The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

THE PROPOSED ARMISTICE.

A letter from Tours on the 26th, says that the town is
full of conflicting rumours respecting the negotiations for
an armistice. It declares the true version to be that Eng-
land, with the object of stopping the effusion of blood,
made known through her representatives at Tours and
Berlin that she would be glad to see the belligerents con-
clude an armistice. England acted alone, but all the
neutral powers declared their willingness to support her.
They were eager to do this to avert the dis-
turbance produced by She war in their own
countries. The local Government of Tours could
not decide the question without reference to the
Central Government at Paris, and the English
Government, understanding this, applied to the
Prussian authorities for a safe conduct permitting M.
Thiers to go to Paris and discuss the English proposal
with the Government of National Defence. The matter
rests there for the moment, waiting for the Prussian
reply to England, but it is well to notice that the French
Government has neither asked nor proposed anything,
and that all that has been done has been the proposal
made by England. The only question pending is of an
armistice, and there is no talk of the conditions of peace.
The Patrie says that for the first time since the com-
mencement of the war a serious attempt at mediation has
been made, in which England takes the initiative. From
information received on the subject the Patrie believes
that the territorial integrity of France is the basis of the
armistice. It hopes that Prussia will not refuse the sug-
gestion, and thinks it improbable that England, who has
such intimate relations with Prussia, would have made the
proposal if she had not received some indication of a con-
ciliatory temper on the part of the King and Bismarck.
With regard to the decision of the Paris Government
there are some doubts. Some politicians apprehend that
Paris, animated by her heroic resistance, will refuse to
listen to any specific propositions, and will demand war
a l'outrance. The Patrie, in taking a more sanguine view,
reminds the public that one of the first acts of the new
Ministry was to open communications with the Federal
Chancellor, and all France approved the act of M. Favre
which certainly did not tend to war a l'outrance.
La France considers the movement of England an
important fact, but insists that France took no part
whatever in opening the matter. Since the failure of
Jules Favre's negotiations there has only been one thought
—of strengthening the national resistance. It is in her
own name, in her character as a great Power, that
England, after having fully deliberated the matter,
emerges from her long inaction. It is an important move-
ment, for England is chary of such initiations, and does
not lightly employ the authority of her diplomacy, After
the mission of M. Thiers, the declarations of M. Favre,
and the sacrifices France has made to continue the
struggle, England knows what France can accept,
and what she 'will reject. If she has pro-
posed an armistice, then it must be because
she regards the opening of negotiations on a basis which
France can accept as possible.
The Sieele, however, believes that Europe has only in-
terfered in the interests of Prussia, not of France, and
therefore advises the wholesale rejection of the offers.
The London correspondent of the Inclependance Beige,
in confirming the news that Bismarck has opened
communications with the Empress, says that
the Prussian statesman is by no means embar-
rassed by the double negotiation he is carrying on,
but thinks it indispensable in the state of affairs to
negotiate with the representative of the Government.
de.jure as well as with those whom he disrespectfully
designates as " ces messieurs de la rue." Bismarck's beau
ideal is that M. Thiers should undertake to bring about
an understanding between the fallen dynasty and the
existing Government ; but M. Thiers is the last man to be
the instrument of such an intrigue.

At Pirey, a village near Besancon, a Zouave has
been shot for abusing an officer, and drawing his sword
upon him.
Fashion has vanished from Paris for the present.
There is nobody to design fashions, and nobody to exe-
cute them. Chignons have disappeared.
According to an official statement the number of Ger-
man soldiers now on French territory is 856,000 ;
740,000 of these belong to Prussia and the North German
Confederation.

Some Freeshooters who were taken at Orleans were not
shot, but carried off prisoners to Stettin and Posen.
Here, however, they received worse treatmentthan there-
gular soldiers, being regarded as " confirmed vagabonds."
The correspondent of the Telegraph affirms that upwards
of a million Mobiles are now unders arms. The Garde
Sedentaire also number a million ; and the Freeshooters
must be at least 40,000 strong.
In Paris a " foot cavalry " has been formed of boys
between 13 and 17. This force is said to be 60,000 strong,
and its members are designed to act as scouts and
couriers.

The Prussian barque Franciska, Captain Dillwitz, from
Newcastle with coal, has been captured in the North
Sea by the French war steamer Dessaix and taken to
Dunkerque.
A court-martial at Dreux has pronounced four sentences
of death—two against persons not belonging to the army,
convicted as Prussian spies, and two against Gardes
Mobiles, guilty of insubordination. The sentences were
carried into execution.

M. d'Amphernet, the Postmaster-General of the Seine
et Oise, has been suspended by M. Steenacker, for having
deserted his post without any valid reason, his only ex-
cuse being that the department was partially in the occu-
pation of the enemy. A successor has been appointed,
who, it is presumable, will accept the office.
It is reported that the King of Prussia and Count
Bismarck had a narrow escape of falling into the hands
of a corps of Frenchmen the other day. They were saved
by the devoted efforts of six hundred German cavalry,
who were clic to pieces during the struggle which ensued
before the royal carriage could get free.
A correspondent says the news of the proposed armis
tice, strange as it may appear, was very badly received at
Amiens. " It would seem that with Frenchmen the
desire for fighting increases with the discomforts and
miseries of wan A month ago the greater number of the
well-to-do classes—at any rate in the north of France—
would have been in favour of peace at almost any price.
Now all that is changed ; and I do not believe that a
peace, even on the most favourable terms for France as
yet proposed, would be- acceptable.
A French gentleman of property, who moves in the best
society, and has more than once dined at Marlborough
House, is the commander of about 200 Freeshooters. He
now wears a flannel shirt for a month together, and dresses
like a brigand. He boasts that he himself has killed at
least a dozen Prusssians, and his band perhaps 300.
Some of the French commanders are displaying some-
thing like excessive energy in training their troops. At
Lille about a week ago a review was to be held at noon.
Rain was falling heavily, and some 12,000 men of
the National Guards in new uniform, purchased
at their own expense were kept in " the open " from
9 a.m. till 3 p.m. At Amiens a still more foolish arrange-
ment was made. A review having been announced, a
large force assembled outside the town early in the morn-
ing ; and, after enduring a heavy shower of rain for three
or four hours, it was informed that on account of the bad
weather the review would not take place.
Herr Wickede, of the Cologne Gazette, says that at
least 3,000 provision columns are daily occupied in col-
lecting everything eatable in the neighbourhood of Paris,
though interminable provision columns are sent from the
railway stations at Nogent and Nanteuil. In making
requisitions there are frequent fights with Francs-Tireurs,
a band of whom attacked his expedition from a wood.
After firing a few harmless shots they fled, but some
were overtaken, and a dozen, who still offered resist-
ance, were cut down by the troops, " who always fight
with justifiable rage against such freeshooters." The rest
escaped.
The unwelcome tidings of the defeat of Sedan were con-
veyed to Marshal Bazaine in a most original manner. As
the French had repeatedly fired at parlementaires, Prince
Frederick Charles did not wish to risk the life of some of
his officers in this errand. But it so happened that
Bazaine had just released 600 Prussian prisoners ;
the Prussian commander could not better return
the civility than by releasing the same number of
French, though the marshal in Metz would rather
have left them to live on Prussian food than assist in
starving out the fortress. The released prisoners were
selected in such a manner that about one quarter of them
consisted of soldiers who had fought and capitulated at

Sedan. Although.the French would have discredited anY
Prussian account of M`Mahon's terrible disaster, Bazaine
was not likely to doubt the veracity of the report
emanating from French. soldiers, and confirmed several
hundred times from eye-witnesses and actors in the

dreadful tragedy.
WAR MAP.—The latest of Mr. Wyld's series of
war maps might perhaps more properly be called a peace
map. It represents Alsace and Lorraine, and shews by
means of colouring the portion of this territory which is
claimed by the Germans. The districts where the German
language is spoken, where the French language is spoken,
and where a mixed dialect is used are also denoted. In
considering peace negotiations this map will be found
very useful.
ALLEGD SLAUGHTER OF FRENCH PRISONERS
Some of the French papers are responsible for a
strange story of what happened at SOiSSOW3
The prisoners taken at the capture of that town, 4,000
in number, were marched off under a strong
escort. When they had reached the wood of St. Jean/
after a march of fifteen leagues, there was a halt, and
immediately •from the front, from the rear, from both
sides, the guards poured a heavy fire into the dense
column of unfortunate prisoners. What was the cause of
this butchery is at present unknown. It is supposed,
however, that some of the prisoners must have endea-
voured to escape. When the fire was opened upon them
the prisoners at once made a rush to save
themselves, and a considerable number succeeded in
doing so. Who was in fault in the matter it is impos-
sible with the information we have at present received to
say.

THE SURRENDER OF CHARTHES.—The Tours
correspondent of the Standard, remarks :—We have at last
some news respecting the surrender of Chartres, and the
details are sufficient to shew how great an effect the despe-
rate defence of Chateaudun has had upon the German
commanders. Chartres was invested on the morning of
the 21st by the Prussian forces which had been engaged
at Chateaudun, and by troops arriving from Rambouillet,
and Etampes, Angerville, and Patay. Against forces
like this it was impossible that the defenders could hope
for success. However they threw themselves out as skir•
mishers and a lively fire opened between them and the
invaders, At eleven o'clock the Prussian general com-
manded the prefect and maire to surrender, under a threat
of instantly setting the town on fire with his numerous sr'
tillery. It was not until two visits backwards and forwards
between the camp and the town, during which time the
fighting continued, that the terms were finally agreed
upon. They were as follows :—All the troops in the
town, regular and irregular, to march out with thir arms,
&c., free to go where they chose ; two hours to be allowed
for the evacuation ; the town not to be submitted
to any war requisition in money ; requisition of
supplies to be made only through the municipality
private property and person to be respected ; the Seden-
tary National Guard to deposit their arms in the Town'
hall ; the enemy not to enter Chartres, until half-past
four. No such terms as these have been obtained by
any town from the commencement of the war, and it is
evident that the heroic defence of Chateaudun has inspired
the Germans with a terror of street fighting, and has
greatly modified their opinion of the fighting qualities of
the French irregular troops.
THE SICK AND WOUNDED AT SAARBRUCK.---"'
In a letter dated from Baden, October 24, a correspon-
dent of the Telegraph says Saarbruck is literally over-
flowing with sick and wounded. They cannot be drafted
off quickly enough to places further from the frontier,
and I am sorry to say there is, as may be
expected, much typhus and dysentery. That
the German army before Metz is suffering
severely is beyond doubt. The soldiers, it
is true, shew great ingenuity in protecting
themselves. For instance, if they are lucky enough to be
near a garden wall, they make requisitions in the
neighbouring villages for planks and straw, and
with these they construct a sloping roof and
outer wall, thus providing themselves with a long hut.
They also manage to build hovels in the woods by tying
together the boughs and stems of overhanging trees. But
these makeshifts do not compensate for the want of
weather-proof tents. We were glad to leave Saarbruck,
although the parting scene at the station intensi-
fied the unpleasant impression of the place. One,
train was coming in full of troops who evidently
had not yet been up to the front. They were toler-
ably neat in appearance, bright and hopeful in manner,
and they presented a strong contrast to a train-
ful of sick wretches who, in stained, torn, and dirty
clothes, were huddled on the straw in horseboxes. With-
out its " pomp, pride, and circumstance," how wretched
is " glorious war ! " The conversations heard everywhere
at Saarbruck—almost all the civilians had come to find
out relatives sick, dying, and dead—made the noisy,
half-hysterical hilarity at the station peculiarly dis-
gusting, and the long bare tables, covered with coarse un-
appetising fare, could only be approached by the strongest
appetite. In the railway carriage which bore us away
were two fellows in deep mourning, who, in their hospital
search for friends, had got drunk with artificial
stimulants and natural excitement. This episode
was sufficiently disgusting; but the most ghastly incident
of the scene was the hawking about, by a brute with a
Stentorian voice, of " Schulze and Muller im Kriegsschau-
platze "—a comic description of the seat of war, sold in the
very hearing ok men who were writhing in the agony it
occasioned.