The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-04 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 2.30 P.DI. LATEST I NTELLIG EN CE. T 1 I WAR THE BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS. ROYAL HEAD - Q uARTE US, VERSAILLES, January 3. The east front of Paris has been so effectively bombarded to-day by our artillery that only Fort Nogent replies but feebly to our fire. SENTENCE OF THE GERMAN BANKERS. BERLIN, January 3. Judgment was delivered to-day in the case of the bankers who had participated in the subscriptions to the French loan. Herr Gueterbock was sentenced to two years, Herr Kulp to nine months, Meyer and St. Goar to six, and Levita to three mouths' impri sonment in a fortress.--P - ►euter's Telegrams. BISMARCK AND LUXEMBURG. BERLIN, January 3 OM p.m). In a new note to Count Bernstorff, Count Bis marck declares that if Luxemburg behaves as badly during the siege of Longwy as it did during the siege of Thionville, a portion of the Grand Duchy will be occupied by German troops. Austria has determined henceforth to arrest and detain during the continuance of the war all French prisoners who have escaped from German for tresses. It is officially stated that between Artenay and Orleans, as well as along the other main roads north of the Loire, the French country people are starving, and must be fed by the German commis sariat. — Tines. THE GERMAN LOSSES• King William telegraphs to the Queen ax fol- lows : "In reply to your question, the Bth Corps, on the 23rd December, had one dead and 28 unwounded officers, including an Evangelical clergyman. Ano ther was killed at Beaugoncy. The corps had also 79 men killed and 08 wounded; so thank God that the loss was moderate for so hot a conffict."— Telegraph. SPEECH BY THE KING OF PRUSSIA. BERLIN, January 3 (7 p.m.) At the banquet held in the Palace of Versailles on New Year's Day, the King of Prussia spoke as follows : " I raise my glass to hail the new year. We look back upon the past with thanksgiving; we look forward to the future with hope. Thanks are due to the army, which has marched from victory to victory. My personal thanks are due to the German Princes present who have been leaders in the army, or companion in arms with us. Our hope is directed towards the crowning of our great work by an honourable peace."—Telegraph. The following telegrams come through Reuter's agency : DEFEAT OF THE GERMANS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. LILLE, January 3. It is rumoured that a battle was fought yesterday from ten a.m. till five p.m., between Sapignes and Eapaume. Both sides, it is added, suffered consider able losses, but the Prussians were beaten on the whole line. Details are not forthcoming. This morn ing fighting is said to have been going on in the direction of Boileuse. No official confirmation has been receivel of this news, and it must be received with reserve. January 3 (10.15 p.m.) Intelligence from the Army of the North an nounces that , the Ist Brigade of the Ist Division carried yesterday the villages of Achiet and Bien court. The village of Ervillers was also carried, and the village of Behaigniels was occupied. There were heavy losses. The remainder of the Army was not engaged. Fighting would probably commence to-day. NEWS FROM BORDEAUX. BORDEAUX, January 3. Yesterday a reconnaissance took place between Chateau Renault and Vendome, when a platoon of German hussars and two companies of infantry - - ;Tere encountered. They were pursued nearly to Vendome, and suffered heavy loss. On the 31st - ult., in the Seine luferieure, a de tachment of Prussians lost more than 300 men killed and wounded, being completely riddled by Francs-tireurs and Mobiles of tirdeche. In Chateau Robert the French troops killed 25, and wounded GO to 80 of the enemy. - Au engagement took place in the East, near Gray on the line between Bleaune and Ile-sur-Doubs. The enemy was repulsed. Eight hundred wounded arrived at Brest last night. SKIRMISHING ON THE LOIRE. BORDEAUX, January 3 (6.40 p.m.) Some engagements are reported from the district of the Loire. In one encounter the Germans were pursued from Bazoches Gonet to Courtalain, and left sixty-five dead on the field. On the Ist of January, while the enemy's outposts were repulsed at L3ngprd and St. Armand, some Algerian cavalry had a brilliant engagement in front of Laverdin. A. hostile picket has been surprised at Lanc6, and fifteen prisoners, as Well as a convoy of forage and cattle, fell into the hands of the French. The enemy had ten men hors de 'combat, and fled towards Vendome. At Hessean the French sharpshooters, without suffering any losses, have inflicted some damage on the enemy. The Lyonese Francs-tireurs were attacked at Chanceaux, but routed their assailants, and pursued them ten kilometres. They killed 80 or 100 men and seven horses. On the French side there were three killed and six wounded, and two prisoners. ENGAGEMENT NEAR CROIX. BERNE, January 3. The following intelligence has been received from Pruntrut " On New Year's Day an engagement was fought between Abbevilliers and Croix. The French re treated, and 200 men of the Corps of Vengeurs were made prisoners by the Swiss, and passed the night at Pruntrut. On the 2nd another severe en counter occurred near Delle. Particulars are still Wanting. The main body of the Swiss troops was Posted near Bomour." MESSAGE FROM DUCROT. CLIdHY, December 30. ' Yesterday General Ducrot sent a Parlementaire ar° ll l Drancy to Le Bourget, requesting that a staff °ffieer might be sent into Paris. The request has, I understand, been transmitted to Versailles.—Daily News, B OMBARDMENT OF THE PARIS FORTS. BORDEAUX, January 2. The Prussian siege preparations indicate that they intend bombarding both Chatillon and Montretout, and attacking Mont Valerien. The French army is anticipating with impatience the general attack. MOVEMENTS OF THE FRENCH. BERNE, January 1. A French force, 10,000 strong, is marching from IlYpolyte to Pontiraide. General Treskow is beyond SPAIN. ENTRY OF THE KING INTO MADRID. MADRID, Jan. 2, 9.15 p.m. The King has arrived, and has visited Prim's remains in the Atocha Church. • He showed much emotion. He afterwards swore to the Constitution in the Cortes, after the Regent had resigned his powers. He then paid a visit of condolence to the Duchess de Reuss, Prim's widow, and next went to the palace on horseback with a brilliant escort. There were vast crowds, which were orderly and enthusiastic. Madrid is tranquil.—Times. (" CENTRAL PRESS " TELEGRAM. THE SITUATION IN SPAIN. Advices from Spain represent the position as serious. An insurrection in the provinces of Valentia, Catalonia, and Andalusia is apprehended Mairid. An order has been issued for disuming the republican volunteer battalion ; anti this measure has roused a spirit of resist ance. Several arrests of suspected assassins are announce I. The evidence is particularly strong against one Italian. A perfect hail of bullets was poured into the carriage in which the Marshal was assailed. The windows and door were destroyed. Prim's vest had twelve shot holes, and the carriage bore traces of sixteen. AMERICA. (B CABLE.) PHILADELPHIA, January 3. The Public Debt statement of January 3 shows a total, less money in the Treasury, of $2,332,067,793, a decrease during December of $2,240,700. 7 imes GERMAN Y. BERLIN, January 3. Prussia is not likely to Support at the Black Sea Conference the Austrian demand of a fresh guaran tee for the safety of the navigation of the Lower Danube. The Roumanian memoramlum to the Powers chiefly complains that a strictly constitutional form of government should have been forced upon the country by the Paris Conference of 1856 at a period when the low social and intellectual condition of the inhabitants renders it impossible to maintain order and quiet simultaneously with the existence of democratic institutions. The Porte protests against the Roumanian Go vernment appealing to the Powers instead of to the Sultan. Fresh measures are being daily taken with a view to increase the efficiency of the Russian forces. The Council of State is discussing the increase of officers' salaries and pensions. Non-commissioned officers have been permitted to ride in carriages and to visit the theatres.—Times. INDIA. BARILACKPOILE, January 2 (1.15 p.m.) Sir Henry Durand, on entering Tonk yesterday evening, had a severe fall from his elephant. His howdah was swept ; off, and he was taken up insen sible. He was somewhat better this morning, and took some nourishment, but remains in a precarious state. His tour was expected to have exceedingly valuable results, and his illness, if protracted, would be a great public loss. 5 30 p.m. Sir Henry Durand died last night at 8 o'clock. India has never had a greater loss at a critical time. Sir Henry was a brave and accomplished soldier, and an enlightened and indefatigable admi nistrator. A true and sincere man, adhering to his own views, but always in the spirt of a gentleman, he leaves a name among the very highest in the annals of India. According to Cabal intelligence up to the 10th of December, Yahoo') Khan had fled to Rodbar with the purpose of entering Siestan, but the Governor relbsed leave for his followers to pass. Mulkban, whence he proceeded, is a complete desert. From the Persian Gulf intelligence has been re ceived unfavourable to Syud Toorkee, whose fol lowers are disbanding. Syud Azan has returned to Muscat.—Times. VISIT OF THE KING OF ITALY TO ROME. ROME, JANUARY 1. The King of Italy arrived here yesterday at four o'clock in the morning. His Majesty had an enthusiastic torch light reception at the station. During his stay he lodged at the Quirinal Palace. At ten in the morning he paid a visit to Santa Maria Maggiore, and thence to the Coliseum, the Capitol, and the Museum. After saluting the population from the steps of the Capitol, the King drove down the Corso to the Piazza del Popolo, and finally back to the Quirinal. The crowd was everywhere enthusiastic. The King left at 5 p.m. for the New Year's reception at Florence, having previously given two hundred francs for distribution among those who have suffered loss by the inundations An immense loss of property has resulted from the flood' which is the most disastrous since the year 1530. The lower part of the city was submerged for nearly 48 hours. —Telegraph. FLORENCE, January 1, (11 45 p.m.) The King returned from Rome this morning. During his t welve hours' stay there he sent by the Marquis Spinola a letter to the Pope, paying his homage and explaining the object of his visit. This step was very well received by Cardinal Antonelli. The King, on receiving the authorities this morning at the Pitti Palace, seemed well satisfied with his journey. THE MASSACRES IN GREECE. ATHENS, JANUARY 3 (4 p. m. ) The British Minister has addressed a note to the Greek Government, expressing regret that the inquiry into the late massacres should have resulted solely in the com mittal of an Englishman, Mr. Noel, of all the accused persons of note. The British Minister alleges that the English lawyers were not cognisant of two letters ad dressed to the brigands, and quoted in the indictment ; and this circumstance throws a doubt on the sincerity of the inquiry. One of these letters compromises a corporal who wrote it. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has replied that as regards Mr. Noel justice must take its course, and with respect to the corporal encloses a report from the Public Prosecutor, who maintains that he did communicate the letter in question to the English barris ters. He adds that the letters being sealed did not consti tute a crime ; and that there is nothing to prevent pro ceedings being taken against the writer in accordance with the wishes of the British Minister. The Minister for Foreign Affairs adopts the views of the Public Prosecutor. —Reuter's 7'elegrant. POSTAL NOTICES.—The public are reminded that letters may be forwarded to Bordeaux by the Mail packets of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company which leave Liverpool for Brazil, on the 13th and 29th of each month, (or on the 12th or 28th when the 13th or 29th fall on Sunday) and call at Bordeaux. There are also frequent opportunities of sending letters to Bordeaux, by private steamers sailing from Liverpool or from London. Letters, &c., intended to be sent in either manner should bear a special address indicating such intention. They will be liable to the usual rates of postage on correspondence for France. Information has been received from the French Post Office that the mails passing through France are at present liable to considerable delay, and that it is neces sary, therefore, to despatch from London some days in advance of the usual time all correspondence intended for conveyance by French Packet from Marseilles, Bordeaux, or St. Nazaire. Under these circumstances, the public are recommended to post, at least a week in advance of the usual time, all letters for Mauritius, China, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, &c., intended for conveyance by the French packets. The mail for Mauritius will, this month, be made up in London on the evening of Saturday, the 14th January, instead of on the 18th, so as to ensure, as far as possible, its arrival at Marseilles in time for the packet. During the present uncertain state of the route through France, no correspondence, excepting that for Mauritius, will be forwarded by the French, packet. unless specially addressed to be so sent. HE StflN, LONDON, WEDNESPAY, JANUARY 4, 1871. THE MONEY MARKET. CITY, Two o'CLocK. On the Stock Exchange to day there has been a re covery of per cent. in Spanish Stocks. The English Funds are firm. Consols are cjboted 92i to 921. for money, and 921. for the new account ; New and Reduced 94 to 921. In the Foreign Market Milian of 1861, is quoted 551 to 551; Spanish Three per Cents., 29 to 291. ex div. ; Turkish Five per Cents., 431 to 431- ; ditto . of 1869, 491 to 50 ; Egyptian of 1868, 7711 to 78 ; Peruvian of 1865, 90 to 91 ex div. ; French Scrip, 11 to 1/ dis. The new German Loan has advanced to 1 prem. Private letters from Paris of the 30th of December, received in the city, state that the evacuation of Mont Avron had created a certain excitement, but that there had been no disturbances. The suffering had become very severe, the want of fuel being especially felt. Pro visions also get very scarce. There was hardly any business doing, and the Bourse. was rather flat. Rentes were quoted 51f. 70c., and the New Loan 52f. 80c. The spirit of the people was kept up by the announcement of a renewed offensive movement, and by the report that the Northern army was near Oriel. The Government had distributed, as a New Year's gift, 208,0001bs of pre served meat, 104,0001b5. of beans, 104,0001b5. of coffee, and the same quantity of chocolate. Another letter affirms on goad authority that the city is very near its surrender, and that this event will occur before the 20th of January. Berlin papers of the Ist of January contain an adver tisement, signed by the diplomatic agent for the Danubian Principalities in Berlin, Mr. L. Steege and by Dr. Stronsberg, as attorney for the concessionaires. It says that the war has hindered the finishing of a section of 60 or 70 German miles, until just at the close of the year, that this circumstance has prevented the government from taking it over, and that, therefore, a dispute arose whether the concessionaires or the Government were to pay the coupons falling dus on the Ist of January. Nevertheless, the concessionaires declare that they will pay the coupons on the 31st of March, 187 L The liquidators of the Joint Stock Discount Company (Limited), in a report of the progress of their labours, have announced that the general result is that, unless some unforeseen circumstances occur, they will be in a position during March next; without having realised any of the securities of importance, to satisfy all admitted claims against the company. Many extracts from American newspapers having appeared in the English journals, containing incorrect state vents of the delay of American traffic caused by the interruption of the two English cables, the following par ticulars have been forwarded as to the present traffic by the French Atlantic Cable :--The work forwarded ave rages above 7,000 words daily, being at the rate of five words a minute for the whole 24 hours, a speed which suffices to clear off all the messages sent within the day, On some days nearly 10,000 words have been transmitted in the 24 hours, showing that the capacity of , the Cable is much more than sufficient to convey the present average traffic. POLICE INTELLIGENOE.—Tins DAY. SHOCKING CONDITION OF A CAB-HORSE.--ReHjaMill Vernon, cab-driver, badge 16,857, was brought before Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough-street Police-court, charged with the following cruelty to a horse :—Sergeant Lindsay, 3 C R, said that about two o'clock that morning he was on duty in Regent•street, when he saw the pri soner driving a horse attached to a cab. The horse had several sores about it, and appeared in such a state of terror that it could not bear any one to touch it. The prisoner said the horse was sent out by the horsekeeper. William Peet, officer of the Royal Society for the Pre vention of Cruelty to Animals, said that on examining the horse he found it to have some wounds of old standing, and its shoulder very much swollen. He had no hesita tion in stating that the horse was suffering from a disease of the spinal cord, as it could not be touched ; it was dangerous for any one to go near and quite unfit to be used in a public carriage. The horsekeeper had told him that his master had only had the horse a fortnight, and did not know that there were any sores about it, but he (the officer) considered that impossible, as the horse was in such a state that two men had to harness it, and it was dangerous to touch it. Mr.. Knox re manded the prisoner on a £5 bail, that Mr. Cherry, the veterinary surgeon, might see the horse, and that the Society could take any steps against the owner it thought proper.—Edward Kirby, badge 17,787, was charged with cruelty to a horse. After hearing the evidence of a con stable and Frederick Andrew, officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the evidence showing that the horse, which was in poor condition, had been cruelly overworked, and scarcely able to stand, Mr. Knox fined the prisoner 205., or 14 days. A HARD CASE.—lsaac Taylor, a poor imbecile old man, was brought before Mr. Lushington, at the Thames Police court, charged with defacing a wall by painting on it with " white wash" " try Davie's sewing machine." It was stated that he had been previously convicted for a similar offence. He pleaded that he was a poor man trying to get a bit of bread by honesty. Mr. Lushington said the prisoner was not to obtain his living by an offence against the law. He fined the prisoner 155., which he was unable to pay, and he was sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment. A NON-WORKING CASUAL.—JohnWilliams, a casual, was brought up at the above court, charged with refusing to perform the task of work allotted to him in the Mile-end Old Town Workhouse, where he was received last night. He was provided with supper, bed, and breakfast, and refused to bleak stones this morning. He was sentenced to one months' imprisonment and hard labour. NEW MUSIC. " The French Soldier's Farewell" is the title of the new song just written by Mr. H. J. St. Leger. It has been set to music by Mr. D. L. Ryan, and we have to com pliment both author and composer on the beauty of the production. It is arranged in the key of E flat, and as it presents no diffi culty 'to a voice of ordinary compass, it only requires publicity to become a general favourite. The securing a good ballad at the present time is rather a difficult matter, but here is one we can safely recommend. • Sons of the Brave Wake to Glory," by the same author, the music by Tom Brown, is a fine spirited war song. It altogether differs in style from the above, but it is a very excellent composition, and when sung with effect will be sure to elicit great applause. The songs are published by Davison, of Regent-street. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS. After twelve days of hard frost, more severe than has visited the metropolis for some years, with a change of the wind yesterday morning from the south.east to the south-west came a gradual thaw sufficient to make the main streets and roads on a wet and sloppy condition, owing to the quantity of snow lying about, but not as yet making much difference in the suburban districts, where the snow still lies hard and lumpy on the ground. Up to last night the ice in the parks, which averages about five inches thick, had not been at all affected by the thaw, although towards evening it got rather damp from the partial giving way of the snow lying about its surface, rendering sliding almost im possible, but not in any way interfering with skating. The visitors to the parks yesterday, though very numerous, were considerably less in number than on the three previous days, while the few hundred torchlight skaters last night on the Serpentine presented a marked contrast to Monday night, when at 8 o'clock there were over 5,000 persons on the ice, including a large number of ladies. At midnight on Monday the glass at the receiving house of the Humane Society in Hyde park registered 25, with the wind north-east, At 4 o'clock the wind suddenly veered round to the north-west, and the glass rose rapidly, and at 2 o'clock yesterday morning it stood at 30, at noon 32, and at 8 o'clock last night at 34, or two degrees above freezing point. In view of the probable breaking up of the ice, and the consequent lia bility to immersion of those who may be upon it, Mr. Young, the secretary of the Humane Society, has ordered an extra number of icemen for duty to-day. The number employed during the past week has been forty, but nearly double that number will soon be required. As the ice gives under the thaw, the Serpentine will be very dangerous, the depth being from 14 to 16 feet, and the rescue of persons immersed will be both dangerous and difficult. The Humane Society have boxes placed at the tents of the parks to receive the donations of the public, for whose protection they incur con siderable expense in providing tents, medical assistance, apparatus for saving life, and icemen, and much surprise is expressed at the little appreciations of the society's efforts by the public. On Sunday last, when there were 30,000 people on the ice in the Regent's Park, the receipts in the box there were only 6d., and on Monday but 91d. The other boxes shewed similar results. FiRR THIS MORNING.—The warehouse of the Wanzer Sewing Machine Company (Limited), situated in Hart-street, Covent-garden, was totally destroyed by fire at an early hour this morning. The adjoining buildings were damaged. SHELLING THE FORTS. Writing from the Headquarters of the Crown Prince ofJ. Prussia, Versailles, December 31, the special correspon; de of the Daily News says :—The yea of the great vie s is passing away without any sign that the great. siege is soon to end. We have had the cannonade of the besiegers against Avron, to the east of Paris, and the sortie of that besieged a week earlier from their northern outwoiks. We have had constant watch fulness to the southward and westward of the city, where the frozen state of the Seine was thought to favour General Trochu. But Paris has not been shelled, and the final effort of the garrison has seemingly not been made. There is now no chance but that New Year's Day will find the French capital under French colours, and that the surrender or the rescue will occur in 1871. It has caused some uneasiness in Ger many that this affair of Paris should have dragged on from month to month, and many Germans have expressed impatience to see it finished. The very fact of their own successes in August and Sep tember has made the comparative quiet of the following months seem like ill-success to over-zealous patriots. Yet, after all, what a task it is which Germany has accom plished ! To shut off the enemy's capital from the outer world, to seize supplies of food and forage in the heart of a hostile country, and to repulse the attempts of the enemy's troops to get near their blockaded Government, are feats of no common kind. The old year passes away before Paris has been starved into * submission. Round the city, for miles and miles, are those well-ordered lines of baggage waggons, drawn up in the fields near the vil lages, those neatly-equipped field-batteries waiting to mow down the luckless " ivlohlots " who may venture forth, and those villages themselves crammed with mili tary guests. I say nothing of the careful preparation of the earthworks which threaten 'Paris. It is not for want of active engineers that no bombardment has been tried—nor do I touch on the gigantic labour of feeding, clothing, and nursing in sickness, this armed multitude round the city. The great point of the Ger man task is its result, is the shutting in of Paris, and the "bluffing off "of France. There may yet be hard fight ing and long delay, for the Prussians seem to be strung up to the pitch of an obstinate defence ; but 1871 will find the grip of the invader on the throat of his foe like a blacksmith s vice. The bitter cold weather of the past week will seo out the old year as surely as the French resistance. Everything is still covered with crisp snow, and the soldiers have to creep into the holes and corners of half-ruined houses to shelter themselves on outpost duty, and fuel is scarce, and the peasantry are suffering much. It is a sad winter time for thousands of French people who are beyond the immediate dangers of the siege, and away from the alarms of the warfare in the North and on the Loire. Nor is it a very cheerful thing for the victors to remain so long away from home. I see no symptoms of discouragement in a military sense, no symptom of less readiness to fight, among the troops round Paris ; but they are tired of waiting, eager to have done the work and to reap the fruit of their past hardships. PRUSSIAN RESERVES FOR FRANCE. Writing from Berlin, January 1, the correspondent of the Daily News remarks : —The trains conveying reserves to France have again been almost incessant. Not less than 36,000 men are already on their way to the support of General Werder. This is done by their taking first the place of the garrisons in the fortresses and towns of Alsace and Lorraine. The practice is never to bring them while quite fresh to France in face of the enemy. They must have had some weeks at least of experience on the road. It initiates them into many little practices which it is impossible to embody With the drill. The struggle against the cold just now takes the most prominent part among them. That straw is the most practical preservative, because it is the most easily to be had everywhere, is an experience already gained in the Danish war. The people begin voluntarily to contribute straw for the accommo dation of the troops: on the road ; they are bringing it to the railway stations, where the military trains are stocked with it. It has an odd look to see the hosts passing by quite buried in straw, here and there the rosy face of a northern youth peeping through it, and merrily saluting the now mostly fur-clothed Berliners. It is generally expected here that the cannon will boom before Paris to-morrow, and that the power of the siege artillery will first be tried on the forts of Issy and of Vanvres, with a contemporaneous attempt to bombard the southern side of the City. The public discussion of the probable results is very animated, and opinions largely diverge. The fate of the forts will evidently be dependent upon their power to return the fire. If they do not succeed in seriously damaging the- German batteries, they will be reduced to Shapeless heaps in a few days. As,for the bombardment of the city, upon which the bulk of the German army so eagerly seems to insist, I, and a great number of people here with me, have not the slightest faith in its effect. All it can do is to render the resistance stouter, and the sorties more dangerous. CONQUERORS AND CORRESPONDENTS. In a communication from the King's Head-quarters, Versailles, the special correspondent of the Standard thus comments on the despatches of those who describe the war :—When it once became clear that war was to be between France and Germany, and that no with drawal of princely candidates for an empty throne and no admirable supplications from happy Eng land could stay the rival rush of murderous batta lions, there arose once more the important question Will newspaper correspondents be admitted into camp, and will the great non-combatant nation which gazes with academical tranquillity across a streak of silver sea at the fury of a less fortunate Continent, be supplied with those descriptions of marches, battles, retreats, blood, ruin, and slaughter, without which, in time of war, the morning meal cannot reason ably be expected to be palatable? How the question was answered the whole world knows. At Paris negatively, at Berlin affirmatively ; though even at the latter the concession was at first not unlimited. There was a certain amount of picking and choosing, and a crowd of applicants were sent away, some without a hearing, others with an explanatory and polite refusal. Nevertheless, by the time the san guinary drama began to move, though not a single English pen was permitted to chronicle the fortunes of Imperial forces, there was no London journal of conse quence which had not at least one correspondent with the German armies. The victories of the latter were as un broken as they were surprising, and one had but to register a succession of successes in language which could scarcely keep pace with their rapidity. No paeans could be too loud to attend such triumphs ; and the writer felt himself bound to the chariot wheels of the conqueror. It will readily be imagined that the relations of sword and pen were under such circumstances, of the most agreeable kind. It was some thing to have the opportunity of describing to an eager world feats of arms so wonderful as perhaps never to have been rivalled, certainly never to have been surpassed; and it could not but be gratifying to princely victors, and all those attendant soldiers and statesmen who shared their blushing honours, to see that their resplendent fortune was narrated in words more profuse, high sounding, and attractive than can be hoped for from the economical reticence of a submarine wire or the meagre stateliness of a dilatory official d4patch. Accordingly, there had never been so great a nation as Germany, or such charming historians as your humble servants. Everything was for the best on the best of all possible battle fields, and in the columns of the best of all possible newspapers. This entente cordiale, which wag beaptiful to witness at Woerth and at Spicheren, had become almost superhuman in its cordia lity at Mars la Tour and Gravelotte ; but when these were crowned by Sedan, and an empire and a nation seemed to be whelmed in a common calamity, brotherhood is a weak word to express the tie which united conquerors and correspondents; and has it not been written in imperish, able records, that on the eve of that day, and in the very centre of the battle-field, they drank beer together? Could a good understanding go further? Nearly four months have elapsed since 250,000 soldiers, electrified by the marvellous result of their prowess and the genius of their leaders, shouted with one exultant voice, "Der Kaiser ist da !" and one strove to send home some idea of a scene which it was probably felt by all could never be adequately described. During those four months victory has not deserted the banners under which we write, but the course of the campaign, though still and almost uninterruptedly favourable to the German arms, has borne more resemblance to the proverbial ups and downs of war than it did at the commencement. Paris has still got a tight iron hand on its throat ; the Army of the Loire has not fulfilled the promise of its spring ; Gari baldi has been more fatally hit than at Aspromonte or Montana ; and the French Manchester and the French Brighton hays alike been visited by the hungry stranger. Still it has not been all "skittles and beer," as it was up to the famous evening of Sedan. Paris, despite the tight hand, does not choke ; a couple of phoenixes-- one in the West, another in the South—have arisen from the ashes of D'Aurelle de Paladines ; and the persevering Manteuffel has still a foe in front of him. In a word, the conquerors have not carried everything before them, and their friends, the corre• spondents, have had to say so. Have they not written that Paris displays a firm upper lip, a brave heart, an tmdaun• ted front ; that it is not yet taken—nay, even that it never can be taken, except by famine, and perhaps not even by that unmartial method? Have they not blazoned it to the world that the forts which surround the city can not only bark, but bite too ; that they are strong, terribly strong, probably inexpugnable, indubitably so against any ordnance that is likely to be brought against them ? Have they not published the fact that there was an Army of the Loire, and that it was only half beaten after all? Do they not occasionally hint that the war has lasted too lone., that there aro Germans who would like to see it brought to an cad, and that Father land i, . I.ing over its heavy losses? And these men call theia, :,.‘; our friends ! I have !been hsured more than once of late that all cor respondents are going to be banished from the camp. They are a greater nuisance even than the French wounded. Such, I can assure you is the situation, and I think it need'occasion no surprise. Anybody might have prophesied the violent end !of an attachment not altogether natural. It is the duty of the commanders of vast armies to win victories —if they can. It is the office of correspondents, I take t, to tell the truth—if they don't. But was that the bargain? Bargains that are not reduced to writing are always open to double interpretations; and I will not presume to decide what was expected of the gentlemen who were, on one side, allowed to communicate freely with the English public on the subject of French and German valour. I can only say that, evidently, some• thing was expected from them different from what they have given ; otherwise they could not have caused dis pleasure. IN THE NOItTII WIT II MA.NT EUFFEL. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing from the headquarters of the Eighth Army Corps, Albert, Christmas Day, says :- —I am at a loss to account for the hasty retreats of the French. General Faidh erbe, at the battle of Pont-Noyelles, commanded forces, taking the computation of his own officers, three times as strong as the Corps of General von Goben. He had the most magnificent position nature could give him, and was assisted by a powerful and well served, artillery. But he permits the whole of the 24th of December to slip by without doing a single thing, and in the end he retires upon Arras. Now, supposing that he had even received intelligence that General von Senden was advancing to his left rear, and that the Prussian army had received reinforcements, he never tried to ascertain this by any reconnaissance upon either flank. Had he made a strong reconnaissance towards the Prussian right flank, or crossed the Somme at Fouilloy with 20,000 men, whom he could have well spared, and marched upon Amiens, the Prus sians would have been forced to retire upon that town. But no ; he wastes a whole day, permitting General von Senden to advance, and the Prussians to telegraph for reinforcements. The French troops who fought were almost all line troops and marines, therefore he has not even the poor excuse that he could not depend upon his Mobiles. This morning, at an early hour, General Mauteuffel received the astounding intelligence that the French had retreated during the night. Everything was, of course, "boot and saddle "—cavalry to the front. At high noon, the staff rode towards Albert, upon which road a brigade was advancing. At Franvilliers we heard that Albert was occupied by the French troops, so that it would be necessary, if they in tended remaining, to drive them out in order to get quar ters for the night. As we rode thro ugh La Houssoye the dead bodies lying about and collected close by the grave-yard spoke but too plainly of the carnage of the 23rd. The% severe frost had stiffened them into all sorts of quaint attitudes ; and as we passed the churchyard, friend and foe were being buried in the same grave: Arrived at Albert, we found that General Robin, with 3,000 men, had just left it, so that, you see, we are treading upon the heels of the retir ing enemy pretty quickly. Many prisoners have been made upon the road, and the cavalr y are pursuing in emery direction. This evening the Prussian Army accupies Bray-sur-Somme, Albert, and Mclean rille, their patrols all in front. The French are in Bapaume, and to the left and right of it. At Albert the Prussians obtained some curious letters addressed to their friends by French soldiers engaged in. the battle of the 23rd. The best proof of the skill with which the Prussian handful of troops were disposed is the fact that the French; as appears from these letters, Imagined they were 100,000 strong. I put the strength of the French army down at '60,000 men and sixty guns. rhis morning (December 26) the whole of the army is ad vancing on the line of the French retreat.. We march upon Bapaume, and, so far as I can see, we shall have to fight for our beds. TREATMENT OF THE TREASON-FELONY PRISONERS. Last year, when the Irish members of Parliament com plained that Mr. O'Donov an Rossa and the other Irishmen who had been convicted of treason-felony were inhumanly treated in the English prisons, the Government issued a Royal Commission to test the accuracy of the complaint. That ~body visited the prisons of Dartmoor, Portland, Chatham, Woking, and Pentonville ; it examined the prisoners by means either of oral or of written statements, and yesterday the Government published the report of the investigation. Tht Comrpissioners speak favourably of the general fashion in which those prisons are ad ministered, as re spectsv the treatment, diet, and disci pline of the inmates. At the same time they suggest certain changes. They see no reason to doubt that the existing diet is sufficient in quantity, unless in seasons of unusual severity, or when the convicts have to perform labour as hard as that exacted at Chat ham. In such cases, or under extraordinary circum stances, they think that the diet should be in creased. They also recommend other minor changes, such as a more direct and frequent supervision of the meat and other articles of food by the medical officer. While the commissioners have every reason to believe that the prisoners receive due care and attention from the medical officers, they recommend that those officials should be required to possess qualifications both in medi cine and surgery, instead of only in one branch as at pre sent. They propose also that the medical inspection should be more frequent and rigid ; that the infirmary wards of Pento nville should be better ventilated, and that in each gaol a separate kitchen or cooking department should be appropriated to the infirmary. All the dark cells, and especially those of Milbank, are pronounced to be imperfectly ventilated. The average amount of labour exacted from the convicts is found not to be excessive far able-bodied men ; but it is deemed pro bable that some prisoners do so far suffer from the tasks as to fall off in weight; and hence it is suggested that in particular cases the amount should be reduced. The commissioners also recommend that the rigour of the regulations should be mitigated in such matters as the privilege of the prisoners to memorialise the Home Secretary, and to write letters. They further propose that, except for the immediate co ntrol of personal vio lence, and during a short period, manacles should not be employed without the written order of a governor or a deputy-governor. They likewise suggest that the punish. ment of the dark cell should not be administered without a similar warrant, nor be continued for more than twelve hours without a fresh order. A second part of the report is devoted to the consideration of the question whether the treason-felony prisoners have been subjected to excep tional hardships. The commissioners find fault with the officials of Pentonville for taking away, in mid-winter, the flannels with which the convicts had been supplied in Mountjoy Prison. With respect to the charges that the prisoners have been employed in degrading tasks, that the cells were unfit for abode, and that the diet was bad, the commissioners, on the whole, acq nit the authorities of all blame. The special case of Mr. O'Donovan Rossa is then considered. The commissioners find that, as he himself asserts, h e was really manacled for thirty four days, and that for three days, except at meal-times and at night, he was m anacled with his hands behind his back. The commissioners also find that Mr. Clifton, the governor, was wrong in charging Mr. O'Donovan Rossi with an attempt to carry on a love intrigue by means of letter ostensibly intended for his wife, but really, as the governor thought, for another woman. They further bear testimony to the can did and straightforward fashioz in which Mr. Rossa gave his evidence. The corn plaints of the other prisoners were also specially investigated, but, as their cases excited less interest they do not call for special note, The geneTal conclusiol of the commissioners is, that the treason -felony prisoners have not, as a class, be en subjected to any exceptional', severe treatment, but t hat, on the con trar y , the discipline has been relaxed in their favour. At the same time, it, i s e u ri g m g suggested mightw h e n t h o e t r b p e r i m s o o n r e e r c s o c m o n p vit l e t c el e of yd separated so, exceptional from t h i r s t i p o proposed of f o s s e o d na t e ha c t on t v h i e c y t shoue l r d a be b o confined fi o n f e c d o i n n v i a c t d s e ; prison. t a a c n h d e d pt Stops are, it is said, being taken by various Republican and Democratic Associations to give a public reception to M. Jules Favre on his arrival in London for the purpose of attending the forthcoming. Conference, should he be delegated for that purpose by the Freud Government, OUR COTEMPORARIES—This Morning GAMBETTA AND THE WAIL The Times, in coinmenting on the speech delivered by M. Gambetta at Bordeaux, says :—lrad the Emperor Napoleon been able to chain fe.eane to his chariot, AL Gambetta would never have had the chance of calling him the " Man of Sedan." llc could never have said that it was "because France, in expiation of her sins, so- long submitted to the mast deceitful and corrupt of Governments that she must now submit to foreign invasion up to the walls of her glorious c Lpital." It is not always jipt to estimate men's deeds by their re3nits, or AT. Gambetta might have ta answer whether France has had t o endure greater misery at her rulers' hands before or after Sedan. Unless we are greatly mistaken, however, the destinies of Franco will soon he beyond the control either of Imperial or of Republican leaders. The necessity for a capitulation seems, by all accounts, to be urgently felt by all parties in Paris, and the only question is which party should take upon itself the odium of the unavoidable measure. After all the delusions with which the suffering population have been entertained, after the high pitch of heroism to which they have been wound np, it certainly is heart rending for them to be told that they must lay down their arms and throw open the gates to the invader. For Sedan and Metz scapegoats could be sought in the .Emperor and in the Imperial Marshals. But who is to be blamed for the fall of Paris ? To whose charge are its unavailing defence .and devastation to be laid? It will be well for France if these questions are not pressed too far. It is the misfortune of that country to find in her rulers only too complacent interpreters of its fancies. The Emperor Napoleon, perhaps, gave in too readily to the impulses of national ambition and jealousy. The Provisional Government probably makes too much of what it considers the claims of national hon our. The war was a mistake. It is, unfortunately, too late to repair the error, but not too late to put an end to it. France must live, and that she may live 'she must have peace. The 2dearaph, says Whether many people in France will cry " Vive la Republique!" six months hence is a question which time alone can answer ; although an uneasy feeling prevails among those who know the country and the people best, that there are two things of which the sen sible Frenchman is most anxious to get rid—the Prussians first, and the Republic afterwards. But, as to the enthusiasm and the sincerity of the patriots who cried " Vive la France !" " Vive la Republique 1" " Vive Paris !" at the close of M. Gambetta's oration, no doubt can be entertained. So long as the Republic continues to represent the embodied idea of expelling the Germans, so long will democratic vivats be plentiful, and so long will the cry be as vigorously uttered by the mob of Belleville as by the peasantry of La Vendee. While an invader remains in France, no very serious differences in political opinion can exist among Frenchmen ; nor, at the present juncture, could there be a statesman so eminently fitted to cheer the flagging spirits of a much-suffering country as M. Gam betta. He has all the virtues, if not entirely with cut the weaknesses, of the Southerner—of the hot-headed, picturesque, imaginative Somme du Midi. His oratory is dressed, a /a provencaie, with plenty of pepper. He speaks not in the cold and rigid Langue d'Oil which generally contents itself with maintaining that two and two make four, but in the more elastic and poetical Langue d'Oc, in which it is not unfrequently maintained that two and two make ten. M. Gambetta must not be too rashly accepted as a typical Frenchman ; but he is assuredly a typical Marseillais. He is not an orator after the manner of Thiers, of Guizot, of Lamartine, or of Jules Favre ; he is one after the fashion of Camille Desmoulins, of Foy, and of Manuel ; and such orators are invaluable in times of great public emergency. Logic is not wanted in war, war itself being a horribly and absurdly illogical thing ; nor is strict adherence to exactness always to be expected. When the Medes and Persians are at the gates, it has sometimes been thought expedient to assure the subjects of Belshazzar that the enemy have been repulsed with immense slaughter. All this M. Gambetta can do, and do admirably. He has ennobled the stump, and made " tall talk " sublime ; and to the untiring loquacity of his rhetorie, no less than to his wonderful energy as an organiser, we may ascribe much of the tenacity in resistance evinced by the French deparb.. manta (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) MARRIAGE OF MISS GARRET, M.D. We are enabled to state that Miss Garret, M.D., member of the London School Board, will shortly be mar ried to Mr. G. S. Anderson, of London and Morpeth. This gentleman took an active part in Miss Garret's election. MR. WATKIN WILLIAMS AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. Mr. Watkin Williams, M.P., addressing his constituents at Wrexham last night, passed the chief events of last session in review, and explained his personal action on the various questions which had been brought forward. lie announced his intention of merging his motion on the dis establishment of the Welsh Church in the more general one in reference to Church Establishments, to be intro duced by Mr. LOCAL TAXATION IN THE WEST. The county justices of Divon and Cornwall, at the sessions held in those counties yesterday, adopted peti tions in favour of a revision of local taxation. LOCAL TAXATION IN WARWICKSHIRE.. At the Warwickshire Quarter Sessions yesterday, a petition to Parliament was adopted, praying for a revision of the present system of local taxation, so as to relieve the ratepayers by distributing the burden over the whole property in the county. Petitions in compliance with memorials from the county and Banbury Chambers of Commerce were also adopted, praying Parliament to take the subject of local taxation into its early consideration. Mr. Newdegate, M.P., supported the memorial to the Government. FATAL ACCIDENT. Yesterday afternoon a ticket collector named Remy Thomas, employed at the Ystalyfera station, Swansea, was walking along the platform by the side of a moving train, when his foot slipped, and he was thrown under the train, which passed over him. He was crushed to death, his body being literally cut to pieces. FIRE AT BRADFORD. The premises of Robert Morrell and Co., grocers and provision merchants, of Bradford, were burnt down yes terday morning. Mr. Morrell and his household had a narrow escabe. The damage to building and stock is es timated at from .0,000 to £lO,OOO, which is partly covered by insurance, LAND-SLIP. A land-slip at Mevagissey yesterday morning caused from five to seven hundred tons of rock to fall into a ship building yard. Fortunately the men were at their break fasts, so none were injured or killed. . BANKRUPTS, To surrender in London, Stott, Isaac Leach, jun., Miltou-street,City, Manchester warehouseman, Jan. 10, at 1. Wilson, Charles, Francis-street, Gower-street, manager to a bit and spur maker, Jan. 19, at 12. THE MINISTItY.—It is rumoured that Mr. Monsell, the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, will be the new Postmaster-Genera _ _ - _ CRYSTAL PALACE.—One Shilling Day.—Tues clay.—The a dmiasions by season tickets were 2,793; do. on payment, 3,49 G; total visitors, 6,289. - - LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.—MeSSYS. Hurst and Blackett's Announcements for the New Year comprise : —The Third and Fourth Volumes of " Her Majesty's Tower," by W. Hepworth Dixon, completing the Work. —" Recollections of Society in France and England," by the Lady Clementina, Davies, 2 vols. crown Bvo.—" Life and Adventures of Count Beugnot," Minister of State under Napoleon 1,, Edited from the French by Miss 0, M. Yonge, Author of "The Heir of Red elyffe,' &c., 2 vols. Bvo.—" Impressions of Greece," by the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Wyse, K.C.8., late British Minister at Athens, Bvo. " Life and Letters of William Bewick, the Artist," by Thomaa Landseer, A-E., 2 vols., Bvo., with Portrait:ll3y Sir Edwin Landseer, R. A.—" Turkish Harems and Circassian Homes," by Mrs. Harvey, of Ickwell, Bury, Bvo., with coloured Illustrations—" Lodge's Peerage and Baronetage for 1871," under the Especial Patronage of Her Majesty and corrected throughout by the Nobility, royal Ivo. ; and New Works of Fiction by the Author of John Hali fax," Mrs. Oliphant, Miss Amelia B. Edwards, Mr. Anthony Trollope, Mr. George MacDonald, Mr. J. Sheridan Lefanu, &c.