New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-20
LITERARY NOTES FROM GERMANT.

OFFICIAL HISTORY OF The FRANCO PRUssIAN WAR
RoHLFss THREE MONTHS ~ The LYBIAN
DESERT - "ARTEs AFBICAN.E,' BY DR..
sCHwERFURTH.
[FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE tribune
LEIPZIG. Sept. 2O.-The ninth number of
the official German history OF the late war with France
edited bv the historical section OF the Prussian staff has
lust appeared CAttler Son, Berlin. As the eighth
number closed with the account Of the battle Of Sedan
the present one principally deals with events which hap
pcued away from the regular seat sf The measures
taken for the defense of the German coast on the North
and Baltic seas during the Summer OF 1870 are first de-
scribed as Wen the unsuccessful expedition OF the
French feet into the Baltic and the mainly defensive
operations OF the German feet. review Of the com
municati0ns Of the German armies with their homes
their levy districts hospitals and supply stations fol
lows with an account Of the resistance offered by the
French fortresses OF BtsCh, Phalsb0urg Iou and Yer
dun in Alsace and Lorraine, 70 the German besegns
forces which is described with entire importantly
history Of the siege Of strasbouTg up 10 Aug a. on
which day the b0nbardment temporarily ceased then
given The last part account OF tine siege OF Metz
and describes the distribution Of the German forces, the
investment of the fortress earthwO thrown up for
the protection of the troops and closes with an account
of the TWO DAYS battle OF Voseyie the last serious
sore by Bazaine and the first engagement N which the
Germans acted the defensive. The French assertion
that some German guns were captured on Aug. 81 OF
sept is utterly denied. The concluding remarks dis
cuss the character Of the battle and the different ways
left omen 10 Marshal Bazne n sortie, well a. the
probable state in he had succeeded in break
inr ont The number concludes with very severe nut
impartial survey Of the war M 10 the commencement OF
September reviewing in large outlines the connection OF
events OF the German victories.
With the conclusion Of the stupendOus fights az sedan
and Noiseeve. in which the trained armies 0 tle hiu-
pir for the last appeared N the open Held me war
nv be1npiog of hostiles the force OF 100000 men,
which the Emperor Napoleon had opposed to the Germans
found itself either N capuNty OI noCAVu uP III ~
fortress Of Metz.
with the ninth number which also contains charts OF
strasbourg and it, surroundings Of the German N0rth
and Baltic eacOasys, Of the battle Of NOssevle ana he
positions Of the investing army around Metz on Aug -
the second volume Of the first part History of the war up
n the Fan Of the Fmpre) il completed There are two
parts st TO follow the numbers Of which will as before
appear al irregular intervals.
Those interested in African exploration Will be pleased
20 hear that the results Of the memorable expedition
undertaken bv the weknoTn African traveller Gerhard
Rohlfs from December 1873 10 March, 1874 under the
auspices OF the Khediye Of Egypt with stan OF prom
inent scientific companions, through part OF the Ly
Desert 10 the oasis OF Jupiter Anmon, Will be published
in work by Rohlis describing the exploration to when
will be added original contributions by members OF the
expcdit on Professors Zttel the geologist AchersOh
the botanst and Jordan the astronomer Inc WOfH Is
intended Ia have three volumes and Will appear uLuS4
the title of "Drei Monate in der Lybischen Wueste
Three months in the Lybian DESERT, Fischer, Casse
The first volume in octave viii be complete by Itself and
contain numerous illustrations, wOodcuts and autographs
renreseuting plants and utensils photographs OF land
coues ana characteristic portraits from the original plates
of PHI Remeie the celebrated photographer, Who also
accompaued tie expedition, and an original map en-
graved bv DR. August Petennann, after Prof Jordan
draft The first one Of the five numbers has Just ap-
reared and the others viii follow monthly. 1t contains
u,o+o,raphc views OF the mayors house az the oasis
Dachel Of ssant acacia ACACIA noticG), portrait OF
Nohamed Scheich beed OF Budchna, and the picture
~ belbel plant The contents Of the other Volumes ID
ouarto Will be entirely scientific, as follows: Geography
ct,nographv and statistics by R0hs ASTRONOMICAL de
Examinations OF places geodesia measure mens OF eeva
lions and nIeeoroogy by Jordan geology ana paeon-
toory bv Zttel botany by Anderson with contributions
bv Dr G. schweinfurthl and geological results insects
by profs Gerstaecker Schneider, and Kesewetier
,noUusks by Prof Martens The whole work VIII give
tr,e nicure of this far unknown part OF Africa ana
form copious for those 10 draw rom VINO ue-
sire information about this desert.
Another African explorer, Dr. George schWeinfuFth'
Ise hook The Heart Of Africa" has also been re-
,,lshed la New York viii shortly publish Broekhans'
Ieipzie) supplementary volume 10 his work IL VIII
ar,ear pnder the title OF Ares Atrican8 and contain
numerous large plates Illustrating works OF art Dy zen
trail African nations The descriptive etteIpfess VIII DC
roth IN German and English