The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-06 00:00:00

BELGIAN NEUTRALITY.

The Etoile Beige records with a lively satisfaction that
the measures designed by their Government for the pre-
servation of the strict neutrality of Belgium were punc-
tually executed. It was to be feared that these orders,
though perfect in theory, might fail in practice,-but the
event has proved the contrary. The belligerents had
evidently been warned of the dangers they would run in
violating the territory of Belgium, and understood that
toe English would intervene to assist the Belgians. Hence
it came to pass that the troops of both armies acknow-
ledged the influence of the flag of truce joined to the
Belgian flag. French and Prussian soldiers alike have
laid down their arms, and thus the Belgians have been
spared the mortification of firing upon their friends and
neighbours who found a welcome on the neutral soil which
serves to-day as a refuge for so many unfortunate ones
who have been driven from their country by the horrors
of war. According to the last accounts, a considerable
number of officers and soldiers of both armies, especially
the French, have laid down their arms, and have been
consigned to various Belgian towns. Ten thousand men,
with 400 artillery carriages, 1,200 horses, and ten pieces
of artillery, are spoken of as forming the figures. The
Etoile Beige thinks that their soldiers fulfil a noble mission
in receiving arms from so many soldiers, whose valour has
been proved in heroic combats, and thinks that Europe
will recognise the importance of the neutrality which has
been so faithfully adhered to.

Many of the Metropolitan clergy on Sunday referred
to the latest phase of the war, and expressed an opinion
that the hour had now arrived for England to step in and
offer negotiations for peace.
We learn by Atlantic cable that the news of the
Emperor Napoleon's surrender and Marshal MacMahon's
defeat was published in New York at noon on Saturday,
and caused much excitement. Great rejoicing took place
among the Germans, and intense anxiety was felt asto the
course the Regency in Paris would adopt.
The Standard correspondent says a characteristic fea-
ture is that no one in the Chamber or out of it has had
a word of respect or sympathy for the Empress Eugenie
and the Princess Clothilde ; they have stood firm at
their post, and exhibited a courage and 'composure under
these circumstances which entitles them to the respect
and reverence of any • one with a feeling of man-
hood. I hope and pray that the first measure taken by
Trochu will be to secure their safety, and his next to take
very energetic measures to preserve order in Paris. It has
not as yet been seriously disturbed, but there are those
elements in Paris which induce me to think that there
are enemies more to be dreaded—contemptible as they are
--than the Prussians.

A correspondent of the Manchester Examiner says that
that in the battle of Sedan, 200,000 French were opposed
to 300,000 Prussians. The line of battle was five miles
long. 250 mitrailleuses answered the Prussian artillery.
Five villages were burned. The Meuse was choked up
with corpses. The losses were frightful : they are esti-
mated at 80,000 killed awl wounded.

The artist of the Graphic who accompanied the French
army of the Rhine, has again been heard of. He disap-
peared for some time, mid there was subsequently a re-
port that he had been arrested by the Prussians as a spy.
He has now written from Nancy announcin' his release,
and that during his detention he was very well treated by
his cantors: He will henceforth aceompanv the Prussian
army in tne

A l', SEPTEMBER 6, 1870.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.)
THE WAR.

Ail open-air meeting was held at Birmingham last night,
at which resolutions were pased thanking her Majesty's
Government tor the neutral course pursued in reference
to the war, urging them to use all efforts towards obtain-
ing peace, and deprecatjag any interference with the
French people, in referenc the form of Government
they may prefer to adopt.