The Sun. — London, England, 1870-10-22 00:00:00

EL hole were made I on oaber. ren, ecca i'ilsie &re. aA. DST. )f the • line, hough sh a 3 11 of anchor of COl' in the lay. Df the here deny, which ced on teSdaY y one Bayed. Irs of nstru - lay. Lt that wag about about The SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 11.45 A.III. LATEST INTELLIGENCE THE WAR. PRUSSIA AND AN ARMISTICE, BERLIN, October 22. l'ru.ssia quite recently had occasion to declare her willingness to accord an armistice, provided l 'aune consented to a cession of territory on Prin c i ple. - ,.Pruzsia aga i n d ec li n ed to content herself with . the u uuhantling of the Alsace and Lorraine fortresses Under a European guarantee. Deserters from Metz daily appear in the Prussian c arat), complaining of hunger. The King of the Belgians gave 50,000 f. for the u trman wounded. The German armies before Paris are now supplied nil 25,000 tons of projectiles for the siege of the French capital. THE CRISIS AT METZ. The collapse of the defensive resources at Metz is /110 Iv confidently announced. Some kinds of food are Yet abundent, but other necessaries are exhausted, ti ltil d the disease and suffering arising from these rivations are increasing. The demoralisation of t he troop s sprea d s ra pidly. The governor of the fort ress, who holds an independant command, is by ~ 4° means at one with Bazaine. The former urges t hat the Marshal should surrender his army, leaving t he fortress to defend itself. The Germans refuse to accept the army without Metz, but the Governor L r giles that if Bazaine were to march out with his t 7Pe the Germans will be compelled to take them. b ... °l 'e is said about the ulterior designs attributed to 444 zeine influencing his conduct. REPORTED DEATH OF BAZAINE. SAARBRUCK, October 21, (7.40 p.m.) There seems t o h a ve been a kind of revolution i fle lde Metz, if the story of a deserter who came Af ore here thi s morn i n g i s to be credited. The day 1131 % yesterday sounds of cheering and salvo ng were heard from Metz and environs. These l hs _ °llll de the deserter states to have heralded a procla nen of the Republic. He states, also, that Bazaine, V ile endeav o u r s to quell the manifestation, was Bazaine's death I scarcely credit. Deserters bte Pouring out, haggard, starved, and demoralised. ailY News. SAARBRUCKEN, Oct. 21, -8.45 p.m. There has been an unaccountable silence since the t e t t lirh of th e E nv oy. There were great rejoicings in peo etz on Wednesday. Salutes were fired, and the f r Ple were heard cheering. Flags were flying °l4 all the positions, and bands playing. A e ,rters are swarm i ng i n f rom all branches, ttlllol 7, Imperial Guards, and Infantry, all in ,e tched, plight. They feign to be on foraging Co e when taken. Their accounts vary. 11 . , e tun I saw to-day affirms that Bazaine is dead, hCanrobert in command, and that the Republic 1! " been proclaimed. Provisions are said to have i i 74 finished since the 18th inst. Horse-flesh, ea ° lever, is still plentiful. There are very few 411143pea in the villages around Metz. These remain vert,g speak well of the Frussians. The weather is si a J . h. b ad• Epidemics are still prevalent; The Prus -' t hink a capitulation imminent.— Times. I'll NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CAPITULA- TION OF METZ. LITX.EMBURG, October 21. G eneral B oyer , w h o was sen t by M ars h a l B aza i ne to the King of Prussia, has left Versailles. The pt°l3osition he took there, was that all Bazaine's weed hould capitulate on the same terms as were th e upon at Sedan, but that the troops forming h old regular Metz garrison shoul [ continue to the t he Place. This would have made at least half i t Investin g army available for other purposes; but kei w ?llicl also have enabled the reduced garrison to t he 'lat longer on their provisions. Moltke refused ver7Pteposition. The fall of Metz is now expected SOo n tit ec h Wi n, e was - y es t er day invested by eight thousand L with guns from Strasburg. Vigorous efforts th e be made to take the place, which breaks t em c ommunication on the Strasburg-Metz rail- THE LOIRE ARMY. e N o neral Bourbaki, before his departure for the 1 1 ,2 111 ) reviewed, and, it is said, favourably reported „eat additions a rmy o f th e L o i re . Thi s f o rce has received ~ t t additi ons s i nce th e battles of last week, h ull i eularly in artillery. It now numbers nearly one po:ered thousand men. General Aurelles de th aei tlill i . 88 has striven hard to restore confidence and %e li te, and he h as , i n g re a t measure, succeeded. A ao ° ,; 18 report r eac h es us a bo u t G en e ra l Bourbaki. It th at t hat he has not really gone to the North, but te Da „ e r emains with the Army of the Loire. The th e 1\1 .' 14 that he h a d t a ken command of the Army of eti at, °r thern D e p ar tments—a force which does not walk merely a ruse. Tut, - BOMBARDMENT OF MEZIERES. Th e BOUILLON, October 21. eeha ortustice of Mezieres, which has lasted three terminated to-day at three o'clock. bah:, circle of investment is completed, and several po kt :' 6B have been constructed in advantageous T h i°llB on th e h e i g ht s comman di ng th e t own . koe: railway bridge over the Meuse, near bu t i i. e "° ll -sur-M euse , w ill b e blown up to-morrow, tiii L:e bomb ar d ment w ill not ser i ous l y commence Deet e e d 4ll°r eeraents and siege guns, immediately ex -1,1 - ~1 arriv e. 6,0 0 town is said to be occupied by 5,000 or French troops, composed of the fragments of l'i j le isr , °l 'en regiments. Ye t % Ce ' r alnandant has just been replaced by a officer. ADVANCE ON AMIENS. Th e AMIENS, October 22. '41% 'ertnans have advanced to within three eeileretree of 11 Amiens. General Bourbaki, it is 30 , — a "Y beli eved, leaves Lille to-day at the head of WO trier,. AMIENS, October 21, (9 p.m.) Tv l , o Th e t thousand Prussi ans are a d va n c i ng on Amiens. llou r _ °° Ps here h ave t urne d ou t t o mee t th em . Th bi e i 3 expected from Lille to take the command. %laid ll4 ' 4 lB of the p eop l e i s exce ll en t, an d th ere i s 4 '4 excitement. SSIAN GENERAL REPORTED KILLED. rep ort - LILLE, October 21. tlli ef Pc'n has reached here that General Tresckow, f - kill e d 13toIII il L of 1,0,8. e Cabinet o f th e Ki ng o f P russ i a , h as - t0 on the heights of Montrelong by a shell n A 'RE OF KEItATRY'S MISSION. MADRID, October 20. the4i: X.,atry's friends baying persuaded him of fined " ! lll tY of soliciting material aid, be has n the ,hltnfielf, in an interview with Prim, to asking Thia'egalisation of the export of arms and horses. h ot ~as declined, Prim saying that Spain would xe".°lat:e her neutrality. ra Ary has left for Tours. or th V AN CE ON ST. QU ENTIN. illacie last two days frequent sorties have been e from Paris. At Chevilly the Prussian out posts were subjected to a heavy cannonade, but no losses have occurred. The Germans are advancing on St. Quentin. In formation has reached there that a force of 5,000 men, with a large number of guns, are rapidly marching on the town. The Government of Defence has issued a decre( acknowledging the bravery and patriotism shown. ai Chateaudun, and grouting a credit of 100,00( francs to repair the damage done by the enemy. EARTHQUAKE IN CANADA. TORONTO, October 21. An earthquake shock was felt throughout the provinces of Ontario and Quebec yesterday fore noon. The shock appeared to travel eastwards. In Quebec city some chimneys fell, and two persons were injured by falling bricks. General alarm was felt, the people rushing into the street. At Mon treal the shock was also severe. The Judges and others in the law courts ran out precipitately, and the bells rank by the vibration. In Toronto the shock was less severe, but was distinctly felt. The steeple of St. George's Church was seen to sway, walls were shaken, and furniture moved from its place. At St. Katherine's Church some win dows were broken. The shock was first felt at Quebec at 11.15 a.m., and the vibration lasted between 30 and 40 seconds. IRE SUiN, LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 187 C. THE MONEY MARKET. JULES FA.VRE'S REPLY TO BISMARCK. The following is the full text of the important circular addressed by M. Jules Favre to the representatives of France abroad : CITY, Two o'CaoeK. • Stock markets dull all round. Consols are unaltered at 92a to 921 for both money and account. Foreign Government Securities are generally 1- to -1 per cent. higher, Spanish being especially in request. Official contradiction is given to the statement of the Chairman of the City Markets Committee on Thursday that the Privy Council hail approved a site (meaning Deptford Dockyard) for the proposed Foreign Cattle Market. Nothing has yet been decided, but is believe d a sits will be selected near Shadwell. The Council. of India u: 11 receive tenders on the 2nd pro) , for bills on Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, to the amount of £400,000. &hem ;rig an increase of £100,C30 compared with the last allotment. It is announced that the mail and passenger service to Australia mid New Zealand, via San .Francisco, which was commenced in May last under a tempora►y postal ccntract with th. 3 Colonial Goverr•nents, a R be con tinued under a permanent arrangement, and a superior class of boats, it is said, will replace those now plying between the coasts of California and Australia. The de partures are monthly, either way, and the route includes the Great Trans-Continental Railway across the American Continent. Sir,—When this despatch will reach you I know not. For thirty days Paris has been invested, and its firm resolution to resist until it has obtained victory may pro long for some time to, come the violent situation which separates it from the rest of the world. Nevertheless, 1 did not wish to delay for a single day the answer which M. de ,Bismarck's report on the interview at lerrik.es deserves. In the first place, I affirm that it corroborates in all points my account, that portion alone ex cepted, which deals with our exchange of ideas on the conditions of peace—a subject which, according to M. de Bismarck, we did not discuss at ill. I perceived that on this subject the Chancellor of the Northern Confede ration from my first words opposed to me a sort of plea in bar (une sorte de fin ile non-recevoir), grounded on my absolute declaration " that I would not consent to any cession of territory." But he cannot have forgetten that, on my urging him, he explained himself categorically,' and that he mentioned, in the event of the prin ciple of a cession of territory being admitted, those conditions which I have enumerated in my report— the surrender by France of Strasburg, all Alsace, Metz, and a part of Lorraine. The Chancellor makes use of the observation that these conditions may be aggravated by the continuance of the war. This, in fact, he declared to me; and I thank him for mentioning it himself. It is well that France should know how far the ambition of Prussia goes. bhe will not stay her course when she has con quered two of our provinces. She will pursue coldly the systematic work of our annihilation. Afterhavingsolemnly announced to the world, through the mouth of her King, that the only objects of her ill-will were Napoleon and his soldiers, she abandons herself to the task of destroying the French people. She ravages the soil, burns the villages, and oppresses their inhabitants with requisitions, shoots them when they cannot satisfy her wants, and expends all the resources of science on a war of extermination. France has now no illusions left. The question for her now .is, shall she, or shall she not exist ? In proposing to her peace at the price of those de partments which are united to her by close affection, she has been offered dishonour. This she has rejected. Death is to be her punishment. Behold her exact posi tion. Vain to tell her that there is no shame in being conquered; still vainer to say that she must submit to the conditions imposed by defeat ; vain to add that Prus sia has a right to take back the violent and unjust con quests of Louis XIV. Such objections are beside the question, and well may we be surprised at having to answer them. France does not seek for impotent consolation in the too easy explanation of the causes which have brought about her defeat. She accepts her misfortunes, mid will not discuss them with the enemr. The very dgy she regained the control of her own affairs she loyally offered reparation, with this re serve only, that the reparation cannot be in the form of a cession of territory. Why ? Is it because of the loss it self ? No, but because it would be a violation of the jus tice and equity of which the Chancellor of the Northern Confederation seems to hold such little account. He refers us back to the conquests of Louis XIV. Will he return to the status quo by which those were immediately preceded? Will he reduce his master to the ducal crown that paid , homage to the Kings of Poland ? If, in the transformation which Europe has undergone, Prussia has, from an insignificant State, become a power ful monarchy, is it not to conquest that she owes it? But with the two centuries which have favoured this vast transformation there has taken place a change still deeper and of a higher character than that which up to this deter mined the parcelling out of territory. Human rights have come out from .the abstract regions of philosophy. These rights are every day taking stronger hold on the world, and it is these Prussia tramples under foot when she tries to tear from us two provinces which, as she herself confesses, reject her rule. In this respect, nothing indicates better her doctrine than the words quoted by the Chancellor of the Northern Confederation "Strasburg is the key of our house. It is as a proprietor, then, that Prussia stipulates, and this proprietorship she claims over human beings, whose moral liberty and indi vidual dignity she thus takes away. Well, it is precisely her respect for this liberty, this dignity, which forbids France to consent to the sacrifices demanded of her. She may submit to the abuse of might. She will not add the subjugation of her will. I was wrong not to have sufficiently explained my opinions on this subject when I said what I still maintain, that we could not, with out dishonour, give up Alsace and Lorraine. Such an act I should characterise, not as a penalty imposed on the conquered. It would rather resemble the mean ness of the accomplice who, stretching out his hand to the oppressor, would consummate a piece of iniquity to buy himself off. Count Bismarck will not find a Frenchman worthy of the name who thinks or would act otherwise than lin this matter. And that is the reason why also I could not see that a proposition for an armistice, which could really be accepted, had been made to us. I ardently desired that honourable means should be offered to us to suspend hostilities and to con. yoke an Assembly. But I appeal to all men of impar tiality, could the Government accede to the com promise proposed to it ? The armistice would have been merely a mockery if it had not made free elections 'possible. The actual duration of that proposed to us would have been but forty-eight hours. During the remaining fifteen days or three weeks Prussia reserved to herself the right of continuing hostili ties, so that the Assembly might have been deliberating on peace or war at the very moment which was de ciding the lot of Paris. Besides, the armistice would not have extended to Metz. It excluded us from revictualling the city, and condemned us to con sume our provisions whilst the besieging army was living freely on the plunder of our provinces. In fine, Alsace and Lorraine were not to return Deputies, for the really unheard of reason that the question to be decided was their lot. Prussia thus asked us to hold the handle of the sword with which she severed the rights which she refused to recognise in Alsace and Lorraine. These are the conditions which the Chancellor of the Northern Confederation does not hesitate to call " very conciliatory ;" at the same time accusing us "of not seizing the ' opportunity of convoking a National Assembly, thus showing our resolution not to get rid of those difficulties which prevent the conclusion of a peace conformable to national law, and not to hear the public opinion of the French people." Well, then, wo accept before our country, as before history, the responsi bility of our refusal. Not to have thus treated the demands of Prussia would haye been in our eyes an act of treason. What lot fortune reserves for us I know not. But this I feel profoundly, that had I to elect between the would actual position be m yc h o o f France ice i I p r a e n f e d r t o h u a r t o s frer r i u n s Pia, sufferirussngs, o t u h former re perils, our sacrifices, to the inflexible and cruel ambition of our enemy. lam fully confident that France will be victo rious. Were she conquered, she would still remain so great l n her misfortune that she would continue to be the object of the admiration and sympathy of the entire world. In this is her true strength—in this will be, perhaps, her vengeance. The European Cabinets which have confined themselves to sterile declarations of cordiality will one day recognise it ; but it will be too late. In place of inaugurating the doctrine of haute mediation, in accordance with the dictates of justice and eApediency, they authorise, by their inactivity, the con tinuation of a barbarous contest, which is a disaster for all, an outrage on civilisation. This bloody lesson will not be lost on nations. And who knows ? history teaches us that human regenerations are by a mysterious law narrowly bound up with ineffable misfortunes. France, perhaps, stood in need of a supreme trial, whence she will come forth transfigured, and her genius will shine with a splendour the brighter because she will have sustained and preserved it from feebleness in the face of a powerful and implacable enemy. When, Sir, you are able to act in accordance with such views, in your relations with the representatives of the Govern ment to which you are accredited, Fortune will have pronounced her decree. When I see the great population of Paris, which has for a month been besieged, so resolute, so calm, so united, I await, with a firm and confident heart, the hour of her deliverance.—Received, Szc., In anticipation of the meeting to be held on the 28th instant, the report of the directors of the Cape Railway Company has been issued. The receipts for the half-year ending June amounted to £24,530, against £23,472 for the corresponding period of 1869, showing an increase of £1,058. A dividend is recommended on the preference stock at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum for the six months, and at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock, free of income tax. The half•yearly report of the directors of the West Flandersßailways shews a balance of £9,023, out of which it is proposed to pay a dividend of ss. 9d. per share, and, after investing .2425 in Consols on account of the Contin gency Fund, to carry over a balance of £906. The financial statement of the Illinois Gentral Railroad Company for the month of September has been issued. During that period the sales of land amounted to 6,011 acres, realising 65,088 dols., while the estimated earnings in the traffic department reached 870,584 dols., against total actual earnings in the corresponding month of 1869 representing 979,400 dols. JULES FAVRE. CRYSTAL PALACE.—At this afternoon's Saturday concert Beethoven's Fourth Symphony and Third Con certo and the overtures to "Ruy Blas " and " Mireille " will be the instrumental pieces. Mdlle. Coraui and Sig nor Foli are the vocalists, and Miss Zimmermann the solo pianist. In pursuance of last seascn's plan of exhibiting objects of special interest on Saturday, a photograph, twenty-seven feet in length, of Krupp's steel works, and one of the great thousand-pounder guns now on its way to be used on the bombardment of Paris, will be shewn in the centre transept this day. These and others have been lent by Herr Krupp to the company's Technological Museum. BREAKFAST. —EPPS'S COCOA.--GRATEFUL AND COM FORTING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it ageneral favourite. The Civil Service Gazette re marks:—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has Provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills." Made simply with boiling Water or milk. Sold only in tin-lined packets labelled—JAMES EPPS & Co., llomueopathi Chemists, London.—Advt. COUNT BISMARCK AND MR. RUSSELL. Mr. Russell, in his letter, dated Headquarters, Ver sailles, gives the 'following full explanation of the circuru• stances under which his trustworthiness appeared for the moment to have been called in question by Count Bismarck must ask leave for a few lines relative to a matter of infinitesimally small snag, nitude indeed in relation to such grand events, but still, as I told Count Bismarck, of immeasurable importance to me, and consequently to the Times, in so far as its character is affected by the reputation of its correspondents. I have sent you in some detail an account of the conversation I had the honour of holding with the Chancellor, and I trust the telegram I despatched to you as soon as I had seen him was duly forwarded. All messages from the army must go by special permission through Headquarters, and as I have had no communi cation from the Ober-Commando's office, I presume thrt the telegram was duly despatched. * On the 10th of October I saw the telegraph dispatch attributed to Count Bismarck in one of the London journals by the very merest chance. I sought Count Bismarck at once; and in vain, but, riding through the park of the Palace in the evening, I perceived him dismounting from his horse and walking towards the hospitals in the Salle des Mar - chaux. I dismounted, overtook him, and at once told him the nature of the subject which caused me to approach him. A long conversation ensued, for the Chancellor walked with me round by the wing of the Palace into the Court by the Chapel, and so out towards the Place d'Armes, " reviving," as he said, " the memo ries of eighty years ago," and examining the statues. When I stated what the telegram attributed to him contained, Count Bismarck said, " I never saw that message—l never authorised it; I never directed your name to be used ; and I never allowed my name to be put to such a message." I shewed him the extract, which he read attentively. "I never would, under any circumstances, have thought of using such language to you, and had I had occasion to contradict your statement in a peremptory manner, I should have sent to you and told you beforehand." I replied that t.lis was what I would have expected from his Excellency. Count Bismarck was then good enough to explain that he had not seen the report of what occurred at the interview between the King and the Emperor at Sedan, but his attention had been called to a translation of an extract from my letter in a German—l think he said a Berlin—paper, and that his Majesty said it was not correct. Count Bismarck laid stress on the fact that the King bad not talked politics with or to th.) Emperor. Now, as I remarked, there were only present at the inter view that august Sovereign and his captive. Neither Count Bismarck nor I could have known what passed except by a conversation subsequently with some one to whom the King himself or the Emperor had spoken, or by direct communication with one or other of the illustrious personages who had been in tete-d-tete I had no copy of The Times in which my letter appeared, had not seen it in print, and did not even know the date ; but I had a strong conviction that there was nothing in it which justified the opinion that I had attributed the discussion of or reference to political topics at the interview, and I said so. Count Bismarck explained that he had merely given general instructions to one of his secretaries to send a denial of the correctness of the account of the interview in the Berlin paper, but he had not authorised or desired any mention of my name or of his own. He ex pressed his great regret if any w.in had been caused to me or any annoyance by the improper language in which the denial was conveyed, and went on to say that before he had seen me at all he had caused a communication to be made through Count Bernstorff (of which I hope you have taken public cognizance before this), and had also ordered a message to be sent to the Nord Deutsche Zeitung, of which I have yet seen no copy. Such, as well as I can recollect, was the substance of the conversation, at the end of which Count, Bismarck shook hands with me, saying that he would speak to his Majesty in reference to the parts of the account which were inaccurate. Of course I told Count Bismarck how it was I became acquainted with the particulars stated in my report, and his Excellency could at once appre- ciate the ditficuity of my position. The account of the interview between the King of Prussia and his prisoner was given to me without reserve, and in the presence of a third person, who had previously narrated the substance of it to the correspondent of one of your contemporaries, in whose columns, as I am informed, an abstract of the conversa tion, very like my own, appeared before the publication of my letter. Next day I called at the Bureaux of the Foreign Office in the Rue de Provence, and, while speaking to M. von Rehdell in reference to a letter I had received from London for his Excellency, the Chancellor came iu, and renewed the conversation. This was on the 11th of October, and, on the conclusion of it—his Excellency remarked that he gave me more time than he afforded to many Ministers—l forwarded the tele- gram to Reuter's office, and it was through that agency the contradiction appeared. I have now only to add that the whole account of what occurred was taken iroin the lips of another, and that not a particle except the writing of it was mine, or was founded on any " invention "of mine. And so I wish those who have, I am told, been so exceedingly grati fied that " Count Bismarck has given the Times Correspondent the --," &c., all the joy possible of the transaction. The persons best acquainted with the circumstances know well how far I am right and how completely I um justified. This statement is due to you and to my own character, and it scarcely needs any apology, I hope, to your readers, who are in terested in knowing on what foundation the statements in your journal repose. ARMS FOR FRANCE. The steamer St. Laurent left New York on the 19th for Brest with a cargo consisting entirely of arms and ammunition. She also took 200 passengers, who are said to be mostly French Volunteers. THE AMERICAN MINISTER FOR ENGLAND. The Washington correspondents of several New York journals state positively that Mr. Morton will decline the British Embassy. INDECENI POSTAL CARDS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SUN." SIB, —Pray spare me a few lines in your paper. I firmly believe that the above-mentioned nuisance could be very soon stopped, if everyone who receives an improper card sends it by first post to the Postmaster-General with a complaint.—Your obedient servant, S. H. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) MIDDLE CLASS EDUCATION IN YORKSHIRE. A county meeting took place at York, yesterday, to promote the extension and improvement of middle-class education. The Rev. Canon Robinson, one of the endowed in the endowed schools 'commissioners explained the powers of the commission, and the general terms upon which they would be able and willing to co-operate with persons interested schools of Yorkshire. The Archbishop of York was present at the meeting, and said he regarded the educa tion scheme as an honest measure, and likely to do the greatest possible good to the country. He urged that it would be better to deal with it in a friendly way in order to make it work than sulkily to wait until the commissioners forced something on them which would make them ready to protest before Parliament. On the motion of his Grace, an association was formed to carry out the objects of the meeting,' and a committee was' appointed to prepare a scheme for its organisation and management. MR. HIBBERT, ALP., ON EDUCATION. Last evening Mr. Hibbert, M.P., presided at the pre sentation of the prizes to the successful students of the Manchester Mechanics' Institution, and in the course of his remarks strongly advocated that Government aid should be granted to scientific and literary institutions. Secondary education might be carried out to a very great extent in mechanics' institutions. There would never be a good system of middle class education until it was in some measure connected with Government aid and Government inspection. He would like to see such institutions as Owen's College, aided by Governments grants. Mr. Hibbert also spoke warmly in favour of museums, assisted by Government, being placed in all the great centres of population. THE MEMBER FOR PERTHSHIRE. Mr. Parker, M.P. for Perthshire, addressed a crowded meeting of his constituents yesterday in the City Hall, Perth. He defended the Government policy of retrench ment, and contended that the manufacture of implements of war had been ample and complete. He expressed his confidence in Mr. Gladstone, and his belief that he would interfere at the proper moment in the interest of peace. He also approved of the maintenance of Belgian neu trality, anticipated the passing of a Scotch Education Bill next session, and concluded by saying that as they could now boast of a united Germany he hoped they might soon be able to rejoice in a United Kingdom. A vote of confi dence was passed in Mr. Parker. !MURDER OF A MOTHER. Yesterday morning a young man named Simpson Morris murdered his mother, at Shotts, in Scotland. He went to her bedside while she was sleeping, and dealt her a severe blow upon the head with a hatchet, killing her at once. He is supposed to be insane. After committing the terrible act he gave himselrup to the police. FIRE IN A THEATRE. Yesterday afternoon a fire broke out in the property. room of the Theatre Royal, Manchester. The company at the time were engaged in the rehearsal of a new piece, " The Odds," which is to be produced on Monday even ing. The property-room is situated immediately over a large gaselier in the centre of the building. The fire was discovered in time to prevent its extension, but the greater portion of the properties intended for the new Christmas pantomime were destroyed. No damage was done to the building except by the water used in ex tinguishing the fire. A CLERGYMAN AND HIS CHURCHWARDEN. The" Rev. Henry Denson Jones, incumbent of Keely, summoned one of his churchwardens, a post-office clerk' named George Smith, before the Sheffield stipendiary magistrate, yesterday, for creating a disturbance in the church, by repeating the responses in a loud, rapid, and otherwise unbecoming manner. It was alleged that the defendant endeavoured to annoy the incumbent in this way in order to get the service altered to suit his High Church notions. A number of witnesses were called to give evidence as to defendant's behaviour, and the case was eventually adjourned in order that the parties might endeavour to settle the grievance privately. THE REPRESENTATION OF COLCHESTER. A large meeting was held at Colchester last night, for the purpose of hearing Mr. J. Sangster, the candidate put forward by the Revivers' Association, express his political views. Mr. Sangster, however, was not present, and a Mr. Thomas O'Brien, proceeding to deliver an address in opposition to those issued by Sir Henry Storks and Colonel Learmonth, a scene of great confusion ensued, which, after some severe fighting for the possession of the platform, caused the meeting to be closed in uproar and confusion. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. Dr. Wright, LL.D., of Queen's College, was yesterday morning elected Professor of Arabic at Cambridge Uni versity. The new professor is honorary LL.D. of the University of St. Andrew's, honorary P.L.D. of the Uni versity of Leyden, and corresponding member of the Royal Institute of Sciences of Lombardy, &c. SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER. Yesterday morning, the body of Mr. William Cubley, a commercial traveller, was found in the Trent and Mersey canal, at Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire. Mr. Cubley had been staying at Stoke a few days, and left his lodgings shortly before he was found. His throat was cut from ear to ear. At present it is not known whether it is a case of murder or suicide. The body has been removed to an inn, to await the coroner's inquest and a post-mor tem examination. The deceased was about sixty-years of age. THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE. With regard to the peace negotiations, the Dundee Advertiser hears that some important telegrams reached Balmoral on Tuesday. The Queen was to have left the Castle on Wednesday for a few days' stay at Glassault Cottage, but it was considered possible that the news re ceived would have the effect of causing her to postpone, if not to abandon her visit. CRYSTAL PALACE.—One shilling day, Friday, October 21st, 1870.—Admissions by season tickets, 1,419 ; ditto on payment, 910 ; total visitors, 2,329. SURREY THEATRE. This theatre, having now passed into the hands of Mr. E. T. Smith, has undergone considerable alterations, both as regards the general appearance of the interior of the building and the character of the entertainment provided. The piece de resistance bears the title " Link by Link," and is undoubtedly a great success, being placed on the stage in the most complete manner. The great sensation scene is the attempt to murder, by throwing a lady from an express train when travelling at full speed, and this is certainly a triumph of stage mechanism, and was heartily applauded. Following "Link by Link" is a piece entitled " Nobody's Chill'd," being a burlesque on the famous Surrey ,drama of a somewhat similar name, and a better burlesque has seldom been witnessed. The cast is excellent throughout, and there is an absence of all vulgarity —a feature that is unhappily only too pre valent in plays of that kind now-a-days. The great Surrey favourite, Miss Georgina Pauncefort, is again located at this theatre, and her re-appearance was warmly acknow ledged. A word of praise must be awarded to Mr. A. Williams for his finished acting, both in the drama and burlesque. The programme provided at the Surrey Theatre is one that will well repay a visit, and the management have our best wishes for success. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. —Tuts DAY. L THE DANGER OF A Tharbey, who was de scribed as a buyer of grocers' empties, and who had been in prison a fortnight, was brought up on remand before Mr. Paget, at the Thames Police-court, charged IA nth being in the unlawful possession of 461bs. of coffee and 501bs. of sugar, supposed to have been stolen or unlaw fully procured. On the morning of the 6th instant Joseph Newman, a police-constable of the H division, met the prisoner in the New-road, Whitechapel, carry ing a large bag, containing 461bs. of raw coffee, which he carried into a chandler's shop in Thomas-street, Stepney, and offered it for sale at sd. per pound. New man took him into custody, and seized the coffee. The prisoner said he was met by a man who gave him a shilling to carry the coffee. The constable afterwards found 50 lbs. of sugar concealed in the prisoner's stable, which he also seized. Mr. Charles Young, for the prisoner, said the sugar could not be made the subject of a pro secution under the Act of Parliament, with which the magistrate coincided. The coffee was a job lot, and bought of a grocer for sd. per lb. The prisoner dealt in sugar bags, coffee barrels, tea chest tins, and other things called in the trade grocers' " empties," and it was a pity he perverted the truth by telling a lie, when questioned by Newman. Mr. Young then called Mr. Edward Kirk, a corn dealer, who said the prisoner always bore the reputation of an honest, straightforward man. Nathan Nicholas, 36 H, said the prisoner was an honest, sober, and industrious persevering man. David Grer, 28 H reserve, gave the prisoner a similar character. Mr. Paget believed the coffee was stolen. A grocer had stated it was worth 10d. per pound, and the prisoner asked but sd. for it. He sentenced the prisoner to two months' imprisonment and hard labour for the unlawful 'possession of the coffee, which he de clared to be forfeited. THE SOPER RIFLE. There can be no impropriety, while there clearly may be advantage, in giving a description of one of the new weapons—the Soper rifle, which has become favourably known by its performances at the lest Wimbledon meet ing, at Basingstoke, and elsewhere ; but with regard to which it is understood that no official test or examination has yet been applied. The breech mechanism of this gun differs in construction from most of the rifles which are pro minently before the public. These, speaking generally make of the trigger guard a lever acting upon the breech. Mr Soper, on the contrary, holding that a falling trigger guard necessitates the raising to that extent the rifle from the ground, which may be ( a disadvantage in these days of firing from close cover, and that a lever in that position is liable to injury, places his lever at the right side of the stock, so that it can be depressed by the ball of the thumb and the breech thrown open the very moment after the forefinger has pulled the trig ger. One and the same pressure upon this lever forces back the striker, raises the breech-block, places the lock at full cock, and ejects the old cartridge case. The breech. block does not sink down, as in the Martini system, when it is desired to introduce a cartridge, but, being mounted upon a pin, rises and turns outwards in a circular direc tion, at right angles to the line of the be:L.:el, so that the marksman can see into and along the barrel if he chooses, or can even clean it, if necessary, when about to push in the cartridge. An upward motion given to the side lever drops the breech piece into its place and fastens it, and the rifle is then ready to be fired. The lock is placed in the centre of the piece, and thus ad ministers a direct blow to the striker, which is a pin passing through the breech-block, and acting directly upon the base of the central fire cartridge. There are no special features calling for description in connection either with the ammunition or the barrel of the rifle for these elements, having been determined by the report of the Special Committee, are now so common to all the English rifles of modern invention. Mr. Soper has rejected spiral springs altogether, and has assimilated his lock as closely as possible to the Enfield, on the ground that this gun has established its durability by service in all parts of the globe. The mainspring, swivel, nipple, and snap cap of his rifle are, in fact, taken from the Enfield, while the sear and tumbler are filed from the same patterns. The arrangements, however, are greatly simplified, as will be evident from the fact that while the several parts of the Enfield rifle are exceedingly numerous, and the Snider breech mechanism comprises 39 pieces, in the Soper rifle there are only 23. There are but two springs in the whole rifle, and both these are made from flat pieces of steel. The stock, like the Enfield, is solid, and of probably equal strength. In the Martini, it will be remembered, the stock is divided into two portions by the case enclosing the breech mechanism. This brief outline of the details of the piece will. shew that it is, in principle as in ap pearance, totally distinct from that which has been adopted for the service. It is stated to have been ten dered for examination to the Special Committee, but not until some very short time after they had closed their experiments, and to that circumstance is owing the fact that the weapon was not subjected to the severe sand and exposure tests applied to all the rifles which were placed in their hands. At Wimbledon, however, the sand test was actually, though unoffi cially, applied this summer; while as regards endurance, the same rifle must have been fired some thousands of times in the course of the meeting. The sensation will not soon be forgotten which was created by the per formance of Private Warwick, of the Ist Berkshire, in the stage for rapidity, or 200 yards distance for the Duke of Cambridge's prize ; and since then a list, taken from the official returns of the National Rifle Association, has been published, shoving the actual number of " highest scores ' attained with this weapon, which is very remarkable. SCIENCE, LITERATURE, AND THE STACIE. The Atheneum says :—We hear that there will appear shortly a series of twelve brief poems by the Poet Lau reate, which are connected by a love story, and will be illustrated by as many designs by Mr. Arthur Hughes. The verses will be accompanied by music, the composition of Mr. Sullivan, and issued in a handsome manner as a table-book of the first class in square octavo. — Professor Henry Morley has a new volume in the press, " Clement Marot, and other Studies."— Messrs. Chapman and Hall promise new novels by the author of " Guy Livingstone," by Mr. J. G. Whyte Melville, Lady Wood, the Hon. W. G. Craven, Mai. Brookfield, and Mr. Edmund Yates.—The writer of the descriptions of the German army before Metz, that have appeared in the Daily News, is Mr. Archibald Forbes, proprietor of the London Scotsman newspaper.— A volume of poems, by the late Robert Leighton, with a membir of the author, may be expected about Christ mas.—Mr. William Howitt is writing a poem on the War.—Professor Maguire, of Galway, has a volume on the Platonic Ethics in the press.— Mr. J. C. Earle is engaged upon a work to be called " Lives of the English Premiers, from Sir Robert Wal pole to Sir Robert Peel."—Mr. F. Williams has been ap pointed to the editorship of the Birmingham Gazette and Aris's Gazette, vacant by the resignation of Dr. Sebastian Evans.—Messrs. Fields and Osgood, of Boston, announce an illustrated Christmas book, called " Winter Poems," which will contain poems new and old by Mr. Emerson, Mr. Whittier, Professor Longfellow, and Mr. Bryant. — The Russian gentleman, erroneously described in the newspapers by the name of Foda, and as having acted as steward to Mr. Strode, the owner of Camden Place, Chislehurst, where the Empress of the French is now residing, who was killed last Saturday by a fall from his phaeton, was a tenor of note some years since. He had sung on the lyric stage in many countries, and was for a short time engaged at Drury-lane Theatre during the opera days of Mr. Bunn. Signor Foedor—for such i s the right name—had a fine chest voice, and was a good musician. Although he acted as agent for Mr. Strode at Chislehurst, he was regarded as a friend, and gave lessons in singing in the neighbourhood of Chisle hurst. His untimely death will be much regretted by a large circle of friends and admirers of his talents ; for he was an artist of varied attainments.— We were told the other day that one of Madame Grisi's younger daughters promises to take high rank as a singer, in right of her remarkable natural gifts. A play bearing the curioas title of "A Rolling Stone sometimes gathers Moss" has been produced at the Victoria Theatre. Its story shows how amid the varied opportunities of life in the New World, men who have been in England mere outcasts of society may acquire habits of honesty and independence, and even obtain a certain amount of chivalry. The author, Mr. P. Marchant,. plays an important part in the piece. The Dublin University have just published the regula tions for the examinations for women for 1871. They will be held in Dublin in March 1871, one for senior and one for junior candidates. The latter must not be above 18 years of age. Examinations will also be held at any place where a ladies' superintending committee shall be constituted, and at least twenty candidates guaranteed to present themselves. The Senate of the Queen's University in Ireland has conferred on William King, M.D., Professor of Geology and Mineralogy in Queen's College, Galway, the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, in consideration of his eminence as a geologist. The United Mates steamer Kansas, now fitting out at the Washington 'Navy Yard for duty on the Tehuan tepec and Nicaragua Expedition, was, according to .Engineering, put in commission about a fortnight ago. '['he Kansas will he the principal vessel of the expedition. The survey in Nicaragua will embrace the route for a canal advocated thirty years ago by the Emperor Napo leon. That in Mexico by the Tehauntepec river possesses less interest, owing to the length and difficulties of the route. —Nature. it was not received. THE LONDON CITY VOLUNTEERS. The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Besley, is about to issue an address as to the efficiency of the city volun teer regiments. Tile following we are assured is a copy: —" Fellow Citizens,---The questions of military organisa tion and national defence are pre-eminently forced on our attention by the calamitous war that now desolates the Continent. Towards guarding our country from undignified panics, and affording securities in time of war which shall be consistent with economy in time of peace—a responsible Minister of the Crown has declared—something shall be done. I have felt it my duty, as Chief Magistrate of the City of London, to consult with the commanding officers of the regiments specially belonging to the City, on the alleged wants and shortcomings of this contingent. The result of these deliberations I had the honour to announce in a letter to the Times of the 13th inst., and feel boundto add that these requirements arc reasonable and practical. It is true they will involve a considerable outlay, but if the work is worth doing, it is worth doing well; more. over, I find that many of these necessities have been supplied to the respective local corps by most of the chief towns in the kingdom, not as a matter of liberality but from a sense of national duty. The city of London has been accustomed to furnish, not to follow, an example in all patriotic movements. I feel the thorough consolida tion and efficiency of the City volunteer regiments devolves on us citizens, and ask you to fulfil this duty. Men and money are both required, but the commanding officers do not submit their requirements in the way of asking alms; they, and the men under their command,freely give their time and labour, and are, besides, at considerable personal outlay : to expect fut ;ler sacrifices is neither reasonable nor just. The Government grant is manifestly inadequate to supply the requirements pointed out, owing to their costliness in, or near the metropolis ; but it should be no effort on the part of so great and wealthy a City to place its armed contingent on a safe and permanent footing. I hope that a feeling of patriotism will prevent employers putting any hindrances in the way of those under their control who wish to join the volunteer ranks. My belief is that any concession required for these duties will be amply com pensated by the additional zeal and diligence of those to whom reasonable facilities are granted, and in many ways the advantages will be reciprocal. We may not be able, as the Secretary of War puts it, to see the result of our national policy; but being in the possession of great civil and political rights, it is clearly our duty, as far as we can, to maintain those liberties inviolate, and to place our country beyond the reach of danger or panic. It is pro posed to fo: n a committee of commanding officers and influential citizens to carry out the objects referred to, and feel assured you will, by your liberality and influence, heartily second my efforts. OUR CO TENIPORARIES—This Morning THE GOOD OFFICES OF NEUTRAL POWERS. The Times comments on the frequent adjournments of the Cabinet Council, at which the affairs of the Continent were discussed, and concludes by declaring that oppor tunities, which precedents have sanctioned as those that may be seized by Neutral Powers have passed, and may not again speedily return. The capitulation of Sedan, the despatch of his Circular Notes by the Chancellor of the Confederation to the diplomatic agents of North Germany, were points on which good offices might have been fastened. They are gone, but it would be indeed deplorable if we remained inactive, when seine thing can be done, because we have. let slip the mo ments when our action would have been natural, and comfortable to diplomatic usage. The moment before the bombardment of Paris begins, especially if the fall of Metz should happen before the hour ;Aced for opening this new sea of horrors, furnishes a last oppor tunity for approaching the belligerents. Will it betaken? GENERAL TROCHU'S LETTER. The Standard thinks General Trochu's letter may be accepted as a promise that Paris will resist to the last, and an assurance that the end of the siege is more likely to come from Prussian abandonment of the enterprise than from the surrender, as the result of a bombardment over which some of the organs of public opinion in this country are somewhat prematurely gloating. If Paris holds out, if the Prussian armies discover that they cannot take it, peace may easily enough be made—a peace that France will be as anxious to keep as Germany. But if Paris should fall, then the Prussian armies will have to content themselves with sacking the city, and retiring be hind the frontier line they may have marked out, to re main in perpetual readiness for the war which they know will break out whenever France feels prepared to make it, or regards her condition ai so desperate that she Must engage in it as a forlorn hope. A permanent peace may be made before Paris—may be made, perhaps, after the German armies, having seen no more of the city than they did in the fine bright days of the early par.; of October, have taken the homeward route; but no peace made after the capture of Paris would be worth the paper upon which it was written. If the Germans take Alsace and Lorraine they will take them with the knowledge that they must be con stantly prepared to fight for them—that is to say, that they must continue to submit to the enormous sacrifices which the maintenance of the armies upon what is really a war footing imposes upon them, and must adjourn sine die the acquisition of that political liberty from which in the north they are still so distant. The successful resistance of Paris is the one gleam of hope for those who desire the establishment of 'a real peace. We should hope, says the Standard, to see Paris offer a successful resistance to the besiegers, if for no other reason, because we are convinced that only in such a check to Germany lies the faintest prospect of permanent peace between Germany and France —of rest to both, and of security and confidence to Europe. JULES FAVEE'S CIRCULAR. The Telegraph, in discussing Jules Favre's circular, says :—lf the oonditions of the armistice proposed by Prussia, and rejected by the Provisional Government, are correctly described by M. Favre, there would be some justification for his high-flown taunt that France was asked to hold the handle of the sword with which Prussia pro posed to cut off Alsace and Lorraine. But we are bound to doubt the validity of this representation, and collateral evidence, as well as Count Bismarck's own statement, inclines us to believe that the proposal, whether acceptable or otherwise, was made in good faith by Pruisia. Count Bismarck believes, no doubt, that a freely elected Represeatative Assembly would be found more ready to treat for peace with Germany than the Committee of Public Defence. He may be—and we suspect is—wrung in this impression ; but believing so, he has the strongest reason for wishing to facilitate the conclusion of an armistice; and the course of events since the interview of Ferrieres has certainly not tended to diminish that readiness. Strasburg and Toul have fallen ; the surrender of Metz is believed to be a mere question of days ; the armies of the Loire and of the South have been defeated, and the military position of the invaders is in many respects stronger than it was a month ago. Under these circumstances, if we arc rightly informed, Count Bismarck would do anything which should not injure the prospects of the campaign to facilitate the convocation of a National Assembly. It is even possible that Alsace and Lorraine might be permitted to return Deputies to such au assembly. But even if that were not the case,. elections could be held in the nine-tenths of France not occupied by German troops, and an Assembly which repre sented the whole of the country with the exception of its north-eastern departments, would be fully entitled to speak with the authority due to a national Parliament. If such an Assembly should pro nounce in favour of a peace based upon territorial cessions, the vote would show that the real majority of the nation did not favour the prosecution of the war. If, on the other hand, the Assembly should pronounce in favour of resistance to the bitter end sooner than submit to the surrender of French terri tory, the hands of the Government would be immensely strengthened, and the position of France abroad, as well as at home, would gain in weight and power. There is still nothing, remarks the Daily News, which we can call news from Paris, unless the circular of M. Jules Favre deserves that name. It is scarcely entitled to be so called, for in spirit and in language it is little more than au echo of the former manifesto to which his name was attached. It renews the old arguments, invincible if they had but battalions behind them, against the cession of French territory. It breathes death and defiance. It is impossible to read it without a feeling rather of compassion for the writer and for the people whose mouthpiece he is than of unqualified sympathy for either. Grave words need the commentary of effective deeds. The Govern ment of the National Defence seem still to imagine that hostile facts can be conjured away by imposing rhetoric ; and that realities can be swallowed up by words. In the face of M. Jules Favre's Circular, his declaration that France has no illusions left, seems itself an illusion. When we contrast these grand phrases and patriotic aspirations of M. Jules Favre with the repeated sorties which produce nothing, except the capture of Gardes Mobiles, and with the fictitious victories which obtain a day's credence and lasting discredit, it is difficult to resist the impression that all is lost. easful ; into meek, whom lmost isness which :tting vered black con e had uring spent clock 3 W& when prise. and :eded e the con. rage, they be the s be lent. rn of ;they [lade *rom tion dm. don wig, mos