The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-10 00:00:00

THE NEW CONFEDERATION,

The Wurternburg Government has determined to
support Bavaria in her denian3s for individual
freedom of action in the new Confederation.

THE SORTIES FROM METZ.

The Times publishes the following telegram from
its own correspondent
SAARBRUCK, OCT. 8 (6.5 P.M.)

On Friday great sorties were made from Metz.
Bazaine was apparently trying to cut his way out
by Thionville to Luxemburg. The attack was made
from Ladon, Champs Grandes, and Petites Dapes,
and other villages north of Fort St. Eloy. The
Prussians lost their first line, two Landwehr regi-
ments being terribly cut up. The villages were
afterwards taken by storm. Two feigned attacks
were made without effect. Forty thousand French
were engaged. The Prussians lost nearly a thou-
sand men, the French twice that number.

CORNY, NEAR METZ, OCT. 8.

The enemy yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock,
attacked the Division Kummer near Woippy. A
serious action occurred, which was continued tid
after nightfall. The enemy were repulsed every-
where. On our side the Division Kummer, the 9th
Infantry Brigade, and parts of the 10th Corps were
engaged. The French Guards were under fire.
Simultaneously the enemy on the right bank
of the Moselle sent several Divisions against the Ist
and 10th Corps. There was a heavy cannonade.
The losses in the Division Kummer and the 10th
Corps amounted to 500 men in the 3rd Corps to
150.

SAARBRUCK, Ocr. 9.

The Commissariat moved from Courcelles to
Herny for fear of being cut off by Bazaine. An
attempt was made yesterday by the Prussians to
blow up by night the Chateau de la Grange unsuc-
cessfully. Bazaine made a sortie on the division of
von Kummer. The Prussians were driven back.
Kummer re-attacked on being supported by the
10th Army Corps, and the French were driven into
Metz. The losses were heavy on both sides. Kummer
repulsed sorties on the 22nd and 23rd of September
near iGrimont. Prince Frederick Charles is quite
well again.

THE BATTLE IN THE VOSGES.

The engagement in the Vosges, reported by
General Degenfeld from Etival, is the one of which
an imperfect account from a French source was pub-
lished on Saturday. The French official account con-
tained the statement:—" There was no decisive read;
on either side. We maintained our positions." The
German account contains statements exactly the
opposite of these. The scene of the battle is more
precisely indicated in the, German than it was in the
French account. Etival, the headquarters of the
German General, St. Remy, and Nompatelize are
just to the north of the Foret de Montagne, and the
town of St. Die on the Upper Meurthe, thus in the
eastern portion of the department of the
Vosges. The French corps, which is stated
upon the reports of prisoners to have num-
bered 14,000 men, consisted partly of troops
of the line and partly of Gardes Mobile. The Ger-
man General represents his own force at about
7,000. The French report had estimated it at 8,000
or 10,000. Each had two batteries of artillery, but
the Germans appear to have had two squadrons of
dragoons. The French were under General Pet-
hevin, who had come up from the south ; the
German troops were Badeuers, and this was the first
battle the Baden division had fought as an inde-
pendent force. The villages of St. Remy and Nom-
patilize and the wood of Jumelles were carried at
he point of the bayonet. The battle ended in a
victory for the Germans, who took 60 officers and
600 prisoners unwounded. Their own loss was 20
officers and 410 men killed and wounded : that of
the French is estimated at about three times that
number. The Germans bivouacked on the field of
battle.

PRUSSIAN REPULSE AT ST,
QUENTIN.

A telegram from Lille states that the Prussians
have suffered a defeat at St. Quentin. The work-
men erected a barricade and fought with such deter-
mination that the enemy had to retreat with some

Loss.

AMIENS, OCT. 9 (AFTERNOON.)

A gallant affair has taken place at St. Quentin,
where a thousand of the Gardes Mobiles have re-
pulsed twice their number of the enemy, killing many
Prussians and taking some prisoners. Teleyr aph
Telep am.
THE SIEGE OF PARIS.

BERLIN, OCT. 9.

The South German Sovereigns will be invited to
the Royal Headquarters before Paris, to discuss
their reunion with the North German Confederacy.

The troops before Phalsbourg have been increased
to four battalions, and provided with heavy guns
from Strasburg.
The Tours Government begins to prepare the
French for the cession of territory. The Paris
Liberte approves a communication, which, it says, it
has received from Tours, and which includes a slight
correction of the frontier near Wissembourg in favour
of Germany.

The French construct fresh earthworks between
Vity and Villejuif, and opposite Meudon, near Isle
Seguin, and in front of Montrouge. The Germans
complete their redoubts in Jerome Napoleon's park
at Meudon, and on Brinborion-hill, near Sevres
The latter threaten Auteuil, Passy, and Grenelle.—
Times Telegram.

THE DEPARTURE OF TROOPS
FROM TOURS.
TOURS, OCT. 7 (NIGHT).
The greater part of the troops which left here
on Wednesday night and Thursday returned last
night and to-day. Whatever might have been the
duty upon which they were hastily despatched,
it is certain they did not meet with the enemy.
Several fresh regiments have arrived 'to-day,
some of which are composed of fairly disciplined
men, and the whole body appeared to be in excellent
spirits. A new camp has also been termed. There
was a grand parade of the troops to-day. It was
noticed that there was a great want of regimental
officers, and this, 1 undcr:tand, has been the prin-
cipal cause of the delay in the organisation of new
armies.

Five huudred Papal Zouaves also marched into

Tours to-day. Judging by their appearance, I
should say they are not a very formidable body of
warriors. A large numbet of them are mere
children—boys scarcely out of their teens. How-
ever, they declare themselves anxious to meet the
enemy.— Telegraph Telegram.

THE' REMOVAL OF THE DELE-
GATION FROM TOURS.
TOURS, OCT. 8 (A.FTERNooN.)

Heavy rain has fallen here all the morning.

A Council of Ministers has been summoned for
five o'clock this afternoon it is understood
for the purpose of considering the propriety of
removing the seat of the Government Delegation
to Bordeaux, on the ground that Tours would not
afford sufficient accommodation for the meeting of
the Constituent Assembly. The Foreign Ambassa-
dors in this city have already sent attachOs to Bor-

Beaux, in order to prepare for their reception.
Telegraph Telegram.

THE FIGHT AT GISORS.

ROUEN, OCT. 8.

The Prussian attack in the direction of Gisors
and Gournay is believed to have been a feint to
cover a more important movement for the destruc-
tion of the rai!ways in Normandy south of the
Seine.

LILLE, OCT. 8 (NiGnT).

A battalion of the Gardes Mobile garrisoned at
Lille hats been despatched to Busigny to watch the
Prussian movements. Lively cannonading has
been heard at Aigleville, on the road to Paris. The
Prussians who occupied Gisors are falling back on
Bezu St. Eloi. A Prussian detachment of hussars is
at Bezu.

A petition has been drawn up at Amiens, and
numerously signed, urging that, in view of the in-
convenience of carrying out elections for the Con-
stituent Assembly in face of the enemy, the Govern-
ment be empowered to carry on the war or make
peace, and that the elections be postponed until the
Constituent Assembly, elected by universal suffrage,
can be convoked in Paris.

The A ational asserts that 18,000 Prussians have
during the week been put hors de combat under the
walls of 'Paris. All the locomotives upon the rail-
roads are being furnished with breast-plates, render-
ing them shot-proof.

OCCUPATION OF ABLIS BY
THE PRUSSIANS. •
CALAIS, OCT. 9.
A proclamation is posted here : "The Prussians
entered Ablis on Thursday, cut the telegraph
wires, destroyed the railway, and pillaged the guard-
house."

ARRIVAL OF GARIBALDI AT
TOURS.

TOURS, OCT. 9 (MORNING).

Garibaldi has arrived, and the Francs-tireurs have
just given him an ovation at the Prefecture. He
made a short speech to the men, in which he told
them that he had come among them to fight for, the
holy republic.

M. THIERS'S MISSION.

VIENNA, OCT. 9.

M. Thiers arrived this morning. He conferred
with Count Bemt upwards of two hours. I'lie
reception was most friendly. An interview with the
Emperor is highly probable. Russia and Austria
assured him alike of their great sympathies for
France, and their anxious desires for the restoration
of peace, but also of the absolute impracticability of
intervening. M. Thiers proceeds hence to Florence
in a few days.—Standard Telegram.

THE FRANCO-AMERICAN
VOLUNTEERS.
The Phare de la Loire says the Franco-American
volunteers who arrived at Brest from New York in
the steamer Lafayette had left on foot for Rennes,
having previously announced that the authorities
refused to provide them with food or shelter.

AMERICA AND THE WAR.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 9.

The President has issued a proclamation denying
the use of American harbours or waters to armed
vessels of either European belligerent for preparing
hostile expeditions, or as points of observation
upon opponents' vessels ; and ordering that no
armeb ship shall remain more thou 24 hours in any
American harbours, excepting under stress of
weattler, for provisions or repairs. The proclama-
tion requires that 24 hours' delay in the departure
of an armed ship shall be enforced where an oppo-
nent's vessel had left. It also limits the amount of
supplies to be furnished. The proclamation-has been
occasioned by the conduot of French cruisers
watching German vessels at New York.—Times
Telegram.

THE ROMAN PLEBISCITE

FLORENCE, OCT. 9.

The Itoman deputation, composed of thirty
gentlemen, after accepting a municipal breakfast
at Pisa, arrived at Florence at half-past three on
Saturday afternoon. They met with a most en..
thusiastic recepiton. The National Guards and
soldiers lined the streets, which were adorned with
flags and festoons of tricolor hangings. Dense
crowds of people applauded the deputation
during their progress, crying " Evviva
Italy, and King Victor Emmanuel !" One of the
King's Aide-de-Camp and two Masters of the
Ceremonies represented the •Court at the station.
The municipal councillors, headed by the Syndic
Peruzzi, received the deputation, and accompanied it
to the Hotel New York. This evening a banquet at
the Cascines takes place.—Tclegraph Telegram.

The Cologne Gazette of Saturday treats the whole
story of the death of the Duke of Nassau as a myth.

A St. Petersburg telegram says, " the re• formation
of the Cossacks of the Don into regulars has com-
menced, although the Cossacks themselves are
opposed to it, for next year they will have to furnish
60,000 men for a three years' service iu the regular
army."

The Pesther Lloyd professes to have good authority
for stating that a circular despatch of Prince
Gortchakoff, sent off within the last few days,
demands the removal of the restrictions on the
navigation of the Black Sea, on the ground that
Russia requires ships of war there for the military
command of the Caucasus.

SUE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 18-(t.

-31-ERMANY AND BRi Cl 6 ti
NE UTRAT TTY.
The following extracts are taken from a note sent by
Count Bernstorff to Earl Granville in reply to his com-
munication of the 15th September on the subject of
British neutrality :

" Prussia House, Oct. 8, 1870,

"My Lord—l have the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of your Excellency's note of the 15th
ultimo, in reply to my memorandum of the 30th
August concerning British neutrality. I have left it un.
answered for a time, because for the moment hopes of
peace appeared to offer, and as I should have much pre.,
ferred to discontinue the controversy altogether. These
hopes having, however, I sincerely regret, diappeared far
the present,' cannot but reply to your Excellency's note."
Count Bernstorff speaks of the origin of the correspon-
dence, and says :—" Your Excellency had, it is true,
promised that as soon as I could adduce proofs of a certain
vessel being hired by or for a French Government, id
order to be used as a storeship in its service, the
case should receive consideration. Notwithstanding
this promise, your Excellency declined, according to
my request of the 19th of August; to proceed
against the 'vessels Hypathia and Norseman Merely on
the ground that these vessels had sailed before the
Foreign Enlistment Act had come into operation. The
two other points, however, proved by undeniable evi-
dence—namely, that both vessels had sailed under
British flag after conclusion of the sale, and that, even
up to the Bth ultimo, the transfer of the property to
the Frencn owners had not been entered on the ship's
books, while the sale had taken place about the middle
of the month of July—have been passed over in silence
by your Excellency, although the twofold violation of
the international law and of the English law had been
clearly established.

"The notes, in which I had submitted to your Excellency
several cases which had become known of contemplated or
alrady accomplished open and clandestine consignments
of arms and ammunition to France, in order to afford an
opportunity to her Brittanic Majesty's Government of
preventing them or obiviating the further exclusion of the
mischief, met with the same fate. Your Excellency
had assured me, in the replies to my communications on the
subject that they shonld receive attention, or that they
should be taken into immediate consideration, or that in-
quiries should be made at once. But none of your Ex-
cellency's notes contained a positive statement to the
effect that her Britannic Majesty's Government regarded
the traffic in contraband of war compatible with their
neutrality, and that they could not interfere. On the
contrary, it has been repeatedly left to me to search after
particular cases with the means at my disposal, in order
to bring them under the notice of her Majesty's Govern-
ment.

"I should have been glad, indeed, if your Excellency
had, by a categorical official declaration, placed me in a
position to release the consular agents of the North Ger-
man Confederation in the United Kingdom from the
laborious and unpleasant task of controlling this illegiti-
mate traffic.

"Your Excellency will especially please to recollect
that, subsequent to the indiscretion of Count Palikao,
which created a great sensation, not only in Germany,
but also in this country, your Excellency, far from de-
claring the despatch of 40,000 breechloaders for the
French army to be compatible with strict neutrality, stated
that it would be impossible to interfere unless I ad-
duced positive proofs that such consignments had
really taken place. At least your Excellency's notes
of the 25th and 26th of August, in reply to my note
of the 25th, justified such conclusion on my part.
"After waiting in vain for the promulgation of an
' Order in Council,' or for any official announcement on
the part of her Brittanic Majesty's Government, or for
instructions to the police, customs, and harbour au•
thorities of the United Kingdom, but having meanwhile
ascertained, by means of reliable communications, that
the consignments announced by Count Palikao were being
actively carried on, I embodied my views of the political
bearing of the question in the memorandum, in order to
chew distinctly to the British Cabinet, in a most unofficial
form, the impression necessarily created in Germany by
the toleration of the export of arms to France.
" It is true your Excellency, on the sth ult., in reply
to my note of the 2nd ult., informed me that some of the
packages in a certain truck on a railway pointed out by
sae contained bacon. But besides the possibility of other
packages which had not been opened having contained
arms, and of my having been misinformed only in regard
to the particular number of the railway truck, I could
c c,ontrario draw the conclusion from your Excellency's
communication that her Brittanic Majesty's Government
would have complied with my request if those
packages had contained arms instead of bacon.
In your note of the 13th ultimo, while acknow-
ledging the correctness of a large number of cases
pointed out by me, your Excellency declared that the
traffic which had been quite openly carried on was legiti-
mate, and that the Customs authorities had no power to
stop it. Had her Majesty's Government from the com-
mencement of the discussion taken this standing ground,
they would certainly not have induced me to institute
the above inquiries, and far less would they have had rea-
son to subject the correctness-of my informations to a prac-
tical test.

" I therefore consider myself justified in concluding
that her Britannic Majesty's Government, since the
receipt of my memorandum, has materially changed the
position previously occupied in regard of our complaints.
"I now have the honour to 'fer to your Excellency's
note of the 15th ult., and must agin by contradicting the
supposition that I had expressed a desire on the part of
my Government that the attitude of Great Britain to-
wards Germany in this war should be that of a ' benevo-
lent neutrality.' On the contrary, as a. repeated and
careful examination of my arguments in their mutual
connection will convince your Excellency, I have on the
one hand merely given expression to my satisfaction that
public opinion had ranged itself on our side in this war,
wantonly thrust upon us, and had, on the other hand,
combined with it the reflection how difficult it is to recon-
cile the faith in the practical value of public opinion with
the neutrality policy actually pursued by her Brittanic
Majesty's Government.
" I have by no means asked, and far less claimed on our
part, that England should transgress the bounds of a
strict neutrality in our favour, and to the detriment of
France. But I have asserted, and in the face of the ex-
periences of the last few weeks, as well as in consequence
of your Excellency's note of the 15th ult., must main-
tain my assertion, that the neutrality of England, while,
as I am most willing to admit, intended to be impartial,
in its practical effects assumes the form of a neutrality
which is benevolent and partial towards France.
"Your Excellency admits that the export of arms and
ammunition to France has latterly assumed larger propor-
tions than had hitherto appeared credible. I have the
honour to remark that, according to my information,
which may be partly tested upon oath if this should
appear desirable, the number of firearms shipped from
England to France since my memorandum of the 30th
ult. is treble and fourfold the number of 40.000 an-
nounced by Count Palikao ; and that a number of manu-
factories, especially in Birmingham and London, are
working day and night for French agents and their men
of straw. lam in possession of authenticated copies of
contracts concluded between the French Government and
English contractors.
"Since, however, as already alluded to, her Britannic
Majesty's Government, relinquishing its former standing
ground, does not doubt the actual legitimacy of these
consignments of arms, but disputes the validity
of our complaints concerning the toleration of
these facts from a judicial and political point of view, I
shall now proceed to an enumeration of the arguments
contained in your Excellency's note of the 15th ult.
" According to your Excellency's own admission, the Ex-
ecutive has the power to prohibit the export of contraband
of war. But you state the practice is to make use of this
right only in the interest of England, as in the case of
self-defence. A letter of the Duke of Wellington to Mr.
Canning, dated 30th August, 1825, and reprinted in a
London newspaper immediately after the indiscretion of
Count Palikao, refutes this assumption, proving that
England, as a neutral, has repeatedly prohibited the
export of arms by an ' Order in Council,' according to
the usual practice, as the renowned Duke says. In ono
part of this letter the words occur : I am afraid, then,
that the world will not entirely acquit us of at least not
doing our utmost to prevent this breach of neutrality of
which the Porte will accuse us.'

" Practice, consequently, is in itself not opposed to the
adoption of a measure desired by us for the prohibition of
the sale of arms to our enemy. But the law allows
Government a certain latitude of consideration to make use
of their power according to circumstances. Your Excellency
is, however, of opinion that the present Customs' system
would require a radical reform, in order to prevent the export
of contraband of war. But I think the very fact of such
laxity tends to show that, for the purpose of rendering
an Order in Council' effectual, no new organisation
would be required, but simply more stringent instructions
for the Customs' and Harbour authorities, reminding them
of the existing regulations.
"I hope to be able to prove, by the following passages
in English statutes, that her Britannic Majesty's Govern-
ment have at their disposal, in case they should wish to
avail themselves of them, the means to put a stop to thin

traffic without the necessity of introducing a new
machinery of officials for the purpose.
"By the 150th section of chapter 107, The Customs
donaolidation Act, 1853' (16 and 17 Viet.), it is enacted
that—' The fotoWilis foods' may, by proclamation or
Order in Council, be prohibited; either to be exported or
carried coastwise : Arms, ammunitiot; and gunpowder,
&e. ; and if any goods so prohibited shall be eXported
from the United Kingdom, or carried coastwise] cu. by
water borne to be so exported, they shall be forfeited./

" Section 125 of the same Act enacts :---` That the ex-
porter of British manufactures, or his agents, has to de-
clare, in a shipping bill, the marks, numbers, description
of packages, and the quantity, quality, and description of
goods about to be shipped for exportation.'
" Section 5 of the 122nd chapter of the 17th and 18th
Victoria (1854) enacts That, on the entry at the Cus-
toms of arms and ammuntion of war, whether for home
use, exportation, or in transit; the number of articles of
each description as denOminated in Table A (swords,
bayonets, muskets, rifles, carbines, cannons; mortars, &c.)
shall be stated in the import, export, or transit entry.'
" The passage; therefore, in your Excellency's note, that
such export is not forbidden by our municipal law,' can
but have the meaning that a positive declaration is still
required on the part of her Brittanic Majesty's Govern-
ment before the power with which it is invested comes
into operation.

" The seat:4ld passage of the quoted enactment proves
that the means for an efficient control have likewise been
provided by the law itself. It is truo the intention must
exist to supply the remedy. That, however, the action of
her Majesty's Government does not always remain the
same under all circumstances, I may be permitted to prove
by two instructions issued to the Customs' authorities of
the United Kingdom on the 2nd June, 1848, and the Bth
September, 1870, respectively,
" The first originated at the time of the Danish-German
complications, when Sir Charles Trevelyan, one of the
secretaries to the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's
Treasury, informed the Commissioners of Customs in a
Treasury minute that 'in transmitting to them copies
of a letter received by their lordships from the Voroigu
Office, and of its enclosures, from the Danish Minister to
this Court; he has been commanded by their lordships to
desire that if the Commissioners shall be satisfied that any
army or warlike stores are embarked to be sent from this
country for the purpose of being employ ed in hostilities
against the Danish Government, they will give instruo.
tions to their officers to prevent their exportation taking
place.' In pursuance of this order of the Lords of the
Treasury, the Commissioners of the Customs issued direc-
tions to their officers of the several departments in the
port of London, and to all the collectors and comptrollers
of all the ports throughout the kingdom, to take care
that the same be duly obeyed, with instructions to make
a ' special report to the Board of any circumstances that
may arise fit for their cognisance.'
" On the other hand, the present instructions, notwith-
standing my continued complaints since the middle of
July, in this year, are as follows :
" `The Examining Officers, Custom House,
" 'London, Sept. 8, 1870.

" In pursuance of instructions from the Lords Com-
missioners of her Majesty's Treasiiry, the Board directs
you, when it is supposed that arms and ammunition are
being exported, to ascertain the fact ; and, if so, what is
the nature of the arms and ammunitions, and in what
quantities, by whom, and to what destination they are to
be shipped ; but you are not in any case to delay the ship-
ment longer than is sufficient to obtain the above par-
ticulars. A report to be made to the Board in each case.
—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, " 'J. B. HAL
" The Collector at

" This contrast in the treatment of analogous cases is
self-evident, and calls for no comment on my part. I
think that I am entitled to contend that they prove con-
clusively how easy it would have been for her Britannic
Majesty's Government to render the control which has
been ordered for their own information effective, also with
regard to my complaints, without damaging the usual and
legitimate trade of the country.
" I had on a former occasion taken the liberty to propose
to your Excellency still another remedy.
"This measure would consist in demanding securities
that articles cleared for a neutral port should really be
delivered there. Your Excellency considers this proposal
impracticable. I beg permission, however, to quote a
passage from a French law of the 14th July, 1860—`Law
concerning the manufacture and sale of arms for war
purposes '—which has been reprinted in the appendix
to the ' Report of the Neutrality Law Commissioners
of 1867.'

"It says, at page 48 of the Report, under the head of
Title 11., No 9' The export of arms or pieces of arms
for warfare is free, under the conditions laid down by the
law or by the regulations of the administrative autho-
rities.

" ' An Imperial decree, may, however, forbid this ex-
portation beyond the frontiers for a fixed destination and
limited period.
" ' The Custom-house officers through which the ex-
port may take place arc named by decrees for the pur-
pose.

" ' When the export is prohibited for certain points of
destination, the exporters must, under the penalties im-
posed by Article 4 of Section iii. of the law of 22nd
August, 1791, certify the arrival of the arms at a legiti-
mate point of destination by means of bonds, which on
departure are delivered to them by the Customs authori-
ties, and cancelled on arrival at the port of destination by
the consular agents of France.'
"My proposal, therefore, if it has not the merit of
originality, enjoys at least the advantage of being
recognised as practicable by the French Legislature.
" Notwithstanding a careful study of the quoted
' Report of the Neutrality Laws Commissioners,' I have
not been able to find the proof in it that this Commission
had come to the decision that a prohibition of the export
of arms and ammunition was, indeed, impracticable or
impolitic.
"The second objection of your Excellency to the legiti-
macy of our complaints is the alleged wrong on the part
of Prussia during the Crimean War. I do not wish to
recur to the greater or less degree of analogy between both
the cases in question, as a continuation of this controversy,
especially before the public, might create feelings in one or
other of the two nations which I am most anxious to avoid.
However that may be, and even if the most complete
analogy existed and had been acknowledged by me, I still
could not refrain from upholding the alternative that, if
the complaints of England against Prussia at the time of
the Crimean war were warranted, those of Germany
against England at the present time are at least equally
well-followed.

" As regards your Excellency's arguments, by which the
dilemma is to be obviated, I wish to make a single reply.
" It is evident that the justice of former complaints
against us is deduced from a concession made by
Prussia to England and her allies, in excess of its
strict obligations as a neutral, while our present
grievances are stated to be unfounded, because England
has not made concessions of any kind in excess of its
bare duties of neutrality, and merely concedes to us a right
of complaint in so far as the violation of English law is
concerned.

"If I should at all draw a conclusion from this line of
argument, it could only be that Prussia did, at that time
more in principle for the observation of neutrality than
England does at • present ; and therefore evinced at that
time more than a friendly neutrality towards England
than the latter now observes towards us ; and
that therefore the complaints of England were
then less warranted than ours now are. As
regards the practical observation of the existing
laws and regulations, I shall not revert to the numerous
complaints of England on acount of alleged transport of
arms through Prussia, of which I have still a perfect
recollection, and which at the time were proved un-
founded.

" On the other hand, I must draw attention to the infrac-
tions of British law, as shewn above, even in its present
state, in order to prove that our complaints certainly have,
in this respect also, a foundation based on facts.
" In addition, I cannot refrain from opposing the prin-
ciple involved in your Excellency's argument. For lam
of opinion that the right of the belligerent Powers to com-
plain about the attitude of a neutral State does not so
much originate in its accidental municipal law as in the
international law, with which it is the duty of every Go-
vernment to bring its own laws into harmony.

" The present controversy simply centres in the quez-
tion whether the refusal of her Majesty's Government to
prohibit the export of arms is not at variance with the
still unaltered general rules of international law regarding
the duties of neutrals towards belligerents, and with the
laws of this country, not yet repealed by the Legislature,
for the better fulfilment of these duties ? That such is
the case I believe I have proved by the existing facts and
the laws themselves.
"Your Excellency remarks that rrance has suffered
only defeats, while Germany, on the other hand, exhibits
uninterrupted successes, and you connect therewith the
reflection that it would be contrary to the feelings of her
Britannic Majesty's Government now to change a line of
policy entered upon at a time when they could not know
which side would be favoured by the fortune of wt..
" In the first instance, I should wish to raise tue oujec-
tion hereto that the Government of her Britannic
Majesty brought the new Foreign Enlistment 41st before
Parliament after the outbreak of the war, and that when
advocating the bill they emphatically declared that the

laws hitherto in force would not be altered thereby,, but
merely supplemented, _

" If, hON'Vever, it cannot be doubtful, on the one hand,
that in existing circumstances the new law is only bene-
ficial to France, rendering it impossible for Germany to
get ships which she needed most urgently—while, on the
other hand, the Executive now refuses to apply the old
laws for the prevention of export of arms and ammunition
to France, and hereby the United Kingdom becomes
a great arsenal for our enemy—the new law assumes, in
a/twelve/10e of this, a character as regards Germany
which, if 1c hostile, is practically malevolent; but this,
as I have the satisfaction to know, and as is provedby the
Parliamentary debate 3, 'rem not the intention 01 the
Legislature.
" I further have the honour to remark that our com
plaints of the manner in which the English neutrality
laws are being administered date from a time when 1,16
had not yet gained any victories, and that they were in
nowise first raised by my memorandum of the 30th
August. Moreover, at the time the memorandum was
penned, France still possessed two powerful armies,
while her fleets commanded the Baltic and North •Sea
so that it could not possibly be a matter of indifference to
us whether England, by the exercise of her neutrality-,
materially increased the advantages which France derived
from our want of control of the sea.

"But even under the present circumstances the German
people would not easily be persuaded that it was wanting
in chivalry because it complains that, by an unrestricted
export of arms, the enemy, who had been overcome
only by its own great sacrifice, is furnished with the
means of prolonging a struggle which, even if its final re-
sult should not thereby be materially affected, still, in
any case, must lead to more bloodshed and more sacrifices
for both belligerents. Even the most eloquent defender of
the position taken by her Britannic Majesty's Government
will not succeed in the eyes of Germany in bringing such
9, neutrality policy into harmony with the considerations
of humanity and the wishes for peace so frequently
advocated by England.
"As for the hope expressed by your Excellency that
the German people will, in a cooler moment, judge less
severely the attitude of the Government of Great Britain
in this question than now in the heat of action, I regret
that, in consequence of your Excellency's note of the
15t, ult., added to the knowledge that our enemy is being
daily equipped with British arms, I cannot share it.
" Should this state of things continue, I could only
look forward to the soothing influence which the nume-
rous and aetual proofs of sympathy given by the
English people, and the manifold testimonies of public
opinion in favour of Germany and its good right, may
have upon the feelings of the German nation.—l have
the honour, &c.,

(Signed) "BERNSTORFP.
" His Excellency the Earl Granville. &c."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE

NEWMARKET RACES—TiIIs DAY.

(Br ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
NEWMARkET, Monday, 1.30 p.m.
BETTING AT THE SUBSCRIPTION ROOMS.
CESAREWITCH.
100 to, 12 agst Wheatear (taken)
10 to 1 aot Annie Wood (taken)
12 to 1 agst Hawthornden (taken)
12 to 1 agst Flibustier (taken)
12 to 1 agst Rattlepate (offered—afser 1000 to 80
had been taken)
20 to 1 agst Falkland (taken)
200 to 11 agst Typhoeus (taken)
33 to 1 agst Nero (taken freely)
33 to 1 agst Ryshworth (taken)
33 to 1 agst Sister to Cherie (taken)
33 to 1 agst Not Out York
1000 to 40 agst Cardinal York (taken)
1000 to 40 agst Barford (offere4l)
40 to 1 agst Tabouret (taken)
50 to 1 agst Exciseman (taken)
50 to 1 agst Dairymaid (taken)
1000 to 10 agst Cinderella (taken)
100 to 1 agst Recorder (offered)
100 to 1 agst Arlington (offered)
20 to 1 agst Mr. l3rayley's lot (offered)
CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
100 to 1 agst Tabouret (offered—after 33 to 1 had
been taken)
PRODUCE STAKES.

Sunflower c

ANDICAP PLATE,

Ramaquin
Porphyre
Gourbi

... W.O.

Five ran.
PLATE OF 100 SOVS.

Somno...
Glacus...
Corbeille

Nineteen ran.
BETTING ON THE COURSE.
CESAREWITCH.
1000 to 60 agst Faraway (taken)
20 to 1 agst Ryshworth (taken)

CITY B Ern G.—Tins DAY.
7to 1 agst Wheatear (offered-8 to 1 taken)
9to 1 agst Annie Wood (taken and offered)
9to 1 agst Hawthornden (offered-stoke 10 to 1)
100 to 8 agst Rattlepate (taken and offered)
100 to 8 agst Flibustier (offered-100 to 7 taken)
100 to 6 agst Typhoens (taken and offered)

THE MONEY MARKET

CITY, Two o'CLcoK.
Business to-day on the Stock Exchange was quiet, but
the tendency seemed to be to improve. Consols aro
without change at 921 to 92i for delivery, and 92 7-16 to
92 9-16 for account. Railway Stocks and Foreign Bonds
are quiet. New and Reduced Three per Cents., 91 to 91f.
In Foreign Stocks, Italian have improved the present
quotation being 54a to 543 ; and Turkish are lower, at
43/1 to 43g.
The Manchester Examiner says :—" On 'Change the
suspension of Messrs. Martin, Tennant. and Co., of Lon-
don and Bombay, was currently reported."
New York advices mention a meeting of the creditors
of Francis Skinner and Co., at which the statement sub-
mitted shewed liabilities to the amount of £860,000, due
chiefly to banks and .manufacturing companies. A com-
mittee of inspection was appointed to examine the assets
and report at an early date.
In anticipation of the meeting to be held on the 19th
inst., the directors of the Land Mortgage Bank of India
have issued their report. The current revenue of 1869 was
sufficient to meet all charges and leave a surplus of £1,504.
All the financial requirements of the undertaking to
June, 1871, have been fully provided for, and no call is
necessary or contemplated. It is still thought that the
gross losses in respect of principal will fall within the
sum at which they were estimated in 186 S, viz., £172,000.
The directors propose to reduce the borrowing powers of
the bank on its debentures from £8,000,000, the amount
now authorised by the articles of association, to a gross
sum of £1,000,000, inclusive of the debentures now
current.

An extraordinary meeting of the Royal Sardinian Rail-
way Company is called for the 18th inst., " fo- the purpose
of taking into consideration the provisions of the Conven-
tion made with the Italian Government."

The ordinary general meeting of the Queensland Sheep
Investment Company will be held on the 18th inst.