The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-05 00:00:00

SPECIAL EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 P.M. LATEST INTELLIGENCE• THE WAIL GEN. FAIDHERBE'S VICTORY. MOVEMENTS OF THE FRENCH ARMIES. LILLE, eThnuary 4 The Echo du Nord says :—The second victory just gained by the Army of the North was more decisive than the first; it has stopped and crushed the enemy on the road to Lille, but the victory has been dearly bought ; if the invaders' losses are enormous, our wounded are numerous. In the centre Bourbaki is advancing on Orleans, and Chanzy towards Paris. Garibaldi has been ordered to march on the east. THE SEIZURE OF A FRENCH. CABLE. BORDEAUX, January 4. The Government delegation are sanguine that the ship International, seized in the Thames, having on board a cable to connect Dunkirk, Cherbourg, Brest, and Bordeaux, will be given up, as, al though the legal advisers of the British Govern ment decided that the transport of the cable to France and its laying down by and English ship was an infraction of the new law of neutrality, yet the question is still open whether the mere ex ppctation of the cable to France would be an in fringement of the law.—Lombard Telegrams. THE BOMBARDMENT. VERSAILLES, January 5 (10 a.m.). The attack on the forts yesterday was prevented by fog. General Goeben has dispersed Faidherbe's army. The Bth Cuirassiers charged and broke up two regiments. General Chanzy's army is reported to be advancing. Ti»zes. SCHWERIN, January 5. Aocording to telegrams received here the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg arrived at Chartres, from Versailles, on the 27th ult. He brought the intelli gence that the bombardment of Paris was to be commenced immediately. MORE FIGHTING NEAR ROUEN. HAVRE, January 4, 11.15 p m-. Considerable Prussian forces attacked General Roy to-day at several points on the left bank of the Seine. No information as to the result has yet reached here. SKIRMISHING IN THE EAST. DIJON, January 3. 'Yesterday a column of the enemy, numbering from 700 to 800 men, and advancing from Semur in the direction of Montlay, was attacked on the out skirt of the wood of Saulieu, and defeated by a corps of Garibaldians, supported by a company of Engineers, one of the Oriental Legion, and the National Guards of Saulieu. The enemy lost 30 killed.--Reuter's Telegrams. GREAT BATTLE IN THE NORTH. VICTORY OF THE FRENCH. BOULOGNE, January 4. .Fighting was resumed yesterday before Bapaume. It is semi-officially reported here that a battery captured by the Prussians was retaken at the bayonet's point. Bapaume wss occupied, and the Prussians pursued beyond the town. BOULOGNE, January 4. The prefect of this department telegraphs from Arras this evening that he returned from the head quarters of the Army of the North yesterday. It was a very glorious day for the French arms, Six villages were successively taken from the enemy. The army has stopped before Bapaume, which might easily have been taken, had not Genera Faidherbe recoiled from the extremity of bombarding and firing the town. More than 3,000 Prussians wore placed hors de combat. The French artillery was better served and superior in fire and precision to the Prussian.—Daily News Telegram. A Central Press telegram says :—"Faidherbe's victory was gained by the help of heavy reinforce ments, and more are still on their way. Manteuffel's forces, on the other hand, were scattered about, and it was believed in Lille that most of them were withdrawn to Paris to resist the supreme effort expected from Trochu. The German commanders were completely deceived respecting the efficiency of the North Army. LILLE, January 4. Yesterday was a day of great victory for the Army .of the North. The losses of the Prussians were •enormous, those of the French great. Bapaume and Behargnies were entirely burnt. Poronne was bom barded and almost destroyed ; but it still holds out. 'The road to Busig,ny has been cut. Passenger and goods traffic with Cambrai has been resumed. Exac tletails are wanting. LILLE, January 4 (Afternoon). A despatch from General Faidherbe, dated from Avesnes-les-Bapaume, announces that a battle was fought yesterday below Bapaume from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. General Faidherbe says :—" We drove the Prussians from all their positions and all the vil lages. 'They suffered enormous losses. Our losses were serious."— fleuter's Telegram. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. VERSAILLES, January 2. Last night passed quietly on this side of Paris, There was little or no cannonading from the forts and the Germans did not open fire, as many had 'expected. `CIENERAL TROCHU AND THE SIEGE OF PARIS. BORDEAUX, January 3. A. semi-official article has been published in the 43 jecle attacking General Trochu's strategy, and 'demanding a serious sortie from Paris. The article l iae made a great sensation.—Daily News. The following telegrams come through Reuter's Agency : GENERAL ROY ATTACKED BY THE PRUSSIANS. lIAVRE, January 4 (11.1$ p.m.) , Consider a ble Prussian forces attacked General -"' °Y to-day at several points on the left bank of the Seine. No information as to the results has yet r eached here. WAR NEWS FROM BORDEAUX. BORDEAUX, January 3. News from the North represents General Man u , euffel as manoeuvring to turn the left wing of Q. enertil Faidherbe and to cut his communications. It is beli eve d th a t th e energy of General Faidherbe 'will leave the enemy neither time nor opportunity !° execute this plan. The bulk of Manteuffel's army is at Albert and. Achiet. From the Loire it is reported that the enemy oc ellPies a long line from Blois through Vendome and La Loupe to Verneuil. The reserve is formed Y troop s occupying Orleans, Ohateaudun, Char !tea) and Dreux, The total strength of the German Lre° Pa under the Duke of Mecklenburg, without TILE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1871. THE MONEY MARKET. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. The Stock Markets to-day are not quite so firm as at the opening. Consols opened at 921 to 92k, but are now quoted at 92 to 921, showing a fall of 1 per cent. In the Foreign Market Egyptian is quoted 78 to 781; French Six per Cents., 11 to 1L- dis ; North German, 1 to 1 prem. ; Spanish Three per Cents., 29i to 291 ; Turkish Fives, 431 to 43k. Telegraphic advices from New York state . that the coupon due January 1 on the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad Bonds has not been paid. As the State of Alabama has guaranteed these bonds is affirmed that only a short delay in the payment need be apprehended. The Legislature of the State meets on the 18th of this month, and the agents of the issue in London intend to send forthwith a representative to Montgomery Lto pro. tect the interests of the bondholders. The directors of the London and Westminster Bank have resolved to declare, at the ensuing general meeting, a dividend and bonus of 9 per cent. for the half-year ended the 31st of December last, making 18 per cent. for the year on the paid-up capital of £2,000,000, carrying forward the sum of £1,600. The total dividend in the previous year was 161 per cent. The dividend to be declared by the Union Bank of London at the meeting on the .11th inst. will be at the rate of 15 per cent. per annum. The directors of the National Discount Company will at the meeting of shareholders on the 25th inst., recom mend a dividend at the rate of 17 per cent. per annum. Advices from Buenos Ayres describe steadiness in the produce and money markets. The inauguration of the works of the Transandine Telegraph Company by the Argentine Minister of the Interior, Dr. Veles Sarsfield, had occurred on the 25th of November. The line is to be completed in 12 months, I and will connect Buenos Ayres with Valparaiso, and from Valparaiso, via the Pacific Coast and the Isthmus of Panama, will bring the River Plate into telegraphic communication with the United States and Europe. Announcement is made of the stoppage of Messrs. Vivian and Mansell, a firm of wholesale hosiers. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) ROCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD. There is to be a contested election for this board, which will consist-of nine members, ten being nominated. Tie various parties in the city •have agreed on the nomi nation of nine candidates, represtnting all shades -if opinion. The names are as follows :The Rev. C. Bus sanquet, Rev. A. Whiston, Messrs. Foord (Mayor), ITay ward, Furrell, Belsey, Creasy, Aveling, and Tribe. The opposing gentleman, who has conic forward with an address printed in blue ink (the local Liberal colour), is Mr. J. L. Edwards. The day of election ,is appointed for the 13th inst. those under General Von der Tann, is estimated at 77,000. In the East the Germans continue their move ments of concentration. General Werder is being strongly reinforced by Prinbe Frederick Charles. Ministerial despatches from Chateau Renault to the 2nd ult. announce that a cavalry reconnaissance pushed the Prussian detachments for upwards of an hour, and were only stopped by a strong column from Vendome. Advices from Amhaise state that Uhlans arrived to-clay at Vanves and Montaux, and behaved very violently, firing upon unarmed people, and wound ing men, women, and children. A note dated January 2, and signed by the mem bers of the GO'S ernment, has been published appeal ing to those who can pay at once and in advance the taxes for the whole year, and to others to pay in eadvanc as much as their means will allow, in order to help the Government to meet the heavy demands of the war. The municipality of Tours has published a pro test denying the assertion of the Prussians at Versailles that Tours had demanded a Prussian garrison. LILLE, Janua-y 8. The Echo du Nord says that telegrams received at Arras announce that 500 Prussians had left St. Ricquier for Rue to cut the Boulogne Railroad. They had passed through Froyelles, continuing their march by Orecy.—Lombard Telegrams. THE LONDON CONFERENCE, VERSAILLES, January 5 (10 a.m. M. Jules Favre, who was offered a safe conduct by Count Bismarck out of Paris to attend the London Conference, has refused to leave the city.— Times. BORDEAUX, January 4. This evening's journal's assert that M. Jules Favre has received a safe conduct in order to pass through the Prussian lines to proceed to London. It is also stated here that the French Government reqUires the recognitiun of the Republic before consenting to take part in the Conference. This, however, is en tirely unconfirmed, and is believed to be unfounded. The Siecle points out the necessity existing for a preliminary discussion of the question, but says that the fact of M. Jules Favre's presence at the Conference will itself constitute a recognitian of the Republic. The same paper strongly approves the choice of M. .rules Favre as the French representative from every point of view.—Reuter's 7'elegrant. TURKEY AND EGYPT. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 4. The Levant Herald of to-day says : " We have authority for contradicting the rumour of a new difficulty between the Porte and the Khedive. " The relations of the Khedive with the Porte have been in no way externally affected, so far, and the rumour referred to by a London paper is without any present foundation." THE NEW SPANISH MINISTRY. MADRID, January 4 (Evening). The New Ministry will be probably constituted as follows : Mar..,hal Serrano—President of the Ministry and Minister of War. Senor Martos—Minister of Foreign Affairs. Senor Montero Rios—Minister of Justice. Senor Beranger—Minister of Marine. Senor Sagasta—Minister of the Interior. Senor Ulloa—Minister of Public Works. Senor Ayala—Minister of the Colonies. The new Ministers will be sworn into office this evening. Tranquility prevails in Madrid. ANNEXATION OF SAN DOMINGO. WASHINGTON, January 4. Congress re-assembled to-day. The Senate adopted Mr. Sumner's resolution, calling upon Pre sident Grant for information relative to the negocia tions for the annexation of San Domingo, and also Mr. Sherman's amendment to the Funding Bill, authorising to increase the issue of Five per Cent. Bonds to ssoo,ooo,ooo.—lieuter's Telegrams. AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA. BERLIN, January 3. Count Beust's despatch, in reply to that of Count Bismarck, has been very well received here. The circular of the Austrian Chancellor recognises the newly-constituted German Empire, under the leadership of Prussia. The Austrian note also expresses the hope that amicable relations between the two countries will be productive of great benefits for both.—Telegraph. VIENNA, January 4. The following official announcement has been published here :—" The sensation news spread in some Vienna papers in the form of a telegram, alleging the despatch of special plenipotentiaries from Vienna to Versailles and Berlin, for the purpose of negotiating an alliance, is unfounded.—Reuter's Telegram. At Moretonhampstead a masons' labourer has been fined fifty pounds for having a private still. The Belfast Presbytery of the Irish Presbyterian Church on Tuesday protested against the statement made by Mr. Gladstone in his letter to Mr. Dease, M.P., that the adequate support of the dignity of the Pope and his personal freedom are legitimate matters for the notice of the Government. The annual New Year's festivities at the institu tion in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, for Home less and Destitute Children, took place on Tuesday, under the presidency of Sir B. W. Carden. The average num ber of boys and girls who are benefited by this charity is 550, and they cost nearly £20,000 per annum. On Tues day eighteen servant maids who had kept their situations for twelve months received each a silver medal from the hands of Miss Burdett Coutts. Silver medals were also presented to the six best-conducted boys from the Chichester and the Farm respectively. ECLIPSE OF THE MOON.—To-morrow evening the moon will be partially eclipsed, and the whole phe nomenon will be favourably visible in this country. The first contact with the shadow occurs at 7h. 46m., p.m., 130 degrees from the northernmost point of the moon's limb towards the east; the greatest eclipse at 9h. 16m., when two-thirds of her diameter will be immersed in the earth's dark shadow, and the final contact with the same at 10h. 47m. The star Delta Geminorum, of 3i magnitude, will be close to the eclipsed limb of the moon at half-past nine o'clock, just escaping occultation in London. The next lunar eclipse, on July 2, will be invisible in these parts of the world ; the, eclipse of 1872 are very minute, and the total eclipse of the moon on November 4, 1873, will be only partly visible at Greenwich, the moon rising after her total immersion in the shadow. DEATH IN CHURCH.—Mr. Emsley, the coroner for Leeds, held an inquest on Monday in a case of sudden death, which illustrated in a very sad manner the severity of the weather experienced at the present time. The de ceased, Mary Frances Elsworth, was a married woman, and in company with her husband, had gone to Mean wood Church on Sunday, and on the way thither she complained of shortness of breath, and of pains in her back and shoulders. About eleven o'clock, during service she became very unwell, and asked her husband to take her out. The husband had her conveyed out of the chureh into the porch, and it was then found she was dead. The cause of death was congestion of the lungs, accelerated by the coldness of the weather, and the jury returned a ver dict to that effect. A. STRANGE MISTAKE.—On Friday last a pauper from the House of Industry, at Shrewsbury, was to be buried, and all the arrangements were made for the pur pose ; the coffin was put upon a bier, and was conveyed by brother paupers to the cemetery. On arriving there, when the service was about to be performed, some of the parties noticed, on lifting the coffin from the bier, that it was ex ceedingly light, and a conference took place, the lid was lifted, and it was discovered that there was a slight mis take. It so happened that another pauper was dead in the house for whom a coffin had been prepared, and, without proper consideration, the empty coffin had been taken from the room, leaving the one which contained the dead body intended to be interred. As soon as the mis take was discovered the empty coffin was conveyed back to the place from whence it had been taken, and the other carried in due form to its final resting-place in the ceme tery.--Birminyham, Daily Gazette. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS. Yesterday opened bright and clear, with strong indica tions of a thaw. At mid-day the sun shone out, and the thermometer rose 15 degrees, but at two o'clock there was an evident change; a breeze from the north-east set in, and the thermometer quickly fell below freezing point. The official report gives 16,000 persons on the Broad Water in Regent's Park. On the Serpentine there were about 10,000 skaters and sliders during the day. No casualties occurred. On the Long Water and Round Pond there were about 14,000 ; the ice was said to be five inches thick. The thermometer, at four o'clock, was 29, or three degrees below freezing point. On the Ornamental Water in St. James's Park there were 10,000 skaters and sliders. The " roughs " were again in large numbers, and principally through their conduct there were 10 cut heads. About seven o'clock in the evening a select party visited the Broad Water in Regent's Park, with torches in their hands ; they were quickly followed by a crowd of persons, who found no difficulty in getting over the low wooden fencing opposite Hanoyer-terrace, in defiance of the park keepers and other authorities. The Deputy-Ranger of the park feels that he is placed in an awkward position. It appears that the inhabitants around Hanover-gate have the privilege of a private key to the " Pleasure Grounds" on the north side of the Broad Water, to which the general public are not admitted. Availing them selves of this privilege, both on Tuesday and yesterday evening they mustered in select parties bearing torches, and formed sets of quadrilles, &c. The London public, thinking there should be no special preference given to class, made a forcible entrance, and hence on the last two evenings upwards of 3,000 persons skated during the night, although the rule is for the park to be closed at 4.30 every evening. There was also a torch meeting on the Serpentine yes terday evening, and it was computed that upwards of 10,000 persons were on the ice up to midnight. EIGIIT THOUSAND PERSONS FROZEN OUT OF WORK. —lt is roughly estimated that from 10,000 to 12,000 per sons are daily employed at the London, St. Katherine, Commercial, Grand Surrey Canal, Grand Junction, and other docks in London, but owing to the continuance of the frost, with the exception of those employed in the warehouses, they have for the past few days been thrown out of work. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Tires DAY. A DESPICABLE FELLOW. —Antolo Mullen, a w€ll - man, was brought up before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough-street Police court, charged with disorderly conduct in the Haymarket. Daniel Palmer, 31 C Re serve, said that a little before one o'clock that monring, he saw the prisoner following a French prostitute along the Haymarket. The woman spoke to a gentleman, and on leaving him went up to the prisoner and gave him something. A man seeing what was going on told the prisoner that he ought to be ashamed of himself to live on the prostitution of a woman, and an altercation then took place between the man and the prisoner. He got the man to go away, but as the prisoner refused to go and caused a large crowd to collect, he took him into custody, when he became very violent. In reply to Mr. Knox, the constable said he knew the prisoner to live on the prostitution of a French woman, and to be in the nightly habit of following her about and receiving money from her. Robert French, 13 OR, gave similar evidence as to the prisoner's conduct last night, and as to his mode of life. Mr. Knox fined the prisoner, who de scribed himself as a traveller, 405., or a month. As soon as the prisoner heard the decision, he either fainted or pretended to faint, and was carried out of court. SERIOUS DEFALCATIONS OF A HOSPITAL CLERK.—Wm. Henry Simpson, late clerk to the Secretary of West minster Hospital, was re-examined at Westminster Police court, charged with embezzling the sum of 2249 7s. Gd., the monies of the Governors and Treasurers of the West minster Hospital. Mr. Wontner conducted the prosecu tion. The prisoner's position was one of great trust, and he had a salary of £134 per year, besides other advantages; his defalcations appear to have commenced about the middle of the year, but in August Mr. Wilson, the secretary, left town, and during his absence on August 31st a sum of £75 4s. was entrusted to the prisoner to pay into Messrs. Hoare's bank ; this he did not pay in, but on the 26th of October went with £204 4s. to the bank and requested credit for £75 4s. out of a £2OO cheque from the Goldsmith's Hall. This the clerk gave him, and entered the £75 4s. on the 26th October, which prisoner had erased, and substituted 21st August. There were other sums kept back. He was remanded. AUSTRIAN REPLY TO COUNT BISMARCK'S NOTE. VIENNA, January 4. Count Beust, in his reply, dated the 26th ult., to Count Bismarck's note of the 14th of the same month, acknow ledges the ready recognition and friendly spirit with which Count Bismarck had alluded to the Treaty of Prague. Count Beust, however, deems it advisable not to enter into any further particulars regarding the treaty, and considers that it is in the interest of both parties to avoid discussion in 'this direction. The Austrian Chan cellor is of opinion that it is not desirable at the present moment to make formal interpretations and material legal claims the subject of discussion. The views of Count Beust, on the contrary, incline towards regarding the union of Germany under the leadership of Prussia as an act of historical significance, and as a fact of paramount importance. He holds that the future mutual relations of Austria and Germany should shape themselves accordingly. Taking this new standpoint, Count Beust is already able to declare, in expectation of the further communications notified by the Prussian Government, that amongst all the influential classes of Austria and Hungary a most sincere wish prevails to cultivate friendly relations with the new German State Federation. Count Beust continues thus At this moment espe cially, therefore, it is not without justifiable confidence that, in view of the realisation of such promising pro spects, we look upon the opening up of this fruitful field, in which their existing identity of will and action may become for both States a pledge of enduring unity, and for Europe a guarantee of lasting peace. " Similar sentiments animate his Majesty the Emperor, by whom the exalting recollections which link his dynasty during a glorious history of centuries with the history of the German people will not be remembered otherwise than with the warmest sympathies for that people's further national development, and with an earnest hope that in its new constitutional form it may find real guarantees for a happy future—a future full of blessings, not only for its own welfare, but for that of the Imperial State re lated to it by so many ties."—Reuter's Telegram. ; CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day.—Wed nesday.—The admissions by season tickets were 2,900 ; do. on payment, 3,788 ; total visitors, 6,688. FIRE NEAR LAUNCESTON, A telegraphic dispatch sent from Plymouth, at 12.40 this morning states that a fierce fire was raging at Lifton, near Launceston. THE "CONFESSIONAL UNMASKED." At the Hampshire Quarter Sesgions, yesterday, Geore Mackey, lecturer for the Protestant Electoral Union, was indicted for selling an obscene book called the " C.nfes sional Unmasked," at Lymington. He was tried at the last sessions, when the jury not being able to agree, they were discharged. It was proved that the defendant bad issued a notice of his meeting, to which no youths or ladies were admitted, and at one of these lectures the book was bought for a shilling and placed in the hands of the police. The defence was that the union simply held the confessional up as a demoralising institution. Roman Catholic priests and Ritualists asked Englishmen to send their wives and daughters to them, and asked them some questions, which the prosecution now condemned. The prisoner, who complained that he had had an unfair trial, was found guilty, and the chairman said that no case ever gave him greater difficulty, owing to the disgusting nature of the case. The contents of the book were so disgusting, indeed, that he could not read passages. Prisoner was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and then enter into recognisances of £lOO, and find sureties for good behaviour. SYMPATHY WITH THE POPE. A meeting for the purpose of expressing sympathy with the Pope was held at Naas yesterday. The attendance was so large that the proceedings, which were commenced in the Town Hall, had to be continued in the open air. The Bishop of Kildare presided, and amongst the speakers were the Right Hon. NV. H. F. Cogan, M.P., and Serjeant Sherlock, M.P. THE PRUSSIAN OUTRAGE ON BRITISH VESSELS. One of the crew of a Sunderland vessel, which was one Jf the number sunk in the Seine by the Prussians, who arrived at North Shields yesterday, denies that the Ger mans ill treated or robbed the sailors. On the contrary, they treated them with all kindness. THE GOVERNMENT LICENSING BILL. At a large meeting held in York last night, and pre sided over by the Lord Mayor of the city, resolutions were passed requesting the Government to insert clauses in the Licensing Bill which they propose to introduce, which will enable the inhabitants in any parish to prevent the establishment of liquor shops in their midst against the will of the district, THE CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST A COAST GUARD OFFICER. At the Cornwall Quarter Sessions yesterday, a verdict of not guilty was returned in the case of the Coast Guard officer, named O'Brien, who was charged with having endeavoured to throw a subordinate officer named Ball down an old mine shaft. THE REPRESENTATION OF NEWRY. At a meeting of the Liberal elector:3 of Newry, held yeesterday, it was decided not to offer any opposition to Lord Newry's return. THE CONFERENCE. We (Times) are informed that at the request of Count Bismarck, Mr. Washhurne, the American Minister at Paris, informed M. Jules Favre that a safe conduct would be placed at his disposal, in Order to enable hint to attend the Conference in London up ,n the neutrality of the Black Sea. Mr. Washburn° has written in reply to Count Bismarck that he had communicated this proposal to M. Jules Farr°, who had replied that ho "knew flothinr; of the Conference and would not leave Pule." THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL. It is stated that Mr. Monsell, M.P. for Limerick, has accepted the place of Postmaster-General, of which office Lord Hartington still continues to perform the duties. There is no confirmation of the report that the place had ever been offered to Mr. Stansfeld.,Tiines. VIE STORE OF BREECHLOADERS. We (Times) have been requested by Mr. Cardwell to publish the following letter, which completely refutes a statement so often and so confidently made as to obtain at last undeserved credence: " January 3,187 L " My dear Gladstone,—ln the Times of this morning I aee the following passage, which is stated to be contained in an address to you from some of your constituents, now in course of signature, 'because your War Minister, Mr. Cardwell, had the audacity to state in the House of Com mons that he had in store 300,000 breechloading rifles, a statement which he must (officially) have known contained the grossest mis-statement of facts ever attempted to be foisted on the House of Com mons.' "As this is not anonymous, though Ido not yet know by whom it is signed, I think it right to call your atten tion to what took place. "On the Ist of August Sir John Hay stated in the House of Commons :—` I do not believe* there are 20,000 stand of breechloaders in store ready to arm our Regulars, Militia, and Volunteers.' I had before me on the table a paper from the Surveyor- General of the Ordnance, in which it was stated that there were 300,000 in store, and I made that statement in reply. " The next day Sir John Pakington again referred to the subject :—` Was he, then, to understand that the regular army, including the regiment referred to in Scotland, was supplied with breechloaders; that the Militia were, to a certain extent, supplied, and that, over and above this, there were three hun dred thousand of these arms in store ?' I answered, Yes.' Sir John Pakington was extremely glad to hear it, and he was glad that he had been the means of bringing out a statement upon a matter that had not pre viously been properly understood ;' and I made the following statement Perhaps the best plan would be for my right hon. friend to move for a return of the num ber of breechloaders in store—a return which I would gladly give, and that would furnish the information with minute accuracy.' I said, I had repeatedly stated that I was informed by those who were responsible to me for the custody of the breechloading weapons, that, in round numbers, the number of breechloaders in store at that moment was 300,000.' " Sir John Pakington expressed himself `perfectly satisfied, and had no desire to move for any return on the subject.' "A return was moved for by Mr. Sinclair Aytoun on the Bth of August, and the answer to it was as follows : IN STORE. Snider Rifles and Carbines: — At home stations on the Bth of August, 1870 231,240 At foreign stations, including India, by the latest accounts ... ... 53,039 Total number of Snider arms in store.. 284,279 Carbines and muskets of other descriptions : At home stations ... 16,500 At foreign stations ... ... 144 300,923 "It thus appears that the statement I made was literally true, and that I was careful not to state more than I knew. " The - groundi on which the statement of the Surveyor- General to me was made are shewn in the return of which I enclose a copy.—Yours truly, " EDWARD CARDWELL. "Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone. M.P." Mr. Justice Keating opened the trial of the Nor wich Election Petition yesterday. THE WEEK OF PRAYER.—At the third of the special prayer meetings held at the Freemasons' Hall yes terday morning, the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw presided. One of the gentlemen who offered prayers was Count Bern storff, jun. The Lords of the Admiralty have directed the Trafalgar, seagoing cadet training ship, to visit Mahon, Algiers, Palermo, Candia, Beyrout, and Jaffa, and to allow officers to go to Jerusalem and other places of interest in the vicinity. Parents wishing their sons to be of the party must authorise a bill to be drawn upon their bankers to the amount of seven or eight pounds.— Western Morning News. THE EVACUATION OF MONT AVRON. In describing Mont Avron after the bombardment, the special correspondent of . the Daily News at the Crown Prince of Saxony's Headquarters thus writes from Clichy, December 30th Working round Ao to the left, we reached the crest of the hill on that ace of the plateau which looks out on Montfermeil, and where the summit is marked by the batteries. Once inside them, there met our eyes one of the weirdest scenes that imagination could conjure np. Ground ploughed with §jaells, embrasures stove in, parallels all but obliterated, and yet not a single cannon left behind. But if the French have removed their cannon, they have left their dead. One slides a:i l stumbles over a little ice puddle. The ice blushes up rid in his face—it is frozen human blood. Behind the batteries and inside the breastworks the dead lie thick. Dead ! No man who has long followed this war but must be so familiar with the aspect of stain men that the original thrill and turn of the blood at ,he sight is a memory of the past at which he all but smiles. But the terrible ghastliness of these dead ;ranscends anything I have ever seen or even dreamt of in e shuddering nightmare after my first battlefield. Re ,maber how they were slain. Not with the nimble I 'llet of the needle-gun, that drills a minute hole through a man and leaves him uudisfigured, unless it has chanced to strike his face; not with the trenchant re cut 'of the dragoon, not with the sharp stab of the bayonet, but slaughtered with missiles of terrible weight, shattered into fragments by ek: plosions of many pounds of powder, mangled and torn by massive fragments of iron. There lay behind one of the embrasures a form perfectly headless—l suppose the shell had struck the hapless being 'full in the face, and carried head and throat in its fierce rash. The guillotine could not have performed the operation more cleanly. But what need to dwell in detail on such a topic ? Let it suffice that there lay the unburied and abandoned dead among the snow stained with their blood, and with the depressions in those ghastly faces turned up to the calm moonlight, drifted up by the snowflakes which had fallen since they had beet shot down. When will they be buried ? When will these wan faces cease to look up into the eyes of the moon, in silent but eloquent protestation against the institution called war? When will the stray human fragments over which one stumbles as he goes be gathered together and their ghastliness be hidden beneath friendly earth? Not yet. Men will not dig graves as if they were blasting tunnels, and the earth is as hard as the bowels of Mont Cenis, The corpses on Mont Avron must lie there till a thaw comes. How long after it would be rash to prognosticate. That gruesome group in the camp here who had been sitting round the fire when the shells came and burst in it and blew one and all of them into the other world, must remain as it is—a horrible mockery of conviviality, for a time at least. To look at the group from a little distance one would conclude that its members, lying or seated in a circle, were .hobnobbing genially round a common pot or eating out of one dish. Come nearer and look inside that ring of squatting men, or what once were men. I care nvt how inured you are to sights of horror, you will turn away sick and scared from that circle of carnage. Behind the batteries, besides the relics I have alluded to, were found many evidences of the precipita tion with which the French had evacuated the posi tion. There were lots bf wine—we drank some of it standing there among the dead—and piles of loaves, which the Saxon soldiers skewered on their bayonets. There were blankets, too, and military saddles. Both in and about the camp lying fur ther back, there was a considerable quantity of rice, and also many blankets, shoes, and soldiers' knapsacks. Lumps of horseflesh lay about or hung on cross-sticks. 'lnvestigations amongst the tents and mud huts brought to light bottles of rum and bags of peas. The ground was strewn with Chassepots, and behind the batteries, as well as in the battery magazines, 'were gunpowder bags containing each a charge as well as many projectiles. The camp, and indeed the whole of the plateau, bore numerous traces of lengthened occupation. .The French are the beastliest campers in the world, and they seem to have been excep tionally beastly in Mont Avron. Behind the camp lay the little straggling village of Avron, still smoking from the fire that raged in it during the morning. Whether kindled by a Prussian shell or by the last Frenchman I do not know. How often during this month have I looked up at Avron from these spots—at Avron hostile and dangerous ; and now, here I looked down upon them from that very Avron, with its fangs drawn, and not a French near its summit. It may not be generally known that on the morning of the 27th, the day we opened our fire, the French asked for a day's armistice. As there appeared no grounds for such a request, and many reasons against granting it, it was refused. THE GERMANS AND THEIR SIEGE WORKS. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing from the Headquarters at Versailles on Christmas Eve, says :—Extraorditaly precautions have of late been taken by the German commanders to prevent anybody not im mediately engaged in the execution of their plans from observing the progress made in the construction of the siege works ; and such impenetrable discretion has been observed by the few people in authority who really know what is to be done that, not being in .relation with supernatural influences, nor endowed with the prophetic faculty, I am utterly unable to furnish any definitive information about coming events. It is my opinion that the attack upon Mont Avron, which has turned out so brilliant a success, was the first in a series of carefully planned offensive operations, having for their primary object the expulsion of the French from all the outworks constructed and occupied by them since the completion of the investment ; and that the rest of those operations will be undertaken each in its ap pointed order, and probably with more satisfactory re sults. lam also inclined to think that, in the course of executing these operations, certain suburbs of the capital will be subjected to bombardment—a measure of ex treme severity, designed to exercise a supreme pressure upon the civil population of Paris, as well as the town of St.- Denis; which may one of these days make the unpleasant discovery that it stands in much the same relation to Paris as did the youthful Malagrowther, subsequently Sir Mungo, to Prince James Stuart, sometime King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, when his Royal Highness proved recalcitrant in the Latinities. I furthermore believe that the buildings of the summit of Mont Valerien will shortly be burned down—already the citadel. has twice been stung within its enceinte by audacious Prus sian shells, pitched into it "by mistake ; " that Reuil—in which is packed a good deal of French artillery —Chatou, mid one or two other villages at present within the French lines, will be knocked to atoms ere many days shall have passed over our heads ; and that, in short, every means of active annoyance within their power will presently be adopted by the German comman ders in the hope of hastening the fall of Paris. Ido not believe that they will attempt the impossible. What can humanly be done by the forces at their command, I feel assured they will do ; but they are far too wise men and experienced soldiers to run any unnecessary risk, or squander the precious material committed to their discre• tion, becouse the Fatherland is angry and impatient of further delay. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.—T Ile Guardian seems to believe the Queen will certainly open Parliament in person on the 31st inst., or 2nd proximo. THE WEATHER.—The wind has again changed in an eastern direction in the South of England, and there was last night every appearance of continued frost. Tem perature continues to rise slowly on the Irish stations, while a slight fall has occurred in most parts of the east of England. Scarborough is 20 degrees colder than Ardrossan. A. SQUABBLE IN CHURCH.—New Year's day was commenced in St. Ouen's Church, Jersey, by a squabble respecting the playing of the organ. The churchwarden of the parish had placed a lock on the instrument to pre vent its being played, pending the settlement of some dispute concerning it. The rector had ord6red the lock to be removed, and on the organist commencing to play on Sunday morning, the churchwarden prevented the " blower " from proceeding, and effectually stopped the playing. After a protest from the rector, the service pro ceeded without the aid of the organ. THE QUEEN'S CHAPLAINS.—The death is• an nounced of the Rev. John Vane, 8.D., o ne of her Ma jesty's chaplains. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. There are forty-eight Royal Chaplains, and until within the last few years they received from the Crown the annual payment of .£3O each. According to late changes there will be 36 " Chaplains in Ordinary " with salaries, and 12 "Honorary Chaplains in Ordinary" without salaries. It is not unlikely that the Rev. B. Morgan Cowie, or the Rev. Stopford Brooke, both of will succeed to the vacant whom are honorary chaplains, chaplaincy in ordinary. BREAKFAST. —EPPS'S COCOA. - -GRATEFUL AND COM- FoRTING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette re; marks :—" By alliorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the tinesproperties of well-selected cocoa. Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately favoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. Each packet is labelled—JAMES EPPS it CO., Homoeo pathic Chemists, London. Also, makers of Epps's Caeafdne, a very inn evening beverage.—Advt. OUR COT EMPORARIES---This Morning THE ALABAMA QUESTION. The Times remarks that , before the end of this month the new American Minister will in all probability have reached England, and by the time Parliament has fairly set to work upon the active business of the session he will doubtless have broached the substantive issues of his mission to Lord Granville. The irritable feelings which were prevalent three years ago in the United States have in great measure sub sided. The disappointment which we, on the other hand, suffered by the unexpected rejection of the Clarendon-Johnson Convention has been healed by the lapse of time. Around us we see the horrid realities of war, the disruption of the European State System, the palsied commerce of two great nations. Although the United States are separated by a broad ocean from these melancholy spectacles, they have only to look back a few years to warnings scarcely less urgent and appalling. In spite of angry politicians and thoughtless publicists, England and America are two well convinced of the unfruitful miseries of war to challenge it rashly. Of course, the one nation as well as the other cherishes its just pride, its dignified resentment of insult, its resolution to repel dictation. But when intelligent and high-minded statesmen govern affairs, either at Washington or at Westminster, we may reasonably hope that national susceptibilities will not be rashly wounded. What is called " the Alabama Question" has dragged its slow length along ever since 1863, when Mr. Adams began to remonstrate against the negligence of the British Government. More than once since then we have had a glimpse of a satisfactory settlement, but we have never hitherto reached a point at which we could command a prospect morehopeful than that we have now before us. General Schenck, representing the best and most honourable section of the dominant party in the United States, is probably one of the most useful repre sentatives America at this crisis could send to England. We may be hopeful, lob ns trust, of a settle ment which, without comp f onising our honour, may satisfy all the legitimate claims of the United States. On our side, we are well assured, there is nothing but a desire to attain by fair concessions or frank allowances the settlement of a foolish quarrel which has alienated two great nations allied by blood and by intellectual sym pathies. ENGLAND AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. In the opinion of the Standard, the incapacity of the present Ministry to manage the foreign affairs of this country has been signally demonstrated by the condi tion of isolation in which England now finds herself. Threatened and insulted on all sides defied by Russia, outraged by Prussia, bullied by America, mocked at and set at naught even by the miserable king dom of Greece—there is not a single friend on whom we can rely, or _ a single ally on whose good offices we can pretend to reckon. This is the result of that famous policy of isolation to which the Liberals have committed us—the fruit of their favourite doctrine of non-interven tion, and the reward of our scruples and self-sacrifices . It is difficult to understand what kind of Englishman he is who affects to be satisfied with such a state of things. Making, every allowance for the fervour of party feeling, it is impossible to believe that the soundest Liberal can feel in his heart the complacency which he assumes in looking upon this part of Mr. Gladstone's career. Liberal diplomacy has brought our foreign relations into such confusion that only some very bold step can extricate the country from war on either flank. That step Mr. Gladstone is certainly not inclined to take. He appears to have no other interest just now in foreign affairs but to preserve the Pope's dignity at Rome. s He has allowed the great Western alliance, which was so long the guarantee of peace in Europe, to be demolished. He has permitted the formation of what appears to be a league of the Eastern Powers with America, the completion of which would threaten England with a more formidable danger than any which she has ever had to meet. To counteract this with new alliances would appear to be our first and obvious duty ; but there is no sign that Mr. Gladstone comprehends the obligation, or that he ia aware of the necessity of doing anything at all. Mean while in this most critical period of her life England's warlike resources are still managed by a Cardwell, and the great Liberal party looks on supinely, only breaking the silence to mutter its dislike of " foreign affairs." TAE RUMOURS OF CAPITULATION. The Telegraph says: The air is full of rumours about tl.` impending capitulation of Paris. Events of such magnt tude cast their shadows before ; and whenever the crisi does occur, we shall, of course, have warning of it before hand in the form of those anticipatory rumours which have been so rife within the last forty-eight hours. But it by no means follows, from the general impression abroad, that the end must necessarily be very close at hand. We have, with the utmost confidence, often been assured that the supplies of the besieged city were exhausted; that the population was weary of a use less struggle, and that the gates were about to be thrown open to the besieging army. Nor have we ever disputed the obvious truth that the surrender of Paris was a mere question of time. The resistance has been prolonged beyond the limit we all thought possible; and every day which passes increases the probability of an early capitulation. So far as the outer world is aware, however, nothing has occurred materially to modify the .position of the beleaguered capital. Still, while we fail to see any ground for concluding that the further prosecution of the defence of Paris is abso lutely impossible, we cannol: dispute the assumption that the end must be drawing near. The prospect of any im mediate relief from without is darker than ever. No contradiction has yet been published of the state ment that M. Thiers has entered Paris with the avowed object of treating for an armistice. Even supposing this rumour to be correct, however, it would be premature to assume that the city would at once throw open its portals to the Prussians. Neither General Trochu nor M. Thiers can give an assurance that any terms npon which they may agree with the Prussian Government for the cessation of hostilities will he recognised at Bordeaux. Indeed, if Gambetta and Chanzy were to act up to the spirit of their proclamations, their first act, on learning that General Trochu was negotiating with Versailles would be to de nounce him as a traitor and to repudiate his author ity . trnder these circumstances we fear that the Pru ssians will not now listen to any proposal for an arm i st ice un-' accompanied by the surrender of Paris. PUBLIC , OPINION ON THE WAR. The Germans, the Daily News remarks, are bringing up their reserves. Not only are the armed hosts pouring over the frontier to protect the threatened rear of the force which is besieging Paris, but the literary men, even the political exiles, are pressed into Count Bismarck's service. When the German armies were vic torious their troubles began. As they have gone on inflicting heavier and heavier wounds on unhappy France, they have found a general rally, of public opinion in Europe to the French side. Quite apart from our sympathy with the sufferings of a groat neighbour and ally, the very love of freedom which is so deeply rooted in the English people prevents them from continuing their sympathy to the German side. We no longer see a great people rising to repel an aggression, but an Empire, in which constitutional government is in its infancy and feudalism is strong even in its dotage, invading and dragooning a great people, who, whatever be their faults, have been and still are among the foremost of nations in their love of liberty. It is feudal Germany under a Monarch who pretends to rule by right Divine, crushing down a French Republic in which the voice of the people is recognised as the only divine call to power. We sympathised heartily with the Germans in their desire to repel an Imperial aggres sion ; we saw with delight the usurper of December tumbled into the mud ; but we have been alto gether ss un c a b b a l n e ged to side c s o a n n ? F ue ranc o e ur stood sym on p h at e h r ! , . since a defence. We hope more for Europe from a French Republic than from a German Empire ' • the one may perplex despotic monarchs with fear of change, the other may sit like a nightmare on the Liberal aspirations of the world. Ger man unity is desirable, but French unity is as desirable ; and necessary as it is that Germany should be safe, it is needful too that France should be great and free. THE PARLIAMENTARY RUFF BOWL—The ((Par liamentary Buff Book," for 1870, which is, as our readers probably know, a record of all the votes given by the various M. P.'s during the last session, affords a curious test of the activity of party organisation on the two sides of the House in the number of divisions, in which the Head Whips respectively took part, and in which they were tellers. There were in all 244 divisions during the session of 1870, and out of this number Mr. Glyn was present at 239 and teller in 178. These figures prove both the general attention bestowed by the Government on all that passes in Parliament, shown by the sum total of the attendances, and the high pressure at which they worked their powers, both of initiation shewn in the cases where their whip told the ayes (84), and of re sistance, shown in those where he told the noes (94). On the other hand, Mr. Noel, who took part in 183 divisions (a very sufficient number for the Opposition whip) only told the ayes on two occasions and the noes on seven, nine in all. As the whip is by rule the mouthpiece of divisions provoked by the direct action of the party leaders, these figures prove that while there is much vigilance and acti vity among the general body of Conservatives their leaders have all but abandoned the task of directing the counsels of their followers. The honour of Parliamentary Senior Wrangler falls to Mr. Candlish, who performed the untianalleled feat of being present at all the 244 divisions.— Guardian. on orn Olt Ase ,urs