The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-25
MacMahON's Movement for
Junction.
BEL CLAN NEUTRALITY.
The First Naval Battle of the
War.

ChAlOnD camp Is 80 complettiy OeserLeu tnat
no, straggler is TO be seen. We found them again
On abe road TO Rheims, which was crowded
with troops OF every As APP
preached the city we saw the French army
encamped parallel TO the road from ST. Mepehould,
and separated irom II by the Noir Vesle. They are
camped ON the right bank OF Vesle looking down
she stream. will not pretend TO say
what this unexpected movement meant, but It
looks as II part at least Of BaZane's forces had
escaped from Metz and are expected 10 Join
she Chaons army AT or near Rheims. There is a
yumOr thar Bazine Is passing through Grandpre
and VOuziers What makes 1t look probable Is
the strong force Of light cavalry here-two bri-
gades Of Chasseurs and Hussars. They are probably
the advance guards. Since began this letter news
has peen received at the prefecture that Bazane,
with part of his army, is, in fact retreating by
NOuziers very hard pressed by the Prussians He
Obliged TO abandon his retreat Verdun, the road
which completely in possession OF the Prussans
and that N why all the prisoners and munitions
were1ent back from Verdun to Reims
n any force has succeeded in reaching VOUCHERS,
or the road thither, 1t must have escaped from
Metz the northwest, or Is perhaps that column
which believe had got past Gravelotte before the
Prussians seized that road the 18th; but word
has come direct from Bazaine for two days. and my
beef is that be Is or; at any rate hls nearest
driven on into Ordennes, there is telling
when the expected Junction OF his forces with those
Of MacMahon can be accomplished aud If they join
who is to command for neither VIII serve under the
Other9
Discomfort IL spreading fast among the troops,
and even among the officers, who are discouraged
by the failure OF Bazaine thus far TO unite with
NacMahon. This letter, although written two days
ago and arriving this morning by post, supplies
later news Of the position OF the French forces than
has been allowed to come by telegram. 1t
story that Bazaine had made his escape with part Of
his forces rom Metz, cutting through the extended
Ines OF the Prussians-a story OF which there is
French kilograms, both dated yesterday morning
and evening, and received in London stimuli
u Citations S and them q Rnelms. The ha ns
YER irue as the above letter shows.
nave he the agaes for contradict
the Prussians had sought permission from
tine to Their wounded n. TO
What happened was thls:-Tne prussian
men through Luxembourg violation. of
, French authorities whether they objected. The
French replied Eyes because 1t opens Prussian rail-
supplies Prussia rejous, Three fifths or the
wounded we want to send are French. Ii you OBJ
tect we must attend to our own first; nor mill
Mr. Gladstone favOrs the Prussian view; but
Mr. Hammond, Under Secretary Of the For
eign Once, opposes it on technical groun DIS,
and II the french insist on their view nothing viii
be done, and the French wounded VIII have their
own government TO thank for needlessly prolonging
Tne reported meeting OF foreign ambassadors
IN Paris, to consider the possible terms OF
peace, liz wholly discredited. Prussia would
capital gross discourtesy. Such an initia-
In London or Petersburg, but in Paris almost a
violation OF neutrality: and Prussia neither believes
tDe statement nor would listen Tor moment to any
proposal so originating.
THE NAVAL BATTLE.
special correspondent sends from Hamburg
% account Of the first naval engagement Of the
war, thus
On the morning OF the 18th instant the German
despatch boat Grille started out OF the Bay OF Rugen
20 reconnOitie the position and strength Of the
French ships OF war, whose arrival III the neghbOr
hood had been reported, though nobody had as yet
After proceeding out to sea until within sight of
the Danish island OF Moen the Grille at length dis
covered the tall masts OF the squadron consisting
of seven iron clad frgates and couple OF smaller
vessels aud approached boldly until within 5000 PAGES
The French then opened fire and directed several
broadsdcs at the little craft, the same Time DIV
ing chase Every now and then lying to to fire few
shots at her pursures from her two rined twelve
She iured them to follow her to the posi- house at
WitOin where the three gunboats Drache, BlitZ and
Salalnander were lying, which, on hearing the re-
port OIL the cannonading at sea, Immediately got up
their steam and weighed anchor to stand by their
coDsOrt.
The commodore OF the little squadron Captain
Count Won Wadersee, made the signal TO the COM
mander OF each gunboat 10 attack the enemy at his
own discretion, which produced loud cheers, and
they all steamed out ready for action with the
superior force Of the enemy
After a running fight OF three hours the gunboats
finding that their guns were harmless against the
plated sides OF the iron-clads returned to the pro-
lection OF their shore batteries towards evening.
good direction; they either fred TOO high low,
bat 1t difficult fresh breeze take steady
aim at the little gunbOats lying low in the water and
painted gray, as to be almost invisible.
Several shots from the gunbo ats hit their mark,
and shell from the Salamander was seen to explode
on the deck OF one OF the ships and must done
some damage to the men at their guns. The
German notIlla suffered losses whatever, though
II might have been very different had any OF the
heavy twenty-eight centlmere shells fired from the
French ships taken effect and exploded on the decks
OF the gunbOats.
The latter, having filled up their stock of ammuni-
ton and Goals at Stralsund, returned TO their sta
tons IN the outer roads, where they are outpost
duty.
MacNIahon and the Crown Prince Oper-
ating Tor POsition-Englaud 10 Support
Bel8iuu-The German Forces-Engiish
and Russian Feeling-The London Times
and the Empress Of France.
LONDON, August 24-Night.
We have story OF a conflict near Novean1 nine
miles from Metz. on Monday, with advantage to the
French; but cannot vouch for il, The mill
tary opinion here Is that MacMahon
and the Crown Prince moving on
parallel lines and man9uvring for position,
and that Bazalne IL in communication with
MacMahon, and man9uvreing to combine with him
In AL attack upon the Crown Prince. As to the re-
cent battles one fact tells sufficiently their result
The French captured Prussisn cannon at Tongue
vile and Mar-le-Tour The Prussians have taken
no French guns since Woerth.
kilograms are constant between the Foreign
Office and Brussels. The Belgian commanders on
the frontier are much exasperated by the constant
attempts Of the Prussans to transgress the line on