The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-01 00:00:00

ZRE SItTN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 1, 18(iu

engagement has taken place up to yesterday after-
noon.

No authentic news has been received respecting the
asserted junction of Marshals Bazaine and MacMahon.
The garrison of Metz and the army of Bazaine are
said to be well supplied. .

Fifty thousand Germans are now besieging Stras-
bourg, and the library is entirely destroyed by the
bombardment.

An agitation has commenced in various dis-
tricts of France amongst the peasantry against
the nobles, gentry, and clergy, whom the
agitators accuse of sympathy with Prus-
sia. Disturbances from this cause have occurred
at Ile et Villaine, Montfort, Hondain, Bretagne, and
Touraine.

PARIS, AUGUST 31.

he Minister of the Interior announces under
reserve that the march of the enemy upon Paris
appears to be checked, and that Marshal MacMahon
continues his movement without having yet had any
serious encounter with the enemy.

The Minister states that . Chalons appears to be
evacuated, and that the National Guards of the
Aisne and other departments are organising a
vigorous resistance.

PARIS, AUGUST 31, 1.45 P.M.
The weekly bulletin of Petit Journal Official
points out that France looks upon the present state
of things with a degree of confidence and :energy
which is acknowledged by the whole of Europe.
The country is calm, resolute, ready for all self-devo-
tion and sacrifices. All Frenchmen understand that
union is the first of their duties. The enemies of
the country will find before them not only a rampart
of stone formidably armed, but a rampart of patriot-
ism, energy, devotion, and invincible obstinacy.
Paris does not as yet know whether she will have
to sustain a siege, but she is ready to
face firmly such an eventuality. The whole
of France is rising, and everyone is armed
for the defence of the country. The capital
and the provinces are emulating with ardour each
other's exertions and their combined efforts must give
us the victory.

A decree, dated August 29, appoints General de
Lamotte Rouge to the post of. Commander of the
National Guard of the Seine.

THE PROVINCES OF ALSACE
- AND LORRAINE.
BERLIN, AUGUST 31, EVENING.

The semi-official Proiinczal Correspondence of this
evening publishes an article headed " Germany's
wishes with regard to Alsace and Lorraine."
The article says : " These provinces, which were
torn away from the German empire, have become
France's chief points of support for menacing attacks
upon Germany. How should it be possible, after
the glorious victories of the German army, after the
reconquest of two old German provinces, and after
the heavy and costly sacrifices by which our
triumph has been gained, how should it be possible
to avoid the irresistible conviction that the
honour and the safety of Germany imperatively
demand the removal of that lasting shame—a Ger-
man country serving as the starting point for German
enslavement ?

The European Powers, true to the attitude of
neutrality, which they have assumed, will not arbi-
trarily endeavour to arrest the consequences of the
war, so long as no substantial European interest is
injured by the conditions of the treaty of peace.
"The German people, however, is conscious that
in its demand it does not aim at any preponderance
over other nations, which might endanger the so-
called European equilibrium, but that it seeks only
a firmly-established peace, which it intends to wring
for itself and for other nations from the old enemy
of the peace of Europe."

CARLSRUHE, AUGUST 31.

The Carlsruhe Gazette announces that Count
Bismarck-Bohlen, the German Governor of Alsace,
has provisionally installed himself at Haguenau,
having previously held a consultation with Li6U-
tenant-General Werden, who commands the besieg-
ing force at Strasburg.

BELGIAN NEUTRALITY.
BRUSSELS, AUGUST 31, EVENING.
In cowequence of intelligence received from the
frontier, the Government has deemed it prudent to
send troops in the direction of Philipsville, where the
Count of Flanders has established his headquarters.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN
BRUSSELS AND PARIS.
BRUSSELS, AUGUST 31.
Railway communication for travellers between
Brussels and Paris has been re-established since
yesterday evening, but the trains from the French
capital continue to arrive very late.

FOREIGN INTERVENTION.

BERLIN, AUG. 31.

A meeting was held yesterday of leading men of
all parties convened by the Head Burgomaster, Dr.
Seydel, and the Deputies Dr. Loewe and Herr von
Unruh.

The meeting unanimously resolved to appeal to
the German people to sign an address to the King,
expressing apprehensions at the reports current of
foreign intervention being engaged in diminish-
ing the fruits of the contest, and declaring
tbat the demands to be raised by Ger-
many for her future welfare must be demanded
by Germany alone. The people renew their vow
loyally to persevere until the wisdom of the King,
excluding all foreign intervention, shall create a
state of affairs which shall guarantee better than
formerly the peaceful conduct of the neighbouring
people, eztablish the unity and freedom of the whole
German Empire, and secure Germany against all
attack.

KONIGSBERG, AUGUST 31.

A numerous meeting of merchants was held to-
day on the Bourse, and an address to the [King was
drawn up, and unanimously adopted, similar in pur-
port to that passed by the merchants of Berlin, and
especially begging his Majesty to decline any foreign
intervention in the event of negotiations being
opened for the conclusion of peace.

THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.

PARIS, AUGUST 30.

In to-day's sitting of the Legislative Body, the
Minister of Marine, in answer to a question of M.
Bethmont, denied that the Government had received
any such despatch as that published by the Figaro,
adding that he had every reason to consider the
news contained therein as utterly unfounded.

PARIS, AimusT 31, 6.25 P.M.

In to-day's sitting of the Legislative Body, Count
do Keratry brought forward a proposal for the revi-
sion of the appointments of officers in the Garde
Mobile, and demanded that urgency should be de-
clared, which was, however, refused by the Chamber.
The sitting was suspended until six o'clock, when it
will be resumed for the discussion of M. Keller's
motion.

THE PARIS BOURSE.
PARIS, AUGUST 31, 3.30 P.M.
The Bourse has been firm. Rentes closed at 60.27,
or 87c. higher than yesterday.

off the coast of Lincolnshire. Cannonading had
been going on for more than an hour when the
telegram wss despatched.

The Sarrebruckener Zcitung says that the Prussian siege
guns at Metz are nearly all in position. The water-
works at Gorze, for supplying Met; have been put out
of operation by the Prussians.

The Queen of Greece has been confined of a girl, who is
called Alexandra.

A cunference of German bishops opened yesterday. at
Eichstadt Fulda. Its deliberations, which are for the
purpose of arriving at a common elusion respecting the
decisions of the (Ecumenical Council, are to be secret.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
AMERICA.
(By Atlantic Cable.)
NEW YORK, AUGUST 30.
The Cunard steamship Java, and the National steam.
ship France, arrived out to-day, the latter at 5 a.m.

Gold closed at 116 i ; the highest quotation during the
day was 1161, the lowest 116 i. Sterling exchange on Lon-
don, 109 i ; United States 5-20 Bonds, 1882, 112 a ; ditto,
1885, 111 ff ; ditto, 1867, 110 ; United States 10-40
Bonds, 1867, 109; Illinois Shares, 136; Erie, 21. Cotton,
middling upland, 19i. Petroleum, standard white, 26i.
Flour, extra State, $5 75c. to $5 95c. Corn, new,
$8 7c.

INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN
(HEAVY) MAILS.
MALTA, AUGUST 31.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tanjore, arrived at seven this morning, and left at two
this afternoon for Southampton, where she may be ex-
pected about the 9th proximo.

THE MASSACRE AT TIENTSIN.

A private letter frOm Cheefoo, dated the 30th of June,
1870, gives some details of the dreadful massacre vhicl
took place on the 21st of June. It has been sak
that 'the consul fired at Chung How, or al
one of the Mandarins, and that he killed a

servant of the Yamen, but fortunately for the
cause of truth a Frenchman named Courtraix was with
the Yamen in the next room, where he, too, had fled for
protection, and he declares that up to the last there was
no shot fired, and that he saw the first wound inflicted on
the consul by a soldier with a spear. M. Courtraix also
witnessed the consul advance in a bleeding state to the
Yamen's door, and also saw the first of the brutal
murder o M. Fontanier. Meanwhile, the mob,
after allowing the French consul to go towards
the Yamen, immediately broke open the con-
sulate and murdered Monsieur and Madame Thomassin,
and the Abbe Chevrier, and another Catholic priest.
Simultaneously with the assault on the French consulate,
the mob and soldiery surrounded the hospital of the
French Sisters of Charity. Having set fire to a portion
of the building, they entered the gates, and dragged all
the Sisters of Charity out into the street. Their labour of
love amongst the poor of Tientsin for six years was thus
crowned in bitterness and earthly shame, by the very
people whom they had succoured, and fed, and clothed,
and. tended in the hour of sickness and pestilence. No
sooner had the mob and the soldiers glutted their thirst
for human blood on the unfortunate sisters, than they
burnt the entire hospital. Nearly a hundred orphan
children, who had been received into the orphanage
attached to the hospital perished in the flames. The
mutilated members of the dead sisters were thrown into
the burning ruins, and thus, together with . the little
children they were charitably nurturing, was the holocaust
Completed.

AFFAIRS IN ITALY.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

ROME, AUGUST 26.

The Pope went yesterday to pay a state visit to the
Church of St. Louis des Franceau, according to annual
custom on the feast of that saint. Many persons had
predicted that the Tope would not go on the present
occasion, but it appears on the contrary that he was re-
solved to do so, although far from well, lest the omission
should wound the feelings of French Catholics. The
church has been newly restored, and everywhere the Fleur
de lys has re-asserted its pre-eminence ; in the windows,
altar decorations, and the beautiful marble pavement,
which has 'been entirely renewed. M. de Banneville,
with his full suite of attaches in official costume, awaited
the Pope's arrival at the door with Mgr. Level, rector o;
the parish, and the clergy attached to the ehurch.
All the French residents and visitors now in Rome were
present, and the Pope retiring to the sacristy admitted a
great number of persons to the honour of an audience.
He was remarkably affectionate and cordial to all the
French laity, and evidently most desirous to remove the

impressions of his being Prussian in his sympathies dur-
ing the present struggle, or insensible of tde great devotion
of the French nation to his cause. I was placed very near
'him, and thought him looking fatigued and anxious, but
not ill, and his voice and step were as vigorous as ever.
General Balmier returned from Viterbo last night. All
is perfectly tranquil in the province and on the frontier ;
no incident whateyer has oocurred to indicate any move-
ment *on the part of the bands or the Italian troops. All
depends on the events in France, and a very sudden
decision may be cc me to at any moment as to their oceu-
pation.

The Chambers in Florence have been prorogued, and
the Ministry is in possession of the fullest powers, and
cannot be held other than responsible for anything which
may take place, as it is now stronger (owing to the panic
of a Republic) than any Italian Ministry since Cavour's
time has been.

Private letters from Munich state that the cholera is
breaking out among the German army, and especially
among the Bavarians. Yesterday the King of Naples
telegraphed to Rome for the cholera prescriptions, which
proved efficacious during the epidemic at Albano in 1867,
and it is taken for granted they are for the use of the
Bavarian ambulances, in which the Queen of Nables takes
an active interest. It is affirmed that Francis 11. assisted
at the battle of Froschwiller with the Crown Prince of
Prussia.

The French horse contractors are busy in the Prussian
campaign, and have bought a
.great number of horses at
800 f. each, of excellent quality, being nearly half the
price given in England, when the last French remount
averaged 1,200 f.

The Council will hold no more general congregations, it
is supposed, till November, for all, or nearly all, the
fathers have dispersed, the Orientals leaving after the
session yesterday, which was on a chapter of discipline.
The Pope is most eager to carry out a very severe re-
form of the clergy, secular and religious, throughout the
Catholic world, and there is no part of the work of the
Council to which he attaches more importance than that
which regards the morals of the ministers of religion.
The Defence is the great lion of Civita Vecchia just
now, and the English sailors are an example in conduct
and discipline. Captain Salmons has courteously allowed
visitors to go on board the ironclad from twelve to four,
and many English and Romans have availed themselves
of this permission. She came from Malta, and appears
destined to remain for several weeks here, which in the
present most unsettled stase of matters, is a most satis-
factory measure to the English residents in Rome.
We have daily and nightly alarms of a Piedmontese
occupation, but I believe they are reports industriously
propagated by the revolutionary party for the purpose of
keeping the troops constantly on the qui wire. It is now
three days since we have received fresh intelligence from
the seat of war, and great anxiety is felt on the issue,
which will be the key to events in Italy.

Prince Napoleon has arrived in Florence, and left again
for Paris. He is understood to have urged on Italy the
necessity of giving a contingent, and to have failed in the
negotiation. An apartment is being prepared for his
wife, the Princess Clotilde of Savoy, in the royal palace
at Turin. Emile 011ivier has also arrived in Turin. His
flight from Paris at so critical a moment is the subject of
severe comment from the French press. His life was,
it is said, in danger, so great was his unpopularity.
The council held a general congregation yesterday
mcrnino-°, and to-day Most of the oriental bishops com-
mence their vacations, and have left Rome with the
Armenian Patriarchs.

The Giornale de Roma contains an official denial of the
assertion of the Nord (Russian) that " the Vatican had
thrown itself into the arms of Russia." " The Vatican,"
says the Giornale "only throws itself into the arms of the
Divine Founder of the Catholic Church.'?

The attitude of the Pope is one of perfect impartiality,
and he has daily attended the public prayers for peace.

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE.

On Wednesday morning a fire broke out on the pre-
mises, No. 35, Exmouth-street , Clerkenwell, occupied as the
bakery shop of the Aerated Bread Company. The flames
having first attacked the bakery, soon spread to the house
attached, and, notwithstr.nding the great quantity of
water poured on it from several engines of the Metropolitan
fire brigade, the fire was not subdued until the back pre-
mises and part of the front were destroyed. Shortly
after daybreak, upon some of the firemen entering the
back room of the ground floor, the body of a lad who had
been missed by the occupants of the house? was found ter-
ribly burned.

THE BANKRUPTC Y OF THE O'DONOGHUE.
The case of the O'Donoghue, M.P., was brought be-
fore Mr. Registrar Hazlitt in the London Court of Bank-
ruptcy yesterday, M. Flews, who appeared for the bank-
rupt, stated that, although his client wasjidomiciled in
Ireland, and his principal residence was there, he had
been made a bankrupt in an English court. The question
might, therefore, have been raised whether that court
had any jurisdiction ; but his client had de-
termined not to do anything of the kind,
but to deliver himself unreservedly up to his
creditors, several of whom resided in London,
where he, compulsorily to some extent, had taken up his
temporary residence for the more convenient discharge of
a great public duty. He intended to submit a full and
truthfui statement of his affairs, and to make such a pro-
posal as might be considered most beneficial to the in-
terests of those to whom he was indebted. This, now-
ever, from various circumstances, could not be done
until the beginning or the middle of the month
of October, when a suggestion for private arrangement
would be made 2 • and it was to be hoped that his Honour
would consent to the annullment of the bankruptcy.—Mr.
Davis said that the creditors whom he represented did not
appear in any hostile spirit ; and he regretted the extreme
step which had been taken, and would be prepared to
concur in any reasonable arrangement. The Registrar
remarked that although there was something unpleasant
associated with bankruptcy, there was no disgrace attached
to it : and he trusted that when the arrangement was sub-
mitted to him he should not feel called upon to withold
his approbation from it.

THE LATE MANAGER OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
—The remains of Mr. R. K. Bowley, general manager of
the Crystal Palace were buried yesterday in the Nor,
wood Cemetery. The sons of deceased were the chief
mourners, and in the carriages which formed the cortege
were Messrs. Grove and Wilkinson, the secretary and
deputy manager of the Palace. At the cemetery gate the
procession was augmented by the directors of the Crystal
Palace, the members of the committee of the Sacred
Harmonic Society, and the majority of those constituting
the staff over which the late general manager presided.
The carriages of the directors, of Sir Michael Costa, Mr.
Mitchell, and Mr. E. T. Smith, formed a contingent of
the funeral procession,

THE BATTLE OF TUESDAY

The Prussians-if they had the least inkling of the inten-
tion of MacMahon to march upon Metz could not fail to
dispute the passages at Mouton, Stenay, and Dun; and
hence the French General found one decided advantage
in selecting Sedan for his principal base of opera-
tions—since, commanding both banks of the Meuse,

a successful advance thence would take in
flank and rear the Prussians disputing the bridges higher
up, and open the passages to the French columns march-
ing Meusewards through the Northern Argonne. On
Tuesday morning MacMahon was encamped on the
heights of Vaux, -whence he marched forward on the road
to Montmedy. But at noon lie was attacked by the Prus-
sians, and "driven back to the point whence he started."
Not many details of the northern battle have yet been
received ; but its obstinacy may be inferred from
the statement that after seven hours of combat the
cannonade still raged, and that on both sides the losses
were considerable. It would seem that the principal
fury of the fight was on the side of Carignan ; the
village, with its bridges, giving the command of
both banks of the Chiers, was evidently disputed with
much obstinacy, for we learn that it was burnt, and that
only after the battle was over and the French forces
driven back, did the Prussians enter it. Just about
nightfall the battle first began to turn in favour
of the assailants—probably when the French had
been driven out of the blazing streets of Carignan—and
the French commanders must have then seen that the
battle was lost, for, according to the correspondence of an
evening contemporary, the Emperor Napoleon, who
awaited the result at a farm house two miles in the rear
of Carignan, at once set out for Sedan. It would
appear, indeed, that, like several previous actions
of the present war, the Battle of Carignan closed
only when night fell ; but then the French were
in retreat, or in " rout," towards Sedan, leaving four
mitrailleuses in the hands of the conquerors. Next day,
indeed, by another account, the battle was resumed
newly on the ground on which it closed; but the majority
of the reports make the Prussians clearly, victorious on
Tuesday; and at any rate MacMahon was on Wednesday
in full retreat. The news is at all points favourable to the
Germans. Even so far west as Vizry, a small village
standing on the steep eastern verge of a plateau three
or four miles north of Vouziers, we bear that a
French force, consisting chiefly of Turcos, was
stormed and captured by two squadrons of Hussars,
and the garrison made prisoners. The main
interest, however, is for the moment on the Meuse,
near Sedan and Mouzon. Fuller details, as we have said,
are required before we can justly estimate the result of
Tuesday 'a victories ; but' we shall err very strangely
if it is not the complete failure of MacMahon's attempt
to reach and deliver Bazaine at Metz. Aheady the
victorious Prussians are following the retreating troops
of MacMahon towards Sedan, full sixty miles away
from the Moselle fortress ; and therefore all
strategical as well as all tactical co-opera-
tion on the part of the imprisoned Mar-
shal is now totally out of the question. The
advantage of the narrow Meuse valley between
Sedan and Montmedy, and the difficulties of the Argonne
passes, have alike been energetically turned against the
French. The fighting is probably not yet over ; for
the French commander knows that his only hope lay
in success in front, and that the terrible Crown
Prince, whom he has such good cause to remem-
ber, still lies in wait for him on the way back
to the Marne—by whatever route he may march.
To all human appearance the faint hope that ever shone
upon MacMahon's desperate march shas vanished—the
disaster which we have constantly held him to court
environs him on every side ; he has been beaten all along
the line, and thrown back upon neutral territory.—
Telegraph.

The telegrams seem to leave no doubt, combined with
the previous items of information, that it is indeed
MacMahon's army which has been defeated. It is
important to observe that Beaumont, near which
the official Prussian despatch describes the action as
having occurred, is on the left bank of the Meuse, about
half-way between Stenay and MOuzon, while Carignan
is on the right bank, half-way between Sedan and
Montmedy. If we interpret the despatch rightly, Mac-
Mahon has been attacked on both banks, while his forces
were only partly across the Meuse. He has been met as
he marched from Vaux towards Montmedy by a force on
the right bank, and the action took place which our cor-
respondent describes on Tuesday, and was continued yes-
terday. But there was only a portion of his force
over the river, and that portion remaining on the- left
bank was attacked on Tuesday, routed, and driven back
upon Sedan. These aro apparently two entirely distinct
actions, though going on simultaneously. That at Carig-
nan was probably fought by the troops of the Crown
Prince of Saxony sent to check MacMahon's progress,
while that at Beaumont was brought on by the
advanced forces of the Crown Prince. In this
case MacMahon is evidently in the most imminent
danger. If, indeed, he has allowed himself to be
attacked on the right flank while facing towards Metz—
if he has allowed half his army on either bank to be
overwhelmed by superior forces, no words can be strong
enough to express the blame which should attach to
his bad generalship. MacMahon started from Rheims
on the evening of Monday, the 22nd. On Tuesday,
the 30th, eight days later, he is caught in the very
worst position in which an army can possibly be
taken, astride a great river, close up against neutral
territory, into which, if he. is driven, he is
destroyed. He had barely seventy miles to march from
Rheims to the Meuse. Unless he were certain that he
could perform the distance in very much less than eight
days it was madness to attempt the movement. He must
have calculated on a much more rapid march. We
cannot believe he would have been guilty of so gross
a blunder as to make such slow marches inten-
tionally, or to attempt such a movement
unless he had reason to suppose that he could get clear
of the Meuse before the Crown Prince could possibly be
on his flank. He started from Rheims on Monday, the
22d. It was not till Wednesday, the 24th (we have it
from the pen of the Times special correspondent) that the
Prussian head-quarters at Ligny, eight or nine miles
south-east of Bar-le-Due, knew of the evacuation of
Chalons ; yet so slow has been MacMahon's march
that we abandoned the idea that he was really endea-
vouring to cross the Meuse, and so slow have been
his movements that the Crown Prince, over whom he
had two days' start has been able to strike him on the
flank. It is inconceivable that MacMahon attempted
this march, unless he was led to believe that he could do
it in two or three days less time than it has taken.. We
cannot but suppose that his intendance to have been in
fault, or that the demoralised condition of his troops was
such that long marches were found to be out of the question
At all events, a fatal blow has been struck, if these ac-
counts are not exaggerated. If, indeed, MacMahon has
been driving along the left bank of the Meuse to Sedan,
then his last hope is gone. But we have yet to be
assured that MacMahon's whole army was here. The
Prussian despatch, which speaks of the vast extent of the
battle-field, seems to indicate as much. If, indeed,
MacMahon's whole army is driven up to Sedan, then we
shall see him hemmed in at Mezieres, as is Bazaine at
Metz, and the fate of the two great French armies is ,
sealed.—Standard.