The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-31 00:00:00

THE WA IZ.

THE CAMPAIGN IN THE NORTH•

LILLE, December 28,

Affairs are becoming more complicated, and it is pro-
bable there will soon be important events. The Army
of the North is massed between Arras and Cambrai,
abandoning the district between Arras and Amiens,
which as a matter of course has been invaded -by
the Uhlans. The railway station at Achiet was seized
and the company lost some of its rolling stock, which it
was forced to leave .there. The last locomotive which
started was followed by Prussian balls, and had to put
steam on to effect its escape. At Boileaux, another
railway station not far . from Arras, the Prus-
sian horsemen succeeded in destroying telegraph
posts, though the company's officials were still at the
station and the French lines were full in view. These
constant attacks .by the Prussian cavalry form the weak
poinkof 4eneral Faidherbe's tactics, but it would not
have ,been-possible' for him. to adopt any other course
from the state of his army, and the condition of the weather.
The first necessity of the situation is to relieve Paris
and the army of the North will . have done good service if
it compels Manteuffel to pursue it to Lille. A protest
against the telegrams sent from headquarters at Versailles
has just been published by General Faidherbe which runs
DA follows :
" The German despatches respecting the battle of
Pont-Noyelles, setting aside those differences which
which may naturally occur on either side, includes mate-
rial inaccuracies which render the whole untrustworthy.
It -is said that the Army of the North reckoned 60,000
men, whereas there were at most 35,000 of the Army of
the North in line, and all did not take part in the fight.
It is said that a thousand unwoundel prisoners
were taken from us. The truth is that at
night, after the battle, .;some sailors allowed
themselves to be surprised in the vilkge of Daours, and
this was done without a struggle, and with so little noise,
thatthe_general-in-chief was ignorant of the fabt when he
reported the affair at Lille. As for our positions the
enemy did not even dare to attempt to take them, and, as,.
is known the army of the North, until the fifterilipen
of the next dly, waited vainly for• him tujetS:
positions." ,

Faidherbe is retreating northwards; •WhaS,eviiiniated

Arras, which can defend itself, having ""had its garrison
reinforced. Arras is well fortifiedvald its' cellars, which
are famous of old, enable its Inhabitants to defy
shells. Faidherbe's headquarters,gre rtiVitry, the second
station on the Paris line to the sout'f of Douay. The
Army of the North now occupies a very strong position
in the marshy country between Artois and Flanders. The
Prussians have been reinforced, .the Crown Prince, mho
was' hurriedly summoned' by Manteuffel after Pont
IToyelles, having arrived at Amiens with part of his
corps d'armee. Opinions are divided as to Manteuffel's
intentions, but it is likely the Prussians will speedily
make a serious effort in the extreme north, and probably
undertake. the siege of Lille. Faidherbe knows his
adversary has • formidable forces at his disposal,
and this is why he has chosen positions less
exposed than Arras and Albert. The only drawback to
this prudent course is that it leaves the country exposed
to the full severity of the Prussian requisitions, which are
extreme. Faidherbe has published an order congratulat-
ing his troops on their conduct on the 234 and 24th.