The Sun. — London, England, 1870-10-08 00:00:00

THE WAR. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. OFFICIAL REPORTS. The two lastest military reports that have come to hand are of Sunday's date :-- " Mont Valdrien, 2nd October, 7 p.m. " The General in command to the Governor of Paris.— This afternoon I sent a section of the Francs-tireurs of the second battalion of the 28th Regiment of Mobiles to make a reconnaissance on the heights of Montretout. They had a skirmish for some time with the advanced guards of the Prussians, and, having performed their mission, they fell back in good order on thei r r e se r ve, which had taken up its position on the plain. The, Mobiles of Brittany gave proofs of intelligence and cool ness. The enemy having, in consequence of this demon stration, shown themselves in force on the crest of the heights, I fired, at 5,200 metres, four projectiles, which burst in the very middle of them, and compelled them to retire. This evening the artillery of the Mobile of Seine and Oise have watched the enemy at a post which he wished to establish in the abandoned redoubt of Montretout." " MILITARY REPORT. " 2nd Oct., 7. p.m. , - " The day has not been signalised by any military event of importance. On several points the cannon of the forts has annoyed the positions and works of the enemy, to whom our vigorous attack of the 30th has shewn the necessity of strongly entrenching themselves. In fact, in front of all our lines we perceive, since that com bat, the trace of great activity—the earthworks are pushed on with greater vigour. To sum -up, the enemy appears to fear new attacks, and to be seeking to place himself in a state of defence. All the prisoners taken by our reconnoitring parties manifest profound astonishment at not being shot on the spot—an idea which the officers of the enemy spread among the troops in order to prevent desertion. " The Governor of Paris. "By order. The General-in-Chief of the Staff, " SCHMITZ. " THE BATTLE OF VILLEJUIF. 'General Trochu has issued a longer account of the battle of Villejuif, fought on the 19th ult. Like his former one, it is marked by fairness. The narrative is too old to be given in full, but the following extract is noticeable : " General Vinoy, judging that the enterprise had been pushed far enough, ordered the retreat. It was effected under fire, with a calmness which was much remarked, and which does the troops infinite credit. The artillery throughout steadily and effectively sup ported the movement by the accuracy of its fire, and the battalions of the young Mobiles, following the example of the infantry of the line, on their side spewed an admirably firm bearing. In the regiments which attacked the enemy directly in front, in their fortified positions, our losses, not yet estimated, were heavy. We have to regret the loss of General Guilhem, a valiant officer who has deserved well of his country. Gen eral Exea, who with a single brigade marched upon Cre teil, on the extreme right, although strongly engaged, appears to have had only thirty men wounded. This general officer greatly praises the attitude of his troops. The fire from the mitrailleuses greatly tried the enemy, who, as upon the plateau of Villejuif, lost heavily." THE FIGHTING ON THE OUTSKIRTS. The correspondent of the Standard at the headquarters of the Crown Prince, writing on the 4th instant, says : By the courtesy of General Burnside I have an oppor tunity of writing a few lines, which will reach you more quickly than one's communications usually do ; but they will be very few indeed, since I have barely an hour to put them en paper and carry them to the General's quarters. Only last night he returned from Paris, whither he had gone, two days before, in company with Colonel Forbes, as the bearer of dispatches from the Government. He has run his risks, as everybody must do—even the bearers of flags of truce—and more than once found himself within the range of hostile bullets. But he has come out of his perils safe and sound, bringing with him news of the beleaguered capital, and dispatches which he is sending by courier to London. His description of the interior of the city is striking, and, I may add, sur prising. He says that on Sunday afternoon the Champs Elysees wore almost their usual appearance —at least as one knows it at this season of the year. Women were abundant, and children by no means wanting. The shops are all open, and buy ing and selling still go on as though no enemy were at the gates. Articles not of immediate consump tion appear to be cheap, as might indeed have been expected ; for a worse time may come, and money is more portable than stock in trade. Altogether I gather from his words that Paris is not only in capital heart, but in that best frame of body and mind which is described by the word calm. The place is provisioned, he believes, for two months ; flour and wine being in great abundance. I give these reports of a most intelligent observer, in the faith that they are strictly true ; and if they are, one must begin to revise one's fore6.sts, and to acknowledge that the Germans are at last in face of a serious diffi culty. Along with these brief but interesting details our last courier from Paris brings us a batch of French papers. Reading them, one is forced to ask oneself what is really the truth concerning the fighting of the 30th. You will, perhaps, remember that I rode up on that morn ing to the heights above Saint Cloud, and there received from German lips the particulars of the encounter, as far as it concerned Sevres and Issy ; but, as I after wards had occasion to add, the engagement spread over considerably more ground than is represented by what lies between those two points, and stretched as far as Bicetre —if not, indeed, as far as Charenton. Now, upon what oc curred on what I may call the centre and the right of that day's work I have not heard a single word fall from any German lip. We may, therefore, conclude that, in what tussle did take place, the besiegers got the worst of it. But were they as badly mauled, and did they lose as much ground as the French say they did? lam necessarily in the dark as to the extent to which you receive news of the siege from the French side; and knowing that it is important you should have it, I translate their account of the affair, as it is given in a journal published the day before yesterday in Paris :—" This time there has really been a battle, and though this compte-renclu appears in the evening paper, we have not fear lest we should fall into those exaggerations to which the news-bearers of the first hour are too often liable. It is known that the combat of Villejuif has had for its consequence to make the Prussians retire to L'Hay and Chevilly, villages situated pa the road from Choisy le-Roi to Versailles, by Sceaux and Plessy-Piquet. This success would leave us masters of our advanced positions of Saquet and Hautes-Bruyeres, which cover the forts of Montrouge, Bicetre, and Ivry. But whilst occupying Thiais, L'Hay, and Chevilly, the Prussians could at any moment take the offensive, and the least surprise would have replaced them in possession of the positions of Saquet and Hautes-Bruyeres. It was therefore urgent to force them further back, to make them abandon the plateau and resume their former situation on the route of Fontainebleau. For that purpose it was necessary to throw them back into the valley of Bievre, by driving them from Chevilly and L'Hay, and to .repel them even as far as Bourg-la- Reine. This result has been attained. Furthermore L'Hay and Chevilly—those lurking-places of the Prussians —have been destroyed by fire. This is the balance of the day." To these precisely translated details I may add that the French acknowledge a loss of from 200 to 300 killed and 600 wounded, but they put the Prussian loss much higher. General Dumoulin appears to have commanded in the early portion of the day, but General Vinoy came up later, and Trochu himself appeared when the victory was won. The German prisoners are described as horribly dirty and famished, and as complaining of the severity of their officers, and of having nothing to eat but a few raw potatoes. As, however, it is said immediately afterwards that the sausages in their sacks were so far gone that they had to be burnt as a measure of sanitary precaution the potato touch seems a little far-fetched. Indeed, Ido not hesitate to say that all I have been telling you, on the authority of French journals, should, in my opinion be taken with many grains of salt. Had we to take the ac count as literally true the position of the besiegers would be serious indeed. It is quite possible that on the 40th of September and the Ist of October certain and even consider able advantages were obtained by the French, though in that case our friends have kept it, as the phrase is, un: commonly snug. But, unless what was done at first had been undone ere this, I cannot believe that we should al here be so thoroughly at our ease, and most of all, that the King would be coming to Versailles from Ferrieres, close by the very points which we are asked to _ .. ---- believe are now in h os til e keeping. — His Majesty was to have turned up to-day, but this morning we are informed that he is not to be here till to morrow. There is, however, not the slightest reason to suppose that the delay has been caused by military considerations. The Crown Prince, who yesterday reviewed seven regiments of cavalry ; —a spectacle of which nobody heard of till it was all I over—turns out of the Prefecture to make way for his father, and goes to a Charming villa at the end of the Rue des Chantiers. I regret that I have not time to add more, save that dysentery is very prevalent among the troops here. Some seven or eight hundred are lodged in the I.4yae , suffering from that and other campaigning ailments. I suspect abundant fruit has something to do with their sufferings, and the remaining cause may be set down to nights singularly cold after days singularly warm. INCREASED CONFIDENCE. A letter in the Independance Beige says that the feeling of confidence which the population has displayed has become still more confirmed since the news received from Tours to the effect that a most enthusiastic movement in favour of Paris has been made in the provinces, and that in diplomatic circles some significant signs of intervention have been displayed. At the present moment, if Prussia were to offer to accept the conditions which M. Jules Favre took to the Prussian headquarters, they would not be agreed to by the inhabitants of Paris. The atrocities \ which the Prussians are said to have committed, have caused so much indignation that the idea of peace cannot be entertained save at the price of the extermination of the enemy. To the loss of life which has been caused by this war we must add the misfortune of its having laid the foundation of a lasting hatred between the two nations. As is always the case with us, there is a little exaggeration in our feeling of security which has succeeded to a state bordering on despair. But it is certain that with patience and prudence the position of the Prussians may become a serious one. They seem to have abandoned the idea of a regular attack upon Paris. It cannot be expected that a capital which has more than 500,000 men in garrison, and which will soon number a million among its defenders can be taken by assault. It is thought here that if diplomatic movements are undertaken, it will be as much for the purpose of extricating Prussia from emba rassment as France from peril. An inquiry has been made into the fire which occurred at Chaumont, and some arrests have been made. The Presse of this evening says that a Council of War has taken place at Versa:lles in consequence of the advantage gained by General Polhes over a Prussian corps. The internal situation of Paris is most satisfactory ; there are still some incorrigible persons among us, but, with some exceptions, there seems little desire to create embaxassment for the Government. The de parture of M. Thiers for St. Petersburg was determined on in consequence of a despatch from Baron Brunnow. The Government of the National Defence went lately to the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, in order to arrange for the provisions of the capital, which is a sub ject that excites great interest. There is no danger of a famine taking place, but the panic has been very great, and this morning a butcher's shop was taken by storm, and the people divided the goods, which he would not give up to them. The plot of the bombs was absolutely police fabrication. A famous democrat received 10,000 f. from the Empire for his candidature against M. Thiers. THE REDS. The complaints of the Reds in Paris are the subject of an energetic protest on the part of the Journal des Debats. This outspoken ridicule of the extreme faction is as well , written as it is thoroughly well deserved :—" Every man who is a functionary is in their eyes necessarily a tyrant, but they themselves are incapable of tyranny. Their authority is legitimate because they alone possess the traditions of the Revolution, and would govern revolutionnairement.' This word is an answer to everything, it is the concentrated essence of statesmanship. These men are not simple mortals — they are pontiffs ; they do everything revo lutionnaire ment ; they eat, they drink, they sleep, they rise revolutionnairement.' At daybreak the repose of honest citizens is disturbed by the criers of their newspapers. And what do these newspapers tell us ?—that the Government is not governing revo lutionnairement.' They themselves are infallible and sacred. They complain that the citizen Thiers has been entrusted with a diplomatic mission. Citizen Brutus ought to have been sent to foreign Courts ; his very aspect would have struck awe in the breasts of the neutral monarchs. Were you to ask one of them to com mand an army or manoeuvre a fleet, he would accept the post at once. If he were asked to write a patriotic opera in five acts, he would call for pen and paper. And were you to ask him how he hoped to succeed, knowing nothing of armies, of fleets, or of music, he would disdainfully reply that everything is easy to a person who proceeds revolutionnairement.' These are the men who by their extravagances enabled Napoleon to reign for twenty years ; and if we trust to them, they will paralyse the national defence. But they would not complain of our defeat, if only it be brought about by them revclutionnairement,' according to the rules of their poetical and political art. They would crown themselves with chaplets of evergreen, with the serenity which belongs to patriots betrayed by Fortune after having nobly accomplished their duty.," A JOURNEY THROUGH THE LINES. An English gentleman describes in the Eastern Morning News his experience, and that of four friends, in crossing the German lines from Paris. They safely made the journey, which so few have attempted, but not without exciting adventures. Leaving Paris on the 22d, they passed the French lines readily. The. German outposts presented much more difficulty, and several attempts were foiled, but at length they advanced half-way between St. Cloud and Versailles, where the party were arrested. The treatment they experienced was rude. They were put in miserable quarters, blindfolded, and carried about from place to place, and though they wrote a letter to the Crown Prince, they were finally taken into Versailles as prisoners of war—to be shot, as an officer comfortably informed them. The writer says : Then blindfolded again, and in the same style—prisoners behind and cavalry around—we made our entry into Versailles. We could hear the crowd pitying us. Pleasant, very I Found ourselves in a large court yard, and politely told we were prisoners of war, till the war was over. Conducted into two rooms. Sentries placed over us, one in each room. No paper allowed ; writting forbidden. No communi cation with anyone. Pleasant, very ! We hear a scuffle shortly afterwards, and three young and pretty girls push the sentries on one side, and come direct to us, They were English nursing the wounded in the Mairie, and hearing that Englishmen had been arrested had deter mined to see us. Very indignant, they offer their services and I write a strong note to Colonel Wolker, military attache to the Prussian Court, and to whom the embassy had recommended us to apply in case of difficulty. The girls—bless. 'em—take the letter, and the colonel arrives; makes us feel awfully culpable. Very wrong of us to have left Paris, and still more to have exhibited a white flag. However, promised to do his best and call again next morning. Slept all five of us on the floor, but still slept soundly ; breakfasted well and next morning (Sunday) saw the colonel, who told us we were by order of the Crown Prince, to see General Blumenthal. Nothing more however till next day (Monday) when order arrived for us to go to the general head-quarters. Escorted there by officers and soldiers. Found the old general very polite ; scolded us of course, said orders had been given to fire at every one approaching the lines, did not know how we had escaped ; regretted that he must order us to return to England via Germany or Sedan ; told us it would not be safe for us to travel alone, and that he should send cavalry escort all the way to Belgium. Nothing for it but to grin and bear it. Set out with two officers and cavalry. Pro ceeded about twelve miles, carriage wheel came off. Dragoons sent to scour the country. Soon return having found in the stables of the Princess Bacciotte's mansion a splendid new carriage. We were told to put our traps into it, and so leaving the old carriage on the road behind, away we go, 58 kilometres that night. Slept in a bake house all together on the floor; in the morning felt like baked loaves, but much too sad to be wholesome. Then on changing guards each 30 kilometres, till we came to a beautiful villa, the house of my champagne man. Ordered us to take possession of the best rooms, and the next morning on again, sleeping as we could, sometimes in low and other times in high places until we arrived on the Belgian frontier—thirteen days' journey. Paris is armed to a man. The Prussians wi 1 have tough work to assault it ; but they will not try. I gathered from all I heard and saw, that they trust to famine to fight their battle. Until this compels the poor Parisians to give in, they will fight desperately, but against such odds. Such a magnificent army these Prus siays have, so full of gaiety and spirits, all well equipped, and magnificently placed. Not a cat can escape from Paris, every copse and tree almost sheltering Prussian riflemen, 60,000 cavalry patrolling the country ; escape is impossible, and the success of any sortie most improbable. The end may be prophesied easily, it is a matter only of provisions. Those eaten, all is over. A SCIENTIFIC VIEW. Mr. Conybeare writes an interesting letter in which he explains his reasons for believing that the Germans will soon attack in earnest, and that the first operations will be on the South side and directed against Forts Issy and Vanvres. The west side he considers strong, protected by Mont Valdrien giangdantthice w ß et iv di er tch S , ein co e v . eri T ng he th ri at ve p r ort h i e o r n e o fo f r t m h s e ' r i a m n p fact,ar ts a at an average distance of eleven furlongs, and which could be nowhere crossed by an enemy out of easy range of the guns on the ramparts, a proportion of which are naval guns of 8 inch and 9i-inch calibre, ' with a range stated at three and a half miles, a statement pretty well confirmed by the fact that the Parc de St. Cloud is found to be everywhere within range of the guns of Fort Valsrien, from which it is about three miles distant. Fort Issy and.Fort i lde Vanvres are much more likely to be assailed. ThiS portion of the enceinte has been abun dantly recognised by the French a 4 the weakest point in their armour, and they have fought desperately to strengthen it. The five forts which form the exterior line of defence on the southern side of Paris should have been placed on a range of heights that run parallel to the ramparts at a distance of about 4,000 yards, but being designed in the pre-scientific days of artillery, they were placed half-way between this range of heights and the ramparts, so as to be completely commanded by the former, and too near the latter to keep the enemy's shells at a safe distance. To remedy this mistake General Trochu had occupied this range of heights in force, and was engaged in fortifying it when the Prussians arrived, and after severe fighting, on the 19th of last month, drove the French out of the position and occupied it themselves. On the 30th the French again made a desperate attempt to recover this range of heights, but were repulsed with loss, and the Prussians are now fortifying it. Fort d'lssy is unprotected by any fort to the west of it. The works which the French were constructing for that purpose at Sevres are now in the hands of the Prussians, and when complete will be used in attacking it ; thus the capture of Forts d'lssy and Vanvres would create as large a gap in the exterior line of defence as that of any three contiguous forts elsewhere. Fort de Vanvres is a quadrangular work, and Fort d'lssy a pentagon, both very weak of their kind, their bastions being small and cramped, and having no demi-lunes between them. Maurice, in his memoir, has calculated the theo i retie duration of the siege of a pentagon of this character at fifteen days, and in this case the defence would be greatly paralysed by the circumstance that these forts are completely commanded by the heights of Clamart and Chatillon, situated within Chassepot range 'to the south, and where the Prussians are already entrenched. In deed, your Berlin letter of the 29th ult goes so far as to allege that repeated surveys seem to have led to the con clusion that these forts are so near the city one the one side and the hills on the other that they have no chance of holding out against a regular siege, and when once these forts have fallen, the villages of Issy and Vanvres in their front, would afford cover to the Prussians to within one thousand yards of the ramparts. The map makes the height of the ground on which both Forts d'lssy and de Vanvres are built 84 metres above datum, and the level of the heights of Clamart at a distance 2,000 yards south of Fort d'lssy, and that of Chatillon at 1,800 yards south of Fort de Vanvres, at 160 metres above datum. These heights, therefore, outtop the forts by 251 feet, within range of a Chassepot or Gatling gun. The importance of the posses sion of these heights by the Prussians seems to be scarcely realized in this country. M. Favre told Count Bismarck that to give up Fort Valerien would be equivalent to giving up Paris ; yet the highest point of the uneven height on whichiFort Valdrien stands is only 161 . 3 metres above datum, or a little more than one yard higher than Clamart and Chatillon, and the latter height is 16,000 yards nearer the Louvre than Fort Val4rien. It has been both affirmed and denied that the Prussians can from these heights throw shells across the whole of Paris. It is cer tain that there are guns that would do this, but it may be questionable whether the Prussians have got enough of them. The height of Chatillon is distant from the ramparts 4,100 yards, with a range of five miles. This height would command all Paris south of the Seine, and just reach the Tuileries and the Palais d'lndustrie, and with a range of 63 miles it would command every portion of Paris worth mentioning, and batteries placed under cover of the villages of Issy and Vanvres (after the fall of those forts) would command the same areas, with ranges of only 3 miles and 4-} miles respectively. Even the longest of these ranges, from Chatillon (6i miles), is quite within the powers of the more advanced guns of the day. 1 1 .11 SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1870. the booty found in the city after the surrender ; "No fewer than two thousand cannon have been found in the fortifications, arsenal, and foundry ; twelve hundred are bronze guns of various calibres (mostly rifled, and the large majority bran-new guns of 1862, 1863, and 1864, that have never been fired), and eight hundred iron, some of them very large, smooth bored and rifled. One hundred and fifty tons of powder made up in cartridges, and four hundred and fifty tons in bulk, have been discovered in store, and clothing enough for an enormous force of men ; besides many thousand stand of arms, including hosts of capital Chassepots, although the Moblots and Sddentaires were armed only with " tabatibres." The military authorities estimate the value of the materiel which, in virtue of the capitulation, legitimately be comes the property of Germany, at more than two millions and a half sterling. In hard cash they have taken ten millions of francs (2400,000), deposited in the military chest of the garrison. It is much to the discredit of the French army that the interval of time between the display of the white flag and the transfer of the fortress to German custody was utilised—let us hope without the authority or knowledge of the Military Council of Defence—by the troops to spike almost all the cannon mounted on the works ; a distinct violation of the laws of war and the terms of the capitulation. I regret also to inform you that it has been found imperatively necessary to cancel some of the safe conducts granted to the French officers who passed their parole on Thursday, their subsequent behaviour in the town having been such as could not be tolerated by the Commandant. They will, therefore, be conveyed to Germany as prisoners of war. During the bombardment the noise of the cannon was distinctly heard in Baden, fifteen miles distant. Notwithstanding the hardships they suffered through the cannonade, the people helped the garrison to the utmost of their power. The municipal council took measures for the public safety. An extra service of fire-engines was orga nized ; a project for constructing bomb-proof places of shelter was discussed ; refuges were sought for and publicly notified to the destitute and burnt-out portion of the popu lation, some of whom slept in churches, close to the entrance, where the architecture is most solid, some behind parapets on the quays of the canals, and some in the theatre, where nearly 200 poor persons were lying the night it took fire, and in a short time was burned to the ground. It appears that in the siege ;of Strasburg the Prussians employed projectiles of a colossal size, such as they had shewn at the Paris Exhibition, and which many of the French generals said no army could make use of on account of the difficulties of transport, placing in battery, and getting into working order. A BALLOON FIGHT. Something has come of the balloons at last. If the example detailed below be followed up in a proper manner we shall soon have the two hostile hosts combatting in the air, with the cheerful prospect of victor and vanquished sharing the same fate. For the following extraordinary story the IVouvelles du Jour, a Belgian paper, is respon sible. It received it in a note by carrier pigeon : " Paris, October I.—" Nadar returned yesterday to Paris. His return was not, however, effected with out much trouble, although his balloon was directed by a good wind and favourable currents since his departure from Tours. But let me relate the par ticulars of his voyage in chronological order. He left Tours at 6 o'clock in the morning, and the bold aeronaut arrived in view of Paris at 11 o'clock, floating about 3,000 metres above the fort of Charenton. At the same time as the Intr6pide, which was the name of M. Nadar's balloon, ap peared in sight, a second balloon was seen in the horizon. M Nadar was observed to display a long streamer with the French national colours. Immediately afterwards a na tional flag floated from the car of the other balloon. Vigorous hurrahs and cries of C'est Durouff,' from the garrison of the fort, greeted the appearance of the two aeronauts, whose ballons gradually approached. Suddenly, and when at a short distance from each other, a loud report was heard in the air, which report was followed by a series of explosions. These were at first supposed to be victori ous signals or demonstrations, until M. Nadar was seen to fling himself into the netting of his balloon, and to cling to its sides. During this time the other aero naut continued discharging shots at M. radar and his balloon. The Intrepide was descending rapidly, and it appeared evident to the spectators below that some incomprehensible event had happened above. But mark what the French flag of the neighbouring balloon came to. It was withdrawn, and a black and yellow standard was observed to be floating in its place. All was explained. ' Treason ! It is a Prussian balloon !' ' He has fired on the Intrepide I' were the cries that burst simultaneously from the French people. Nadar was sup posed to have been lost. He was seen to descend rapidly in his car, and his balloon had once more nearly reached the earth. He, however, casts out his ballast, and he again ascends. M. Nadar again clambers up the network of his balloon, and by a marvellous effort, he succeeds in stopping the hole made in his balloon by the shot of his adversary. The Intrispide then becomes the assailant, and several shots were fired from the car into the Prussian balloon, which suddenly whirled about and fell to the ground with giddy velocity. As soon as it reached the earth a detachment of - Uhlans, who were on the plain, and who had been following the aerial combatants throughout this exciting struggle, rushed forth and, surrounding the balloon, received their champion—God knows in what condition. They then hastened off at full speed to the Prussian advanced posts. In the meantime M. Nadar descended safely at Charenton, where he still is at this moment." STRA.SBURG AFTER THE SIEGE. THE ATTITUDE OF THE INHABITANTS. The Suabian Mercury's correspondent confesses that in general the feeling of the people of Strasburg is anything but favourable to the Germans. " A great deal of it feeling exists on account of our having bombarded the town. I am forced to listen to all kinds of remarkable and romantic ideas; in fact, some of the people tell me that Prussia commenced the war, that it was forced upon France, and that the policy of Prussia since 1866 had been war, in evitable war, with France. To reply to such extraordinary views would be useless, as reasons and refutations would not be listened to. Others say that before two years are over France will demand a-heavy settlement of the account from Prussia ; and others, that it is impossible to say whether the town will not be bombarded anew within a fortnight, for after the Prussians have been defeated before Paris, the first thing that France will do will be to reconquer Strasburg. It is easy to see that these good people have not seen any newspapers recently." THE DEFENCE. The style in which the defence was conducted is much commented on, and it certainly seems peculiar. The French never attempted, according to most accounts, to annoy the invaders whilst prosecuting any enterprise until it was too late to do them any harm. Then vigorous offensive operations were undertaken. " From the night when the Germans first broke ground till the completion of the fourth parallel, the pioneer parties were scarcely ever molested from the walls or outworks whilst engaged in digging themselves into cover ; but as soon as their work was finished, and they were well sheltered by six or seven feet of earth, a feu d'enfer was invariably opened upon the newly completed trench and the villages behind the approaches, which did very little damage to the parallels, and inflicted but slight loss on their occupants, but destroyed a vast amount of property owned by French subjects." This is certainly a remarkable feature in an otherwise creditable defence. The traces of the conflict are to be removed with all speed. On the Ist of October 750 work men were employed to clear away the streets and make them passable. The bridge across the Rhine to Kehl is being repaired. The Bavarian troops are being sent out into the neighbourhood to break up the Freeshooters, who infest all the region round. According to the Cologne Gazette, a very sharp skirmish took place the other day, " but the Franc-tireurs, of course, retired firing, for these new bodies which are to save France are not renowned for stability. Even the French themselves avoid as much as possible the neighbourhoods infested by the Franc-tireurs, as it is notorious that a number of disreputable vagabonds have joined this new- I formed branch of the army of the present Government." j THE BOOTY. The correspondent of the Telegraph gives an account of A PANIC AT ORLEANS. A second panic has occurred at Orleans of a somewhat remarkable character. General de Polhes fell back before one of his own regiments of cavalry, whom he mistook for IThlans, and in consequence evacuated the town. The rumour soon spread that Orleans was occupied by Prussian corps d'arm6e. After this needless alarm the tidings that the Minister of War had sent back the same General Polhes at the head of the very same troops which he had caused to retreat produced the greatest excitement and indignation. The Impartial du Loiret, a moderate organ of the province declares positively that the nalional defences must not be entrusted to any such generals. The soldier has lost con fidence in his chiefs and the word treason is constantly on hie' lips. The highest administration of the war is not above suspicion since it shews itself so indulgent to a general who retreats before his own soldiers. "It is not to the old generals of the Empire that we must look for great efforts on behalf of •the Republic. A Re publican army needs Republican generals." The Journal du Loiret, another journal, publishes an angry correspon dence between the redoubtable General Polhes and the Prefect of the Loiret. The general says that military etiquette prohibits officers from writing to the papers or entering into discussions on any subject, but as many honourable citizens of Orleans have asked him to state publicly whether the Prefect of the Loiret was present at the Council of War held on the night of the evacuation of the town, he thinks it right to reply. The prefect was present when, after a long deliberation, the evacuation of the town was determinedon. " I had the right," adds the general, "to give any orders and nothing compelled me to take counsel of my inferiors, but in the serious state of things I thought it right to cake all opinions." This letter letter called forth an indignant reply from the Prefet, who encloses two letters which he wrote to the General on the night of the 28th. In the first, written at 4 a.m., he says that the public dissatisfaction on learning of the General's abrupt departure has been very great, and was increased when it was known that the enemy was not in force, and did not threaten the troops at any point. The Prefect himself had sent out special couriers, who reported that the Prussian cavalry, who did not appear more than 3,000 strong were at Tivernon, and had received orders to move towards Paris. Since the General's departure two regiments of French cuirassers had arrived from Blois, and afterwards 800 men who were puzzled what to do. The Prefect lodged them, and sent them on to Cl4ry. These inci dents, he adds, excited the greatest agitation in the town, and a deputation would be despatched that night to Tours to ask the Government to send them a General who could defend the Forest of Orleans and its environs. This is the painful truth, which, he thinks, it wrong to conceal from him. In the second letter, written two hours' later, the Prefect adds that the Bank, the public coffers, and other establishments, have removed and the Municipal Council assembled the evening before, made a protest against the departure of the troops, and the abandonment of the town. He has in the interval since his first letter, called back the troops he had sent out to Cldry into Orleans, and he thought it desirable they should have an efficient leader. The Prefect adds as a comment to the story that he, like others, consented to the evacuation of the town because General Polhes de clared he was in presense of such greatly superior forces that a rout was inevitable, and the enemy had pursued the fugitives to Orleans itself. He was compelled, he said, immediately to retreat with all his troops. It was there fore with surprise that he learned that General Polhbs had been misled by incorrect information, as he himself acknowledged, by a return as precipitate as his departure. THE PRUSSIANS AT MEZIERES. A correspondent of the Journal de Liege announces the precipitate departure of the population of Maieres at the approach of the Prussians. As yet the enemy are three leagues from the town. After the inhabitants had taken flight the Eastern Railway stopped its service for travellers and goods. All the personnel of the line took refuge in the railway station of Givet, and filled the rows of trains placed by the side of the road. To see these three hun dred carriages, which were capable of holding from 2,000 to 3,000 persons, filled with people arranging their menage, one could imagine that he saw an enormous gips3 camp with all its tents occupied. 1114zibres seemed disposed to make an energetic resistance, and as the Prussians were not in sight the opportunity was taken for provisioning the forts of M6zieres and Rocroy, where an abundant supply of war like munitions and an imposing artillery will allow a vigorous defence to be carried on. The Eastern Railway Company has suffered a diminution of a million francs a week in its receipts, but it has continued to ray its staff Many of the railway carriages have been struck by balls, and one was destroyed by a shot from MaoMahon's army, sent on purpose to stop its progress at the moment when laden with stores it was about to fall into the hands of Prussians. The Eastern Company say that the Prussians have detained 800 carriages and 20 engines on their line. M. OLLIVIER ON HIMSELF. A correspondent of the Journal de Rouen *rites from Biella, Italy, whore he met M. Emile 011ivier. The ex- Minister's own explanation of his flight from France is that he went to Italy with the object of persuading Italian statesmen of the necessity of coming to the assist ance of France. He addressed himself particularly to Rattazzi and Ricasoli, and having failed, started home wards, but his brother Adolphe fell dangerously ill at Turin. He remained there with him, and meanwhile the revolution declared itself. His brother growing better, he removed to Biella. He is staying with Cesare Valerio, a well-known Piedmontese de puty, and is occupied in the preparation of. his work in two volumes, " Mon Ministere du 2 Janvier." The first olume is to be entitled " The Pld biscite," and the second " The War." In the latter, M. 011ivier aims at proving that the war was not provoked by either France or the Emperor, but by Prussia alone. He announces that he means to return to France when his brother's health is completely re-established. As he has always been friendly to Italy, he has been well re ceived r.t Turin and the other towns he has visited. INSIDE METZ. The Manchester Guardian correspondent, who is shut up in Metz, has managed to send three or four letters to England. One of these is very interesting. It confirms the very strange story told by the Pall Mall Gazette, in so far as it says that General Bourbaki did actually leave Metz, though the writer supposes that he went to Paris to consult with the Government, and not to visit the Empress, as was really the case. The writer conti nues :—" I am now regularly established in the school of engineers as a balloon maker. I hope to be able to make one large enough to carry me away to you, but this will not be done now, and I must now perforce find some other means of getting away, or rest still here in impatience and anxiety. Horseflesh is plentiful, and we have good stores of bread. But I can tell you that I shall never again call anything common or unclean in the way of edibles. Beef and mutton have long been unknown ; pork is ss. a pound ; butter passed out of memory ; and cheese, sugar, salt, and a hundred other things usually considered necessaries, are regarded as vanities, of which it is wholly useless to think. But we are contented, and accept onr lot with philosophical resignation." THE IMPERIAL PAPERS. The following despatches have been published from the Imperial collection, which affords a curious comment on the Count de Palikao's assertion that Napoleon did not retain the command. At the very time the Count was making that official declaration he sent the following despatch : " The Minister of War to His Majesty the Emperor, at the Camp of Chalons. " PARIS, August 21, (10 o'clock.) " There are two courses to take ; either promptly to relieve Bazaine, whose position is most critical, by moving full speed towards Montm4dy ; or to march against the Crown Prince of Prussia, whose army is numerous, and who is to enter Paris, where he will be proclaimed Emperor of Germany. In the latter case I could send the 13th corps d'armde, General Vinoy and 27,000 men, to occupy Fertd sous Jouarre, where he will be the pivot of a movement, turning from MacMahon's army, which would march vigorously on the Prussian army's flank, either taking the route of Vitry, Champonbert, and Montmirail, or else moving towards Wassy, Montidrender, and Brienne." In reply to this the Emperor, who was no longer corn mander, wrote as follows : "The Emperor to the Minister of War. " Courcelles, August 22 (4 o'clock.) " Received your despatch. We leave to-morrow for Montmddy. To deceive the enemy put in the paper that we leave with 150,000 men for St. Dizien. I accept Wimpffen in place of De Failly. Maissiat cannot remain; appoint Lacretelle in his place. Suppress the decrees that Rouher has given you, but carry out the directions for the appeal to former soldiers." Among M. Rouher's papers was a decree in his hand writing, signed by the Emperor. "Draft of Decree, " Napoleon, by the grace of God and the national will, Emperor of the French, decrees : "Marshal MacMahon, Duke of Magenta, is appointed General-in-Chief of all the military forces composing the army of Chalons, and of all those which are united under the walls of Paris or in the capital. Our Minister of War is charged with the execution of the present decree. Given at Reims, August 21st, 1870. "NApoiEoN." The Germans are in no great hurry to commence opera tions with the army which is to march on Lyons, if General von Falkenstein is to command the force. He is still in Hanover, officiating as governor of the Baltic provinces. The French at Metz seem determined to weary their adversaries by continual attacks. The period of inac tivity has given place to incessant sorties. Batteries, of whose existence the Germans were unaware, have been opened, and very vigorous firing goes on. There is cer tainly no foundation for the idea that the French in Metz are short of ammunition. The Stettin shipowners have made a strange request. Suffering much from the blockade, they call upon Count Bismarck to issue a declaration to the effect that German merchantmen may venture to sea, regardless of the war, and rest assured that if taken or interfered with in any way France will have to pay to the last penny the damage she may choose to inflict. Negotiations for the admission of the South German States into the Northern Confederacy will be shortly opened at the Royal Headquarters. As yet the Bavarian Government is unwilling to place its army and diplomacy under Federal authorities in time of peace. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg, in a letter to his Duchess, admits that without siege guns Paris cannot be taken. "We must therefore confine ourselves to investing, ntrenching ourselves, and repelling sorties." Among other revelations found in the Imperial papers is one that the Emperorbribedporters and postmen to open letters. His main object, says a correspondent, seems to have been to get hold of the letters of his Ministers to their mistresses. M. Louis Blanc has issued an address to the people of England. It is principally devoted to proving that the rapid spread of German supremacy is a real danger to Europe, and that England is deeply interested in ar resting it. A report in the Journal Officiel states that all the Mobiles have Chassepots, and that 280,000 muskets of different kinds, chiefly " tabatiere," have been distributed among the Gardes Nationales, and 20,000 to the Francs tireurs. There are still 10,000 on hand. Count Bismarck has blamed in private conversation the lukewarmness of the German press in reference to the an nexation of Alsace and Lorraine. Some of the papers certainly give no cause for such a complaint. The Nord deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung is conspicuous for the insolence and brutality with which it enforces the transfer of the two provinces. £400,000 which had been concealed, have been found by the Germans in the Bank of France. The report of the death of Count von Moltke is satin factorily disposed of: Correspondence in the German papers of a later date than that on which the death was supposed to have taken place, reports an excursion by King William in the company of the great strategist. The London Figaro publishes a letter from M. Pietri, the Emperor's Secretary, denying that La Situation has any connection with the late ruler of France, and calling upon it to show whence it obtained the apocryphal mani festo. The environs of Metz are being devasted in order to prevent the French from capturing any provisions in their sorties. In a communication made to the Staats-Anzeiger from the head-quarters of the Third Army, we are told that Moulin la Tour, the entrenchment from which the French were driven on the 19th September, is now being altered by the German troops to suit their purposes, and that the shots fired by the three southern forts of Paris do not in the least disturb the progress of the works. Prepara tions are being made for bringing up a large quantity of heavy artillery. Amongst the financial items found in the Tuileries' correspondence are pensions set down to those devoted servants, M. de Cassagnac and Baron Jdrome David. The cost of the Prince Imperial's baptism amounted to 898,000 f. The cousins, male and female of the Emperor, received 1,310,975 f. per annum ; the Due de Persigny received in two months, 60,000 f.; Prince Jablonowyski, Countess Gajan, Madame Claude Vignon, Le G6neral Morris, and many other ladies and gentlemen who never did the State any service, are down for various sums. Among other items is one of 1,200 f. to General de Failly for sugar plums. The Duchess of Mouchy, whose name continually appears, received 2,000,000 f. as a mar riage portion. The son of the American Bonaparte had a pension of 30,000 f.; Madame Ratazzi of 24,000 f.; her sister, Madame Turr, the same ; Marquis Pepoli, 25,000 f. The Paris official paper publishes numerous extracts from the Prdfets in reply to a letter addressed to them at the commencement of July by the Minister of the Inte rior, asking them to report upon the feeling of the country with respect to war. These extracts shew that in the opm • ion of the Prtfets the nation was prepared to support the policy of the Government, but was not e nthusiastic for war. The Precurseur of Antwerp has received a communica tion with respect to the mysterious death of the Prussian officer at Rheims. It was stated that the berline of the King of Prussia had arrived at Rheims perforated with balls, and containing a corpse. The Prussians who had charge of it were forbidden to say who it was. This berline did not generally contain anyone but the King, the Crown Prince, Count Bismarck, or General von Moltke. A journal of Noyau says that they have heard of the death of Von Moltke, who died at Rheims in con sequence of a dangerous illness, but that the death might as well have been occasioned by a wound he had received. It is more than doubtful, however, whether the mysterious death was that of the great general. Herr Strauss, the celebrated German writer, continues his philosophic arguments on the war with his French friend, M. Renan. As a South German he agrees with M. Renan in a desire that Prussia should be absorbed by Germany, instead of Germany being Prussianized, but he confesses that as politicians the Prussians far excel the South Germans. In the future German State Prussia will supply the bone and muscle, while South Germany will fill this out and round it with flesh and blood. He denies that the cession of Alsace and Lorraine would be the ruin of France, remarking that it does not become Frenchmen to represent German provinces as necessary to their national life. The Germans would be the greatest fools if they did not, as conquerors, take back what is necessary to their security. THE NEW ARMY.—The Echo de la Dordogne states that the Gardes Mobiles of that department have gone to Tours to form part of the 15th corps, which is under the command of General de la Motterouge. " This corps is being rapidly organised under the personal supervision of the Minister of War. It is to be composed of three fine divisions of infantry and two of cavalry, with a considerable force of artillery, and the whole forms an army of 60,000 men , which will include, besides the soldiers of the d e p o t, the numerous enrolled volunteers, and a still larger number of men escaped from Sedan. Being joined by regiments of Gardes Mobiles em bodied in its ranks, although retaining their special organization, and with freeshooters to act as skirmishers, supported by another regular corps forming at Lyons, the 15th corps must inspire confidence in an energetic defence, and demonstrate the possibility of a speedy march to the relief of the capital." THE USE OF BALLOONS.—A somewhat remark-. able proposal has been made in the Cologne Gazette with respect to balloons :—" Now that Paris is completely in vested the employment of balloons for the purpose of dis persing over Paris proclamations or other necessary infor mation—particularly accurate information as to the posi tion of affairs and the whole course of events since the declaration - of the war—is resorted to. These balloons can be manufactured in a few hours and at very small expense, and can consequently be employed at all times, and in great number. They are made of a framework of Spanish reeds or whalebones, drawn together at both poles, and thousands of loose printed cards being depo sited inside, they are driven by the wind and fall down in all parts of the city as soon as an explosion occurs. which shatters the ribs drawn together at the poles. It would be desirable if members of the Geneva Convention and of the international societies for the relief of the wounded would by means of such communications dissemi nate information which would weaken, if not remove, the blind prejudices of the Frenchpopulation. The statements of well-accredited correspondents, such as the Duke of Manchester, Sir Tollemache Sinclair, and others would also have a beneficial effect on the people if made known in this way. The balloons from Metz have carried a weight of 181 b. Those proposed need not carry one pound of paper, for thousands of copies of a circular printed on both sides need not weigh so much as this. To prevent the papers lying inside the balloon catching fire through the explosion of the upper part of the balloon, a thin sheet of zinc should be placed over them, and a chemical coating might be given to the paper employed." LAW AND POLICE. THE EUROPEAN BANK AND ITS DIRECTORS. —ln Vice' Chancellor Bacon's chambers the case of the European Bank against Colchester, was brought before Mr. Bloxam, chief clerk, it being a suit instituted by the liquidators against several gentlemen who recently acted as directors, for the restitution of a sum of £50,000, loss sustained by the alleged improper purchase of a number of shares in the Union Bank of England and France, and the English, Belgian, and Netherlands Bank. Messrs. Argall and Rawlings were solicitors for the. liquidator ; Messrs. Link later and Co. representing defendants, one of whom, Mr. Colchester, denied his liability, alleging that he had protested against the transactions and directed the secretary to take a note of his protest at the time. lie also disputed that the directors of the European Bank were the actual parties to the negotiations, which were carried on at a time when the bank was about to be amal gamated with others. He was desirous of putting in a voluntary answer to the suit, but could not do so in con sequence of the minute books and other important docu ments having been withheld. Mr. Argall denied that an documents had been improperly kept back. The principle branch of the bank was at Paris, and that being now in a state of siege, the documents could be prot;ured. The Chief Clerk ordered that all the English documents should be placed at the disposal of the defendants within ten days, and adjourned the summons for that purpose. SELLING DISEASED MEAT FOR FOOD.—At Manchester, a man named William Simmons has been sent to prison for three months for dealing in diseased meat. He has been in the habit of buying diseased cows from farmers, on the representation that he was in the employ of a horse slaughterer ; but upon obtaining the animals, he has slaughtered them, and sold the meat in Manchester for human food. BURGLARY.—Henry Roberts, 17, and William Berry, 18, were charged before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough street Police-court, with burglariously breaking and entering No. 77, Berwick-street, Soho, and stealing some monogram patterns, the property of Mr. Alfred Mitchell, enammeller and engraver. S erg t. B en tl e y, 13 C, sa id that about one o'clock that morning he received informa tion that some men were in a workshop at the rear of No. 77, Berwick-street, and on going into No. 78, with another sergeant, he saw two men with a small light walking about the workshop. He placed a constable at the door, and returned to the street, and after standing there for a moment saw the prisoners come out of the street door of No. 77 and run away. He followed them, springing his rattle and calling out "Stop thief !" and they were stopped in Noel-street. He asked Roberts what he had been doing, and he replied " You know ;" and on searching the prisoners he found on Berry two cases of enamel patterns, and a knife. On examining the shop he found that the prisoners had effected an entry by getting over a low wall, and pushing open a sliding window, there being marks on the wall and the window being open. The place was in disorder, drawers being pulled out and laid about, and tools also strewn about. He found a mortice chisel and a box of matches, which Mr. Mitchell said were not his property, lying on a work-bench. The prisoners were remanded. THE CAUSES OF DISEASE. If further investigation confirms Dr. Moffat's theory of the close connection between certain soils and certain maladies, we shall have at our command a fresh means for dealing with disease. His experience has chiefly lain in Cheshire, and he says he has there found that consumption and anemia follow in very remarkable manner the course of the carboniferous system, and prevail to a far less extent among the dwel lers in the new red sandstone district. So far this agrees with what Dr. Buchanan and Mr. Simon observed in the counties of Surrey, Kent, and Sussex, where phthisis was most fatal upon damp soils ; and it is also §upported by the fact that in large towns the disease has been the first to decline in virulence after the ground has been rendered dry by the introduction of main sewers. The novel part of Dr. Moffat's theory is that which follows. Analysing the wheat grown upon the two geological systems, he found that in that produced upon the sandstone there was a large proportion of phosphoric acid and of oxide of iron, while in that of the carboniferous system these constituents were almost wholly wanting. He concluded, therefore, that the prevalence of consump tion and anaemia were mainly attributable to the deficiency of these elements of blood in the ordinary diet of the population. The theory is ingenious, but it would seem that the data upon which it is based are at present too scanty to admit of such generalisation.—Pall Mall Gazette RACING NOTES. At a general meeting of the Jockey Club to be held at Newmarket after the races on Wednesday in the Second October Meeting, Lord George Manners will propose that in future the Newmarket Craven and First Spring Meetings shall commence on Tuesday instead o :Mon day, and that the Second Spring Meeting, dis continued since 1855, shall be re-established. In the event of the latter portion of Lord George Manners' pro posal not being carried, Admiral Rous will bring under the consideration of the meeting the expediency of alter ing the regulation by which the date of the First Spring Meeting is fixed, so that it may always fall within the period during which two-year-olds are allowed to run. Admiral Rous has also given notice of his intention to make the following proposals :—" That the two-year-old course on the flat shall finish at the D.M. ending post, the distance to be the same as at present." " That the present Rule of Racing (No. 58), which prohibits sales by auction, be repealed, and that the old rule 58, which provides for half the surplus obtained by a sale by auction being paid to the owner of the second horse, be re-enacted." The Queen of Prussia has presented to Captain Koldewey, of the Germania, a gold medal, bearing the head of the King ; and to Captain Hagemann, of the Hansa, a silver goblet, in acknowledgment of the ser vices they have rendered during the late Arctic expedi tion. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills - Uniform Success.—These remedies stand unrivalled for the cure of gout, rheumatism, lumbago, tic-doloreux, and every other variety of neuralgic pain. The painful places have only to be bathed in tepid salt and water, and well rubbed with Holloway's Ointment, to convince the most sceptical of the curative power it exercises over these diseases. The most desperate cases best exemplify the striking success which follows the proper use of this soothing Ointment and these purifying Pills. Both medi caments are composed of the most inocuous and healing balsams. Some severe cases of neuralgia, rocently suc cessfully treated, have been reported to Professor Hollo way, with the earnest prayer that he would publish them for the benefit of all thus afflicted. BIRTHS. On the 2d inst., the wife of N. R. Twysden Leman, of Brampton Hall, Suffolk, of a son. On the 6th inst., at 1, Montague-place, Russell-square, the wife of the Rev. E. Capel Cure, u, son. MARRIAGES.' On the 4th inst., at the Catholic Church, Waiwick-street, Francis E. Kerr, Rifle Brigade, third son of Lord Henry Kerr, to Mary Frances, the eldest daughter of Robert Monteith, Esq., of Carstairs, N.B. On the sth inst., at 9, Chester-street, Edinburgh, James Murray, Esq., younger, son of Sir John Murray; Bart., of Philiphaugh, to Mary, second daughter of Alexander Russell, Esq. DEATHS. On the sth inst., at Kennington-cross, Thomas Howells, Esq., M. 8., aged 28. On the 3d inst., at Buxton, Frances Letitia, second daugh ter of Colonel and Lady Grace Vandeleur. London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOYCE, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by him at THE Sys Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex. Saturday, October 8,_1870. „ II ft: ?PO teY it i ° - 1 2 ,1 1 1 CO " n r e tiVri t e Z II INT: f orth 76, A totetle c Sall th e '6 llQ t, GENE 7 .. r SOU P ' are Vti' Pe a • — '•LTE : .aold • Or oce 4!l on eopi a Z It e Arr „, and n Tin to k Itti " tit ••..ed r eh eh/A''.ag at '414 l ak e e re, 4'eat the txt, 3 ' flay( na Ar ts, t jalia n oh uni ve , 4 11C, e Pint e 1 t e e WI n oZ -r, BILE , kai aclt4ol T4l -- ; ,v4eztrey.