The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-27 00:00:00

MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMIES:

On Saturday last we know Mac-Mahon was at Chalons:
We know that he then moved upon Rheims, and that on
Monday night he left Rheims, from which date we have
no further intelligence of his movements: We know that
a large portion of the Prussian force which had • been en,
gaged at Metz on the 18th was moved from Metz to
join the Crown Prince in his advance westwards
shortly after that action, probably about S'aturday, the
20th. Consequently, the army of the Crown Prince,
which now becomes the army of the King, is greatly
strengthened at the expense of the army investing Metz.
We think it very possible that Macll.lalion, who had
remained at ,Chalons as long as the army ad-
vancing against him was such as he could venture to
fight, received intelligence about Saturday of its being
largely increased, which of course implied the
diminution of the army investing Metz. There-
upon he broke up from Chalons, knowing it to be impos-
sible to hold chat position longer, and moved upon Rheims,
and theiice, with all the speed in his power, he has has-
eened by a countermarch past the right flank of the King's
army advancing from Bar-le-Duc towards Paris, to reach
Metz, and thus raise the siege by .attacking the army in-
vesting the fortress at the same time that Bazaine would
sally out and engage it in rear. Such a plan,
though bold, co nveys to our mind the best chance
of success which the French army has had since the
battles of W oerth and Forbach; or at least since the
battles of the 16th and 18th. At the same time the success
must depend on M'Mahon gaining about two days' march
on the Prussians, and on his accurate calculation of the
time required for the movement. Everything de-
pends on time. On this matter we are able, from
private sources, to give one important item of in-
formation. We know that a vast quantity of rolling stock
was accumulated at Rheims from the north, west; and
south before Bazaine's movement from that town. Now
it was tot till Wednesday, the 24th, that the Prussians
arrived at Chalons. Between Monday and Wednesday
much might have been done by MacMahon. There is a
railway from Rheims towards Verdun, another from Metz
by Mezieres and Sedan to Montmedy. 15p to the 24th
there is every reason to suppose that both of these rail-
ways were entirely in French hands unbroken bet Ween
those points. Now, if MacMahon sent his cavalry and
artillery by road to Verdun, and his infantry by rail to
Montmedy and Verdun, there might be a coneef tration
of the whole bulk of his force about Etain by the 27th ;
on the supposition that each railway could take what we
have positive information the Prussian railways did carry,
25,000 men a day.—Standard.

AN ENEMY IN THE BEAR.—It IS rumoured that
dysentery and dial rlicea of choleraic proportions is preva-
lent amongst the German troops on the Rhine. The pre-
sence of choera in the Black Sea must not be overlooked.
—Medical Times and Gaz-tte.

THE LATE Mn. BOWLEY.—The manager of the
Crystal Palace, whose death we reported yesterday,
has fallen a victim to an unremitting attention to
his duties. At the inquest it was proved that the
unfortunate gentleman's mind had become over-
balanced, and that he had leaped deliberately from
one of the river steamboats into the Thames. A letter
was found upon him, in which he said that he felt weak,
ill, and thoroughly worn out, and that heart, hand, and
energy wera all gone. The jury found that Mr Bowley
committed suicide while labouring under temporary de-
rangement.
DEATit OF THE MARQUIS OF HERTFORD, K.G.—
We regret to learn by'telegraph from Paris of the death
iu that capital of the Right Hon. Richard Seymour Con-
way, Marquis of He:tford, K.G., who, after a lingering
illness, expired on Thursday last. His lordship was a
bachelor, and the marquisate and family honours devolve
upon Lieutenant-General Francis Hugh George Seymour,
eldest son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Francis
Seymour, G.C.B. and G.C.H., who died in January last.
THE LONDON SCHOOL BOARD.—No candidates
have as yet been formally put forward for election to the
London School Board to be formed under the Education
Act of last session ; but it is stated by a contemporary
that Mr. W. H. Smith, Mr. T. Hughes, and Mr.
M'Arthur, as well as Mr. Torrens, have signified their
willingness to serve on the board.

LADY FRANKLIN.—Among the passengers by the
Tripoli which arrived at Queenstown yesterday morning.
are Lady Franklin and attendants, from New York.
THE EXPULSION OF CITIZENS FROM PARIS.—
The Daily 1G ews correspondent in Paris says that up to
Thursday 1,200 people had been arrested by order of the
Governor of the city.
THE MAGISTRACY IN IRELAND.—Twenty-seven
magistrates of the county of Leitrim having signed and
forwarded a document to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
complaining of the recent inquiry by Mr. Coffey, Q,C.,
into the appointment of Leitrim magistrates as " unsatis-
factory," being " only of three hours' duration," and not
" taken on oath," Lord O'Hagan writes from London in
reply, stating that he has satisfied himself of the pro-
priety of the selection, and adding Such men ( Mr.
M`Keon and Mr. Maguire) are not to be excluded from
the Commission of the Peace in Ireland if we would
teach the people to respect the laws and confide in the
equal and impartial administration of justice. '
THE DEFENCES OFTHE MERSEY.—The lassitude
or utter indifference of the Government with respect to
the defenceless condition of our most important seaports
has been criticised. in very severe terms at a meeting of
the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. Liverpool, it
was stated, was totally undefended, and was at the mercy
of any adventurous enemy, although the port contained
about £50,000,000 worth of shipping and produce. The
discussion on the question took place upon a motion of
Mr. Forwood to the effect that, with a view of securing
the adequate defence of the port, a permanent committee
of the board be formed which would have power to confer
with the Government. The motion, however, was not
ri-e-ised, on the understanding that the chairman, in con-
jrr ction with the Mayor, should call the attention of the
Government to the urgent necessity fur better defences of
the port Liverpool.