The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-01 00:00:00

THE COMING BATTLE.

A French correspondent, writing to the Daily News from
Mdzieree on Sunday, says :—" The seat of war is in this
department and the next, but as to foretelling on what
exact spot the great engagement will take place is im-
possible. To-morrow we start for Montmddy, rid Sedan,
and my intention is at any time to branch off on
horseback at the first sign of a battle. But I
must trust to chalice a good deal for that, my. best
plan, on the whole, I think, being to stick to the
convoi till I have found the 6th Corps, which we are
seeking. It was my friend's opinion that the Emperor
and MacMahon would not engage their forces for
perhaps two days yet. Several hundred artillery
horses arrived here to-day, and some artillery from
Vincennes. This is a quaint little place the
very ' type,' as we say in French, of the dull,
dirty, irregular, badly - paved, French fortified
town the kind of town through which one used
to rumble at night in diligences 20 or 30 years ago, when
railways were scarcer in this country. There is more
animation here now, of course, than there generally is in
such a town, which makes it less depressing I suppose.
The National Guard is on foot in the uniforms
they had made in 1832, I should think, from the
look of them. The Pompiers, too, have put on
their uniforms and helmets, and share the duties
of la place with the soldiers belonging to one
or two depots of the line stationed here, and
with the Garde Mobile. They would defend the place
very well, I have no doubt. You have heard how well
they answered the Prussians at Verdun. The news
of the attack on that place by 10,000 Prussians under
the command of the Prince of Saxony was posted up
here this morning. Artillery has come here from
Vincennes, no doubt for the ramparts. They have
only cut down a few trees found the glacis. Charleville,
which is a manufacturing place, is only divided from this
town by a bridge, and would come in for a nice thing if
Mezibres were besieged. I see in the Figaro, and
marked " official," the news of another victory
by Bazaine. Those Prussians take a great deal
of beating, for I should have fancied that with all
the battles they had lost since the 15th they would
have thought of giving in. As for the Crown Prince, he
is continuing his march on Paris. Everybody thinks the
destruction of the Prussians inevitable. Ido not see how
the Prussian army, under Frederick Charles, can escape
being annihilated between Bazaine and the other army
under the Emperor and MacMahon. The latter army
must be quite 200,000 strong, and as fresh as
possible. Besides all the troops already in the
field there is an army of reserve being formed
which must be nearly ready now, and which will
be at least 300,000 strong ; this is besides the Mobiles,
which are, I believe, to be re-officered and made into 100
reserve line regiments, so that the fault of the commence.
ment will soon be more than repaired there is every
rer son to hope ; and when once the Prussians begin to
fall back, unless their retreat is very orderly, I pity them,
or they will be pursued from village to village by every
peasant in the land they pass through.

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WITH THE
PRUSSIAN ARMY.

One of the three members of the British Parliament
who have joined the Hospital Corps at the seat of war
has sent to England a narrative of his experience. The
following are amongst the most noticeable points in his
letter :

" Luneville, France, Aug. 18.

"We are now in a duly recognised position, having
each a badge of whit 3 linen round the left arm, with a
red cross woven on it, whereby we become members of
the International Society for Tending the Wounded.

There are numbers on both' sides, and the cross is recog-
nised as a neutral badge, protecting its wearer from
all (intentional) injury. The white flag with the red
cross waves over every hospital, and is hung from a
window in every house where wounded men lie. The
badge is worn by every doctor and every kind of person
who, being a non-combatant, devotes himself or herself
(for there are Sisters of Charity and Florence Nightingales
here) to attending to the wounded. They have had
plenty to do hitherto. The towns and villages round
Woerth are, and long will be, filled with the
wounded from that most bloody fight. The
order is directed on each side by a Royal Commis-
sioner. The Commissioner with the army of the
Crown Prince is a Count von Gortz, to whom the
Commandant of Wissembourg gave us a letter of intro-
duction. He is always at the Crown Prince's head-
quarters or (more properly) half a day's march behind,
but in constant communication with them. We used our
letter to him as a military pass, and followed him from
time to time till we caught him at Sarrebourg on Monday
last. Indeed, having once reached the Prussian lines at
Wissembourg we found our difficulties as to permission
to go on almost at an end. We were on French soil,
local authority there was of course none, and
the Prussians, being in good spirits with their
victory and pressing eagerly forward, did not care to stop
or even seriously question any one. My German stood us
in good stead. I got on capitally with the officers and
men ; every one was and is cordial. Meanwhile, the French
people don't dislike us, not being Prussians. Our real diffi-
culty was not permission, but means of getting on and
mi- I,e of getting food. Both were increasingly difficult to
us the further we advanced. Walking and carrying our
knapsacks we found did not secure us all the respect and
attention we claimed, and indeed needed. Carriages there