The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-02
THE QUESTION OF PEACE.
TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Result of the British Cabinet CounciI-Bulwcr
Deprcc atcs the ministerial PoIicy-Dcnial
That Hussia ia Aiming.

lUWt fSUshth ~ AFmlh8s
-fe- LONDON, Oct. I, 1870
The result Of the Cabinet Conncil yesterday, &C
cording 10 The London Times is a further postpone
ment Of the action OF the Ministry In regard to med
alton. This delay cannot be OF long duration. Til
tone OF the Times itself yesterday shows that tn
government must yield to public sentiment An
other letter from Bulwer this morning 10 tina
paper on the conclusive duty or England in tnis
crisis declares as historical facts that il, when the
Emperor Nicholas told Sir Hamilton Seymour tba
he medItated marching his troops to the
Prncipalues England had firmly protested ne
would not have taken that step; and that n
she had protested against Napoleon the Third IN
dertaking this war IN the same manner he would
not have commenced it, Sir Henry, therefore, de.
precates the ministerial policy OF waiting for good
opportunities which may never arrive
Mr.. Somerset Beaumont is preparing an elaborate
exposition Of what he calls the policy OF inapti
tude." The conservative leaders are very active
The Earl OF Carnarvon and the Earl OF Derby ma ve
come mp to town to confer with Mr.. Dsraeli on the
situation.
DENIAL THAT RUSSIA Is AIMING.
correspondent tciegraphs:--'T recommended Won
the other day place reliance on the statements
that Russia was armiDg. GOrtschakof's policy is
10 keep Russia out OF war at present. We nave
now an Official contradiction OF the statement that
Russia is preparing for war; The rumor OF the pnr-
chase Of iron-claas from the United States IL denied
On the other hand, The marked abstinence Of the
journals OF 81. Petersburg from any reference
many and France and their particularly in DENYING
any hostile intentions against Turkey have deepened
the outside feeling Of anxiety as to the immediate
future.
BELGIUM ARMiNG.
The Belgium forces, which had been partially
Withdrawn from the frontier beyond Namur after
the surrender OF Sedan, have been ordered for
ward again. The Count OF Flanders has returned
10 Namur. General Secocy Is forming a camp Of
q, 900 men at Allen, IN Belgian Luxembourg.
The SlECEs or MEzsEREs lyB VEaDtg.
Below we give brief sketches Of the fortrcsses Of
MGzieres aDd veriun, which are now attracting
some attention by their investment and lombard
ment by The Prissian forces.
MEzIEEEs.
This place is strongly fortified town OF some
500 inhabitants, situated IN tine Department OF Ar
denncs OF which 1t Is The capital, not far from the
Belgian frontier. II Is buit on peninsula formed
by The course or the Meuse river, and is distant
some forty-seyen miles northeast nom Rheims.
As IfifeSs " RANKS WIN IHlOnVlilc,
although much superior tha' place by reason Of
~ absolute impregnabity save on the east the
river Meuse forming an Impossible barrier on an
the other sides. The fortihcatons however, extend
across the river on the south, hat their position Is
very formidable. Mezitres Is noted AZ the place
wncre Charle. H. married Isabella, OF Austria the
marriage ceremony taxing place IN lis nne Gothic
chDrch. II has twice been besieged by an army
or 600 Spanlarls, IN l52o when II ssluly
defended by the French forces commanded by the
Chevalier Bayard, and again ia 1915, when IL held
out against the Russians for Two months. During
the reign OF Louis Philippe IL was repaired and
greatly strengthened. Since the present war began
the fortress has been also much improved. 1t was
designed as a secondary bsse OF operations for the
French army under Marshal MacMahon, and was
heavily armed and provisioned. After the
snrrunder ct Sedan detachmonts al French
soldiers which had escaped rallied at Mezicres,
the distance between the two places being
some twelve miles only. These, with the old garri-
son and the Garue Mobile aud Garde National, com.
prise the present defenders. From the statements
made by the cable arfnl snoe had been agrc ed
upon TO remove the wounded. 1t would seem that
either many OF the French wounded In the battles
near Sedan had been carried there or that there has
been severe nghing around the fortress, of which
We have received no reports.
Soon Alter tho nsssage VI the Moselle river by the