The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-15 00:00:00

M eiRSHAL BAZAINE INTERVIEWED.

The irrepressible correspondent of the New York Herald
has "interviewed" Bazaine as well as the Emperor, and
obtained from the Marshal's own lips a repetition of the
statement already published on his behalf that hunger,
and the impossibility of making a successful sortie
(chiefly through want of horses) compelled him to surren-
der. The pith of tha conversation is contained in the fol-
lowing passages :
Correspondent : Did you proclaim the Republic in Metz?
Marshal : No ! Such a declaration would have para-
lysed all action ; I could then have counted no longer on
my best troops. . . . I have sworn loyalty to the
Emperor and the Constitution. The Emperor is a pri-
soner, but the Constitution is in force. Neither I nor my
comrades will ever acknowledge any other Government
unless we have previously obtained a discharge from our
oath by the Emperor.
Correspondent : Do you ascribe to yourself any victo-
rious engagement during the siege of Metz?
Marshal: No; victory includes of necessity the ulti-
mate result of an engagement. I have whipped the
Prussians often and severely, but the final result was
always unfavourable to me.

Correspondent : Hunger forced you at last to open
negotiations.

Marshal : Even if it had not been hunger, I would have
done it on the day I learned that not the Republicans, but
the mob, governed Paris, Lyons, and Marseilles, on the
day I learned that the army was insulted, the memory of
men who I venerate reviled. But it was hunger,
and nothing but hunger. You would be mistaken if
you were to think that I took the responsibility of such a
step on my own shoulders. I acted only as the executive
of the orders of a council of war, whose members ascer-
tained the opinions of generals, colonels, majors, &c.,
previous to making up their votes. I called the Council
together on the 10th, and again on the 12th of October,
when it was unanimously resolved that by the 14th I
must commence steps towards capitulation. I now re-
quested permission from the Prince to send General Boyer
to the headquarters of the King. It was granted after
some delay. I proposed to march off with my army, to
pledge our honour not to fight again in this war ;
to be permitted to convene and to protect the French
Chamber against a second attempt of the mob (canaille),
or, as Count Bismarck named them, the street loafers
(Messieurs du pav4). I detest politics; we only wanted
to do what M. Gambetta refused—re-establish legality by
calling together the Representative Body.
Correspondent : And what did Count Bismarck say to
that?

Marshal : Here (taking up a document) you may read
all that was said at the conference. It is General Boyer's
report. But you must refrain from publishing it, as I
don't know whether I can allow that. [Bismarck seemed
to have agreed to Bazaine's propositions, but Moltke
rejected them; he considered that the Marshal could not
hinder desertion among his troops, who would then mate-
rially strengthen the forces of the Francs-tireurs.]
Marshal : On October 18th we held another council of
war. General Coffinieres then reported that the provi-
sions were all used up, and though it was really the case,
I yet held out eight days longer amid indescribable suf-
ferings. The last council was held on the 26th. It was
resolved to capitulate in order to save more loss of life.

Correspondent : How large have been your losses since
the 14th of August ?

Marshal: Our casualties, not counting the sick and
missing, amounted in the Rhine Army to 24 generals,
2,140 officers, and 42,339 men. I received, too, a contu-
sion at Borny. Look at this hole in my epaulette. Why
didn't this confounded splinter of a grenade go deeper ? I
should not have outlived my reputation as a soldier, nor
should I, as a Frenchman, have known that day of ever
lasting ignominy, the 4th of September.

A letter from Pacy-sur-Eure says that on Saturday two
suspicious-looking individuals were arrested at Caillouet
and handed over to a court-martial, when 20 Prussians
arrived in the locality with an officer. They were re-
ceived with a well-aimed fire, and 11 fell from their
horses, while the remainder, most of whom were wounded,
fled.

An official communication made verbally to the officers
at Metz before the capitulation gave full details of
Changarnier's interview with Prince Frederick Charles-at
headquarters. The Prince shewed himself thoroughly
familiar with the proceedings inside Metz, and said he
knew they had only three days' provisions. " We have
always known, he said," what you did and what you
wanted to do, After a council of war I was always

BIRTHS.
On the 11th inst., at 27, Carlton-hill, the wife of James S'
Harting, of a daughter.
of
On the 11th inst., at Falcon-lane, Battersea, the wife
W. G. Rigden, Esq., of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.I
.
-ti
On the 12th inst., at St. James's, Piccadilly, Arbm
Grenville Clayton, of the Royal Engineers to Elizabe.ta,
Louise, the daughter of JOhn Kiernan, Esq., of gal

. -
stone.
On the 10th inst., at St. George's Haitover-square, Ntrt,
Henry Newman, of Piccadilly and Streatham, to FanglJ
Maria, younger daughter of Mr. Stephen Cox, Stool'
ford-street, London.