The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-30 00:00:00

MONETARY REPORTS.-SA TURD AY. At the commencement of business this morning, consi derable firmness was apparent, in consequence of the news from the seat of war. The improved tone, however, was not maintained, some anxiety being expressed for later news. During the earlier hours, a general advance took place ; but with few exceptions, this was not supported. In the railway market, Caledonian and South Eastern, have risen in value ; but great Eas tern and Midland have slightly receded. Foreigns bonds have been steady, especially as regards Spanish Turkish, and United States Five-Twenty Bonds. French and German scrips also have been higher in value. Consols have been flat, and lower, at 921, 921 for delivery and the account. Reduced and New Three pc.r Cents., 921, 921 ; Bank Stock, 240, 242 ; Exchequer bills. 10s. to 15s. prem.; India Five per Cents., 1101, 1101 ; and India, Bonds, 225. to 275. pm. Business in the market for English railway stocks has been on a limited scale, Caledonian and South-Eastern have risen 1 and 1 respectively, but Great Eastern and Midland have declined / and 1. After official hours Metropolitan was quoted at 661, ; Caledonian, 881, 89; Brighton, 43, 431 ; South-,E§gtern, 781, 781; Great Northern, 125, 126 ; ditto A, 1352, 1361 ; Great Eastern, 401, 402 ; North-Eastern, 1471, 148 ; Midland, 1291, 1291 ; North-Western, 1301, 1301: and Great Western, 731, 731. For Indian railway stocks there has been but little in quiry. Bombay, Baroda, and Central India, 1031 ; Fast Indian, 1101, 1101 ; Great Indian Peninsula, 1051, 106 ; Madras, 1031; Oude and Rohilkund, 1011, 1011; and Scinde, 1011. Canadian shares have been quiet, Great- Western, 151, 151. In foreign railway shares transactions have been restricted ; Bahia and San Francisco, 191 ; Great Luxembourg, 121, 121 ; Lombards, 151, 151. Foreign bonds have been characterised by firmness. Brazilian (1865) have risen 1; Egyptian Nine per Cents., 1; Spanish, 1-16th ; Turkish (1869), 1; United States Five-Twenty Bonds, 1, but Mexican have been 1 per cent. lower. French scrip has advanced 2 per cent. being quoted at 1, 1 prem. The mid-issue of the German Loan at 2, 1 prem., shews a rise of g. After official hours, Brazilian (1865) Bonds were quoted at 94, 941; Peruvian (1865), 90±, 901; Egyptian (1868), 751, 752 ; ditto Nine per Cents, 98, 981; Italian (1861), 55. 551; Spanish, 301, 301; Turkish Five per Cents, 431, 431 ; ditto (1869), 541, 541 ; Mexican, 141, 142 ; United States Five-Twenty (1882) Bonds, 901, 911; ditto (1885), 901, 901. Bank shares have been quiet. Agra A. have marked 81; Anglo-Egyptian, 221; Imperial Ottoman, 12, 121 ; Joint Stock, 361, 361; London and Westminster, 622, 63 ; and Union of London, 39, 391. In telegraph shares transactions have been restricted. British Indian Submarine, 71, ; Falmouth, 91 ; French Cables, 141, 1; Silver's Indiarubber have been 1 better at 501, 511; Hooper's have been steady, at par to 1 prem., and Constructions, at 251, 26. Miscellaneous securities have been in limited request. General Credit and Discount, 71, 1. The discount market has been rather unsettled. There has not been much inquiry for accommodation, but three months' paper has been charged 21 per cent. There have been no bullion operations at the Bank to- day. • The proposal of the Mexican Government with regard to the debt has been received by the bondholders' com mittee to-day. It is to the effect that the bondholders shall forego all interest from 1866 to the present date ; that this year they shall receive per cent., next year one per cent., and. that the interest shall increase per cent every two . years until 3 per cent. is again reached, which will be in the tenth year. The bondholders are to retain their original bonds, but are to give up their mort gages on the customs' duties. The report of the York City and County Bank, pre sented at York, shewed an available total of £20,190, and a dividend was declared of 8 per cent., with a bonus of 30s. per share, or 6 per cent., which will absorb £17,500, leaving £2,690 to be carried forward. The report of the London and South-Western Bank (Limited), to be presented at the general meeting on the 7th of February, shews an available total of £6,165. The dividend, at the rate of six shillings per share, will absorb £2,665, £5OO will be added to the reserve, and £2OO carried to previous account, leaving £2,800 to be carried forward to the account. At the corresponding date of last year the dividend was ss. per share. A prospectus has been issued of another California mining undertaking, called the Pyramid Range Silver Mountain Company (Limited) with a capital of £500,000 in shares of £5. The proposal is to purchase cer tain claims in Arozona, where " mountains of silver" are alleged to have been discovered. The price to be paid is £400,000, of which £lOO,OOO is to be in cash, and £lOO,OOO in A shares. The faith of the directors seems to be based on observations made, and specimens obtained by a Mr. Henry Morgan, who is known to them, and who, while recently travelling in America, had his attention directed to these wonderful discoveries. A distribution of 11- per cent. on Atlantic and Great Western Railway Certificates of Debetures, 1864, has been arranged to be made as soon as the necessary details can be settled. The report of the General Credit and Discount Corn: pany (Limited) shews that, after providing for all bad and doubtful debts, there remains a balance at the credit of profit and loss account of £138,768 ss. 7d., besides the amount of £10,602 14s. 2d. brought forward from last year. After deduction of the expenses of the year, there is left a net balance of £114,226 to be dealt with. Of this £37,500 has already been paid as interim divident for the six months ending 30th June last; £37,500 to be applied as dividend for the six months ending 31st De cember, being at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum free of income tax, payable on and after 13th ?February ; and £35,000 towards the reserve fund, raising that fund to £75,000, leaving £4,226 to be carried forward to next year's account. LON.DON STOCK EXCHANG E.- S _ATURDA LATEST PRICES.—AFTER 0 FFICIAL HO U . 11,73 The prices under the lines indicate the business done. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. three per Cent Consols 921 921 V let 6p Jan &July 1891 113 114 921, 1 DoA.pril &Oct 1883-85.. 112 113 Do for Account 921 1021 Bra.zllian. 1865. 5v a .... 94 95 Three per Cent Reduced 921 921 921.1 921 921 Egyptian 1862, 7po .. .. 82 84 91 , I, New 3 per Cent 92t. 1 84, 1 Exchequer Bills. March 10 15pin DoßaAl Mihail 7 Ono .. 9911 . 001 pm 100, 991, Do, June pm Peruvian. 1865. 5p a Bank Stock ............ ... 901, 1 1 240, 2 rortuguese jB6, 3v 0 ... 32 33 India 5 per Cents ...... 321, i /India Bon ds ............ Russian. 062.1 5 p c.. B4l 851 851, 4 can 6,,, P jansaulyll77-84 104 105 Po Nicolas 4p a 1041 681, 71, 81 Do March & Sept . 104 106 Spanish Do 5p 0 Jau & July .. 98 99 301, i, 1 981, 8 Turkish, 1854, 8p a 79 81 D o Inscribed Stoc k .. 97 99 Do. 1865. 5p a Dom of Cau 5p c 1 903 .. 98 100 431, 3, 1 991 Do, 1865 6p a Ceylon 6p c May and ' 61, 21, 2, 3 November 1878....... t 106 108 U. 5.5-20 Bonds,6 p a li3l 991 9! Mauritius 1 pc Jan and 91, 1 July 1873 ............ 102 104 Do do 0f New S W ales ... p 01871-76. 100 101 New Zealand 6p c 1891.. 108 110 Do 10-10 Buda, spa 19)1 891 89 Do 5p 0 ... ..... . ..... 981 991 891 Do 5p 0 Consolidated 9911001 ErieSlia,loo dole, all paid _ 100, 991 Illinois Central Shares .. 110 111 Do6pcMar&SeptlB9l 109 111 1101, Do June & DeclB9l 108 110 Atlantie and UW It Con 100 Mortgage Bonds ...... 1885 901 90; RAILWAYS. Bristol and Exeter 9O a Do Ist Pre[ flonds.... 59 60 911, 2 Do 2nd Pref Bonds.. • 42 43 Caledonian 88a Do 3rd Pref Stock . .. 31 33 Great Eastern 18 18; 41, 40i 4th Pre( Stook ...... Great Northern 12511 Greatlnilian Pen g 5., o 1051106) 135 136 105 i, 6. 5 1 Do A ......... - - - . 73 731 Great Western ofCanada 15f Great Western 739, 1,1, 9 159,1 Lancashire & Yorkshire 1311369 Do Op c Bonds, 1873.. 99 100 Lou, 800, and S Coast 43 439 Do 59 do, 1877-8 95 97 4 3 1, 9 DO 5 p o pref. issued 8 1 3 par loni Lon, Chat, and Dover .. 141 142 111adry guar 5p a 14/, 9 1039 Lou and North-Western 130 1309 N. Railway of Canada, 1301, 9 6p c lat Pref Bonds Lou and South-Western 93 94 oude o and Rohilkund g 101 103 939, 1 5 p Man, SW, and Li n coln 159 46 1019, 9 459 x d Sclude, Putijanb, and M e t r opolitan .......... 661 67 Delhi guar 5p c 67 1011 Midland North British N or th-E a sten, Consols.. 147 148 199 E,i, 9 Belgian Junction 1479 South-Easteru 7Bl 781 Buenos Ayres Gt Sthrn.. 269 21 731, 2, 4 Dunaburg and NVltepsk 189 181 Atlantic and St Lawrnce 76 78 Dutch-Rhenish 229 239 Bombay, Baroda, and Eastern of Frai,ce — - Central olndia. gI p c.. 103 104 Great Lu l xembourg ... 121 Q 1 21, 9 . •• Buff and Lake Huron . 49 41 Lemberg U.rnowitzgua Do 59 pc 80nd5,1872-3 1 4 79 81 7pc Cape guar 6p c East Bengal guar 5p c lO3 104 N orthern of France .... -• 1039 Ottom(Smyrna to Aidin) 49 5 9 E as t Indian. g 5 p c 11 0 1 , 1 (Limited) guar 7p a .. 159 151 Grand Trunk Canada Do Equip Mort End 1 South Aust. & Loin-Van 159 151 charge 6n e Do 2nd do Bonds ____ 15i ICI BANKING COMPANIES. ra Pd 1 Air Itmik ;14 A BBi 20 Lo udo n , of Anstrlia 23i 24 i t 25 Alliance (1 ) THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAI „JANUARY 30, 1871. NAVAL AND MILI ARY INTELLIGENCE. The Army and Navy Gazette learns that an influential member of the House of Commons p ur p oses during the ensuing session to call upon Mr. Cardwell to furnish a complete statement as to our system of transport and supply, with a view of testing the capabilities of the Control Department. Th e Navy Estimates have been, we understand, prepared with the usual degree of economy so pleasing to Chancellors of the Exchequer in general, but if the House of Commons decide upon making important additions to our naval defences, a supplemental vote will be required. —The new sword-bayonet invented by Lord Elcho is about to have an official trial, with a view of testing its adoption by the War Office. The United Service Gazette says :—lt is satisfactory to know that recruiting has been • carried on with greater success during the last few days than has attended it for some time past. The extra 20,000 men sanctioned in August last are, however, far from being obtained as yet., We have good reason for believing that at least 8,000 of them are still deficient. —A rumour has obtained currency at Aldershot that it is i n contemplation to mass 40,000 troops at the camp in the forthcoming summer.—lt has been officially announced th at p rovisions will be made in 1 the Army Estimates of 1871-2 for building a barracks at Tipperary. The Broad Arrow says :—We believe we are correct in stating that the Government hasno intention, for financial reasons, of embodying the Militia this year, but will order the force out for six weeks e or two mo nths' trainin instead of the customary twenty.ight days. The force will be so affiliated to the line that it will practically serve as second or third battalions as the case may be, and thus each regiment will be recruited in its own county. Single battalion regiments will have their county Militia for a , second battalion. This change will most probably be effected in April. TTE W All. THE LAST DAYS OF THE SIEGE. (BY BALLOON. MAIL. -FROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE " CENTRAL PRESS.") PARIS, January 23. The agitation still exists, though all outward dis turbances have ceased. It seems that yesterday's out break originated in the unpopularity of Trochu, and the growing discontent of the populace at the prolonged inaction of the Government. On Saturday morning, at 5 a.m., after a long and stormy discussion, it was decided that General Vinoy should replace Trochu in the supreme command, the army being separated from the Presidency of the Government, and the title and functions of the Governor of Paris being still maintained. This was a mistake. It was due to a personal feeling of delicacy and consideration towards Trochu himself, who is deserving of all courtesy and respect, but such a crisis allows for no re finements, and the old soldier was wiser when he requested his colleagues to accept his unconditional resignation per et simple. He knew what was the unpopularity of an unsuccessful general, and the popular agitation would never have reached to such a height if he had been per mitted to withdraw. The Reds were already in motion, and troubles were looked for by those who could best judge. The Republican Alliance published the following address to the people of Paris, signed by fifty-two per sons, and bearing among others the name of Ledru Rollin : " The continued reverses of the army of Paris, the want of decisive measures, badly directed action succeeding to indolence, and insufficient rations, are calculated to weary patience. And yet the people wish to fight and conquer. To oppose them would be to provoke civil war, which the Republicans intend to avoid. In the face of the enemy, before the country in danger, Paris, besieged and isolated, becomes the sole arbiter of her fate. It is for Paris to choose the citizens who shall direct at the same time her ad ministration and her defence. It is for Paris to elect them, not by pl4biscitum or tumult, but by regular ballot. The Republican Alliance addresses itself to the whole of the citizens ; points to the public peril ; demands that, within forty-eight hours, the electors of Paris be convoked in order to name a Sovereign Assembly of two hundred representatives elected in proportion to the popu lation ; and demands that the Citizen Dorian be in eluded in the Commission charged to make the elections.'' Trochu's anticipations were perfectly justified by the event. The people demanded his resignation, though it was given out that Generals Vinoy and Clement Thomas were in command of the troops. Then came the demon tration at the Hotel de Ville. What made the scenes of civil war the more painful was the fact that the Prussians, who evidently knew or guessed what was going on, redoubled the bombardment meanwhile. Proclama tions were subsequently issued by General Clement Thomas, General Vinoy, and the Government. That of General-Thomas was addressed to the National Guard, and referred to the attack on Mazas. " A hand ful of agitators," it said, " have broken open the prison at Mazas, and have released several prisoners, among them M. Flourens. The same men attempted to occupy the Mairie of the 20th Arrondissement, and to instal the in surrection there. Your chief commandant reckons on your patriotism to repress this culpable sedition. The safety of the city is concerned. While the enemy bombards it, the factions unite to destroy the defence. In the name of the common safety, of the laws, of the sacred duty which bids us unite to defend Paris, let us put an end to this wicked attempt. At the first appeal let the whole National Guard arise, and the agitators will be struck powerless." General Vinoy's order to the Army of Paris was as fol- THE BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTEER C !RPS. At the annual meeting of the Birmingham Volunteer Corps, at which Lieutenant -Colonel Ratcliffe presided, the gratifying fact was announced that after paying all liabilities the balance sheet shewed that the corps had still a handsome balance at their bankers. Thls fact must be extremely gratifying to the gal lant Lieutenant -Colonel who ha s been untiring in his exertions to bring the corps up to the highest standard of excellence. At the commencement of the volunteer movement, one of the most active of its promoters wa sLientenant-Colonel (then Captain) Ratcliffe. He came forward in the most liberal manner to help it onward, and great as must have been his anticipations it scarcely entered into his imagination that Birmingham could take the poiition it has amongst the crack corps of Volunteers. At Wimbledon it has carried off large sums in prizes whilst as an efficient regiment it has received the highest approbation from the military authorities appointed to inspect the different corps. The gallant Colonel made an excellent speech on the occasion of the annual meeting, and concluded by saying that they as volunteers had not enrolled themselves members of the Volunteer force of the country merely as a pastime or recreation ; but that they might shew their determination to serve the Queen, and prove their loyalty and attachment to their country. He was sure they would prove, whenever they were called upon, that they would not turn their backs at the sound of the bugle, but that they would be ready to sacrifice all they possessed, and even life itself, in order that they might shew themselves true to the engagements they had undertaken, and the high sense in which they looked upon the duties required by their enrolling themselves members of a Volunteer corps. The balance sheet :was unanimously received and adopted, and the proceedings terminated with a highly complimentary vote of thanks to the gallant chairman. LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE STAGE The Atheneum , says :—We are informed that at the next meeting of the Royal Asiatic Society, which will be held on Monday, February 6th, at 8 p.m., Dr. Ginsberg will communicate the result of his latest researches re garding the inscription on the Moabite stone.—The paper in the Edinburgh Review on Shakspeare's hard words, which attracted so much attention two y ears ago, was, it appears, written by Professor Baynes, of St. Andrews, Fife, whose recent article in the same Review on the text of Chaucer we have already noticed. We are glad to hear that both articles, with some other papers on the History of the English language, by the same writer, at e to be published in a separate volume.—Messrs. Chapman and Hall, we hear, have purchased the entire series of the Dickens copyrights.—We understand that Professor Seeley is to deliver a lecture before the members of the Peace Society on ".How to abolish War," that is, on the scheme of federation necessary among European nations to prevent war arising between them, and to secure the peaceful settlenient of disputes.—M. Paul Meyer, chief editor of the learned Revue Critique, is now serving in the National Guard in Paris, and has had three short campaigns outside the walls.—" Better late than never " may be said of the Spanish and Portuguese Dictionary, just published in Madrid. It is a curious bibliographical fact that, although no fewer than four editions of the " Lusiad. " of Camoes in Castilian verse exist'(the earliest being that of Benito Caldera, printed at Alca,l4 de Henares by Juan Gracian, 1580), no dictionary of the two languages has hitherto been printed either in Portugal or Spain.—Dante's " Divina Commedia " is now being translated into Roumanian by the best of Roumanian poets, I. Eliades Radulescos, who has for some time past been engaged on this task. An Indian weekly paper has been started at one pice —a farthing and a half. — We learn from good authority that Sir Roderick Mur chison, the co-patron with the Crown of the chair of Geology, in the University of Edinburgh, has nominated Mr. Archibald Geikie, F.R.S., as the first professor. Sir R. Murchison's endowment is £6OOO, and the Crown adds £2oo.per annum to the interest of this sun'', and the fees. The munificent patron reserved the privilege of naming the first professor.—Mr. J. F. Barnett's cantata, " Para' dise and the Peri," one of the novelties at the late Bir mingham Festival, will be executed for the first time in London, on the 14th of February.—Mdlle. Nilsson, after her last concert at Chicago, on the last day of the old year, left for St. Louis. She is accompanied by Miss Cary, M. Vieuxtemps, M. Verger, and Signor Brignoli.— A carious proof of the uncertainty of theatrical matters is shewn by the fact that Mr. Robertson's comedy, " War," which was so complete a failure in London, has obtained a great success at the Boston Museum Theatre. Elsewhere in America, however, it has been less for tunate. The Law 'limes notes the death (as it believes) of the oldest county court judge. Mr. Christopher Temple died last Saturday, at the age of 86, having continued to act as judge of the courts of the Northampton Circuit until,the very end. Ainurder has been committed at Barton-under Needwood, a village five miles from Burton-on-Trent. A labourer named Beach deliberately clove his child's skull through - with an axe. The man, who is said to be insane, is in custody. The new sovereign has been issued ; but though numismatists are glad to see the old George and the Dragon restored, they complain that the new die is not nearly so sharp and good as that used in the time of George IV. Moreover, the colour of the coin is not so good. The gold seems to have been alloyed with copper instead of with silver. WitEcK OF A SLAVE Slim—lntelligence has been received in Liverpool from Havana, announcing the total wreck of the once notorious slaver Wanderer, pro bably one of the largest and fastest clipper schooners afloat, oh the Colorado Reef, on the north coast of Cuba. The Wanderer has had a most eventful career. About thirteen years ago she was in Liverpool, and her trim outfit aroused the suspicions of the customs authorities, who placed her under surveillance pending inquiries. Although these suspicions were well founded, the Wan derer was permitted to sail on her " blackhirding" cruise, and nothing was heard of her until late in the year 1859, when she ran a large cargo of slaves safely into Savannah from Whydah, on the coast of Africa. • EXPORT OF ARMS FROM THE UNITED STATES —ln the course of an investigation before Judge Blatch. ford, of the case of the alleged filibuster steamer Florida an imporl;ant letter from the Secretary of the Interior (dated October the I st) wa s read by the counsel for the claimant. It says :—" After full consultation with the Cabinet, the President was of opinion that the shipment of arms and munitions of war was not prohibited to either party in the Cuban struggle. The Revolutionists have as full a right to buy and ship arms as the Spaniards, and it is only upon the fitting out of a military or naval expedition that the neutrality laws operate. . . . It is a mistake. to sup pose that the United States' officers have ever been instructed to stop the shipment of merchandise, though it be in the form of articles contraband' of war. The owners and masters of the vessel must simply accept their own risk in such cases. The matter assumes a different complexion, however, when an armed expedition, in tended for naval warfare, is started from our ports. . . . The Cuban Republicans must learn to draw this distinction before complaining of our conduct." lows : " The Government of National Defence has *placed me at your head. It has appealed to my patriotism and my devotion. I have no right to refuse. It is a heavy charge. I only accept danger and there must be no illusion. After a four months' siege, gloriously sustained by the army and the National Guard, and manfully supported by the population of Paris, we have arrived at a critical moment. To refuse the dangerous honour of the command under such circum stances would be to fail to respond to the confidence placed in me. lam a soldier, and I cannot shrink from the perils which this great responsibility may entail. In the interior the party of disorder agitates even while tha cannon sounds. I wish to be soldier to the last, and therefore I accept the risk, convinced that the concurrence of all good citizens, of the army, and of the National Guard will not fail me for the maintenance of order and the salvation of the country. GENERAL VINOY." The Government proclamation is very brief : " Citizens ! An odious crime has been committed against the country and against'the Republic. It is the work of a small number of men, who are serving the cause of the foreigner. While the enemy is bombarding us, they have caused the blood of the National Guard and of the army to flow by firing at them. May this blood be upon those who shed it for the satisfaction of their criminal passions. The Government has the office of maintaining order, one of the strongest forces we can oppose to Prussia. The whole city demands the severe repression of this audacious attempt, and the firm execution of the laws. The Government will not fail in its duty." This proclama tion is signed by the whole of the Government and the Secretaries. The names of General Le Flo, Dorian, and Magnin are under the head of Ministers, not members of the National Defence. M. Dorian persists in refusing the office of Minister of War, THE LAST GREAT SORTIE. (From the Times Correspondent.) It was so thick that the French were able to develope au enormous force on the approaches to these heights from St. Cloud and Ville d'lvray to Garches, Bugenval, and the slopes towards Vaucresson before there was any alarm. If there were not such an immense gulf between real trained soldiers in strong " stellung" and masses of armed men, it would be quite impossible for any one to believe that such a force as could be seen for some 3i or 4 miles covering the ground like a carpet could be prevented from doing as they pleased with two divisions of infantry. But so it was and so it will be. As an old officer said to me. " A carter is stronger than a jockey, but he cannot ride a race ; and yet a jockey can drive a carter's horses." Well, there have been, I hear, two com putatiOns of the French dead. In front of one division there lie some 1,100 dead. In front of another some what less, and, counting the prisoners and the wounded, it may well be that the French lost between six and seven thousand men in %H. And what have the Prue sians lost? I scarcely like to write the figures, but lam assured that they have had only seventy-seven men killed and 483 wounded. Among the former there is a large proportion of officers, for when the French were in Montretout village they picked out the officers of the de tachment: which had to fight their way through the street. And then to take Montretout and to lose it as they did this very night—driven out ingloriously, dis gracefully, without a shot almost, by an attack of a regi ment of the 10th Division ! Why, a general with an army with a pinch of salt for their horse meat and such a basis of operations as Montretout ought to have hurled the sth Corps and all its supports out of Versailles this very night. But then Trochu has not an army ; he has only a gathering of men, whose individual weaknesses are multiplied by the numbers of their total force, and who are ready to die, but are unable to conquer. They advance far enough to be killed. They are too brave to run quite away. Their artillery practice was excellent. It was quite unlike the work done on the 21st of October. The air was not filled with the smoke of bursting shells, but con stant puff balls of blinding white in the dark woods shewed where their shells were bursting in a way that would have proved most murderous to uncovered infantry. At this period, 11.30, it was also evident, first, that the French were very much in advance of theline they had occupied on the 21st of October ; and, secondly, they were four or five times as numerous. The ground between "Talerien and the river was blue with their masses. There was not a sunbeam to lighten them, but cavalry in white and light gray cloaks, and white and gray horses, and even field tents checkered the plains, and at times there rose . trails of smoke from camp fires, mingling with the clouds of " pulverdampf." From the ocean of bluish gray ruffled by these lines of lighter colour, streamed out the rivers of men towards the front, where they fretted iu a spray of smoke against the base of the hills and upon their slopes. I could not see the Prussians—a bad sign—so far back were they now, and more than once I found myself look ing at the map for the trace of a route to the Crown Prince's headquarters, in case I was cut off in the prime of the day at Roquencourt or Marlay. The columns, of which there were three well-defined, moved very slowly, now coyly retiring, now gaily advancing." Had some fiery com mander from Cnsar's Camp looked down on such work in the Long Valley, against Cocked-hat Wood, he would haply havb behaved as our men did in Flanders in Captain Shandy's time. But still they advanced and retired very steadily, and it was to be observed that the Divisional batteries of the 10th Division, under Colonel Roell, had posted themselves on the slims of 10 Anglo-Austrian .... 71 Mom 15 London Joint-Stock ::5; 65 20 Anglo-Egyptian IL) 225 - 225 365, 51 20 Louand Westmuster 621 631 225 50 British N American 51 52 62 , 32c d t 20 Ch of India, Anstrlia 135 141 10 Metropolitan B5 82 25 Char Merc of India 20 2 2 20 Mid land IL) 10 City ' ll 111 20 New South Wales .. .4 3d 2 Colonial 4 Consolidated IL 20 Eng. Scot. and Ana 0 161 175 403, 5 171 15 Union of Loudon .. l'Bs 305 2 , ItinTrisl 134 .18 ad 10 Imperial Ottoman .. 11 2ipm 12, i TELEGRAPH COMPANIES. rd I'd 100 Anglo-American L) 74 76 10 Geat Northern .... 114 11; 7ti, 54 6 G r reat N. China, and 10 Anglo-Meditrn (L) llB 120 Japan Extension.. 8 3i, 1(0 Atlantic — 5 Indo-European (L).. 10 12 160 Do 8p c — 10 Marseilles, Algiers. 13 BritiAh Australn (L).. 34 3dis and Malta IL) .... 5 6 ... 10 Mediterrn Ex IL) .. 4 4', 42 .:0' British Ind Eaten (L). 62 7 2/ Pnmaand S. Paoli . , 4 3.1 i? 10 British Indian, Sub- dis msrine. IL) 7/, 3-16, 5-16, 4 . 20 Soo Tra.ll Ft Prance (Id 141 141 10 ChinaSubmarinelL) 42 42,118 14', 2 34 100 Submarine 237 '44 10 Falmouth, Gibraltar, 1)o Scrip and Malta (L 1 92 MISCELLANEOUS SECURITIES a 31 SA Anglo-Austrian Bud- 25 it Irrig Can Cavour holders' Certificate 2 4 100 1)0 6p c Bonds. re -10 BerliuWaterworks(L) 157 161 deemable 1870 62 64 70 Bolckow-Vaughan L) 23 33pm 70 L o ondon Flu Asso u c(L) 19 18 ils 100 Boston City (U.S. Ln Cen Omnibs _ 2,7 3 p c Sterling Loan 94 96 2 13-16. 7 4 Brit & Fgu Marine L 137 41pm 2 Lou & Pros , Marble L) 11 pm i 25 Canada Company. 7l 74 100 Madraslrrig. &Canal 10 Ceylon Company L) 37 31dis gsn c by Ind Gov. 10 1132 35 City Of fi ces (L) 251241 dis 2 Mauritius Land (I ) 7 0 il, 20 Colonial (L) 5 Com Union Assumes 44! pm 2) N Zealand Loan and 10 Crdt Folic of Eng (L) 2 7 2 7 Mere Agency 1L) • , 77 pm 100 Crystal Palace 100 Do Pret 100 Do Gp c Perp Deb.. 109 114 61 N British and Mere (1 ) 28) 241 27( Ebbw Vale Steel L).. 9; 91dis 5 OceanMarinelnsur l4!, 15die 100 Viceroy of Egypt 7p a 50 P and 0 Steam 45 47 Mortgage Loan-- 78 80 4q, 51 100 ir.gyp 9 p eVroylman, 10 Do do New. 1867 31 21dis guar by Egyp 035.. 97 99 67, 7 981 50 Rhyniney Iron 13 Fore-stWarehouse(L) 8 9pin 15 D o New— 9 91 100 Fgu and Colonial Gov 60 Royal Mail Steam Trust 6p c Bonds.. 98 100 12 Tel Con and Main Id 251 •:57 991 2 Themes and Mersey 71 Gen Credt&Dis't (L 1 par bra Marine Insur (L 7' 7 Tobacco 6 p o Loan. 14 Gen stm Navigation 28 29 guar by Italian Gov 98 90 7 Hoover's Tel Works ;din }pm 991 77, 7 5 Trust and Loan Co of 17 Hudson's Bay B7 87 Upper Canada .. / 1 iini 45 Indrll)r,Gutrer,and 5 (I Marine, Lvpool IL 5 51P. Tel Works T.) ... 501 511 20 Union Steamship (L) 23 '25 507. 11, 501, A 6 United Dia Corprn (1, Idis par 5 InternlFinan SociL) 2 'Nis 5 UivMnarine Insur(L* . 7 nom 12 Ivarmr_t. Finance— 9 7 .iis MARKETS. METROPOLITAN HAY AND STRAW MARKET, SATURDAY. -Mr. Charles James Easton thus reports on the state of the hay market :-Moderate supplies of all descriptions have been os. t o sale at the annexed quotatio ns :-Prime meadow hay, 13 140 s. ; inferior ditto, 110 s. to 1205. ;prime first-cut e clovseco er, nd-cut 1355. to 1475. ; inferior ditto , 115 s. to 1255. ; prim clover,. 1265. to 1355. ; inferior ditto,loss. to 1155., and straw, 30s. to 40s. per load. LONDON HIDE AND SKIN MARKET, SATURDAY. 721 b .M, -arket hides-561b. to 641 b., 30. to nil.; 641 b. to 30. to 311 d.; 721 b. to 801 b., ad. to 4d. ; 801 b. to 881 b., 4d. to 41d. ; 881 b. to 961 b., 41d. to 40.• ' 961 b. to 1041 b., nil ; 1041 b. to 1121 b., nil. H orse hides, 10$. 6d. to 128. 6d. Calf skin-light, 2s. to 45. ; full, 7s. 6d. Sheepskins-polled, Bs. to 105. ; half-breds, 6s. 3d. to 7s. 6d.; Downs, 45.9 d. to 6s. 3d. LEEDS TRADE REPORT, SATURDAY.-The Cloth Hall has been well attended, and buyers from Manchester and Bradford were present. The principal feature of the market was a good inquiry for cloths at about 4s. per yard. Meltons were saleable at fair prices, and, with the exception of Tweeds, all seasonable goods were in better request. Tweeds have been selling at low prices for a long time, but with the prospect of the war coming to an end they are not now forced upon the market. Gallipoli oil is dearer, being now 55 on board. Cotton warps are a half penny per pound dearer, and mongoes the same. A good spring trade in woollens is anticipated, but at present there is a good deal of excitement with regard to France. The iron trade, both in Leeds and the neighbourhood, is brisk, chiefly on account of the home trade. The special tool trade is not busy, but more old orders of importance are unfinished. An expectation that more important good work will come to Leeds has not been fulfilled. Only one firm has anything on hand in connection with the Woolwich Small Arms Department. Linen manu facture is quiet. DONCASTER CATTLE MARKET, SATURDAY.-At this mar ket to-day there was a moderate supply of cattle, but nothing doing. Little doing in strong pigs, even at 9d. per stone reduc tion from Christmas prices. Small ones good to sell at ls. per head advance from that time. NEWCASTLE CORN MARKET, of SA TEheat rnDAY.and-At this market to-day there was a good supply w, considerable activity prevailed at ls. advance. Good farmer'? samples brought 2s. There was no inquiry for oats. Flour 6d. per sack higher, but millers seeking more. NORWICH CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.-At this market to-day the shew of wheat was fair. Anticipations of a French demand imparted considerable firmness to the trade, which was ls. to 2s. per quarter higher. Barley unchanged-in value. GLOUCESTER CORN Al ARKET. SATURDAY.-There pas a moderate supply of English wheat at this market to-day. which was held at an advance of 2s. per qr. Bnyers refused to pay this, and the sales made were at an advance of ls. per qr. Holders of foreign demanded an advance of 2s. to 3s. per qr., and in consequence very little business was done. Harley is., maize 25., and oats 6d. higher. READING CORN MARKET, SATURDAY. -There was more animation in the corn trade this morning, which was caused by the pacific news from the Continent, and the firm tone of yes terday's markets. Sellers of wheat asked an advance of 3s. per quarter, and a tolerable fair trade was done upon the rates of last week. Barley trade was quiet, and prices nominally the same. Oats a better trade, and 6d, per quarter dearer. Beans and peas met an improved demand, the former selling at fully is. advance. There was a large attendance of buyers. DONCASTER CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.-At this market to-da y there was a moderate supply of all cereals, and prices were firmer. Wheat was from 195. to 235. per load ; barley, 355. to 41s. ; and oats were from 265. to 31s. per quarter. LEITH CORN MARKET, SATURDAY. - At this market to-day wheat continues advancing, and was another ls. dearer. Flour, 6d. per sack higher. Barley brings extreme rates, and 6d. per qr. up. Oats were scarce, and bring very full prices. Peas and beans ls. per qr. higher. The arrivals for the week amount to 1,625 qrs. wheat, 604 qrs. barley, 826 qrs. oats, 1 qr. malt, 3,712 qrs. Indian corn, 101 sacks flour. CORK CORN MARKET, SATURDAY. - At this market to-day white wheat was from 11s. 10d. to 12s. 9d. ; red wheat, 115. 3d. to lls. 9d. ; black oats, 7s. 7d. to 7s. 10d.; tawny oats, 75. 10d. to Bs. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SATURDAY. -Opening Re port.-There was a more cheerful feeling at this market to-day, and holders are asking higher rates. Sales, probably 15,000 bales. Closing report.-This market to-day has been very dis appointing. Higher prices than yesterday have only been with difficulty obtained, and the market closes with a quiet tone. Sales 12,000 bales, including 3,000 on speculation and export. CLYDE CRUSHED SUGAR MARKET, SATURDAY.-Buyers shew a great desire to get into stock, and a further advance of 6d. has been paid. As compered with this day week prices are ls. to ls. 6d. higher. CORK BUTTER MARKET, SATURDAY. -Ordinary firsts, 1465. ; seconds, 1445. ; thirds, 1335. • fourths, 117 s. ; fifths, 975. ; sixths, 635. 160 firkins in the market. Mild cured, no change. Two firkins in the market. d LAW AND POLICE. SIR DAVID WILKIE'S WILL.—A petition for the admi nistration of the trusts of the will of the late Sir David Wilkie was presented to the Master of the Rolls by Mr, Jessel, Q.C.. M.P. The learned counsel said the peti tioners seemed to be under the impression that a question of construction arose under the will, but he confessed that he could not discern what it could be, so that the children who survived Sir David's brothers John and James would take the fund absolutely. But a question had been raised by a relative who was now in Canada as to the legiti macy of a deceased daughter of the brother -James, the lady being one of the class that would take under the will if legitimate. Questions of legitimacy under the Scotch law were so intricate, that an inquiry . into them involved considerable expense, and he was afraid that the solution of the point in the present case would absorb a large proportion of the fund. Hpwever, ith wasan neceessary that the inquiry should be proceeded w d h pro posed that there should he a general reference to Chambers with the view of ascertaining who was the legal personal represen tative of the testator. There b ein g no opposition, his Lordship assented. CRIMINAL INFORMATION.—A rule having been granted by the Court of Queen's Bench against Mr. George Walker, a barrister, for writing offensive letters to Mr. Huddleston, Q.C., of the Oxford Circuit, and also Mr. Harrington, charging them with betraying the confidence which he had placed in their hands and the interesth which he had confided to them, Mr. Montague Chambers, Q.C., on behalf of his client, now retracted any aspersions or attacks he had made on the honour, character, and professional conduct of these gentlemen, and hoped the Court, with the approval of the Attorney-General, would lallow the rule to be discharged. T his the Attorbe y - General consented to, and the Court sanctioned its dis charge, on the defendant's paying all costs. ANOTHER DIAMOND ROBBERY.—Leo Ta,nnenbraum has been brought before the borough magistrates at North ampton charged with having in his possession, supposed to have been stolen, a large cluster of brilliants, four shells of diamonds, four single brilliants. six single diamonds, and a gold ring. The diamonds and the brilliants belonged to the lid of a most valuable gold snuffbox, worth intact £350. They had been broken from the lid, which was greatly mutilated. The gold ring, which was set with a single brilliant, was worth £l2O. The prisoner had offered some of the property for sale to Mr. Renshaw, a local jeweller, who sus pecting something was amiss , sent hiro to another jeweller, a Mr. Chesterton. In the meantime Mr. Renshaw gave information to the police, and prisoner was apprehended at Mr. Chesterton's shop. Detective officer Reimers, who attended from Scotland -yard, said that the snuffbox and the ring had been entrusted, with other property, to M. Rose, a German, who had left Paris on the commencement of the war, by Dr. Simon, whohad also left Paris about the same period, M. Rose having been a jeweller in Paris. M. Rose, not being able to speak English, and having made the acquain tance of the prisoner, who formerly dealt in jewellery, they went togother to dispose of them. Prisoner took N:. Rose to St. James's Hall, where he said he knew a gentlemad who would buy it. He took M. Rose in at the Piccadilly entrance, and said, " The gentleman is upstairs ; I will take him the property, and bring back the money." He, however, left the place by another way. A French paper publishes the following cheerful paragraph :—lt is not aenerally known that the assassina tion of Prim is but the° first execution of a sentence pro nounced by the secret Provisional Government of Spain, who have condemned to death the 191 deputies who voted for the Duke of Aosta. BREAKFAST. EPPS'S C 0c0.A.. —GRATEFUL AND COM vonmo.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette're- I marks :—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which Igovern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many h e avy doctors' bills." Each packet is labelled—JAMES EPPS & Co., Homeo pathic Chemists, London. Also, makers of Epps's CacaOine, a very thin evening beverage.—Advt. the Marley ridges near us, and were shooting just as if they were trying to win a match for beauty and pre cision of fire. These guns at a long range took the heads of the right-hand French columns as they deployed, very much as a farmer mows down his flock of sparrows as they rise from his field, and it is to me now quite beyond comprehension how and why the French did not at any risk send down batteries to engage these pieces, which must have been enfiladed and forced to slew' round. But they did not. Val4rien tried in vain to reach them ; so did the battery below. The Prussian guns were never moved or touched, and I hear the whole artillery loss is two men. How miserable these French muzzleloaders must be ! On our immediate right front was the Bridge of Le Pecq, and just as I had made some such remark, a gun was fired from Val4rien, and as the noise of the action—so clearly visible that I could make out every man, and even perceived my noble officer on the white horse, ever and ever in the front—was not very great, the buzz of the great shell became audible, rising to a harsh " wheesh" as it flew, and plumped down in the water by the bridge. At 11.45 the column in front of La Fouilleuse seemed to be gaining ground— its tail wagged and its body crept on, and the head went deeper into the wood. Then, on the flank of it, a battery of mitrailleuses opened from an epaulement. At 12 the column on the right of it seemed also to fare better, but that to the right again and nearer us was horribly tor mented by the artillery. From noon till one o'clock the action raged in the woods so fiercely that the sky was clouded over, but the French made no great way, though their reserves got into motion towards the front, and the artillery fire was increased by that four batteries, which gallopped up to a ridge of La Fouilleuse in a very gallant manner, and seemed to court the cross fire of the Prussians. At two o'clock the constant pounding of the German guns on the right hand column began to tell. I could see the men breaking as the shells burst among them—black specks flying through the smoke ! Ten minutes after the French advanced three batteries to sweep the woods in front, and enable this column to hold its own, but they were evi dently shaken. Val4rien opened from its cavaliers, and hurled large shell far into the wood over Malmaison. Still, the current flowed the wrong way—not very fast, but perceptibly. At this moment a " new object of attraction " presented itself in quite a dif ferent part of the field. My companion called out, " I hear the French trumpets." And, sure enough, on the flat plain, towards Les Carrieres, at the other side of, the Seine, there was a great body of horse moving rapidly, whose trumpets had attracted his attention. But they were Prussians. They were covering a couple of batteries which went at a rattling pace over the ground, halted, un limbered, and opened fire on a sort of brickfield, with factory chimneys behind, from which spurted out the smoke of answering French batteries. The first shots Of these batteries were so well directed that the cavalry was a little disconcerted, and loose horses galloping about told of empty saddles ; but in ten minutes the Prus sian guns had given the French artillery enough to do; and here there was a long artillery duel, at which I looked from time without finding any change to rivet attention. At three o'clock there was a lull in the action on the right and the left, and soon afterwards a dense fog—smoke, powder, and fog combined --rolled over Val4rien from Paris and swept down on the battle field obscuring it completely for a quarter of an hour or more. But the flashes of the guns lighted it up, and the rattle of small arms was rather the louder. At 3.35 the French seemed -to make great efforts to pierce the woods, and the musketry Was most violent till 4 o'clock. Long trains of ambulances were seen moving towards Paris. The Courbevoie road was covered with carriages. The top of the Arch of Triumph was black with people. Who knows how many of my friends were there? Valerien's arms waved wildly. At 4.10 the French columns seemed to halt, and in many places the ground was whitened by patches, which I sup pose were made by the talks d'abri. Outside this, for a front of three and a half to four miles, there was a con tinuous blaze of musketry, the mitrailleuses began to twinkle brightly as it grew dark, and at 4.35 the artillery of the 4th Corps, on my left, began to retire after a gallant fight, as it was evident that there the French would not advance. HOW NAPOLEON WENT TO WAR. Azamut Batuk, in the Pall Mall Gazette, gives a new version of the opening of the great Franco-Prussian war from that generally received. The Emperor Napoleon, he says, was one of the worst rulers that ever existed ; but as regards the war, he is much more innocent of it than the Imperial courtiers and the population of Paris. He entered the war with the most gloomy prognostica tions. He was confident he would never see Paris again, and was quite prepared for disaster. This is evident from the arrangements he made. He was urged into the war by the Court, who frightened him with the bugbear of the Republicans who had proved such dangerous opponents at the time of the Plebiscite, and by the people of Paris who could only be pacified by the cry of "a Berlin 1" Those who saw Napoleon every day say that in the month of July he caressed his son more than he had done in the child's whole life before, and it is be lieved he took him with him to the array of the Rhine from the dread of being separated from him in any great disaster. When the Tuileries was invaded after the pro clamation of the Republic, the jewellery belonging to the Empress, the gold and silver plate presented by the Sultan, the Czar, and the Viceroy of Egypt were all gone—gone, too, were the splendid cradle of the Prince Imperial, presented by the town of Lyons, and the artistic treasures accumulated by Napoleon at St. Cloud and Compiegne. From the day when war was declared, gigantic boxes, bearing the personal property of the Imperial family, crowded the various railway stations, and Azamut Batuk only wonders hcw none of this has been noticed. The Emperor and Empress had been en lightened as to the true state of the case by two ladies, if by no one else. The Countess de Pourtales, a French lady by birth, but connected with Germany by marriage, spoke strongly at the Tuileries. The Countess de la Pogerie, on the contrary, is a German by birth, and in constant communication with Germany, and she told the Emperor and the Empress plainly that in the event of a war with Prussia France must not reckon on fighting that Power alone, for there would not be any German State that was not ready to march with her. The Empress, however, was not impressed by this, but the Emperor was not alone in his anticipations of evil. When Marshal MacMahon arrived at Marseilles from Africa he told his wife that France was lost and his future ruined. When he reached Paris he told the Emperor the same, and the result of the conversation was that Napoleon's departure was postponed for twelve days, it was given out through ill ness. At the farewell family dinner at St. Cloud the Empress arranged that the " Marseillaise" should be played as an agreeable surprise for the Emperor, but seeing him turn pale she stopped the music and burst into tears, for the first time seeming to share his forebodings. She no longer insisted on his starting in parade through Paris, and drove with him quietly to the railway station at St. Cloud. Nothing of this attracted attention at the time, nor wasit suspected when the Emperor made his bril liant entry into Metz.ln France,however,if anyone attempts to say the truth in such matters he is certain to get the worst of it. All the time, says Azamat Batuk, that he was at the seat of war as correspcindent of the Pall Mall Gazette, he found it difficult to tell the truth. In the middle of October, when in the North, he could see the whole population were unwilling to fight, and that all the wealthy men were either Imperialists or Orleanists ; also, that some of the Franc-tireur leaders were subsidized by Imperialists at Brussels, and prepared to act on the first notice. The affair came to nothing, but to mention it at `,he proper time would have caused great unpleasantness. The bread in Paris had latterly become almost uneat able. If you put it in water straw and bits of hay floated about. During the cannonade of the 21st a French shell blew up the Prussian powder magazine at Moulin-de-Pierre. The explosion was very violent, and appeared, say letters from Paris, to create a panic in the enemy's camp. Both Vinoy and Ducrot declined to attend the Council of 'War which sat before the late sortie. They were generals of divisions, they said, and they would obey orders, bnt they would accept no further responsibilities. Ducrot, who was the fidus Achates of Tror;hu, is no longer in his good graces. A letter from Darmstadt, of the 22nd inst., says that an officer of the Garde Mobile jumped from one of the waggons on the Darmstadt and Aschaffenburg Railway, and was running away when he was shot dead by the escort of the convoy of prisoners. The Echo du Nord states that several specimens of the shoes which had been issued to the soldiers have been brought to the • office of that journal. The soles are of paper. This, it is said, explains how it happened that the greater part of the men were barefooted after a march of twenty-four hours through mud and snow. In his recent interview with the civil and military authorities at Lille, M. Gambetta has shewn himself most anxious that the war should continue, and expressed great confidence in its ultimate success. " I only ask one thing from you," he added ; " hold out a month longer, and I promise to secure you an honourable peace." These were the exact words of the Minister, A dispatch from Berne, of the 24th instant, says that the French sentinels near the frontier do not permit any one to leave France since the 23rd instant, and are arrest ing all foreigners. At Villars, within 300 paces of the Swiss sentinels, there are many Franc-tireurs. The Ger man patrols go as far as Abbevillers, and Glay and Roche have been taken by the German troops, the French•hav ing been driven back upon Villars. The Liberal of Cambrai has the following :—" A Prus sian column, consisting of 3,000 cavalry, went through the villages of Beauvais and Camieres on Saturday, making requisitions. On Sunday this column passed through B4thancourt, Viesly, and Briastre. In the evening it returned by the road from Cambrai to Cateau. In the villages the enemy only made trifling re quisitions of wine and tobacco. At Masnieres, where there are about 10,000 Prussians, with 20 guns, the requi sitions have been so heavy that the enemy has left neither cattle, horses, nor fowl. This is utter ruin for a number of farmers." A very interesting letter in the Standard shews the dis tribution of Chanzy's army before the late victorious advance of the Second German Army. O tt appears that the French had columns to the amount of 48,000 men echeloned on the different roads leading to the Loir ; but the bulk of their three corps (16th, 17th, and 21st), pro bably 60,000 more, were held about Le Mans. The sudden concentric advance of the Prince was altogether too much for this scattered strategy of his enemies, and the dispersed columns being turned, cut up, and driven in bit by bit, prepared the way for the final disaster near Le Mans. This same letter contradicts clearly the Bor deaux report that Chanzy was falling back from Laval to Rennes. The "Besieged Resident" who contributes to the Daily News says :—" He (Trochu) is an honest, upright man ; hut as a military chief he has proved himself a complete failure. H was a man of plans, and never could alter the details of these plans to suit a change of circumstances. What his grand plan was, by which Paris *as to be saved, no one now, I presume, ever will know. The plans of his sorties were always elaborately drawn up; each divi sional commander was told in the minutest details what he was to do. Unfortunately, General Moltke usually interfered with the proper development of these details —a proceeding which always surprised poor Trochu— and in the account the next day of his operations, he would dwell upon the fact as a reason for his want of success. THE ALLEGED GERMAN CRUELTIES.—Monsieur Chandordy has issued a circular to the representatives of France abroad, in reply to Count Bismarck's note, dated Versailles, the 9th inst., respecting the cruelties said to have been inflicted by the Germans on their opponents. He entirely denies that the French have ever used explo sive bullets, fired upon the red Geneva cross, ill-treated the German prisoners, or encouraged the violation of parole. He also defends the Algerine soldiers, and com pares their acts favourably with those of the Prussians. GARIBALDI ON THE STATE OF FRANCE.—In writing to an Italian friend, Garibaldi denies that the state of France is desperate, and thinks she is only dis heartened. Even when her heroic capital is forced to yield, he thinks the country will again rally and pursue the war is outrance. He refers to the machinations of certain parties, who, hating Republicanism, take up the cause, of Bonapartists and Legitimists. The people generally are sound in their principles, and fully apre elate the services which the Italians have rendered them. The chivalrous part of the nation would never, he says, consent to yield to a foreigner. He• declares that the Prussian armies which swept away the Imperial armies as if by magic have not been so successful in dealing with the young recruits of the Republic, and that the Free shooters have frequently dislodged strong columns of the enemy.. A. GERMAN ACCOUNT OF BOURBAKI'S ARMY. — The Cologne Gazette has received the news from Lorraine of the date of the 21st, which represents the Army of General Bourbaki as in full retreat. Vesoul was evacuated, and even Dijon, it was expected, would share the same fate, notwithstanding the entrenchments which the French had constructed there on a large scale. It was believed that such preparations had become unnecessary, and it was certain that Dijon was almost entirely without provisions. Great discouragement prevails among the forces of the army of the East, and many solliers enrolled in the force have thrown down their arms and fled towards the South. The correspondent of the Cologne Gazette adds that the prospect is very good for the German army, and that all fears are set at rest that Bourbaki would succeed in separating the communications between Germany and her armies, and would raise the blockade of Belfort. THE LAST GUERILLA EXPLOIT. A German correspondent, writing from Lorraine on the 23rd inst., says :—" The destruction of the bridge over the Moselle at the village of Fontenoy, between Nancy and Toni, by French predatory bands, is unfortunately more significant than my last letter implied. The village of Fontenoy was occupied by 50 men of the Geldern Landwehr Battalion, who were placed there to guard the bridge. On the morning of the 22nd, at about five o'clock a band of 400 French soldiers in uniform, probably from Langres, rushed on a sudden into the village, fell upon the guard, killing, wounding, or ,dispersing the whole detachment. French engineers, who had arrived in two vehicles, hung bags of powder in the most scientific way under the upper arches of the bridge and blew it into the air, whereupon the whole band beat a retreat without being ursued, and took some of the Prussians aw a y with them as prisoners. The whole of the village of Fontenoy was burnt down yesterday, in accordance with the instruc tions given by the Governor-General of Lorraine, and in future these measures will invariaby be adopted against any village or town within whose district French troops shall have destroyed railways. At the present moment several strong detachments have been sent out in pursuit of the enemy. The railway bridge, it is hoped, will be restored in about a week. Up till that time everything has to be forwarded for a couple of miles by ordinary road conveyance." THE SIEGE OF BELFORT.—The following. letter has been received from a Germ an officer in the 67th Re giment now before Belfort :—" Chevremont, January 17, 1871.—1 t is nearly impossible to describe what we have gone through since we left Strasburg. We have all the time been either marching or fighting, and now—no change for the better—we are under the guns of Belfort. Fancy to yourself a room (furniture : a table, chairs, a few straw mattresses, and a lot of old rubbish), formerly a school-room, now occupied by six officers, amongst whom I number, and you have my present abode. A pleasant addition are the grenades which from time to time fall into the surrounding houses, and often set fire to one of them. So we never enjoy a minute's peace, although we are pretty much used to these jliegende Zuc'kerhitte (flying sugar-loaves.) The enemy's outposts are about 1,000 to 1,500 paces distant from us, and give us the pleasure of a sortie every few days. But this generally results in nothiug more than keeping us under arms for some hours, as these gentlemen seem entirely to lack the courage for a real attack. How ever, we should gladly stand danger and the fearful cold if the siege were but satisfactorily progressing ; but we are before a nearly impregnable fortress, and decidedly short of artillery and infantry ; should, therefore, the capitula tion take place very shortly, it is not we who can boast of having achieved this. The Government had been spoiled by the quiet surrender of Schlettstadt and Neu Briesach, and were too sanguine with regard to this place. In consequence, very insufficient preparations had been made, and suddenly Bourbaki threatened our rear with large forces, intending to relieve Belfort and to press forward into Alsace. The danger was great, and we have passed days of the most fearful exertion and anxiety but the French were too slow ; we received reinforce ments from all sides : and we hope the battle which has Ibeen fought near hereyesterday and the day efore we heard the cannon sound) has ended in a victory for our arms." [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment and Pills.- - Glandular Swellings in the throat, neuralgia, tic doloreux , rheumatism, gout, lumbago, and other diseases affecting the glands, muscles, and nerves of sensation, are per manently eradicated by this healing, anti-febrile, and soothing preparation. It is also a perfect remedy for all skin diseases, and every kind of superficial inflammation these complaints soon lose their angry and painful character under this invaluable Ointment. The pills have never been administered either by hospital or private practitioners in dyspepsia or liver complaint without pre" ducing the desired result. All persons willing to take advice and to adopt suggestions may , b y usin g Hollows remedies, in accordance with the directions enveloping them, keep their households altogether free from disease- BIRTHS. On the 26th inst., at Weston-super-Mare, the wif© of e t iLieut.-Col. H. Clerk, of a daughter. On the 27th inst., at Bellefield, Blackheath-park, the Wif e of Charles D. Fox, Esq., C.E., of a son. MARRIAGES. On the 26th inst., at Witcombe, Gloucestershire, Ro be 4 Threshie Reid, second son of Sir James J. Reid, goll s. wald Place Dumfriesshire, to Emily Douglas Fleming: youngest daughter of Arthur Cecil Fleming, lat e of isu Dragoon Guards. On the 26th inst., at St. Ja mes ' s, Piccadilly, Itc'bel4 Henry, second son of Robert B. Marsha m, Esq., of 03: versfield, Bucks, Warden of Mert on College, xf°r,„f to Laura, only daughter of Georg e Field, Esq., Ashurst Park, Kent. DEATHS. ()ti the 25th inst., at 31 , Doughty-street °harks alt t i' Esq., aged 8L On the 25th inst., at Wimbled on, Charles Warner Lel.: Esq., of the Middle T"leircuiti ageu o f London : Printed by GIDEO N ACLAND BOYar-" , 0 No. 112, Strand, Printer, and P ublished by hiulthe THE SUN Office, No. 112 Strand, in the Precinct of Savoy, in the County of Ivliddlesex. Monday, January 00, 1871. 14tia*