The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-10 00:00:00

FROM THE GERMAN LINE.

The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing
from Versailles on January 2, says :—The attack on Paris
and the outer defences will, I have ground for believing,
be carried on by about 260 guns. Some of these are 24-
pounders, some 12-pounders, while there is a small num-
ber of considerably heavier metal. As yet, you see, we have
only a partial and local bombardment; but everything I
observe tends to indicate that before the lapse of many
hours the attack will become general. And. btill more,
all I hear and behold leads me to believe that the attack,
besides being general, will be something terrible in many
of its features. The German commanders have made
up their minds to go at the work in dreadful earnest,
and the best proof of this is the fact that they ab-
solutely deferred the opening of the bombardment
until everything was in a state of the most complete
pieparation. I hear that the beginning of the gene-
ral attack was solemnly fixed for the first day
of this year; it is even said that his Majesty the King
was most earnest in urging that this appointment 'should
be kept ; and yet the commanders postponed the general
bombardment. They were determined, it is said,
that the great attack should not open until
shells and powder for fifteen days, at the rate
of one shot a minute, were distributed to each gun. If
Paris be able to withstand a fire so continuous, her
fortifications must be strong indeed. Another sign of the
earnestness with which the Germans intend to carry on
the assault is the fact that for the last two days ammuni-
tion columns of extraordinary length have been con-
tinually passing on their way to the batteries. One of
the columns consisted of more than sixty carts. Everything,
in fact, is now ready for a bombardment on a gigantic
scale. Only one obstacle remains, and that not
even German ingenuity or industry can over-
come : I mean the state of the weather. In the first
place, it is frightfully cold—so cold thai if you stand mo-
tionl9ss for ten consecutive minutes you run imminent
risk of being frozen to death. Again, we are scarcely
ever free from from fog ; you no longer see the forts out-
side, nor the lofty spires within Paris; wherever you cast
your eyes, dense mist alone meets their gaze. It will
easily be understood how much this state of the atmo-
sphere must interfere with a plan of general bombard-
ment.

The special correspondent of the Daily News sends the
following .express from Versailles, dated January

5, 3 p.m. The bombardment of the French
positions south of Paris by the German batteries
commenced at half-past eight this morning.' At first there
was a slight mist over the lower ground, but the sun
gained in power as the day . wore on, and the
breeze was just strong enough to blow away the smoke.
Owing to the direction of the breeze,. much less
noise was heard in Versailles itself than might have been
expected, and the people of the town seemed hardly aware
that anything unusual was going forward: There was a
steady growling and rumbling in the neighbourhood of
Meudon, which sheaved that the Germans were at
work, and that was all. As one rode towards the
scene of action, the sound of firing greW more distinct.
Heavy shocks could be felt from the great guns
which thundered forth upon the French, and shocks al-
most as heavy from the bursting of shells flung back in
return. Nearer and deadlier came the sound with each
forward step. On the plateau behind Meudon, and along
the hill west of Chatenay, there was a din of shells which
burst, and of shells which screamed through the air, and
of batteries which were quickly served. Nowthe Germans
fired down upon the forts, and a white smoke-cloud rose
, above their guns. Now the forts sent back their iron
messenger with a scream and crash to the crest of the
hill. Dust flew up from
.the hard ground where shells
had burst, and showers of. frosty sprinklings fell from
I the trees or bushes near. Then, before the humming and
whizzing of the fragments had died away, another rush
would be heard in the air, and another shell had come.
Or it would happen that the booming of the German guns
drowned the noise of the French projectiles ; that both
swelled up together to a crash as the action warmed.
It was very exciting to hear them at work, for
the struggle was tolerably equal, and both sides-
stood to their guns like men. There was great
difficulty in getting a good view, without being in a fire
too hot for lookers-on ; but, as far as I could judge of the
struggle during the first half of the clay, the French
seemed to answer shell for shell' and something more.
They fired perhaps too fast, though of this we cannot be
certain until we know the result ; at any rate, they sent
many shells whizzing beyond the batteries, and had
apparently resolVed to make up for all short
comings of aim by rapidity of fire. The Germans
were more deliberate, and may have produced
more effect. Neither side had silenced the other up to
one o'clock, that is certain ; and as I write there is a dis-
tant booming, which shews that the cannonade is main-
tained by somebody with immense vigour. The Germans
seemod principally engaged with Forts Montrouge,
• Vanvres, and Issy. It is said by the soldiers in the rear
of the batteries that some few shells had been aimed too
high, and had gone into Paris ; but the main attack
was clearly directed against the three forts above
named, and it was these forts which so stoutly replied. I
hear that the railway viaduct across the Seine, within
the ramparts of the city, will be destroyed, if possible,
to interrupt the French communications by the cir-
cular railway. But there is a far stronger wish
to silence the forts than to throw shells into the city.
It was a striking sight to/ have glimpses of the
towers and houses of Paris /through the midst of a
frosty winter's day, when all /Ids din boded destruction to
the fair city at our feet. Force is clearly to rival famine
in deciding its fate. The b I bardment has been slowly
but admirably prepared, an has broken in upon the long
expectant French. I need of say that nearly all the
German shells burst with d exactness ; but it is note-
worthy that the French ells do the same in much
greater proportion than a the beginning of the opera-
tions.

NOTES FROM LILLE.
LILLE, January Gth.

The Army of the North is taking some repose and the
lines remain in the same position as that in which Faid
herbe placed them the/ day alter the battle. The head-
quarters are at Bcpleux. The Mobiles who were
scattered at the battle of Villers-Bretonneux were able
to make a stand at the Battle of Bapaume, to the
great delight of their commander, who had, so it is said,
as much trouble in keeping his troops back as General
Farre had to get them forward on another occasion. The
National Guard, who were novices, were kept in the back-
ground, and with the exception of the Lille battalion,
were merely lookers-on. These legions form a numerous
reserve, and will furnish F aidherbe with useful reinforce-
ments when they are better disciplined. They have suf-
fered little from the cold and appear to have adapted them-
selves readily to the hardships of camp life. The marines
suffered the most during the days of the second and third,
and lost three good officers. General Faidherbe was
again exposed to great risks, and on two occasions was
close to the enemy's fire. _

Yesterday evening some German prisoners were landod,
and surprise was felt at their extreme youth. Bapaume
has not been treated very badly. The faubourge are
destroyed. _ .

The-journals of Arras of the 4th say that they have had
at their gates an engagement which may take the name of
the battle of the three days. The Prussians were at
Behag,nies, and were not prepared for the French attack.
They withdrew to Sapignies, where they barricaded the
streets, and fortified the houses. The French artillery
attacked the place, which was carried at one o'clock by a
brilliant bayonet charge, the Prussians retreating in dis-
order on Favreuil and Bief villers. They did not make a long
resistance afterwards, and finally retreated on Bapaume from
whence it would have been impossible to dislodge them
without burning the town. The French troops deserve
the thanks of the country for the spirit they have dis-
played in driving the Prussians back. On the 3rd inst.,
General Faidherbe had a, narrow escape, for a rifle shot went
into the pocket of his coat, but was stopped by a map of
the Pas-de-Calais, which he had put there. Thanks to this
slight shield and the sudden movement of his horse, general
escaped the death which a Prussian mai ksman had skilfully
planned for him. An ingenious device was resorted
to by a company of Chasseurs under the walls
of Bapaume. They were charged by two
' squadrons of Prussian Curiassiers, and made a feint of
taking flight in different directions. Suddenly they
stopped, and came together, and fired upon the Prussians
with such good effect that half of them were thrown over
and the rest were glad to beat a retreat. The. Chasseurs
escaped unhurt.

The Bernische Zeltung of January 2 contains a state-
ment that 6,000 Prussian soldiers, whose limbs had been
frozen around Paris during the late severe cold, have
been despatched to Germany via Belgium.
A Manchester Guardian telegram from Brussels says :
The new levies of the South. German forces are very in-
ferior men—worse soldiers than the French recruits. The
Bavarian-and Wurtemberg people submitted to these new
leVies with great reluctance.

A Correspondent of the Daily News says that the seventh
British ship at Duclair has been sunk. The schooner
Sylph still floats, but is prohibited from leaving. The
captain remains by his ship ; but the crow have been
paid off, and will leave port this evening by the Marseilles
steamer.

A Bruges newspaper states that a few nights since a
mysterious railway train passed through the station at
that city. It has since learnt that the train conveyed an
immense amount of coined money and great bundles of
papers, which were embarked on board the English mail
packet in charge of four travellers who had accompanied
it to the port.

The erection of the batteries which drove the French
out of Mont Avron required, says a letter in a Dresden
paper, great exertions. The ground was at first frozen
three or four, and afterwards six or eight inches deep,
and its clayey nature thus rendered it almost as hard
as a rock. The work was, nevertheless, accomplished in
a comparatively short time, and did its constructors great
sredit.

M. Cramer, the Prussian Prefect at Rouen, has been
replaced in his functions by Daron de Pfvel. This
change has no doubt been brought about by the recent re-
ported Prussian outrage on the British flag by the seizure
and sinking of six British colliers at Duclair, near Rouen.
A great many absurd rumours had got afloat relative to
this affair, but probably the question will be satisfactorily
settled without leading to any. serious consequences.
Ricciotti Garibaldi',has Written to the Prussian Com-
mandant at Chatillon ocrmplaining that inhabitants of that
place have been threatened with reprisals on account of the
attack by Francs-Tireurs. He cannot admit that a victory
won by the bravery of a regular corps warrants such mea-
sures, and exhorts the Germans to act Loyally, and not like
Vandals, who only dream of plunder. If they have the
infamy to carry out their detestable project, he assured
them he will not spare any of the 200 Prussian prisoners
in his hands. The commandant replied that the inhabi-
tants having taken part in the surprise, he shall treat
them according to the laws of war, and that he cannot
regard the threat as serious, as for every Prussian prisoner
shot twenty or more French might be executed.

The Havre publishes some details of the surprise of
General Roy's Corps at Les Londes, from which it ap-
pears, the weather being extremely foggy, the Prussians,
guided by the light of a great fire which had been made
by the French grand guard, unexpectedly appeared
and captured the whole of the guard without
firing a single shot. After receiving reinforce-
ments, the Germans proceeded silently towards the
main body of the French, who, relying on their outposts,

,entertained no apprehension of attack. A. sudden onset
was made, which resulted in a retreat *on the part of the
French ; but the losses were- not great;l2s- men being
killed and about the same number wounded. A portion
of the troops—Mobiles and Franc-Tireurs—some 400 or
500, broke their ranks and fled in disorder to Honfleur,
but they have since been compelled to rejoin their regi-
ments. .

Accounts from Nancy state that the prisoners present
the most deplorable sight as they pass by in open car-
riages, and often without stockings, and sometimes with-
out shirts. The townspeople .flock to see them, and are
aghast at their appearance. They are so stiff with the
cold that they cannot move their lips. The ladies throw
their shawls into the carriag6, and sometimes tear their
skirts in two to make their contributions go further.
Bread wine, shoes, and other necessaries are brought' for-
ward in great abundance for the relief of these unfortunate
men, who are very grateful for the kindness shewn to
them. On leaving those who can speak exclaim,„" Vive
Nancy."
A Paris letter says :—The most fashionable shop in the
Paris of 1870, whereat the most exquisite bonboris and
triumphs of the confectioner's art were last year pur-
chased, has this year put fora' its list 'of New Year's
gifts. First in the list stands, " A large 'assort-
ment of legs of mutton, -at .100 francs, (or
£4) per leg ;" - " a whole salmon, potted or
canned, and quite fresh, 200 f. (or - 28) ;" " boxes
of meat lozenges, from 10f. to 50f- ;" " pdtes,. de
foie Bras de Strasbourg, from 50f. to 500 f. ;" " sausage
from Lyon, or Bologna, or Bayonne, from 101, upwa.rds ;''
and so on through an elaborate catalogue. We are eminently
practical this new year, even in our presents. A lover
cannot better commend himself to his Dulcinea than
by sending her a few sacks of coke or a few hundred
billets of wood. A Yorkshire ham or a side of Wiltshire
bacon would plead more eloquently than the most impas-
sioned stanza that Lamartine, or Alfred de Musset, or Victor
Hugo ever wrote. A couple of fat white mice would be
accepted aver effusion—not to be kept alive as pets, but to
be eaten dead, sautés dla sauce Illadere. It is but a few
days since I saw a National Guard• pounce eagerly upon a
dead sparrow lying under one of the trees 'in the Champs
Elys4es. The poor bird had probably been wounded by
one of the many boys who are incessantly engaged in
la chasse aux moineaux. When the lucky warrior descried
his prize, he 'exclaimed rapturously, " Voilh pour ma
femme !"

AN INVALID'S FETE.—The Belgian papers give
an interesting account of the kindly efforts made in that
country to cheer the wounded prisoners at Christmas and
the New Year. The Germans were feted at Christinas
and the French at the Jour de l'An, the German residents
in Belgium subscribing for gifts to the one, and
the French . residents and refugees for the
other. On the eve of the New Year there
was quite a gathering at the principal Ambulance' in
Brussels, and the president and members of the Belgian
committee were present. The French Minister, accom-
panied by the staff of the Legation, was also present, and
distributed commemorative medals which had been struck
for the occasion, and delivered a brief address, -in which he
warmly thanked the Belgians for the kind reception they had
given his unfortunate countrymen, and encouraged• the
latter to have patience and confidence in the future of
France. Afterwards he visited the German ambulance,
and expressed his sympathy for them. The ladies who
superintended the fete distributed gifts to the nurses,
medical assistants, and all other employs of the ambu-
lance.

NEWS FROM DIJON.—A. correspondent of the
Daily News, in a letter from Macon, dated December 30,
gives some information of interest :—I arrived here from
Lyons, after a journey of seven hours, just as news was
received at the Prefecture of the evacuation of Dijon by
the enemy. This movement on the part of the Germans
is by no means surprising, firstly, because some days
previous to the evacuation a large portion of the troops who
occupied the town were sent towards Paris ; and,
secondly, on account of the vast number of trains carry-
ing troops, artillery, and military stores which the
French have been sending during the past week
in the direction of Beaune: In fact, since last
Thursday week railway communication between Lyons
and Beaune has been entirely interrupted for the public,
the Minister of War having placed the line in requisition.
To give you an idea of the number of cannon which have
been sent from Lyons in the direction of Beaune, I will
mention that the military authorities have placed all the
omnibus horses in Lyons in requisition for the artillery,
besides almost all the cart horses in the surrounding
neighbourhood.
JULES FAVRE AND THE CONFERENCE.— The
Siecle thus describes the spirit in which M. Jules
Favre will go to the London Conference, if he goes :
" Being a member of the Government of the National
Defence, M. Jules Favre cannot take his seat in an inter-
national conference without the French Republic being
ipso facto recognised by the deliberating Powers. There
will be no occasion to discuss the prejudicial question of
the recognition. That question will be triumphantly
resolved by the very first words inserted at the head of
the minutes of the first meeting." And then the idea of
the Siecle is that the " grand voice " of M. Jules Favre
will frighten all the other plenipotentiaries while speaking
in " sovereign tones " as representing France, and
denouncing abominable monarchical policy," he declines
to discuss any of the miserable secondary questions
for which the Conference was convened, so long as
the invasion of France " holds the world in sus-
pense." All this is very sad fustian. It would have
been far more dignified in the Republican Governmen-
to have adhered to the resolution to which the Bort
deaux delegation inclined a few days ago, not to send
any plenipotentiary to the Conference unless, as a pre-
liminary condition, the Republic should be formally re-
cognised. It is very plain that the mere presence 4r?'
M. Jules Favre in the Conference will not effect this
recognition. The "first words " of the minutes will
certainly not have the magical effect of transform-
ing Lord Lyons, who to this moment is accredited as.
Ambassador to the Emperor of the French, into an Envoy
to the French Republic. Neither will all M. Jules
Favre's eloquence produce any effect whatever upon
the seasoned diplomatists who, acting only according
to their instructions, have no sympathies or predi-
lections, and will pay no more attention to him than
the most commonplace person who might be sent with
the like credentials. They will receive M. Jules Favre
as the mouthpiece of the individuals who in Paris and Bor-
deaux constitute a de facto Government, but it is childish
to suppose that he will suddenly induce them to give
that formal recognition to the French Republic which
has hitherto been withheld by the great Powers. The
only probable consequence of M. Jules Favre's
appearance at the diplomatic green board in London is 5
theatrical retreat on the fiat day. I do not myself see
what good France will get by this bit of eclat, unless
there should be some advantage in getting M. Jules Favre,
out of Paris. Ido not suppose he can have been bound
over to go back to Paris after putting in an appearance st.
the Conference.— Correspondent of the Daily .11, ews.

•
THE TRUCK COMMISSION.—Tho Truck Coninlis-
sioners continued their inquiry, at Nottingham, on Sabi!'
day. Several witnesses deposed that, while at the
railway station at Sutton-in-Ashfield that morning, 11
conversation took place among the " bag hosiers " Pre-
sent, in the course of which threatening and libellous
language was used towards the persons who heu,
caused the inquiry to be made, and also towards
the witnesses. A " bag hosier," named Wild, was the°
called, and denied that he had used the language et
tributed to him. The Commissioners considered that "
had been clearly shewn that he had threatened witnesBe94
and fined him 210. John Pickard, another " bag hosier,
who was reported on thepreviousdayto have attempted?
suborn a witness, was also called, and informed that his
conduct would be reported to the Crown Office. 31.1:i
Mundella, M.P. was examined at some length. He se
i"
he did not think truck was practised in Nottingheill*e
The Board of Arbitration established in the hosiery trad
eleven years ago had done much to abolish the systel*
He' believed trucking was now confined •to North Notts,
being most extensively in use at Sutton-in-Ashfielua
There were instances in which middlemen who truckee,
were able to undersell manufacturers in the ho'°
markets. _ _

-------
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BIRTHS.
On the 6th inst., at 57, Lansdowne-road, Kensingt°ll-
- Mrs. George Stewart, of a son.
On the Gth inst., at Hastings, the wife of Major Eons
On
of a daughter.
MARRIAGES. rang
On the sth inst., at St. Peter's, Malvern Welts, 0': rt
A. Lane, of 32, Essex-street, Strand, London, soliotili.
to Annie, widow of the late C. H. Norris, Esq., °f
trincham, Cheshire.
On the sth inst., at St. Paul's Church, St. Leon °o
Sea, Edward, second son of George Gilliat, Esnter
Horncastlo, to Emily Louisa, eldest surviving Dose,
„.
of the late John Bonus, Esq., late of Point xi
Blackheath.

DEATHS. iiarkt
On the Gth inst., at 139, Westbourne-terrace, EiYue-r
Hermann Cox, Esq., aged 61. Are.
On the sth inst., at 76, Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-squ
Henry Bateman Jenkins, Esq., aged 62.
_..........-",

of
London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND 13011. q, op
No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by hirt,ie
THE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct o
Savoy, in the County of Middlesex.
Tuesday, January 10,1871.