The Sun. — London, England, 1870-10-14 00:00:00

the appre- expected to a great sigh itelligence of to be taking nts in China. 6t it is going ations with ,t Pekin to a saving of ation to the greatly care 3 " East," in very preV3 - 1 St. Peters intends to In troubles 3. A letter loubts that d for a revi le, and that P convulsed Bosphorus. it ar y preps of military r the public was stirred, d to be who -law of one 1 less distill vas thought inflict upon for " even nous of the lleged, cora so, for there ill. But it cm by shame ^eat physical LATEST INTELLIGENCE. _____ SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. THE WAR. FRENCH SUCCESS AT MONT- MEDY. THE SIEGE OF METZ, THE CAPTURE OF ORLEANS. DEFEAT OF THE PRUSSIANS ' AT MONTMEDY. BOUILLON, OCT. 13. A aortic was made from Montmedy on the 11th The French captured the garrison of Stenay, Perhaps 00 men, although some assert that the num er was greater.—Times 7'elegram. THE FRENCH SOUTHERN ARMY. BERLIN, OCT. 13. The Regulars, forming the nucleus of the French s outhern Army, consists of three cavalry regiments sent south before the investment of Paris, Algerian g antry, and some troops formerly stationed in western provinces. Their total is sixteen thousand men. , Woode n h u t s are s ent from Germany to the camp before m e t z , TinzesTelegranz. THE SIEGE OF METZ, RETONFAY, OCT. 11. A. French deserter from Metz was brought Il this morning. He had been lying in th e Open air in the rear of Vantoux. ri belongs to Le Bceuf's command. His re port 1 5 that there is no bread and no salt Metz. B aza i ne h as impressed into the ranks all the able-b o di e d c i v ili an s. Including these civilians i n , d the garrison, the number of men under arms is ,000. Th e d u ty is very severe, and the tr ps couY 4 thlUally sleep on their arms. Great disaffee on p r evails in the army, and a mutiny seems to be im- Peadin g . , 813111 e of the men refuse to join in the sorties on to of the risk, and it is difficult to force them ( 7 Perfor m ou tp os t duty. Much sickness, chiefly PR Be ntery, bronchitis, and scurvy, prevails in Metz. " deserter's mouth was in a fearful state from B°llll 7. Men were deserting whenever the chance °Tered.—Daily News Telegram. that the Mission" in rember. It of the less rt in it, and with which mission will t is possible graded class to be moved . the orderly f Norfolk at the Italian ," in which ,een started. tier's pence. mounts to Bute has lk £12,000. ately after )enly sold than to read the French l I PROACHING SIEGE OF THE NORTHERN FORTRESSES OF FRANCE. portions aro ring by the ilk mantle Ishy. That just now is niversel du Atlas de la ie du Garde udrroniere's ig with the h terms of nber is the airy portions mentioning defender in at I believe BRUSSELS;OCT. 13. It i — . h , stated that the Prussian Government has iol Government ned the Belgian of the approaching 8 - thiege of the northern fortresses of France, and that b e Belgian reserves will, therefore, be recalled.-- Daly News Telegram. NEWS FROM PARIS. T he private correspondent of the Manchester E xaminer, writing from Paris per balloon, gives in teresting particulars of the state of affairs there. Ho f a r s Paris is as usual. Gaiety has again assumed " 4 Min. The belles again trail their silks 0 ° ? r the boulevards. We are, however, already 4 °lll g on short rations. There is no more fruit or 17 e getables. Meat is delivered to butchers every thre e. days by t urn . I have dined without meat Z e ral times lately. They say this is the fault of the ea t administration, and will be remedied. We hope at i° but the fact is, the butchers' shops are nearly e 2 ° Bed. Those whose turn it is to be open are pro tected by National Guards. Letters are now bul~t e , to four grammes to facilitate transport by balloon. eal origins credit of it dently and d shew him Then the ices that at ;en without honorary ut also the ision of the bdte noire of )rld. Less and Mr. F. MOVEMENT OF TROOPS. LILLE, OCT. 13. _A decr ee h as b een i ssue d p erm itting the passage 11 7 0 m the French frontiers of gunpowder and am munitions of war of all descriptions, free of duty, P to November 17. consequence of the scarcity of small currency thro ughout Normandy, notes of the value of 1 franc t ~s ( ) 25 francs, with the guarantees of the various m unicipalitie s , have been issued. small body of American volunteers has arrived at T ours. there has I believe, Exhibition :he pictures )ics I may ill be very ►n, Walter tley Bald at, Mora among the The journalists of the Departments of the Nord, Pas by de C a l a i s , S omm e, and Aisne have been ordered uY the representatives of the Government of Na tional Defence no longer to publish or allude to the I llevements of the troops made in their own or adja cent Departments. The Gardes Nationales of Arras have sent an a ddress to the brethren at St. Quentin, thanking t hem„ for their heroic resistance to the Prussians. ile address concludes : "if all National Guards 8 1 'ON , 7 the same patriotism the salvation of France is secured;' the pro session of culous. T meeting he honour ]xchequer of Europe the two nit he said ye should the other e a great e that the )n. Lord Austria, 3eace. ng armies ; seems to hold that ;ents and most ae mt forces, the army In the o say that MARSEILLES, OCT. 12 (EvENING). A new corp s of F ranc s-tireurs has been formed her e. In a few days the corps will be joined by another, called the Volunteers of the Alps. They v 111 then march to join Garibaldi. VOLT AGAINST THE PRUS SIANS. CALAIS, WEDNESDAY (Midnight). ,2 111 : 3 Patrie says that the Prussians around Ver sailles have no camps, but sleep in the woods, and p a te scatter e d f rom P o i ss y over the forests of St. V el. ulain, Marly, Versailles, St. Cloud, Meudon, and erri eres, as far as the heights of Clamart, at the -°ll,r,th of Paris. t„," e Journal de Rouen states that the whole coun ,-4 of the Vosges in the rear of the Prussians is in Luatirrection and under arms against them. There ti I le regul ar army, b ut every man i s a so ldi er ; sen :els established at every avenue ; all the defiles —c u Pied by Francs-tireurs, who no longer wait to parle y With th e enemy , but every courier, every is 'lan that presents himself, is shot. Every cottage ! g u ard-house, and women as well as men prac trT_ Shooti ng. Th e s t rugg l e o f 1798 h as recom v4eed in the Vosges. Al• Testelin, Government agent of the Depart -lents .0 f the North, writes to the Echo du Nord that Gambetta assured him on his arrival at Am that Paris was abundantly provided, even with f resh meat; that the newspaper reports con eeNt ui ng the army of Metz were absurd : and that arshal Bazaine and his troops had given their u erence to the Government of National Defence e oil fall contains )ine malEes moat e ciwine, by loved, pre mred onbr treat itu!J -; at their C - lIPATION OF BRETEUIL. LILLE, OCT. 13. h a l : h e Prussians, aft er a most determined resistance, Ye taken possession of Breteuilt CAPTURE OF ORLEANS, VERSAILLES, OCT. 12. Yest wa g t ay, after nine hours' fighting, Orleans a 'ell by General von der Tann. e took more than 2,000 prisoners and several priLh—ce_ German loss amounted to 1,200 ; that of the r ll _, l l. was heavy. Th e y fled in disorder. cia;:"Ionel Lindsay was allowed to enter Paris to- c °rene ral Burnside ha s h a d several interviews with v i t rt Bismarck s i nce hi s return f rom P ar is. Great activity prevails in front of Paris. BISMARCK AND PARIS. BERLIN, THURSDAY (8.30 A.m.) _r.A..fter the occupation of Paris by the German wlich it is expected will follow in a month from the commencement of the bombardment, Count Bismarck will be favourable to the convocation of a Constituent Assembly, to determine the future Government of France, and to ratify the terms of peace, but he is desirous at present that the occupation of the French capital should first be accomplished. LATEST BALLOON NEWS. IA balloon from Paris descended on Wednesday near Tournai. The aeronaut, Cargat, reported that he left the city on Wednesday, and that at that time the Parisians were well prepared, and indeed anxious for the attack. The greatest spirit is exhibited, and but one feeling seems to prevail, and that is, death to the invaders. All political demon strations have been given up, and General Trochu is everywhere trusted as the only deliverer of Paris from her enemies. The ramparts are all strongly manned, and steps have been taken to give the earliest instructions to all parts of the capital the moment the Germans make any impor tant movement. PRUSSIA AND ENGLAND. The diplomatic relations between Germany and this country have, it is said, become so strained that Count von Bismarck contemplates giving Count Bernstorff a conge, or leave of absence, in which case Germany would be represented in this country merely by a Charge d'Affaires. M. TRIERS MISSION. From Florence we learn that M. Thiers has had an interview with the King of Italy. Tho Nazione of the 12th of October contradicts the assertion of certain foreign journals, that the Prussian Ambas sador here had declared to the Italian Cabinet that Prussia was desirous that Nice should again form part of the Italian kingdom. DEFENCE OF PARIS Gambetta's arrival at Tours has unquestionably given great impulse to the defensive measures which have languished 8o under the delegation of Ministers originally sent to Tours. The new Minister of War takes the Presidency of the Government at Tours, and his powers are so considerable that he will be almost dictator of France outside Paris. Every effort will be made to discover military talent. As under the First Republic, rapid changes of command will be adopted in order to afford every promising officer a chance of displaying his abilities. M. Cremieux and M. Glais-Bizoin, Ministers sta tioned at Tours since the commencement of the siege of Paris, recognise M. Gambetta's authority. M. Glais-Bizoin himself announced to the inhabi tants that the elections, which he and his colleague were so determined to hold, are indefinitely post poned. SCARCITY AROUND PARIS. There is great scarcity of meat in the district around Paris. The Germans have eaten up every thing in the way of flesh. All the tame rabbits have disappeared ; the swans on the ornamental waters have been eaten—much to the detriment of the soldiers' digestive organs, and even dogs. Eighty foragers the other day only found three loaves after a long search. 'the Germans must either widely extend the scope of their raids, or epend upon supplies from Germany. WAR WITH CHINA, There is no foundation for the report prevalent in Liverpool yesterday to the effect that war has been declared by England and France against China. AMERICA. (BT CABLE.) PHILADELPHIA, OCT. 12. In Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, lowa, and Nebraska, on Tuesday, the elections were all carried by the Republicans, they losing scarcely a member of Congress. In Ohio the Republicans gain on the popular vote. The total popular vote is comparatively small. Little interest is taken in these elections. They chew that the 42nd Congress will have a decided Republican majority. OCTOBER 13. General Lee died on Wednesday of congestion of the brain, at Wexington, Virginia, aged 64, (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) THE MEMBERS FOR OXFORD. Tho Minister of War and Mr. Vernon Harcourt have accepted an invitation from the Oxford Liberal Association to address the electors in the Corn Exchange to-day (Friday). OXFORD UNIVERSITY. The President of St. John's College yesterday afternoon announced that Messrs. Stevenson and Powys have been elected to the two vacant open scholarships at that society. These scholarships are worth £lO4 per annum, and aro tenable for five years. The Casberd scholarship has not yet been awarded. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY. At a Congregation heldyesterday afternoon, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on the Rev. Henry Cheetham, M.A. , of Christ's, the Bishop Designate of Sierra Leone. POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS. The gale of Thursday night has done considerable damage to the telegraphic wires, especially those connecting London with the north and Ireland. Twenty-five principal wires have been broken, and the wind and rain together have prejudicially affected the working of many others. A good deal of delay, therefore, has occurred in the trans mission of telegrams on the northern and Irish wires. In the south and west of England the effects of the gale on the telegraphs have been less severely felt. THE CHURCH CONGRESS. Some 2,500 working men attended the meeting speci ally held for their benefit last evening. The Bishop of Winchester presided, and said that the true idea of Chris tianity was that the Saviour not only redeemed humanity, but desired to exalt it into the place it was intended to occupy. The system of the Church was designed to bring the Gospel to all. Canon Kingsley said that the troubles of France shewed that it was upon the virtues of the individual members of a State that its social prosperity depended in the long run. The Bishop of Peterborough, in an eloquent speech, remarked that if there was one thing more pitiful to see than another, it was a set of popularity-hunting parsons, speaking rather what was pleasant than what was true. NEW PUBLIC PARK AND CORN EXCHANGE FOR ROCHESTER. The Mayor of Rochester, Mr. J. R. Foord, laid the corner stone of a new Corn Exchange for that city, to cost about £5,000, at noon yesterday, in the presence of the citizens and many distinguished visitors. The Mayor and the Corporation afterwards formed a procession, with the local volunteer corps as a guard of honour, and proceeded to the gardens of Rochester Castle, which have been leased by the Earl of Jersey to the Corporation for the purpose of a public park, and will be laid out at the cost of £2,000, to be raised by public subscriptions. Formal possession of these gardens and the castle was taken. The proceedings of the day closed with a luncheon at the old Corn Exchange. Among those invited were the Bishop of Rochester, the Earl of Darnley, Sir John Lubbock, M.P., the city members, Messrs. Martin and Goldschmid, most of the Mayors of Kent, and the High-Constable of Chatham. A SHIP ON FIRE AT SHIELDS. Yesterday a large American barque, named the J. I McLaren lying at'North Shields, was discovered to be on fire. The flames rose from the hold, consuming the main portion of the rigging ,before assistance could be obtained. The fire was ultimately subdued by a large body of men The vessel was taking in a cargo of chemicals, a large quantity of which had to be thrown overboad. THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION. The conference at Plymouth was yesterday almost exclu. sively devoted to four hours' debate on the duty of Con, 11RE `SUN, LONDON, .RIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1870 grecationalists in relation to the Education Act. The Rev. Mr. Johnstone, of Merthyr, presented a paper, in which he traced the mistakes made by Dissenters with regard to education and the acceptance of the British School system 35 years ago. Ho protested against the acceptance of the Act as a practicable or right settle ment of the question, and counselled continued agita tion. These views were supported by the majority of those who spoke, but ninny, especially the senior Ministers urged that having done their best before the bill prssed, and failed to obtain a more satisfactory mea sure, duty and expediency now prompted an acceptance of what had been conceded with the view of making the best of it. The Rev. T. Binney especially protested against making the Congre gational Union Conference into a Liberation Society meeting, and urged that as sensible men they should recognise that other people had consciences and convictions as well as themselves. Ultimately, and after a warm denunciation of Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Forster, by some of the speakers, for their treatment of Mr. Miall, a resolution was adopted without opposition, protesting against the Education Act, declaring it incon sistent with Nonconformist principles and freedom of conscience, and invoking agitation, not only for purely secular instruction, but for the severance of Church and State and the disestablishment of the Church, both in Wales and England. Prior to this being put, however, many ministers had left the meeting. THE FIGHTING IN THE LOIRE. The correspondent of the Telegraph, writing at Tours on Tuesday, says :—There is no doubt at all about the matter—we have been beaten again, and badly. It was not a skirmish this time. You will already have received the outline of the engagement, and I cannot as yet add any details of importance. But some few facts I have picked up from persons who watched the fight. There were in all about 24,000 men engaged on the French side. The Prussians, as usual, sprang ready armed out of a box, out of the solid ground, or from some other impossible concealment. Artenay was held by about 8,000 French, under General Longuerne --all, or nearly all, being regular troops. These fought well, but were outnumbered or mastered— anyway, they abandoned the town. General Reyan then advanced with some 15,000 or 16,000 fresh troops, a large proportion of whom were Mobiles. These latter broke almost as soon as they saw the enemy, only few of them even firing a shot, The panic spread ; and in very few minutes there was a rout. General Longuerne managed to draw off some portion of the line soldiers into the Forest hard by, where ho lives at this moment. The behaviour of the fugitivesr, as I hea, was . shameful. They rushed into Orleans without arms or kit, and threw off their uniform in the street. The Prussians, , so long as my informants were present to ob serve, did not attempt to pursue. They even released the numerous prisoners made, entrusting them with a message to their native towns to the effect that these victors of Artenay are but the advanced guard of an overwhelming host. The fugitives have certainly per formed their promise in spreading this report. The first result of the news here was a down right panic. The Army of the Loire—not the, whole of it, of course, but a respectable frac tion—has at length met the enemy, and here is the consequence ! Those men who were beaten at Artenay are representatives of the average mass of troops which compose the Army of the Loire. "They have been over whelmed by numbers," was the ready excuse of patrio tic simpletons. But this plea only changed the current of popular wrath and despair. The poor fellows at Artenay were overwhelmed by numbers, while here in Tours, under our eyes, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 —nobody knows how many—regular soldiers were lounging about the streets, yawning in barrack-yards, or shivering under wet canvas ! Two hours of slow journeying to the North, there is a desperate battle in progress, and mean while horses and men are eating their heads off in Tours, and praying for service ! " Oh, but," ex claim the apologists, " Government knew nothing of the affair until half-past eight o'clock in the evening." If it be the design of the Prussians, as no one can doubt it is, to measure themselves against the Army of the Loire as speedily as possible, this victory will be a most welcome aid to their pro jects. I hear that 50,000 Frenchmen will be concentrated at Orleans to-night, ready to give battle to the enemy, let the cost be what it may. A very large force was sent from Bourges during last night, and from hero also. Though the policy be desperate, I believe that the Government has no choice but to engage immediately. At all risks it must calm the agitation and panic of this province. With wonder ful quickness, energy, and success, the Prussian General has struck the only force that could save the capital, and struck it in such a manner as to bring on the critical action under circumstances which one must suspect to be vastly favourable to his arms. Are the French yet able to meet, face to face, such an army as prudent Moltke would be likely to send against its young but numerous reserve? On that answer lies the fate of France, which is now quivering in the , balance. 9.30 P.M. " I have waited till the last moment for news. A gen tleman has just arrived who reports a furious engage ment during the whole day. He was struck with amaze ment and despair on bearing that thousands of troops were still idling here, with abundant artillery. He speaks of shells falling into Orlens, which city he left about noon, but knows nothing of the final results." THE PRUSSIAN SUCCESSES. The correspondent of the Standard, in a communication . dated the 10th inst., from Meung, writes concerning the fighting in that neighbourhood. He says : "On Sunday night I sent you a telegram, which you have, I suppose, received in due time, announcing that a Prussian corps was advancing on Orleans, that the French were occupying Pithiviers, and that an engagement was imminent. A few hours later, during the night, I started for that direction, and arrived early in the morning at Meung, whence I knew I could easily reach the place where the conflict was likely to take place, or retreat without passing via Orleans, if the Prussians succeeded in occupy. ing the place. It has been my bad luck to have always to record the failure of the French in their engagements, and to be always at hand to witness a part of their misfor tunes and reverses. This morning I was again near the spot where a serious conflict had taken place. .ft was well known last night at Arthenay, at Pithiviers, and at Orleans, that a large corps of Prussians troops, about 30,000 men, infantry, cavalry, and artillery was advancing from Etampes by marche fordo on Orleans. French generals must have also expected the same, since the fighting at Toury. They must know now, after an experience won at such a painful cost, that the Prussian tactics are not to rest on a defeat, as small and trifling as it might be, and that, after a repulse or disadvantage, large columns are sure to advance and to take a decisive revenge. They cannot have for gotten Forbach after Saarbruck, Gravelotte after Borny, &c. But of what use is experience if the chiefs who command the brave columns are always committing the same faults and going through the same errors ? What use to have at hand an army of 80,000 men if they do not know how to employ its strength? At nine this morning the Prussian columns attacked Arthenay, where a brigade, commanded by General Longuerne, and four companies of chasseurs, had been expecting the arrival of the enemy; they fought bravely. These troops were soon reinforced by General Reyan, who came to their help with five regiments, four battalions, and a large battery of eight pieces of artillery. The 'fight was desperate, losses are great on both sides, and the conflict lasted till three o'clock p.m. The final result was the repulse of the French iu the forest of Orleans, where they expect reinforcements, and where they have resolved to defend themselvel. Later in the night I shall write to you the full details of the affair, which I expect has only finished to begin in the morning. Notwithstanding the im portance of the engagement, I consider it is only the pre lude of a larger one, and, if not, I shall begin to despair entirely of French prospects. The army of the Loire is now 70,000 men strong. The troops are well equipped and well armed. If they do not stop the advance of the Prussians on Orleans I cannot see what may be their ob ject, and I cannot make out why they send or leave such insufficient forces as four brigades to sustain the attack of a powerful corps d'armee of the enemy, especially when in a circle of a few leagues they can dis pose of far superior forces. The incapacity of the Go vernment, the want of resolution, and of military science, has been the causes of French misfortunes, and am afraid it has MA been altered for the better. M. Gambetta will be now Minister of War and of the Interior, but I have witnessed on his arrival at Tours different in trigues which are far from giving me confidence for the future. I have seen men really known for their abilit y put aside for others entirely strangers to their new duties. The greatest preoccupation of the Government and their friends seems to be to keep their position, to watch over their personal interests, to study their friends ; to pass decrees, more or less out of season. then to postpone their execution ; to appoint a man to an important otfiee, then to break his position, and remove him a few hours after. Within four hours, I saw yester day and read three different appointments for the superintendence of the War Offices, and the last one, now the appointed, is a civil engineer of the rail ways. Everything is done in the same style, men of value see their offers of services rejected, and petty clerks are appointed to direct the movements of 'the armies. All is in confusion, and the unfortunate French people, kept ignorant of all these doings, are left with the firm idea that wonders are done, that all has been prepared, all measures taken, and that they are fully ready to take that immense revenge in which they believe yet. I see plainly that if Gambetta and Admiral Fourichon do not take in hand altogether the direction of affairs all is over for France. If General de Lamotta-Rouge does not himself begin to work his army—if he continues to keep his divisions separated one from the other, to be surely destroyed by a more powerful enemy—if he does not act energetically to stop the Prussian advances —if he leaves, as this morning, one of his columns isolated to do the best for itself, the sooner we see the end, as bitter as it may be, the better it will be. The French, taught by misfortunes without pre cedent, exalted by the real and earnest patriotism of the nation, are ready for all sacrifices. If nothing c an be done by the chiefs of the Government ; if no impulse can be given to this terrible material, of all our people rising to fight and die; if those fine elements of defence cannot be brought to good use I am afraid, and must repeat, all is over for France. I just hear and see with u certain satisfaction a movement of troops towards the Forest of Orleans. They came from Bourges and Tours, and the morning might chance the position of General Iteya,n. A considerable force of artillery is amongst the reinforcements, and if I do not mistake a battle will take place to morrow. Excellent sport at salmon fishing has been bad during the last week on some of the Scotch rivers. The Spey has been in good order for fishing and a large number of fine fish have been brought to land. WORKING MEN'S COLLEGE, GREAT ORMOND- I STREET.—Last evening Professor Maurice, the Principal, opened the 17th Session of the Institution with the usual inaugural address to the students. The meeting was held in the new art lecture-room or theatre, which was used for the first time on this occasion. The Rev. Professor com menced by observing that the new building wherein they were assembled, and which is as vet in an unfinished state, is not wholly paid for. He next spoke of the war, observing that the words of the Count de Gramont were the knell of he Empire and the Papal sovereignty, and were responded to by all :classes, although every class repudiated them ; adding that if the several classes in France or in England were spoken to in the right they would respond to the right, arid one great object of the college was to establish the right by destroy ing the barriers between classes, and aiding in the promotion of that unity of feeling which should make all Englishmen one people. They had never in that College flattered the working class, the reason being that the conductors of the institution reverenced and loved them, and claimed brotherhood and equality with them, not superiority. He reminded the students of Mazzini's words—a man from whom in many things he differed—that our ditties were of far greater importance than our interests or rights, and that truth in all things was above all things essential, and this was a lesson which the present Continental war should teach us. If truth and right pervaded all the acts and conduct of mankind, and it was the purpose of the College to inculcate and promote truth and right, the sword and the spear would be useless, and wars would be heard of no more. Mr. Amos expressed satisfaction at the practicability, now proved, of teaching men and women together, and a hope that lectures on law might be established for the instruction of students of the Working . Men's College, as well as of the College for Women in Queen's-square. The Rev. Principal, on behalf of the College, acknowledged its indebtedness to the Art and other teachers, and the proceedings terminated with the customary complimentary votes. THE ATTACK ON ST. QUENTIN. The Gazette de Cambrai contains the following account of the attack on St. Quentin : On Saturday, about half-past ten o'clock, the Prussians were announced to be at a few kilomdtres' distance from the town, on the road to La Fiore. The drums beat to arms. The National Guards hastened to their posts. The Pefect, M. Anatole do la Forge, wearing a simple National Guard's uniform, went to the chief square of the town with a broadsword in one hand and a revolver in the other. He harangued the population and led them to fight. Four formidable barricades had been constructed during the last fortnight in the Rue d'lsle—one on the banks of the canal, two others at 200 metres' distance from each other in the interior of the town, and the fourth closing the road from La F6re to the top of the Faubcurg d'lsle. This barricade could be defended for a few mo ments by ten men only. The fight began at the entrance of the town, close to the great canal barricade, which formed, indeed, a very strong position. The Prefect re mained in the first post of danger as long as the fight went on. His courage was admirable. The Prussians, who were about 900 in number—viz., 600 infantry and 300 cavalry—entrenched themselves in the railway-station. Taking advantage of the angles of the houses, as well as of the openings in the railway balus. trades, they endeavoured to deploy as sharpshooters Despite all these combinations, they could not succeed in reaching the National Guard. They even suffered rather serious losses; every man who showed himself was shot, The celebrated shooter Bosquette, a St. Quentin man, is mentioned, among others, as having killed or wounded six or seven Prussians, one of . whom WAS a superior officer. The struggle lasted until about two o'clock. At that time the Prussians retreated, taking the road to Marle. The National Guards, being without quick-firing and long range muskets, were unable to pursue them, "If we had had only 300 soldiers provided with Chassepots, not one Prussian would have escaped." So the inhabitants of St. Quentin said yesterday. The enemy carried away their dead and wounded in carts, which they had procured by means of a requisition. Consequently the number of their loss could not be exactly ascertained. According to the most impartial reckonings, it was about forty or fifty. On our side we had three men dead, and five or six wounded. One of the dead, a modeller's workman, was the father of eleven children, who had been adopted by the town of St. Quentin. Three Frenchmen were made Prisoners ; eleven Prussians remained in our hands. It is reported that whilst the fight was going on, and about an hour t efore the enemy's retreat, the Town Council adopted a resolution saying, " That the National Guard had bravely done their duty, but that they could not continue the struggle without the town incurring the risk of cruel reprisals, and that consequently there was reason for entering into negotiations with the enemy.' This deliberation was brought to the Prefect behind the barricades. He refused to accept it, Fiaying that he was merely a National Guard, and that it did not belong to him to give orders to his comrades. Yesterday evening ' peasants returning from Marie to St. Quentin announced that the enemy was coming back. They said that a numerous body, composed of troops coming from Laon, Soissons, and even from Rheims, was forming stself, and preparing to march on St. Quentin. We do not know what foundation there may be in these rumours, but what we perfectly know is, that, should the Prussians venture to present themselves again before St. Quentin, they will find somebody to receive them. The twelve Prussians made prisoners on Sunday by the National Guard of St. Quentin have just arrived at Cambrai by rail. They have been taken to the citadel. Large numbers of horses are being daily shipped from Southampton to France. CRYSTAL PALACE.--One shilling day, Tuesday Oct. 11th, 1870.—Admission by season tickets, 2,154 ; do, on payment, 1,918, Total visitors, 4,072. At a meeting of ratepayers resolutions were passed advocating the removal of tolls on Waterloo Bridge. THE GALE AND THE TELEGRAPHS.—ThO gale of last night has done considerable damage to the telegraphic wires, espscially those connecting London with the North and Ireland. - Twenty-five principal wires have been broken and the wind and rain together have prejudicially affected the working of many others; a great delay, there foie, has occurred in the transmission of telegrams on the Northern and Irish wires In the South and West of England the effects of the gale on the telegraphs have been less severely felt. COINING IN BIRMINGHAM.—A case of coining possess ing more than ordinary interest, camebefore the Birming ham magistrates. Some three weeks ago a man who gave the name of Walters, and described himself as a machinist from Alexandria, commissioned a Birmingham diesinker, Mr. Bartlam, to mark for him dies of three different coins, an Italian 20f. piece, a French 10f. piece, and an English sovereign, the remuneration for which was to be £25. He afterwards purchased at other places a stamp press, and milling machine, with casting-pots, and other , requisites for coining, which were all transmitted to Ports mouth for shipment. The police having received informa tion from Mr. Bartlam of the transaction about the dies, watched the prisoner's subsequent movements closely, and in due time arrested him with the die in his possession. These facts having been brought out in evidence, Walters was counnitted for trial at the sessions. ANGLO-FRENCH INTERVENTION ASSOCIATION. The adjourned meeting of the delegates of the various political organisations of the working classes having sym pathy with the French Republic was held last night at the Sussex Hall, Bouverie-street, Fleet-street, for the purpose of receiving a report from the executive committee appointed at the previous meeting as to the future action to be taken to induce the English Government to recognise the French Republic, and to intervene in favour of peace without any innovations of the French territory. There was a large attendance of delegates and other persons favourable to the movement. Mr. Merri man was voted to the chair. Mr. Riddle reported that the following resolutions had been agreed upon by the executive committee, to be submitted to the present meeting :-1. That the English Government be called upon to give an official recognition of the de facto Republican Government of France. 2. That our Government be requested to express its disappro bation of the present aggressive action of Prussia. 3. That if Prussia persist in the present aggres sive action a strictly defensive alliance will be con cluded with France. 4. That the Government be called upon to convoke at once a meeting of Parliament, to con sider the duty of the British nation towards France in the present crisis. 5. That the various constituencies urge upon their representatives to support the policy em bodied in the previous resolution. 6. That the friends of humanity in all political centres be requested to co-operate with this committee. 7. That whenever the bombard ment of Paris takes place a demonstration be held in Palace-yard, Westminster, by torchlight, as soon as pos sible afterwards, and that the cry be raised "To the relief of Paris and rescue of France." 8. That in the event of the bombardment of Paris the people of England demand that the pensions of German Princes concerned in the war, directly or indirectly, shall at once cease.— 5. That the persons present at any torchlight meeting wait by deputation on Mr. Gladstone, to learn why the Govern ment has not intervened in favour of France. All the resolutions, with the exception of the 3rd, were carried unanimously. In reference to that Mr. Wade said what it meant was for England, and proposed as an amendment "That this meeting gives all support to the Republican Government of France short of going into actual war." The original resolution, supported by Dr. Congreve, Professor Beesley, and others, was carried by a large majority. THE DEFEAT OF THE ARMY OF THE LOIRE. An official German telegram, dated Versailles, October 12th, and which is also confirmed by a French telegram, states that on the 11th, after an engagement which lasted nine hours, Orleans was stormed and captured by the Ist Bavarian Corps, aided by cavalry, and the 22nd Division of Infantry, in all amounting to upwards of 40,000 men. Upwards of 1,000 prisoners were taken, and a large number of the French were killed and wounded. According to Prussian precedent the losses of the victors were comparatively small, as small probably as those at Metz in the recent sortie. For our own part we cannot believe that the French resisted for upwards of nine hours without inflicting serious losses on the Prus sians. A Times telegram from Versailes says that the German loss was 1,200. The French, at dusk, retired to the left bank of the Loire, and the Prussians .now occupy the town. The French assert that the troops, and especially the Pontifical Zouaves, fought very well. It is stated that 241 b. shells were thrown into the town, and that the mayor and bishop went with a flag of truce to ask for a discontinuance of the bombardment. Certainly, to say the least of it, the Prussians take no pains to carry on war with as little injury as possible to the peaceful por tion of the population. The defeat of the French, who seem, as usual, to have been outnumbered, appears to have been caused by the superior artillery fire of the Prus sians. What next ?is now the question. We can hardly imagine that the Germans will advance in force beyond Orleans, though the army under Von der Tann must consist of more than 40,000 men. An advance on their part would take him too far from Paris, and expose his communications to be cut off. Moreover, the army of the Loire, according to our French correspondent, amounts to 90,000 men, and will undoubtedly be at once concentrated on Bourges, or some other central spot. To advance in the face of so strong an army, which, by retreating, might draw the Germans altogether out of the present theatre of war, would appear to be a very rash proceeding. Our own idea is that the Ger mans will be content with having cleared the country between Paris and the Loire, and struck such a blow at the army which takes its name from that river, that an attempt to advance towards Paris will be indefinitely postponed. In the action at Arthenay, the French general seems to have shewn but little prudence. The officer in command knew the night before that a large Prussian corps was advancing by forced marches on Orleans. Yet he quietly awaited an attack which he could not but know must and in his defeat Our French correspondent asserts that the losses on both sides were great, and that the French fought well. The ex posing a small force to be crushed by superior numbers was a grievous fault,'especially as within a couple of days' march there would be some 85,000 men well equipped and armed. The French Generals really seem to be quite incapable of learning from experience. Matters may improve when General Bourbaki assumes the command— the appointment of the Comte de Palikao is officially denied; but in the meantime there seems to be neither unity, method, nor the most ordinary military skill. But what can be expected in the way of military skill and i organisation, when the Government behaves in the fatuous manner described by our French correspondent ? He informs us that on the 9th no fewer than three ap pointments were made to the post of Director to the War Office, the two first being cancelled within a few hours L after notification. The last and existing appointment to this vitally important office is that of a civil engineer of the railway. Everything, we are told, is in confusion, Men of value who offer their services are rejected, and petty clerks direct the movements of armies. Surely the nation has been struck with madness. Decrees are issued in shoals, but are seldom carried out. The most important of the recent appointments made by the Government at Tours is that of Garibaldi to the command of the irregular forces of France, with the rank of general of division. He is said to have left for Cham bery, where he is about to organise a partisan corps. Will the Prussians recognise red shirts as uniforms? They seem to be particular in tailoring matters, and it would be a pity were Garibaldi to be shot as a brigand. It is most devoutly to be hoped that no large force will, be placed at the disposal of Garibaldi. He is a good partisan leader on a small scale, and knows well how to excite the enthusiasm of his followers to the highest pitch ; but he is neither a strategist nor a tactician, and in the present war will have to contend against well trained Prussian soldiers flushed with victory, not de moralised Neapolitan battalions. Still Garibaldi may with a small force do good service in the Vosges, and no doubt his name will attract many of his old companions iu arms, and among them several excellent cosmopolitan soldiers of fortune, who will serve to officer his corps. Standard. Mr. Miller was elected to the vacant Esquire Bedellship at Cambridge on Wednesday, the numbers being—Miller, 113 ; Leeson, 77. It is said that his Royal Highness Prince Hassan will bring with him a younger brother, to commence study at Christ Church, Oxford, this Term. A. collision occurred on the Great Eastern Railway on Wednesday night between the up mail train from Nor wich and an empty coal train. No passenger was injured by the collision, which happened near Brandon. Another yacht, the Isabelle, has arrived at Little hampton, via the Arun and Wey canal, having on board the owner, Sir Charles Clayton, Bart., and friends, who are guests at the Norfolk HoteL It is stated that the immediate attention of Mr. Childers has been directed to all the circumstances con nected with the loss of the Captain, with especial refer ence to that part of the case which was not in evidence before the recent court-martial. ------ A. porter named Caves, while backing up the 6.20 train at Waterloo station, was knocked down by an engine coming from Nine Elms. One of his legs w as cu t off, and the other was so much injured that it was found necessary to amputate it. lle died shortly afterwards. Mrs. M'lntosh, residing at Coupar-Angus, had a very superior " take " upon the Isla. The basket was made up of one salmon and four grilses, weighing in all 46 lbs. The lady is a veteran angler, and as s h e dis plays great skill m plying the rod she is in geneal very successful. On and after the Ist of November the French postage stamp bearing the Emperor's head will no longer be accepted at the post offices in any part of France. From that date there will be new stamps, on which will be a figure of the Republic, with the old legend, " Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity," engraved beneath. - SIR ROGER TITCHBORNE'B BANKRUPTCY.—This was the day for hearing petitions in the matter of Sir Roger Charles Doughty Titchborne, before Mr. Registrar Hazlett. Mr. Brown, on the part of Mr. West a peti tioning creditor, applied for a further adjournment to an early day of December, on the ground that the trial which is to determine Sir Roger's right to the Titchborne Estates, was set down for the 18th of November and there was a probability of arrangement. The appli cation was granted. OUR COTEMPORARIES—This Morning THE IMPOLICY OF ANNEXATION. The Times considers that the Army of the Loire, though defeated, has shewn that it knows how to fight. resisting, in the face of superior artillery, the capture of an open town like Orleans, for nine hours, it must be allowed to have done its duty. Its struggle proves that the new levies of France will soon be able continually to harass and thin the ranks of the enemy. bet Paris be besieged and be taken, let the North-East of France be reduced to the depths of despair, let the coveted provinces of Alsace and Lorraine be appropriated by the conqueror, and the conquered be unable any longer to resist the appropria tion ; and what then ? What would be the condition of France in the years to follow? What the condition of Germany ? Freedom, peace, progress—these are the watchwords of the present generation; we might cherish them still, but in France and Germany they would become idle phrases. France is accused, and justly, of being enslaved by the jealousy of military powers. Would this vice be uprooted by a standing proof of military defeat ? The evil side of the French character would be strengthened rather than subdued by such a mode of correcting it. The nation would hail any leader who promised to restore their lost brethren. Germany, too, would suffer the penalty of yielding Ito that temptation of conquest no nation appears strong enough to resist. If freedom of discussion cannot be tolerated when the annexation of Alsace is but a project, hew will it be compatible with order and the integrity of the new Empire when Alsace is annexed ? No one in the province itself can be allowed to discuss its position. The province must be absolutely ruled as an Imperial territory or as a Crown colony; and every motive of patriotism will operate in Germany to strengthen the party of military force, and to weaken that growth of free dom and self-government which would otherwise be inevitable. THE TRIPARTITE CHARACTER OF THE CAMPAIGN. Our columns, remarks the Daily News, have lately given abundant proof that though beleaguered Paris is the chief centre of warlike interest and attraction, it is by no means the only sphere of the active operations of the struggle. The gigantic preparations for offence and defence which have the capital as their object, do not exhaust the efforts of the combatants. The tri partite division of the campaign which seems to have been the original principle on which Count Moltke designed it, appears to characterise it all through. Paris is the centre of operations, but far away to the north-east Metz is one great wing both of the German attack and of the French defence, while far south of Paris the river Loire is another. The great river of Western France, which almost divides the country into two parts, was selected by the Pro visional Government as the ultimate line of defence in the struggle for national existence. Its western course runs through historic ground. Blois, and Tours, and Angers, and Nantes, are all associated with the historic greatness of France, and Orleans is the very birthplace of its legendary glories. It was in a period of utter discouragement, when foreign armies were in pos session of the soil, and a foreign King was in possession of the spot then dedicated to all the glories of France, that deliverance came from the banks of the Loire, in the shape of that inspired shepherdess—half prophetess, half enthu siast—who is known as the Maid of Orleans. But in the present calamities of France, no deliver ance has come from Orleans. There is the old courage. but not the old enthusiasm ; there are the raw material of soldiers, but no Heaven-sent general to mould them into invincibles. The Army of the Loire has had its first battle, and experienced an overwhelming defeat. THE ROYAL MARRIAGE. The Telegraph thinks it is an innovation in har mony with the feelings of the age, and it carries farther by one more wise and auspicious step that identification of the Royal Household and of the Nation which has been growing into a visible homely fact all through our good Queen's reign. Better by far that its historic stream should by many rills, if neces sary, communicate with the general tide—for thus the natural and motherly policy of the Sovereign may, in truth, accomplish great political reconciliations, bequeath ing to new times a new and accepted idea of the Royal Family, as being mainly the central family of the nation, with relationships, real as well as social, extend ing all round. Altered institutions and the reign of pub lic opinion have made it quite idle to apprehend nowadays any proud Warwick aspiring to be " King maker," or any gentle Jane Grey or Arabella Stuart thrust reluctantly upon the empty throne. Nay, there is hardly so profound a difference left in the present day between rank and rank that we should have need to says " Cloth of frieze, be not too bold, Though thou dost wed with elOth of gold ; " while most certainly no Qll9 need recite the corres ponding monition, " Cloth of gold do not despise, Tho' thou dost mate with cloth of frieze." The happy and honourable union which is announced as forthcoming is in complete harmony with the times, and a last and perfect proof of the thoroughly maternal ten ' derness and sagacity for which Queen Victoria will be I known in history—not only in the history of England as a State, but in the story of England's social life and moral progress. DELAY IN THE ATTACK UPON PARIS. The Standard remarks that Paris has been invested three weeks, but the attack has not begun—because, so the tale runs, the siege artillery has not arrived. The reason is a good one ; but when will siege artillery sufficient for the bombardment first of the forts and then of the city arrive ? We would say somewhere about the Greek Kalends, if one could feel sure that the inhabitants of Paris would display for six weeks longer the same resolution—a time sufficient under such experiences to turn the garrison into an army fit to take field. But that is more than we can fairly assume, and, unable to assume, we look forward to the surrender of Paris sometime in November or December, if only the German armies now investing it can hold their position. That is a ques tion, however, as to which we have considerable doubts. We do not expect armies formed in the south and west to relieve the capital by beating the besiegers under its walls. We hardly expect, good as was the fight made by the French raw levies at Or leans, that they will be able to resist any strong division of regular German troops despatched against them ; but it certainly does seem that what with these armies and the rougher depart mental levies the Prussians may be compelled to keep within a radius around Paris which has been already wasted ; that their communications with Germany may be fearfully interrupted, if not entirely broken off ; and that, instead of, or at the same time, with the starvation of hundreds of thousands of Parisians, will occur the death from starvation or decease of thebulk of the German army. Disease has broken out already mildly before Paris, terribly before Metz. With every day the influences in favour of disease grow stronger, and with every day, too, the disposition to make peace grows smaller. We will not suppose that the German armies will have to beat a retreat from Paris through a country they have rendered desolate, although that, if Paris can hold out for six weeks, is possible enough. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. The Manchester Courier deplores the attitude as sumed by Prussia regarding Paris, and asks how long the civilised world, knowing what is the awful and hideous anguish which this detestable war is entailing upon two great nations, is to submit in silence to the degrading spectacle, and fold its hands in cruel apathy. The Courier further says, "We are in possession of certain facts which enable us positively to assert that Austria and Russia have signified to Lord Granville their opinion that the European Powers, if they suffer this bloody game to be played out further, will be accomplices in the crime, co partners in the guilt. We are also able distinctly to state that Earl Granville has discouraged and actually opposed these suggestions and representations on the part of the Austrian and Russian Ministers. THE DEFEAT AT ORLEANS. The Manchester Examtner, referring to the capture of Orleans, observes that even after the terrible disaster at Sedan, patriotic Frenchmen believed the army of the Loire would prove the salvation of their country. It would be more than cruel to taunt them with misplaced confidence, but facts arc inexorable, and we now know the truth, that this fresh attempt to achieve a suc cess has failed as signally as all previous efforts have done. It is impossible to tell what effect the events of the last few days may have on Frenchmen themselves, but to those who are simply spectators they will be generally accepted as demonstrating the apparent futility of pro longing the unequal struggle. 'TIE SIEGE OF PARIS. Messrs. Merry weather and Sons, the fire-engine makers, yesterday received the following letter, dated Paris, September 22th, "Par ballcon Monte" from one of their engineers, who accom panied five of their steam fire-engines to Paris on September 14th ; the letter refers to the arrange ments made to extinguish fire in tne Louvre and Tuileries by storming a large quantity of water in a reservoir of great height.—" Paris, September 29, 1870. Gentlemen,— We had a large petrolenm fire on the 27th. I have filled tanks 180 feet high with a double cylinder steam fire engine, supplied by a single cylinder engine. There is no news and everything is very quiet."