The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-19 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday Evening.
No further news of an authentic character has
been received in Paris relative to the march of the
Prussian troops in Moravia. It appears, however,
that the Austrian army of Olmutz,which remains in
communication with that portion of the direct line
of railway to Vienna, which is not occupied by the
Prussians, would endeavour to effect its junction
with the principal army charged with the defence
of the approaches to that capital. This movement
of concentration is one of prudence, in consequence
of the mass of the enemy's troops which menaces
Vienna. There is reason to believe that the Prussian
armies have effected a junction, although the pre-
cise spot where it took place is not yet known. The
Prussian troops of Central Germany, after having
driven away, by the combats of the last few days in
the environs of Kissingen, the Bavarian army, and
after having defeated that of Plince Alexander of
Hesse at Aschaffenburg, entered without resistance
into Frankfort, previously evacuated by the Federal
soldiers.
The Grand Duke of Hesse Darmstadt, with the
principal members of his Government, has aban-
doned the capital of his States. The Prince Alex-
ander of Hesse, however, who is the brother of the
Grand Duke, has taken his position on the left
bank of the Maine, so as to cover Darmstadt.
The Moniteur states that Prince Napoleon Jerome
has left Paris for Italy, " charged with a mission"
to his father-in-law, King Victor Emmanuel.
The Hessian Gazette states that the Hessian troops
had a very active and important part in the battle
of Aschaffenburg. Among the wounded is Colonel
Schenk, of the 4th Regiment of the line. The
combat lasted during the greater part of the day
with varied success.
The Siecle says :—" If the despatch which an-
nounces that, the Bth Federal Corps is in presence of
the Prussians be correct the victory of the latter
is not so decisive as might be supposed from the
Cologne telegram. The passage of the Maine was
forced, but a new battle will be necessary to com-
plete the defeat of the Federals."
Letters from Vienna speak of the disorder, con-
fusion, and discouragement which prevail in that
capital. The city is thronged with fugitives from
Moravia, who seek a refuge there. The aristocracy
of Vienna, and persons connected with the Court
and the Government, are emigrating,with a view to
find a safe asylum at Pesth.
Theltalian journal, II Diritto, says ithas received
important news respecting Garibaldi. This infor-
mation, which it says the law will not allow it to
publish, " presages some important fact." Accord-
ing to another journal, Garibaldi has received a
reinforcement of two battalions from the regular
army—the 31st and 32d Bersagliers—and also ten
pieces of cannon of large
calibre. On the Lake of
Garda a floating battery,
to be armed with 80 guns,
is nearly finished.
I have collected some further items of interest re-
specting the great thunderstorm of Monday. From
midday till four o'clock the thunder and lightning
prevailed almost without intermission. It was at
its greatest violence between one and two. It was
remarked that the cross on the summit of Notre
Dame appeared to be illuminated by beautiful blue
sparks, which played upon the metal almost con-
tinuously. At two o'clock the lightning struck the
School of Law in the Rue Soufflot, and the electric
fluid penetrated the asphalte of the courtyard.
Two individuals, who had taken refuge in a neigh-
bouring gateway, felt a violent shock. The light-
ning struck four other places, viz., the Rue des
Moulines, the Rue Galanda, the garden of the
Palais Royal, and the Quai St. Michel. At the
latter point a coachman, who was sitting on his
box, was struck by the lightning, and received
such injuries that it was necessary to take him
to the hospital (the Hotel Dieu). One of
the lightning conductors at the Bank was
bent by the passage of the electric fluid. In the
interior of several houses it was noticed that at the
moment of the great crash of thunder which I men-
tioned sparks played along the bell-wires of the
rooms. The lightning also struck one of the light-
ning conductors of the Imperial School of Mines,
and the loungers in the gardens of the Luxembourg,
who had taken shelter under the trees, had the op-
portunity of seeing the novel but beautiful sight of
the apparent ignition of a long line of telegraphic
wire. This phenomenon was accompanied by a tre-
mendous explosion and commotion of the atmo-
sphere. I understand that several members of the
Academy of Science observed some unprecedented
phenomena during the storm, which will shortly be
described to that body, but that they are unable to
explain many of them. " Science," says one of the
Paris papers, t 4 has yet much to study." Arago for-
merly explained that there is one description of
singlelightn jet,in lightning which,separa teasltbheofuogreh
reachingforrain the earth intog at first but a
three points.
In spite of a tropical temperature on Sunday
thousands traversed the Bois de Vincennes to wit-
ness a daring performance of Blondin at the Butte
de Gravelle. A rope, 215 metres long, was fixed to
two masts at a height of 45 metres. The distance
d allti sortsmme of fantastic tricks
delight of the
was traversed by Blondin almost in an instant. He
ran backwards and forwards, hung by his feet with
his head downwards, got into a sack with his eyes
with
t h bandaged,and o
o 1p nl ea sys
lovers of strong emotion. Blondin finished by run-
ning along the rope like a deer, with a man upon
perfect c e,
to h
eimmense
his back.

fPlayingplaying with at soldiers. Here
is
a Onefatal
iinnesttiamnecse hearsofre of
soldiers
fire-
arms with a terrible result. Last Thursday a lieu-
tenant of Horse Chasseurs, in garrison at Toulouse,
invited some brother officers to his apartments in
the Rue Traversiere des Chalets. He took up a
pistol, which he did not think was loaded, and while
playing with the weapon, it went off and the ball
struck M. Barbier, a lieutenant of the 16th Regiment
of Artillery, in the stomach. In spite of every atten-
tion at the military hospital, iII. Barbier died in the
course of the evening. One may imagine the grief
of the involuntary author of this calamity.
At the grand international regattas which have
just taken place at Liege in the presence of King
Leopold 11., Perseverance gained all the rowing
matches. Count Cavour won the sailing match.
This is considered as a great success for the Rowing
Club and the Sailing Club of the Society of the
Grand Parisian Regattas of Paris. New York and