The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-05 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FRO3I OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Wednesday Evening.
According to the Moniteur the latest despatches,
the greater portion of which, however, are of Prus-
sian origin, represent the losses sustained by the
Austrians in the late battles to be so excessive that
it is doubtful whether Benedek, concentrated
around Koimiggratz, will accept a regular battle.
The defence of Josephstadt, situated to the north,
before arriving at that place appears to be very
much compromised by the approach of the army
of the Prince Royal of Prussia, who had penetrated
to the walls of the former town. It is, therefore,
possible that the Austrian Commander-in-Chief
may retire from the enemy in disputing the ground,
step by step, and by using his forces in partial en-
gagements, like those of Trautenau, Nachod, Mun-
chengratz, and Jicin, unless in case of some great
success he should assume the offensive. According
to the original plan of Benedek, the position of
Jicin would have been the basis of an operation in-
tended to prevent the junction of the Prussian
armies. But the impetuous march of the army of
Prince Frederic Charles of Prussia, who took pos-
session of Jicin after a sanguinary combat, as we
have already stated, did not allow the Austrian
General, according to his own avowal, to carry out
his plan. Thus the junction of the two Prussian
armies appears to be definitively assured. Prince
Frederic Charles has established his head-quarters
in advance of Jicin, and the communications will be
established between his army and that of the Prince
Royal above Josephstadt. The King of Prussia
himself is gone with Count Bismarck to Jicin. The
presence of the monarch, almost 70 years, in the
midst of his troops, has augmented their enthusiasm.
In spite, however, of the important results obtained
hitherto by the Prussians, and even if Benedek
should for the moment retrograde, it must be
acknowledged that the position of the Austrians is
not yet seriously compromised. The Prussians only
obtained their successby hazarding a great deal, and
the destruction of their armies in a general battle
would environ them with many dangers. Austria,
on the contrary, even after the loss of a battle, can
always reckon upon a numerous military popula-
tion to fill up their army to its proper numbers.
There is reason to fear that the struggle, which
has already assumed so inveterate a character, is
destined to be a prolonged one. The reduction of
the Hanoverian army has given freedom to the
operations of the Prussian generals who my sup-
port the rearguard of the army of Prince Charles,
now holding Royal Saxony. These troops amount
to 50,000 men, and they will support the operations
in Bohemia by an offensive demonstration against
the Bavarians in Franconia, while the Prince Ho-
henzollern will hold in check Prince Alexandre de
Hesse towards the Rhine and the Lower Maine.
The Moniteur adds, that the private correspondence
shows that great animosity is manifested by the po-
pulation of Bohemia against the Prussian troops.
In retreating before the invaders the population
destroy bridges, and take all possible means to pre-
vent supplies of provisions. At Turnau many of
the inhabitants defended themselves in the tower of
the church, and cannon were employed to dislodge
them. At Nachod, where there was fighting in
the streets, the women threw burning oil upon
the assailants. At various points the Prussians
were attacked by bands of the peasants with
guns and pitchforks, and every possible obstacle
was opposed to them.

" immense advantages"
The Siecle says it has no additional informa-
tion respecting the war, but, after alluding to the
little confi-
tEhreuysshiaanveaeortanitnsedof otvheer the Austrians, it adds
papers exaggerate the
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The Patrie alludes to a report that a Senatus
Consulte will be submitted to the Senate, having
for object an essential modification of the decree
of the 24th of Nov., 1860, in order to give greater
power and privileges to both Chambers. Other
Paris papers, which are likely to be better in-
formed than the Patrie, think that the report is
not entitled to confidence.

A letter from Cremona, dated July Ist, states
that Kossuth had arrived at head-quarters. A
council of war had been held at Piadena, near
Cremona, at which all the generals of the army
were present, and at which a new plan of cam-
paign was discussed and agreed to. The Italian
army is full of ardour and enthusiasm, and ear-
nestly desires to be sent to the battle field. Turr
had received orders to organise and hasten the for-
mation of the Hungarian Legion. Garibaldi's
Volunteers, by Royal decree, have become the sth
Corps d'Armee. He is said to have suggested a
plan of operations against Austria.
Within the last few days there have been some
violent and extraordinary storms in different parts
of France. The Haute Loire has suffered much

from these storms. The railway from Puy to St.
Etienne was submerged and the communications

interrupted for many hours. At Lyons, also, much
injury was done to the crops in the vicinity. At
St. Dobay (Lower Loire) there was an alarming
hail-storm which lasted nearly an hour. Hail-stones
were found larger than a hen's egg. The corn and
fruit trees were much injured. At Bordeaux a
young girl was killed by lightning on the Place des
Quinconces.

There has been an attempt to murder by a young
man of 26, who was employed as a servant by a
widow of about the same age, who keeps a wine-
shop on the Boulevard d'lvry. They had been on
very intimate terms for some time,
but the young
man had latterly exhibited great coldness towards
yesterday his mistress. The day before they had a
quarrel in the presence of the customers, and the
young man left the shop, saying he was going to the
cellar to bring up some wine. When he came up
he appeared greatly agitated and had a knife in his
hand. The woman had hurried to her own room,
fearing some mischief. A noise was heard a few
minutes afterwards.
The people in the shop rushed
upstairs, when a horrible spectacle was presented.
The poor woman had received several blows on the
neck from a chopper, and the man had stabbed him-
self near the heart with a knife. The woman can
hardly survive, and the man is in a very dangerous
state. The police officers conveyed them both to
the Hospital of La Pitie.
A foolish wager has been made at a wine-shop on
the Quai d'Orsay, which has resulted in death. At
a breakfast, where the conversation turned on the
quantity of think which a
person could take, a
bricklayer, named Florentin, made a bet that he
would drink 12 glasses of wine while the clock of
the Tuileries was striking twelve. Ile drank three
glasses before the clock had struck three times. At
the next glass he stopped to breathe. At the seventh
he began to drink more slowly, but making an effort
he drank off the eighth glass. He then turned very
pale, and breathed with difficulty. His friends
wished to stop the wager, but be said he would go

on, come what might, and swallowed the ninth
glass. He had hardly emptied the glass when he
fell down senseless. A surgeon was sent for, but,
in spite of all his efforts, the foolish man died in
three hours.

There were some preparatory manoeuvres at the
camp at Chalons on Sunday. The Marshal reviewed
the troops, which in cavalry and infantry amounted
to 20,000 men, and the review went off satisfac-
torily. A ball is to be given by the authorities of
the town to the Emperor in the course of the
season.

A Paris paper apologises to its readers for being
compelled to make an erratum, it having placed
four marriages under the mercantile heading of
" declarations of failure."

The weather has been more settled to-day. There
has been but little rain, and the temperature is in-
creasing in warmth. Yesterday was like a day in
advanced autumn.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)