The Sun. — 1870-10-11 (London, England)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1870.  THE SUPPLY OF FOOD AND ARMS,  OCTOBER 1. The information I have been able to get respecting the supply of arms is far from satisfactory. The Regulars and Mobiles are pretty well armed ; but only a very small proportion of the National Guards are furnished with such rifles as would enable them to oppose, with any chance of success, the Skilled and splendidly-disciplined Prussians. The number of these National Guards is very great. Some fix them at 400,000, others at 350,000, and so on downwards. But the strength known to certainly exist is 228 battalions, counting in all 280,000 men. For this vast host there are no Chassepots whatever. Only 95,000 have transformed rifles—the " Tabatibre," a very serviceable breechloader, though, of course, far inferior to the Chassepot ; 120,000 have the old percussion rifles ; 55,000 have nothing better than muskets; and about 10,000 are provided with carbines and English arms of different patterns. The 200,000 guards who have no breechloaders can take no part in field operations. They would be mere food for powder. In fighting behind walls and barricades they may unquestionably be useful; but to employ them in sorties would be mere waste of life. The Gardes Mobiles have all breechloaders of one kind or another, most of them being of the " Tabatiere " pattern. To  this part of the garrison 90,000 rifles have been distributed. The detached corps—Freeshooters and the like, have received 20,000 weapons. As may be imagined- this vast drain upon the stock of firearms has fearfull minished the supply. There are not in store more than 10,000, a number hardly sufficient to replace the weapons which daily require repair, and arm the young soldiers of the contingent for 1870, who will without doubt be embodied. The Minister of War therefore declares that there are no more arms to be served out. Of food I cannot, likewise, give such a favourable account as I should like. The estimates vary much, a great many calculators setting down the total of eatables at two and a half months supply. But an excellent authority I have consulted tells a different tale. He estimated that a week ago, on the 26th, the bread and meat in the capital would serve for six months. The stock will, en this calculation, be exhausted early in November. Clearly the Army of the Loire, on which we are basing our calculations, must come up quickly. Yesterday morning a sortie was made in force against the villages of L'Hay and Cachan. The Prussians had information of the attack on the previous evening, and were fully prepared. The villages had- been converted into an intrenched camp. The French, received by the Prussians with murderous fire, were forced to retreat. Their loss was greater than on any occasion since the commencement of the siege. One General was killed. The Prussians followed the French, who turned and inflicted considerable loss. General Vinoy, with artillery and the 35th and the 99th Regiments, penetrated between the Prussian lines to Thiais and Choisy Le Roi, where the enemy has thrown a bridge over the Seine, which was considerably damaged. A retreat was ordered. • Three hundred Gardes Mobiles were taken prisoners. The ambulance service was well organised, especially the American.  It would appear that the Germans were informed of this design on the part of General Trochu. The latter now gives out that in future he will allow no one to participate in his schemes until they are in process of execution. The wonder is that he should have imparted them to anybody already. The more rational explanation of the repulse is that the Germans had strongly fortified the position, as they fortify everything round about here on general principles. M. Delesvaux, president of the celebrated Sixth Chamber, committed suicide the evening before last. This act is supposed to have been committed from fear of being prosecuted.  All employez of the Ministry of Finance who have,left Paris on account of the siege, are dismissed. The Bank of France has issued 25 franc notes to the amount of 2,325,000 francs, and has also a reserve of 287,000 notes of 25 francs, which only require numbering.