The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-12 00:00:00

TRAGEDY IN FRANCE.

A horrible drama is now spreading consternation among
the inhabitants of Meze, where, on the 3rd instant, a
butcher, Etienne Vedrinel, in a paroxysm of mad-
ness, seized a large knife, with which he first
attempted to kill his sister. The blade slipped
between her arm and body, and she owed her life
to a young man who attacked Vedrinel from behind
and pushed him towards the door. He then proceeded
to a restaurant in the market-place, where, besides its
proprietors, he wounded two persons, including a but
recently-married wife. Leaving the establishment, he
buried his knife in the breast of a professional man, who
instantly expired. In a neighbouring street, to which he
had directed his steps, he wounded a poor unsuspecting.
fellow of Herculean frame. His next victim was an old
man, who die: d of his injuries the next night. At last a brave
citizen risked his life in the chase and attack of this polycidal
monster, but M. Alexandre Prouzet did not manage to
cage him till after a desperate encounter and a
number of wounds. He is now in the asylum
of the allies at Montpellier. The list of dead
after these bloody engagements is three, of
wounded five, and the authorities attended the funerals.
But why has not Napoleon bagged the precious prize,
and let him loose among the comparatively gentle troops
of Prussia ?

The Court will return to Windsor on the 16th,
and will probably leave for Scotland on the following
day.

The subscriptions to the German Assocsation in.
Loudon in aid of the wounded and destitute in the Con-
tinental War, of which Baron Schroder is chairman, now
amount to £26,435 lie. 9d.

IRISH AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.—The return
of the Irish Registrar General, giving the agricultural
statistics for 1870, exhibits a decrease of 34,359, in the
total acreage under flax cultivation in 1870, as compared
with 1869. This difference is chiefly perceptible in the
province of Ulster, where it is 30,676. In Munster, indeed,
there is an increase of 380 acres. The total extent of
flax grown in Ireland in 1870 was 194,893. Ulster is, of
course, the grear flax district, and 1,392 of the whole 1,511
scutching mills in 1869 were in that province.

A NRIV COMMENT ON WISSEMBURG.—TIIO Cosmo-
politan cicclaims—How wise ! Adding—The Times teems
with criticisms on Frenclimilitary blunders. It insolently
charges the Emperor with weakness any indecision, and
even suggests his abdication. And all because Prussia,
with 140,000 men in action beat 33,000 men ! The Times
is a wonderful critic from its owu point of view, that is
its commercial point of view.
TIIE PRINCE IMPERIAL UNDER FlRE.—Henry
Mayhew, who is the war correspondent of the Globe,
writes :—" I am told the boy prince's conduct, however,
deserved even a higher eulogy than this. It should be
borne in mind that Prince Louis has not yet seen fifteen
summers, and that it requires a strong dash of the
lion in the heart to be 'able to stare death in the
face uncowed when the cheeks are as smooth as a
woman's, and the wiil which gives the iron resolu-
tion to the soul is still as undeveloped as the heart of oak
that is latent in the acorn. Hence your readers will be as
surprised as I was to hear that when the first bullet
whistled over the head of the Prince Imperial he raised his
cap to it, as if he was proud to make its acquaintance.
This is the true Napoleonic stuff assuredly, and shows
that though the lad has the amiable character of th 6
Empress stamped on his face, he has all the pluck of the
Emperor,engraved on his heart."

THE WAR.

INVESTMENT OF STRASBOURG,

SUMMONS, AND REFUSAL TO

SURRENDER.

An official telegram from Carlsruhe, of August 10,
says :—" According to official intelligence received here,
Strasbourg is at this moment surrounded on all sides, and
the railways leading thence to Hagenan, Paris, and Lyons
are occupied by the German troops. It is stated that the
fortress is only garrisoned by one regiment of infantry
and the National Guard, did that it is very scantily pro-
visioned. The commander yesterday refused the sum-
mons of General Beyer to Surrender.