The New York herald., 1862-07-30
The French E.psai.ion to Mexico.

The latest news we have from the Mexican re-
public is very mcagre, but on the whole not so
favorable to the French army as interested ac-
counts would have us believe. Gen Lorencez
still continues at Orizaba where he has fortified
himself very strongly; and, in the absence OF
any immediate fighting, his soldiers have crec.-
ed temporary theatre. which, by all accounts,
was going on as swimmingy as circumstances
would allow We see no accounts whatever in
any of the papers Of the reported repulse of the
Mexicans while attacking the French positions
at Orizaba and the whole story appears to be
one of those baseless rumors whose origin can
never be clearly traced. Since the surprise of
the advance guard Of the Mexicans by the
French on the night Of the 18th Of June last
in which the former suffered very severely in
killed and prisoners-the Mexican leaders have
manifested no hostile disposition, but rather
seem content to await the final determination
of the French government. In the meantime
there is no apparent relaxation in their prepara-
tions for future emergencies, and it may be that
the Gauls will, ere long, have their theatre
broken up by the rude voice Of a renewed and
bloody conflict.
The reports of the attack by guerilas on the
9Th Of June, on French convoy for Orizaba,
are fully confirmed. In this contest the French
lost over fifty wagons of arms ammunition
and provisions and several Of the escort were
killed by the Mexicans. On the same day, at
place called La Purga, another guerilla band
attacked and captured some twenty wagons; so
that tie french loss in the aggregate was very
severe On the 18th Of the same month the
Mexicans seized q coach train that was on its
way to Orizaba, and carried OF all its passen-
gers prisoners to Jalapa, the main road to
which city is militarily occupied by their
troops, and on the road to Orizaba nothing can
be sent forward without very strong escort TO
guard against guerillas.
Cordova and Orizaba-the points in the oc-
cupation OF the French-are in state of great
misery. The necessaries Of life are all in great
demand and very small supply, and the conse-
quence is that prices are most cxorbitant, and
the effect is dreadfully felt by the people. The
pretender, Almonte, is also flooding the coun-
try with his irredecmable trash of paper money.
but not without the most vigorous resistance
and protests of the people, who see nothing but
an increase of their msfortunes in such acts as
these.
Taking all these things together. we must con-
cludc that General Lorencez does not reposc on
bed Of roses. Of the six thousand Mexi-
cans who followed the fortunes OF Marquee, and
enlisted under the standard OF France, there
are now but two thousand effective men to be
found in the French camps. All the rest have
gone of by system Of desertion well known
60 the guerilleros of Montezumas land
And now the French Commander-in-Ch Chief is
making urgent applications to his Consul at
Vera Cruz for money to pay these Mexican
allies fearing otherwise that not man Of
the remnant OF two thousand will long remain
with the invading army
The news from Vera Cruz il no more pro-
pitious to the French. The black vomit it is
positively stated, has made great ravages
among the unacclimatcd European soldiery,
! and no less than seycn hundred and forty Of
the French garrison Of that city have fallen VIC
! tins to this terrible scourge. The people there
are also III tho greatest want and wrctchedness
| public confidence Is entirely destroyed, and, rs
one or the Havana correspondents remarks,
nothing but the impossibility Of the shing pre-
vents wholesale exodus Of tho people from
| the places nov occupied by the French
| Such is a brief resume OF affairs in uufortu.
| nnse Mexico, al moment when imperial
| France is sending her arrnic and iron-c clad
ships-of war to fight against her. Would II no,
! be more iS accordance with Tue spirit of iva