The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-26 00:00:00

EFFECTS OF THE LATE SORTIE.

The Correspondance Havas, of the 20th of January
referring to the events of the previous day, says that the
conduct of the Mobilised National Guards was magnifi-
cent. They rushed upon Montretout, and charged with
the bayonet with irresistible force, so that the Prussians
were driven from the heights. Unfortunately there
are many wounded, and the brave battalions of the
National Guard have sustained serious losses. As the
ambulance carriages brought back the wounded, the
crowd testified their sympathy and regret. The
" dynamite" did wonders, and in several places knocked
down walls, and made breaches with surprising force :aid
rapidity.. While it spared the lives of many men, it was
worth a legion of sappers. The experienced officers say
that they never heard more persistent firing than that
which tcok place in the wood of Buzenval. It was a
I continual roll of ten thousand simultaneous de-
tonations, which lasted the whole day. It appears that
the statement was an exaggerated one, which put our losses
at six or seven thousand men. One of the present leaders
of the defence movement is said to have proposed a plan
by which he will free the blockade round Paris with fifty
thousand men. The Prussians would only grant
an armistice of two hours duration, and would
not allow us to pass through their lines to bury
our dead, they affirmed that our wounded men who are
prisoners are well cared for at Versailles. The chief 'of
the battalion of Mobiles from Loire Inf4rieure was made
prisoner, with three hundred men. He wished to bold
his ground at St. Cloud to the last moment, and was sud-
denly surrounded by anumerous body of Prussians, against
whom it was impossible to contend. M. Delangle, the
ordnance-officer of General Trochu was killed, the painter
Regnault is among the number of those who have disap-
peared. The battalion of freeshooters from Ternee were
fearfully injured. Its captain was killed after he had
carried with twenty-five men the enemy's barricade before
Montretout. The bombardment has continuedwith increased
fury. and many accidents have occurred, especially in the
quarters of Val de Grace and the Jardin des Plantes.
The collection of fossils in the Museum has been almost
entirely destroyed. The Siecle, in the name of its sub-
scribers, has just presented the Minister of Public Works
with the third cannon battery of broach-loaders. Some
experiments, which were made of the electric light have
been very successful.

THE BOMBARDMENT OF LONUWY.

ARLON, January 22.

The cannonade goes on furiously, the rival batteries
striving to silence each other. The besieged generally ,
fire three shots to one, and the advantage seems to rest with
them, for one battery has been silenced, and others have
been removed further back ,so that they are now stationed at a
distanee of about 5,000 metres. The aim of the besieged
is very good, and scarcely any of their shells miss their
aim. On the other hand, the chief buildings of
the town do not appear to have suffered greatly.
The steeple of the church and the towers
are still standing and the tricolor (in painted iron)
is still displayed triumphantly. A Prussian parlemen-
taire was sent yesterday to the town summoning it to
surrender, and threatening in case of refusal to employ
the largest cannon against it. The commandant refused,
but it remains to be seen when the threat can be put in
execution for the mud is up to the men's knees. Eighteen
horses did not suffice to bring the first of the Prussian
heavy guns into position. It is already six days since the
firing began, and none can tell when it will finish. Much
will depend on whether the assailants can bring their
heavy pieces, flinging bombs 75ki1., up to the required
point, and on whether the casemates can resist them.