The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-30 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY SEIZURE.

We are informed that the International, a ship having
on board a submarine cable for the French Govern-
ment, has been seized on the complaint of Count Bern-
storff, the Prussian Ambassador, and lies in the Thames
in charge of Custom-house officers. The cable was manu-
factured by the Indiarubber, Gutta Percha, and Tele-
graph Works Company (Limited), of Silvertown, under
a contract with M. Steemackers, Director-General
of Telegraphs in France, to. connect Dunkirk with
Cherbourg, Brest, and Bordeaux. By an amendment to
au Act passed during the last session of Parliament
" military telegraphy" was included among the subjects
with respect to which an infringement of neutrality be-
came possible, and it is under this statute that the Govern-
ment found itself obliged to take notice of the information
supplied by Count Bernstorff, and to act upon his demand
fur the detention of the vessel. An application by the
company for the release of the vessel and cable
has been, we understand, addressed to the proper
authorities, but thus far has met with no success. As it
is not denied that the cable was intended to be laid
between Dunkirk and Bordeaux, and as it might un-
doubtedly be used for military purposes by the French
Government, the case contemplated by Parliament in the
Act above referred to was thought to have been prime
jade made out. Count Bernstorff can have little reason
to complain that in, in this instance at least, the English
Government has not acted with promptitude and effect, if
it be true, as we are assured, that within three hours
from the time of filing the complaint the vessel was in
custody.—Daily News.

Up to the middle of this month the weather in
America bad been unusually mild. One of the New York
Papers just to hand says that hydrophobia, ligktning
calamities, fruit trees budding the second time in one
season, green pastures, growing strawberries, and bloom-
ing flower gardens, are matters recorded in the news-
papers near and far. People are beginning to wonder if
we are going to have any winter at'all.
THE REPUBLICAN CLUB.—Our correspondent at
Cambridge telegraphs " The paragraph which ap-
peared in Wednesday night's Pall Mall Gazette, respecting
a- Republican Club, said to be formed at Cambridge
University, by Professor Fawcett, Mr. Sedley Taylor,
and Mr. Sedgwick, to which Mr. Clarke is said to be a
recruit, is entirely incorrect, and was not dreamed of
till the,
paragraph appeared. At least three of the gen-
tlemen named are members of no such society.
THE RAILWAY CALAMITY NEAR HATFIELD.-011
Wednesday the inquiry into the cause of the fearful
railway accident whichhappened on Monday night on the
Great Northern, about two miles ou the London side of
Hatfield, was held at the r choolrooms of Welham.
The facts, which we have already published, having
been given in. evidence, the jury returned the
verdict—" That the male persons lost their lives
through the breakage of a steel tire, but we ex-
press no opinion as to the cause of that breakage.'
The Coroner said : Then we must take it that the women
were killed by the overturning of the train?—The jury
concurred, and the proceedings then terminated after
about a six hours' sitting.
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LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M.

THE WAIL

ENGLAND AND THE FRENCH
REPUBLIC.
BORDEAUX, December 29.
The French Government, both of Paris and of
Bordeaux, have determined to send no representative
to the Conference about to be held in London, unless
the English Government previously recognises the,
Itepublic in a formal manner.
Lord Lyons is on the point of being informed of
We determination.

THE INVESTMENT OF PARIS.
BERLIN, December 20.
The following despatch has been received:—

" Versailles, December 28.
" Mont Avron did not reply to our siege artillery
to-day. Only the forts fired.

4. On the 26th the Ist Army reached the neigh-
°°llrhood of Bapaume. The number of prisoners
still increases."

PARIS, December 27.

General Schmitz, the chief of General Trochu's
btaff, has published a report on the recent sortie,
Which explains the withdrawal of the troops from
before Le Bouiget as a measure taken to preserve
the troops, and in no way due to an intention
t° abandon the operations which have been com-
menced.

C.TIELLES, December 28.

The German heavy batteries ranged at intervals
froth Noisy-le-Grand on the south to Rainey on the
114th. The German fire was steady, the average
being
24 shots per minute. The French was
more irregular; at times quite furious, than nearly
lilent, and towards sundown it slackened perceptibly.
Both sides are now much slacker. Our fire will be
continued steadily.
The air was full of snowflakes, at the commence-
kept interfering with the aim of the gunners, and
/'4th the ability to discern and follow up results.

GENERAL FAIDHERBE'S POSITION.
BRUSSELS, December 29.
General Faidherbe's beadquarteis are now at
tiltry, the sonstaon on the Pa:is line south of
°uai. Theec Prussian cavalry is at Masnieres, about
f
our miles from Cambrai.

There has been an engagement at Abbeville
11tween 400 Germans and an equal number of
I,e
rench. General Faidherbe makes Lille the basis of
IE4B operations. It is expected that the place will be
besieged.

CONTINUED RETREAT OF THE GERMANS.

BESANCON, December 28.

The Germans continue their movement of retreat
41 the Departments of the East. They have
e:acuated Gray, thus indicating that Vesoul is the
destination of their march.
These movements of General Werder plainly in-
`l
„Icate at once a strenuous operation of the French
armies of the Upper Loire and Upper Saone, and
serious apprehension on the part of the Germans
'Or the safety of their great trunk line of communi-
eations.

PREPARATIONS AT MARSEILLES.
MARSEILLES, December 26.

Thirty-seven batteries of 34-pounders, and twenty-
ejght batteries of 7-pounders, 390 pieces in all,
arebeing manufactured at La Ciotat and other
foundries at Marseilles and Toulon—all the
above to be delivered, fully equipped, by Janu-
ary 31st, 1871. The hors -3s for the batteries
Arles.
been requisitioned Marseilles, Aix, and
Fifteen thousand Mobilised National Guards
4e already equipped and armed with rites,
//l'ich will be exchanged for ChaEsepots as soon
.._
Possible.

THE INVESTMENT OF MEZIERES.
LIEGE, December 27.
the
the investment of Mezieres the employes of
tilled
railway from Givet to Oharleville have been
lted as soldiers and artillerymen. Their principal
duty is to destroy the railways before the passage of
tt
ie enemy, and to re-establish them afterwards.
1;e environs of Mezieres are full of Francs-tireurs,
11,
ile, conceal themselves in the woods for a whole
tkeek well provided for. They iuflict great losses on
ge Prussians.

INTERCESSION OF THE POPE.
BORDEAUX, December 26.

peal
Liberte states that the Pope has made a pro
rgal to the European Powers to act as a mediator
°l'der to put an end to •the war between France
Prussia.
La Liberte adds that it does not yet know the
.Qeeptiou which has been accorded to this august
~,
44tiative.

REPULSE OF THE GE.RMA.NS NEAR
ABBEVILLE.

The Geueral-in-Chief at Lille has received the
to
llownr, report from the Commander of Abbe-
°

66 ABBEVILLE, December 27.
"A detachment of the garrison of Abbeville had
engagement ti-day at the village L'Etoile, near
T(1116113re, with 400 Prussians, infantry and cavalry.
4e latter, although superior in numbers, took to
Night, after a fight which lasted two hours and a
half, leaving 20 killed and wounded on the field.
(
I 1 Our aide .one man was killed and two slightly
..°Nnded."

" Abbeville, December 27 (Evening).
14 continuation of my message of to-day it has
been ascertained that the enemy had 49 men and
h it:e horses killed. . The number of wounded, not
0111, but seems to be rather large."