The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-14 00:00:00

THE PRUSSIAN SUCCESSES.

The correspondent of the Standard, in a communication .
dated the 10th inst., from Meung, writes concerning
the fighting in that neighbourhood. He says :
"On Sunday night I sent you a telegram, which you
have, I suppose, received in due time, announcing that a
Prussian corps was advancing on Orleans, that the French
were occupying Pithiviers, and that an engagement was
imminent. A few hours later, during the night, I started
for that direction, and arrived early in the morning at
Meung, whence I knew I could easily reach the place
where the conflict was likely to take place, or retreat without
passing via Orleans, if the Prussians succeeded in occupy.
ing the place. It has been my bad luck to have always to
record the failure of the French in their engagements, and
to be always at hand to witness a part of their misfor-
tunes and reverses. This morning I was again near
the spot where a serious conflict had taken place.
.ft was well known last night at Arthenay, at
Pithiviers, and at Orleans, that a large corps of Prussians
troops, about 30,000 men, infantry, cavalry, and artillery
was advancing from Etampes by marche fordo on Orleans.
French generals must have also expected the same, since
the fighting at Toury. They must know now, after an
experience won at such a painful cost, that the Prussian
tactics are not to rest on a defeat, as small and
trifling as it might be, and that, after a repulse or
disadvantage, large columns are sure to advance
and to take a decisive revenge. They cannot have for-
gotten Forbach after Saarbruck, Gravelotte after Borny,
&c. But of what use is experience if the chiefs who
command the brave columns are always committing
the same faults and going through the same
errors ? What use to have at hand an army of 80,000
men if they do not know how to employ its
strength? At nine this morning the Prussian columns
attacked Arthenay, where a brigade, commanded by
General Longuerne, and four companies of chasseurs, had
been expecting the arrival of the enemy; they fought
bravely. These troops were soon reinforced by General
Reyan, who came to their help with five regiments, four
battalions, and a large battery of eight pieces of artillery.
The 'fight was desperate, losses are great on both
sides, and the conflict lasted till three o'clock p.m. The
final result was the repulse of the French iu the forest of
Orleans, where they expect reinforcements, and where
they have resolved to defend themselvel. Later in
the night I shall write to you the full details of
the affair, which I expect has only finished to
begin in the morning. Notwithstanding the im-
portance of the engagement, I consider it is only the pre-
lude of a larger one, and, if not, I shall begin to despair
entirely of French prospects. The army of the Loire is
now 70,000 men strong. The troops are well equipped
and well armed. If they do not stop the advance of the
Prussians on Orleans I cannot see what may be their ob-
ject, and I cannot make out why they send or leave such
insufficient forces as four brigades to sustain
the attack of a powerful corps d'armee of the enemy,
especially when in a circle of a few leagues they can dis-
pose of far superior forces. The incapacity of the Go-
vernment, the want of resolution, and of military
science, has been the causes of French misfortunes, and
am afraid it has MA been altered for the better. M.
Gambetta will be now Minister of War and of the Interior,
but I have witnessed on his arrival at Tours different in-
trigues which are far from giving me confidence for the
future. I have seen men really known for their abilit y
put aside for others entirely strangers to their new duties.
The greatest preoccupation of the Government and their
friends seems to be to keep their position, to watch
over their personal interests, to study their
friends ; to pass decrees, more or less out of season.
then to postpone their execution ; to appoint a man to an
important otfiee, then to break his position, and remove
him a few hours after. Within four hours, I saw yester-
day and read three different appointments for the
superintendence of the War Offices, and the last one,
now the appointed, is a civil engineer of the rail-
ways. Everything is done in the same style, men
of value see their offers of services rejected, and petty
clerks are appointed to direct the movements of 'the
armies. All is in confusion, and the unfortunate
French people, kept ignorant of all these doings, are
left with the firm idea that wonders are done, that
all has been prepared, all measures taken, and that
they are fully ready to take that immense revenge in
which they believe yet. I see plainly that if Gambetta

and Admiral Fourichon do not take in hand altogether
the direction of affairs all is over for France.
If General de Lamotta-Rouge does not himself
begin to work his army—if he continues to keep
his divisions separated one from the other, to be
surely destroyed by a more powerful enemy—if he
does not act energetically to stop the Prussian advances
—if he leaves, as this morning, one of his columns

isolated to do the best for itself, the sooner we
see the end, as bitter as it may be, the better it will be.
The French, taught by misfortunes without pre-
cedent, exalted by the real and earnest patriotism
of the nation, are ready for all sacrifices. If nothing can
be done by the chiefs of the Government ; if no impulse
can be given to this terrible material, of all our
people rising to fight and die; if those fine
elements of defence cannot be brought to good use
I am afraid, and must repeat, all is over for France.
I just hear and see with u certain satisfaction a
movement of troops towards the Forest of Orleans. They
came from Bourges and Tours, and the morning might
chance the position of General Iteya,n. A considerable
force of artillery is amongst the reinforcements, and if I
do not mistake a battle will take place to morrow.

Excellent sport at salmon fishing has been bad
during the last week on some of the Scotch rivers. The
Spey has been in good order for fishing and a large number
of fine fish have been brought to land.

WORKING MEN'S COLLEGE, GREAT ORMOND- I
STREET.—Last evening Professor Maurice, the Principal,
opened the 17th Session of the Institution with the usual
inaugural address to the students. The meeting was held
in the new art lecture-room or theatre, which was used for
the first time on this occasion. The Rev. Professor com-
menced by observing that the new building wherein they
were assembled, and which is as vet in an unfinished state,
is not wholly paid for. He next spoke of the war,
observing that the words of the Count de Gramont were
the knell of he Empire and the Papal sovereignty, and
were responded to by all :classes, although every class
repudiated them ; adding that if the several classes
in France or in England were spoken to in the right
they would respond to the right, arid one great object
of the college was to establish the right by destroy-
ing the barriers between classes, and aiding in
the promotion of that unity of feeling which should
make all Englishmen one people. They had never
in that College flattered the working class, the
reason being that the conductors of the institution
reverenced and loved them, and claimed brotherhood
and equality with them, not superiority. He reminded
the students of Mazzini's words—a man from whom
in many things he differed—that our ditties were of
far greater importance than our interests or rights, and
that truth in all things was above all things essential,
and this was a lesson which the present Continental war
should teach us. If truth and right pervaded all the acts
and conduct of mankind, and it was the purpose of the
College to inculcate and promote truth and right, the
sword and the spear would be useless, and wars would
be heard of no more. Mr. Amos expressed satisfaction
at the practicability, now proved, of teaching men and
women together, and a hope that lectures on law might be
established for the instruction of students of the Working
. Men's College, as well as of the College for Women in
Queen's-square. The Rev. Principal, on behalf of the
College, acknowledged its indebtedness to the Art and
other teachers, and the proceedings terminated with the
customary complimentary votes.