The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-17 00:00:00

A MESSAGE FROM METZ.

The Bend of Berne gives an account of the capture by
the. Prussians of a correspondence between Marshal
Bazaine and the Comte de Palikao. It says :—" On the
night of the 24th of August, General Steinmetz
received information that a messenger would leave
Metz the next morning for Paris with letters from
Marshal Bazaine, and that the bearer would
be disguised as a Franciscan monk and wear
the sign of the Geneva Convention, to justify an
alleged expedition to relieve the wounded around the city.
Every precaution was adopted to insure the capture of the
pretended monk. The sentinels were ordered to arrest
every suspicious-looking person without distinction of garb,
and Captain Poisi, of the 13th Regiment of Uhlans, with
half a squadron was sent to make a reconnaissance.
At last four Uhlans came upon a Franciscan friar near
the wood of Sauley, who exactly answered to the descrip-
tion that had been given, and who was visiting the houses
where wounded men were lying. He was arrested and
taken before Captain Poisi, to whom he complained of
having been interfered with in the exercise of his sacred
mission. The captain expressed regret that his men should
not have been better able to appreciate that sacred mission,
and asked the prisoner whether he was unaware that a
monk of his order had been hung a few days before as
a spy. She friar became disconcerted, and asked per-
mission to proceed to the discharge of his duties.
' Certainly,' replied the captain, ' but first be good
enough to hand the letters over from Marshal
Bazaine which you were to deliver in Paris.' After being
threatened with instant execution, the Franciscan, com-
pletely disheartened, pointed to his sandals, which were
at once cut of, and between the double soles were found
three letters--one for General Trochu, one for the Comte
de Palikao, and the third for Marshal MacMahon. Those
letters went to chew that if Marshal Bazaine be not re-
lieved within ten days he would be driven to an act of
desperation. ' The troops are wanting in everything, and
our provisions are exhausted.' In the letter addressed
to the Comte de Palikao was this significant phrase,
' Prevent orders or proclamations from his Majesty
from being published. I have appealed to my soldiers
in the name of the country.' The plan which Bazaine
suggested to MacMahon for the relief of the army of
Metz shewed how little he knew of the real position of
affairs, for he advised him to remain at Chalons, to await
the arrival of fresh troops from Paris, and then to march
by Clermont, Dun, and Briey, upon Metz. The spy was
sent to Spandau."

PRODIGALITY OF THE FRENCH.
GENERALS.

One of the writers of the Cologne Gazette furnishes
some particulars about the waste of public money by the
generals who were, until lately, in command of the
French armies. He says—" How laviihly the public
money has hitherto been spent anybody in Nancy could
easily perceive. The old palace of King
Stanislaus, of Poland, was the quarters of the
Marshal commanding there. It is a very stately
castle, situated on a broad squore, planted with trees, such
as no Piince even now would need to be ashamed of.
A lofty portico, with marble columns, forms the vesti-
bule, whence splendid broad marble steps lead into the
inner apartments. The fittings and furniture, provided
at the expense of the State, are princely throughout.
' Everywhere costly carpets, silk window blinds, velvet
curtains, lofty pier glasses, magnificent lustres—in
short, the most refined luxury. In one room the
seats and couches are of purple velvet with gold
borders ; those in a second are of blue silk, in
a third of another costly material, and the Marshal's
entire residence is equal to the most famous princely castle.
The table, moreover, of such a Marshal,'whose salary was
£4,000 to £5,000 per annum, was quite princely. We have
found here the menus of General Failly, who commanded
here after MacMahon, who every day had a dinner of
eight courses, and dessert with champagne and four or
five other kinds of wine. The servants, the horses—
in short, the whole household was quite on a princely
footing. How shamelessly, too, the State was saddled
with ' extras' is shewn by the accounts which have been
found, and which prove, for instance, that when General
Failly held a review in the neighbouring town of Luneville
it always caused the
public an additional expense of £32.
Luxury, frivolity, and prodigality reigned every-
where, and shameless cheating of the State likewise
prevailed in almost all the higher military circles. The
military Governor of Lorraine—General Bovin—is now
! living here, although at French cost, in infinitely
simpler fashion than was the custom of the French
Marshals even in time of peace. He contents him-
self at dinner with simple wines and Bordeaux, and
scorns any degree of luxury, though so easily obtainable.
His dinner is supplied at the cost of the town from an
hotel, and the landlord had even at first the impudence
to expect that the General and his Staff would dine at the
hotel, instead of in the palace, becouse this would he more
convenient to himself. I should like to know in what
manner, if a Palikao or Bazaine had become Governor. of
Silesia, he would have been entertained by us."