The Sun. — London, England, 1870-08-01 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE THE WAR. ATTACK ON SAARBRUCKEN. In a Prussian official account it is stated that Saar brucken was attacked on Saturday forenoon. Notwith standing the great superiority of the French forces the attack was successfully repulsed. THE SECRET TREATY. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY COUNT BISMARCK. A circular dispatch, relating to the famous projet de traite between France and Prussia, has been addressed by Count Bismarck to the North German diplo matic representatives at neutral courts. The Chancellor commences by saying that this secret • treaty document contained by no means the only proposition of the kind made by France to Prussia. Even before the Danish war " attempts addressed to me "were made both by official and unofficial French agents to effect an affiance between France and Prussia, with the object of mutual aggrandisement." Count Bismarck thinks that in offering such terms the French statesmen could hardly have appreciated the national feeling of Germany. Before his accession to the office of Foreign Minister the designs of the French Government on Belgium and the Rhine frontier had been known to him. The behaviour of France at the time of the German-Danish war betrayed the ten dencies of its policy. " The subsequent bad feeling which France displayed towards us in reference to the treaty of Gastein was attributable to the apprehension lest a durable strengthening of the Prusso-Austrian alliance should deprive the Paris Cabinet of the fruits of this its attitude. France, before 1865, reckoned upon the outbreak of war between us and Austria, and again willingly made approaches to us as soon as our relations with Vienna began to be unfriendly. Before the outbreak of the Austrian war pro posals were made to me, partly through 'relatives of his Majesty, the Emperor of the French, and partly by confidential agents, which each time had for their objects smaller or larger transactions for the pur pose of effecting mutual aggrandisement. At one time the negotiations were about Luxembourg, or about the fron tier of 1814, with Landau and Saarlouis ; at another about lrrger objects, from which the French Swiss cantons and the question where the linguistic boundaries of Piedmont were to be drawn were not excluded." In May, 1866, a proposition for a defensive and offensive alliance Was put forth by France, of which Count Bismarck quotes an extract. It provides that a Congress was to be convened,. and if it failed, then France and Prussia would make war on Austria. In case of hostilities peace was to be made only on condition that Venetia were given to Italy, and large portions of German territory to Prussia (similar to what it actually obtained by the war of 1866, and for France the territory between the Moselle and the Rhine, exclusive of Coblentz and Mayence, comprehend ding half a million of Prussians, part of Bavaria, omburg, &c. Count Bismark then goes on to say : "In June, 1866, after we had rejected the above schemes of affiance, notwithstanding several almost threatening warnings to accept it, the French Government began to calculate on the Austrians being victorious over us, and upon our making a bid for French assistance, after the eventuality of our defeat, to pave the way for which diplomatically. French diplomacy was occupied to the uttermost. That the Congress anticipated in the foregoing draft of alliance, and again proposed later, would have had the effect of causing our three months' affiance with Italy to expire wishout our having profited by it is well known to your excellency, as is also the fact that France, in the further agreements relative to Custoza, was busies in prejudicing our situation, and, if possible, bringing about our defeat. The patriotic affliction of the Minister Rouher furnishes a comment upon the further course of events. Since that time France has not ceased leading us into temptation by offers at the cost of Germany and Belgium. I had never any doubt as to the impossibility of acceding to any such offers, but I considered it useful in the interests of peace, to permit the French statesmen to hold these illusions, peculiar to them, so long as it should be possible so to do without giving a verbal assent to their Propositions. I imagined that the annihilation of the French hopes would endanger the preservation of peace, the maintenance of which was in the interest both of Ger many and Europe. I was not of the opinion of those Politicians who considered it unadvisable to shun by all the means in one's power a war with France on the ground that such a war was in any case unavoidable. No one can so clearly foresee the designs of Divine Providence, and I look upon even a victorious war as an evil in itself, which the statesmanship of a country must strive to spare its People. I could not in my calculations leave out the Possibility that in the constitution and policy of France changes might arise which would relieve the two great n eighbouring people from the necessity of war—a hope which ' Was favoured by each postponement of the rupture. For these reasons I was silent about the propositions made, and delayed the negotiations about them without ever on my side giving a promise. After the negotiations with his Majesty the King of the Netherlands fell, as is well known, to the ground, extended proposals were again addressed to me by France, including in their purport Belgium and South Germany. At this conjunc ture comes the communication of the Benedetti Manuscript. That the French ambassador, without the assent of his Sovereign, and on his own responsibility, drew up these propositions, handed them to me, and negotiated them, modifying them in certain places as I advised, is as unlikely as was the statement on another occasion that the Emperor Napoleon had not agreed to the demand for our surrendering Mayence, which was officially made to me in August, 1866, by the French ambassador under threat of war in case of our refusal. The different phases of French bad feeling and lust for war which we have gone through from 1866 to 1869 coincided with tolerable exactness with the wil lingness or unwillingness for negotiations which the French agents believed they met with in me. In 1866, at the time when the Belgian railway affair was being Prepared, it was intimated to me by a high per sonage, who was not a stranger to the former ne gotiations, that in case of a French occupation of Bel gium nous trouverions notre Belgique aillieurs.' Similarly on other occasions I had been given to understand that in a solution of the Eastern question France would seek its share not in far-off places but close upon its boundaries. am under the impression that it was only the definitive conviction that no enlargement of the frontiers was to be achieved with us that has led the Emperor to the determination to strive to obtai n it against us. I have besides reason to believe that had the publication in question not taken place so soon ae► our and the French preparations for war were'com- Plete, propositions would have been made to us by France Jointly, and at the head of a million armed men, to carry o ut against unarmed Europe the proposals formerly I na& to us, and either before or after the first -onclude peace on the basis of the Benedetti and at the expense, of Belgium. Concerning of these proposals, I remark that the draft in r, session is from beginning to end from the hand of 'Jount Benedetti, and written on the paper of the Impe !ial French Embassy, and that the ambassadors here, Including the representativ es o f A us t r i a , G reat B r i ta i n, Russia, Baden, Bavaria, Belgium, Hesse, Italy, Saxony, Turkey, and Wurtemburg, who have seen the original, have recognised the handwriting. In Article 1, Count Benedetti at the very first reading withdrew the closing passage, placing it in brackets after I had remarked ?hat it presupposed the interference of France in the internal affairs of Germany, which I even in private he could not allow. Of hi s own accor d ' 4 ; 3 made an important marginal correction in Article 2, in my presence. On the 24th instant I informed Lord A. Loftus verbally of the existence ° f the document in question, and on his expressing doubts invited him to a personal inspection of the same. On the 27 th of this month he took note of it, and con vincedhisn self that it was in the handwriting of his former French L e° lleague. If the Imperial Cabinet now repudiates at tempts for which it has sought since 1864, both by pro -41113es and threats, to obtain our co-operation, this is ea sily to be explained in presence of the political situa taon.,, M. BENEDETTI AND THE TREATY. M. Benedetti has written a letter to the Duke de Gra,- raont, in which he says that it was a matter of public notoriety that both prior to and during the war of 1866 Count Bismarck offered to aid France in re-uniting Bel glum to France as a compewation for the Prussian aggran thaements. European diplomacy was not ignorant of this. The Government of the Emperor instantly declined these overtures and M. Drouyn de Lhuys would be able to le t xplanati ons w hi c h wou ld c l ear up all doubt upon thi s Po Since the conclusion of the treaty of Prague, and on account of excitement aroused in France,. Count Bismarck a gain displayed a desire to re-establish the balance of power Which had been disturbed by the Prussian acquisitions, and several combinations having reference to the integrity of States bordering on France and Germany, were brought for- Ward, and were the subjects of various communications, the inajo it not the I blue and vertheless 3 through w-skelter, 3r a tenth er's irony, 1-novelist, be some ;er. It is in com political some of we live of to say •avagance. jeweller, ier rolled lentiful as engrocers. e surface lucubra contents rgh two wo great France uve, the raday, the " Postal masterly inven .e brought nihilated. uch as the the natu -3 merits, tpers of mpossible s, greater including mediately illy. ,The d be more 7he com ave just o recent Le subject, 'dinburgh. ample, in or on the 'erence to ng to St. re,Reform surely in vents like quarterly ovinces of :fer topics ble to the even con ober of the opublished and 1816,' interesting ,hemselves tally, for ner, dated portrait is 'nous con rites Cole disbelieve this—" So ver saw ; a eyes the ight ; and sing from lines, and e is utter- e, because die, and of of this Hazlitt nt, as we ;ances had )el." Re [t remark one thing under an ' with spe nd Settle urn, by a ationality ,reference, Nations >w would the gene n Eurrpe rationality ,er than oration of ionalities. tle of the it interest no matter urrence of at for the L men like eir wildly nists rods , f English ye serious s, cannot ps now mportant of the itors, is a the whole considera- oning ap writer re- notion of Lg up her L, many of sequences claims by imerat'ed. Lapter on contribu varied and mnd Co. ie current Sty of the ributors. ;ollection rss to Dr. Pius IX., ust pub articles, of them ;e "The ial regard is Faith. 3ationally Pall Mall s of Lon n in the 1 Inter following very—the " Land Abbey," Madame L" the nvs" and regard to tereas the that Mr. •om Miss ey," the ootnote), it, " with to Italy is no re- or in the es, how- ainly, to etray, at Arthur months. vill enjoy Worces . They n Manu ►ck. Lrranged the late fighter of THE SUiN, LONDON, MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST during which Count Bismarck always desired that his per sonal ideas should be adopted. The letter continues thus :—" In one of these conversations, in order more clearly to comprehend his combinations, I consented lo draft them, so to sayf at his dictation. The form as well as the contents clearly shew that I confined myself to reproducing the scheme as conceived and developed by him. Count Bismarck retained the draft,wishing to submit it to the King. I informed the Imperial Government of the communications which had been made to me." The Emperor rejected them as soon as they came to his know ledge. The King of Prussia himself did not appear to agree to them, and since then M. Benedetti had not resumed the subject with Count Bismarck. In conclusion, M. Bene detti says—" The object of Count Bismarck in publishing this document has been to mislead public opinion, and to anticipate indiscretions which we on our side might have committed." of the French troops has been well received at the Vatican. France has received personal assur ances from King Victor Emmanuel, that Rome should be respected, and the September Convention scrupulously observed. If, however, contrary to expecta tion Garibaldian bands should be formed, they would be immediately dissolved by the regular troops. Three companies of a battalion of Chassenrs arrived o Saturday at Marseilles from Rome. The remainder I( the troops are expected in successive detachments. In the Italian Chamber of Deputies yesterday, Signor Visconti- Venosta stated that the French Government had officially notified the Cabinet of Florence that France was disposed to revert to the September Convention by withdrawing her troops from Rome. The Italian Govern ment had taken note of this determination, declaring at the same time that Italy, having never, as far as she was concerned, given notice of withdrawal from the Conven tion, would continue thoroughly to execute its provisions, reckoning upon a reciprocal scrupulousness on the part of France in observing her own engagements. ABROGATION OF THE AUSTRIAN CONCORDAT. The Vienna Official Journal has the following note : In consequence of the definition of the dogma of In fallib'ity the Government has resolved no longer to main tain the Concordat vt ith Rome, which will therefore cease to be valid. The Chancellor of the Empire has con sequently taken steps to notify the Roman Curia of the formal abrogation of the Concordat, and the Emperor by an autograph letter, has instructed the Minister of Pub lic Worship to draw up the necessary bills to be sub mitted to the Reichsrath for That purpose." THE DAN ÜBIAN PRINCIPALITIES. The Bucharest newspapers mention a xumour of an in tended occupation of the Danubian Principalities by Russia, and advocate the armament of the troops and an energetic attitude on the part of the Government. AUSTRIAN DIFFICULTIES. An Austrian Imperial decree has been published this morning, ordering the dissolution of the Bohemian Diet, and immediate new elections. The Prime Minister gives as the motive for the dissolution of the present Bohemian Diet, the expediency, of throwing open to the entire popu lation of Bohemia an opportunity of bringingabout a com plete representation of the different provinces in the Reich3rath. "This," the 'Minister concludes, " would be followed by a definitive removal of our internal dif- erences.: expressing the love and respect of the Conference scut by the venerable Dr. Dixon in his extreme age and blindness. Discussion on the case of Mr. Hughes was resumed at eleven, and was concluded at two o'clock. The 'report to be published on Monday. The Rev. John D. Gedenis to be on the commission for the Revision of the 01(1 Testament. Mr. Geden is one of the most accomplished linguists the kingdom. At midnight on Saturday a party of miners and iron workers at Motherwell, near Hamilton, Lanarkshire, having quarrelled, a free fight ensued, lasting two hours. One of the miners, named Groggan, was so much injured that he died this morning. FEARFUL COLLIERY ACCIDENT AT I'EN GAM. On Friday morning, six men were employed in drivin two branch headings at the New Pit, near Pengam Three men were in each heading, both of whicl reached towards the old working;, which had been closed for forty-two years, but of the close proximity of which the men appear to have been ignorant. A shot was fired in one heading, and the men retired for the explosion, after which one of the three men thought he heard a trickling of water. They advanced to see, when the whole burst upon them in an overwhelming flood. Two of the men hastened away, giving the alarm. There were about 100 men dowh at the time. The third man, Thomas Prosser, must have been struck by something, or becoming confused and terrified, have stumbled and fallen, for he was drowned, his body not being re covered until four p.m. :here are three shafts and a ladder pit, so that the men were quickiy out of the way of the water which came rushing in upon them. Two men, however, VI. Morgan and David Davies, turned back in search of their sons, Richard Morgan and John Davies, and all four were cut off by the accumulating water. It was at first feared that the five men were lost, but by dint of pumping, syphon pipes, and water trams, the water was speedily got under, and a fall of almost 2i inches obtained per hour, so that at 3.30 some brave fellows penetrated up the working and found the body of one man, Thomas Prosser, who leaves a widow and six children totally unprovided for. At this time, too, not finding any more bodies, the searchers shouted, and thought their calls were responded to ; this filled all with hope. At 5.30 p.m. some more men ventured down, and returned with the as surance that their shouts were answered, and that the poor fellows had retreated to the higher workings and were safe. At 6 p.m. others who had gone down reported that they saw a light, shewing that the sufferers had air, and that all cause for fear of death from suffocation was at an end. At 6.30 a band of four brave fellows went down, determined to wade through and to remain until they had found their fellow workmen. We may add that this new pit, which has a depth of 90 yards, has been in full working for 20 years, and has had but one accident in all that time—that was a boy killed by a fall. The pit is owned by the Nessrs. Protheroe, of Newport. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. CITY BETTING—SATURDAY. ST. LEG-ER. 9to 4 agst Kingcraft (offered) 7to 1 agst Macgregor (offered) 7to 1 agst Palmerston (offered) 1000 to 70 agst Kim?. o' Scots (taken) 20 to 1 agst Captivator (offered) 500 to 20 agst Astolfo (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Valois (offered) PLACE BETTING. 7to 1 agst Astolfo (taken) • CESAREWITCII. 1000 to 10 agst Sweet Sound (taken) CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 1000 to 10 agst Sweet Sound (taken) THAMES REGATTA. This great national meeting for watermen that some twenty years ago used to be anticipated with as much eagerness by the river-side frequenters as the Derby is by the turfmen, is likely to bring a good show of provincial crews. The Tyne will send two, the Wear one, and the Clyde is again to have a wonderful four that can row 48 strokes a minute for 15 minutes. It must be. a matter of regret to Londoners to hear, how ever, that the Thames ill probably be beaten again by strangers, as the feuds amongst the watermen and the apathy that amateurs show in supporting professional rowing' is as strong as ever. When we consider that Royalty has a goodly batch of watermen of its own,and that something like 2,000 free dom men are working on the Thames, it seems the more remarkable that such a national undertaking like this regatta should be left to be carried out by a few Univer sity men and half-a• dozen zealous London oarsmen. CRYSTAL PALACE.—Five Shilling Day.—Admis mission by season tickets, 5,252; ditto on payment, 1,437; total visitors, 6,689. DEATH OF Mg,. GEORGE HODDER.—We regret to announce the death of Mr. George Hodder from the injuries he received about two months ago by a carriage accident in Richmond Park. The deceased received severe injuries, and the base of the skull was f rac t ure d . Duringthe long interval which has elapsed since the acci dent he has scarcely ever exhibited mental consciousness, and in spite of the excellent nursing and admirable sur gical treatment he received at the Richmond Infirmary, he gradually sank, and died yesterday afternoon. Mr. Hodder was a well-known journalist, and at the time of the accident was engaged on the Morning Post. THE CHARGE OF SHOOTING A FATHER.—At Shrewsbury Assizes, on Saturday, Charles Wilson, aged 19, was charged with attempting to murder hi s f a th er, Dr. Wilson, at Wem, in Shropshire. Th e doctor., it may be remembered, was asleep on a sofa in his dining -room when he was awakened by two shots from a revolver, both of which took effect, but not fatally. The defenc e was, that the prisoner had always been an a ff ec ti onate son and could have had no motive for such a crime, and that there - was nothing to prevent a stranger fro m en t er i ng t h e house and firing the shots. The jury took this view of the case and acquitted the youth. , ALFRED DE MUSSET S " RHIN ALLEMAND."— The song of the " Rhin Allemand "—a very different im promptu, due to De Musset, who wrote it in answe r t o Becker's proud " Sie sollen ihn nicht haben, d en f re i en deutschen Rhein"—is also to the point now . I t was at Madame Girardin's that this was inspired. A great number of illustrious guests were gathered that evening around the celebrated hostess, and all were praising the peaceful and noble lines in which Lamartine had already answered the German poet. But Madame de Gifardin got a little impatient at the praise, and said that shf would have a more defiant answer, and gav e th e k ey no t e " N ous l'avons en votre Rhin Allemand." Alfred de Musset seized the challenge, and was forthwith exiled into the garden with a cigar, which was not yet sm o k e d o u t whe n he was in the salon again, reading out his bold and bril liant verses.— Parts Correspondent of the Queen. The Emperor of Russia is to go to the Caucasus on the 11th of August. The Earl of Glasgow has contributed £25 to the fund for rearing the monument to Robert Bruce, designed by Mr. George Cruikshank. The Turkish iron-clad corvette, Fethi Bulend, 4 guns, arrived in Plymouth Sound, on Friday morning, after a fine run down Channel from London. She will sail to-day for Constantinople. The Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir H. Codrington, K.C.8., paid her a visit of inspection on Friday. The Queen has given commands to have forwarded to Windsor Castle for her Majesty's inspection the pic ture of " Christian Martyrs in the Reign of Diocletian," and other works by M. Dora, one o f w hi c h, " The Psal terion," has been purchased by her Majesty for the Royal collection. The South London Press mentions a most revolting it►ustration of what may result from gross ignorance. A woman brought to a surgery the other day a child in a nearly dying state, and the doctor elicited from her that she had been administering spiders to it as a cure for whooping-cough. At the Maidstone assizes, on Thursday, a builder named Foreman and his wife obtained a verdict for £l,lOO damages against the mayor and corporation of Canter bury. The defendants had left a heap of stones in the roadway, and the plaintiff and wife drove against it in the dark, the vehicle w as upse t , an d t h ey susta i ne d ser i ous injuries. The Sporting Gazette announces the death of the Rev. Charles Clarke, of Esher, better known under his nom de plume of " The Gentleman in Black." Mr. Clarke was the author of many clever and amusing works, notably " Charlie Thornhill," " A Box for the Season," " The Flying Scud,"&c., and was a regular contributor to Bally and other periodials. A Birmingham correspondent telegraphs :—Two leading firms in Birmingham are reported to have just received extensive inquiries from Government for military arms to be supplied in a very short time. An unusual activity has sprung up, and the number of hands em ployed in the military trade is being increased as fast as men can be got. The Goodwood Meeting, says Bell's Life, has in fluenced future events in a very small degree only, and the St. Leger betting is not likely to be disturbed at all by the result of any races save those in which Tabernacle and Sunlight played so conspicuous a part. The running of the first-named colt in the Stewards' Cup proved that we were fully justified in selecting him to win that race, and if the horse can stay he may be four .d a very ugly opponent by the present St. Leger favourites. The Rev. John Farrar, who has been elected president of the Wesleyan Conference in succession to the Rev. F. J. Jobson, has for many years held high rank in the connection, and has filled most of its leading offices. He was called to the Wesleyan ministry forty-eight years ago, and during twenty years of that time was engaged in the instruction of candidates for ministerial work. He has gone almost every circuit for which the Wesleyan body provides, and is held in high esteem as a preacher. THE EMPEROR AT METZ. The Emperor assumed on Friday the chief command of the army. His Majesty held a conference with the major generals, and visited the camp of the Second Corps. The Prince Imperial visited the camp, and was loudly cheered. The sanitary condition of the army is said to be excellent. The Emperor and Prince Imperial attended mass yester day. Some Prussian deserters have been sent to Tours. The Emperor was enthusiastically received by the troops at Metz. Various accounts state that his Majesty appeared in good health. The newspapers almost unanimously approved the tone of the Emperor's proclamation to the army. The Journal des Ddbats describes it as moderate and firm ; the France as simple, firm, and manly. The Pays in terprets the phrase " the war will be long and painful " as signifying that France is resolved not to stop half way, and not to risk a premature peace, but to continue the war until the attainment of the great results which are expected. A French official account states that on Saturday, at 1 p.m., the march forward had not yet commenced, and that all reports to the contrary were false. The bulletin of the Official Journal says that French subjects have been expelled from Baden, after having been treated with great indignity. AFFAIRS AT METZ. The following are the chief items of official news from Metz, supplied by the Minister of the Interior on Satur day : " A reconnaissance of the enemy's troops penetrated into the village of Petite Roselle, near Forbach, but quickly disappeared on the approach of our soldiers. " Great movement is reported from the garrison of Ant werp. The forts are being actively put in order. " Twelve o'clock.— The Baden prisoners, MM. le Baron de Wehner ( ? von Wechmer) and de Villiers (? Villiez) have been sent to Orleans, where they will be kept in custody. "The officer killed in the skirmish at Niederbronn was born in Germany ; his father was English, and his mother German. He served in the Baden army. His name is Vinsloe (? Winslow). " At one moment we thought that the Prussians, who had gathered together a great number of boats in front of Bernheim, intended to pass the Rhine. We were ready to receive them, but the project appears to have been abandoned. " There his been no engagement in front since the day before yesterday. "A great fire is reported in the forest of Merten, situated on our frontier near Boubay. "During a storm on the 26th, the lightning fell on the head-quarters of the Lorencez Division, and wounded three officers—Captains Acaries, Duquesnoy, and Beillet. " The enemy does not appear to be in force on any point. " We have had a heavy fall of rain." THE CHA.SSEPOT AND THE NEEDLE GUN. A French official account says that there was a skirmish on the 26th between the French and Prussian advanced posts. When about 800 metres apart, the Prussians com menced firing, but their balls fell 100 metres short of the French ranks. The French officer then ordered his men to fire a first volley, which missed, but at the second, some Prussians fell, and the detachment then re treated. PROLAMATION OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA. The King has issued the following proclamation : " To my People,—On my departure to-day for the army, to fight with it for Germany's honour and the preservation of our most precious posses sions, I wish to grant an amnesty for all political crimes and offences, in recognition of the unanimous uprising of my people at this crisis. I have instructed the Minister of State to submit a decree to me to this effect. My people know, with me, that the rupture of the peace and the provocation to war truly did not emanate from our side. But, being challenged, we are resolved, like our forefathers, placing full trust in God, to accept the battle for the defence of the Fatherland. " WILLIAM." DEPARTURE OF KING WILLIAM FOR THE WAR. The King left Berlin on Saturday evening with his suite. The Queen took leave of his Majesty in the waiting-room of the railway station. The staircase at the station was decorated with flowers, and an immense num ber of people assembled, cheering the iCing with great en thusiasm. ENGLAND AND PRUSSIA. The New Prussian Cross Gazette of this evening con tains the following :—" Lord Loftus has left for Potsdam apparently to keep out of the way of any painful discus sions with regard to the neutrality so strangely practised by England." The offer made by several distinguished English ladies to collect and send to Prussia lint, &c., for the wounded has been thankfully accepted. PRINCE NAPOLEON. It is confirmed that Prince Napoleon has been appointed commander-in-chief of the land forces which are to operate in the Baltic. Admiral Bouet has specially stipulated that the Prince shall in no way interfere with the fleet. BELGIAN PREPARATIONS. There are 100,000 men now under arms in Belgium to guard the neutrality of that country. Of these, 60,000 are ready for field operations, while 40,000 garrison Ant werp and the Quadrilateral. The statement lately pub lished by a Paris paper that the fortifications of Antwerp were falling to pieces, owing to the nature of the ground on which they were constructed, is quite unfounded. AUSTRIA. A telegram dated Vienna, July 30, says a ministerial decree has been published this morning, laying down the rules to be observed, in accordance with the Paris Mari time Convention of 1856, by Austro-Hungarian vessels in reference to the belligerent Powers in the present war. CORRESPONDENTS WITH THE FRENCH ARMY. At an interview between M. 011ivier and the represen tatives of the principal Paris papers, the Minister said the whole question rested with the Emperor and the marshals, who, hitherto, were not disposed to acted() to the admission of correspondents. The repre sentations of the journalists would, nevertheless, be transmitted to the proper quarter. M. 011ivier announced at the same time that the prosecu tion which had been commenced against the National had since been abandoned, nor did the Government intend to proscribe the narration of accomplished facts: The Minis ter said he would pronounce no personal opinion, but his manner justified the inference, that he will support the request of the journalists for permission to accompany the army. RUSSIA AND THE WAR. The Journal de St. Petersbonrg contradicts the statement of the Wanderer of Vienna that the export of raw produce from Russia had been prohibited, and that the men on furlough had been recalled to the ranks of the army. The Journal de St. Petersbonrg adds that, if the export of gain to Germany has ceased, it is on account of the blockade of German ports. WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM ROME. Respecting the Roman question, M. 011ivier says the evacuation will only take place on condition of the re-es tablishment of the September Convention. The Debats urges that the evacuation should be uncon ditional, and says :—" In presence of the terms of the Emperor's proclamation to the army France cannot be at Rome the instrument of despotism and reaction. To speak, however, of dangers which the French flag might incur from the evacuation of Roman territory is puerile. France is mistress of the French lake. The evacua tion of Rome is demanded by reasons of justice and principle." The Patrie of Saturday announces that the recall THE FENIAN RAIDERS. In the United States' Court at Windsor, Vermont, on Saturday, sentence was pronounced upon the Fenians. General O'Neil was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and to pay a fine of $lO ; Colonel John T. Brown to nine months' imprisonment and a fine of $5 ; Captain J. J. Monahan to six months' imprisonment and a fine of £l. All had pleaded guilty. WEST AFRICA. The West African Mail steamer Athenian has arrived at Liverpool with 36 passengers, 210 oz. of gold dust, and £292 in speeie. The health of the different rivers was good, and trade steady, with the exception of Benin and Bonny.' The King of Combo has entered a formal protest against the transfer of the Gambia to the French, urging that the land does not belong to the English Government, but to himself, and that it was , only rented to the English Government by his ancestors. The natives of Bathurst are also against the cession. There had been a battle at Doffoe, on the eastern districts between the Ashantees and the Accra tribes, in which the latter were victorious. There was great slaughter on both sides, no quarter being asked or given. By this victory the river Volta has now become open for European traffic. Considerable surprise is expressed in Munich at M. Hory, the Chancellor of the French Legation, remaining in Munich, and at the British Legation taking him under their protection on the pretext of his having entered their service. The race for the Queen's Cup, which was won by America in 1851, will be sailed on the Bth of August. The distance is from Staten Island to the Lightship and back. The Cambria and the Dauntless are among the competitors. The prisoners Elmstone and Whitewell, the brokers, Harnott, the captain, and Marks, the carpenter of the Aurora, were brought np on Saturday at Bombay for sen tence. The judge having decided that the court has full juris diction in the matter, sentenced Elmstone and Whitewell to penal servitude for life, Harnot to 15 years. and Maeks to 10 years' penal servitude. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) THE WAR. The steamer Lincoln, which arrived at Grimsby on Saturday night from Hamburg, reports that that city resembles a vast barrack, so full is it of soldiers, luggage, and commissariat belongings. The soldiers are constructing a pontoon bridge over the Elbe to Hanover, near Goose Island. Fifteen ships, laded with stone, are moored across the Channel with orders from the Prussian Govern ment to scuttle them should the French fleet threaten to enter the Elbe. RAILWAY ACCIDENT. A somewhat singular railway accident occurred at Syston Junction, about five miles north of Leicester, on Saturday night. A goods and waggon train had arrived from Derby to Leicester, and was waiting on the main up line to shunt to fetch out more waggons, when a long empty waggon train from Rugby to Potton, near Trent, came up at a rapid rate on the main down line, not -having to stop at Syston. The pointsman getting confused instead of pulling the levers to shunt the Derby train into a siding, pulled the adjoining one, opened the points, and allowed the empty waggon train to cross on to the Peterborough branch. The points were reversed, but not till it was too late. This threw several waggons off the line, and the forepart went clean through the middle of the Derby train and proceeded some distance down the Peterboro' branch, where two waggons and a break were standing, the latter of which it smashed to atoms, and when the engine came to a standstill about thirty waggons were knocked off the line; several of them were broken to splinters, and fourteen were less seriously damaged. The engine -driver and stoker remained at their posts and were only severely shaken. It was two o'clock in the morning before the line was cleared and the permanent way re paired. No very serious delay, however, was caused to the passenger traffic. The pointsman who caused the accident has been dismissed. He had been with the company several years, and was considered to be steady and trustworthy. DETENTION OF A HULL STEAMER The Hull steamer Artemis, which was reported to be detained at Memel, is now stated to have sailed for Dundee with flax. The cause of her detention is unknown to her owners. THE OONSERVATIVE WORKING MEN OF LIVERPOOL. The members of the Liverpool Working Men's Con servative Association, of which the Earl of Derby is the President, held their annual festival on Saturday in the grounds of Knowsley, which had been placed at the dis posal of the committee by his lordship. About 1,500 per sons were present. THE STEAMER SEIZED AT PLYMOUTH. Instructions have been received at Plymouth to releaso the Fethi Bulend, 4 guns Turkish armour-plated ship, which arrived at that port on Friday, under the command of Lieutenant Comyn, Royal Naval' Resene, and was seized by virtue of an injunction granted by Vice-Chan cellor Malins. THE LOSS OF THE CHILIAN. The Board of Trade inquiry held at Liverpool into the loss of the steamship Chilian, stranded at the entrance to the Mersey, closed en Saturday. The captain (Gell) was exonerated, but the pilot was held responsible for the loss in taking the vessel out through that particular channel in the existing state of the tide which had been ebbing four hours. STRANDING OF A SHIP ON THE VOGEL SANDS. The crew of the brig Veracity have just arrived at Shields. They report that, on the 21st inst., the vessel was entering the Elbe, coal laden, in daylight and fair weather, when she missed the Channel, owing to the buoys and light ships being removed by the Prussians ; and struck on the Little Vogel Sands, causing her such injury that the crew took the boat, and landed safely at Cuxhaven. The British Consul at Hamburgh sent them home. The master has stayed behind in the hope of saving the vessel. WESLEYAN CONFERENCE. The Conference resumed its sittings on Saturday. The chief subject of consideration was the character of the letter ; 1870. THE AmusTErts Air FILE MA NSION 11OUSE. On Saturday evening the Lord Mayon gave a banquet at the Mansion House to her 111 ajesty's Ministers and a party of 230 guests. Mr. Cardwell returned thanks for " The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," with some remarks as to the deadly nature of the strife in which the hosts now opposed were about to engage. He declared his belief that the army, navy, and reserve forces, in number and efficiency, one and all, may at the present moment challenge a comparison with any former times. Mr: GLADsToNE replied to " The Health of Her Ma jesty's Ministers." He commenced by a reference to the work of the session, and expressed his satisfaction at the safe passing of the Land Bill, and at the prospect that in a few days the Education Bill would receive the sanction of the Queen. The Premier then in mournful terms alluded to the war :—I do not desire to step, and I hope I do not step, beyond the province that be longs to the Minsters of the Crown of England. I do not pronounce or seek to pronounce any judgment, or to anticipate in the slightest degree the verdict of history and posterity upon the rights and wrongs of the great quarrel which we now see coming to an issue ; but in the name of wounded humanity, in the name of grieving civilization, in the name of our religion, afflicted with what it witnesses, I do record that nothing more deplerable, nothing more dismal has marked, perhaps, the history of mankind, and certainly the history of mankind in our time than this, splendid indeed it may be, but awful spectacle, in which nations of the highest civilisation, with institu tions the most perfectly developed, with celebrity estab lished in every department of history, with the first position in the civilised world to which it is possible for any nation to attain, are pushing on their troops by hundreds of thousands, and rlmost by millions, for deadly conflict, for causes which it is very difficult to appreciate. (Loud, cheers.) It is quite impossible, my Lord Mayor, to resist the impulse which drives one to the expression of the sentiments of grief and regret which lacerate the mind and heart of every intelligent man when he beholds such a spectacle as this ; but we must also recollect that our interest is not alone that of spectators. (Cheers.) The ideas that necessarily occur to the mind of an English Minister when unhappily he arrives at one of these dread ful crises of European affairs, are these—security and neu trality. (Cheers.) It is his business—it is the business of a British Ministry, whatever be its political colour, at all times, but especially at such times as these, to inspect its establishments as they are, and, if anything be wanting, then by judicious measures to propose and provide that this country shall, humanly e, be made secure from conting enc i es w hi c h may arise. And I think there never was a period at which, whether we look at the con dition of the great establishments of the army and navy of the country, with the auxiliary forces, or whether we look at the united temper and feeling of the country, there never was a period at which a task of this kind, painful as in some respects it must be, on account of the circumstances out of which it has arisen, could yet be met by a Government with a greater security, or with agreater conviction that, whatever might arise, this great nation would be found equal to its duties. But, my Lord Mayor, what are those duties ? Those duties, setting aside anticipations of events that have not arisen, and that I trust may not arise, are to maintain a just, absolute, impartial, and dignified neutrality. (Cheers.) And why is it that we are to maintain that neutrality ? It is not on account of our want of sympathy with our fel low-creatures who are suffering in this awful struggle ; it is not on account of and principle of selfish isolation ; it is not because we think it possible for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to isolate itself, and to sever itself from the concerns and interests of civilised Europe. It is on other grounds—it is because the very first duty that commends itself to the minds of rational and prudent men is that the evils and mischiefs and miseries that be long to this war should be circumscribed within the nar rowest circle ; it is because the suppression of partial judgmenrs, leaning to the one side or the other, is the best method for other nations not engaged to adopt' to prevent the extension of the circle of these miseries and afflic tions; it is because we hope that opportunities will arise amidst the vicissitudes of conflict at which the friendly voice of those who have done nothing to for feit the confidence of either side, may be heard for the purpose of being ministers of good and may do something in favour of suffering mankind. And yet, my Lord Mayor, let it not not be supposed that the maintenance cf neutra lity :5, for this country at least, an easy duty. (Cheers.) On the contrary, it is anxious, and it is arduous, to a de gree perhaps only second to the conducting of war itself. Were we a people dependent only upon ourselves, and a people having none dependent upon us ; were we a people whose territories were surrounded by a wall of brass; all of whose wants and all of whose desires were satisfiied from wsthin the circuit of our own dominion, the case would be diffesent ; but, on the contrary, there is scarcely a square yard of the surface of Europe with which Eng land has not relations—relations of commerce and of inte rest, involving us at every point in transactions that, in the interests of both these Powers, place us in contact with them under circumstances the most trying to patience and to goodwill, both on the one side and on the other. Let us only endeavour to nourish that calm and practical spirit, that love of impartial justice, that sentiment of ex pansive charity towards our fellow -creatures and fellow- Christians on whom this deadly scourge has come. If we hear - the words of anger, let us meet them with the spirit of patience—let us rest confidently on our desire to act rightly by the one and by the other; and be assured that, even if a moment's misunderstanding should prevail, that misapprehension will be for a moment only, and when it has passed away the rectitude of our intentions will be acknowledged, and full confidence in our conduct will be felt. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, perhaps it is too bold to speculate upon the time within which it may happen that the good offices of neutrals may be made useful in this deadly controversy. We have seen that the deadliness of wars has been intensified in a degree almost beyond conception by modern science; we have seen, also, that their duration has been considerably abridged. But we must not be too saugnine. We must not presume too much upon a partial experieece in antici pating the time when, as we fondly hope, this conflict may be brought to an end ; but it is our duty, at any rate, to take care that, be it long or be it short, we may havedone nothing, when the time of reconciliation comes, to forfeit the friendship and the good opinion of any of those who are engaged in this conflict. (Cheers.) It is some comfort to find that there is a recognition of a common interest among civilised and Christian nations. The people of England believe that the strength and wealth of other countries are their strength and wealth also, and that it is a sad and lamentable thing for them, when other countries are wasting their resources, not of wealth only, but of precious human lives, in these deadly conflicts. And, my Lord Mayor, I venture to hope this, that there is an opinion of the civilised world, not of this or that country of it in particular, but of the civilised world it large..., which is gradually moulding and forming itself, and coming from year to year to speak with more authority upon the con duct of each particular country, and to exercise'a greater and greater power of control over that conduct. We may even perhaps notice that in the first heat and agony of the controversy that plunged France and Prussia into the present conflict, each of these Powers at every moment shewed an intense anxiety to find the opinion of Europe upon its side. (Hear, hear.) Rely upon it that as the struggle proceeds that anxiety on the side of each Powor will become deeper and deeper, and the legitimate moral authority of that judgment which may be passed by detached and impartial countries will have more and more influence for good. Let us endeavour, my Lord Mayor, so to comport ourselves in our diffi cult 'circumstances as to restrain the expression of hasty opinion, and to prove the reality of our sympathy with both these sufferers on a giant scale, so that we may be able to contribute somewhat to the weight of that voice of civilised mankind which, as we hope, may exercise a great; and possibly even a commanding influ ence, first in narrowing and restraining the sphere through which human misery is to be spread ; and, secondly, in bringing to a close the operations of the calamitous energies which are given to the conflict of war. I can assure yDu that, in the generous appreciation which you have made of the views and intentions of her Majesty's Government, you have not gone beyond the truth. They are men who will not forget the honour of their country in attempting to discharge their duties, but they will recognise, and they do recognise, as the dominant sentiment of their mind at this painful crisis, first, the deepest grief at the calamities which they see are about to desolate one of the fairest portions of the world, and, secondly, the earnest hope that it may be be reserved for friendly intervention, or for such other means as it shall please Providence to select, to find an opportunity of putting an end to scenes which, whatever the justification that one party or the other may think they find in the incidents of the case, must, nevertheless, in the judgment of history, and in the judgment of posterity,. be regarded as amongst the most mournful and most miserable that ever presented them selves to the view of mankind. The Lord Chancellor responded for the House of Lords, and Mr. Bruce did the same for the House of Commons. Mr. Lowe gave " The Ladies," regretting that the Mar quis of Hartington, who had the rare distinction of being the only bachelor in the Cabinet, had not been permitted to do justice to the subject. The Admiralty, it is said, contemplate proceeding against the late dockyard clerk who obtained £2,300 from the Admiralty as commutation in lieu of pension, although no pension had been awarded him. He was discharged from Devonport Dockyard, as he alleges, illegally, for a breach of rules in communicating facts relating to the service to newspapers and others. The Admiralty yes terday telegraphed to Devonport that all witnesses who could testify to the facts were to proceed to London imme diately. The trial of Sir Henry Edwards, Dart., of Pye Nest, near Halifax, is at length fixed to take place at York Castle, on Friday next, at the summer assizes. The charges against the honourable baronet at the instance of the Crown are, having through his agent bribed some half-dozen individuals, in sums varying from 15s. 6d. to 235., at the Beverley muni cipal election of 1868, with a view to influence the parlia mentary elections. Within the last few weeks the govern ment officials have sobpcenaed additional witnesses to those on their list for the spring assizes, to give evidence againo the hon. baronet, and the special jury has already been summoned for the 4th proximo. i) UNA , ' 11. LE and Co., Belfast, are the largest holders of whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is r ommended "y the medical profession in preference to French brand . Sup . Lied in casks and cases for home use or exportation. Quotations on application to Messrs DUNVILLE & Co. Royal Irish Dis tilleries, Belfast ; or at thei London Offices. 4. Beaufort Buildingq Strand. W.C. OUR COTEME'OR.ARIES---This Morning. PLAN OF TILE CA!UPAIGI It becomes daily more probable, in the opinion of the. Times, that the French plan of campai_pi consisted of an attack on the Prussian frontier of the Saar. and on the Bavarian Palatinate froni Forbad', Sarreguemines, and Bitche, against the Prussian lines at Saaibrock, Zwci brueken, and Pinnasens, with a view to force their way.: to Neucnkirchen, and hence along the two railway lines which branch out In m that junction, the one through St. Wendel and Birkenfeld to Kreutznach and Bingen, the other by Homburg, Kaiserlautern, and Neustadt to the Rhine at Spires, at Worms, or'ijt Lud wigshafen, opposite to Mannheim. Such was supposed to be the plan of attack of the French; such it is still be lieved 1,0 be ; and it was thought with some reason that the Prussians, aware of the advantages the French had - at these points, owing to the proximity of their base of operations at Mctz and Strasburg, did not intend to offer any serious resistance to- flair enemies' advance. The supposition is so far borne out that they have certainly fallen back from Treves, the old city of the Three Kings, which is the only point on the frontier without railway communication with the Rhine. But the Prussians, though their main force is concentrated, on the Rhine, . are still holding their ground all along their more advanced line on the Saar, and have even overstepped their boundaries in various encounters. Were the French firmly bent on following the line of attack we have described, and had the Irussians made up their minds to fall back before them to their second line on the Rhine at Mayence and Coblentz, it would by no means follow that the invaders wouid have a very easy march. The districts between the Moselle and the Rhine, whatever charms they may have for the tourist, ss presenting spots of unsurpassed beauty, are by no means favourable to military operationson so large a scale as the vastness of modern armies necessitates. Forest-clad bluffs, deep ravines, bare plateaux, and scarped rocks crowned with castles and hamlets diversify the landscape at every step, while the lower hills and valleys, all laid out in well-enclosed vineyards and gardens, allow hardly any opening to an invading army except by the main roads. BISMARCK AND BENEDETTI. The Post considers that MM. Bismarck and Benedetti must have prayed hard against each other. "Not to be led into temptation " was the petition of the German, while the Frenchman earnestly sought "to be delivered from evil." Both echo now the final wish of the religious American in presence of the "grisly bear" —" If you won't help neither of us, " stand aside, for there's goin' to be a tarnation fight." The secrets of 1866, which are now so piously revealed as justifying the intense scruples of either side, were no secpt in 1866, and to the Corps Diplomatique,,at that time resident in Berlin it was well known that poinparlem had taken place between the Prussian Minister and the French Envoy, in which the latter sought compensation for German aggrandisement, while the former offered every other territory except his own as' satisfaction for the Frenchman's claim. Count Bismarck avers that he " held it useful, in the interests of peace, to permit the French statesman to hold these illusions pecu liar to theta ;" and M. Benedetti avers that hi order to arrive at a comprehension of the Prussian Premier's designs he set to work to draft, "so to say, at his dictation," the now famous Projet de Traiti?. Bismarck seized it "to show to the King." Bene dtti reported it to the Emperor. Napoleon rejected it, and King William refused to entertain it. Of the two diplomatists, M. Benedetti comes off worst. He placed himself in a thoroughly false position, and must take the consequences. M. 011ivier describes the project as odious. A less gushing statesman might despise it as imprac ticable. THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE WAR. According to the Standard, the fault of Mr. Gladstone's speech at the Mansion House is that, while professing to declare the sense of the Government upon the European situation, it ignores the main point upon which the public opinion of the country expects a firm, dis tinct, and emphatic deliverance. We have long since passed that stage in the discussion when it is necessary to dilate, as Mr. Gladstone does, upon the horrors of war. The die is cast. England has done her utmost for peace, and has done it unavailingly. Hence forth we have to look to ourselves and to the interests which may be imperilled by the course of the war. On the one hand, we cannot ignore the possibility that we may be forced into the conflict should Belgium be invaded by either of the belligerents. On the other hand, the angry complaints of Prussia because we refuse to strain our neutrality laws in her favour and against France, warn us that the very strictness of our good faith towards both parties may bring us into collision with one of them. Thus neutrality itself is surrounded with perils, and the first thought of Englishmen at such a time as this is, that, having de cided upon the course which we believe to be the right one and fair to both parties, the national forces shall be strong enough to vindicate it against any who may challenge it. Mr. Gladstone must know perfectly well that the mind of the country is made up on both these points, and it would have been well if he had seized an occasion such as that of Saturday to chew that he clearly comprehends it and is fully prepared to express and maintain it in the policy of his Government. The Telegraph thinks nothing could have been more appropriate or in better taste than Mr. Gladstone's speech on .Saturday at the Ma ns i on H ouse. M r. Gladstone thinks, in common with nine out of every ten un biassed men in the kingdom, that, if no other nations save France and Prussia take part in this war, a few desperate battles may ‘ ,4lispose both Powers to peac e ; b u t th a t expressions of sympathy on one side or the other may have the same results as mate rial support, and may tend to prolong the struggle. This feeling is totally different from the selfish pleasure which would rejoice in the spectacle of two warlike nations tearing each other to pieces in order that weaker countries may breathe in safety when the pro cess of exhaustion has set in. The present war is a duel between two gladiators to settle the question of supremacy in alms. If left to them selves, some mode of settlement may be reached; if other nations "take sides, the original question will be so so obscured by superadded elements that, when the duel is over, the original problem will remain unsolved. Painful as the reflection is, the difficulty must be fairly recog nised ; there will be no enduring peace until each com batant has so tested the military qualities of the other as to desire nothing so much as the speedy and honourable termination of the ordeal of blood. When that day comes, mediation will be all the easier in proportion to the number and weight of the mediators. England, need not throw her sword into either scale ; she has only, in concert with neutral Europe, to declare that the moral weight of her opinion will he against that Power which, beaten or victorious, may desire to plot a sanguinary re venge or to abuse a dearly-earned triumph. England, said the Lord Chancellor on Saturday, is a high-spirited nation, and, he added, we do not need the trumpet's strain to stir us up to warfare. The Times be lieves this to be profoundlytrue, but the anxiety which the Lord Chancellor confessed in consequence of the reflection . may be dismissed. Englishmen do not desire to engag e in any way in this war ; they simply wish for an assur ance that those who guide the destinies of the kingdom will be ready, if the melancholy necessity be forced upon them, to meet their duties. The words of Mr. Gladstone shew that lie does not shrink from contemplating the worst possible event, and the Lord Chancellor himself confirmed the impression Mr. Gladstone created. " Having regard," he said, "to the principles that ought to guide nations as well as individuals neutrality. may become impossible ; but I believe that period will not arrive." The Times also believes as much, but must be prepared for the alternative, and as the Ministry declare they are ready to meet it, England will be satisfied, and the feeling that disquieted the Lord Chancellor will cease to be dangerous. The Daily News avers that the light-heartedness with which the ostensible Prime Minister of France enters on the war is not shared by the English Pre mier, who merely contemplates it. Mr. Gladstone, though, of course it is not for him to say so in plain words, evidently stands aghast, as all thoughtful an d Christian men do, at the appalling display of h uman wickedness and folly which this gratuitous war reveals. Europe is to be turned to a vast slaughter house on pre texts more frivolous than were ever avowed before. Two great nations which, so far as the Continent is concerned, are the chief factors of European civilisation, instead of co-operating in the arts of peace and the benefit of man kind, are rushing madly, as if under some de moniac influence, to rend and destroy each other. The doom which await those whose feet arc swift to shed blood will one day or other work itself out. It is matter of satisfaction that at a time like this England has at the head of affairs one who is not only well qualified to direct the action of the nation, but also to inform its judgment, and to give the true colour to its sentiment. Mr. Gladstone spoke within a limit of time which lie might have widely extended, and will* indeed, lie himself subsequently en larged, when he declared that we now find ourselves con fronting the saddest and most melancholy event that this century has presented. VISCOUNT AIIDLEToN.—The many friends of this highly respected nobleman will regret to hear that he is dangerously ill at his residence at Peperharrow. The members of the noble and rev. viscount's family are in daily attendance on him, his position being one that causes much anxiety. 04' .