The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-28 00:00:00

THE COST OF WAR.

Writing from Margency, January 21, the special cor-
respondent of the Daily _News gives the following sta-
tistics :—There were, say, 60 German guns firing steadily
all day at the St. Denis forts. Twice I timed the fire,
and on one occasion made it 12, on the other 14, shots
per minute from the whole batteries. But there were
periods of lull occasioned by fog, &c., and I
have no doubt I am considerably within the mark
when I say that six shots were fired per minute during
the seven hours from nine a.m. till four p.m. This gives
a gross total of 3,220 shots fired in that time. Of the
batteries six are armed with 24-pounders, each throwing a
shell of 52 lbs. weight (not 32, as by a printer's error I
was made to say in a recent letter), four with 12-pounders,
each gun throwing an elongated projectile of
261bs. weight. It follows that the six 24-pound
batteries threw in the time I have named 100,4641b5.
weight, and the four 12-pound batteries 33,28011 r.
weight of material ; or, in other words, there were pitched
into St. Denis during seven hours of this day very
little under 60 tons of lead, iron, and powder. Fancy
how the intermediate air must have been torn and
vexed by 3,220 huge projectiles darting through it
at an average velocity of 250 miles per minute.
Fancy this pelting of colossal hailstones tumbling into so
limited an area with a'shower so profuse and yet so un-
remitting. Hailstones, say I? Why, hailstones are
not full of powder, and do not explode, sending from
half a dozen to a dozen massive, jagged, fanged
fragments and splinters abroad centrifugally into
upward space. There is used for each charge
of a 24-pounder, six pounds of powder, therefore the
firing off of the 1,932 shots fired by the guns of this
calibre, used up 11,5921b5. of powder. For each charge
of a 12-pounder is required a little over 41135. of powder
—say 41bs. ; this gives the quantity used up by the 1,280
shots fired from guns of this calibre at about 5,1201b5.
Total quantity of powder used in charges 16,7121b5.
Each shell fired from a 24-pounder gun contains
four pounds of powder for explosive purpoSes—on the
day's fire 7,728 pounds of powder fired away inside the
larger shells. Each shell fired by a 12-pounder gun con-
tains 2 1:101bs. of powder—say two pounds—on the day's
fire of• this description of ammunition, 3,5601b5. of
powder shot away inside shells. The consump-
tion of powder in charges and for explosive purposes
was, therefore, within a fraction of 22,0001b5., or, as
nearly as may be, 10 tons of powder alone consumed
in a single day in one section of the bombardment.
Remember, they are at it on the east and on the south
also, and one cannot be far wrong in estimating that
to-day there were close on 200 tons of projectile matter
thrown upon the beleaguered forts and city out of the
mouths of German cannon. That is independent of the
weight of powder used in charges ; arid taking no account
of the return fire, which has been no trifle. Think of the
labour and transport power involved in bringing to the
front all the way from Germany 200 tons of material per
diem for an indefinite number of days.

M. GAMBEITA AN!) THE POLYTECHNIC
SCHOOL.

Despite his political anxieties, M. Gambetta has had,
it seems, some leisure to spare for intellectual considera-
tions. The Polytechnic School has been re-opened at
Bordeaux, and a Professorship of History having been
established, Gambetta Istrote, on January 7th, to M.
Littrl, a Frenchman of great reputation, to offer him the
post. He reminds M. Littrt that he formerly authorised
him to appeal to him for his assistance in any way on
behalf of the Republican Government, and he now asks
for it in this respect. At the opening of the college,
Gambetta says he himself delivered an address, in which
he exalted the office of science, and he has placed the
lectures on history in the first rank. One of the founders
of the Polytechnic School in the days of the first Re-
public was Michel-Francois Littr6, the father of the
present savant, and he was one of the most powerful ad-
vocates of national education. He therefore calls upon
his son to demonstrate that the re-opened Polytechnic
School will be conducted on similar principles, by his
participation in the course of instruction. M. Littr6 has
accepted the office.

The Paris Figaro estimates that over 9,000 men were
sacrificed in the sortie on Thursday week.
In Portugal a Ministerial crisis has taken place, in
consequence of the recent appointment ot the Bishop of
Algrave as Patriarch. Serious differences of opinion
have arisen hetween the Marquis d'Airla and his col-

leagues.
The charity of Mr. Richard Wallace, says the Cones-
pondance Havas, seems to be inexhaustible. He has just
established a new ambulance with fifty beds in the Rue
d'Angouleme, called the English Arubalance, its doctors
and attendants being English. He has also given 25,000
francs to the Evangelical Committee, which now supports
800 beds for the wounded.

The death rate in Paris last week shews a great increase
—4,465, which is 483 more than last week. Strange to
say, the diseases arising from derangement of the alimen-
tary system are diminished. The chief increase arises
from bronchitis, pneumonia, and typhoid fever.
The Times correspondent at Versailles says :—Faid-
herhe's defeat at St. Quentin has been an astonishment,
.not because it was a defeat, but on account of the place
where he was defeated. Many had no idea, lam sure,
that he was so near Paris, and that he had succeeded in
getting down east and south of Goeben after his over-
throw at Bapaurne.
Even on the terrible Sunday when the disturbances in
Paris took place, and when the bombardment was fiercer
than ever, families might be seen emigrating, with their
little all, from those parts of the town were the shells
were falling, and talking calmly and even cheerfully by
the way—the father harnessed to a cart filled up with
poor furniture, and the mother, laden with bundles,
dragging, may be, one or two children with her.
The special correspondent of the Daily News at
Rennes mentions that which railway carriage, containing
some forty persons, in he travelled, the feeling was
very strong against M. G-ambetta among the soldiers ;
and that when it was proposed to sing the " Marseillaise "
to while away the time, the suggestion brought on a
storm of groans and hisses. The country people are said
to be opposed to the Republic, that they betray the
French to the Prussians whenever they have a chance.
According to the Echo de la Frontiere, of the 24th, the
Prussians were not immediately advancing towards
Valenciennes. Forty Uhlans went close to the town,
chasing stragglers, and inquired if there were any soldiers,
but did no mischief. The Prussian scouts have been into
Solermes, where they obtained the names of the Con-
scripts of 1871 and of the Chasseurs. They demanded the
weapons of the chase and the guns of the National Guard
which they broke. They afterwards took possession of
the Cattenieres. The Prussian headquarters are, it is
said, to be fixed at Lille, and the army will be divided
between the towns of Canahrai, Axras, and Douai.
Some particulars have been given of the blowing up of
the railway bridge over the Moselle at Fontenoy, between
Nancy and Toul. It was guarded by 50 Landwehr men,
but at 5 a.m. on the 22nd, 400 French soldiers in uniform,
probably from Langres, surprised them, and killed,
wounded., or dispersed the whole guard. French engi-
neers, who had come in two carriages, then blew the
bridge up with gunpowder, whereupon the French re-
tired with a few prisoner. By order of the Governor of
Lorraine, Fontenoy was burnt down later in the day, and
this is to be the punishment of any place where railways
are destroyed. The restoration of the bridge is expected
within a week.
The Times correspondent says he expects there will be
one more desperate sortie—possibly more than one—as
considerable faith is put in the resolution of General
Vinoy, who is believed to be a man who, when he has set
his heart on an objet, dons not mind what he sacrifices
W gain it, and if the gortie fails, all but a few expect