The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-08
FRANCE AND BEL GUM.

FRANCE AND Be- GUM.
s,uneriugs and Trials OF Newspaper C0rrc-
spondeuts-yisit TO Sedan-Escape Of French
Troops from netz-sedan la Statc of
Sicgc-Ihe Debris OF MncIfahon's army
Enthusiasm FOR the Republic lribu,slfiOns
OF n French Journalls.--To nrisfs ut Sedan
| The burning of Bazei,les.
B0UILLoN, Sept IT, 1870
In company with two other veterans OF the pen
have just returned from two days trip TO sedan
ana the other towns upon the Mouse This is the
nth, and hope the last time have had to visit
the scenes Of the great light on the 1st September
In common with the other correspondents CT the
press in these parts, I look upon good
nights rest as Invaluable, and the same
| Is blessing far more easily attanabie
| IN Belgium than in France at the present time
| The sound OF trlmpets. bugles and drums during
your first sleep; the having to arise from your bed,
grope in the dark Tor your clothes and rush out In
the cold to see what is the matter ia Kind OF enter
tainnent OF which l am not fond, and OF which
have had more than enough since lett Paris
two months ago. l have had to fly from
incoming Prussians some six or seven times during
the campaign. and would rather, save when
duty really obliged me to be present at these routes
sleep in a place where felt sure my repose would
American and English newspaper correspondents
now on the frontier always try TO get back into Bel
| GUM when they have seen all that ls to be seen In
the valley OF the Meuse. Some OF us go 10 Fleran-
| vile, others to Bouon aud one OF two 10 Virton,
whenever we want either TO write to be at resi-.
In fact, 1t would be possible to compose letters in
France at the present time, but utterly Impossible TO
send them for all the regular post oices are shut
up and the Prussians allow no one to send letters
through what they call their "od postunless he has
! special letters OF recommendation their superior
| officers which have not, having hitherto been
| follower OF the French army. The Belgian men do
| not-at any rate not for the present-attempt TO
cut each Others throats according to the rules aud
regulations OF civilized war, and there, II ndi-
ydual has fair health and good conscience, ne can
reckon upon sound nights sleep.
My lateand as believe, my last for other scenes
await my presence visit to Sedan was occasioned
by q rumOr which was very generally believed
throughout the country the day before yesterday.
allude 70 the report which sent you by telegram
TO the eject that Bazaine had broken away from
Metz, and was marching via Sedan 10 Paris. In
confirmation OF this wonderful news the whole re-
naming population OF Sedan and the neighborhood
seemed 10 be on the move into Belgium For this
exodus several reasons were given the chief Of
course, being that the Prussians at Sedan had done
inhabitants. The night OF the 10th passed away
without any sound of hiring from the nsghDorhoou
OF Sedan, and the day before yesterday got over
the eight miles betYeen this ana the said forress
before seven O'Clock A. IA.
VISIT TO SEDAN.
The result OF my Journey has been that shall FOR
Tue future, so long as | am on The warpath ON this
iand follow the good old rule and believe half what
| see and nothing OF what hear. had been told
that large body VI French troops were to be seen
with q good telescope bivouacked between Mont
medy and StiDay. went there, and not q single
man was 10 be seen. had been assured that Sedan
Itself was M terrible state that the Prussian con-
mandant had ordered the gates to be shut thai tie
Mayor was a prisoner, aud that typhus lever was
raging owing TO the numerous unburied bodies in
The streets. l found the place great deal cleaner
than London the Prussian soldiers quite civil to
the natives ana fay sober than our own guards
men; and on going see that terrible Turk, the
Prussian commandment, | was introduced to as
polite little gentleman as ever IL was iny lot TO
meet who, as he came ont OF his Office, was hand
ing dole of charity to French beggar. The SHOP
keepers OF Sedan are buying and selling, fleeing
ana cheating their conquerors, ana depioring all
the time their very hard fate The master OF the
Botel de la Croix d'Or moaningy told me that lie
was ruined man, and In order to comfort himself
cHarEed my companion ana snyScU Twelve francs
for two small hanks OF meat, with q few
potatoes aud bottle OF what IN London
we should call SHILLING Gladstone His house is
full from morning to night. He has pun upon all
travellers; for he gives them what he likes and
charges them what he chooses. But upon the Prus-
sian officers he has two pulls. lie not only charges
them the prices OF the Grand Hotel IN Paris for food
such as yoc would hardly give to fayorlte dog, but
lie also makes matters pleasant Qor himself, be it
understoodl 10 the exchange Of their money. They
pay him i'll Pryssian money, which he takes at a
through Belgium TO GERMANY, where he pays Tor
his knenish VINE with IL al full value. The Prus-
sian great big, good-tempered fellows know they
are cheated, but not being gwen 10 accounts they
can't exactly say to what extent, and so they laugh
and put up with the sTtnde. ON the whOle, rather
think that my friend OF the Croix dor Is making
good deal more money than he did before the war
broke out, or even before sedan changed hands and
and the necessaries OF life, they are reaily-un-
less you 90 TO the Cr0ix d'Or for your meals
very little dearer tnan before the broke out aud
only shade higher than they are in Belgium,
Ear more than they did before The Prussans occu-
pied the place. or course except the unfortunate
work men and women, OF whom there have been In
Sedan alone at least two thousand thrown out OF
employment These poor people, mostly Belgians,
nave left France and returned their native WI
hunger and utterly homeless. The charity OF Eng
land might with great propriety be invoked In their
aid; but their employers, the mil owners Of Sedan,
who make the best broAdc0'h In France, ought
they now are rs well as they can-make, In short
the best OF bad job and work their mills as well as
they can, ut any rate for short hours.
FRENCH TROOPS ESCAPE FROM METZ.