The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-14 00:00:00

11RE `SUN, LONDON, .RIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1870

grecationalists in relation to the Education Act. The
Rev. Mr. Johnstone, of Merthyr, presented a paper,
in which he traced the mistakes made by Dissenters
with regard to education and the acceptance of the
British School system 35 years ago. Ho protested against
the acceptance of the Act as a practicable or right settle-
ment of the question, and counselled continued agita-
tion. These views were supported by the majority of
those who spoke, but ninny, especially the senior
Ministers urged that having done their best before the
bill prssed, and failed to obtain a more satisfactory mea-
sure, duty and expediency now prompted an acceptance
of what had been conceded with the view of
making the best of it. The Rev. T. Binney
especially protested against making the Congre
gational Union Conference into a Liberation
Society meeting, and urged that as sensible men they
should recognise that other people had consciences and
convictions as well as themselves. Ultimately, and after
a warm denunciation of Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Forster,
by some of the speakers, for their treatment of
Mr. Miall, a resolution was adopted without opposition,
protesting against the Education Act, declaring it incon-
sistent with Nonconformist principles and freedom of
conscience, and invoking agitation, not only for purely
secular instruction, but for the severance of Church and
State and the disestablishment of the Church, both in
Wales and England. Prior to this being put, however,
many ministers had left the meeting.

THE FIGHTING IN THE LOIRE.

The correspondent of the Telegraph, writing at Tours on
Tuesday, says :—There is no doubt at all about the
matter—we have been beaten again, and badly. It was
not a skirmish this time. You will already have
received the outline of the engagement, and
I cannot as yet add any details of importance.
But some few facts I have picked up from
persons who watched the fight. There were in
all about 24,000 men engaged on the French
side. The Prussians, as usual, sprang ready armed
out of a box, out of the solid ground, or from
some other impossible concealment. Artenay was
held by about 8,000 French, under General Longuerne
--all, or nearly all, being regular troops. These
fought well, but were outnumbered or mastered—
anyway, they abandoned the town. General Reyan then
advanced with some 15,000 or 16,000 fresh troops, a large
proportion of whom were Mobiles. These latter broke
almost as soon as they saw the enemy, only few of them
even firing a shot, The panic spread ; and in very few
minutes there was a rout. General Longuerne
managed to draw off some portion of the line
soldiers into the Forest hard by, where ho lives at this
moment. The behaviour of the fugitivesr, as I hea, was .
shameful. They rushed into Orleans without arms or
kit, and threw off their uniform in the street. The
Prussians, , so long as my informants were present to ob-
serve, did not attempt to pursue. They even released the
numerous prisoners made, entrusting them with a
message to their native towns to the effect that these
victors of Artenay are but the advanced guard of an
overwhelming host. The fugitives have certainly per-
formed their promise in spreading this report. The
first result of the news here was a down-
right panic. The Army of the Loire—not the,
whole of it, of course, but a respectable frac-
tion—has at length met the enemy, and here is the
consequence ! Those men who were beaten at Artenay
are representatives of the average mass of troops which
compose the Army of the Loire. "They have been over-
whelmed by numbers," was the ready excuse of patrio-
tic simpletons. But this plea only changed the
current of popular wrath and despair. The poor fellows
at Artenay were overwhelmed by numbers, while here
in Tours, under our eyes, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000—nobody
knows how many—regular soldiers were lounging about
the streets, yawning in barrack-yards, or shivering
under wet canvas ! Two hours of slow journeying to the
North, there is a desperate battle in progress, and mean-
while horses and men are eating their heads off in
Tours, and praying for service ! " Oh, but," ex-
claim the apologists, " Government knew nothing
of the affair until half-past eight o'clock in
the evening." If it be the design of the Prussians, as
no one can doubt it is, to measure themselves against
the Army of the Loire as speedily as possible, this
victory will be a most welcome aid to their pro-
jects. I hear that 50,000 Frenchmen will be
concentrated at Orleans to-night, ready to give
battle to the enemy, let the cost be what it may.
A very large force was sent from Bourges during
last night, and from hero also. Though the policy be
desperate, I believe that the Government has no choice
but to engage immediately. At all risks it must calm
the agitation and panic of this province. With wonder-
ful quickness, energy, and success, the Prussian
General has struck the only force that could save
the capital, and struck it in such a manner as to
bring on the critical action under circumstances
which one must suspect to be vastly favourable to his
arms. Are the French yet able to meet, face to face, such
an army as prudent Moltke would be likely to send
against its young but numerous reserve? On that answer
lies the fate of France, which is now quivering in the
, balance.

9.30 P.M.

" I have waited till the last moment for news. A gen-
tleman has just arrived who reports a furious engage-
ment during the whole day. He was struck with amaze-
ment and despair on bearing that thousands of troops
were still idling here, with abundant artillery. He speaks
of shells falling into Orlens, which city he left about noon,
but knows nothing of the final results."