The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-16 00:00:00

PTE THE OAVITULATIOIC.

In a letter from the Crown Prince of Saxony's head-
quarters at Margenoy, January 10, the special correspon-
dent of the Daily News draws the following conclusions as
to what may follow after the capitulation of Paris :—lt is
not a German attribute to be taken unprepared for any
contingency, and, therefore, it is not surprising that one
hears discussions on the dispositions that may follow
the inevitably early capitulation of Paris. No doubt
everywhere there exists a strong hope that negotiations
will immediately follow this event, but men do not dis-
guise from themselves the absence of tangible grounds
apart from foreign intervention for such a hope. The
capitulation of Paris will neither extinguish Gambetta
nor alter that implacable determination of his for war
to the bitter end. How, then, is this resolve, and what
follows upon it, to be coped with? Not, certainly, by a
retirement on certain Provinces of France, leaving
meanwhile isolated garrisons in the strong places outside
these districts. Nothing could be madder than
that policy. It would involve a forepost line
to which the circle around Paris is a bagatelle armies
standing ever ready; waiting for the concentrated attack
of French armies, choosing their own place and their own
time. A French success in such circumstances need only
require a pushing general to make an invasion of
Germany practicable. Three or four days' forced
marches from the Moselle would bring the red breeches
again on to the exercise platz above Saarbruck.
There would be no "masterly inactivity" in such a
policy ; it would be pure fatuity. No ; if the French
still obstinately refuse to throw up the sponge and
own to the loss of the stakes, the punishment, sickening
as it may be, must go on. Already, as I say, one hears
of dispositions being arranged to follow on the capitula-
tion. The new appointment and destination of Manteuffel
May be taken as part and parcel of these arrangements.
While we wait here, it is judged wise that mean-
while steps be taken elsewhere in France to hasten
the issue. Manteuffel's mission is the subjugation of
Lyons and the south-west. You may remember that
two days before the formal capitulation of Metz, the
Second Army Corps took the road for action elsewhere,
and was followed by other troops ere the ink was dry
in which were written the signatures to the capitula-
tion document. A similar marching off has not yet
been initiated before Paris ; but I know that the
orders of readiness are already issued, that all the dis-
positions are made, and that all that is waited for is
the right time in the judgment of the military
authorities. This much may be relied on ; I am not
inclined to speak more plainly. But it is permissible to
suggest certain eventualities which circumstances render
likely. It may be regarded as settled that the Royal
headquarters will continue in their present location in
Versailles, in the event of further warlike movements
following the capitulation of Paris. The French
capital will naturally require to be garrisoned—
and that strongly. The fact that the allies of
Prussia have suffered and lost, not perhaps, except in one
case,disproportionately, but certainly very heavily pro rata,
might incline to the anticipation that the garrison may
consist of the Saxons, Bavarians, Wurtemburgers,
Mecklenburgers, the Landwehr Divisions, now forming
part of the besieging force, and it may. be the Guard
corps also, which has had very laborious duties in the
siege.

NOTES FROM LYONS.
LYONS, January 10th.

M. Ernest Pinard, the former Minister of the Interior,
has been arrested at Autun by Colonel Bordone, the head
of Garibaldi's staff, brought to Lyons, and imprisoned in
the prison of Saint Joseph. According to one account,
he was arrested in consequence of some words
spoken in the cemetery over the grave of M.
d'Aligny, and cf the finding of a quantity of
copies of the Drapeau at his dwelling place. Another ac-
count says that orders came for his arrest direct from
Bordeaux, but no explanation was given. It seems, how-
ever, that it was Colonel Bordone's doing. It has pro-
duced a good deal of excitement both at Autun, which is
M. Pinard's native town, and at Lyons. He has been
interrogated by the Prefect of the Rhone at some length
but no explanation of the affair has yet been accorded to
the public.
Another exciting incident has been the arrest of the
Swiss mail cart between Bale and Roderdorff, which is
obliged to pass through French territory at Leinen. The
Prussian detachment stationed there captured it, and noti-
fied to the driver that henceforward he must not
proceed without a Prussian pass. This has created some
disturbance on the frontier. At Lous-le-Saulnier they
still cherish the idea of giving ,Cratiliakli a sword, offering