The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-22 00:00:00

THE INVESTMENT OF PARIS.

The correspondent of tlie ,standard, writing from
Mantes on the 17th, says :—" Paris is on the qui-vive.
Over 400,000 men are waiting rams au bras, and the
alarms taking place constantly for the last twenty-four
hours make the Mobiles familiar with the dangers they
are going to incur. General Trochu's organisation
seems perfect. The companies of Franc-tireurs,
and other volunteers composed of the most rosolute
men, adventurers, old soldiers, and hunters, who have
carried arms and weapons all their life, are sent forward
to the front, either in the face of the very enemy, or
between the forts and the walls; they advance in every
direction, harass the German outposts, and retreat only
when meeting too superior forces. These brave marksmen
have only begun their exploits since the 15th.
These troops form twelve moveable divisions, and
although posted on different sections of the military zone
they can easily be transported, at a moment's notice, to a
spot more seriously attacked. Their movements are con-
siderably helped and protected by the guns of the
fortresses, and by several regiments of regular'
troops. Fighting has been going on from four
to seven o'clock between Ablon and Athis, on the
Orleans Railway. Telegraphic communication has been
destroyed between Ablon and Juvisy, and in the last-
earned place the Prussians have been able to cross the
Seine at low water and to establish a powerful battery.—
Ten a.m.—The Western Railway has just been
cut, and the courier from Paris will not arrive to-day.
Telegraphic despatches are suppressed for all the
departments of the west right up to the Loire. The work
of isolation is done as far as railway communication is
concerned. The Paris lines are now all destroyed around
the capital. I must take at once a resolution and direct
my steps on new strategic roads, bringing me near the
battle field, and leaving me at a short distance from post
and telegraph to England. My next letter will announce
how far I have succeeded in my plans.—Mantes, Sept.
18. When I was writing to you last night of my
project of approaching Paris, and, if possible, to turn in
the direction of the south, where the cannonade has been
heard all day, I little thought of the sudden arrival and
actual presence of Prussian Uhlans and edaireurs in the
neighbourhood ; but such is the fact. From Pontoise they
have come to Meulon, and are now destroying the
telegraph and railway lines at about three maim
from Mantes, but they are in great force in the
forest of Saint-Germain. At an early hour this morning
the French had blown up the bridges of Asnieres,
Bezans, and Maisons. Heavy skirmishing had been
heard in that direction, but the circle of German lines
becoming more and more developed, it is extremely
difficult to approach and ascertain the importance
of the different skirmishings. On the other hand, no
correspondence, letters, or newspapers have come
from Paris. All that I can gather in my excursions con-
firms my news of yesterday—that important engagements
have been taking place at Ablon and Athis-Mons. Ablon
is a little village of the Department of Seine-et-Oise, ten
miles south by east of Paris. Athis-Mons is situate two
miles further on, near the mouth of the River Orge, and
close to the Seine and to the station of Juvisy. The moat
concentrated troops seem to direct their attacks from the
east to the south; from Clarenton to Clamart. Clamart is
a township of the Seine, with 3,000 inhabitants, and- ft
about four miles from the railway station (rive gauche)
Paris to Versailles. The forts protecting that side of
Paris are Charenton, Ivry, Bicetre, and Montrouge.—
Sept. 19, Evening. Yesterday an engagement took
place at Creteil between 15,000 men of the corps of
General Vinoy and some troops of the corps of the Prus-
sian General Vogel de Falkenstein. Early in the morn-
ing the divisions of General Vinoy were reconnoitring
near Bonneuil ; the vanguard, when displaying its skir-
mishers on the hills of Mely, had to sustain a heavy fire
of &Allier- r-r,-n the enemy. During the night ''^ Prus-
sians, forty thousand in number, had alished
their batteries on the top of the hills', on a plateau, natu-
rally strong. Gen. Vinoy, having so posted his artillery as
to protect the retreat of his skirmishers, fought with ad-
vantage for two hours, and succeeded in hi object
of reconnoitring the position of the corps d'armie
that was advancing in that direction. The Gene-
ral then retired on Charenton, after inflicting
heavy losses on the Prussian ranks, several of the
German staff having been killed in the affair. The
French losses are reported to be 18 killed and 37
wounded. Another fight has taken place at Visors, in
the plains of Champlan, between Ivry and Chatillon.
A corps of the Prussian army was repulsed bY
Franc-tireurs and regular troops, and compelled to
retreat on Montlery and Arpajon. At this very mo
ment different light engagements are going on from
the direction of Nangis right up to Clamart
If I do not mistake, cavalry, infantry, and artiller,
under the command of Prince Albert, are the troop(
engaged at the vanguards, the Crown Prima
having his headquarters at Fontainebleau. It it
difficult to obtain precise details of the various move
ments and conflicts taking place at every hour of th

day, although my service is pretty well organised.
I hope to advance very soon myself, and to continue to
forward my courier, a velocipedist of great ability,
by whom I send telegrams and letters to
Rouen. It is reported that 400 Uhlans have
arrived at Versailles, where the King of Prussia
intends to fix his headquarters. His German Majesty is
far from being humble in his choice. Will not the spirit
of Louis XIV. be distritbed by the stay under the golden
ceilings of his -palace of the new ruler of Germany invading
every part of glorious France?

OUR COTEMPORARIES---This Morning