ENGLISH NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 396, 18 April 1871, Page 2

ENGLISH NEWS.

SUFFERINGS OF BOURBAKI'S ARMY IN SWITZERLAND.

The following are extracts fiom a private letter received from Montreux, and published in the London Standard : —

"We aro all greatly interested about tbe poor French soldiers who fled for refuge across the Swiss frontier when surrounded by the Prussians. They are the remains of Bourbaki's army, and are pouring by thousands along the different routes through the Jura into Switzerland. We are told there are about 8,000 here, all in the most abjectly miserable condition imaginable. The Swiss have, of course, disarmed them, and, in a sort of way, made them prisoners, and they are being portioned out to every canton. Those who were to be placed in Chillon did not arrive until Saturday evening. They were obliged to walk all the way from Laussane, as the railroad companies could not allow them to go in the trains because they were so dirty. We heard the most heartrending accounts of them from all quarters; they had to march shoeless and stockingless through the snow (which has been very deep all about here), with hardly any clothing to protect them against the biting cold. Many of them fell down dead iv tho streets of Pontavlier, from exhaustion and want of food. Late on Saturday evening, February 4th, we became aware of a great commotion, and, on looking up, we saw a black mass of human beings marching past on the lower road. There were a few carts aud carriages for those who wero not able to walk, and through the stillness of the night we heard a hollow cough, which is what so many had so badly at Lausanne. Nurse and the servants ran down to meet them, and walked with them to Chillon. There were a great many of the Swiss with them, too. They got into talk with several of the poor soldiers, who told them that for three weeks they had been obliged to sleep, if sleep were possible under such circumstances, on snow, with nothing to cover them, and afire only, as a great luxury, when they could find a little stray wood. For three successive days they were fighting in tho snow up to their waists—they iv the plains and the Prussians on the surrounding hills—without any munition whatever, and no arms, save their bayonet; and, to crown all, to strengthen them for their hard work, they had the bountiful supply of two biscuits for their subsistence for two days. With no generals, all disorganized and in confusion, they naturally asked what they could do— obey the orders they received, and rush headlong upon the swords of their enemies ? It wns desperate work ; they tried it for a short time in vain, and then preferred crossing the frontier and leaving the Prussians in undisputed possession of the field. They will be well cared for here; everyone has stores of warm clothing and food for them, only waiting to be distributed. The Swiss are coming out well, especially one old woman, who the other night sent up a box full of stockings, all new, and made of beautifully-warm wool, with various other articles, which papa values at fifty lrancs. On Sunday morning she went down to Chillon, and gave every soldier a handkerchief and some sugar-candy for his cough. Papa and some other gentlemen got up a subscription for them, and went round to every one in the place. He has been wonderfully successful. In three days they collected nearly 1900 francs. I think it shows how kind-hearted and generous people are."