The Sun. — London, England, 1870-12-21 00:00:00

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Lockyer Trespondea gram froni .sda,y after' SaturdaY .rred before morning. nj ury sus nore serious apprehen' ;he medic s been said ra Ballet to t success at i the chief r East-end r in force, fight of the is by-plays Fine theatro 3 proximity extent, the 6t the ballet t was in the of the war :!e evidently he " Watch some hisses rapturously bid, " Rule the drama' AND C 03 1,: paration 1 12- Gazette.n d laws will': n, and IV lected a delicately, .avy doctor s Co., Hornce °, Cacanine, SECOND EDITION SUN OFFICE, 2.30p.m. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. THE WAR. JUNCTION OF THE FRENCH ARMIES. CRITICAL POSITION OF THE GERMANS. (Vid Luxembourg.) VERSAILLES, Sunday. The Army of the Loire has formed a junction with the Army of the West, near Le Mans. The Duke of Mecklenburg's army has passed St. Calais. Prince Frederick Charles is marching west from Blois. Ger man reserves are hurrying up. The country between Lanny and Metz is under water. The situation is very critical, as only the railway can be used. Ammnnition is being sent forward for the bombardment of Paris. BOMBARDMENT OF BELFORT. BERLIN, December 20. The bombardment of Belfort is being carried on vigorously. After the completion of the third parallel a considerable postion of the Faubourg de France was burnt down. In reply to a question from England, whether Austria would join her in recommending peace at Tours, the latter replied in the affirmative, provided the like advice were despatched to Berlin. The siege artillery before Paris bas been aug mented. PRUSSIA AND LUXEMBURG. BERLIN, December 20 (10 p.m.) To. night's Staatsanzeiger contains Count Bis marck's note to the Luxemburg Government of the 3rd December. It is almost word for word the same as yesterday's article in the Nord Deutsche Zeitung. PROBABLE REJECTION OF THE GERMAN TREATY WITH BAVARIA. BERLIN, Tuesday. • According to the latest intelligence from Munich, it is considered certain that the treaty of the North German Band will be rejected for want of the required majority of two-thirds. This opposition of the Ultramontane party excites great indignation in Munich, as the Chamber must be dissolved and the treaty accepted by a new Chamber, the elections for which will occasion great delay. The expected re jection is regarded by the Liberal press as an insult to Germany, and especially Prussia. GERMAN DEFEAT AT AMIENS. A despatch from Lille, dated the 20th, says the Germans made a reconnaissance from Amiens on that day with nearly 3,000 men and artillery. They attacked a portion of General Faidherbe's army, viz., two battalions of the Paulze- Divoy division, the 18th Regiment of Chasseurs, and the Ist battalion of the 91st, but were driven back into Amiens. There were 10 men killed and wounded on each side, the Ger mans leaving their dead in the hands of the French. FRENCH VICTORY NEAR HAVRE. HAVRE, December 20. Accounts, said to be reliable, have been received here stating that a severe engagement has taken place between the advanced portion of the Prussians and the Francs-tireurs, assisted by some French cavalry, near Bolbec, in which the Frenoh entirely defeated the enemy. The Germans are again advancing towards Havre, but in greater force than before. At Havre, as the works are good, the place cannot be taken by sudden assault. ENGAGEMENT NEAR BRAY. LILLE, December 20. An engagement has been fought to-day at Bray between Mobilised Guards and Üblans, but the result is not stated. Twenty-five thousand Germans are at Mont dider. A force of twelve thousand Prussians, having bombarded Mario, aro reported to be marching on Vervins. According to the Echo du Nord, the reports rela tive to the proposal for an armistice are altogether unfounded. EVACUATION OF SERGUIGNY. A despatch from Bernay (Department Eure) states that numerous small engagements have occurred, resulting in the evacuation of Serguigny and Beau mont by the Prussians, with a loss of 150 men. DEFENCE OF CHERBOURG. French troops are arriving day and night by thousands at Cherbourg, but the place is considered to be safe in case of an attack. CAPTURE OF NUITS. VERSAILLES, December 19. An official report has been received from General Werder, announcing the capture of Nuits on the evening of the: 18th. Re states that 600 prisoners Were taken, and that the French were pursued on the following day in a south-westerly direction. The 10th Army Corps carried on the pursuit as far as Epinsay, taking a few more prisoners, and one of the colours of the French. On the 17th an engagement took place between Le Poislay and La Fontenelle, where the French hal assembled a force of 10,000 men. The Germans Were again victorious in driving the enemy from his position. The Germans are now advancing on Chateau Renault. SEIZURE OF FRENCH HOSTAGES. At Dijon the Prussians have taken forty of the principal householders as hostages, and sent them off to Germany. LATEST FROM PARIS. BERLIN, December 20, (3.10 p.m.) The Russian military agent, Prince Wittgenstein, and some other diplomatists have been at last per raitted to leave Paris. They say the city has bread, salt, meat, and wine for another two months, As French officers living in Germany on parole are daily deserting, ten officers will henceforth be sent to prison for each runaway. No fresh sortie has taken place from Paris. News from Vendome is anxiously expected. The French astronomer appointed to observe the total eclipse of the sun in Algeria had succeeded in leaving the besieged city in the Volta balloon. He Was furnished by the Bureau des Longitudes with all the necessary instruments, and we hope to hear that he had reached a southern port and embarked for 418 final destination. A despatch from Darmstadt says :—The demand Of the Minister of War for a credit of 3,662,000 florins to continue the war was unamimously a greed to. THE LUXEMBURG QUESTION. BERLIN, December 20. According to the North German Gazette, the vrussian Government is ready to submit its com plaints of the violation of neutrality by Luxem burg, as well as its claim against the Gr4nd Ducal Government, to arbitration. This course would in no way affect the position of the Duchy as al State. The New Prussian (Cross) Gazette says that, as the Luxemburg Government must have foreseen the consequences of ignoring the duties of neutrality, it cannot be sur prised if action is at mice taken, without refer ence to diplomatic negotiations, for which .there is no time in the midst of a war. The interests of the German armies would be gravely compromised if flagrant breaches of neutrality were allowed merely to lead to a protracted exchange of notes; whereas au immediate secession from the treaties secures safety in every respect. THE BLACK SEA TREATY. BERLIN, December VO, (3.10 p.m.) The Petersburg semi-official Golos contains a dis cursive leader, endeavouring to prove, in reply to the Times, that, in denouncing the Black Sea Treaty, the Russian Government obeyed the irresistible demand of the nation, and only gave the finishing stroke to a compact already regarded as obsolete by all parties concerned. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRASIS.) FUNERAL OF LORD HOTHAM. The funeral of Lord Hotham took place yesterday at South Dalton, Yorkshire. There was a very large pro cession, including about 500 tenantry. There were many private carriages, and a great number of gentlemen of position in the county. Tlik, SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER, 21, iB7o. THE MONEY MARKET. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. Writing wider: date December 17, from the Royal Head-quarters of the Crown Prince of Prussia, at Ver sailles, the special correspondent of the Daily News thus resumes his remarks on the siege of Paris :—lf I tell you of rumours of another French sortie, I am but repeating the familiar tale of this hereafter-to-be famous siege. It is not " Going ! going ! gone !" as with an auctioneer; but " Coming ! coming ! come !" in regard to Trochu's men—only that the " come ! " has fallen short in its effect up to this time. They have made brave effort': but to come out of the charmed circle is just what they cannot manage. I can do no more than repeat that the Germans are ready, and that the French will have terribly hard work to break away. We hear no firing to day, but that may be by reason of the wind. Same talk of an immediate attack by the besiegers on the French outworks as next door to decided upon —in which case there would .be plenty of noise and plenty of loss too between the rival artil lerists others hold to their theory that all the German work will be waiting and watching, and repulsing sorties, should any more be made. When I consider the present proportion between the strength of Paris as a fortress and the food for Paris as a eity, it strikes me that an attack could only be made to satisfy the besieging troops, and not with the hope of greatly hastening the end. That complete isolation of the two millions of people round whom the Germans have circled, is .the danger most to be feared. Those deserted highways and rusty rails, of which I spoke to you in a former letter, are significant of the strict blockade. Fancy Clapham Junction without a single train in the twenty-four hours, the gallant lads at the besiegers' out posts sitting behind barricades on the Old Kent-road, and the Camden-road goods station turned into a barrack. Fancy, by such analogies, the fatal belt about Paris. No stream •of market carts, no milk trains, no cattle trains enter within the walls, and yet the daily consumption of everything must be enormous. When all has been eaten which is fit for food, and much that men would ordinarily shrink from, there will remain nothing for Paris but submission, unless General Trochu can raise the siege. If it were wise in the beginning for Count Moltke to wait and watch, it would seem still to be so. There is little likelihood of trouble at present from the Army of the Loire, and little doubt but that the German reinforcements will keep pace with the strengthening of Trochu's army by constant drill. The different scenes upon my journey round the city make up a picture of this stiring time not soon forgotten. Here is an,outpost watching the south of Paris from the high ground to the right of Meudon. The men are Bavarians, and their crested helmets look some what the worse for wear. They have made themselves com fortable behind a ruined wall, which serves partly to keep away the wind ; partly to hide them from the French gunners. It is evident that shells have become matters of course to them ; for, though they jump uncle: cover and crouch down when the whizzing sound is heard in the air, they resume their former employment, what ever it may have been, as soon as the danger has passed. There is just a chuckle ouer die Franzosen, who are declared to be stupid fellows to waste so much ammunition, and then feet are stamped or hands are thumped upon the breast, and we agree that it is bitter cold. These French shells do less mischief than the shells of the Germans, for, though they detonate \ and burst with loud explosion on reaching the ground, they are so made as to break into fewer fragments than the German shells, and thus they kill and wound fewer men, and the shivering men on watch laugh at them as engines of death. It would not be so perhaps if there were an object to fire at. A bombardment would give the French a chance of hitting somebody with their guns. CITY, Two o'Or.ooK. The StOA Markets are very quiet to-day, and prices are nominal. Consols are 91i to 91i. Spanish,.after being fiat, have recovered. In the foreign market prices are now :—Spanish, 31i to 311; French Scrip, 1 dis. tot- prem. ; German ditto, to prem. ; Egyptian, 771 to 771 ; Italian, 551 to 55i. In order to limit as much as possible the necessity for attendance of clerks in banking establishments on Mon day next, the Clearing-house will close on Monday at 1 30, and it is hoped the public will facilitate the arrange ment. In connection with the issue of the new North German Loan a statement has just been compiled from official sources of the general financial position of the German States. From this it appears that the debt of the North German Confederation consists of Navy Loan, about 10,000,000 thalers (£1,470,000); War Loan of July, 1870, 120,000,000 thalers (£17,652,100) ; ditto now issued, £7,500,000. The States forming the Confederation are responsible for this debt, Prussia being the principal member, with a population that exceeds four-fifths of that entire Confederation. The bebt of Prussia, including the debt of Stites annexed in 1866, amounts to £63,868,700, of which the large sum of £26,956,000 represents the cost of railways constructed by the Government. The interest upon the entire debt amounts, to £2,563,000 per annum, and the proportion on account of railways is £1,128,800. The deduction of the railway debt exceeds £735,000. The net revenue, according to the Budget of 1870, amounts to £5,429,800, so that the revenue derived from the property belonging to the State, which is annually improving, amounts to more than double the total of the annual interest due by the State. The suspension has been announced of Messrs. Parke Pittar and Co., East India agents. The liabilities are believed to be considerable. Berger, Spence and Co.'s weekly report says :—The chemical trade has been quiet during the week just closed for almost all branches. In regard to home consumption, the number of orders given has materially decreased, owing partially to the fact that " stock taking " is now going on and cousumers not caring, consequently to be burdened with an overplus of goods. Pricds, however, with one or two exceptions are the same [as last week. The mineral market here is unchanged. The demand for hematite increases almost daily. Pyrites is very firm, and in metals the improved tone prevails. Both tin and copper are firm, and lead is unaltered. Spelter without change. COMMON COUNCIL ELECTIONS.--Tats DAY. The citizens of London are actively engaged to-day (being St. Thomas's Day) in their respective wards in the election of Common Councilmen and other officials for the ensuing year. Each wardmote is !presided over by its alderman. It does not appear probable that there will be any material changes in the list of Common Councilmen for the ensuing year. THE LORD MAYOR AND THE CANNON STREET COMMITTEE. Yesterday, for the second time, the Lord Mayor re ceived at the Mansion House a deputation of citizens, forming part of a committee which has been sitting for the last few weeks at the Cannon-street Hotel, who applied to him to convene a public meeting in the Guildhall, " To consider the position of France, and the means of securing an honourable and enduring peace," It will be remem bered that they had an interview with the Lord Mayor a week ago, and that, for reasons which he then gave, he declined to comply with their request. Afterwards, at the urgent solicitation of the committee, he agreed to post pone his decision for a week, with a view to enable them in the meantime to remove, as far as possible, the objec tions which his lordship entertained and expressed. Mr. Merriman acted as spokesman, and stated that since the last interview 579 names had been added to the requisition to his lordship, all of them being persons of the highest resp . ectability. The Lord Mayor said he respected the Motives of the requisitionists, and, having carefully considered the matter, he was confirmed in the propiiety of adhering to his former decision and declining their request. Mr. Gill, in addressing the Lord Mayor, said the hall belonged to the citizens, and it was only in his hands for a twelvemonth. (Hear, hear.) The Lord Mayor : I have exercised my best judgment, and I am prepared to take all the responsibility. Mr. Gill said they claimed the Guildhall not as a favour but a right. (Hear, hear.) d The Lord Mayor : I am custodian for the year, and I refuse to allow you to meet there. Mr. Solomons said the requisition had met with very hearty approval among bankers and merchants, but after his lordship's decision they had declined to attach their signatures. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing from the Royal Headquarters, Versailles, December 16, says :—,Germany is weary of the strife—weary, and sick, and sorry ; but she ;cannot humanly be ex pected to resign the prize of all her triumphs and sacri fices jtist as it seems to be within her grasp, Let the French only confess themselves vanquished —let the gates of Paris be thrown open—let France throw down her sword and call together her representatives, so that a National Government may be constituted with which Germany can nego tiate terms of lasting peace—and Europe will be delivered from the ghastly spectre that haunts her day and night, to the destruction of her rest and the sore troubling of her conscience. Those who, like myself, live with the conquerors, and are cognisant of their con victions, their resolves, and the tremendous national stimulus that compels them to carry out their deadly mis sion without abating one jot or tittle of its severity, so long as France refuses to yield to their demands, know too well that no other means of putting an end to this struggle have the least chance of success. On the northern side of Paris several batteries are ready to receive siege-guns of a very large calibre— and I am positively assured that the guns in question are on their way from Germany with ample stores of shot and shell ; but I venture still to prophesy that Paris will not be bombarded. It may be that we shall be detained here 'till the early spring ; it may be that half-a-dozen sanguinary battles will be fought between the gar rison and the investing armies—all this I con sider highly probable ; but the reduction of the capital by military siege operations appears to me, I confess, to be a task so gigantic and costly that the German commanders will do wisely not to undertake it. The views expressed with regard to this grave question by the highest authorities here, I have reason to believe, are much as follows :—" We have no right to sacrifice the life of a single German soldier un necessarily to achieve any object of the present war. We are sure of Paris; its capitulation, sooner or later, is a certainty. We may lose as many men by sorties as we should by besieging the forts and ramparts ; but that will not be our doing. We wait outside, and do not molest the Parisians : if they attack us, we shall drive them back—at heavy cost, no doubt, but the bloodshed in such encounters will be upon their heads, not ours. On the other hand, if we assume the offensive, we shall be morally responsible to all the widows and orphans in Germany bereft of their relatives in the course of an active siege. It does not cost us, comparatively speaking, much to stay here, quartered upon the enemy ; but it would cost millions to bombard the forts effectually, and we are answerable for our country's treasure as well as for her blood. In short, there is no valid reason that can justify us in departing from our pas hive attitude before Paris ; and we consequently deem it to be our duty to remain where we are, until famine shall have done completely the work which our shells might, after all, fail to effect." On these argu ments I most willingly leave you to form your own judgment. The French are massing troops on the Marne. An action is expected, probably to-morrow; although the whole movement may only be a feint, or an exercise manoeuvre of Ducrot's army. The Lord Mayor said only one opinion existed among bankers and persons of high position in the City—namely, entire approval of his conduct. (No, no.) Mr. Gill said on the last occasion his lordship had re presented that, with one exception, the Court of Alder men agreed with him in the riaatter. Now that was untrue, for Mr. Alderman Lusk. Alderman Sir Robert Carden, and Mr. Alderman Cotton had assured the com mittee of their support. Another member said the Chief Magistrate was "daring" the citizens. Upon that the Lord Mayor left the chair, and the deputation hastily withdrew, taking occasion, however, to hiss and groan at his lordship as they departed from the room. FRENCH HOSTAGES IN GERMANY. In a communication from Hamburg, December 17, the correspondent of the Daily .News writes :—Not long ago a correspondence took place between Count Bismarck and and the French Provisional Government on the subject of the captains and crews of the German merchant ships captured during the war. The Chancellor contended that, as they were peaceful subjects occupied in their lawful calling, it was a grave infraction of the laws of nations to treat them as prisoners of war and thrust them into the common gaols, where they mingled with murderers and other malefac tors; and he threatened that if they were not set at liberty and sent home, he should make reprisals by seizing a certain number of " notables " in various parts of France, who would be taken to Germany and detained as prisoners of war till peace was re stored. In reply to this demand the French Minister for Foreign Affairs denied the correctness of the Count's allegation that the capture and detention of merchant seamen was an infringement of inter national law. The men could be employed, he urged, for hostile purposes on board the ships of war, and in every maritime country the merchant service was always considered as the nursery for seamen of the national navy. He therefore declined to give them up. In conse quence of this refusal, and in fulfilment of Count Bis marck's threat, eighty French gentlemen of rank, social standing, and wealth, have been seized and sent into captivity in Germany. On Thursday last the first batch of 42 arrived at Bremen, where they are to be con fined. Colonel Bruggemann, the military cothmandant in that city, required them to give their parole in writing not to leave the place without permission, nor to corre spond with their friends in France otherwise than in open letter—passing through his hands for inspection and perusal, and thic formality over, they took up their abode in the principal hotels of the city. The greater part of them, as I observe from a • glance at the list, are landed proprietors in addition to their other occupations, and are mostly inhabitants of Dijon, Bray, and Vesoul, in the Department of the Cote d'Or. At the head of the list is Baron Tirenard, a member of the French Institute. Then comes aM. Persigny, described as Sub- Prefect of Bray. There is also a member of the Pro vincial Council of the Cote d'Or, several judges, bankers, mayors, and lawyers, another sub prefect, a notary and a professor of philosophy ; whilst many are Knights __of ,the Legion of Honour. Some of them ..--• are accompanied by their wives and domestic servants. 1 OUR CO rEMPORARI ES - -This Morn i ng They travelled very slowly, having been no less than tMr- - teen days on the road. It strikes me that the ostensible object of the measure is not strictly ful tilled. It can scarcely be, called a reprisal, for, while the - G-_•rtnan skip pers and their crews continue to languish in French prisons, these 80 gentlemen are treated with every consideration, and are allowed to indulge in any luxury they may have a fancy for, besides having the, free run of the city. It is really no great hardship to be obliged to stay at an hotel in BreYnen, where, with money in their pockets—and they have all been specially selected for their wealthi— they can live just as comfortably as in their own mansions in France. TILE SIEGE OF PARIS. THE CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTH. From Bordeaux, under date December 15, the special correspondent of the Staridard writes :—We have no news, and no news here means bad news. Were there anything, even the very slightest scrap of cheering news, it would be immediately made public. This long silence is most ominous, especially as regards the army of Bourbaki. M. Gambetta must now have been at Bourges for four days, and we have not yet had a word from him. Now, no one can accuse M. Gambetta of taciturnity. He is ready at all times to break out in a proclamation upon the smallest possible provocation ; if, therefore, he is now silent,' it is evidently because he can say nothing of a cheering character. He has, of course, telegraphed to the Government,' but no word of the import of the dis patches has leaked out. No news, then, is emphatically bad news. Were it not for Paris, a week or a fortnight.of delay would matter little ; indeed, there would be a gain to France. With time to concentrate the forces, with time to discipline the new levies, France might hope to get together armies which would far outnumber those of her enemies ; - but unfortunately our present Ministers appear to have not the faintest notion of the value of time. Had they pressed on the work of organisation and concentration during their first month's tenure of office the Army of the Loire might have saved Metz, or might have marched to Paris un opposed, except by the besieging army itself. Even when that opportunity was thrown away it might still, had the troops been concentrated from Conlie and the other depots, have been in amply sufficient force to drive back the armies of Prince Frederick Charles. Again the opportunity was lost. Government can hope but for one more chance before it is too late to save Paris ; and accordingly, to all appear ances at present, they will throw away that chance, as they have thrown away the previous ones. Ido not say that troops are nut going forward, but it is in such small numbers as to be altogether useless. A really vigorous effort would send a reinforcement of 100,000 men to Chanzy in three days; he will not receive 10,000. It is this apathy upon the part of the Govern ment, this apparent repugnance to concentrate our strength, which is causing a vast number of those who have always hoped to begin now to lose heart altogether. It seems to be the fixed intention of the Government to in sist upon our fighting with half our forces. What is the use, men ask, of making sacrifices, of leaving our homes, being for weeks under canvas, and enduring hardships of all kinds—if, when we are prepared and disciplined, Government will not send us forward, but insists upon our remaining inactive while our enemies are fighting? Paris can hold out for another six weeks or two months, but to do so she must have some hope held out to her that France is coming to her rescue. The ten days which have elapsed since Ducrot's army retired into Paris, would seem to be significant that Trochu considers that it would be useless for him to cut his way out with 150,000 men, unless there be some. French army within an easy distance with which he could unite his forces. Ducrot may make another sortie, he may cause great loss to the besiegers, but he dare hardly go beyond the shelter of the guns of Paris, for he would be surrounded and crushed in the open before he could join the Army of the Loire. If Paris is forced to be inactive, it will assuredly become discontented. If Paris is to be saved, the armies of Chanzy and Bourbaki, reinforced by every available man in France, ought to take the offensive by the end of the month. At the rate at which the reinforcements are now coming forward, they will most certainly not be in such a position. I do not/ say that they may not take the offensive, I only say that they will not do so backed by the whole, or anything like the whole, strength of France. The journals here, with scarcely an ex ception, are urging Government to send forward all our forces, and to make one grand and final effort to save Paris. The Times, in commenting on the present position of the war, says : It seems very clear to us that the time has . come for the Germans before Paris to bestir themselves. Not that we believe the . mere advantage of position gained by the French can afford them much practical aid in a sortie. However Much the line of in vestment may be widened, however .strenuously the sallying parties may be supported by their heavy artillery, there must come a point at which they will not only have b) meet the enemy face to face, but in which the advan tige of position and of batterie will be on the other side. Where the besieger knows anything of his business, it becomes as difficult to get out of the besieged place as to get into it, for the line of investment is nothing but a row of fortresses. " There •is a girdle of bar ricades round the city," says our correspondent; " every wall is loopholed, so that an assaulting force, once out of artillery cover, has really to carry intrenched :iositions one after another, each stronger as it opens wavier fire in proportion to the increased strength of the . defenders." It is idle to talk of massing together a vast body of troops, say 100,000 combatants, and .hurling them at the Prussians. The sal lying parties have to move along narrow defiles, allowing no space for the columns to deploy, and they advance under the fire of batteries which rakes them from end to end. The facility withwhich, 20 days ago, Ducrot won the first position across the Marne, but had to fall back from these in their rear, is the best possible illustration in point. We do not look forward to any success of the French by such means. The Parisian garrison can hardly hope to cut its way through the German lines, nor could t, even if it did, proceed very far, unless it co-operated with armies advancing to its relief —a relief for which, as we have seen, they may have long to wait. But the French may gain not a little if they can merely widen the line of investment by the more tedious, but more sure, means of advancing intrenchments. No one can say how far they may in time burrow their way. It only remains to be seen how far and for how long the Germans will allow them to proceed undisturbed; for spade work can be met with spade work. The reduction of the new French redoubts, either by assault or by siege ol•erations, how ever hard a task, is not impracticable, and it has now become, not matter of mere expediency, but of absolute necessity. THE GERMAN DEPUTATION kT VERSAILLES. The deputation of the North German Parliament was received by King William on the 18th, in the great drawing-room of the Prefecture. His Majesty, who was in full uniform, and covered with decorations, stood before the-fire, and on his right were most of the Princes now in Versailles. The Crown Prince of Prussia was to the right of the King, whilst the Princes of Weimar, Mecklenburg, Wuctemburg, and Hohenzollern were a little further back. To the left of the King was the reigning Duke of Coburg, with Count Bismarck close behind him ; and in a circle before his Majesty were the officers in attendance, and the members of the deputation. Baron Rothschild, of Frankfort, was among them, and Herr Simson, who may be called the King Maker of Ger many, for he offered an Imperial Crown to Frederick William IV. in 1849, and has lived to offer one to William I. in 1870—Herr Simson stepped into the centre of the circle, and after making a short introductory speech, read the address of the Parliament in a loud voice. King William listened gravely, and then taking a folded paper from the hand of an aide-de-camp, read his reply in tones trembling with emotion. The tenor of the address and of the Royal reply you will have gathered from official telegrams, It was a very impressive scene. Count Moltke, being a member of the House, was asked as a high compliment to stand among the deputation, to which he did not in strict right belong. There was marked satisfaction on the faces of all present, but no cheering or other demonstration. The King, when all was over, walked up and shook hands heartily with several of the deputies. FRANCE AND THE LUXEMBURG QUESTION. Writing from Bordeaux, December 14, the special cor respondent of the Standard says : The telegraph, which, owing to the Prussian advance in the West, has for several days brought us no news from England or Bel gium, has this morning conveyed the astonishing intelli gence that Prussia has given Luxemburg notice that she will no longer respect her neutrality ; that is to say, that she intends to invade her, upon the grounds First, that the population has made manifestations of sympathy with France ; second that convoys of wine have been sent into Thion ville ; third, that French officers escaping from Germany have been allowed to pass through Luxemburg on their way to France. That any of these reasons are insufficient to give even the shadow of a pretext to Prussia is evident. The first and second, indeed, are simply ridiculous. Prussia does not suppose that the Government of Luxemburg could by a decree make the population favourable towards Germany, nor could Prussia expect that Luxemburg is going to accept the dirty office of frontier policeman, which Prussia herself played in the Polish insurrection. That she should have arrested the fugitive French as Prussia then arrested the fugitive Poles would have been a gross breach of neutrality towards France, and would have brought down upon Luxemburg the contempt of Europe. The second reason is the only one which merits an instant's consideration, but as Luxemburg has sent large amounts of wine and other stores into Germany, there could be no reason why she should not send them into France. In fact, it is simply an excuse of the flimsiest nature upon the part of Prussia to devour her neighbour. The matter is, of course, the great topic of conversation here to-day. It can no longer be doubted for an instant that Prussia and Russia are acting in accordance, and that they have determined together to defy Europe. There is every belief here that England will oppose by force of arms this view of Prussia as she was prepared to oppose by force of arms the violent breaking of the Treaty of '56 by Russia. In fact, the time has come when we can no longer keep out of the conflict, and Prussia has now wantonly thrown down the glove to us. The general opinion here is that supposing the news to be true, Eng land will fight, and already there are discussions and cal culations as to the place and the time at which we shall land troops. Then there is the question of Belgium. No one doubts that the turn of Belgium will follow that of Luxemburg; will she not at once throw in her lot with her neighbour? Denmark would undoubt edly join, and England, Belgium, and Denmark could, between them, put at least 250.000 men in the field in less than a month's time. This force advancing,. say, from Belgium, upon the Hues of communication of the besieging army of Paris, would altogether alter the whole situation. Mr. W. ii. Seward, VIA late American r cretary of State, who is now on a tour iri the East, during his stay.in Japan had an audience of the Mikado, and after wards breakfasted with that Sovereign's Ministers. The Mikado's manner is said to have been "must cordial" throughout the interview. ~ STORM IN SCOTLAND. A telegram from Kirkcaldy yesterday says the new screw-steamer Victoria, .of North Shields, already re ported as having gone ashore at North Berwick, when on the passage between Kirkcaldy and London, broke up yesterday from the influence of a heavy ground swell upon the sea. Only a small portion of the cargo has been saved. STORM ON THE NORTH-EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND. At Aberdeen, yesterday morning, a schooner, supposed to be the Harbott Castle, of Aberdeen, was struck by a heavy sea, and foundered with all hands. The crew con sisted of four hands, besides the captain and the mate. Another vessel coming into Aberdeen harbour, the Isabella Davidson, of Inverness, was wrecked at the North Pier yesterday. The crew was saved by a life boat. INSUBORDINATION OF A SEAMAN. Yesterday, a seaman named Holloway, on board H.M.S. Invincible, was sentenced to sixteen months' im prisonment for insubordination towards a corporal, his superior officer. STORM ON THE NORTH-EAST COAST. Shortly after three o'clock yesterday afternoon a sudden change in the weather took place on the north-east coast. A violent gale from the south-east sprung up, which gradually increased in fury until, according to intelligence received in South Shields, it raged at nine o'clock last evening with tremendous fierceness. The sea rose rapidly, and a number of vessels which had sailed during the fine weather of the forenoon were driven back, some being con siderably damaged. At seven o'clock the full rigged barque the Union, of Colchester, came, head on, to the pier, amongst the rocks. After some difficulty the captain and crew of ten men and a boy were saved. GOVERNMENT ORDER FOR GUN-COTTON. The Messrs. Prentice, of Stowmarket, have received an order from Government for a very large quantity of gun cotton. The amount of the order is stated to be nearly £50,000. ANOTHER eARIS BALLOON. Another balloon, which there appears to be little doubt was from Paris, was seen at Camelford, Cornwall, for several hours on Saturday night, but it disappeared seawards. THE DERRY DISTURBANCES. The military and the police are still on duty in con siderable force in Londonderry. Yesterday the magistrates were occupied in hearing the charges against various persons arrested for taking part in Monday's riotous pro ceedings. Several of the prisoners were committed for trial, while others were sentenced to terms of imprison ment varying from oneto two months. THE WITTON EXPLOSION. The inquest on the bodies of seventeen of the persons killed at the explosion of a cartridge menu factury, at Witton, was resumed at Birmingham yester day, and further adjourned. Captain Majendie, Royal Artillery, was present on behalf of the Government. Another of the persons injured has died, thus swelling the number of deaths to 44. EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY OF DIAMONDS. Advices by the Cape mail, just arrived, state that diamonds of great value in large numbers continued to be found at the Cape, A new diamondiferous track had been discovered, and the old ones were keeping their ground. The diggings now extend over 100 miles of country, and the population had increased to 15,000. One man had found two diamonds valued at £120,000. News from Natal reports that one party belong ing there had found diamonds to the value of £150,000, one gem found by them weighing 105 carats, which has been lodged in the Natal Bank. The Star of Beaufort West, a splendid gem, over eighty-eight carats, had been exhibited at Cape Town for the benefit of the Ladies' Benevolent Society. Many persons, however, had been unsuccessful at the diggings, and some of them were suffering great privations in endeavouring to return to their homes. ROBBERY OF £lO,OOO IN BANK NOTES. At the Southwark Police Court yesterday, Sarah Durrant, 62, coffee-house keeper, London-road, was charged before Mr. Ellison with receiving two £l,OOO notes of the Bank of England, and £B,OOO in other notes, well knowing them to be stolen. Mr. Sydney Tomlin,"clerk to Messrs. Barnett, Hoare, and Company, bankers, Lombard-street, said that on Saturday, the sth of February, a little before noon, he en tered the Birkbeck Bank, Southampton-buildings, Chan cery-lane, for the purpose of collecting money for cheques. He placed his case on the desk, and called out " Barnett' change." He was about handing the cheque to the cashier, when some one touched him on the left side and said, " You have dropped something." On looking, he saw a piece of paper on the floor like a cheque, and stooped to pick it up. While raising himself he saw a hand leave his left side in the direction of the case. He then found that all the notes were gone. The bank was crowded at the time. He called out, " I have lost my notes," and, seeing the door opened, rushed out into the street, but could not observe anybody leaving the premises He instantly proceeded to the Bank of England and gave notice of his loss, detailing the numbers and description of the notes. He identified the two notes produced. He knew nothing whatever of the prisoner. John Shore, Inspector of Detective Police, said that he had bills printed and advertisements inserted in almost all the newspapers in Europe and America, offering a re ward of £l,OOO. At midnight on Monday he was in com pany of Moon, another detective officer, when they met the prisoner in the Borough-road, and accused her of having bought, two days before, a couple of Bank of Eng land notes for £l,OOO each. She became very much ex cited, and said, " Don't take me. I shall get ten years. If I give you the notes will you let me go ?" She then took a small bag from her bosom and handed it to him, and in two envelopes were the two Bank of England notes in question. She declined to say from whom she had got them, and on the way to the station exclaimed, " Oh, dear I shall never see my dear home again, or this road any more. This is what I have got by being a friend to another." Moon said that in a wardrobe in the prisoner's bed-room he found £2l 10s. in gold and silver, and behind a looking glass a bundle of foreign letters. The prisoner, in defence, said she found the notes on Wednesday morning whilst she was cleaning out her coffee-room. She saw a parcel under the table, and, on opening it, saw the notes, which she thought were of the Bank of Elegance. She had no idea they were genuine. Rem Anded for further evidence. The Chamber of Agriculture Journal says :—" One day last week a very valuable property in the neighbour hood of Carlisle, comprising the Knells Mansion, with pleasure grounds and 543 acres of land, Houghton Hall Mansion, pleasure grounds, and about 38 acres of land ; 59 acres of land at Houghton, with a freehold house, garden, and cottage, were sold by public auction. No purchaser was found for any single lot, and the whole was sold in one lot for £37,100. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-THIS DAT. CAUTION TO CAB-DRIVERS.—David Porter, cab-driver, badge 12,969, was brought before Mr. Knox, at the Marl borough-street Police-court, charged with being drunk and assaulting Police-constable Henry Payne, 1,616. The constahle said that on the previous night he saw the pri soner in charge of a cab in South Audley-street, and noticing that he was drunk] said he should take him into custody. As soon as he said so the prisoner seized him by the throat, very much hurting him with his knuckles, and tried to strike him. He took hold of the prisoner, when he laid down and tried to kick him. He got the asssistance of a constable, and on the way to the station the prisoner twice tripped him up and behaved in a very violent manner. Mr. Knox remarked that the prisoner was not a fit person to be entrusted with a cab, as he saw by his license that he had been fined 20s. for drunken ness. The prisoner said he had been a teetotaller ever since then till last night. Mr. Knox : A teetotaller ! Youdeserve to have your license taken away altogether, and if I was to do my duty strictly I should send you to prison without a fine. You must pay 40s. or a month. James Saunders, cab driver, badge 8488, was charged with being drunk and incapable of driving his cab. The prisoner was seen last night by Police-constable Burgess, 29E Reserve, to drive his cab, in which there was a fare, against a lamp post, and on going up to the spot he found the prisoner to be very drunk. The prisoner said the fare had given him drink, and that he went against the post by accident. Mr. Knox said, besides getting drunk the prisoner had jeopardised the life of his fare, and would have to pay 20s. or fourteen days. FOND OF PORK.—James Dalrymple, agsd 16, was, at the Thames police-court, chArged with stealing 911bs of pork from a shop in Cannon-street-road. The prisoner entered the prosecutor's shop, seized the pork and rushed out of the shop with it. Finding that he was being pursued he threw the pork away to facilitate his pace, but was eventually run down and captured. He pleaded guilty, and Mr. Lushington sentenced him to four months' im prisonment and hard labour. THE MINISTRY. We understand that no definite arrangements have yet been made with reference to the vacancy caused by the re signation of Mr. Bright.' We believe that had Mr. Bright beendisposed, Mr. Gladstone would readily have acquiesced in his retaining a seat in the Cabinet without portfolio, but Mr. Bright's medical advisers have made so stringent a recommendation that he should be re lieved from all sense of official responsibility that this could not be entertained. His resigna tion, long pressed by Mr. Bright, has not been accepted until the aspect of affairs abroad and at home removed all ground for supposition that it :was in any way connected With difference of opinion in the Cabinet. The names of Lords Hartington and Northbrook, of Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Stansfeld, and Mr. Shaw Lefevre, are mentioned in connection with the vacant Presidentship of the Board of Trade, and the movements which may be occasioned by a transfer in other departments.—Echo. An organised movement will, according to the Over land Mail, shortly be set on foot in this country to ensure the reduction of the fourpenny postage charge now made on each newspaper sent by the overland route vl4 Brindisi. The press and the Chambers of Commerce in the east are not neglecting their duty, A footman named Maccabe, employed at Swinton Park, near Manchester, was on Saturday night attacked by a number of men near Irlam's-o 2 th'-Height, and so severely kicked and otherwise maltreated that he died in the Manchester Infirmary on Sunday. He appears to have offended his assailants by assisting a policeman to secure a prisoner. Six men are in custody charged with being concerned in the outrage. RESIGNATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE. In losing Mr. Bright, the Daily News remarks, the Gladstone Administration parts with its most important and influential member after its head. He quits - office simply because he believes that the treble duties of the Cabinet, of the Board of Trade, and of Parliament would interfere with the restoration to perfect health which now seems within view. How heavy those duties are, no one acquainted with public life needs to be informed. To receive deputations day by day, to be in the House of Commons in the afternoon, in order to answer questions, and to remain there till the morning hours watching bills or waiting for a division, and to superintend, moreover, the multifarious business of the department, in addition to taking part in Cabinet deliberations and parliamentary debates on great ques tions of policy, is an accumulation of work and respon sibility requiring unimpaired strength. Mr. Bright would be imprudent if he resumed it. But the country does not most need his services, nor the Government require his assistance, in the administration of a particular department. The weight of his opinion in council, and of his eloquence in debate, would be of enor mous advantage to both. They might be secured by an arrangement which should transfer Mr. Bright to some office which did not involve departmental work and the regular Parliamentary attendance which is its consequence, but which left him free for the Cabinet and for debate. Mr. Bright's ministerial careeer is, we trust, only temporarily interrupted. His Parliamentary career will, we hope, be resumed with the next session of Parliament. Mr. Bright's clear sagacity and massive good sense are as remarkable as his eloquence; and the force which his personal character and his popularity out of doors gave to the Government will probably be first fully recognised when the support they gave is with drawn. The Morning Advertiser, referring to the resignation of Mr. Bright, says : In the present state of foreign affairs, with the terrible conflict raging in France, with the threats of the Germans in our ears, with the American and Rus sian difficulties staring us in the face, and, lastly, with our armaments in a lamentably deficient state, Mr. Bright's retirement is less to be deplored than it might have been in another and more peace ful epoch in our history. The delusions of the peace party, of which he has been the most prominent mem ber, have received the most signal exposure that per haps ever fell before to the lot of any poor mortal fallacy entertained and promulgated by otherwise powerful intellects, and persisted in with marvellous and incurable obstinacy to the last. Mr. Bright, there is no deny ing it, would have combatively preached the millen nium from the highest pinnacle of Strasburg Cathedral during the bombardment, or have fiercely denounced the necessity of military organisation and preparation in the midst of the slaughter and disgrace at Sedan. We do not know exactly what to make of him in this respect, or profess to understand what his views really are. The doctrine of non-resistance we can comprehend ; but then it must be consistent and complete. Everything in the shape of defence or offence must be laid aside, and a purely Christian theory carried out to the letter. Mr. Bright leaves with great reluc tance and regret a Government which maintains armies and navies, such as they are, and which has at least declared that it will protect the independence of Belgium, which may not mean very much after all. Commenting on the cause of Mr. Bright's retirement, the Standard says :—As to the value of the work per formed, we must beg leave to assess it at something lower than the estimate which has been arrived at by Mr. Bright's eulogists. Whatever the loss to Mr. Gladstone himself may be, we must entreat those who have spoken of Mr. Bright's retirement as though it had been some national calamity, to speak for themselves and their own friends. The political service which Mr. Bright has done to his party is one thing, and the adminis trative benefits which he has conferred upon the country are quite another ; and we protest against their being confounded in the sweeping manner which has been adopted by the chief Ministerial organ. And when it is assumed that the whole country is mourning Mr. Bright's loss, it is just as well to be candid, and to declare that the majority of the country are certainly not oppressed by any such feeling. That Mr. Bright is a great orator —that he is a conspicuous politician, and that to him the Liberal party, and especially Mr. Gladstone, are greatly indebted for their present prosperity, are facts beyond question. But it would be sheer hypo crisy for the general public to pretend a sorrow which it does not know. We are all sorry for the cause of Mr. Bright's retirement. We have, few of us, cause to regret that retirement on public grounds, especially at the 41c present moment In fact, it is but the truth to say that it would have been better for Mr. Bright's reputation, certainly better for the country, had he been relieved of his functions some months ago. Never an active or a useful administrator, Mr. Bright, in his most robust days, made but a most indifferent President of the Board of Trade. Few statesmen who have filled that office have left so little by which they will be remembered. It is impossible to name one single good or liberal measure with which Mr. Bright's administration is to be credited, and it is easy to quote several instances of his official conflict in which he displayed not only stolid incompetency, but a singular obtuseness to public opinion. Were the history of Mr. Bright's presidency of the Board of Trade to be impartially written, it would be found that it was chiefly remarkable for its sympathy with railway companies in the matter of acci dents, and for the memorable speech in which the Minister justified false weights and measures and defended adultera tion. The barren chapter would not show a single good act performed for the advancement of trade, or the develop ment of industrial progress, by the man who, while out of office, took to himself so large a credit as a commercial reformer. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LATEST LONDON BETTING. WATERLOO CUP. 200 to 8 agst Mr. Gibson's nomination (taken) GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE. 1000 to 40 on the field (offered) 1000 to 25 agst Schiedam (taken twice) 1000 to 25 agst Badminton (taken) TWO THOUSAND. 6to 1 agst General (taken to £5O) 200 to 12 agst The Pearl (taken) In the course of the 29th of November the WOl k men toiling at the tunnel piercing- the Alps both on I he, French and Italian sides heard each other's blows—a, sound which was hailed with the' greatest satisfaction. CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day, Tuesday, December 20, 1870.—Admission by season tickets, 1,825; ditto on payment, G 34; total visitors, 2,459.