The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-06 00:00:00

SUN OFFICE, 7 r.x. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. AV II ? , PROJECTED MOVEMENT ON THE SEINE. HAVRE, January 0. Considerable dissatisfaction prevails here at the inaction of General Peletingeas. The Germans have returned to Yvetot, and have also visited St. Valery, where they made a requisition for salt. The railway service between Havre and Fecamp has not yet been reopened. The Prussian garrison at Rouen has been in creased. It is generally believed that a strong offensive move ment will be made by the French troops as soon as the Seine is clear of ice, when the gunboats will be able to second the operations of the army. The official account of the victory at Bapaume has produced an excellent impression upon the French troops.—Reuter's Telegram. CHANZY'S AND BOURBAKI'S ARMIES. HAVRE, January 5. The Journal du Havre says Chanzy's army is daily receiving reinforcements, -and its strength is estimated at 200,000 men. It is certain that the uuited forces of Bourbaki and Chanzy number nearly 400,000, and that Prince Frederick Charles and the Duke of Mecklenburg have barely 200,000 men.—Lombard Telegram. THE ATTACK ON THE. PARIS FORTS. BERLIN, January 5 (10.30 p.m.) It is stated, on good authority, that the casemates of Fort Rosny are being destroyed by the German artillery. From this it would seem that the Paris forts are less formidable than they were supposed to be. Fort Rosny has been attacked only by guns of inferior calibre, the most powerful ones being re served for the southern front. At the time the batteries opposite Mont Avron Were constructed the grouud was frozen slx inches deep. The Meudon batteries have been armed with 80 guns and 500 rounds for each gun. Guns with a range of 8,000 paces have been placed in battery. A torpedo company has been sent to Paris. The average mortality by sickness in the besieging force is 3f per cent. The siege of Langres has been raised, the Brigade Goltzteing, wanted at Vesoul to reinforce Werder, Who is menaced by Bourbaki and Gartbaldi. An official letter from the Tours War Office, Sixth Department, Fifth Bureau, datedT ours, November 1 3, signed " Srald" and " Rissier," has been found on a French captive officer, in which every officer Who breaks . his parole when taken prisoner is pro raised a reward of 750f.—Times. THE SOUTHERN FORTS. BERLIN, January 6. On the 4th, before Paris, our batteries continued their bombardment of the east front, in spite of a thick fog. At nine o'clock the bombardment of the southern forts before Paiis commenced amid fine wintry Weather, without wind, and nine degrees of frost, but no snow. In compliance with a request of Count Bismarck , Austria will accredit a representative to the German headquarters at Versailles. It i; certain that a portion of France will remain cecupied for some time after the restoration of Peace. French prisoners are being sent to Metz, which is Narded ae a Gerinan fortress. Fresh works are being erected at Sedan.—Times. THE BATTLES AT BAPAUME. ARRAS, January 4. General Faidherbe has sent the following account of th e Battle of Bapaume to the Prefect : "On the Ist of January the Army of the North Marched out of its lines of La Scarpe, where the _Prussian army did not dare to attack it, and can toned before Arras. On the 2nd it moved towards the cantonments of the enemy around Bapaume. " The 2nd brigade of the Ist division of the 22nd Corps took the villages of Achiet-le-Grand and tiencourt. The Ist division of the 23rd Corps, not withstanding prodigies of valour, failed in its attack on the village of Behagnies, but the Prussians, seeing themselves turned by the occupation of the v illage of Achiet-le-Grand, evacuated Behagnies (I llring the night. " At daybreak on the 3rd the battle commenced on t he Whole line. "The Ist division of the 23rd Corps took the ' v illages of Sapignies and Favreiul, supported on their left by the division of Mobilised Guards. " The 2nd division of the 22nd Corps, entered, after severe fighting, into the village of Bienvillers, Which had become the centre of the battle, and "° O IE the Prussian positions in the rear, which were v ery vigorously defended, as well as the village of kv esnes-les-Bapaume. "The Ist division of the 22nd Corps captured at t he same time Grevillers and Ligny Tillory. At 0 1 3 1 433 . we had driven the Prussians from the wholel3l433.wattlefield, a ttlefield, which was covered with their dead. A peat number of wounded Prussians remained in ° t i ll' hands in the v illa ges w h ere fi g hti ng h a d 5 ‘ 34 going on, also a large number of prisoners. t "le pelotons, carried away by th e i r ar d our , were :gaged without orders in the suburbs of the town of 14 U 4 Pame, the Prussians having entrenched them -1%8 in some of the houses. to " AS it did not enter into my views to take this te Wil at the risk of destroying it, these pelotons were ed at nightfall. The losses of the Prussians at' l V these two days are very considerable ; ours e *emus. The Army of the North has taken up vitt ca ntonments between Adinfer and Boyelles, th e d e 'gee in advance of these having been compl e t e ly Btroyed. BORDEAUX, January 5. Garnbetta left this city to-clay for the head- General Chanzy.—Reuter's Telegram. GERMAN REPORT. AMIENS, January 4. pi i 3 , ll the 2nd and 3 r d th ere were sangu i nary b u t hic:"' ri eus combats on the part of the a d vance d divi ne of th e I s t A rmy at Bapa ume. e v a ll , the 2nd th e 30th B r i ga d e , f rom noon t ill f oi "ng, rep u l se d a ll t h e attacks of superior hostile ee e) and m a d e 260 pr i soners. de " t e the 3rd the collected loth Division and a resin ellelent under Prince Albert, the y o u nger , k r ta ined a n i ne hours' fight with two hostile o nlY Co rps. th e .. 1 , 1 " t r° o Pe at evening took two villages with 1) , 4 "53'0110 and again made several hundreds of '" l3o ler e . Th loss es e nemy, after sustaining unusually heavy % lay retr eated during the night towards A rras an d In thi Ettt aso, 8 retreat our pursu i ng C ava l ry successfully pri s Z e e r ci s hostil e b at t a li ons an d made additional Ge n era]. von Bentheim, of the Ist Army, surprised and dispersed early this morning the hostile troops on the left bank of the Seine under General Roife. He took three colours and two guns and from 400 to 500 prisoners. VERSAILLES, January 5. General Manteuffel reports that at noon on the 2nd the enemy, with large masses cf troops, assumed the offensive. The Sinubberg Brigade at Sapignies repulsed till the evening all the attacks, with slight loss on our own and great loss on the enemy'spide. It made 250 prisoners. On the 3d General von Goben, with the 15th Division and a detachment under Prince Albert the younger, gloriously maintained the position at Bapaume aainst the hostile Northern Army, and made 260 prisoners The enemy's losses were extraordinarily heavy, and during the night he commenced a retreat, pur sued by our cavalry.—Tinzes. The following telegrams come through Reuter's Agency : THE FRENCH ACCOUNT. BORDEAUX, January 5. The following official report of the fighting in the North on the 2nd and 3rd inst. has been received here : " ARRAS, January 4. " The Army of the North left Beaureins, near Arras, on the 2nd inst., and on the same day en countered the enemy on the line of Courcelles, Ervillers, and Mary. " The fight was very sanguinary, commencing at nine in *e morning, and lasting throughout the day. " The result was very satisfactory on our right, but undecided on the centre and left. " The battle recommenced at 7 o'clock yesterday morning, and was continued the whole day with great obstinacy. The enemy was completely beaten, and was driven back into Bapaume. Several villages were carried by our troops at the point of the bayonet. The losses of the enemy are considerable. " The Mobiles behaved well, and the severe cold was borne bravely by our troops." LILLE, January 5. Skirmishing has been going on at Guise. The Army of the North has encamped near Boyellee after the battle of the 3rd. ORDER OF THE DAY OF GENERAL FAID HERBE. 10.20 p.m. General Faidherbe has issued the following Order of the Day to the Army of the North:— "In the battle of Pont h Noyelles you victoriously held your positions. " In the battle of Bapaume you carried all the positions held by the enemy. This time he will not deny your victory. " By your valour on the battle-field and your constancy in supporting the fatigues of war in this rigorous season, you have deserved well of your country; your commanders will report the names of those who merit recompense. You are now about to provide yourselves again with provisions and ammu nition in order to continue operations." DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH NEAR HA.VRE. BERLIN, January 5, General Manteuffel telegraphs the follo wing : AMIENS, January 3. " Early this morning General Bentheim, with troops of the Ist Army Corps, attacked the French on the left bank of the river Seine. He captured three cannon, three flags, and 500 prisoners." General Bentheim telegraphs the following : " ROUEN, January 4. " Portions of the Ist] Division and the 44th Regi ment surprised the enemy at Montineanx and Lulu d capturing two officers, 300 unwounded prisoners, two cannon, and three flags. They pursued the enemy beyond Bourgarchard. " The fight lasted the whole day." THE GERMAN EVACUATION OF DIJON. OARLSRUIIE, January 5. General Gliimer reports from Vesoul to the Grand Duke, under date of the 30th ult., that in consequence of an order from the General com manding the 14th Army Corps to relinquish the advanced position :at Dijon, his division evacuated Dijon on the 27th, and by means of forced marches, with the Ist and 2nd Infantry Brigades, a Cavalry Brigade, and the Divisional Artillery, reached the vicinity of Vesoul on the evening of the 29th, while the 3rd Infantry Brigade, with two squadrons and a light field battery, still hold the passage of the Saone at Gray and Arc. MORE FIGHTING NEAR ROUEN. HAVRE, January 4, 11.15 p.m. Considerable Prussian forces attacked General Roy to-day at several points on the left bank of the Seine. No information as to the result has yet reached here. SURRENDER OF ROCROI. BRUSSELS, January 5. Rocroi has surrendered to the Germane, the garrison having retired on Givet, the last fortress remaining in that part of France. THE FIGHTING NEAR HAVRE. HAVUE, January 5. The efforts of General Roy upon the left bank of the Seine do not appear to have succeeded, and his army is said to be retreating.—Daily News Telegram. PROCLAMATION OF GENERAL TBOCHU. BRUSSELS, Thursday. The Journal Officiel of Paris of the 31st contains a proclamation from General Trochu, accusing the garrison of Mont Avron of contemptible cowardice —Manchester Guardian Telegram. THE MASSACRE AT MARATHON. ATHENS, January 5. Mr. Noel, the Englishman implicated in the massacres at Marathon, and who effected his escape after a warrant had been issued for his arrest, has since surrendered himself a prisoner.—Reuter's Telegram. THE LONDON CONFERENCE BERLIN, January 5. France again hesitates to attend the Black Sea Conference. Needing foreign intervention for her self, she is as disinclined to offend England as she is to declare against Russia at the Conference. Aftli Pacha has declared against the CEcumenical Council of the Greek Orthodox Church projected by the Constantinope Patriarch.— Times. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 3. The Porte will not send an Extraordinary Pleni potentiary to the London Conference. All the Powers taking part in the Conference, including Turkey, will be represented by their respective Ministers at the Court of St. James. A pacific solu tion of the questions raised by Russia is confidently expected by the Ottoman Government.—Lombard Telegram. ST. PETERSBURG, Junuary 5. There is a hitch in connection with the forth coming Conference. The Austrian Government con siders the English protocol too weak, and it proposes another in stronger terms. This is deemed inadmis sible here.—Daily News. SPECIAL EDITION. JAVA. BATAVIA, January 5. It is reported that the authorities have discovered a plot among Swiss soldiers of the Netherlands Indian army to murder the Governor-General and take possession of the Island. Fourteen men have been arrested. The revolt was fixed for the 31st of December, THE SUN, LONDON, FRI THE MONEY MARKET. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. Business to-day was far from brisk, and prices are generally a fraction lower than yesterday. Consols are 92 to 92/ far money, and 92 1-16 to 92 3-16 for the accounts In the Foreign market Turkish Five per Cents. and Peruvian are lower ; the former notwithstanding that the dividend is announced. Italian are I T lower. The French Scrip is i better. The directors of the London Joint-Stock Bank have resolved to declare, at the half-yearly general meeting, on the 19th inst., the usual dividend of 12i per cent. per annum, and, in addition, a bonus of Bs. 9d. per share, being, together at the rate of 18 1-3 per cent. per annum. A meeting - was held, by the direction of Vice-Chancellor Malins, on Wednesday last, at Portsea, of the creditors of the South Hampshire Bank, to obtain their sanction to the official liquidator being at liberty to grant a full discharge to each contributory who shall pay a further call of £l2 10s. in respect of his shares, it being estimated by the official liquidator, Mr. John Rail, that a call of that amount will, with the unrealized assets, be sufficient to pay the creditors the balance of principal and interest remaining due. The meeting unanimously acceded to the proposal, it being understood that the official liquidator and solicitors will forego priority in respect of their costs and expenses, and share rateably with the creditors in the fund left for distributidn. 19s. in the pound has been paid to all the creditors, while some have, under special conditions, been paid in full. The Manchestet• Examinel• states i—" At a meeting of the creditors of Messrs. H. W. Harvey and Co., baize and leather cloth manufacturers, Manchester, it was resolved to liquidate the estate, and in the event of its not realizing 10s. in the pound, besides expenses, the debtor to pay up to that sum." It has been intimated with regard to the late arrival of several of the London and 'North-Western Com pany's trains, especially the fast ones, that the delays have been occasioned by the precautionary measures taken, during the intensity of the frost, for the safety of the traffic, comprising a reduction in the speed of the fast passenger trains, and more frequent stoppages for the examination of the carriage wheels, &c. The Turkish Government have notified that those holders of the Bonds of the General Debt (5 per Cent.) who intend to receive in Europe the current half-yearly interest must signify the same at the agencies of the Imperial Ottoman Bank in London or Paris, or its cor respondents in Frankfort and Amsterdam, between the 13th and 23rd inst. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Tms DAY. A HOPEFUL DAUGHTER.—Harriet Whitehouse, a well grown girl of 16, was charged before Mr. Arnold, at the Westminster Police-court, with being drunk and riotous. Henry Salsbury, 10 V.R., said that at seven o'clock last evening he was in Queen's-road, West, Chelsea, when he was informed that the defendant had been ill-treating and assaulting her mother. Witness went up to her in the street and asked her what she meant by knocking her mother about, to which she only replied by a very filthy remark, inquiring what it was to him. He found she was very drunk and riotous, and he accordingly locked her up. Her mother and father had promised to attend before the magistrate. Mr. Arnold asked if they were present. The constable said they were not, although they had signed the police-sheet. They were respectable hard-working people, employed at the Pimlico stores, and defendant had lately taken to very evil courses, and the company with whom she associated was of the vilest character. It was impossible to know what to do with her. Mr. Arnold asked her what she had to say to the charges Defendant: I was very drunk. I was having a drop more in a public house when my mother came and knocked the glass out of my hand. I did not hit her; I only pushed her. What was it to anyone ? As neither of the parents appeared against her she was committed to four days' hard labour, in default of paying a fine. How SMALLPDX IS SPREAD IN THE METROPOLIS. — Edgar Mayere, a seaman, was brought up at the Thames Police-court, charged with an offence under the Sanitary Act, in not making known to a cab-driver, named Weller, that he was labouring under the smallpox when he hired his cab on the 7th of last month. Weller has been fined 20s. for not immediately disinfecting his cab after he was made acquainted with the fact that the man he carried was labouring under smallpox. It appeared that the de fendant hired the cab on Stepney-green, and was driven to the London Hospital, where he was refused admission, on the ground that he was labouring under smallpox, and that by the regulations of the hospital contagious diseases were not admitted.t The defendant then ordered Weller to drive him to the Whitehapel Unionhouse, where he was also refused admission by Mr. Mayer, the master, who found him in the midst of 50 or 60 paupers in the hall, and ordered the driver back to the London Hospital. where he was refused a second time, and he ultimately found his way to the smallpox hospital. Police-Sergeant Briden of the K division, traced the course of the cab, which went upon a cab rank, and carried passengers all over London before the police were made acquainted with the affair. Mr. Harvey, the proprietor of the cab, said he had disinfected it, tore out the linings, destroyed the cushions, and repainted the cab. It had not been out plying for hire in the public streets since the 7th of December. The defendant, in reply to the charge, said he did not know the fare he carried was labouring under smallpox, when he entered his cab. Mr. Paget : But you knew it after 'you had been to the hospital. He fined the defendant 55., and also ordered him to pay £3, the expenses of dis infecting the cab, or be imprisoned one month. The defendant could not pay the money, and Mr. Harvey kindly offered to accept of £2, which was paid, and the defendant was liberated. THE SKULKERS FROM PARIS. Writing from Bordeaux on the 31st of December the correspondent of the Telegraph says :—The Government of the National Defence is about to issue a decree which will rejoice the hearts of all true and honest men through out Europe, and will bring heavy punishment upon a class of men who are the most contemptible among human beings. It appears that a very considerable number of " fast " young men, petits creves, " swells" of the Boule vards, frequenters of racecourses, and the like, have escaped from Paris and elsewhere, or rather did escape shortly after Sedan, and are taking their dead ease in London, Brussels, Madrid, Vienna, and other towns, so as to avoid the obligation of service in the National Guards or the Mobiles. All these skulkers are ordered to report themselves before the Ist of February; and should they fail to do so they are to be declared outlaws, and all their property is to be confiscated, and applied to the fund for the relief of widows and orphans made by the war. No excuse what ever will be received, and any man too ill to return to France must have the fact certified by a committee of the French Embassy or Consul at the town in which he resides. This decree will have an excellent effect; for it is rather too bad that, at a period when the best blood in France is being shed like water—when the humblest peasant or artisan is giving time, money, health, and life itself for the defence of France—these unmanly men, these effeminate apes, of whom their country ought to be heartily ashamed even in days of peace, should be flaunting their fine clothes, talking their " sportsman" English, and parading their mistresses, in nearly every capital of Europe. No political tendencies, or no former political employment whatever, will be taken as an excuse. Those who desire to reach France will be granted safe-conducts from the French Embassies where they reside ; so they will have nothing to fear. As to the confiscation of property, and the out lawry from France of the delinquents, there is no doubt whatever that G - ambetta will keep his word—and none the less because he is perfectly aware that in so doing so every right-minded man in France will be with him. These ci•devant ornaments of the Bois, the Cafe Anglais, and Chantilly, have had their months of enjoyment; and it is high time they should now either turn to and become soldiers, or pay for their immunity from the hardships and dangers to which the rest of their countrymen are exposed. TIIE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.—The ice in the parks on Wednesday, which in the early morning had been dry and firm, at noon was in a wet and sloppy con dition, and in the evening, from the effects of the melting snow, there was from two to three inches of water on its surface, rendering sliding impossible and skating very unpleasant, although some hundreds of devotees of the sport continued their amusement. The skating match at the Crystal Palace could not take place owing to the state of the ice. Should the thaw continue the ice will not be safe to-day. The ice is rapidly disappearing from the Thames, under the higher temperature, and it "is expected navigation will be resumed to-morrow. THE GREAT PAIR-OARED MATCH.—An agreement was made on Wednesday night between Kelly, on behalf of himself and Renforth, and W. Blakey, on behalf of Taylor and Winship, to row the great pair -oared match below bridge, between Bill Point and Whitehill Point, at Shields, if the ice has not gone from the stipulated course a week come Monday next, —Sportsman, AY ; JAN UAR Y 6, 1871. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) THE MEATH ELECTIO. Though up to half-past nine o'clock last night the com plete returns from the various polling-places had not been received at headquarters, it is confidently asserted that Mr. Martin, the Nationalist candidate, has gained the election for Meath. The returns reed/red up to midnight indicate a majority for Mr. Martin of above THE LATE EX PLOSION AT WI'PTON. Annie Edes, aged 17, died in Biruiingliaiti yesterday afternoon, from the effects of injuries received at the late explosion at a cartridge manufactory at Witten. The total number of deaths is now fifty-three. THE SOPER RIFLE. We have good authority for stating that the inventor of the Soper direct-action breeeliiOading rifle hag received an order to make 80,000 of this famous military lireech loader. As there is no factory at Beading, the inventor has to recourse to Birmingham. Unfortunately, at present, all the factories are fully employed, and there appears but little prospect of the order being com pleted, if ever commenced. At the present time there are one hundred Soper rifles in course of manufacture ut Birmingham fur Mr. Soper's private trade. We believe • that great efforts will be made to ptish the ride to the frbut at the ensuing Wimbledon Meeting ; and that the arrangements for the annual breechloading Contest are already far advanced. WRECK OF A BARQUE. Intelligence was received in Shields last night that a barque, supposed to be the Catherine Morrison, of North Shields, was wrecked that day near Belfast. The bodies of four seamen have been washed ashore. SHIP ON FIRE IN SHIELDS HARBOUR. THREE LIVES LOST. Yesterday a fire broke out on board an Italian vessel, named the Cincetti Zurlo, lying at North Shields. The fire was first discovered in the after part of the ship. The engines of the River Tyne police were soon on the spot, and succeeded, after great exertion, in sub duing the flames. When the fire was extinguished, six men were found in the forecastle, three of them,thc mate and two Dutch seamen quite dead, and three others insensible. Those still alive were at once removed, but one is not expected to recover. It is supposed that the men were suffocated by a charcoal fire. The vessel is much damaged ; the cause of the accident is said to have been an over-heated stove. The Cincetti Zurlo was laden with coals for Palermo. The three seamen who narrowly esCap6d suffocation are recovering. They, with the three who were found dead, were asleep at the time the fire broke out. WRECK OF AN AMERICAN SHIP. The captain of a large New York ship, the S. D. Thurston, has reached Cardiff, and reports the complete wreck of his vessel on the Dash Sands in the Bristol Channel, on Wednesday night during a stiff breeze. A passing tug took off, and saved, the captain and crew. The ship was from New York to Bristol, with nearly 30,000 bushels of wheat on board. THE NORWICH ELECTION PETMON. Mr. Justice Keating commenced yesterday his sittings of inquiry into the Norwich election. Mr. O'Malley opened the case on the part of the petitioners, and charged Mr. J. H. Tillett, one of the Liberal sitting members, with obtaining his seat by the exercise of bribery and other corrupt practices. These charges had reference, in great part, to Mr. Tillett's conduct at a previous election. The employment of a person, reported by a Royal Com mission to have been guilty of corrupt practices, was also alleged against hint Evidence was given to show that Lacey, a builder, had offered a man named Yaxley £1 to vote for Mr. Tillett and Sir William Russell, at the election of 1868. Lacey also stated that he bribed about a dozen other voters to poll for the Liberal candidates on the same occasion, lie had been examined before the Royal Commissioners, but made no mention of this fact. This evidence was adduced to establish the assumption that Mr. Tillett, the sitting member, having been guilty of. bribery at the 1860 election, was disqualified, for return at that of 1870. Lacy said he received 25 for bribery purposes, and that he ex pended more than that amount. A DISORDERLY CLERGYMAN, At the Southampton Petty Sessions yesterday, James Barton, a clergyman of Platf )rd, was fined ss. and costs, or three days' imprisonment in default, for drunken and disorderly conduct in the struts yesterday. The fine was paid. Yesterday a large mill at Farnworth, near Bolton, was burnt to the ground. The premises were conjointly oc cupied by Messrs. Parkinson, cotton spinner, Gregory, elastic webbing manufacturer, Harrocks, nankeen manu facturer, Booth and Whitebear, shuttle makers, and Pumbley, an engineer. The cotton spinning portion con tained 5,000 spindles, and the fire originated there through the overheating of a shaft. The main building- was totally destroyed, with most of its contents, and property in the detached portions was seriously damaged. The united damage is estimated at not less than £B,OOO. All was partially insured, THE MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMv,NTS. —The ap pointments consequent upon Lord Hartingtou's transfer to the Irish Office have not yet been decided. It is probable, however, that Mr. Monsell will become Post master-General, without a seat in the Cabinet ; that Mr. Knatchbull-Hugesseu will sueceed him as tinder- Secretary of State for the Colonies; and that Mr. Lefevro will become Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. Mr. Arthur Peel is spoken of as Secretary to the Board of Trade. But this distribution of offices is still onen to revision. A rumour has rewhed us that a gallant and Royal personage is likely ere long to real a the commanding post which he has long held. If so, we could wish that he would first come down to his place in the House of Lords and state such reasons for doing so, as would not only arouse the country, but do a service to England, for which the nation would for ever owe him a debt of gratitude it would be as dilicult to measure as to repay. Horning Advertiser. The Musical Standard alp that an old harpsichord, with two rows of keys and a number of pedals to produce various effects, was recently sold by Mr. C. Kelly at one of his music sales. The instrument was made nearly a hundred years ago by Kirkman. It was purchased by Mr. Carl Engel for the remarkably moderate sum of fifty shilling's ! MINERVA MEDICA NUPTA.—Next to the ap proaching nuptials of the Princess Louise with the Marquis of Lorne, the announcement that Miss Garrett is about to assume the bonds of matrimony is the great theme of conversation in social circles. Miss Garrett as all the world knows, has fought her way up to graduation in medicine through discourage merits and obstacles which would have daunted many a strong man, and her example is being fol lowed by an adventurous band of seven ladies at Edin• burgh, who have been wittily called the " Septem contra Edinam." But the step she is about to take puts the question of the medical education of her sex in a new aspect. Granted that women are capable of practising the profession as spinsters, can they continue to do so in the married state? It is this problem which Miss Garrett has now set herself to solve ; for although, in terms of the Education Act, she forfeits by marriage her position on the School Board, she does not necessarily preclude herself from continuing to practice medicine. If she 'succeeds in combining the two functions of mistress of a household and medical practitioner, she will have performed a feat unprecedented in professional history, and added another notable incident to this annus —Lancet. THE NEW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF BENGAL.— Mr. George Campbell, Commissioner of the Central Pro vinces of India, who has been recently appointed by the Governor-General of India to the post of Lieutenant-Go vernor of Bengal, is the eldest son of the late Sir George Campbell, of Edenwood, Fifeshire, who died in 1854, by his wife, Margaret, daughter of Mr. A. Christie, o f Ferry bank, in the same county, and consequently ne phew of John, first Lord Campbell, who died while holding the seals as Lord Chancellor in 1861. His grandfather, who married a lady of the noble Scotch house of Hallyburton, was the Rev. George Campbell, minister of the parish of Cupar, in Fifeshire, and a gentleman, to use the words of Sir Ber nard Burke, "no less distinguished by his piety . and elo quence in the pulpit than by his attainments in general literature." Mr. Campbell, who was born in 1826, and was educated at Eton and at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was in the commission of the peace for his native county, has been for many years a well-known member of the Indian Civil Service (Bengal Presidency), and, in addition to the offices already mentioned, he has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of Calcutta. Mr. Campbell married in 1853 Miss Letitia Vibart, daughter of Mr. Henry Vibart. THE BATTLES IN tit NORTH. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, wilting from gavre, January , 2, says :—From an early hour on the 3rd ins, the French head-quarters were in a state of commotion. The General had arrived by daylight from Havre, the artillery were in line, the troops mus tered, and the rumour was everywhere to' be heard that a great battle was going on at Bolbed. All along from Goderville to Bolbec, and on to Yvetot, the road was lined with troops marching to the combat. I - ter° yOU met a body of sprightly Mobiles, there a corps Of reckless Francs-tlreur3. A:-, one point you saw the well-polioied fieldpiece, at Another the fatal mitrailleuse. and Wild, ;.6_:ild Such surroundings, could remain with un qUiakened pulse, or With unexcited spirits? So my journey on to Bolbed Was nitlie'r enliVeding, though slow, for to make ore's WAY thicitigh the Crowds of soldiers and inquisitive officials WAS 6 Schriewhat tedious process. At last I managed to reach tariqUetot; and here I had an opportunity of seeing the combat. The French troops consisted of about 800 men of the line agd 100 Francs-tireurs. The Germans occupied a small fairri—g regttlat type of the Normandy model of rural homesteads. dririiiiluded by ditches, the farm offered many advantages to a defending party, In form it was square ; and the French troops deter mined to surround the Prussians standing within its boundaries. In this they almost completely succeeded. The F-iench cavalry dashed down upon the enemy ; who, apprised by their sentinels of the approach of their foes, had hurriedly rushed to their saddles. At first they made a brave and desperate resistance ; b u t sharpshooters met them at all points, and thinned their ranks with fatal rapidity: They had, therefore, to resolve on flight ; so, pitting; spnis to their fine horses, they made a dash through . the surrounding French, . clearing. walls, hedges, ditches, and the other obstacles that Opposed them, with admirable rapidity. Though, however, the Main body of the enemy escaped, many were left behind in the fatal farm— some killed, some wounded, some prisoners. At first the French did not fully realise the importance cif the ad vantage they had gained. They have since, howeVef; learned that no fewer than eighty of the enemy were put hors de combat, While eleven were taken prisoners. An Irish Ambulance Corps was oldse ,at hand during the combat, and rendered assistance . to the wounded. While this brisk engagement was going on at Lanquetot, a still more important conflict was Proceeding in the environs of La Bouille. In Orival, likewise, and Chateau-Robert, combats of more or less importance took plade. if We are to believe the French official despatches, the loss of the Prussians at Chateau-Robert in killed- and wounded amounted to no less than 300 men ; while on the side of the French but 25 .or thirty were killed, and 60 to 80 placed hors de combat. In several of those engage ments there was a singular instance of what is called "the irony of fate." The Prussians were accompanied by vehicles in which they intended to place the requisi tions on which they were intent when attacked by the French. The defeated enemy had ultimately to burthen these carts, which they intended to load with French property, with Prussian dead . and wounded. Havre still retains undiminished its resolute determinatiol to resist strenuously if attacked. Within and outside the town there are 16,006 Gardes Nationales and Sedentaires, and in the neighbourhood of Bolbec, about 20,000 men. Remember that there are, besides, large. numbers of regular troops, of cavalry, and Francs-tireurs. From Rouen I hear that the place is at present occupied by 2,000 Prussians. They, lam told, behave 'father well, and, While pillaging some stores, are guilty of no flagrant act of satielalisrri. The town is at present in the very best of spirits, for the news we hear from the rest of France is, if true, most encouraging. Writing from Boulogne, January 4, a correspondent of the Daily News says :—Fighting was resumed yesterday, and if French reports are to be trusted,with very fortunate results to Faidherbe's army. By the light of information furnished by one of the General's staff to the local papers, and df various details which are published in those papers, some idea may be obtained of the progress of events in front of Bapaume. The staff officer's report makes mention of two divisions having been engaged on Monday, the first of the 22nd and the first of the 23rd Corps. The Prussians were posted on the heights of Brefvillers, eugnatrei Grevillers, and Favreuil. The First Division of the 23rd carried the village of Ervillers, and advancing along the direct highway to Bapaume, occupied for a moment the village of Behaignies. This, however, by the staff officer's account, they were bound to abandon with rather heavy losses. Meanwhile the First Division of the 22nd moved down on the Prussian left, and entered the villages of Achiet-le-Grand and Behancourt, which, however, would appear not to have been held in force by the Prussians, as only twenty prisoners were made. With the repulse of the division which had attacked Behaignies the day closed; but the French, who must have lost considerably, were not to be denied, and on Tuesday morning, at break of day, they made a second assault on the Prussian centre at Behaig nies, and this time were successful. The fight must have been a tough one. The Prussians at one time sue ceeded in capturing one of the French batteries, and did not abandon it until they were driven back by a bayonet charge. By midday the combat was over, the enemy rapidly retired, pursued and flung back on Bapaume by Faidherbe's troops, and, ac cording to one account, they were actually driven beyond Bapaume. Such are the statements which find currency here, but of which the most important still await the seal of official confirmation. Shduld they turn out to be trde, the French army may be congratulated on having gained a genuine success. What was the num ber of the enemy's force is not stated, but there is good reason to believe that the bulk of Manteuffel's army was engaged, and no doubt on the second day the remainder of Faidherbe's men took part in the fight. The greater part, however, of ,the French troops consisted of Mobiles and Mobilises, and it will, be no slight praise to them if they have really succeeded in carrying the heights in the neighbourhood of Bapaume, and driving back the Prussian veterans who held them. MILITARY TROUBLES IN FRANCE. Writing from Bordeaux, December 31, the special cor respondent of the Daily News observes :—There were some serious military troubles a week ago at Bernay, near Lisieux, in Normandy. The regular troops in the town, commanded by a General named Guilleime, being under the utterly erroneous impression that they were threatened by a corps of 16,000 Prussians, -determined to retreat upon Lisieux. The National Guard and the people, terrified at the prospect of being left to their own resources, turned out to prevent the military from going away. The General was pulled about by the mob, his cap was taken off by the poke of a National Guard's bayonet, he received two slight bayonet wounds in his breast, and after two shots fired in the air he was fired upon, had one of his thumbs shot off, and re ceived a very bad wound in the groin. He fell into the arms of a M. Lemercier, who carried him off to the Louvier Ambulance, of which he was a member. Some tradesmen of the town then addressed the crowd, assured them that the general was a countryman, very much esteemed, and succeeded in calming the efferves cence. Some hours later General de Lauriston arrived from Lisieux, assumed the command, and announced that the troops would not leave the place. There was then great enthusiasm, and it appeared to be forgotten that a crime had been committed. General Guilleime is re ported out of danger, but it can hardly be that the National Guards who fired upon him should re main unpunished. The resolution taken by the delegated Government two days ago, and which was conformable to the generally expressed opinion of the Paris press not to send any plenipotentiary to the London Conference unless England first recognised the Republic, was modified yestefday by balloon despatches, from which it appears that M. Jules Favre wishes to go to London and General Troehu wants to send him. But I am informed that in limine the French plenipotentiary on the occasion of the exchange of powers will claim a full and absolute recognition of his Government, and in case of refusal will take his hat and leave. Count de Keratry, who after his resignation of the command of the Coolie Camp still retainedhisbrevet rank of General, has thought fit since the demonstration against him in the great Breton town of Nantes to throw up his commission, and tbe Ho niteur now announces that he no longer - belongs to the auxiliary army. The Aberdeen Presbytery of the Free Church has adopted unanimously a protest against Mr. Gladstone's letter on the Pope's independence. Several scholarships at Caine College, Cambridge, will be awarded in March next to candidates who are not at present resident in the university. They arc tenable for four years. THE CHURCH OF THE PRESENT.—At the annual business meeting of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's church, Brooklyn, held last month, the clerk of the church reported the number of members to be 1,982, of which number 1,210 are women. The admissions in the course of the year were 173; the baptisms ' 64. The pew rents produced $56, 000 , and the church collections $15,846. The collection for the schools produced $1,611, and for the poor $1,500 ; making a total of $74,957. The expenditure on the choir amount,ed to $6,000. OUR COTEMPORAIUMa—This Morning The Times, in feretring FRANCE AND THE CONFEBENCr. to the refusal of M. Vane ts attend the Conference, says :—For the sake of France, moreover, in her future relation to European politics, we would gladly see her place filled at the Conference. We do not believe, and we desire that no one else shall believe, that the influence of th e F renc h is to be annihilated. No greater evil could befall Europe; but, happily, there is no danger of it. In a few years— we had almost said in a few months—after peace is made France will be again a great Power—weak and exhausted for the time, it is true, hut a great Power in her aims, her influences, and her capacity of future effort. When that time comes, it will prove advantageous to the world that she has not been extruded during her tempo rary misfortunes from her seat in the councils of Europe. IYhateVer may be the decision of the French Government, England has done her part in urging its participation in the Conferefiee'l This sufficiently disposes of the assertion that some undue influence prevents the recognition of the Republic by the British Government. Every one who takes the trouble to think on the matter becomes aware that the only reason the French Itepublic is not recog nised is simply that it does not exist. Ile such Govern rxfent has been ever formally proclaimed, much less legally' eonstituted. The proper name of the present authority i " the Government of N4tiolla Defence," and it is, by the admission of M. Gambetta himself, essentially provisional. General Trochu, who is a member of it, expressly disclaimed the assumption that it was a Republican Government. For these reasons diplomatic intercourse cannot take its regu lar form, but the practical difference amounts to nothing. Lord Lyons is substantially the Queen's Ambassador to the Government of M. Favre and M. Gambetta, and the invitation to them to send a representative to the Conference shews that we not only recognise their Government as de facto the supreme authority in France at this moment, but hold that its decisions will bind any future Government which may be established in the country. ~. ' ,'l'l, TNE MORALITY OF FRANOZ AND PRUSSIA. Commenting on the moral developments of the two, nations, the Standard remarks :—ls Prussia such a para dise of all excellence, moral and intellectual ; France so peculiarly iniquitous as we are taught to believe? Is it the ease that if we want to discover the source of all the malign influences—moral, mental, and religious which hate affected European civilise-, during the last century, We must turn our eyes to France ; that if we would see the nursery of all. virtues, we must lift up our vision to the land of, the German ? Or -is it possible that the whole of this e l great argument " may be nothing more than the re enactment On a new stage, and with changed appoint ments, of the old episode of the Pharisee and the Publi can ? These are.- the points to decide, and facts fortunately exist which can guide us to the decision. Because Parisian vice —we use purposely the strongest word we can select—wears a dress different from that assumed by the vice which has the sainted land of the Teuton for its habitat, is it therefore worse? Are Vienna, Berlin, or, for the matter of that, our own London, perfection by the side of Paris? The Frenchman is essentially impulsive, open s dp , monstrative What then ? Is secretiveness such a virtue? Is the man Who sins systematically, and is silent, such a para gon in comparison with him who talks as much about his failings, parades them as much as, and more joyously than, the peeuclo-saint his virtues ? In no other region of the habitable globe are there purer ideals of domestic existence and family virtue to be met with than in France. Only let us set in juxtaposition the atmosphere in which the French labourer or mechanic and the English representative of the same order have their being. Large eapitals can never be Edens of purity. Their life is and must lie more or less artificial. What Paris is other capitals are, and worse ; while to the provincial life of France there clings something of delicacy and refinement which we may look for in vain elsewhere. What is likely to be the result in the way of morality that may be expected from the two nations in the future? It is true that a nation is nothing more than an aggregate of individuals and family groups —that what the individuals and families are the nation will itself be. But political immorality on the part of the rulers inevitably tends to degrade the private morality of the ruled. Are we to expect to' find a high sense of the obligations of law, order, principle, displayed in the everyday life of a people whose prestige has been attained by systematic fraud, violence, spoliation, and hypocri4. on the part of its rulers? Ger many laid the foundation of its greatness under the shadow of the war of liberation. May not the verdict of history be that France has laid the foundation of a greatness greater and nobler than it has ever yet achieved under the shadow of a war of invasion ? • • , THE IMPENDING CAPITVLATION OF PARIS. Will Paris fall ? the Daily News asks. All the recent indications of the way in which events have been tending, both in and around the city, foreshadow a capitula tion' which can be staved off only by , d a miracle ; end that miracle has not as yet been" Fought. The meeting of the Mayors of Paris, Nyvhich was obviously held to consider the chancei\of the place holding out after the retreat froth' Mont Avron ; the petition that a Pruisian officer should enter the city as parlementcare ; and the rapid and' effective movements of the Germans stationed on the eastern side of the city,i point to but enreonclusion. The bitterest drop in the cup of agony which France has had to drink remains to be drunk out. No doubt the end of the heroic resistance has not yet arrived. Paris is not France; but France, and Paris as the head of France, have delivered their joint ultimatum ; and if this or that section of her soil , is to be wrested from he r , it mus t b e t a k en by main force, end held under a continuous threat. Paris has held out week after week, month after month, waiting for the' provinces , to rise and arm, and thrust back the invaders. The provinces have attempted the work, and, up to this point, have failed. Paris herself has made two desperate efforts to free herself from the toils surrounding her, and has likewise hitherto failed. At present the consumptip of food and the military operations of the Germans seem running a race. France herself, at this moment, has probably accepted the fall of Paris as an inevitable catastrophe, and is asking herself what she will then do. There seems to be but one opinion in Europe as to the desirability of the war coming to an end- What is the use of continuing a strife under those adverse conditions? is the question asked by many, who are assured that sooner or later France will seek her revenge. The difficulties of compelling a peace,, according to the scheme to which we have already adverted, are numerous ; but on the other hand, the demands of Ger many for the return of her soldiers are growing more urgent. It does not 'perhaps occur to a Power in flamed bythe lust of territorial spoil that the return of her soldiers would be most speedily gained by moderating the terms on which she insists. Her own security has long since ceased to be the object for which Germany is fight ing. She endangers it by every additional motive of hatred and impulse of revenge with which she supplies the French people. But the arrogance of victory and the despair of suffering and humiliation are equally heedless of counsel. SYMPATHY WITH FRANCE. The Telegraph, in commenting on the proceeding at the Cannon-street Hotel meeting, says :—With regard to the " pressure " put upon her Majesty's Government, we observe that a resolutionwas carried yesterday, apparently against the wish of those who provoked the meeting, in favour of an official rocognition of the de facto Government •of France. The claim thus put forward is either exorbitant or it is unmeaning. Our Ministers cannot recognise the Republic, for the plain reason that their nation has not yet selected that form of government, while the official re cognition of the existing Government has already been virtually given. M. Gambetta's Dictatorship, in con junction with his colleagues shut up in Paris, is a provisional fact which Lord Granville has re gistered and accepted as France accepts it ; nor could he do more until the country finds a voice to estab lish or to depose the " Committee of Defence." In the interests of peace our .Government has gone as far as it could possibly go, by repeated endeavours to bring the Prussian and French statesmen together, and recently by using every effort to secure for M. Jules Favre a safe conduct to the seat reserved for him at the Conference. So that, whereas the meeting called on her Majesty's Government ." to take an active and earnest initiative in the work of peace," the answer is, that her Majesty's Government has been doing nothing else. It has not neglected the faintest opportunity, the slightest opening, for efforts directed to that most desirable (Ind; and the presence of Mr. Odo Russell at Versailles has for its chief object to retain at the head-quarters of the belligerent a practised and able representative, ready at any moment to give ! . expression to the fervent wish of England fot peace. But, 'most • assuredly!, those who labour for so beneficent a result by friendly and logical means must not employ the one-sided language of the gathering in Cannon-street; nor would it work aught but bitter mischief if that language were mistaken for thg voice of. the "citizens of London." Lord Mayor Dakin is to be tVanked,' we repeat, in the interests of peace, arid of,...4bapless t France herself, for the prudence which taught him that London and the country are satisfied with the anxious watch which the Govern merit keeps over the progress of the painful struggle, and thit no civic meeting is required to bid the Ministry do all it'can with the view of terminating the war as soon as eyentscallow, and Germany will listen to counsels of modefatiOn.