The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-30 00:00:00

'1 HE SUN, LOINDOIN, FRIDAY, SEMEN:BUR 30, 18715.

THE WAR.

they were in garrison. On the evening of the 9th the
Germans opened fire on the' entrenched camps of the
enemy ; six batteries were placed in position. Negotia-
tions took place between the headquarters of hotili armiei
on the subject of the exchange of prisoners and the trans-
port of the wounded. The trains, containing French pri-
soners, from Sedan have left off for some days. During the
last week the bad weather has been succeeded
by weather of the most beautiful description,
and the sanitary state of the German troops leaves
nothing to desire. The regular postal service is restored,
so that the army receives letters from Berlin dated the
previous. day. The soldiers have picked up some small
balloons, by means of which the besieged had endeavoured
to send thousands of small letters to their families.. The
General-in-Chief has received visits from the Grand Dulie

-+

AROSTItTIa COMMUNICATION WITH
PARIS.

The Ind4endance Belge.ilias received the first communi-
cation from Paris through the balloon-post. This system
has been carried to a state of much higher perfection than
was deemed possible at first. The balloon-post of Paris
does not consist merely of a simple box of letters, it is a
box which is accompanied by a postman, who is an accom-
plished aeronaut, and keeps the balloon afloat so long as it
would be dangerous to descend. Nadar, who has
organised the service, writes to the IndOpendance from
Paris, on the 22nd of September, aslfollows :—" I analijun-
willing to lose an opportunity of informing you ith
respect to our movements. By order of the i4o-
veriunent I send off the first batch of despatches,
and I know enough of the teronaut in charge
to feel certain that this letter is sure to reach you. You
would not recognise Paris, my friend. lam old enough
to remember many different phases of this city. I can
recall 1830 ; I was here in 1848 ; I saw the days of June ;
I assisted at the hideous time in December; but I never
saw anything 'similar to what fe now taking place. A
stroke of a magic wand has transformed this. capital of
pleasure. Every man is 'armed. Every street is silent.
All the slurps are closed. At each angle of the place, on
all the boulevards, on all the pavements, from the dawn
of day till nightfall, one meets no one but Gardes Mobiles
and Gardes Nationales. No women appear in the streets,
even in the daytime. Only grave and silent citizens, their
guns on their shoulders, pass along. The battalions which
go beyond 'the ramparts pass the battalions who return.
One thought, one desire, pervades the people—to revenge
their defeats. We have just escaped a terrible danger in
thearraistice demanded by our Government and refused
by Prussia. This was civil war, and never at any period
.of any history were the populace more universally and
formidably armed. The redoubtable faubourgs would
only have had one movement to make in order to crush
the centre of Paris. The fortunate refusal of 'Count Bis-
marck has given us breathing time, and it seems that this
dangerous experiment of our Government has given us
that show of right which was so little on our side at the
outset of this abominable war. We are now regaining
the equilibrium which we had so fearfully lost. War is
not made alone with chassepots and cannon ; it
is not with impunity that, after having set
other nations the most lamentable example
for twenty years, we have had neither a friend
nor an ally in the world. We have been so cruelly
punished in our honour by our blood and our ruin that
expiation ought to cease. We all hope that it will shortly
cease, and that the, war will not be the same for
Republican that it was for Imperial France. Prussia
refuses, implacably, to accord peace to her disarmed
enemy, but all will be set right, and this unjust and cruel
refusal will be remembered against her. The terrible
drama which we are playing before the world and before.
history is not yet completed. The fourth act has been•
sadly touching. We await the fifth, and the moral
renovation which the fall of the Empire has brought
about gives us confidence in the dencraentent."

of Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Prince A.cialbert of Prussia,
and the Duke of Altenburg.

STRANGE DOINGS ON THE LUXEMBOUI

FRONTIER.

A special telegram from the Daily Hews correspondent,
dated Esch, Wednesday, says :—" Since about a week
preceding last Sunday large amounts of provisions were
accumulated in the city of Luxembourg and Bettem-
bourg, ostensibly for trasportation to Saarbruck for the
German armies. On the night of the 24th, at one o'clock,
the displaced rails on the Luxembourg-Thionville line,
French side, were replaced, and the accumulated
provisions flour, rice, coffee, and sugar loaded
in 60 waggons of 10 tons each, and drawn by two
locomotives, were sent from Bettembourg into Thionville
" station, where the French garrison received them on Sun-
day morning. The German troops, lying south and west
of Thionville, obtained knowledge of the matter, and
made an attack on the station, endeavouring to destroy
the goods, or at least prevent their unloading, by can-
nonade. In this attempt they were unsuccessful, as the
station, lying on the west of Thionville, was pro-
tected by the guns of the battery at Mal-
' grange. The whole affair was managed by the
. French Eastern Railway Company, who own the
line in question. They had induced the Luxem-
bourg douaniers to discontinue the night guard at Bettem-
bourg, the frontier station, by representing that the
broken condition of the railroad made the precaution
superfluous. The Customs authorities are making a
report on the matter, which may cause the expulsion of
the French railway officials. On. Sunday the Germans
. re-extended their lines, which had been contracted, thus
again blockading Thionville. Yesterday the Belgian
Chamber of Deputies resolved that the entire frontier be ab-
solutely closed against all quadrupeds and vehicles, and all
merchandise, which can possibly introduce the cattle-plague
infection. Troops are to be quartered in all frontier
villages, with instructions to cause all rural travellers to
be disinfected by fumigation before passing inward ; not
even ambulance trains to be allowed to return. The
recent rumours about Bazaine's offer to capitulate are
entirely without foundation. Bazaine had informed the
Government in Paris that the Emperor had placed him at
his post, and that he should hold it to the last.

EXPERIENCES OF A WOUNDED GERMAN.
The IVorth German Gazette contains a narrative,
written by a soldier who was wounded in the battle before
Metz on the 18th. It gives a vivid picture of the scenes
and sensations of a:battle-field. After referring to pre-
vious marches and hardships, the writer says that at day -
break the commander of the regiment rode up, and briefly
expressed his conviction that, whatever happened,
they would do their duty. The camp preacher
followed, who asked for the Evangelical por-
tion of the battalion, but the Major replied,
" We all believe in one God, and follow one banner.
Let all come." All, or most, accordingly came, and it was
for many their last prayer. After describing the hunger
and thirst which the soldiers suffered during the morning,
the article continues :—" There ! a blow in the breast, a
tearing in the body, a fall with aloud cry and terrible pain ;
there I lay, one of the victims of this bloody day. My
first sensation was anger at the blow, my second an expec-
tation of seeing myself explode, for judging by the sound
of the bail I believed I had a grenade in my body ; then
came the pain, and with it helplessness and falling.
Oh, how frightful are those first moments ! Where I
was 'hit,- how I was wounded, I could form no
idea; I only felt that I could not stir, saw the battalion
disappear from my sight, and myself alone on the ground
amid the fearful howling and whistling of the balls, which
were incessantly striking the earth around me. With
difficulty could I turn my head a little, and saw behind
me two soldiers attending on a third, who was lying on the
ground. Of what happened I can give no account, except
that I cried for help several times as well as I could, for
the pain and burning thirst hat the upper hand.
At last both of them ran up to me, and with joy I
recognised the doctor and 'hospital attendant of my
company. ` Where are you wounded?' is the first
question. I could only point. My dress was quickly
opened, and in the middle of the breast a bloody wound
was found, which the doctor hastily bound. The balls
still constantly whizzed round' us, one struck the doctor's
helmet, and immediately I feel a violent blow in the left
Another wound ! With difficulty I was turned
round, to look for the outlet of the bullet, but it was still
in my body, near the spine. At la-t it was cut out. `ls
the wound dangerous,' I asked. ' I hope not.' Pray
tell me the truth.' Not very dangerous, it is to be hoped,'
and with the emphasized ` very' my hopes melted. They
were going away. `The wound in the arm, doctor.' This,
fortunately, was looked for in vain ; the ball had merely
caused a blue spot, and had sunk into the ground
harmlessly. I extended my haad to the doctor and
thanked hitt), as also the attendant, whom I commis-
sioned to ask the sergeant to send word to my family.
Ceaselessly it whizzed and howled around me. The doc-
tor had carefully laid me on my cloak, with my helmet
firmly on my head, in order, in some measure, to protect
me from the leaden hail. Thus I lay alone with my own
thoughts, amid the most terrible fire, perhaps for an hour
and a half. All my thoughts, as far as pain and increas-
ing weakness allowed, were axed on my family. Gra-
dually I got accustomed to the danger which surrounded
me, and only when too much sand from the striking bul-
lets was thrown on my body did I remember my little
enviable position At last,
.after long, long
waiting, the sanitary detachment • came to me." The
writer then describes his removal to a stable, and the
wretched hours which he passed, owing to the pain and
the groaning of his companions. "At length an old
woman entered, the owner or occupier of the house to
which the stable was attached. I begged for water, but
unfortunately her hearing was defective, and the whole
night and the following I had constantly, as the only ons
who could speak French, to make her hear the wishes
of myself and my companions. I wondered -at
finding myself alive the next morning, though I
was too weak to be able to think about it. One of my
comrades bad died in the interim. The following night a
bustle and the glimmer of lights woke us from our half
sleep, which had hitherto only been broken by the cry,
' Ma mere, de l'eau,' which the other wounded had already
learnt from me, and the old woman came day and night
at this appeal. When, however, towards evening I en-
treated her to kill and cook for us one of the numerous
liens in-the village street, she was immovable, even by a
thaler, and we remained hungry." He then describes
his removal to a house, where he passed the third night,
in a room lighted by a wax altar candle, which he
'as told had been taken out of the church of
St. Aix. "The good God will not be angry at its
lighting us here." The man beside him bad the rattle in
the throat till 3 a.m., when it ceased—he was dead.
"Perhaps in his distant home a faithful wife and loving
children were waiting for his return. Was that dynasty,
so rich in blood and crime, was this vain, boasting
yrande nation worth this victim ? " The writer then
relates his removal by railway into the Palatinate, where
the news of the victory at Sedan rejoiced the wounded
Germans, but drew bitter tears from a Frenchman who
lay beside them. He speaks warmly of the attention he
received from the surgeons and the attendants, and ex-
presses his regret at being prevented by his wound, though
it did not prove very dangerous, from entering Paris with
his brethren in arms.

THE FIGHTING A WEND PARIS.

The three reconnaisances or sorties from Paris which
we mention and discussed in our issue of Wednesday,
really seem to have taken place, though, with their usual
exaggeration, the French have greatly magnified in
their first announcements the importance of the mate-
rial successes which they gained. The fact, how-
eVer, that any French force was engaged with the
Prussians without incurring a defeat is important, and
the morale given to the French cause is incalculable.
A pitched battle fought to-day outside the walls of Yaris
could scarcely fail to bring about the surrender of the
capital, but a series of small but successful skirmishes
will, in time, convince General Trochu's soldiers that they are
a match for the besiegers, and prepare the way for a great
struggle, to take place some few weeks hence, and which
may decide the fate of France. Admiral Saisset reports
that with a force of 200 skilled -marksmen, 400 marine
infantry, and eight companies of the Eclaireurs de is
Seine—not cavalry, as erroneously stated by a
correspondent —he drove the enemy out of the
village of Drancy, after a brisk musketry fire,
and pursued them up to within 450 yards of the
railway station of Le Bourget. A 16 pounder from
Fort Romainville drove the Prussians back whenever they
tried to debouch. An orderly retreat took place in the
afternoon. The French casualties were one officer and
one private wounded. -Evidently this was a successful
reconnaissance, and nothing more. General Belanger,
commanding at St. Denis seems to have met with more
resistance in his reconnaisance in the direction of Pierre-
fitte than his naval colleague. Under cover of guns
from the works about St. Denis, he attacked the village
of Pierrefitte, and a hand-to-hand fight en
sued. The enemy were reinforced, and Were further
strengthened after the commencement of the skirmish
and it is evident that it was not a matter of choice
though the report would lead one to suppose it was, that
the village was not occupied, and that the French retire(
in the evening. The retreat was conducted with coolness,
and the troops, especially the line, seem to have fought
well. The general commanding surmises that the loss of
the Prussians was heavy, but he makes no mention of his
own casualties. The third reconnaissance was more im-
portant than the other two, and the result was a cer-
tain material advantage to the French. General Mand-
lay definitely established himself on the heights of
Villejuif, due south of Paris. For several hours his field
batteries, supported by the guns of the forts, kept up a
heavy cannonade. The Prussian fire was at length
silenced, and the works which the besiegers were con-
structing about Bogueux demolished. Extensive works
having been thrown up by the Prussians near Brie-sur-
Marne, two French field guns opened on them and caused
much confusion. Towards Aubervilliers the Prussians kept
out of range, and there is nothing new between St. Ouen
and Sevres. The losses of the Prussians are reported
to have been heavy, but in reality it is not likely that the
French were well informed on the subject. The above
report appears to have been written by some superior
military authority and not by General Mandelay himself

arm,

Everything in the above seems to show that the attack
will be made—if regular approaches are constructed at all
—on the south and south-east of Paris, by the Crown
Prince's army. It will be observed that there is no
mention made of captured Prussian guns and mitrailleuses,
and of 12,000 Prussian casualties. Of mitrailleuses it is
not believed there are any with the army before Paris,
while as to the 12,000 killed and wounded
Prussians, we can only repeat the remark of a friebnd
who observed yesterday that if the French had
killed and wounded to the extent they said; there
would not be a Prussian left in France. A telegram
from Tours, dated the 27th, says that a letter from Paris,
dated the 25th, states that great enthusiasm Prevails, that
the steadiness and good conduit of the Garde Mobile
are admirable, and that the construction of barricades
is being actively proceeded with. On the other hand, an
official German despatch from the King's head-quarters
asserts that the Provincial Garde Mobile at Paris are
deserting in twenties and fifties, and that about 200
have been shot for disobedience. We do not see
how the deserters could very well leave Paris, nor
do we understand how intelligence from Paris
_

can very well reach the Prussian-army save through
prisoners, who are very apt to say anything which will
please their captors. On the whole, we are disposed to
disbelieve the official German dispatch, though we have
little doubt that, if necessary, General Trochu will shoot
not only 200, but 2,000 of the Mobiles should that number
disobey orders. The Prussians suspect that in the action
of the 19th the French endeavoured to draw them on over
mines. That there is an extensive system of mines round
Paris we do not doubt, and the mere suspicion
that they exist will induce great caution on the
part of the Prussian commanders and somewhat damp the
ardour of their soldiers. Nothing demoralises even the
best troops like a mine. We suspect, however, that if
there are mines they are chiefly situated close to the
enceinte, and will not come into play save in the case of an
attempt to storm. The special correspondent of the Times 1
telegraphs frOna Versailles, under 'date of the 27th, that 1
the French are fortifying at Velizy, that Duke Max of 1
Wurtemburg' has been wounded at the outposts at St.
Cloud, and that the weather is magnificent.—Standard.