The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-21 00:00:00

TUE A.RIIY OF THE LOIRE.

In a letter, dated Tours,, November 16, the Daily News
correspondent writes :—lt is not probable that a battle
will take place for two or three days yet, but it is impend-
ing. The question is, does D'Aurelles de Paladin intend
to attack before Frederick Charles can join Von der
Tann, or does he intend to hold the position he has got ?
I have not been able to make certain about that. At all
events, if Frederick Charles, as I hear, has only 40,000
at 50,000 men with him, the French army would still be
numerically stronger than the army opposed to it, which
would consist of Von der Tands army lately reinforced,
and which may number 70,000 or 80,000 men, and Fre-
derick Charles's 50,000—total 120,000, or 130 ,000.
D'Aurelles de Paladin's 15th and 16th corps, with some
regiments belonging to the embryo 17th and 18th
corps, now forming,l must have been nearly 150,000
strong when at Mer-aux-Marchenoir. Since then he has
received stronereinforcements of artillery and mitrailleuses,
and is receiving more every day, so that we may hope
that in numbers the French will not be over weighted
by the Germans on the day of this really decisive
battle. Now, about this battle .there can be no doubt
that on each side supreme efforts will be made. In the
last battle the French were far superior in numbers
(although, of course, all the troops were not actually
engaged). There can be no doubt the Bavarians were
demoralised, and that in a few instances they did not hold
well. In the next battle the disparity of numbers will be
almost insignificant. The Bavarians will be side by side
with the Prussians, and no doubt !they will do every.
thing to wipe out this first reverse. On the other
hand, on the day of the last battle the French army was
hardly cured of one of the worst fits of demoralisation
which an army ever laboured under. Now, all is quite
altered. They have now opened their eyes with
surprise to the fact that the Germans can be beaten ;
that their artillery can be silenced by the French
artillery, which came off with all the honours ; that
even they can be attacked with the bayonet successfully.
An episode of the fighting of the other day shews"he
reckless coolness of the young Mobiles. During the
action the Mobiles of La Gironde, who were in line and
advancing to the front, were encountered by numerous
coveys of partridges, which the exploding shells
drove away. These birds flew right in among
the men, who became much much more engrossedby trying
to catch them as they flew than by the thought that
in another two minutes they would be under no small
storm of shell and ball. I think the officers, who still
speak despondingly, do so out of political bitterness. I
heard a colonel the other day saying there was still no
hope, for the Prussians were 1,200,000 strong in France,
&c. As for Gambetta, he spoke of him most insolently.
This was openly, in a railway carriage full of people. The
Government here are very nervous about this impending
battle.

LONDON SOHOOL BOARD. MARYLRBONE. -- Mr
Hepworth Dixon will address the ratepayers at the
Grafton Hall, Grafton-street, Tottenham-court-rood, this
evening, at eight o'clock.

In all the Roman Catholic Chapels in London
yesterday morning notice was given to all Roman Catholic
ratepayers for the Borough of Westminster to vote for
Lord Howard of Glossop ; to those of Marylebone for
Mr. Whitefield ; and those of the Borough of Finsbury
were desired to divide their votes equally between Mr.
M'Cullagh Torrens and Mr. Clark. It was also announced
that meetings to secure the appointment of Lord Howard
of Glossop would be held in several parts of -London
`during the coming week.