangerous to use for. house hold purpoSes. After the most volatile of these compounds —namely, paraffine spirit—has been distilled off the paraffine oil which remains may be sately used, and it will oven put out a lighted match which is dipped into it. When paraffine is bad, from its containing too much paraffine spirit, it will catch fire when its surface is touched with a lighted match. When good paraffine oil is warmed, it too will give off inflammable vapour, which may be lighted ; for instance, in the ordinary paraffine lamp, the oil rises in the wick, the heat transforms it into vapour or gas, and the combustion of this gas is the cause of the visible flame. The flame of the candle is also in reality a gas flame ; the grease is melted by the heat, rises in the wick, then is heated into gas, which gas in burning causes the flame ; thus the candle makes its own gas as fast as it is wanted. Dr. Odling then performed a few experiments to show that flames are hollow, the luminous portion being only a shell. To do this he took a large ball of sponge,• soaked it in spirits of wine, fixed it upon the top of a pointed piece of thick iron wire, and set fire to it. In this wayhe obtained a large pointed flame with a broad base. He then pushed a lucifer match very quickly through the outside of the flame, so that the portion of the match tipped with phos phorous was in the centre of the flame, and there it remained for some considerable time without the phos phorus catching fire. He next explained that the com bustion takes place where the inflammable gas and the air come in contact with each other ; it does not matter which of the gases is outermost, the flame being pro duced in either case. To illustrate this he permitted a jet of air to enter an atmosphere of coal gas contained in a large glass vessel, and then set fire to the air, which was at once seen burning inside the gas. In one of the more remarkable of his experiments, lie lighted a piece of Paper fixed on the end of an iron wire, and pushed the lighted taper into the hollow centre of a large flame, where it was at once extinguished, being cut off from contact with the oxygen of the air. The listeners testified their appreciation of the merits of the lecture by frequent bursts of applause. THE RUMOURED PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.—The special correspondent of the Standard at Bordeaux, writing December 25, says :—Some of the papers state that England intends to propose terms of peace, the terms to be the fortresses of Alsace and Lorraine to be razed, the payment of fifty millions sterling by France, and the cession of a portion of Alsace. If Lord Granville really has such an idea he may save himself the trouble of broaching it. France will only look upon the offer as adding another to the list of insults offered to her by British Ministers since the conunencement of the war. She has not the smallest idea of buying peace by the cession of territory, nor does the military situation offer the slightest ground for France submitting to such terms as those mentioned. Paris 1131ds its own against the besiegers, and possesses an army fully the double of their own. Prince Frederick Charles is altogether outmatched by the forces of Chanzy and Bourbaki. In the East the Prussians barely hold their own, and it is certain that ere long the French will take the offensive. The army of Manteuffel is certainly greatly inferior iu numbers to the army of Faidherbe and the troops in the northern and western fortresses. At the present moment, in fact, the struggle of the parties is nearly, if not quite, equal; and the strength of France increases every day, whereas Germany has nearly made her last effort. I confess that I am unable to see anything in the situation which would at the present moment justify the Germans in demanding the war indemnity, without saying anything as to other terms. Moreover, it is quite upon the cards that ere a month has passed the aspect of affairs will have so com pletely changed that it will be for France to grant not to ask for terms, lIIR CO !TDIPORARHS---Th 4 3 Morning FRENCH HOPES OF SUCCESS• The Tine's, writing on the hopes entertained by the French as to the ultimate defeat of their invaders, says : By encouraging the French in their delusions the Ger mans have made the bare policy of a successful resistance a reality. But we must wait and see what ground there really is for the confidence of the French. Too much 'in- Portance should not be attached to the results of the 1,1,31; collision at Mont Avron nor, on the other hand, were the Germans to push on their attack, should we lose sight of the effect such a success might have on a garrison worsted in so many late encounters, and on a population brought to the very verge of starvation. However, hope may still linger in French hearts, and whatever Contrivances may be resorted to to feed its waning flame, it seems diffi cult to imagine how it can withstand the ordeal of incessant disappointment. However grandiloquent may be the Orders of the Day put forth by Chanzy, by Faid herbe, or: by other . commanders, the mere localities from which their proclamations are dated must strike the Parisians as ominous of the greater and greater distance to which the long-expected rescue is receding. GENERAL TROCHU'S SCHEME. Is it to be thought, asks the Standard, that the Prus sians will aid General Trochu's scheme, and benevolently take upon themselves to supply food for Paris in order that the French general may apply his stores to the support of his army ? Count Moltke has invested both troops and people, and has taken into his account the necessity of feeding so great a number of people in the event of a speedy capitulation. He will not fling from his hands the weapon by which he hopes to gain his triumph. He will not treat as to taking possession of the capital unless the capitulation of the army is included. He will do as he did at Metz. He never admitted that the Army of the Rhine could stipulate regarding the fortress only. The capitulation had reference to both. The German army, therefore, would not come to aid the People of Paris. It would retain its position, and would not trouble itself to inquire whether General Trochu was or was not installed in Fort Valerien. Would it be Possible for the Governor to disregard the complaints of 1,500,000 or 1,800,000 unfortunate people, and to refuse them support, telling them to ask it of their implacable enemy, who, by the laws of war, might refrain from giving it them ? The imagination dwells on such a dismal pros pect with horror. No consideration of a military char acter, however urgent, could justify the abandoning to hunger and misery large masses of the people, who might perish before they reached either the Prussian lines or the entrenched camp of the French army. THE ROIIMANIAX PRIMIPALITIES. The Telegraph, alluding to the proceeding& of -Prince Charles, says :—The champions of the Rouman cause are► a few ambitious Boyards, and a number of professors and students who have picked up abroad, and chiefly in France, a certain varnish of education. The bulk of the population is still in a semi-barbarous state, and is hardly above the level of the ordinary 'Mus covite peasantry, either in intelligence or culture. It is possible that in the course of years an energetic sove reign like Prince Charles may mould his half civilised dominions into a compact and independent State, but, unless report belies them strangely, the upper classes in the Principalities are as corrupt and venal as the lower are debased and ignorant, and it is difficult to see how a genu ine nationality can be formed out of such materials. Ron mania is now, and must for a long ,time remain entirety at the mercy of Russia, except in so far as she is protected by the suzerainty of the Porte, Nothing can be less onerous than her nominal subjection to the Sultan. There is not a Turkish soldier or official north of the Danube, and the amount of the tribute is insignificant compared 1 with the resources of the country. Under these circumstances, the' wish to throw off the protectorate of the Porte can only be explained as the result of an intrigue for the practical, if not the nominal, incorporation of the Principalities with Russia. How far Prince Charles is a party to this intrigue, and, if so, what inducement he has received to favour so suicidal a policy, are facts on which it would be premature to express any positive opinion. DIE CONSPIRACY AMONG FRENCH PRISONERS. The conspiracy said to have been discovered among French prisoners at Cologne, Coblentz, and Mayence, is so entirely what we should naturally look for, remarks the Daily News, that the wonder is that it has not occurred before. Germany has two Frances to hold down—the France of the Imperial Army and the France of the people; and while the vigorous resistance cf the Republic is taxing all the energies of the Fatherland, the France which is in captivity may well look for its opportunity. It would •he an outrage on humanity to attempt to restore the Imperial dynasty in France. That gallant and glorious people has undergone a twenty years' degradation under the worst form of Government in its history. In the awful sufferings of the last six months it has atoned by perpetual failure for its worship of success, and purified itself from its love of ease by heroic endurance and sacrifice. To attempt to rob it of the benefit it has gained in the furnace of this fiery ordeal, would be a moral outrage worse even than the territorial aggression in which this war began. Better the utmost prolongation of French re sistance than such an end of the struggle. Better the loss of half-a-dozen departments, than such a loss for them all. The King has latterly fought the Republic, with the Republic he must settle. The Emperor is out of the field ; the Republic alone gives enthusiasm to France, and rallies the world to her side. The French people must Come out of this war self-governing and free, or it will •be better for themselves, for freedom, and for Universal humanity, that the war should go on. Let Prussia hold France down if she can, but France will not rivet the chain on her own neck by accepting from the rude hand of a conqueror a Government which would repress her aspirations and destroy all her hopes of freedom. An insurrection has broken out in the Portuguese province of Algarve, but it has been suppressed by the authorities. CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day, Thur:day, December 29, 1870.—Admission by season tickets, 3,084 ditto on payment, 4,638 ; total visitors, 7,722. MR. CHILDERS.—The subj oined announcement was published at the Admiralty yesterday (Thursday) : "We have been informed that Mr. Childers was taken ill this morning, while transacting business at Messrs. Coutts', and was obliged to return home to the Admiralty." Dr. Gull, who was consulted, states that Mr. Childers's illness is an ordinary bilious attack, induced by excessive application to sedentary business, and that Mr. Childers is expected to resume his duties at Whitehall at the end , of the present week. SHOOTING OF %\ ILD CATTLE IN THE CALEDONIAN FOREST.—The annual shooting of the wild cattle in the Caledonian Forest, for the purpose of providing the usual New Year's present from the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to the pour of Hamilton and neighbourhood, took place on Monday. Mr. S. S. Robertson, chamber lain to his grace, shot the first two in fine style, and Mr. Joseph Lloyd, the principal keeper, killed the remainder. The cattle were in splendid condition. The usual distri bution of beef and bread takes place on Saturday, and is looked upon by the recipients as a highly seasonable gift. SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE SNOW.—A serious accident occurred to a labourer named James Sandford, residing at Sedgficld, on Christmas-eve. The man in ques tion was proceeding along the road from the village named towards the Lunatic Asylum, when, in order to overtake a manwho was some distance ahead, he commenced to run, and while doing so he fell heavily and broke his leg. He tried to scramble up, but after desperate efforts he sank on the snow completely overcome by his exertions. He remained where he had fallen fully an hour and a half, when he was found by Sergeant Smith, who happened to pass that way. That officer conveyed the poor man to a place of shelter, and procured the assistance of Dr. Smith from the asylum, who pronounced the sufferer to be in a very dangerous condition from the amount of exposure he had been subjected to. His broken limb was set, but very little hope hope is entertained of his recovery. THE LIMERICK EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY WITH THE POPE.—The Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick, in addressing the meeting convened in that city to express sympathy with the Pope, said that all Christendom knows and feels that Rome is not the property of any race o r n ation, but belongs by r i g ht and b y divine ordinance to the Catholic people all over the earth. By the invasion of Rome by Italian troops, not only property but religious liberty was invaded. The sword borne by the Pope—the Sword of the Spirit—should be wielded .rithout fear or favour to defend the innocent, however low, and to smite the guilty, even though their heads be crowned. Should they not join with their brethren all over the earth in compelling Victor Emmanuel to dis gorge his prey ? Was it well on the part of the British G o vernment to exhibit itself before its millions of Catholic subjects, standing up for treaties everywhere except where the head of the Catholic Church was Concerned? Was it well—in the face of dangers darke daily more and more over England—to interrupt the healing effect of recent remedial legislation, or to resi.:ei tate, and perhaps perpetuate, the traditions of hate that made fOr so long this country the standing weakness and abiding difficulty of England ? Dean O'Brien warned English statesmen against permitting the destruction ' of that Conservative power, which alone would restrain the bad impulses of men, and which alone could sus ► tain Europe, iyom the deluge of ruin with which it was threatened..