The Sun. — London, England, 1870-08-23 00:00:00

Morning we been more interests of the head 01 or at least ; it now ? Is 1 cause the vledge might 1r to recognise re glad to see Ist this policy " The time foi ut up, and the threaten Yen lected for the le to do this, we to operate ;taken. Stras hat starvation ig points to the iris, and those ;act add that ;t if this is not tism is strong ill its limits. xciting afresh ust ask those it a besieging consequences y alternative ing this grave herself strong the has estab and alone of n her might gin al declara )le campaign be necessary ;ad Strasburg neighbouring >uld, in some , if satisfied ; the future mediate ex ve believe, strength from than from then be, not lilt one which conservative She would The mag unenriched d far more map to the might arise )reach hatred n, by a proof o enemies in her. We do om a morality ,unsels of the h has waged must approve on of France of Germany. the cry, " h ly the defiant ) the German did ar my, and twice-elected It was a lest; a war vindication Prussia had involved re have ! but Bhe therefore )13 the "Fête the keeping n troops in ady for the h Paris was 61, and not ft is head that d of France. his splendid r their swoop Prussia and is armies by on Paris. , writing on asks what driven back :e another at ;scribing the ning him in al means to without the heavy guns lombardment y chiefly rely ; are cooped 3sion. There e. The Ger round Metz, for crossing bed in the I,lf the dis ading army ,y attempt to ) brought up i mdabout and of the situa- new Enlist .plains of the tys that the thaecl by the ci,/ devotes its says that the ind Saunders' nan's Journal rench, under r. ,IGENCE. )ected at the more than main gate orning, but , and those lisappointed, 3cently dis urhood, and turns out to m's land ser ; for cannon irther orders ion have also anent, and it ; shop to the tirely to iron Le " which the the French periments as ain a sample Lch holds the It is under ,th extensive Russia, and to the order however, be bs been tried ntific branch sfactory. It throw a G-oz s breech like lay for range Allmonly bnt un is the old ce, rifled and on August cwt. 2qr. 81b. cwt., and the in 25 calibres of wrought 'n as the new practice was plane of the hells of 201 b. ;un-carriag,e9 first twenty the sewn(' Ching coin- Li shortly be t. violated by flying beforb h Brussels nunioated to 3ndship an 4 ]mperor an ly si?nified Paris inky enougW to brated ay years ; and moon a boy committed Imford and aged ten, The boys, caning corn, sh them for t known a° n Rhein:LS l is apprehew r Paris, hi, ig en noir. 4 s on his Mt DM complzt bs, is neithet is which art' o St. Cloud / who talks all subj eots i THIS EVENING'S NEWS. THE WAR. SUCCESSFUL RETREAT OF BAZAINE. PARIS, TUESDAY, 7.20 A.M. A. telegram has been received announcing that Bazaine had succeeded in cutting the enemy's line, and in effecting his retreat upon Montmedy, by way of Audun and Longuyon. [Montmedy, which the Marshal is said to have reached, is about 35 miles due north of Verdun, nearly 50 miles west of Metz, and midway on the frontier line of railway from Metz to Mezieres.] THE MINISTERIAL DECLARA- TION. In the Corps Legislatif yesterday the Minister of War made the following declaration : Messieurs les Deputes,—You may have read in the Journal Ofliciel a note which was this morning the expression of the truth. We have promised always to let you know the truth, and the entire truth. We have desired to keep our word, what ever emotion this news might cause in public opinion. The situation is no longer the same at this hour. I have received good news. lam not able to mention it to you, and you will understand why. (Protests from the Left.) A Voice—Of what date? The Minister—lt is dated the 19th. Count de Keratry—From the Marshal himself ? The Minister—lt proves on the part of the Marshal himself a confidence which I, knowing his valour and his energy,, entirely share. Paris will soon be in a complete state of defence, and in a position to receive whatever force may present itself. The committee of the Corps Legislatif have re jected the proposition of Count Keratry, but have brought forward a new proposition, which will he examined to-morrow in conjunction with the Minister of War. M. de. Kerartry proposed to elect from the Cham ber a commission of nine Deputies, who should be added to the Defence Committee of Paris. The proposal was declared to be urgent. The Comte de Palikao protested, in the name of the Government, against the adoption of M. de Reratry's proposition. The responsibility was that of the Government, which had fixed upon a small number of members for the Defence Committee, be cause a larger number would cause inconvenience. The proposition, however, was sent to the bureau, Which immediately assembled to consider it. The proposition of ,Count Keratry was evidently rejected, but the committee have brought forward a new proposition which will be examined to-day, in conjunction with the Minister of War. THE ALLEGED APPEAL TO THE QUEEN. The Constitutionnel of to-day and the Gaulois of to day positively deny the statement which appeared in a telegram from Berlin, published in the Times, to the effect that the Empress Eugenie had written to Queen Victoria, asking her mediation on behalf of France. The departments in the Nievre and Cher have been proclaimed in a state of siege. The Gaulois indignantly protests against the as sertion that the French had fired upon Prussian ambulances. Heavy rain fell all last night in Paris. PROSPECTS OF PEACE. It is asserted that frequent conferences of the diplomatic body have taken place at the hotel of the British Embassy with a view to mediation at the first favourable moment. It is stated that further efforts to obtain peace will be made before the end of the present month. THE EMPEROR'S HEALTH. The Gaulois of the 22nd positively contradicts the rumours that the Emperor was sufferiing from ill health, and says : "If Marshal M'Mahon's corps should be engaged, the Emperor will place himself at the head of the Imperial Guard." THE PRUSSIAN WOUNDED. A telegram from Vienna states that King Wil liam has sent orders to Berlin to prepare beds for 10,000 wounded. The Prussians have unavailingly demanded permission to remove their wounded by way of Luxembourg and Belgium. CAPTURE OF PRUSSIAN FRIGATE. A. message from Alexandria states that the Frenc vessels have captured the Prussian frigatelHertha. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This DAY. VIOLENT ASSAULT ON A CONSTABLE.—Thomas Ward, a young man, was brought up before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough Police-court, charged with violently assault ing Police-constable Booker, 382 E, and Mary Ann White Was charged with attempting to rescue Ward from the custody of the police. The constable, who was much bruised about the face and body, stated that on the pre vious evening he was in Broad-street, Bloomsbury, when he saw Ward, who was drinking, making a great dis turbance. He requested him to go away, when he refused, and knocked him down, fell on him, and struck him several times, and he was obliged to use his truncheon on him to get him off. On taking Ward into custody White tried to get him away, and it took five constables to get him to the station owing to his violence. In answer to Mr. Knox the constable stated that he was very much hurt. After hearing evidence as to the prisoner's violence, Mr. Knox committed Ward for a month with hard labour for the assault on the constable, and ordered him to pay for the damage done to the con stable's cape, or be further imprisoned for seven days, and as it appeared that White had not been guilty of any violence discharged her. CANNIBALISM — John Callaghan, a seaman, was charged at the Thames Police Court with unlawfully wound ing Mary Buckley, in Williams'-court, Cable-street, Whitechapel. There was a row in Williams'-court among the Irish fraternity there, and the prisoner, who came from Red Cross-street, Southwark, on a visit to his " Shister's husband," joined in the fray, and the whole party began knocking each other about in wild confusion. The prisoner was scratched by Mary Buckley, and he threw her down, fell upon her, and bit her lip off. She was raised from the ground and taken to the London Hospital, where she has been and is now under medical treatment. The prisoner denied the alleged cannibalism. He was remanded for a week. • _ A DISHONEST SON.—William Miles, aged 14 years, Was charged with robbing his father, Thomas Miles, of two hats and a coat. The prosecutor bewailed the dis honesty of his son in a very indignant and sorrowful manner, and said this was not the first time he had to charge him with robbery, and he was insulted and told that he wanted to get rid of his son cheaply, which was not so. He had six children, and they were all honest with the exception of the prisoner, who contaminated them all. He was a very poor man, and his earnings only 15s. per week, but he educated his children and brought them up properly, and it was a grievous thing to have a wolf in sheep's clothing among them. The robbery and sale of the hats and coat was proved by the father and mother of the boy, who treated the whole affair with the most supreme indifference. The magistrate said he would remand him for a week, and then send him to a reforma tory school. The father must pay something out of his earnings for his support. FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT ROIHERHITHE. -- --- - This (Tuesday) morning the inhabitants of Rotherhithe were aroused at a few minutes before three o'clock by the springing of policemen's rattles and a general cry of ' Fire." Upon reaching Church-street they beheld a scene, and one fortunately seldom witnessed at a London fire. At the second floor windows were a number of per 8011S crying out to those below to fetch the £Lre escape. IRE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 23, 1870. At the same time immense sheets of flame were belching forth from the ground floor and rising to the first story. The staircase and the upper landing were also on fire, which prevented any one from either ascending or descending to render the least assistance. The poor crea tures at the second floor window could see the top of the fire escape coming to their rescue, when the flames entered their rooms with such rapidity that to avoid being burned to death the whole of the endangered persons jumped out of the windows. By so doing they were all seriously if not fatally injured, and they were removed to the hospital. Their names are Henry Cox, aged 22, a greengrocer, who occu pied the front shop and the front rooms on second floor; Henry Welsh, aged 20, and Frederick Thomas, aged 13. The other portion of the premises, which stood at No. 6, Church-street, belonged to Mr. T. Lewis, a tobacco pipe maker, and upon the alarm being given two men, one named Thomas Dennie, 60 years of age, and his son Thomas, aged 14, were unable to effect their escape, and unfortunately both were burned to death. The flames were not extinguished until the premises, con sisting of seven rooms, were burned out. When the ruins were suffieiently coded Mr. Dennie and his son were found burned in a fearful manner, and, of course, quite dead. Their remains were placed in shells and removed to the workhouse to await the coroner's inquest. The other parties who jumped out of the window before spoken of still remain in the hospital, and were pronounced to be in a very precarious state. ICHE MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY ; Two o'CLocx. Business in the Stock Market is very depressed, Government securities being lower. In foreign there is little change. Consols are now 911 to 911 for moneyiand 911 to 911 for account; 'Three per Cent. Reduced, 911 to 91k; New Three per Cents., 911 to 911 ; India Five per Cents., 1111; ditto Four per Cents., 101 to 1001 ; Metropolitan Board of Works, 31 per Cent. Stock, 921 to 921. In the Foreign Market Brazilian Bonds of 1865 are 91 ; Egyptian Seven per Cents. of 1864, 85 to 87 ; ditto of 1868, 75 to 744:; Spanish of 1867, 27 to 261; ditto of 1869, 2641t0 252 ; ditto Quicksilver, 744 to 74 ; Peru vian, 87 to 86i; Turkish Five per Cents. of 1865, 44 to 434; ditto of 1869, 58 to 574; and Five per Cent.. Italian of 1865, 77 to 82. The Railway Market—Metropolitan are 65 4 ; Great Eastern 354 to 344 ; London and Brighton, 394 to 404 ; Caledonian, 754 to 744; South-Eastern, 69; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 414 ; Great Northern, 1224 to 1224 ; ditto (A), 181 ; North Eastern, 140.; London and North-Western, 1272 ; Midland, 127 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 131 ; Great Western,l6Bl. Canada Six per Cents. are quoted 1064 ; New South Wales Five per Cents., 102 to 1014; New Zealand Five per Cents., 982 to 99; Queensland, 106 8; Victoria Five per Cents., 111; and ditto Six per Cents., 113. Anglo Mediterranean, are 131 ; British Indian Exten sion 6 to 61 ; Falmouth, n to 91; British Indian Submarine, 71j. In American Securities, Five-Twenty Bonds are quoted at 88 to 88i; Ten-Forties, 82 to 83}; Erie Shares, 171 to 17i ; Illinois, 107} to 108 i. In Bank shares Alliance are quoted 14 ; Anglo- Austrian, 22 ; Chartered Mercantile, 25 to 27 ; Consolidated, 41 prem.; Imperial Ottoman, 12 ,; Lon don and County, 49 ; London and Westminster, 60} 591 ; London Joint Stock, 33i ; and Union of London, 36 37. In Miscellaneous Shares Berlin Water Works are quoted 141; Viceroy of ,Egypt 7 per cent. Mortgage Loan, 76}; National Discount Company, 111; and Peninsular and Oriental Steam, 42. The incomprehensible delay in laming the new French Loan has caused the intended price to be reduced every day as events hurried on. The price, which was fixed a few days back at 62, is now to be 60 6-10, with interest from the Ist of July. The amount is to be equal to 30 millions sterling in cash, of which 25 per cent. is to be paid on application, and the balance in eight instalments extending from the 21st of October to the 21st of May, interest at the rate of 5 per cent. being allowed for prepay ment. Subscribers will receive the full amount of their applications so long as the whole amount has not been absorbed, but when the ap plications shall reach a point in excess of the 30 millions a proportionate reduction will be made for that day. Making allowance for prepayment and the interest accrued from the Ist of July the price will be below 60, and the impression of Parisian capitalists seem to be that will be readily taken and will go to a premium. Operations in anticipation of the new French Loan, coupled with the effect of the large payments to be made from this side for stocks and manufactured goods now being sent here from France, have caused a demand for gold for Paris, and consequently, in addition to the 50,000 sovereigns withdrawn from the Bank of England, all that is offered in the market is taken for transmission thither. According to the Australian advices by the present mail, the Government of Victoria have sent an order to England for 120 miles of steel rails. The half-yearly meeting of the Mutual Tontine (West minster Chambers) Association (Limited) will be held on the 6th of September. The ordinary general meeting of the Mediterranean Hotel Company (Limited) is called for the 24th of August. .... The ordinary general meeting of the Surrey Corn mercial Dock Company will be held on the 15th of September. HELP FOR THE WOUNDED. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. you kindly give publicity to the fact that on Saturday morning next at two o'clock we intend giv ing a representation of our comedy of the " Two Roses' , for the benefit of the fund now being raised for the sick and wounded soldiers of the French and German armies. Per haps it may induce Rind-hearted people to add their mite, especially when they are told that everybody on the establishment has given their gratuitous services in so laudable a cause. The proceeds will be handed over immediately to the Lord Mayor, and the amount announced from the stage, in the course of the morning.— We are, sir, your obedient servants, MONTAGUE, JAMES, and THORNE. August 22nd. OUR RESERVE FORCES. TO THE EDITOR OF 'TUE SUN. SlR,—The subject of our reserve forces calling for public attention, will you allow me to offer a few sugges tions, which may make them available and useful. Almost every Line regiment has a county distinction, as have also the Militia and Volunteers. Take, for example, the 67th, or Hampshire, Regiment of the Line ; let that be styled the Ist Battalion Hampshire ; the Hampshire Militia 2nd Battalion, Ist Reserve ; the Hampshire Volunteers 3rd Battalion, 2d Reserve. The recruiting for the Line regiment, or Ist battalion, to be entirely from the 2nd battalion, Ist Reserve, the vacancies in which should be filled up as they occur by volunteers from the 3d battalion 2d Reserve. If the Volunteers were distinctly informed that they were looked upon as forming a com ponent part of our regular army there would never be a lack of men obtainable by the Volunteer officers to speedily fill up vacancies caused by the absorption of the 2d battalion or militia by the Ist battalion or line regi ment. Let the Militia and Volunteers be formed into brigades, with a proper staff, and drilled in brigade for a fortnight, assisted by any line regiment available. The drill might take place in the autumn, after havvest ; this drill would create as it were a perfect unit out of a number of infinitesimal particles ; appoint officers to the vacancies in the reserve from the half-pay list ; increase the half-pay of those officers 2s. per diem the whole year round; let the appointment of all officers rest solely with the War-office ; by giving the Militia 28 days' training in the spring, as well as fourteen days in the autumn with the Volunteers and Line. An increase of expenditure would of course take place, but it would be counterbalanced in a measure by the reduction of the expence in obtaining recruits, as being transfers from their several battalions, the expense of bringing money and other incidentals would be done away with. The Artillery and Engineer Volunteers and Militia might act as reserves for supply of men to the regular forces of that arm. The Welsh Rifle regiments might form reserves to the Rifle Brigade and 60th Rifles, those corps having no county distinction. Any Militiaman or Volunteer joining the Ist Battalion should be allowed one-third previous ser vice towards pension or discharge. I will say nothing as to the manner in which many of our Militia regiments are at present officered, but while the present system of selection and appointment exists, there will never be a change for the better.—Yours obediently, DANIEL M`CAY, Late Captain 55th Foot, and Denbigh Militia. 79, Tavistock-crescent, Westbourne-park, 19th August, 1870. THIS MORNING'S NEWS. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) FALL OF A GRAND STAND. During the meeting of the United Athletic Sports and Pony Races, inaugurated at Leicester, yesterday after noon, a stand containing about a hundred persons sud denly fell. Several were severely injured, but fortunately none were killed. OAPTURE OF A PRUSSIAN BARQUE OFF PLYMOUTH. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) 2, Prussian barque was captured yesterday out• side Plymouth sound, about five miles out by a French paddle-wheel steamer. The opera tion was distinctly seen from Plymouth. The barque was taken in tow by the steamer, and they steered eff in the direction of Cherbourg. The North German consulate at Plymouth know nothing of the Pei3sian ship.. When first seen she had all sail set, and was making with all speed for neutral waters. The steamer, however, ovevtook her and steamed round her twice, making a signal to stop. The signal I,: , :n t s disregarded the steamer fired a shot across the Prussians bows, and steamed up close as if about to board. The barque then surrendered, and a boat's crew from the French vessel put off to her, took possession and left a crew on board. Sail was then taken in, and the barque put in tcw. Many of the spectators who watched opera tions from the shore believe that the barque succeeded in reaching neutral waters. The crew of the Iron Duke, which was cruising near the spot at the time, will be able to give a more trustworthy opinion upon that point. Another Prussian barque, which, having discharged her cargo, left Dartmouth on Wednesday, hoping to creep round the coast to some port where she would find a pur chaser, or else seize a favourable moment for running to a German port, was, it is announced by a telegram from her English pilot, captured by a French steam ram of? the We of Wight. She was taken to Cherbourg, where her ;aptain and crew are imprisoned. AT THE IMPERIAL CAMP. A correspondent of the Standard, writing from Mour melon, whicu is not far from Chalons, on Saturday, gives some details of interest respecting the accumulation of the second French army before Chalons. He says : " Knowing that the communications from Montmedy to :Iheims were not interrupted, and that I had plenty of time to catch one of the trains within twenty-four boars, I started yesterday morning from Virton, in the direction of Longuyon, and from there to Briey, where I knew fighting had been going on all day, and also with the hope to make direct for the French army, and if not successful to retreat on the Montmedy railway line, the only one now 'by which you can com municate from the frontier with Chalons. At Longuyon some peasants gave me the positive information that the Prussians were at Pierrepont, a few miles distant, and on the railway line to Vionville. I continued to advance as far as I could judge, as far as the village of Beuveille. The road to that village runs through a continuation of undulating grounds, thickly wooded. The village was abandoned, and from the summit of a hill I could dis tinctly see the Uhlans making for the railway line, and at another distance a lot of men working on the railway - the Prussians cutting the rails, as I have ascertained since ; so the only communication remaining with Metz to convey the'wounded, via Vionville, must be now entirely cut. I retreated at full speed on Montmedy, where I arrived at night in time to start for Rheims, and from thence I came at once.here, the camp at Monrmelon, five leagues, from Chalons, the 'present quartier Imperial and general. The camp is now occupied by a force, it is said, of 200,000 men. The Guard Mobile is at St. Maur, under Paris, and the troops of all descriptions are congregating here, including Marshal MacMahon and his corps d'armee, &c. It is said that this very night a great stra tegic movement, in preparation of a battle, will take place ; that the Emperor is leaving ; that all the troops are leaving, and that all is nearly prepared to face the enemy in the great struggle which has been pending for the last few days. Hundreds of carriages and carts of requisition, that I know so well since my incidental voyage on Monday last, are loading, or staying around the immense camp. It looks exactly the same as on the now famous Sunday last, when we thought of leaving Metz at once, and when I was witness of a great combat. I believe my calculations to be right and my movements in the right direction. I firmly believe I am going to be present at a great battle, perhaps decisive. I am at my post, and I shall stay. The camp is so large that I have had scarcely time yet to meet many friends, and I cannot give you any more details than those you have already about the retreating army, followed by the Prussians, under Prince Frederick Charles. The fighting has been going on up to yesterday morning, and some p eat stra tegical advantage must have been obtained at the cost of many thousand victims on both sides. Up to Thursday night the advantage has been on the French side ; but it is impossible to know what was done on Friday by the different Prussian, armies. The Crown Prince has been probably maiming our right wing, and I expect a great battle is imminent. Everywhere in the vast tract of country I have just travelled through I have met country people emigrating, with their goods—all having the appearance of desolation and terror. Sad sight I Imn'ense misfortune THE ACTION OFF ItUEGEN. The Melanin. Zeitung publishes the subjoined report of the naval engagement between the Prussian and French fleets off Ruegen :—"On the morning of the 17th H. M. despatch-boat Grille left Ruegen in order to look out for the French fleet, of which rumours had come to hand for the last day or two. From the height of Moen there was nothing whatever to be seen or heard of the enemy ; but at length the Grille discerned the masts of a fleet consisting of seven French ironclads and two gunboats. The Grille sailed to within about 3,000 paces of the enemy's fleet, which at once opened upon this single boat a hot broadside fire, and simultaneously gave chase. This was exactly what the Grille desired ; and by alternately giving way and then coming to—all the while replying with her two pounders to the heavy fire of the French ironcladc—the Grille drew the enemy into the neighbourhood of the Wit tower Posthaus, where our gunboats Drache, Blitz, and Salamander were lying, which, the moment they heard the report of cannon firing at sea, gave the signal, Weigh anchor,' rejoined the Grille, and imme diately opened fire. The commodore of the flo- Villa, Captain Graf Waldersee, gave the signal from his flag-ship, `Let every commander attack the enemy to the utmost of his power ;' and bravely did the little flotilla steam up to the overpowering fleet of the foe. For two hours the fight went on, until it was broken off by the withdrawal of our gunboats, which, as unarmoured wooden boats, could make no offensive attack on the heavy armour-clad ships of the enemy. Although, as a rule, the French seemed to take good aim, theiz shots were invariably either too high or fell short. Uncover, it was not easy to hit our little boats, which were hardly visible above the waves. More of our shots took effect ; and one shell fired from the Salamander must be especially ni , which could be clearly seen to burst upon the enemy's deck and produce a clear space among the men who were serving the guns. Our vessels were very fortunate, and made the harbour again without either killed or wounded ; but we'. must 'freely confess that had one of the French 9-inch shells struck any of our ships the damage would have been very serious. The craft that were engaged in thy fight shipped supplies of ammuni'ilun to-day at Struldsund, and then returned at once to the outer 3144U-02f." TIIE BLOCKADE OF THE GERMAN PORTS. The following despatch from the French Minister for Foreign Affairs has been received at the English Foreign Office. It is addressed to Lord Lyons, our Ambassador at Pans:— "Paris, August 19, 1870. "M. l'Ambassadour,—Your Excellency, inthe despatch which you did me the honour to address to me yester day, inquires in the name of your Government 1. Whether the delay of ten days, mentioned in the notification of blockade inserted in the Journal Officiel of the 17th instant, is to be understood as applying as well to the entry as to the departure from enemy's ports blockaded by the squadron of Admiral Fourichon. 2. Whether the days of grace in question, being computed to date from the 15th instant, embrace the 25th of the present month, or otherwise. In regard to the first question, I do not clearly under stand the doubts which your Excellency has been in structed to express to the Government of the Emperor. Admiral Fourichon, in drawing up his declaration in the terms recorded in the Journal Offidel of the day before yesterday, has strictly adhered to the usages invariably adopted in such a case, and especially to the rules practi cally enforced by France and England during the Crimean war. Now, your Excellency will doubtless recollect that at that period, as well in regard to the Baltic as the Black Sea, the only relaxations in the rules of war which were admittted in favour of neutral vessels had reference to thb departure from blockaded ports.; and it is not within my knowledge that a corresponding privilege has ever been anywhere accordedin regard to the entry of vessels. Permit me, in conclusion, to add that, so far as France is con cerned, the question does not embrace any imminent danger to neutral vessels ; the principles laid down in such matters not rendering liable to capture a vessel destined for ablockaded port, unless, having been previously warned by a cruiser, she should endeavour to force the line of the blockade. In regard to the second question, M. l'Ambassadeur, believe I may assure you that the term of grace for leaving blockaded ports, understood in a legal sense, embraces a clear day, that is to say, it does not expire until the night of the 25th.—I have, &c., (Signed) " POE. DE LA TOUR D'AUVERGNE." THE FRENCH FLEEI. The Ostsee Zeitung publishes a despatch from Swine munde, of the 18th, to clad of that six French ships, including two ironclad frigates, two ironclad corvettes, one wooden corvette, and a despatch boat, passed there on the 18th. While in the offing they sent ashore a lieutenant of marines, with the notification of blockade, which was delivered to the bur gomaster and the English consul. The blockade would take effect from the 25th to leave the harbour. THE DISTURBANCES IN THE PRINCIPAL TIES. A. telegram from Bucharest, of the 22nd, says that on Sunday, at Plojeschti, an attempt was made to pro claim a Provisional Government, which was to consist of General Nicolano Golesco as Regent, and John Ghika and John Bratiano as Ministers. Numerous arrests were made yesterday, both in this city and in the provinces. Golesco and Candiano have already been arrested, and it is expected that Bratiano will be taken to-day. The measures of the Government were quickly and ably car ried out. The troops were sent to Projeschti by rail, an d behaved very well. Order has nowhere been dis turbed. CRYSTAL PALACE.—This evening the fireworks will be rendered additionally attractive by an enormous pyrotechnic device representing the Bridge of Kehl, re cently destroyed by the Prussians. This set piece is the largest ever prepared, surpassing even the device fired in honour of the Vicomte de Lesseps in July last, which was half an acre in area. The cascade of fire, great shells, and illumination of park and great and small fountains, will be given as usual. Auber's opera of " Masaniello" will be played during the afternoon, and a military band will perform for promenade. THE BOMBARDMENT OF PHALSBURG.—A corre spondent of the Telegraph, writing from Blamont on Llio 16th, says :—" This morning, at daybreak, the bora bardment of Phalsburg was commenced ; the Prus sian guns, posted on a hill partially commanding the town, made vigorous practice, keeping up a slow but very accurate fire. Nearly every shell took effect, scattering the tiles and smashing the roofs of the houses in the devoted town. The enemy's guns, few in number, but of heavy calibre, steadily re turned the fire, directing their shot principally against the ammunition trains that were constantly arriving, and the bodies of troops accompanying them. The French guns appear to be admirably placed and masked; for, to judge by the continuance of their fire, none had by evening been disabled. But little damage was done to the invest ing force, only a few slight casualities occurring through splinters of shells. The effect on the town must have have been terrible, to judge by the way the houses were knocked about, and towards evening a great portion of it was in flames. Phalsburg, though very small, is of great importance in the present case, , as the direct road runs through it, and it is therefore necessary for the Prussians to obtain possession in order to avoid having to make a considerable detour, and leaving an enemy, on the direct line of their communications. If the commander be some tough and stern old soldier who con siders it his duty to hold out as long as possible, regardless of the-town and the inhabitants thereof, he may yet give a little trouble; but its fall is, o; course, only a question of time." THE FIELD OF WOERTH. Regiment succeeded regiment as wave follows upon wave, and at length, after a last struggle round the now roofless church, the village was taken, the key of the positio u gained, and the battle of Woerth was lost and won. After this further resistance was impossible ; the battle degenerated into a running fight, and finally into a complete and fearful rout. Men threw away knapsacks and helmets, arms, and even clothing, that might impede them in their flight, and rushed head long through the vineyards and corn-fields that lined the road. Now and then the French attempted to rally, and at Niederbronn they made a stand that, in pre vious accounts, has been dignified by the tame of a battle ; but all was useless, the day was hopelessly lost, and victor and vanquished passed in rapid flight and pursuit along the main road from Niederbronn through the mountains to the west. The village of Freschweiler shews the most unmistakable signs of the conflict. The roofs of the houses are knocked to pieces, and, in some instances, the houses themselves are battered to the ground. The church was set on fire by the shells, and is now a complete gutted ruin. Of several houses in its immediate vicinity nothing is left but heaps of bricks and charred timbers. The walls, shutters, and doors are full of bullets, and in many cases there is scarcely a square foot on the surface of the wall that does not bear the signs of shot or shell. The road for miles along which the routed enemy pursued their way bears terrible evidence of the horrors of the flight. The broken trees and hedges, the crops trodden down into the ground, shew how despe rate must have been the rush of panic-stricken men. Broken gun-carriages and weapons overturned, hel mets, shakoes, and breastplates literally ground and powdered into dust, point out the direction of the flight, and the whole surface of the ground on both sides of the road is covered with knapsacks, cartridge cases, cloth ing, and weapons of every sort and size. It must, in deed, have been at first an awful sight. The field has, of course, bean long eleared of dead and wounded, and when I passed carts wrre conveying away all that was valuable in the way of arms and accoutrements, while the mass of worthless remains had been gathered in great heaps to be burned. The road for some distance back is still encumbered with these woful relics of the slain, but the scene of the battle has been completely cleared, and nothing remains upon the field but the sad silent monuments of the unknown dead.—Correspondent of Daily Telegraph. THE POSITION OF THE TWO ARMIES. It seems impossible to doubt that there is a very large force of first-rate troops—probably not to be estimated under 130,000 or 140,000 at least, at Chalons, or wherever that army may at this moment be. Add Garde Mobile, taken for what they are worth, and there is an army ready for the field, capable of fighting on even terms at least 150,000 Germans. Against this army what can the Crown Prince bring, supposing that he advances alone, and that he is not supported by either Steinmetz or Prince Federick Charles? He fought at Woerth with the sth and 11th Prussian Corps, the Ist and 2d Bavarian Corps, and the Werder Corps of Wurtemburg and Baden troops—say in all 175,000 troops, of whom only portions were under fire. Set down the losses in the battle at 10,000, the troops investing Strasburg at 20,000, and there are 145,000 remaining to advance upon the Moselle. But this advance must depend on the security of supplies. These supplies must in large quantities be drawn by the Weissenburg - Wendenheim - Saverne-Nancy Railroad, which runs through ahostile country, and must be guarded. Thote communications can scarcely be guarded by less than 10,000 troops, and if 135,000 men can be moved to the Marne, it is as much as can be expected. Is there any reason to suppose that this number can defeat the French army on the Marne ? Man for man, in equal numbers, it may be that the Prussians can do as much as the French, but the way in which the French have fought leaves.no room for doubt that they are not to be beaten by inferior numbers. Unless, then, reinforcements from either Steinmetz or Prince Frederick Charles reach the Crown Prince, it is hardly to be supposed that he will attack the force before him. It would not be in accordance with his policy to fight unless reasonably sure of victory. Moreover, we are not certain that none of Bazaine's corps have escaped to join the army of MacMahon. Appear ances at present are against the supposition ; but it would so evidently be against the French interests to allow the real strength of the army of the Marne to be known that reports go for little. It the Marne that a portion of Bazaine's army had retreated long before :ilunday, the 14th, and that the remainder has fought these bloody battles to hold the armies of the King in position, and hinder their detaching forces to join the Crown Prince. We accept the possibility. There can be no doubt now that whatever troops did remain at Metz, be they the whole or Bazaine's original army or less, are shut up within the circle of the entrenched forts.— Ota ndard. Concluding that Bazaine has been completely cut off and invested in Metz, it remains to be seen with what forces the Prussians will maintain the investment. Theie are two things to be done either to starve the French out, or to force on an imme diate capitulation. The first requires time ; the second might involve the alternative of shedding much more of that " noble blood" which the Kin and the Berlin papers already so much deplore. But there is another way. It does not require the whole of the First and Second Armies to hold Bazaine in Metz ; and the positions gained by the Prussian troops on the 16th and 18th instant will render more easy still the task of re straining the French within the works of their i n trenched camp. What is to hinder the King from detaching the whole army of Steinmetz—or any other three corps— to co-operate with the Crown Prince ? Already the Prussian advanced guard is said to be closing in upon Verdun, where there is no garrison, while the fortifica tions are but poorly armed, and little suited to stand a siege. The two armies of Prince Frederick Charles indiaGeneral Steinmetz number even now at least 250,000 men against 100,000 French at the utmost. If 60,000 or 80,000 men were detached from the investing force, it would still be strong enough for all it has to do at Metz ; and those troops, operating on the right bank of the Marne, while the Gro*vn Prince acted on the left—nearer to Paris—might speedily drive the army of the Emperor off the roads to the capital. But this, of course, is simple conjec ture. All that is clear is, that the Prussians have made such formidable advances towards Paris, by the heads of the rivers across which Blucher approached in 1814, that the Emperor Napoleon has not been able to delay his entree en campagne. He has broken up the camp, and taken an exended position along the line of the Marne. We have no further details, but assuredly the step seems to be most unwise. On the frontier the evil consequences of attenuating the line were but too cruelly felt. If the French second army—that of Chalons —has taken a position along the Marne looking into the Crown Prince's flank, it will be easy to dislodge it, and perhaps to throw it off altogether from Paris, with the superior forces of the Crtwn Prince, even unaided by any troops advancing across the Meuse into the rear of the Imperial army.— Telegraph. We will not venture to estimate the force of the French Army now falling back from Chalons, or what resour'es it may find among the volunteers and National Guards now mustering and drilling in Paris. The French War Minister and the Commander -in - Chief have strained every nerve to bring up all the detach ments which had been left in charge of public order in the great centres of population, the Fourth Battalions from the Depots, the Marines, Me Gendarmes, the Custom-house - officers, the men of all arms who were subject to military training and disci pline. It is a heterogeneous army, _and its nucleus, con sisting of the lately routed corps of MacMahon, De Failly, and Canrobert, still, according to the evi dence of eye-witnesses, bears traced of the tremens dons exertions which the battle and the retreat de manded of it. Still it would be rash to ex press any doubt of its efficiency, particularly under the influence of the enthusiasm which will be sure to welcome it on its approach to the endangered capital. The Chalons Army was described as mustering 100,000 strong, and about half that number will be added to it out of the present Paris garrison. With such a force one more battle before the gates of Paris may yet be risked. It may save the honour of the capital, even though it may achieve no more. But, after that, the defence of the detached forts and of the National and Mobile Guard will, we believe, be of little consequence. The Parisians would doubtless fight very well if they were put to it, but neither themselves nor their chiefs, nor their enemies, will bring matters to such extremities.—Times. We know very little indeed of the strength of the army at Chalons. The corps of Canrobert and Douay, which are always quoted as a reserve, appear never to have aad any existence in that capacity. Regiments which, according to the original constitution of ;he active army, promulgated five weeks Igo, aught to belong to one or other of those two 3orps, turn up here and there in a battle, and straightway the Prussians report that they have had Danrobert's or Douay's corps against them ; but nobody aver saw the corps. At present it would be premature to 3onjecture what force will meet the Crown Prince, as it would certainly be to predict with what force he will march upon Paris. All we know is that in the caniLti itself no faith is placed in the power of MacAlahon ;o itop the Crown Prince's army.—Daily News. FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY AT BATH. Yesterday afternoon a shocking domestic tragedy was perpetrated at Bath. Mr. Prankerd, the proprietor of a preparatory school at Spencer's Bellevue, quarrelled with one of his daughters, named Minnie, because she had de termined to leave home for a situation on the continent ; high words took place between them, another daughter being present while the sister was packing ready for her departure. Shortly afterwards four discharges of a pistol were heard, and on a servant going upstairs into the schoolroom she found the bodies of the two young ladies lying on the floor, with pistol-shots through the head of each ; the daughter with whom the quarrel commenced was quite dead ; the other was so injured that she is not expected to recover. The father retired to a garret, took poison, and was found dead. RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT ROSS, Just as a goods train was entering Ross railway station on Sunday the stoker, named Thomas, who was in the act of oiling some portion of the machinery, overbalanced himself, and, falling upon the line, was decapitated. The driver was unable to proceed with the train. SUICIDE OF A BUTLER. On Saturday evening the butler at Killybevill Hall, Swansea Valley, shot himself through the head with a rifle, killing himself instantly. He was perfectly rational a few minutes before the act was committed, and his master, Mr. Herbert Loyd, was from home, but expected the same evening to return. No cause is assigned for the act. UNLICENCED CARTS. At Hanley police-court yesterday two farmers were sum moned for neglecting -to pay duty on their carriages. The informations were laid under. the Duties Act, 1869, and the point raised was whether any persons, except the owner or his family, might ride in a cart exempted from duty on the ground of being used solely in the course of trade or husbandry. In one case, three women, unconnected with the owner, had been allowed to ride, and a mitigated penalty of five pounds was imposed. In the other case the free passenger was the owner's father in-law, and the information was dismissed. Mr. Howell, supervisor, gave notice of appeal against the dismissal. MILL DESTROYED. -SEVERAL THOUSAND POUNDS' DAMAGE. About two o'clock yesterday a fire broke out in the Dam Head Mill, near Halifax, the property of Mr. T. S. Walsh, but occupied by Mr. Job Oldfield, worsted spinner. The mill being situated at a dis tance from Halifax, some time elapsed before any fire-engine arrived _at the place, and when the engines came they only succeeded in saving some cottage property adjoining the mill. The mill itself was en tirely destroyed. The building was not insured. The machinery .was insured in the Royal Affiance. The damage is estimated at several thousand pounds. STRIKE AVERTED. The threatened strike of miners at' Dysart, Fifeshire, which was to have taken place on Monday, has been averted in consequence of the men employed at Randolph Colliery having got the head coal taken away, and their fellow workmen at Lady Blanche pit having resolved to continue working till the expiry of one month, thus leay. ing it to Lord Rosslyn either to remedy the drawing or increase the rate of remuneration. RELIEF FOR THE WOUNDED. At a large and influential meeting, held in Leices ter on Monday night, it was decided to raise a fund for the relief of the wounded in the war. About £l7O were subscribed in the room, and a committee was appointed to further the objects of the meeting. The greater part of the money raised will be forwarded to the Central Committee at once. It is expected that over 81,000 will be forthcoming. At the Liverpool Assizes on Monday, Mr. May, the Dutch consul at that port, brought an action against Messrs. Laird, Brothers, for the recovery of 5,200 com mission upon the sale of thsee men-of-war for the Dutch navy. Mr. May obtained a verdict for £1,500. Mr. Lloyd, a Limerick magistrate, was proceeding from Sligo to Dublin on Monday, when two rifles and some ammunition which he had with him were seized by the Pollee, who detected him in his hotel. CHARGE OF MURDER AGAJN6I"rwu BOYS. At the Thames Police-court on Monday two wretched shoeless boys, named William Everson, aged eleven years, and Michael Farrell, ten, were brought before Mr. Lush- ' ington, charged with the wilful murder of Arthur Lane ' aged 5b years, in Cordelia-street, Bromley, by " striking, kicking, and jumping upon him, and beating his head against a stone." It appeared from the evidence of a woman named Eliza beth Lane, wife of George Lane, a blacksmith, of No. 8 ' Cordelia-street, that the prisoners lived at Nos. 6 and 7 in the same street. On the 11th inst., in the evening, her child came home very ill and complained that the prisoner had been beating and kicking her. She put him to bed, and called in Dr. Brownfield, a surgeon, who attended upon the boy until that morning, when death put an end to the poor little fellow's sufferings. James Logan Chambers, a boy, sawthe prisoners kicking and beating the deceased on the evening of the 11th instant. Both punched him and trampled upon him. He saw Ever son strike the little fellow with his fist seven consecutive times and Farrell six times. The boys then trampled on the deceased and kicked him, and he was picked up an d taken home insensible. Farrell : Did you hear me say he had cheated me? Witness : No ; I heard you say nothing about being cheated. Mr. Matthew Brownfield, surgeon, East India-road, Poplar, said he had attended the deceased, who was suffering from intense pain in the abdomen, the result of injuries he had met with. The boy died that morning, and there had been no post mortem examination. He would not positively say that death was caLsed by inflammation of the abdomen, but he had no doubt it would turn out to be so. Mr. Lushington asked the prisoners if they had any questions to ask the witnesses, or any defence to make. Both answered in the negative, and the magistrate remanded them until Friday next, From Hong ICoiig a telegram states that the English and French admirals are at Chefoo awaiting instructions. The military force at Hong Kong is held in readinos to leave immediately in the event of complications. Prince Albert of Prussia, killed in one of the late en gagements, is the youngest brother of the King; of Prussia. He was born on the 4th of October, 1809, and married in 1830 the Princess Marianne, daughter of William, King of Holland. The late prince was divorced in 1849, but the King withheld his sanction until 1853, eight daysafter it was granted he married, morganatically, the Countess Rosalie de Hohenau. then 38 years of age. The Times says the symptoms that the demands of Germany are likely to become heavier with each prolonga tion of the sacrifices of the war, and thus to increase the difficulties of mediation, exercised an adverse influence on the stock-markets yesterday morning. Consols, which left off on Saturday at 911 to 92, were first quoted 91 to 92, and, after having touched 911, they closed at 911 to The incomprehensible delay in issuing the new French Loan has caused the intended price to be reduced every day as events hurried on. The price which was fixed a few days back at 62, is now to be 60 6-10, with interest from the Ist July. CRYSTAL PALACE.—Admissions on Monday (one shilling day), by season tickets, 1,378 ; on payment, 3,364 ; total visitors, 5,742. FIRE AT lIERNE BAY.—Some little excitement was caused at Herne Bay on Sunday night by the dis covery that the pier was on fire. The alarm was given at about ten o'clock, when the flames were observed at the end of the pier. A large number of the spectators very soon gathered on the pier ; but there was some delay in the adoption of measures to extinguish the flames. When this was done, however, the fire was speedily suppressed. How the fire originated has not yet been ascertained. THE QUEEN AND THE EMPRESS.--The startling announcements with which the Berlin correspondent of the Times opened his telegraphic despatch yesterday were of a natur to make the public anticipate an em phatic denial. The assertion that the British Ca binet favours the formation of Alsace and Lor raine into a neutralised State is entirely devoid of foundation. Again, the statement that the Queen has written to the Empress Eugenie expressing regret at her inability to mediate, because in this country mediation must proceed from the Cabinet, and the Cabinet did not ' think the time for mediation had arrived, we can meet with the most direct contradiction. —Telegraph. LAST WEEK'S BATTLES. In a summary review of the events of last week, the Berlin correspondent of the Times observes :—" The three more victories achieved within the last six days will per haps be included by history in the one comprehensive name of the battle of Metz. Not only are Pange, Mars- a- Tour, and Rezonville, the three villages at which these successive engagements were fought within a .ew leagues of each other, but the objecl 6 2f the struggle was the same on each occasion. The } - I'.enoh fought to make good their retreat to Chalons ; the Germans to prevent it. The French armies, having been repeatedly defeated in their eastern provinces, had fallen back upon Metz, whither they hoped to draw their reserves from Chalons and some oiher places not yet invaded by the enemy. Owing, however, to the Germans following close to their heels, there remained no time to bring up the reserves. Accordingly, the main body oi the French, if they would avoid being taken prisoners at Metz, were obliged to continue their retreat westwards, and themselves join those reinforcements which had found it impossible to join them. But thnermans were again too quick for them. On the 14th the first or northern most army of Germany appeared before Metz. Being at the outset of the campaign placed further vtest than the two other armies under the command of King William, it had all along been a little in advance of them in their united march into the interior. It was now just in time to prevent the departure of the enemy, and hold him fast till the arrival of aid from the two other armies. This was effected at the fight at Pange on the 14th inst. General Steinmetz, who commanded the German forces in this engagement, caught the French still on the right bank of the Moselle, and though fir too weak to prevent their departure, delayed it for a whole day, with considerable loss on both sides. On the 15th Marshal Bazaine left Metz for Chalons. In the meantime the second and Much more numerous army, under Prince Frederick Charles, crossed the Moselle at Pont-a-Mousson, south of Metz, and, marching almost due north on the other side of the river, thrust itself between Metz and Verdun, or, in other words, occu pied the road which the retreating French had to tread in order to reach Chalons. On the 16th the collision occurred at Mars-la-Tour, the French coming upon the Germans who stopped their way. It was the second act of the fragmentary battle of Metz. Even more decisiv e than the first, it resulted in the French being nailed to the spot, and driven back in the direction of the fortress they had just quitted. But it was all important for the French Commander-in-Chief to effect the contemplated junction with his reserves, and so he made another attempt to cut his way westwards. On the morning of the 18th the conflict was resumed near Rezon ville, about 15 miles nearer Metz than Mars-la-Tour, and here the French were utterly routed. After a long and sanguinary struggle in which some of their corps were completely shattered, the rest were driven back to Metz, cut off from their connexion with Paris, and obliged to abandon all idea of E ffecting passage in that direction. After this the French army is split up into two divisions, the one enclosed in Metz, the other less numerous one waiting at Chalons the arrival of the enemy's hosts, whom it cannot hope to withstand. Already the Germans are fast approaching the famous camp. While Prince Frederick Charles, and it seems General Steinmetz also, are still before Metz, to compel the inevitable surrender of the garrison, new much too large for the casemates and provisions of the place, the Crown Prince, with the third or southernmost army, is pushing on by way of Nancy, Toul, Commercy, and Bar-le-Duc, and will reach Chalons in a few days. Before he gets there, a portion of the troops still oppo site Metz will probably likewise proceed west, and making for Chalons by the more direct road of Verdun and St. Menehould, reinforce the Crown Prince in time ::or the grand finale to come off in the ancient battlegrcund o the Catalaunian fields. All the three actions at range Mars-la-Tour, and Rezonville were hotly contested. The first, at Pange, lasted from two o'clock p.m. to nine o'clock p.m. The ,Germans, who could bring ealy their foremost troops into the field, were considerably outnumbered by the French, yet attacked and laid hold of them with that resolute gallantry which has distinguished their conduct throughout the campaign. The fight of the 10th at Mars-la-Tour lasted twelvg hours. Here likewise the Germans were numerically very much inferior to their adversaries. If two days previously the van of General Steinmetz was ordered to delay the begin ning of the retrograde movement of the enemy, a similar task was allotted to the van of Prince Frederick Charles, on the 16th, when the march of the French hadlito be [stopped until more troops had time to come up and finish them. By the 18th the Germans were assembled in. force, when the third battle, that of Rezonville, ensued. It occupied nine hours of bloody strife. In it the Germans probably were as strong as the French, or perhaps stronger, as the fact of the King's taking the command seems to indicate a previous reunion of the First and second Armies. THE PRINCESS Ro . YAL —Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Prussia has come to the assistance of the wives and families of those who are now obliged to s erve in the army, with the generosity and practical tact she always shews when fa good wor . k . is to be done. Sh e has given orders that twenty families shall be furnished four times a week with good soup and meat from the kit chen of her farm at Bornstadt. For those who have lately become mothers a special diet is furnished from the kitchen of the New Palace. Her Royal Hi g hness satisfies herself by personal insp ec ti on th at h er orders are properly carried out. THE. COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WIGAN.—The inquiry into the calamitous plosion at Brynn Hall, near Wigan, was opened on MoneTty. No evidence was taken, and after some discussion as to the composition of the jury, the inquiry was adjourned. Another of the injured men recovered from the pit has died, making in all nineteen deaths from the explosion. Mr. William Rickard, miners' agent, has received from Mr. John Lan caster, one of the members for the borough of Wigan, and director of the Wigan Coal and Iron Company, a cheque forSloo, to employed in the relief of the distress which the accident has caused..