The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-04 00:00:00

THE FOOD QUESTION.

Prices had of course risen to an extravagant price in
Metz just before the surrender. Beef was eight francs 3
pound, fowls twenty francs each, eggs one franc each,
salt five francs a pound, chocolate the same, ham eight,
francs, fish the same, and coffee six francs a pound.
mutton these was none, but wine was plentiful, the
old prices being maintained. There were some
saline springs in the neighbourhood of th°
fortress, and a bottle of water from these was charged 3
franc and a half. Bazaine's troops were allowed to enter
the town, and use tLe cafe's until about ten days befors
the capitulation. Until six days ago a ration of bread of
100 grammes was issued to each soldier. Since then they
have had no rations, except horseflesh. The townspeople
have been on bread rations as well as the troops, the
rations consisting of 200 grammes of brown bread.
Those who are able, pay for their ration, the poor
have been receiving it gratuitously. Herr Wachenhusen,
of the Cologne Gazette, failed to discover any traces of
great privation. "Man and horse did not appear 11.4
though the extremest want had reigned in the fortress.
The uniform of the men, particularly the Guards. seemed
almost new, especially the boots. The horses were
generally in good condition, but had bitten off
each 'other's tails. The demeanour of the prisoners
was very becoming. The reception of them in
the meadows near the Jouy road lasted from 1 till 0.
That within the fortress violent scenes must have prevailed
between the garrison commanders and those of the other
troops, was shewn by an incident which happened in the
evening. One aged officer, stooping and his cap pressed
over his forehead, walked through the streets with two
younger companions, followed by men and women, who re-
viled and spat on him. I suppose it was the commandant,
Coffinieres, who supported the capitulation against the will
of the population. Bazaine was treated with the greatest
respect by the Prince. Many of the prisoners will not he
conveyed by railway, but will march to the frontier, to
Saarbruck, Saarlouis, and Trbves. The 80,000 or 90,00°
Gardes looked so well that with the majority one vainly
searched for traces of long privation. Many, however,
who were presented with bread and bacon devoured it with
great avidity."

The Borse Zeitung of Berlin expresses its satisfaction
that the siege of Metz , has terminated, for private infor-
mation which it received, " but of course suppressed,"
described the state of the troops as very bad. Diarrhoea
dysentery, typhus, and other maladies raged furiously,
and the sick increased every day to an alarming extent.
The Sikcle and the Pattie endorse the charge of treason
against Marshal Bazaine. The Government at Tours has
received reports from the prefects of the reception the
news from Metz met with in the different provinces-
They are nearly all to the same effect. Bazaine is a•
traitor. The country is not discouraged. It is prepared
to fight to the last man.

An officer who escaped from Metz declares that Bazaine
never employed more than 15,000 or 20,000 soldiers in his
sorties, and when advantages were won they were not
properly followed up. For a long time a sourd hostility
against Bazaine reigned throughout the ranks of his
army, and even amongst the civil population of the
fortress.

The news of Bazaine's surrender at Metz produced a
great sensation at Poitiers. Previous to the proclamation
of Gambetta the officers of the National Guard assembled
their men at Blassac and prepared an address to the

Government, which counselled energetic measures. The
capitulation of Sedan, it said, was followed by the capitu-
lation of Metz. The valet copied the master, but France
was not dead, and was ready to make any sacrifices.

The conditions of the capitulation of Metz have
been publiNed already. There was in addition
a supplementary convention which contained some
important clauses. Amongst them was one to
the effect that the civil officials belong-
ing to the army and fortress might go where they pleased,
and take all their property with them. Nobody, whether
National Guard or simple inhabitant of the town, should
be held responsible for any participation in the defence.
The families left in Metz by members of the garrison
were to remain unmolested, together with their proper*
Archives and documents belonging to provinces which
reverted to France at the end of the war were to be re-
stored.

A VETERAN ALDERMAN.—It is reported in Lon-
don that Mr. Alderman Wilson intends resigning his
aldermanic gown, which he has held nearly forty years.

THE THETIS DRAMATIC CLUB. In the notice of
the performance of this club, at St. George's Hall, given
in the Sum of Monday last, the name of Mr. R. Horsley
Woods, one of the amateurs of the evening, was uninten-
tionally omitted. We have no hesitation in saying that
this gentleman's delineation of the character of Jacob
Strop, in the play of " Robert Macaire," was an exces-
sively droll piece of acting, and called forth many deserved
plaudits from the audience. The Thetis Dramatic Club
intend devoting the proceeds of several performances this
winter to charitable objects.
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