The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-31 00:00:00

`ll-1E SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER, 31, 187 C.

Emperor and of his Government, I reply it is a
menace.of war." The next nay, the day that -Alr.

HAMMOND bad spoken of the clearness of the polit
cal horizon, Lord GRANVILLE received a telegram
from Lord LvoNs shortly after the arrival of Mr.
LivAnri's tiescribin.i the excitement which the
Spanish proposal had' aroused in Paris, and the
danger to which it might give rise: The day after
July oth, the Paris journals were full of the incident,
and discussed it in violent language. The agita-
tion extended to the Cliambbra, where the Duke
of GnAmoNT made a threatening speech. Thursday
saw a panic on every stock exchange in Enropl,"
the worst since Black Monday, though hut. a slight
shiver compared with the strong convulsion that
shook the London • Stock Exchange on July 18th,
when an alliance between Prussia and Russia w-ts
rumoured. Before that day Europe had passed into
a state of war. On July 15, amid a scene of
almost unparalleled excitement, the Duke of
GRAMONT in the Senate, and OLLIVIER in the Legis-
lative Chamber announced that the EMPEROR had
determined to declare war against Prussia. The
PRIME MINISTER declared that he entered upon
the war " with- a -.light heart," but the
EMPEROR cannot be accused of doing that.
He .knew that the 'victors of Sadowa would
prove formidable foes, and when after nearly a
fortnight's delay he joinedthe army at Metz heissue
:an address -which, thofigh it promised victory in the
end, intimated that it-woulditbe an arduous task to
win it. This address was issued on July 29th. The
fortnight's delay since the official announcement of
war was due to the utter want of preparation for
that war for which M. ROUHER declared that
the•EmpEnon had been preparing during the past
Tour years. The miserable- collapse of the military
system of the first military nation in the world
must • have been foreshadowed even then.,. It
was soon to beetle Ithown in all its dreadful reality.
Paris became inipatioint at inaction, and the army
of the Emperor th4refore left Metz after breakfast
on Auguit 2nd, and, taking: his son
.with
bim, NAPOLEON went by. train to Saarbriick.
Two days later, August 4, - NAPOLEON was
presiding at Metz over a council of war,
at which gAcMAHoN and BAZAINE were present.
While they were discussing plans that ought to have
been carried out a week- before, the CROWN PRINCE
of PRUSSIA fell upon a portion of MAcMAHoN's
corps at the little frontier town of Weissenburg. The
French were snrprised.and Outnumbered, and though
they fought with great bravery they were
completely defeated. MOLTKE again put in force
the rapid tactics which had won this
campaign of four years before. On August 0 the
CROWN PRINCE again attacked MAcMATloNatWorth,
and simultaneously FROSSARD was attacked on the
heights above Saarbruck. Both Generals were
utterly beaten, the French army severed, never more
to be united,*and hurled back in disorder towards
Metz. In Paris there had been tidings of a great
victory, begotten in that nest of lies the Bourse. The
flags which were -hoisted in honour of Lours' bap-
tism were still waving, when on Sunday the disastrous
truth became known. We have sustained a reverse,
telegraphed the EMPEROR to the EMPRESS REGENT,
but all may be regained. It was only by degrees
that the fall nature of the calamity became known.
On August 9 communications were made to the
Chambers by the Ministry respecting the military
position. The Corps Legislatif was fiercely indig-
nant. JULES FAVRE demanded the recall of the
EMPEROR; DE KERATRY demanded his abdica-
tion ; DUVERNOIS attempted to divert the
storm from the EMPEROR by directing it
against tha ministry. This manoeuvre succeeded.
OLLIVIER had to announce his resignation,
and a new Ministry was formed, with the
Count of PALYKAO at its head. This Government
has been well called the lying Ministry. During its
brief existence of twenty-six days it systematically
withheld the truth, or falsified it when it could not
be withheld.

If falsehood were ever a venial offence it was
so at this time. The truth was terrible. One
disaster accumulated on another. BAz AIN E,

endeavouring to escape from Metz and rejoin
MACMAHON, had to sustain three of the bloodiest
battles ever fought even on the soil of France. On
Sunday, August 14, and on the following Tuesday
and Thursday Prince FREDERICK CHARLES and
General STEINMETZ were engaged in a series of most
obstinate conflicts known as the battles of Courcelles,
Mars-la-Tour (or Vionville), and Gravelotte (or
Rezonville). The result was that BAZAINE was
driven into Metz, and. remained shut up there
though not without an occasional sortie,
until October 28, when he surrendered
with the largest army and war materiel that ever
fell into the hands of a conqueror. Meanwhile
MACMAIION had to continue his retreat. One after
another the great rivers of France weze crossed, and
none of them seemed to afford a,.basis of operations.
Even the camp at Chalons, established expressly for
the defence of Paris, was evacuated, and its city of
huts burnt. The army by this time had be-
come dangerously demoralised, and for a time
shewed itself openly mutinous. The Ear-
FEiton, and his son narrowly escaped being made
prisoners, and were glad enough to make their jour-
ney in a third-class carriage, and to drink sour wine
out of an old cup. MACMAHON told his master
plainly that there was no hope of retrieving the posi-
tion excopt by falling back under the walls of Paris,
. and there gaining time to reorganise hi 3 army. But
the EMPRESS interposed, and told the EMPEROR
that if BAZAINE were abandoned there would be
a revolution. Against his better judgment,
'MAcMAIIoN attempted to perform the impossible.
He endeavoured to march along the northern fron-
tier and regain Metz. Then -came the last days of
August—the last days of the French army, the last
days of the French Empire. On the 20th BAZAINE
attempted to break out of Metz, and was defeated.
On the 28th DE FAILLY was defeated at Montmedy,
On the 30th MAcMA.HoN was defeated at
Beaumont with a loss of io,oop in prisoners
alone. Fresh defeats occurred at Douzy and
Bazeilles on the 31st, and on September Ist Arma-
geddon reached its climax. MacMAsoN was
utterly overwhelmed at Sedan, and painfully
wounded. On the following day the EMPEROR sent
his sword to the KING OF P-WSSIA, saying that not
being able to die at the head of his army, he laid
his sword at the feet of his Majesty. Then followed
the famous interview between KING. and
EMPEROR, who, only three years be-
fore, had occupied such far different posi-
tions, when the lord of the Tuileries displayed
all the riches of the wcrld to his guest. The result
of the interview was that MACMAHON surrendered
with more than 100,000 men, and the EMPEROR was
sent a prisoner through Belgium to the castle of
Wilhelmshae, an old pleasure retreat of his uncle,
King JEROME.

News so decisive could not be kept long from
the Parisians. On Friday September 2nd they were
told that MACMAIION had surrendered on the 31st
the ground he had lost on the previous day. But on
Saturday the 3rd Count PALIKAO'S downcast coun-
tenance told that fresh evil tidings was in store. He
told a portion of it, and said there were rumours of other
disasters, but he did not credit them. JULES FAVRE
mounted the tribune, and declared the country could
no longer concern itself about the past. - It had been
linable to save the country. The words produced the