The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-25 00:00:00

BISMARCK OUTWITTED.

It is reparted in Russia that during a recent conference
between Bismarck and Prince Gortschakoff, the former
intimated that he considered it advisable to discontinue
the use of the French language in carrying on diplomatic
correspondence. Fur some time past ,French has been
selected as the most convenient mode of communication,
because it is a language in general use, and also the most
clear in expression. Gortschakoff replied that he had
found this custom established when he entered on his
diplomatic career, that he recognised its utility, and did
not desire a change to take place. He thought no more
of it, but some time afterwards he received a long
dispatch from Berlin in the German language. Gorts-
chakoff, on the suggestion of the hereditary prince,
replied by a still longer dispatch written in Russian. Bis-
marck, greatly disappointed, was obliged to come back to
the French.

In Berlin alone the war has made /4,000 widows and
29,000 orphans.
Angel de Miranda, Prior's friend, the the editor of Le
Gaitlois, has been arrested near Versailles.
Von der Tann lost heavily in both engagements at
and near Orleans—in the second more severely than in
the first.

In accordance with military orders, the inundation
around Cambrai has for several days past been progress-
ing, and the felling of trees and other means of defence
are being actively carried on.

Deserters are still pouring out of Metz, haggard, starved,
and demoralized. The report that Bazaine was shot
when attempting to quell a Republican manifestation is
very general among the deserters.
The French troops in Metz are ripping open their
palliasses for straw, which is given as forage to the few
horses that remain ; the cavalry are dismounted, and
act as infantry; and the allowance of meal has been fear-
fully reduced.
The French poachers make the best Freeshooters. In

the Forest of Orleans all the poachers for ten leagues
round united to form a special corps. They felt that they
were defending their own property.
The Vossische Gazette of Berlin has been seized this

week on account of an article speculating as to the reasons
of the susceptibility the Prussian Government has shewn
respecting the Belgian press. •

So great is the scarcity of salt in Metz, says a German
paper, that when,recently, a German soldier was captured
with a small quantity of it in his bread-bag, the news
spread like wildfire, even officers of high rank begging for
a pinch of the precious article.
The enormous works of defence at Valenciennes, which
have been in progress since the commencement of the
war, have been completed and inspected. Formidable
cannon have been mounted; the town has been fully
supplied with ammunition, and will be defended by the
Garde Nationale and GardeMobile.

It is reported at Tours that the principal conditions of
peace are already agreed to. Prussia is to renounce an
increase of territory, and receive Luxembourg. A
popular manifestation took place at Luxembourg on
Satuday as a protest against the annexation of the Duchy
to Prussia.

" Isolated acts of hostility," says a correspondent of the
Allgenzeine Zeitung, "are continually occuring from time
to time on the part of the people of Strasburg against our
troops, and only a few days ago three men were shot. I
have already told you that some few Zouaves, Turcos,
and soldiers of the line were secreted in some of the houses,
but active search is now being made for them."
With respect to the alleged London banking account of
the French Emperor, Messrs. Baring Brothers write :
" With reference to the various statements which have
appeared in the public prints as to the investments of
money said to have been made by our firm for account of
the Emperor of the French, or as to stocks and property
said to be held by us for his account, we deem it right to
state, through the medium of your journal, that at no time
have we made investments for account of the Emperor,
and that we do not hold any stocks or objects of value for
his account."

The correspondent of the Baltic Gazette, dating Swine-
munde, the 19th lust, reports that :—" An English
steamer, the Claremont, which has just arrived here from
Newcastle, reports that on Saturday morning, when
about 70 or 80 miles west of Hantsholm, they were sum-
moned by a shot from a French steam yacht to heave to,
and their papers were overhauled by a French officer,
who told the captain that three days previously they had
captured and taken into Dunkerque three North German
steamers. Unfortunately the captain omitted to take
note of the names of the three steamers, but he remembers
that one of them was laden with about 1,200 tons of
coals."

A lady who visited the Empress Eugenie writes :
" The Empress was, contrary to my expectation, looking
well and cheerful. Her conversation about France was
hopeful. She evidently believes that the majority of the
French people still look upon her husband as their lawful
ruler. The Empress loves France more than she loves
power, and anyone who will aid in saving France from
Prussia she looks upon as her friend, and she will never
be found plotting against him, be he Imperialist or Re-
publican." The rest of the letter is taken up with a
description of what the Empress and various personages
about her wore.

The Italian journals are disputing as to the assistance
which Garibaldi has lent to France. It appears from the
explanations entered into, that Garibaldi has not in this
instance the support of the Radical party. The Riforma
declares that in his lash resolve, Garibaldi had not the
consent of his friends. The Italia says that it is idle to
think the Italian Government can restore Nice to Italy as
the reward for Garibaldi's assistance to France; but at the
same time declares it to be most inconsistent on the part
of the Ri forma and its friends, to object to an arrangement
which would be so advantageous to Italy as the restoration
of Nice. The only way to justify the declaration of the
Rtforma, is to suppose that it would rather receive Nice
as a gift from Prussia, than see it restored to France,
thanks to the exertions of Garibaldi.

General von der Tann has issued a proclamation to the
inhabitants of Orleans. The following extract shews that
the document has some political significance :—" Your
late Government declared war against Germany. Never
was a declaration of war more frivolous. The German
armies could do nothing else than reply to it by crossing
the frontier. Another Government succeeded. It was
hoped that it would restore peace. It has done nothing of
the kind. And why ? It feared to render itself impos-
sible, and under the pretence that the conditions proposed
by the German army were not acceptable, it preferred to
continue a war which can only lead to the ruin of France.
And what are the conditions of the victorious army which
it was deemed impossible to accept ? The restitution of
provinces which belonged to Germany, and in which the
German language still prevails, in the towns as well as in
the country—viz., Alsace and German Lorraine. Is this
claim an exaggerated one? What claims would victorious
France have made?"

THE FREE SHOOTERS.—The French free shooters
have been put under the orders of the Minister of War, a
measure which has been generally approved and which
was taken with the double object of giving them a recog-
nised position as belligerents, and of uniting their move-
ments with those of the regular army. It was feared the
greater restrictions thus put on the free shooters would
diminish their spirit, but it has not done so. Hitherto
these irregular troops have been the most successful of the
French forces. They were of great service in
the interval between the disorganisation of the
first armies which took the field, and the
raising and training of the new levies. The
record of two days' performances by the Franc-Tireurs
shows how persistently they harass the Prussian forces.
At St. Laurent-de-Caux, on the Orleans road, a company
overtook and routed two reconnaisances of the enemy.
After the affair in Fontainebleau the Free-shooters of
Paris, assisted by the National Guard, relieved Melun,
where the French Administration was consequently able
to re-enter. The Free-shooters held the enemy in check
for several days before Chateauduu. In the Vosges they
have inflicted serious losses on the Prussians. Six thou-
sand of them re-oocupied Mulhouse and organised a
resistance there, with the aid of the Mobiles. Their
services in delaying the inenay's advance are of great
advantage to the Frenrn.