The Portland daily press., 1870-08-20
War Notes.

The news from the seat of war by telegraph
yesterday, up to 5 o'clock are conflicting and
unsatisfactory. More intelligence has come
through French channels and it is very boast
full. According to these reports the object of
the Prussians was to cut off the French retreat
on the capital, but it failed, and the Prussians
have been out-generaled. The French claim
to have gained positive advantages in dozen
different localities, but they do not mention
one brilliant or decisive victory at a single
point. Bazaine is advancing Tor retreating) on
Chalons and promises to give general battle
there. He IS marching in three lines. Each
time the first line is attacked in the march the
second ard third throw themselves on the
thre atened point, join in combat and continue
their retreat after having gained the advan-
tage. This invariably has been the case in the
actions since the 18th. Five bloody engage
ments have taken place and each time we have
repulsed the enemy after having inflicted on
him very heavy losses. Generals Frossard and
Bataille are wounded, the latter seriously
The armies of Prince Charles and Steinmetz
are decimated but constant reinforcements
have arrived from the army of the Crown
Prince.
McMahon with part of his advance is
marching rapidly on Chalons, where he has
despatched two divisions to protect his juno
ton. Strasbourg, Pfalsburg and Thionvlle
hold out well. At all these places the enemy
has been repulsed. Gen. Bazaine, it is said,
desires that all news should be withheld from
the French people, for fear of the demoralizing
effect which the publication of the names of
the killed and wounded would have on the
people. The French journal in New York ut
tiers warning to King William that when
the concentration ofthe French army at Chal-
ons is completed bis colossal army will be an
initiated. The French claim in the five days
battles to have fearfully decimated the Prus-
sian army. Of the Prussian guards not one
regiment is left fit for service. They also boast
that the Prince and Princess of Wales are
warm French sympathizers. Gen. Trochu has
taken command at Paris and is massing his
forces, which improves the state of feeling in
the capital. Eleven Of the Vilette rioters have
been convicted and shot.
Per contra to all the above the Prussians
claim to have divided the French army in the
battle of Tuesday, and driven the main body
back into Metz, while there is but few scat
tering divisions between them and Paris. The
army of the Rhine, then, must either surren-
der or fight. 1t is believed that negotiations.
for peace are now in progress in London
There is a strong anti-PrussiaD feeling in
Russia and negotiations are said to be going
on between ST. Petersburg and Vienna 1t is
also said that the Pope has offered to mediate
between the contendng parties. The King
replied that Prussia neither desired nor pro-
voked the war now waging, and was ready to
listen to tho appeal of the Pope for peace, if
the independence of Germany was insured,
and if His Holiness was able to give assurance
of the peaceful disposition of the Emperor of
France, and guarantee yainst renewal by
the latter Of any future attempt to disturb the
peace of Europe. But we remember
that His Infallibility' once offered to mediate
between us and the rebels in our late difficult
ty. Berlin despatch states that Napoleon is
suffering from acute symptoms of febrile
monomania, during the proxysms of which he
necessarily cries that he has been BETRAYED
We have also q mass of details concerning
the battles of the week, but they are chiefly
descriptive in character.