The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-18 00:00:00

LAT EST INTELLIGENCE. SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. THE WAR. THE BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS. VERSAILLR.S 2 January 17 A. thaw set in this morning. The forts and bat teries are silent. A parle'inentaire is going into Paris to-day with recent news and letters of State impor tance. Count Bismarck is much better, but is still not well. Prussia is anxious that the London Con ference should meet and settle the questions at issue as soon es possible. Supplies of guns and ammuni tion are coming up to the army rapidly. MESSAGE TO MOLTKE. 5.30 p.m. On the 15th General Trochu sent out a parelmen taire with a letter to Count Moltke, remonstrating against the damage done by the fire of the batteries to schools and hospitals which were under the pro tection of international humanity. Yesterday Count Moltke replied that it was by accident, owing to the great distance and fog, that such buildings had been struck, but that when the batteries were nearer the gunners could be more discriminate in their aim. The fire continues methodically. The frost is gone. PURSUIT OF CHANZY. BERLIN, January 16 (7 p.m.). General Von Werder again, on the 10th, held his position south of Belfort against renewed attacks of the enemy. General Schmidt, in pursuit of the enemy, who is retreating on Laval, has pushed for ward as far as Voiges, and has again made 2,000 prisoners. Alencon was occupie 1 alter little resist ance on the night of the 16-17th. The following telegram 3 have been received here : ROYAL HEAD-QUARTERS, VERSAILLES, January N. " Before Paris the enemy fired from the southern front with nine batteries. Their fire, however, was successfully returned. Our loss was two officers and seven men. Major Koppel], of the 77th Regiment, yesterday encountered 1,000 Mobile Guards near Marac, north-west of Langres. After a fight, which lasted an hour and a half, the enemy was driven back upon Langres in wild flight, and with the loss of one standard. THE GERMAN LOSSES. "Reports from the 2nd Army up to to-day state the total German loss in killed and wounded during th e victorious engagements from the 6th to the 12th to be 177 officers, and 3,203 rank and file. The Germans have taken from the enemy more than 22,000 unwounded prisoners, two colours, 19 guns, and more than a thousand loaded conveyances, be sides a large quantity of arms, ammunition, and war Material. " Evening. "The German batteries before Paris coutiuued an effective fire to-day, and suffered but little loss." " THE KING TO QUEEN AUGUSTA. VERSAILLES, January M. "General von « erder was yesterday attacked by General Bouioaki with four Corps in his position before Belfort, near Montbeliard and Chargey, but has, with constant fighting, withstood all attacks, so that on no side was the enemy able to break through the position. General Von Werder's loss was only from 300 to 400 men. The number of prisoners taken in the fight near Le Mans has arisen to 20,000. During the retreat of the enemy to Alencon northwards and Laval westwards, war material and stores, as well as four locomotives and 4,000 waggons, were captured."—Times. The following telegrams come through Reuter's agency CONTiNUED FIGHTING IN, THE EAST OF FRANCE. (FRENCH ACCOUNT.) BORDEAUX, January 10 The army of General Bourbaki fought the whole daY yesterday, and occupied Montbeliard, Sas-le- Chateau, Vyans, Savey, Bians, Corporveaux-conte- Rinant, and Oh a.sey BORDEAUX, January 16 (Noon). General Bourbaki, in a despatch dated the 15th instant, says his army had fought all that day, and ciceupied different positions, as well as Montbeliard, With the exception of the Castle. General Bourbaki a dds : --" We shall re-commence at daybreak. Although we have opposed to us very large forces of 416 ' 1 , and moreover a powerful artillery, I hope to be able to gain ground still and to advance." (GERMAN ACCOUNT.) CAILLBEITHIC, January 17. The folbwing telegram, dated Brevilliers, 16th, n P.m., and addressed to the Minister at War, Gene ral Beyer, has been received here "Yesterday and to-day our positions in front of 45elfort were successfully maintained against violent a ttacks of the enemy. Our losses are comparatively 8111411.—GLUMER." GENERAL CHANZI'S RETREAT. (FKENciI ACCOUNT.) BORDEAUX, January 16 (Noon). General Chauzy announces that part of his arr nY was again attacked yesterday in a most de termined manner. The 21st corps fought well until night, and made prisoners, one of whom is a e ullef of batt a li on . The 16th corps sustaided a de sperate st rugg l e . Ad m iral Jaureguiberry had W' lr bil horse killed under him, and the chief of his staff as also killed at his side. The other troops opposed e lla resistance to the enemy, the centre losing b grQ uad. In spite of the bad weather and the trouble red by th ese a tt ac k s , th e re t rea t con ti nues w ith ou t b °a of mat6riel, but our march i s grea tly re t a rded 3sa of mat6riel, but our march is greatly retarded Y 111 : 1 snow and glazed frost. Prisoners and persons le u l nag from Le Mans, assert th a t th e f or c e s o f eneBluerablmy with which we have to deal are con la, THE CHERBOURG TROOPS. CHERBOURG, January 17. r e 5 0,000 troops which left here on Sunday to hilliforce General Chanzy were unable to unite with A/ 14 a in conse quence o f th e ra il way nor th o f L e ti o -118 having been cut off by the Germans. In addi „C „ ' 0 the above troops there are large numbers 1 1 , 4 e41 ' 1 Ped outside this place, also some sailors and th ready for active operations. It is report e d o : i t t 11 Sh arp engagement has taken place b e t ween th e 01 1 P°4 of General Chanzy and of Prince Frederick 41e8'8 armies. stay NEWS FROM HAVRE. Y eerd HAVRE, January 17. t oib the Prussians burnt eight houses at fi re ee and a lar ge coun t ry h ouse. T hey s h ot at t h e ken. The The viii e • sians have blown up the viaduct of Mir am ' y bane carried off . the Mayor of Bolbec for three leading citizens, demanding 100,000 francs their ransom. Tilt , -L-ROTEST OF THE FRENCH GOVERN MENT. BORDEAUX, January 16. b o l 'he protest of the Paris Government against the 411)arelluent has been posted up throughout stand has cause d grea t i n di carry nation ' g , e ning the determina on the struggle to the latst.io n of the people to Th e THE SIEGE OF PARIS. dressed by " Paris paper, publishes a letter ad -137 the meuibers ot the Diplomatic Corps, remaining in Paris, to Count Bismarck, complaining that the bombardment was commenced without pre vious notice. They request that measures be taken to enable their countrymen to place themselves and their property in a place of shelter. The Paris Journal stated that the Prussians had finished their first parallel in front of Fort Rosny. This is denied. The trenches dug by the French on the plateau of Avron, and where Prussian sentinels are occasionally seen, were mistaken for the Prussian parallel. The heavy guns have been removed from Fort Vanves. A photograph of it taken at a distance of several thousand paces by the Germans proves, they assert, that the walls have been much damaged by the cannonade. The French are removing their guns from Fort Issy. The German fire is kept up at night to prevent the French repairing their fortifications. A Berlin correspondent says that M. Gambetta, having ordered the immediate enlistment of the recruits due in October next, this is regarded as a proof that the available supply of merkof riper years is exhausted. The regulation number of the fresh recruits is 143,000. Deducting sickly persons and those to be provided by the provinces under German control, there remain no more than 80,000 who, under Monsieur Gambetta's system will be ready to take the field in a month. On the other hand a telegram from Lille reports that the balloon Vanconson which left Paris on Sun day morning has descended near Armentieres, and the news from Paris was favourable. The material damage caused by the bombardment was not con siderable. On Saturday last the bombardment ap peared to be directed principally against the quarter of the Pantheon. t a in its • ,the cers that lade THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, meeting. Lord Howard of Glossop was amongst the speakers. BEFORE THE WAR, The resolutions recently passed by the Southampton Town Council was complied with yesterday, by hanging in the Council Chamber an illuminated document contain ii g the Emperor Napoleon's reply to an address of the corporation, congratulating him on his escape from as sassination. The translation is as follows :—" Nlais des Tuileries, ninth Jeune, seventy. Mr. Mayor,—l have re ceived with great satisfaction the address which you have forwarded to me in the name of the Municipal Council of Southampton. The sympathy which you manifest towards me with reference to the recent design upon my life touches me deeply, and in it I see a fresh proof of the friendship which unites France to England. I trust most heartily they may ever continue so, for modern society has to depend for its progress upon our union and efforts. Accept my thanks for the interest you take in the well-being of France and the happiness of my frmily, and bear, as their representative, to your fellow townsmen my utmost appreciation of their kind sentiment. —" NAPOLEON." THE-BOMBARDMENT. The special correspondent of the Daily News, at the headquarters of the Crown Prince of Saxony, sends the following by special despatch : MARGENCY, January 14. Yesterday was very hazy, and the firing on the East and North-East was sluggish and without visible results. It was still slower during the night. The Paris Journal of the 12th states that on the night of the 10th orders were issued for a sortie. The ambulances, &c., were to be in readiness ; but early in the morning there came a countermand. The same morn ing a balloon was despatched, and the populace con temptuously alleged that General Trochu had gone away in it. The direction of the intended sortie is not indicated. The Francs-tireurs now occupy the French outposts in our immediate front here, and make themselves rather troublesome, especially about Villanteneuse. LE BOURGET, January 14 (Evening,). At ten o'clock last night considerable French forces made a sortie from Drancy to Le Bourget, coming within one hundred yards of the outposts occupied by two battalions of the Queen Elizabeth Regi ment. A fierce musketry fire was exchanged for some time. It resulted in the retreat of the French troops. They advanced again from Drancy, and once from Courneuve, with the same result. The officers were heard entreating the men to advance—" Pour l'amour de Dieu en evant," they exclaimed ; but it was all to no pur pose. Forts de l'Est, du Nord, Aubervilliers, and Romainville, and two field batteries at Drancy, fired heavily into Le Bourget for three hours. The German loss was six men wounded ; none killed. The French took back with them whatever killed and wounded they had. From their exposed positions they must have suffered considerably. To-day all has been quiet. The weather is very misty. Our north-east battery steadily fired into Drancy. FRENCH AND PRUSSIAN SHIPS. The French frigate Heroine arrived• at Vigo ou the morning of the 14th. The Prussian war steamer Princess Augusta was in the harbour at the time, and the Spanish GoN eminent decided it should leave twenty-four hours before the French ship, as being the less powerful vessel. At the beginning of the war Prussia renounced the right of capturing French merchantmen; but French men-of-war, having not only captured but burnt Prussian merchantmen before condemnation by the proper Court, the Prussian navy have been ordered to make reprisals. It seems, however, that the order will not be carried out before the beginning of February. THE FRENCH REPULSE AT BELFORT. BILEVILLIERS, Tuesday, 17th. The French army in force attacked the Germans before Belfcrt on the 15th, but were repulsed along the whole line, after an obstinate combat lasting until dusk. They again attacked on the 16th with less vigour, and were still further repulsed with very heavy loss, especially in killed. The German-loss is moderate.—Manchester Guardian. NEWS FROM BRUSSELS. BRUSSELS, January 17. Railway communication between Belgium and Longwy has ceased. Longwy is now completely invested except on the Belgian side, the frontier being at no great distance. The Belgian military ambu lances have been called out. The concentration of the Belgian troops is attri buted to a conspiracy among the French prisoners in Germany for the purpose of escaping into Bel gium in order to regain France.—Daily News. CAPTURE OF A FRENCH BRIG. PLYMOUTH, January 17. The French brig St. Marc, 185 tons, Lotelier master, from Dunkirk for Bordeaux, with a cargo of beans and flour, has been captured by the North German frigate Augusta, six miles off Bordeaux. The captured vessel put into Plymouth yesterday for water and provisions, and with loss of sails. Be sides her own crew, seven in number, the French brig has on board a prize crew from the Augusta, consisting of one officer and five men.—Times. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) rHE FUNERAL OF DEAN ALFORD. The funeral of the Dean of Canterbury took place at Canterbury, on Tuesday morning. The service com menced in the Cathedral. The procession entered the nave by the north-west door at 1.30 p.m. It was headed by two corps of the Canterbury Rifle Volunteers; after whom came the Mayor and Corporation, followed by the parochial clergy ; then walked the King's Scholars : next in order were the Cathedral Choristers, the Lay Clerks, and the Cathedral Clergy. The coffin was followed im mediately by the Bishops of Salisbury and Gloucester, who were succeeded by the Dean of Ely, Captain Brinckman, M.P., Mr. W. Tipping, M.P., and the Rev. Dr. Stoughton. The mourners and other friends brought up the procession. The Psalms for the day were sung, the lessons read, and a hymn sung in the Cathedral. The procession then re-formed and pro ceeded to St. Martin's Churchyard, where the interment took place. The Bishop Suffragan of Dover conducted the service, aided by Archdeacon Harrison. MR. AYTOUN, M.P., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. Mr. Aytoun, M.P., addressed a crowded meeting of his constituents at Kirkcaldy last night. Referring to the legislation of last session, he expressed his ,gratifica tion at the fact that the Education for England had been passed, and hoped that the Act to be introduced into Scotland would be even more effectual in establish ing in that country a perfectly undenominational system of instruction. Touching upon the war, the hon. mem ber held that the Government should continue to pursue a course of non-interference. At the same time, if they saw their way clear to offer their services towards bringing about peace, it would be their duty to do so. They must, however, be particularly careful not to involve the country in war. Mr. Aytoun thought it would be well that England should have a fleet of ships specially adapted for, and devoted to, the defence of the coasts. He should vote for a sum of money to be spent in increasing the field batteries of the artillery, taking the opportunity !to remark that the Ger man artillery had largely contributed to the success of that nation in the field. A vote of confidence in Mr. Aytoun was adopted by the meeting. MR. MERRY, M.P., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. Mr. James Merry, M.P. for Falkirk, addressing a meeting of his constituents at Hamilton last night, stated he was in favour of a policy of non-intervention. He approved of the Scotch Education question being settled on an unsectarian basis, and if practicable compulsory. He also declared for the ballot. PORTSMOUTH LIBERAL ASSOCIATION. At the annual meeting of the Portsmouth Liberal Associationa a vote of thanks was tendered to that body for the assistance it had rendered to the Liberal party. The mover of the resolution was Mr. W. H. Stone, M.P. the seconder, the Hon. Cowper Temple, M.P. These gentlemen afterwards addressed their constituents on the topics of the day. ORATION ON THE POPE. At a large meeting of Roman Catholics, held in the the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, last night, Mr. George Richardson delivered an oration on the Pope. Catholics, he said, had no need to be sad at the tidings they heard from the Holy City. Having denounced the conduct of King Victor Emmanuel, he argued that the Roman plebiscite was nothing but a pure sham. Would England even now be willing to abide by the opinion of a plebiscite in Ireland. (Cheers and shouts of "No.") If the Go vernment of England would depend upon the hearty sup port of Catholics, it must be careful how it congratulated the King of Italy. BISHOP ULLATHORNE ON THE PAPACY. At the annual reunion of the Birmingham Roman Catholic congregations, held last night, Bishop Ullathorne delivered a long address on the present position of the Papacy. He strongly condemned the course taken by King Victor Emmanuel, and denounced his occupation of Rome, and acquisition of the temporal possessions of the Pope. These, he trusted, would speedily be restored to the Holy Father, Viscount Campden p'resided at the RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. An accident occurred last evening between Kettering and Rushton, on the Midland Railway. A waggon of a ballast train got off the line, by striking a point near Rushton, and throwing over several of the other trucks, caused a block for a considerable time. The three o'clock express from London to the North was delayed for an hour. Another accident happened yesterday morning to the express from the North to the South, due at Leicester at 9.27 a.ni. The tyre of one of the wheels of the leading break van broke as the train was approaching Draycott at full speed, the consequence being that the van and two adjoining carriages were thrown off the rail. The guard had a narrow escape, as the bottom of his van was knocked out. Some of the passengers in the fore part of the train were severely shaken. Mr. Ellis, a director of the line, was travelling by the express,but he sustained no injury. ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT. It is announced from Plymouth that warrants are in the hands of the Stonehouse police for the arrest of Mr. Tremiles, chief clerk of the Three Towns Banking Com pany, who disappeared on Monday, some suspected irregularities having to be investigated by the directors to-day. The warrants charge him with embezzling £45 in cash, and Turkish Securities of the value of £lOO. A POLICEMAN FIRED AT. A sergeant of the Royal Irish Constabulary, stationed near Killican, county of Westmeath, has been fired at, and is not expected to recover from the effects of the five shots which watered his body. FATAL ACCIDENT WITH A GUN. Yesterday, at the hamlet of Lordswood, Hampshire, a boy, twelve years of age, named Massey,[took up a gun with which a soldier on furlough had been shooting spar rows, and fired it. The charge lodged in the head of Elizabeth Knox, the soldier's wife, who was coming up the garden at the time, and caused her almost immediate death. A SHIP WRECKED OFF THE ISLE OF WIGHT. About seven o'clock on Monday morning a French lugger, the Hannah, of Rixniers, went ashore on the ship ledge in Brixton Bay, Isle of Wight. She was bound from Marseilles to Rouen, with a cargo of salt, but in consequence of the war, was making for Cherbourg. Her crew consisted of her master and four men, who were all saved by the coastguard. She now lies under the cliff a complete wreck. Her cargo has been washed out of her. THE CONFERENCE. It is - reported at Berlin that Austria intends at the Conference to ask permission to widen the channel of the Danube at the Iron Gate, on the Roumanian frontier, at the general expense of the Powers. The Powers are perfectly agreed as to the princi pal points to be settled at the Conference. The Conference invited to consider the representations of Russia on the Treaty of 1856 assembled at one o'clock yesterday, at the Foreign Office. The several States that were parties to the Treaty were represented by their Ministers resident at the Court of St. James's—Austria, by Count d'Apponyi ; Italy, by the Cavaliere Cadorna ; Prussia, by Count Bernstorff ; Russia, by Baron Rrunnow ; and Eng land, by Earl Granville, who presided. The only exception had been anticipated, for no repre sentative attended on behalf of France ; but the pro ceedings of the first sitting were to be of a formal nature, and the meeting was adjourned in order to afford an additional chance for the arrival of a French Plenipo tentiary—the next meeting being fixed for Tuesday, the 24th inst. The apartment of the Foreign Office in which the sittingwas held yesterday is called the Smaller Conference Room, not because it is the reverse of spacious—being far larger, indeed, than most saloons to private mansions—but in contradistinction to the magnificent hall which is known as the ,Conference kßoom proper. The great dimensions, loftiness, fine propor tions, handsome decorations, and furniture of the large room will be seen in passing through it to the chamber beyond ; which is, in fact, an ante-room to the great dining hall; and in that smaller room the the representa tives of the Great Powers will confer. Its long windows look out upon the quadrangle, three sides of which are complete, and contain the Foreign, Indian and Colonial offices. The vacant side on which the Conference room looks directly, namely, that abutting upon Charles street, Westminster, offers by no means an agreeable aspect at present. Though less elaborately decorated than the great hail, the smaller room . is sumptuously fitted up, and in its centre now stands a round table of moderate size, which is covered with the traditional " green cloth," assumed to be inseparable from Conference tables. On this table areplaced six tall silver candlesticks, with towering wax lights, and about it is arranged every requisite in the way of stationery ; though some of the officials complain that the table is not large enough to hold a great many other accessories which had been prepared for the occasion. Around the table stand eight red morocco-covered chairs, one of which will be appropriated to the secretary or reporter of the Confer ence ; of the others, six only will be occupied by the Plenipotentiaries of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Turkey, Italy, and England, the seventh place being yet vacant, through the absence of the representative of France. Altogether, the material arrangements for the sitting of the Conference seem to be everything that can be desired. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. Last night's Gazette contains the Queen's Proclamation summoning Parliament to meet on Thursday, the 9th day of February, for " the despatch of divers urgent and important affairs." ATTACK ON BRITISH TROOPS IN INDIA. The Deccan Herald of December 23 states, on the authority of a private letter from her Majesty's 26th Regiment Native Infantry, that .i detachment of that regiment had been attacked by Bheels on the march from Deesa to Nusseerabad, that the sepoys ran away and left their officers to defend themselves as best they could, and that four of the officers were more or less hurt and mal treated. THE BOULTON AND PARK CASE. This cause, which was removed by certiorari from the Central Criminal Court, will now be tried before the Chief Justice and a special jury in the Court of Queen's Bench. Messrs. Lewis and Lewis, the solicitors for Messrs. Hurt, Boulton, and Park, three out of the four defendants, have given notice of trial to the Solicitor for the Treasury, and have entered the cause for the sittings after the pre sent term, which commence on the let of February next. The counsel retained to lead the case are, on the part of the Crown, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor- General, Mr. Giffard, Q.C., Mr. Archibald, and Mr. Poland ; on the part of the defendants, Sir John Kars lake, Q.C., Mr. Serjeant Ballantine, Mr. Serjeant Parry, Mr. Henry Matthews, Q.C., Mr. F. H. Lewis, Mr. Bex ley, and Mr. Straight. It is anticipated that, should the present arrears of business permit this cause to be reached, it would occupy some five or six days in its investigation ; as, irrespectively of the wit nesses to be .examined on the part of the Crown, the defendants will call a number of witnesses in their own defence. The defendants are all in London, actively engaged in preparing for their trial; and although it is not necessary, as in a criminal court, for them to surrender into custody when the trial commences, yet, by the practice of the Court of Queen's Bench, they will have to be present in Court until its conclusion. Professor Huxley has, it is stated, accepted the office of Professor of the Birmingham and Midland Insti tute, held in 1869 by Mr. Charles Dickens. TRADING AT VERSAILLES. The correspondent of the Standard at Versailles says : There is no understanding the French people. Within a few miles of us they are making one of the most heroic defences recorded in history ; not many leagues further they stampeded a day or two ago, singing " Mourir pour la patrie " as they ran ; and here, within hearing of the guns that are hurling death and destruction among their countrymen,French men and women have started theatrical performances for the sole amusement of the Prussian officers. It is to be regretted that we have no Thackeray here, he would find matter worthy of his pen. The British snob is to be met with in every variety ; nor has one to seek far, these and many other curious specimens of the biped animal called man may be seen feeding nightly in the same room with grand dukes and princes. Happy snobs ! This place is also infested with German Jews, who, not content with making " shent per spent" on bad cigars, vile liquors, and every other imaginable article of the worst de scription, are making a handsome profit by buying up the valuables of the French gentry in the neighbourhood, who with perhaps millions lying in Paris are half-starved within sight of the city. I saw three of these Hebrew gentlemen in an inn a few nights ago bullying two decrepit old women who were doing their best to attend to the wants of about fifty hungry men, and could not help comparing their conduct with that of some soldiers sitting at the next table, who not only treated the poor old creatures with kindness, but two of their number got up and volunteered to assist them. War is not humanising, but lust of money is, after all, worse. THE PRUSSIANS AT HAVRE. Writing from Havre, under date January 16, the cor respondent of the Standard says :—The Prussians continue to prowl all over the department with the same utter absence from molestation as the tigers in the jungle about Singapore. There was a smart brush between one of their pickets and some Francs tireurs, yesterday, both at Bolbec and St. Romain. The casualties on either side were merely nominal. At Dieppe and Fecamp the enemy has also paid recent visits, without doing any material damage, save " requisitioning " breakfasts. When we consider that both these towns are seaports, and that the French have unimpeded command of the sea, the fact of these raids being possible reflects anything but credit on the French authorities. A few hundred men would be able to pro tect Dieppe against these almost daily visits of a few Prussian raiders. The authorities here are very savage with the mayors and inhabitants of small villages for being civil to the enemy and complying with his be hests, but it is not to be wondered at. All the population of these localities capable of bearing arms have been drafted into the army, or the Mobile, or the Mobilised National Guard. They are frequently visited by the Prussian cavalry, but they never see a French soldier by any chance, and naturally form their own conclusions from the utter inability of the military to protect them. Of course, troops cannot be everywhere, but it is not easy to comprehend, why, if the road to Rouen is left in possession of the Prussians, they should be allowed to make themselves at home at Fecamp, Dieppe, and St. Valery en Caux. Let us hope that the new general will take steps to prevent a few hundred Prussians being masters of the sea coast as well as of the inland portions of Upper Normandy. GENERAL VON GOEBEN'S ARMY. From Albert, January 10, the correspondent of the Daily News sends the follywing :—General von Goeben's army is the same which hitherto has been commanded by General von Manteuffel. The latter has taken the com mand of an army formed around Dijon, consisting of the 7th Army Corps and of the joint forces of von Zastrow and von Werder, Of the reasons why General von Manteuffel has been entrusted with the command of the new army many versions aro current. One says that it was the desire of the headquarters to have the general at hand in order to take part in the victorious entrance into Paris. Another contends, on the contrary, that fault having been found with the general for attacking the enemy, or accepting battle with forces insufficient to gain decided victories, the great losses which under such circumstances must be sustained, and which indeed have been sustained latterly, were considered ' unnecessary, and not possible under the calmer leadership of von Goeben. The third version however, seems to be the most probable. According to this it would have been a difficult task, in forming the new army, to decide by whom it should be commanded, General von Zastrow, being nearly equal in age to General ven Werder. In order, therefore, to avoid jealousy, a general , has been chosen whose seni ority is far above that of either of the two others. Be that as it may, it is a fact that General von Goeben is the chief of the First Army ; and that General Faidherbe has no occasion to rejoice at the change. I left off my last letter from Bapaume stating that the enemy, pursued by our cavalry division, had retreated as far as Croiselles. Hers he did not stop, but fell back into the fortress of Arras, probably in order to let his men indulge in a few days' rest ; for shortly after the battle rumours were current again of the French having taken position, with the intention of delivering another battle. The reader will understand that General Faidherbe's anxiety was to break through the line and to march—if it were possible to do so—towards Peronne, which was still under a heavy bombardment, well knowing that with the surrender of that fortress all operations in the the north of France must be paralysed. In this effort however, he was not successful. With the fall of Peronne the Army of the North is doomed to remain within the fortresses of Arras and Lille, which the Prussians will certainly leave alone. The Army of the North is thus paralysed annihilated ; and to think of being still able to penetrate the double girdle of for tresses and armies held by the Prussians, and to march on Paris, would be utter madness. The First Army Corps, which has been engaged in the siege of P6ronne, will now be able, together with this, either to go into winter quarters or to join the army be fore Paris ; leaving merely a sufficient garrison to defend the fortress, and to keep up the line of communi cation to the left with Amiens and to the right with Maieres. CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day, Tuesday, January 17th, 1871.—Admission by season tickets, 1,688; ditto on payment, 2,582 ; total visitors, 4,270. A recent letter from tlie pastor of Norfolk Island states that a new church is being built there, to be called All Saints. The settlers are the Pitcairmars, the mutineers of the Bounty and their descendants. . The Bishop of Oxford has presented the Rev. Nicholas Thomas Garry, M.A., to the Vicarage of St. Paul's, Oxford, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. Alfred Hackman, M.A. Captain Behenna, late of the Ordnance Select Com mittee, has been appointed to succeed the late Captain Williams as superintending officer of pensioner clerks at the War Office. • It is expected that the court martial for the trial of the three ships' stewards will -assemble on board the flag-ship Duke of Wellington, at Portsmouth, and that Vice-Admiral G, Wellesley, C. 13., will be president. 871. BAPAUME AFTER THE LATE BATTLES. In a communication from Arras, Janttary 15, the special correspondent of the Dailll 1V ens observes :—On entering Bapaume, the French found that its little popu lation had suffered extremely in the way of requisitions, the total sums these have cost the town being believed not to he less than 200,000 francs, or £B,OOO sterling, amongst inhabitants numbering 4,000 to 5,000. The outsldrts of the little town have also suffered greatly from fire during the fighting. The real causes or objects of the Prussiana falling back are net readily seen, except ing that there can be little doubt it 1J - only a withdrawal to make a , 'ronger spring forward. Neither side will be satisfied with the present undecided position, and especially are General Faidherbe antl his young army, flushed with, a firm belief in their own stideesSes; burning to refute the false report by General. Man teuffel, of their being beaten on both occasions, but more particularly on the last. They would, I think, willingly concede the question.of- Pont-Noyelles if the world, but especially their enemies, would only give them all the credit they think they deserved at Bapaume. Everyone is on 'the qui vice of expectation, both at head quarters and here; between which planes- Faidherbe's army is massed, listening for the first sounds of the new battle. That there cannot be much delay is al most certain, and any moment news may come in to despatch the troops that are here. As it is, these are constantly going forward to the front. They have every confidence in themselves and in their general, and not even the news of Chanzy's failure, and the occupation of Le Mans, which is known here to - day, but without particulars, seem to have had any effect upon their spirits ; if we may judge at least from the faces of thoSe in the streets, and of a body of about 4,000 that marched out for headquarters an hour ago. Certainly they have hardly had time yet to take in, much less to digest, such very bad news. One thing has struck me even more forcibly here, where so many men in comparison to the population are gathered than in other northern towns—riarnely i the great quiet ness of the soldiers ifr the street, and the orderly and silent way in which they march out to what will really be action. Of course . times like the present are no times for huzzahing or crying vive this or vire that ; the earnestness of both the citizen troops and the inhabitants generally seem to be too deep for utterance. Beyond the cm dial greeting by the hand of individuals who join the ranks for a moment to speak a farewell to some friend or comrade, there is none of the outward manifestation usually ol , served at every French gathering. There is infinitely more outward expressions of excitement shown when any Prussian prisoners are marched through the town ; an event which has been occurring almost daily for the past fortnight. From what I have gathered in various quarters I am satisfied the French authorities are treating their prisoners very well. How they would manage if they had to cater for upwards of 300,000, and to pro vide special barracks and guards for them, is quite another question. The manifestations that are sometimes made, however, and the crowds that run after the poor fellows, who certainly, without their weapons, look every inch soldiers as they march along the roads in charge of the Gendarmerie ; are not altogether creditable. One of them made the Very apropos remark in my hearing the other day to some people who were crowding round him on his leaving the station, that probably they were not yet accustomed to the sight of Prussian prisoners. The repartee was happy, and perhaps on this ground the conduct of the French is excusable, because very natural. TIIE CONFERENCE AND PEACE PROPOSALS. The Brussels correspondent of the Daily News thus writes under date January 16 :—lt is generally expected here that the Conference, which will have been opened by the time you receive this letter, will not only deal with the subject of Prince Gortschakoff's note, but also serve to ascertain what are really the intentions of Germany on the one side and France on the other, as to the conditions of a cessation of hostilities. People begin to feel that it is becoming nearly as useless to revert to the prigin of the war as it would be to perform the painful duty of reminding a man who has to undergo a term of penal servitude for life, of the perfect justice of the sentence passed upon him by the Court of Assize. The Belgians, especially, are waiting with impa tience for a knowledge of the wishes of the conquerors, and of the concessions which the conquered are ready to make. For some time past ugly rumours have been in cir culation. At one time it is the Republic, a•t another time it is the Empire, which is said to be willing to make peace at the expense of Belgium, by restoring the German pro vinces of France to Germany, on condition of being in demnified by the gift of the Walloon provinces. In a letter from London, published in to-day's Ind4endance Beige, it is stated, and the rumour is confirmed from other quarters, that M. Regnier, who played so ex traordinary a part in the negotiations of Metz, has, at his request, received from Count Bismarck a sauf-conduit to Versailles, for the purpose of submitting there a plan of pacification. The question naturally arises, what Count Bismarck can possibly have to listen to from one of those political adventurers who used to live, move, and have their being in the unwholesome atmos phere of Imperial diplomacy and Court intrigues ? With the prisoner of Wilhelmshohe restoration to the throne has become a fixed idea, and to arrive at it he is said to have imagined the division of Belgium, whose Flemish provinces are to be handed over to Holland, while the cession of the Walloon provinces to France is to compensate her for the abandonment to Germany of Alsace and part of Lorraine without Metz, which is to remain French, but to be dismantled. It is impossible to believe that such an arrangement; as objectionable from a moral as from a purely practical point of view, could even for a moment be seriously en tertained by Count Bismarck. But it is feared on the one hand, that he may, like most able players at games skill, become enamoured of difficulties. The Belgians, after having done their utmost in the scrupulous fulfil ment of the duties of neutrality, are somewhat impa tient at being annoyed by ballons d'essai, of Bonapartist or any other origin. It is, therefore, considered as desir able as it would be necessary for the enlightenment of public opinion, that the real and unalterable purposes of the belligerents should be clearly stated, so as to p'it an end to all disquieting rumours. It is expected now, that this result will at last be attained by means of the Conference. THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACTS. On Monday evening, prior to the meeting in St. George's Hall, a deputation waited upon the Right Hon. W. E. Forster, M.P., at the Victoria lintel, Bradford, to ask his opinion as to the Contagious Diseases Acts, and whether he is prepared to vote for their repeal or ex tension. The deputation consisted of Alderman West, the Rev. Dr. Russell, the Rev. W. Kingsland, Mr. Henry Mitchell, Mr. George Binns, Mr. W. D. Hertz, Alderman' Law, Mr. Briggs, Mr. J. Cooke, Mr. James Drummond, Mr. Briggs Priestly, Mr. Joseph Craven, Mr. John Cooke, and Mr. Thomas Robertshaw. Alderman West said the question involved in the Contagious Diseases Act was one which was exciting a great deal of interest in Bradford. A large meeting on the subject was to be held on Wednes day night, and several gentlemen, and at least one lady from a distance, were to speak at it. They were very desirous that evening of asking the right hon. member to inform them as to his views on the present work ing of the Act, or as to any extension of the measure. So far as the weaker sex were concerned, they were treated under the Act in a very cruel manner, and the men were allowed to go scot free. In fact, the women were put through a considerable amount of punishment in order to be, as it were, cleansed and purified. Their opinion was that this was a very extraordinary process, and if it was to be continued in operation it certainly ought to be made as applicable to the men as to the women. The object of the deputation was to ask the right hon. gentle man whether he was prepared to vote for the repeal of the Act, or if not, whether he would oppose its further extension.—Mr. Forster, in reply, said that when he became a member of the Government the Act was In operation, mid he had nothing to do with the origin of it. A royal commission had been appointed to examine into the working of it, and as a member of the Government he was not prepared to pledge himself to do any thing in the way of repealing the Act. As anindepen dent member he should have given no opinion until they knew the result of the commission. It was not for him to take upon himself to say what course his col leagues might pursue, but lie might say that he was opposed to any extension of the Act.—On the motion of the Rev. Dr. Russell, seconded by Alderman Law, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr. Forster for receiving the deputation. The death is announced of one of the very few remaining survivors of the great naval victory of Tra falgar, Mr. Lewis Rooke, late of the 'Royal Marines. His demise occurred at Newport, Barnstaple, in his 83rd y ear. Among those who have recently been elected members of the new St. Stephen's Club are Lords Redes dale and Tredegar. the Marquis of Bute, Mr. Knight, M.P., the Hon. Godfrey Morgan, M.P., the Hon. W. G. Roper Curzon, Sir Gilbert Campbell, Bart., and Lord Ronald Graham. OUR CO TEMPORARIES---TYlg Monaing MR. FORSTER ON THE WAR. The Times, in reviewing the speech of the right hon. gentleman, delivered at Bradford, says agree with lir. Forster in his protest against the notion that Great Britain, by maintaining an unarmed neutrality, and net tendering her unsolicited advice sword in hand, has forfeited in any degree the respect of Europe. Those who hold that we ought to have threatened li'fante with our hostility at the out set unless she abatidoned her aggressive designs against Germany, and that , we ought now to menace Germany in like manner unless dig desists from her ven geance upon France, 'would do well to ask themselves whether it is likely that Great Britain would be quietly left by other neutral States to enforce her atbittation by arms. If not—if it be mo rally certain that a single overt step of this kind would have brought Russia, if not Austria, into the field—then, apart from all, other considerations, the only plausible argument in favour of it breaks down. It is doubtless conceivable, though not very probable just now, that all Europe might be united in a Confederacy, of which the central executive should have the command of sufficient military force to put down any refractory member. But for any one nation to read her neighbours a lecture on the *i&kedness and folly of war, ending with a declaration that, Unless they would make peace, she would forthwith go to war herself, would assuredly be a strange combination* of National Quixotism and national Quakerism. Instead of believing that England would tints secure compliance with her counsels, w 6 believe she would instantly lose the vantage-ground Lild# now occupies, and throw away the last chance of mediating effectually. 11r. Forster is not far wrong in tracing snail views to an impatience of inaction, arising from the contagion of the. war spirit, as well as to a sincere compassion for the sufferings of France. It is natural to feel half ashamed of standing by with folded hands while blows are being struck and blood is being drawn. It is natural to feel this, but it is not reasonable for an individual, and it would be criminal for a statesman, to act upon it, unless deliberately persuaded that a good result would be obtained by interference: Least of all would it be ex cusable to plunge into war just to remind ourselves and convince the world that we have not lost the capability of fighting, however right it may be to ascertain the same fact by less suicidal means. ' The Telegraph remarks :—The end of the forthcoming decade will do Air:Forster justice whatever may be done at the metropolis of bfciadeloth. The children who will have grown up into honest mei And happy women instead of thieves and harlots ; the gaols which need not be enlarged or newly built, and thr libraries which will have arisen ; the added wealth of intelligence and general information,. - leavening politicS with humanity, and raising the very foundation of the com munity, the living soil of the kingdom fertilised more deeply and more Widely, so that further harvests will, as it were, spring of themselves, in a new geraeration of English youth—the first of a iresh time and nobler history,—these are the happy results that will vindicates the policy of Mr. Forster, and make his example one to be emulated by the most sagacious of legislators. He may be well content to look forward to that ample justification of his conduct, when it will be so plainly seen that the great and memorable measure carried within it its own germs of development ; when even Bradford will have to confess that the all-important duty was to get the root planted, and the broad principles of the Act accepted, leaving the rest to time. But the busy Yorkshire borough should have weighed these matters ; and English Liberals have just cause to impeach the men of the place for not weighing them. This is not the time for sincere politicians to weaken the hands of faithful statesmen on Account of what we may call High Churchmen's views in Radicalism. There are parliamentary battles to come, for which unison and wis dom will be better weapons than theory and idealism ; and Bradford has deserved ill of England in choosing the present moment for airing a vain complaint. it ever honest and ardent patriotism was displayed, it war in the laborious accomplishment of the Education Act ; and, we are sorry to add, if ever good service was un graciously and ignorantly requited, it was in the vote of censure which Bradford has passed upon its repre sentative. FRANCE AND THE CONFERENCE. The Standard says —England cannot consent to any modification of the contract until her partner in making it can give a vote upon the question. She owes that to France and to herself. It is to France that she must naturally look for the main support of the opinion for which material guarantees were taken in the treaty. It was a mean and unworthy surrender, to accept the very proposal of a Conference to con sider the question raised by Prince Gortschakoff's circular repudiating the article of the treaty relative to the neutralisation of the Black Sea at a time when France was placed in such an embarrassing situation that her Government could hardly devote any attention to such a question, and when the English Minister was aware that it - was the situation of France which induced the Emperor to take that step. Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues must have known that in a Conference to be held under such conditions the different interests of Europe could not be fairly repre sented, and that the position of England would be excep tionally disadvantageous. But they longed for an opportunity of escaping from a question which required vigorous and decisive treatment ; and when Count Bismarck suggested a Conference, and actually made the repudiating Russian circular the basis of the negotiations, thus giving the Conference the character of an assembly called to accept the repudiation, and consider those means of maintaining the integrity of the Ottoman Empire which Prince Gortschakoff declared himself so anxious to concert with the other signatories of the treaty, they rose at once to the fly, and compelled Aiistri, willing enough to treat, but upon worthier bases, to accept the Prussian proposal. The mischief has been done. The English Government has actually done the dirty work of Russia and Prussia, whose "loyalty" a Government organ ventures to pro claim, and summoned a Conference, the mere convocation of which is ali admission that Russia had a .right to t r i e l p e u c c o li - a si t g e na th th e ri t e r s e i a s ty to , s a m n , d )ot t h h t a h t e t m he att o e a r l o y ver im a s s in w es e s ll of as they can. But if the English Government may accept such a humiliation for itself, it cannot venture to ask it even of France in her present position. The Conference can do nothing until France is represented. We shall need the help of France, even to complete the measure of our own humiliation. GERMANY TIRED OF THE WAR. It has been so long assumed that France must of neces sity be beaten, observes the Daily News, that the rising doubt whether, after all, the German victory will ever be really secure, has come upon European opinion with all the force of a discovery. It has been assumed all through this war that France will know when she is beaten, will accept defeat, and will make the best terms she can with her conqueror. But this is just what France will not do. Paris may fall, army after army may be beaten, but the Republic will nut yield. Even should active resistance be no longer pos sible, a passive resistance will take its place, and French pride will try with German persistency a game of wait ing. Is there no possibility that even in this game France may win ? How can Germany bear the strain which such a war would make on her resources? France accepts ruin, and puts all thought of pleasure, business, politics, and science aside till her soil is purged of the foreign enemy ; but can Germany afford to do the same in order to hold France in submission ? The effort for Germany must be quite as exhausting as France. The German army is filled by the breadwinners of German homes and the workers in German manufactories, and if they are kept away indefinitely, not only will a cry for peace go up from a million German families, but the very power of the country to support the armies will be weakened and broken. There are many signs that the German people are already beginning to feel these evil effects of a war of conquest. The King who entered Paris as a ' his old age has a hist Versailles, and ma in be well content that the w ar should continue ; but the people at home are be ginning to ask, what good is to come of it for them. The he Ki n g has got out of it a promised offer of the conquerorld i s Imperial Crown, and Germany, as a whole, has won the European championship. The smaller States of Germany are beginning to see that the chief glory of the war falls on Prussia, and that while they pay their full share of the cost and sacrifice, the Prussian Throne gets all the advantage. In helping to subdue France, they are giving themselves a master. The German democracy sends its sons to die that the Prus sian aristocracy may confirm its rule at home by vic tories abroad. It is not, therefore, solely from sympathy with Liberal France that we deprecate the continuance of the war ; we do so even more from sym pathy with Liberal Germany. These two great nations cannot afford to ruin each other, nor can European civilisa tion afford that they should be ruined. It is like cutting off the right hand or plucking out the right eye of Europe. For the thoughtful and meditative intellect of Germany to be given over to - dreams of conquest and visions of national revenge ; for the bril liant, versatile, and incisive genius of the French people to be turned from the pursuits of science and politics to think only of self-defence, and devise only machinery of war, is a double calamity, which must put back the shadow on the sun-dial of pro gress. All Europe has an interest in bringing this war to an end, but Germany most of all ; and it is impossible not to believe that some effort will soon be made to bring the combatants to a parley, and that such a parley will result in peace. ;0) be ch :mot els or ,he be all I,ry rho eir ffaS "To are Ind n ed all will 1 to WaS aen ;stet .oclt , and not the , son s e of de vs on has iheel* '31 )1 X . 5 ettS otti s ,ttia