The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-06 00:00:00

ME SUN, LONDON, TITESDAN, DECEMBER 6, 1870.

THE EASTERN UGESTION.

COUNT BISMARCK AND THE CONFERENCE

The London correspondent of the Independance Belge
says that Count Bismarck has made a communication to
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg laying great stress on the
friendly sentiments which the King and his Govern-
ment entertain for Russia, and admitting the ground of
complaint of Prince Gortschakoff, At the same
time he points out the opposition which his demand
has met with in Europe, and requests the Government of
the Czar to leave the settlement. of its wrongs to the sig-
natory Powers of 1856. The Russian Cabinet has agreed
on principle to this demand, but has made no promise as
to the withdrawal of Prince Gortschakoff's circular, while
England seems to rely on its withdrawal, since
she has given her sanction to a Conference.
There is another difficulty. Russia desires the Conference
to take place at once, and therefore the English Govern-
ment has held communication with the delegates at Paris
on the subject ; but the Republican Government cannot
be represented in the Conference until it is formally recog-
nised by all the • Powers sitting there. There are still
many obstacles to surmount before the good expectations
that have been formed of the expected Conference can be
realised.

• THE WA R:

THE CONFLICT AROUND
PARIS.

TUESDAY'S SORTIE.

Previously to Ducrot's great effort on Wednesday last,
several feint sorties were made on Tuesday. The most
important of these was to the south in the direction of
Longjnmeau. This attempt had two objects. It was de-
signed to discover whether the German line had
been seriously weakened by sending troops against the
Loire, and to divert attention from Ducrot's sortie in the
east. 1)r. Russell sapy:—Covered by their famous
redoubt at Villejuif, with its potent fire, now extended
from the face of the works running from the Seine to the
Porte h l'Anglais and connected with the- advanced
works of Montrouge, the French directed a column
of 12 battalions against the 6th' Corps on the right of
Hartmann's Corps, while they attacked the position of
the latter with an equal number. The 2nd Corps lies in •
rear of these-6th and Bavarian 2nd Corps—so as to
support either or both in case of need, but their services
were not needed, for the columns of the French were in
both instances forced to fall back under cover of the fire
of their guns of position. lii front of St. Cloud a smaller
column felt its way to the lines of the PruSsian outposts
after they had been well pounded, and advanced up to
their inner barricades; at one place, in front of Ville
d'Avray, a single company 'of the sth Jagers had three
battalions on their hands, but aided by the position. they
beat back the French. On one occasion the latter, led by
a gallant fellow, made a rush and got into one of the
suburban streets. The officer tried to force open the doer
of a house, in which were, or were supposed to be,
some Prussians, with his 'sword, and was shot dead
by a Jager, whereupon the mon, instead of burning to
avenge his death, briskly retired. It is affirmed that the
French field artillery was of a better description than
usual. We hear from Paris that they have got "canons
obusiers" of 12. transformed into guns of 7, breechloading,
and with ranges up to 8,000 metres. They are also
making guns on the Southey system, which have the
same range, but they cannot have Solders. I
make that remark as there Is a tendency just
now to assert that the French are armed with
English rifles. The circumstance is reported from Amiens
most positively, and it is said the English bullets make
large ugly wounds. The army of the Loire is also d.:-
clared to have Sniders in myriads. Is not Mr. Remington
at work, and is he not an American? At'ali events, the
French did not make a lodgment on this side of the line,
and at midday there was no symptom of the fighting,
which was only serious in the front of Villejuif. Hero
they sought, no doubt, to occupy L'Hay and Chevilly,
and if they had done so the German line would have been
pushed back and most dangerously enlarged. The danger
is visible at a glance.