The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-10 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 18'i1.

THE ELECTIONS AND PEACE PROSPECTS

IN FRANCE.

The special correspondents of the Daily Telegraph for-
ward the following items of news :
VERSAILLES, Tuesday, February 7.

The 13th Army Corps, at first composed of the Meck-
lenburgers and Hanseatics—the 17th Infantry Division,
belonging to the 3th Army Corps, and the 22nd Division,
belonging to the 11th Army Corps—with the 4th (Prince
Albrecht's) Cavalry Division, and the 12th (Von Bre-
dow's) Cavalry Brigade, has been dissolved. This corps,
bearing the designation of Army Section (Armee-abtheilung )
was placed under the command of the Grand Duke of
Mecklenburg, and attached to the Second Army during
the campaigns of Orleans and Le Mans. The corps, how-
ever, will probably be reconstructed from other elements
namely, from the Grand Ducal Hessians and the Wurtem-
bergers. _ _ .

The 14th Army Corps (General von Werder) is now the
strongest of all; and the Fifth Army, of which it forms a
part, under the command-in-chief of Von Manteuffel, is
more numerous even than the 3rd. It consists of 133
battalions of infantry, with cavalry and artillery in pro-
portion ; whereas the Red Prince has only only 118 bat-
talions. Manteuffel's army is destined to carry out mili-
tary operations in the South should the armistice not
result in the conclusion of a defintive peace.
The third parallel has been opened before Belfort,
which will probably fall within the next few days. The
fortress must succumb, or must be . carried by assault, at
any sacrifice, before the expiration of the armistice.
The whole of the 24th French Army Corps has arrived
at Lyons.
Ail the forts around Paris are now fully armed with
Krupp siege-guns and amply supplied with ammunition.
Paris could be utterly destroyed in six hours.
The population of the capital is violently exasperated
against Gambetta.

Great interest is felt here among both the French
and the Germans with regard to the result of the elections.

Communication with Paris becomes more difficult every
day.

VERSAILLES, Wednesday, February 8.
Yesterday morning 80 field guns and 140,000 rifles, of
which about 50,000 were Chassepots, were delivered up to
the Prussian guards at the advanced posts near Forts
Ivry and Vanvres. The surrender of the armaments of the
garrison is proceeding steadily.
A very gloomy feeling prevails in high circles here.
Should the elections fail to result iu bringing together
a National Assembly that will at once conclude peace,
military operations will be immediately resumed with re-
doubled vigour, and Paris will be heavily mulcted.
Things do not look quite so well to day ; but I am
precluded, by reasons which you will understand, from
giving any definite explanation of the causes. Paris may be
entered before the 19th—certainly will be entered on that
day ; and preparations of the most comprehensive charac-
ter have been made for the bombardment of the city,
should those complications occur the possibility of which
is apprehended. Down to the present moment the attitude
of Paris is utterly pathetic, and the reaction from thQ ex-
citement of the bombardment is greater even than was
expected.

When the news of M. Gambetta's last utterance, main-
taining the decree of the 31st January, arrived here, the
Emperor sent the telegram at once to Count Bismarck,
who, within an hour, communicated with M. Favre in
Paris, and received satisfactory assurances from that Mi-
nister—who, I believe, has taken measures to arrest
Gambetta. M. Favre, I may add, is daily becoming a
more decided favourite with the great personages at head-
quarters. His behaviour is most exemplary, and he has
won esteem and confidence even from those in whose minds
a violent prejudice had existed against him.
The Red Prince arrived here on Monday night from Le
Mans, with Colonel Stiehle, the Chief of his Staff. His
Imperial Higness announces that the whole district
occupied by the Second Army is peacefully disposed.
All the mines and sougasses at the different gates of
Paris have been dug up. One hundred and fifty mi-
trailleuses are parked near Passy. General Vinoy has
issued an order to all the soldiers to shave off their beards
and have their hair cut. •
VERSAILLES, Thursday, February 9.
From a colleague who has just come rat of the city I
learn that Paris was quiet down to midnight on Wednes-
day, and the elections proceeded without disturbance.
The scrutiny of the votes was unfinished at midnight.
MM. Thiers, Victor Hugo, and Louis Blanc, with
several Admirals, are believed to have been elected.
In Felix Pyat's new journal, the Vengeur; an attack on
M. Jules Favre has been made by Milliere, accusing him
of bigamy and perjury.
The insolence and rudeness of the Prussians at
Amiens, and a!ong the lines of railway from the coast,
are the subject of much complaint.

Great difficulties are still interposed In the way of re
victualling the capital by the Chemin de Fer du Nord.
Black bread contipmes to be the sole food of Paris.
General Chanzy breakfasted yesterday with General
Vinoy.

The " Besieged Resident" correspondent of the Daily
News in Paris telegraphs as follows :

PARIS, February 8 (8 p.m.)
The elections hive taken place. No disturbance of any
kind occurred. The result will not be known until to-
morrow. It is thought. that Victor Hugo, Thiers, Louis
Blanc, and Delesciuze have been elected. The Due
d'Aumale is believed to be at the head of the poll in the
neighbouring Department of the Oise.

Chanzy arrived here last night. An arrangement has
been made between Count Bismarck and Jules Favre for
an extension of the armistice. The muskets and field
artillery of the army have been given up. Count
Bismarck has consented to allow 25,000 soldiers
instead of 12,000, to retain their arms, in order to
enable General Vinoy to keep down any riots that may
occur.

The second remittance of £5,000 of the Lord Mayor's
Fund is being distributed. Bread is as bad and scarce as
ever. The Prussians are doing their best to impede and
hinder the revictualling from England.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.)
THE ADMIRALTY FRAUDS.

The trial of William Arthur Carlisle, ship steward of
the Pembroke, who is charged with fraudulently repre-
senting to the paymaster that larger quantities of meat
had been received on board than was actually supplied,
was commenced before a court-martial at Portsmouth
yesterday, and adjourned.