The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 265 1870.

journey from Chalons. He was three days and three nights
consecutively in the train. The Prussians on reachingßlesmes
tried their old plan of sending false messages by telegraph
and trying to entrap the enemy. Knowing that Douay
was in the neighbourhood, they sent him a despatch
signed by a French staff officer asking for troops in all
haste. All the division were at once in motion, and very
soon en route. Presently they came to a spot where 500
metres of rails were up. There was scarcely time to re-
verse the steam, while the enemy in ambush in the hills
began firing, but happily all escaped. The attack on
MacMahon is yet a mystery. Was it by a spy or a mad-
man? All we know is that one man was wounded, and
four have been arrested.

I open my letter to tell you painful things. Some trains
of goods and military stores have been plundered by 200
or 300 men of all arms again. The enemy's runners have
appeared at Chalons. The general and his officers have
arrived here. The Emperor is at Rheims. The imperial
trains, as extensive as of old, encumber the line.

The Frankfurter Zeitung says that King William has
ordered all newspaper correspondents from the head-
quarters of the Prussian army. This does not mean that
the correspondents of the press are to be banished alto-
gether. King William only wishes to have the selection
of them himself.

Among the sayings attributed to the French War
Minister, Count Palikao, are these observations : "If
I revealed all I knew, Paris would be illuminated."
The Paris correspondent of the Independence Beige
says there was a momentary danger of a division between
General Trochu, commander of the Paris forces, and
Palikao, Minister of War. The Garde Mobile was the
subject of contest. General Trochu wished to keep the
Garde in Paris, the War Minister desired to send it away.
The Empress, too, who cannot overlook the reception the
Mobiles gave the Emperor at Chalons,wished the Garde to
be despatched to the army, and on the advice of M. Thiers
General Trochu gave way.
The Independance Belpe says that Marshal Lebceuf will
be appointed to the command of the 'Army Corps which
was formerly led by General Ducaen, now wounded.
Surely the Administration would never dare to take such
a step. There is now no place in the French army for
the officer who is supposed to be chiefly responsible for its
disasters.

The bombardment of the town of Kehl by the French
batteries in Strasbourg (which is immediately opposite the
former town, on the Baltic) has given rise to a protest on
the part of General von Werder. An Article in
the Carisruhe Gazette claims immunity for Kehl
on the ground that. it is an open city. Reprisals in
Alsace and personal proceedings against the commandant
of Strasbourg, in case the place be captured, are threat-
ened.

A letter from M4zieres to the Correspondence Havaß,
dated Wednesday, says that the news which has reached
that town,respecting the battles near Metz on the 14th,16th,
and 18th, i s very favourable to the French cause.
Bazaine has given 300,000 Prussians abundance of work ;
he is gaining time, and with such a foe in their rear the
Germans can never attempt to beseige Paris. The news
of the Correspondence Havas does not say how long
Bazaine is likely to continue this highly useful work, nor
how long Metz is likely to hold him.
The First French Army Corps—that which suffered so
fearfully at Woerth—has received strong reinforcements.
Its artillery is now complete. The men have been once
more supplied with linen, shoes, and other necessaries
which'were lost in that terrible flight through the Vosges
mountains. Altogether the First Corps is now pretty
well re-established.

The Cologne Gazette attributes the failure of the mission
of the Duke of Cadore—he was sent by France to induce
King Christian to assail Prussia—to Russia. Owing to
the matrimonial alliance between the King's daughter
and the Czar's son, Russia has naturally great influence
with Denmark, and the St. Petersburg Cabinet exerted
itself unceasingly to keep the little state out of such
a dangerous adventure. Prince Gortschakoff was
especially energetic, and even King Christian's son-in-
law, who is by no means friendly to Prussia, gave his
influence to the policy of neutrality. The feeling of the
Danish people, the Cologne Gazette admits, is violently
opposed to Germany ; but on this occasion good sense
prevailed with the Court.