The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-05 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER st. 1870!--#1.2-

first row parallel with the crowning of the glacis. But
soon there are no more men in the column and no
more baskets to-be seen ; ho then 'hastens back, and
causes the first division of the column, who had placed
themselves in shelter, to advance again. At last, unfor-
tunately for us, a fire breaks out in the town, and the
flames illuminate the whole of the glacis ; but nothing
can be done, and even if -the enemy see plainly to
take aim, the word is ' Forward.' Parillell with
the first row of gabions short pieces are "sided
which form the inner sides of the traverses ;.Ibid
what an immense amount of labour is required. No one
but those who have witnessed these things can form any
idea of them ; and amidst the danger which thWatens on
all sides each man must take up the exact position assigned
to him. In the midst of work the 9 eer officer seems
to forget all dan,ger.„-an • anding all the bullets,
he must keeplhis iild'atout him in order to make the
position sheltered and secured—not only on one side, but`
on all sides—from the bullets of the enemy. The position
I of the- enemy can be seen by the flashing of the rifle.
discharges levelled against us. The work was increasing
rapidly; when a non-commissioned officer, who was acci-
detitally in front of Captain von &hewn, turned round
suddenly and said, I am-hit,' and at the same tune the
• -- .
' captain, who was stooping to sheW where a gabion was to
to be planted, felt a small blow upon his left temple. Most
providentially both were spared. The bu,l49t had passed
through a double fold of the corporal's overcoat without
wounding him, and the spent bullet had grazed the cap-
tain's head. The work was being proceeded with when an
obstacle presented itself, hitherto unseen, in a door which
led out of some subterranean communication with the
slopes, thus hindering the continuation of our trenches.
Captain Scheven hastened thither with a basket, so
as to mark -the spot, and planted his basket, but on
his return along the open way illuminated by the flames
from the fire in the town his form was clearly shewn, and
he became the target for all the enemy's sharpshooters.
He threw himself upon the ground and did his best to
advance by creeping and rolling along. The storm of
bullets whistled and howled over his prostrate form. We
watched him narrowly, and followed him with our eyes,
and saw, thank Heaven, that he had in his progress
slipped into a rent in the earth caused by a' shell, and
was secure from the enemy's fire, for they, not seeing him
began to distribute their leaden favours, and after some
time the captain was able to issue from his hole, and again
take part in these dangerous operations. We sustained
enough losses during the night—about ten men—and
are glad the captain escaped. It is surprising we should
have had so few casualties considering the great danger of
our operations."

remains to be seen ; but Lyons has shewn herself ready
to follow if he can lead.
. •

THE DOCUMENTS FOUND IN THE

TUILERIE,S.

Among the papers found in the Imperial Cabinet was a
copy of the following ,letter from General Ducrot to
General Trochu. It was not dated, but a note at the
heitl of the copy-Aated that it arrived in Paris on Friday
morning; December h, 1866, and bore the post mark of
Strasburg ;—" Since you are in the way of telling whole-
some truths to the illustrious personages around you, you
may add this. While we are pompously and slowly
deliberating on what is necessary to • form an army,
Prussia is proposing to herself the simple and
energetic invasion of our territory. She will be in
position to put in line 600,000 men and 1,200 pieces of
ordnance before we have thought of taking the necessary
steps to prepare three hundred thousand men and six
hund-ed . pieces of ordnance. On the. other side of the
Rhine there is not a single German who does not believe
in a future.war. The most pacific, those who by their
family connections or by their interests are most French,
consider a fight as inevitable, and do not under-
stand our inaction. As a cause must be

found for everything, the people say that
our Emperor has fallen into dotage. Unless one is blind
one cannot doubt that the war will break .out on the
first opportunity. With our stupid vanity, our
mad presumption, we
.laa.y believe that we shall be per-
mitted to choose our day and our hour, that is to say
after the great Exhibition is over, to complete our
organisation and our armament. In truth, lam of your
opinion, and I begin to think our Government is struck
with insanity.. But if Jupiter is resolved to destroy them
do not let us forget that the destinies of the country and
our own individul fate are linked with their destinies, and
since we are not yet attacked by this fatal dementia, let
us make every effort to stop this sad course which is
leading right on to the precipice. Here is an additional
detail to which I shall call your attention, as it must en-
lighten the dullest perception. For some time past nume-
rous Prussian agents have been travelling about our fron-
tier departments, especially those between the
Moselle and the Vosges. They ascertain the
temper of the people, and influence the Protes-
tants who are numerous in those parts, and are
much less French in their sympathies than is generally
thought. They are the sons and grandsons of the same
men who in 1815 sent numerous deputations to the
enemy's head-quarters, to ask that Alsace might be re-
stored to Germany. This fact is worth notice, as it may
be held to indicate the plans and the campaign of the
enemy. The Prussians went on in the same fashion in
Bohemia and Silesia three months before opening hostili-
ties against Austria." •
The Journal 0 fficiel publishes extracts from two other
letters found in the Imperial cabinet. One of these is
addressed by M. Jecker to M. Conti, e'er du cabinet to the
Emperor, and is dated " Paris, December 1869," and
refers to a transaction with Mexican bonds, in which he
says the Emperor is especially concerned, and which may
prove unpleasant to him if the Government persists in its
indifference on the subject. N. de Morny was also con-
cerned in it, and it was his death which made the French
Government drop all interest in the matter, though M.
Jecker, who writes the letter, only mixed in the affair at
the Duke's request. This letter is incomplete.

which was rejected there, contained nothing as to the future
conditions of peace. It only...included an armistice of
from a fortnight to three weeks, to be granted on the fol-
lowing conditions, in order to enable the election of a
National Assembly to be held :—Firstly, in and
before Paris the maintenance of the military status
quo ; secondly, in and before Metz the continuance of
hostilities within a circle hereafter to be more accurately
defined ; thirdly, the surrender of Strasburg with its
garrison, and the evacuation of Toul and Bitsche, their
garrisons being accorded free retreat. I believe our
conviction that this was a very acceptable offer will
be shared by all neutral Cabinets. If the French
Government has not availed itself of this oppor-
tunity for having a National Assembly elected in
all parts of France, those occupied by us not excepted,
this indicates a resolve to prcrlong the difficulties which
prevent the conclusion of a valid peace, and to ignore the
voice of the French people. From all we see here the
conviction is forced upon us, as it no doubt is likewise
upon the rulers at Paris, that free and unbiassed general
elections will yield a majority in favour of peace. I
request your Excellency to communicate this circular to
the Government to which you are accredited.

'‘ BISMARCK."

THE ARMY OF THE LOIRE.

A correspondent, writing from Tours, described what
he believes to be the position of the much talked-of army
of the Loire. " About sixty miles east of Tours, in the
department of the Cher, is situated the ancient town of
Bourges. A glance at the map will tell you at once the
advantage to be derived from the position. At Bourges, to
which I have not yet been, and am not likely to go, as safe
conducts are not given to such places, there are probably
no more troops to be seen than at Tours ; but unless
I am greatly mistaken, Vierzon, Bangy, La Guerche,
and other little environs are well befriended in that
respect. Bourges, it must be remembered, pos-
sesses a large arsenal and foundry. It is a
fact that cannon and mitrailleurs are being actively
manufactured in the good old town. It may be fairly
presumed that Orleans will be held by the Prussians, as a
most favourable post of observation. From that place
IThlans can be sent flying out in every direction, and
a reconnaisance towards Bourges can be made with small
risk, as thirty or forty miles is about the distance. The
immense bend which the Loire makes through the towns
of Tours, Blois, Orleans, Gien, Cosne, Nevers, and
Roanne, forms a natural rampart behind which a great
deal of raw material can be moulded into a formidable
army. As a central point of France, it is easy of
access for the departments, and the much talked of levde
en masse could have no better rendezvous."

Garibaldi says he has not offered his services to the
French Republic.
The release of Dr. Jacoby is announced by the Dundee
Advertiser, but the statement has yet to be confirmed.
According to the Berlin correspondent of the Times
orders have been given to take as few prisoners as pos-
sible before Paris, so as not to diminish the mouths
within the city.

A correspondent informs the Pall Mall Gazette that M.
011ivier is now living in retirement at Pollone, near
Biella, in Piedmont. He is said to be preparing for pub-
lication a work, entitled "My Ministry of the 2nd of
January." The first volume will bear the title, "The
Plebiscite," and the second tnat of " The War."
The Red flag is still hoisted on the Dome Terreaux at
Lyons as a signal of the national danger, but the tricolour
is displayed on the forts and military establishments.
Order is reported to have been re-established, but from
a letter in the Times it appears that not much confidence
is felt in its preservation.

A Southampton correspondent telegraphs that a great
fire occurred in Rheims on Sunday, and it was reported in
St. Malo when the Southampton boat left on Monday, that
the barracks were destroyed, and a large number of arms
had been burnt. The, fire is supposed to be the -stork of
an incendiary.
M. Devienne has published a letter addressed to M.

Arago, expressing much indignation at the charges brought

against him, but giving -no explanations. The
Independance, which publishes the letter, pre-
faces it by saying that, .if its advice had been
asked by M. Devienne, the counsel given would Lave been
that he should have thrown his letter into the waste paper
basket.

A St. Petersburg journal says that Marshal Bazaine is
only a Frenchman by naturalization. Soine French en-
gineer officers were authorized by Napoleon I. to enter
the Russian service, and among them was M. Bazaine.
This gentleman was married, but had no child, and in
1811 he adopted an infant which was abandoned at his
door. The foundling is the present gallant defender of
Metz.

A story is told of the Crown Prince of Prussia. During

his present stay at Versailles, while distributing decora•

tions the other day awarded by the King to his army, he
happened to remark that he was standing facing the back
of the statue of Louis XIV. ; so, turning to an officer
behind him, he said, pointing to the statue, "If that old
fellow could only see what was going on here, by G—d,
sir, he'd turn round on his horse for very rage."
The French post-office authorities have announced that
they will despatch balloons with private correspondence
as regularly as the weather will permit, beginning from
the 28th of September. The correspondence must be
written on very thin paper, and each letter must be open
and not weigh more than three grammes. It may be four
centimetres long by seven centimetres broad, must be ad-
dressed outside "By balloon," and must be prepaid at
the ordinary rates.
The Grand Duke of Nassau, who has just been killed
by French free-shooters, was 53 years old. His name was
Adolphus William Augustus Charles Frederick, and
according to the Alnzanach de Gotha, he was the represen-
tative of the elder line (styled De Walram) of the House
of Nassau, a cadet branch of which holds the sovereignty
of Holland. He was born on the 24th of July, 1817, the
eldest son, by his first marriage, of the late Duke William
George Augustus Henry, Whom he succeeded in August,
1839.

It appears to be quite true that the wild animals of
Alsace and Lorraine, frightened by the continual dis-
turbance of the late battles, have fled from their original
haunts to Belgium. Eleven wild boars took refuge the
other day in a park.
A clergyman and another gentleman who were im-
prisoned in Metz have been set at liberty. They describe
the spirit of the garrison as excellent, but the salt is
almost exhausted. A peasant who escaped from the city
says that provisions for the military are still in some
measure sufficient, but there is a terrible scarcity among
the citizens.

An English correspondent bears testimony to the lack
of sympathy which the French soldiers experience in their
own country. They are refused food and shelter in
farms and villages where there are plenty of empty beds
and spare provisions. Peasants will not, unless armed
force is brought to bear upon them, give hospitality to the
footsore and wounded "for fear the Prussians might be
angry with them." In self-defence the Francs-Tireurs
are obliged to put illegal pressure on those people
whose patriotism is entirely regulated by a care of their
pockets.
The German field telegraphs are of three kinds, called
respectivelyflying, provisional, and permanent telegraphs.
The first consist of wires surrounded by guttapercha,
which are. paid out on the ground. These are adapted for
level ground ; but where it is hilly or wooded the second
class are used. In these the wires are of iron, and are
affixed to the trees or to pegs placed in the ground by
means of light insulators. The permanent telegraphs
are constructed in the ordinary manner by a department
intrusted with the duty.

It has been previously noticed that the German press
is exceedingly angry with the Belgian papers for the warm
sympathy which they shew towards the Cause of the
French Republic. The chief Belgian journal, the Ind&
pendance Beige, comes in for a special measure of wrath.
The North German Gazette declares that, to make matters
worse, the Independance is the property of German capi-
talists, who turn " an honest penny" by writing against
their country. This statement seems to be an exaggera-
tion. Some few Germans have shares in the Brussels
paper, but they have no control over its management, and
their protests have been unavailing.

The-other day some Prussian prisoners who stopped at
the railway station of Tours were informed that. their
place of destination was Roche-sur-Yon. They professed
-their ignorance of itsdocality, and were told that it was
Napol4on-Vendde. They knew that chief town of the
Department very well, but the name of Roche-sur-Yon
completely puzzled them. The title had been changed.
Both the Cologne Gazette and the Independance Beige state
that M. 'Tiers, in his interview with Lord Granville, urged
that England should induce the other neutral Powers to
co-operate with it in pressing Prussia to make peace on
reasonable conditions. He also wished to convince the
English Government that the restoration of the Empire
was impossible. As to the first point, Lord Granville
replied that England could under no circumstances
intervene, for Germany having carried on the war
alone could not be hindered from concluding peace by
itself. On the second point Lord Granville agreed with
M,

GENERAL GARIBALDI AND THE FR ANCO-
GERMAN WAR.—A letter has been placed in our hands,
addressed by General Garibaldi to Mr. John Richardson,
of Bishopsgate-street Without, London, which affords
precise and authoritative contradiction of the rumour of
the General's design of offering his services to the French
Government of National Defence. The letter is dated
Caprera, 27th September, 1870, and is written in
French. "Je n'irai pas en France" is its most important
sentence.

MACMAHON'S . FLANK MARCH.—I do not think
it is generally known in England how thorough was the
understanding between Bazaine and MacMahon, and how
detailed was the programme in case of the success of the
movement of the latter. Intercepted letters bear
testimony to the fact that MacMahon was
petted to make his appearance from the Ardennes
about the 30th of August. The signal for the Metz
army was to be three bombs fired in the air by
MacMahon, and then a sortie was to be made at the
same moment that the army of Chalons was to fall on the
Prussian rear. It is actually the case that Bazaine w 39
cautioned against allowing the guns of the fortress to have
too much elevation when fired in support of the sortie, to
obviate the risk of the projectiles falling in the co-operating
army on the further side of the Prussians. Had Iron
Moltke and the Crown Prince not succeeded in baulking
tie "seheme, well planned as it undoubtedly was, the
Prussian armies might not have been lying to-day around
Paris and Metz.—Correspondent of Daily News before Metz.
A RAID FOR FOOD.—The aim of the sortie made
by Bazaine from Metz on the 27th ult. was to capture a,
quantity of provisions at Courcelles, and some herds of
oxen grazing in the adjoining pastures. The Elberfeta
Gazette says :—" The plan was really well organised. The
inhabitants of the village of Peltre had acted as spies,
giving information to the enemy with white flags ; but
they paid dearly for so doing, for in order to punish
the village for this act of treachery the place was
set fire to. The sortie was made suddenly and unelc"
pectedly. The French corps, numbering about 10,000 men
attacked our lines with energetic vigour, and it was only
the extreme bravery of our 13th, 15th, 53rd,.55th, and
74th Regiments of the Line, and our 7th Regiment of
Jagers, that prevented the enemy from succeeding, and
he had to retreat with heavy losses. The enemy re-
treated behind the forts in three divisions, with several
field-pieces. A train which proceeded from the fortress
advanced to Peltre, where the soldiers who were in the
carriages got out. Our artillery, drawn up in a long line
upon the heights between Mercy-le-Haut and Laqueneor,
by its rapid fire caused much loss to the enemy; our shells
seemed to sweep away whole ranks. Mercy-le-Haut had
been taken by the French and then retaken by us, but
before they left the French fired the chateau. Unfortu-
nately, we were not able to prevent a large number of
skirmishers, belonging to the 53rd Regiment of the line,
who had advanced too far, from being surrounded by the
enemy and taken prisoners. The French also suc-
ceeded in carrying off into the fortress the larger portion
of a herd of oxen, about forty head of cattle. We had
very few men killed, but, on the other hand, many
wounded. The losses of the enemy are far more consider'
able than ours."

THE CHANCES OF FRENCH MILITARY SUCCESS.
—What should be done is evident. A large camp should
be formed somewhere about lourges. In camp the new
levies would -be removed from the demoralisation pro-
duced by being quartered in large towns, especially in
times of great political excitement. In camp, also the
troops would be more under control as regards disci-
pline, and could be trained with greater facility. In this
camp should be assembled all the regular troops now
scattered by weak battalions and brigades all over
France. To these should be added reinforcements from
Africa, and marines from the returning French fleet, and
the best of the Mobiles and Francs-tireurs, till a total of
100,000 men is reached. Then the remaining forces in
France should be organised in three other armies destined
to more passive attitudes. These should be quartered, one
at Tours, another at Lyons, another in the north, about
Havre or Rouen. The most important thing, however, is
to restore discipline. A great step towards this has been
taken by allowing generals of division to restore retired
officers to their old grades, and to give lieutenant's cow:
missions to deserving non-commissioned officers, the said
commissions to be good only for as long as the war lasts.
If an army such as we have indicated were assembled,
and really energetic measures taken to enable it to act in
the field, there may be some hope for France. At present
the case stands thus. The army of the Loire cannot
relieve Paris. Paris must eventually fall if not succoured
from without. The army of the Loire might, if well
handled, relieve Bazaine, and, united with his army:
might then relieve Paris. If Bazaine is not relieved
before manyweeks are out, the fate of France is, humanly
speaking, settled.—Standard.

NEWS FROM HAVRL—The forces at Havre are
beginning to wear a very military appearance, owing t°
the sound military management of the experienced soldier
in command here—General Massa. To-day all the
Sedentary National Guard, six battalions of the line, and.
about as many battalions of Mobile, are about to march
out to make a reconnaissance of the environs of the city,
and become inured to the realities of warfare. The
day is intensely hot, and will test the men's marching
powers, and their capacity for acting together,
The Mobiles here and at Montivilliers are in splendid con-
dition, and have, moreover, the great advantage over the
line of not being laden like • packhorses. The Sedentary
National Guard are a fine body of men, but they are
mostly the sort of men that Caesar used to like to have
abouthim—" men that are fat and such as sleep o' nights'
and to whom this afternoon's exercise must prove a very
severe ordeal lam going down to the environs of
Montvilliers to see this military display, in which
not less than frinn 8,000 to 10,000 men are to
take part. In all the rural districts of the department the
National Guard are being supplied with our old friend
the flint lock I This diversity of armament is very much
to be regretted. No less than five different kinds of mus-
kets are now in use—the flint lock, the capping muzzl
loader, the Minid carbine, the " fusil iL tabatiere," and,
finally, the Chassepot. In addition, many National
Guards and Volunteers have armed themselves at their
own expense, and great favour is shewn in Rouen to a
Belgian breechloader, the " Comblain, No. 2," which
appears very simple, efficient, and not so likely to get out
of order as the generality of breechloading weapons.--
Correspondent of the Standard at Havre, Sunday.

THE CATHEDRAL OF STRASBURG.—The Cathedral
of Strasburg is associated with the civil and religious
history of the great Alsatian city. On the spot where
now 'stands this marvel of Gothic art, there was formerly
a sacred forest, where the ancient inhabitants of the coun-
try offered up sacrifices to their divinities. Under the
Roman rule a temple was built on the same place. Clovis,
converted to Christianity by the battle of Talbiac,
de-
stroyed this temple, and erected a church in its stead,
which he dedicated to the Holy Virgin. Towards the
close of the sixteenth century in all Alsace there were
only three towns. The Merovingean kings had a palace
at Strasburg, and paid great honour to its church
In the year 768 Pepin le Bref visiting the city, conceived
the project of rebuilding entirely this old wooden basilisk,
which had already been repaired several times. Charle-
magne accomplished the wish of his father. Instead of
the insecure and clumsy edifice of Clovis, he constructed
a large church in stone, and deposited a silver cross, 12
feet in height within its walls. In the year 1007, the nos"
church was destroyed by fire. The Episcopal see 0'
Strasburg was filled at that time by a man of great ability,
Bishop Wernher, decended from the dukes of Alsace-
He undertook to reconstruct the Cathedral on a gigantic
scale. He gave up his patrimony and his revenue
for the purpose, and was seconded in his endeavours by
the clergy of his diocese. He was also assisted by tin
neighbouring States, and received contributions from all
parts. The rich gave their gold and the poor their labour.
It took eight years to determine the plan of this nel
Minster, and, during thirteen years, more than a hundre
thousand men were employed in its construction. The
grand design of Bishop Wernher was carried on by
successors and by architects of world-wide reputation.
The entire work was completed in 1439, from generation
to generation thousand and thousands of hands had con-
tributed to its progress during 424 years. In the Revolu-
tion of 1789 it was threatened with destruction. -4
member of the Jacobin Club insisted on the steeple
being demolished ; but another member, who
desired to spare it, adroitly suggested that $
bonnet rouge should be fixed on it, and by this,
means he gained his point. There is no histories,'
phase, from the barbarian era to the proudest day of the
French monarchy, and thence to the present epoch, v,rhiell
does not find itself represented in this cathedral. The
history of art is also represented there through a long sue;
cession of centuries. The Minster of Strasburg is looked
upon by the Alsatians as the Swiss regard the Alps, or
the Russians look upon Moscow. On their return from
a journey they see from a distance the aerial spire, and
hail it with delight as associated with their early recol-
lections, and connected with the glories of their country.
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