The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-31 00:00:00

AFFAIRS AT LYONS.

LYONS, January 26.
There is nothing new from Dijon, but Prussian rein
forcements are constantly arriving, more than forty thou.
sand men, and interminable trains of cannon and waggons
having passed northward during the last few days.
There are as yet no details to be had of the affair
on the 23rd, though we know that the troops and
especially the Garibaldians, behaved welL Their firing
decimated the Germans, and they followed it up with a
dashing bayonet charge. All the enemy's regiments
before Dijon were Prussian. Some of them were
Pomeranian, and others Westphalian, the latter were
from before Paris. It was in the first day's fighting
at Talant that Colonel Lhoste, of the Garibaldian army,
fell mortally wounded. He commanded the Battalion
Rhone et Afrique. The Commandant Franzini is still
under arrest. His officers excuse him by declaring that
his soldiers were really badly armed, and that the superior 1
authority were aware of the fact themselves, since they
have recalled them from Haute Savoie, and are giving them
fresh arms. From the East we hear that the defeat at
Belfort was unfortunately very serious, and the heavy
losses of the enemy do not at all atone for it, seeing that
he remained master of a position which enabled
him to bombard the town. Since then Colonel Denfert
I has made a lucky sortie, but the retreating
movement of Bourbaki has placed him again in a perilous
position, and we await news of fresh attacks on Forges
and Peronse. Another body of Freeshooters has arrived
from Algeria, and have been sent eastward. Details just
received of the third day's attack on Dijon state that it
was the regiments of the Prussian Royal Guard who
advanced with cavalry and artillery, and for a
moment gained possession of the fdrm and the
houses at Pouilly, but were driven back and put in
full retreat by two brigades of the Army of the Vosges.
It was here that the flag of the 61st was taken. The
Prussians were mowed down by the artillery, but never-
theless stood firm, and only yielded to a
vigorous assault. All the prisoners taken declare
that their companies lost half their effective.
General Kettler's order of attack was found on a dead
officer. The attack on the left was entrusted to a whole
brigade, composed of the 61st, 21st, 49th and 2nd infantry,
and the 11th Dragoons, with twenty-four pieces of artil-
lery. This shews the German force between Talent and
Fontaine to have been at least 20,000 strong.

The latest bulletin concerning Prince William of Baden
states that he is better, and is now able to leave his bed
for some hours daily. Nevertheless he occasionally, after
the daily bandaging, suffers from great prostration of
strength, though only for a few moments.
For some day's past all letters arriving at Berne from
Strasburg have been opened, without exception. This is
done by order of the Prussian authorities, and it would
seem that this is to be the inauguration of a new system,
for the German Post Office has had a stamp made ex-
pressly for the purpose, on which is written, " Opened by
military authority," and which is placed on the open
letter.
The Electeur Libre publishes some details of the escape
of M. Delamarne, the only aeronaut who has returned to
Paris. He was captured near Coblentz, where, he was
detained for some time. He was taken thence to
Versailles, where, having been questioned by the King
and the Crown Prince, he was ordered to be
removed to St. Germain. While passing on the way
through the Forest of Manly he contrived to escape into
the wood. The night was very dark, and a thick fog
further aided his attempt. In his path he struck upon a
spring, which discharged a gun and brought out the
guard of the nearest post, but ho escaped their fire, and
reached the French outposts in safety.