The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-07 00:00:00

THE PARIS JOURNALS.

The Patrie, one of the papers still published tn Paris,
has been suspended for three days for having stated that
trenches were being made in the direction of one
of the points to be attacked. The suspen-
sion was ordered in execution of the decree
which prohibited any remarks whatever on mili-
tary measures, but it is believed in Paris that its real
object was to punish some articles by M. Weiss, the new
editor, which favoured the Prussian leaders, and pushed
the desire for peace to absolute pessimism. The measure
is generally blamed by the rest of the Paris papers, which
esteemed themselves fully capable of replying to the de-
sponding tone of the Patrie's articles, and which at-
tached very little importance to the military statement
complained of. During the three days of its suspension the
subscribers of the Patrie were supplied by the France. M.
Picard is said to regard Gambetta's financial measures
at Tours with small satisfaction, but the value of the
young Minister's public services in the provinces is be-
coming recognised in Paris. There was a talk of joining
Louis Blanc and Victor Hugo to the Government to sup-
ply its lack of energy, but it has never been put into
action, for those gentlemen, even had they been asked,
would not have consented to join.

NOTES FROM LILLE.
LILLE, January 3rd.

The agitation in the town has been great since the
morning of yesterday. The battle was going on between
Arms and Bapaume, and the official bulletins were looked
for with all the more eagerness that the mobilised troops
of the district were to take an active part in the combat,
and there was no one in the town who had not a relative
or friends amongst them. When the travellers from Arras
got out of the train, they were surrounded by anxious
throngs, but their information was of course most confusing.
This morning a violent cannonade was heard to the south-
east of Arras, and from Busigny came also the sound of
battle. The French have reoccupied the station and the
town of Busigny, after a severe struggle. The prisoners
captured belong to the Royal Guard of Saxony, which
proves that there was some truth in the rumour of
the arrival at Amiens of a Saxon corps detached from
Paris. The rigorous offensive of the Army of the North
has had the effect of clearing the place of Uhlans. A
Frenchman rode over the greater part of the country
which they ravaged without seeing the shadow of
lance.
The cold is still of an extraordinary intensity, thoug
without snow. It is said that the extreme rigour of

frost has had a fatal effect on the steel artillery of the
Germans, several cannons having burst at the first fire.
A copy of Faidherbe's order of the day prior to the
movement says :—" To-morrow we shall find ourselves
in presence of the enemy, who occupies the
districts of Adinfer, Hamescamps, Ayettes, Boiry,
&c. The villages in this part have been stripped
of everything. Our troops must, therefore, have with
them three days' rations, which will be served out this
afternoon. The men must be warned by their officers
that they will be three days without having anything to eat
but what they carry with them. The convoys can advance
as far as Riviere, and the railway trains to Boileux.—
Headquarters, Baurains, Jan. 1, 1871. FAIDHERBE."