NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3381, 20 December 1873, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE TRIAL OF MARSHAL BAZAINE. The trial of Marshal Bazaine by courtmartial was opened at noon on Uctober G in the Trianon Palace, Versailles under the presidency of General the Due d’Auinale. According to the ‘ Daily News’ correspond ent, the precincts of the Grand Trianon bad a 1 the aspect of a fete, and as such, he says, most people look upon the solemn trial tf a Marshal of Trance for his life. Inconversa tion no interest is expressed in the result of the trial ; but its unparalleled character as a spectacle is the theme of many exclamations. The gay chateau an t surrounding grounds, built and laid out for holiday purposes, encourage this feeling, buck a meeting of eminent general officers nobody present had ever seen before. The Court, including three judges-iu-waiting, consisted of tea general officers, who sat at a green baize horse shoe table. As they walked in, covered, to take their seats, one was struck with the studied gravity of the countenance of ever} one of them, contrasting remarkably with the smiles and almost joyous demeanour of the audience. The General President, who drops his princely title for the nonce, came in last, and when he declared the court open, the gold-embroidered cocked hats fell wish military precision upon the table in front of the owners. The first business was to call in the marshal prisoner. He came duly guarded, and took a seat provided for him at a table on the left of the court by the side of his counsel Lachaud, father and son. The marshal is totally bald, and looks depressed. He wears a slight moustaehe and tuft on his chin, but is otherwise closely shaveu. I should not have recognised him from the photographs taken before his misfortunes. During nearly the whole day he nursed his right arm in the elbow hollow of the left, covering his chin with his left hand, and frequently pressing his forefinger on his lips, His dingey epaulettes, which have seen service, contrasted curiously with the bright new ones of his judges, aud are perhaps worn purposely to furnish Lachaud with a theme for a telling phrase. Of the many crosses and decorations he has received he wore merely the grand cordon and plaque of the Legion ot Honor, and the military medal which Napoleon gave only to generals and private soldiers, I be procession of witnesses answering to their names lasted an hour and a half. Count Palikao, Canrobert, Changarnier, Jules Favre, Gambetta, Keratry, Begnier, were gained at with much curiosity. Marshal Bazjaiue’s countenance betrayed no emotion as they passed. An inaudible reading of documents occupied the remainder of the day. The ‘ Telegraph’s ’ Paris correspondent sketches the main features of the bill against the prisoner. The first broad question to be formulated is whether Marshal Bazaino has been guilty of treachery aud incapacity, or whether he has only been the victim of events. In other words, did he strain every nerve in defence of his country as Marshal of Franco, or did he subordinate his duty to his own ambition aud his adegiance to the Emperor ? Three distinct points arise out of this general statement. The first is whether the marshal was justified in blocking up his army under the walls of Metz, and thus isolating himself from MacMahon, notwithstanding the latter’s efforts to dissuade him from a step which led to the disaster of tiedau. The second is whether, instead of doing his utmost to break through the German dues which paralysed his great army, he did not purpose.y discourage every attempt made to that effect, in the hope of Icing able to make terms with the enemy in the name aud for the profit of the Imperial Government. The third point is whether he did not surreuoler before bis means of resistance and subsistence were exhausted, aud show a readiness to comply with every desire of the enemy, amounting to positive treachery. The correspondent attaches much importance to the evidence which may be given by the busybody Regnier, who burst upon the world, it may be remembered, as a secret negotiator with all parties, under the initials of “ M.N.” The correspondent says that on his statement will turn all the accusations of political intrigue aud treasonable communication with the euamy which have been lavished on Marshal Bazaine. One of the chief heads of accusation against Bazaine is that lie did not take advantage of his victory at Gravelotte to secure his retreat. In a despatch to the Emperor the marshal said that after a severe struggle, which had lasted all day, he had been able to keep his positions ; but he went on to add that he wouW be obliged to fall back,, being

in want of provisions and ammunition. General de Riviere is of opinion that the marshal might have pushed on, had be been so minded, and that he did not take the trouble to inquire properly into the state of his ammunition wagons or rations. The report points out that Bazaine, when he retreated, burned2,73o,ooo rations, to prevent them falling into the hands of the enemy. Reminded of this, the marshal appears to have replied at his preliminary examination that he was forced to fall back to rectify his line of battle. It will be remembered that the Germans do not admit that Gravelotte was a French success; but the French nay they judge the battle from the result. The report, by the way, while blaming the marshal for the bad direction he gave his troops, praises him for the intrepidity and coolness ho displayed during the battle. General de Kiviere next crit'cises the conduct of the marshal in falling back to the plateau of St. Trivat, and then complaining that there was neither provisions nor ammunition in Metz. And yet, says the report, Metz was able to support 260,000 men for seventy days after this, and General Soleille stated that the army was as amply provided with ammunition on August 21 as at the commencement of the campaign. The report is very severe on the marshal for not repairing to St. Privat during the lighting at that place, and for leaving Marshals Ganrobert, Generals Ladmirault, and Bourbaki, and other commanders without orders, in spite of frequent applications from them. And this when the King of Prussia was in the held. General de Hivicre declares that there can be no doubt about Marshal Bazaine being responsible for the defeat of August 18, The following is the substance of the interrogatory o<' the Marshal :—On August 26 he had only 80,000 to 90,000 men ready to take the field. The president observed ihat the fact of a council of war having been assembled ou August 25 in no way diminished the responsibility of the commander-in-chief; and he moreover asked the marshal why he did not inform that council of the march of the army under MacMahcn. Bazaine, in reply, maintained, contrary to the account of General Boyer, that he did speak of it to the Council Ou August 31 a greater degree of watchfulness on the part of his lieutenants would have prevented the enemy from resuming the offensive. It was of no use to enlarge the circle he occupied under the walls of Metz He had himself watched over the armament of the forts, and he threw upon General Coffinierea the responsibility for not having formed a council of defence, and upon iho inteudants and corps commanders that of having neglected to gather provisions in the neighboring villages. tie had given the necessary orders for these measures to be carried out. 'I he president hereupon remarked that the regulations for the adminiatratiou of a fortified place render the com-mander-in-chief responsible for all the measures taken during a seige. In the further course of the interrogatory, Marshal Bazaine said it was through Commander Bamuel that he learnt the news of the change of Government. He then entertained the idea of resigning his command. He explained that the event of September 14 was the menace to nubile order of which be spoke in his proclamation.

The interrogatory is now over, and the examination of •witnesses has begun. Any .me who has been present at a French courtmat tial knows that the whole air of the proceedings is, on the surface, discouraging for the defendant. The part of the presiding officer is less like that of a judge than of a public accuser ; he is the representative, for the time, of searching justice, not of slow and deliberate equity. Bui during the interrogatory Marshal Bazaine has appeared in a more unfavorable light than can be accounted for merely by the forms of the court. The most ambitious soldier, unless he is an open despot, should profess obedience to some one ; but the Marshal owns to having acted, after Sedan, as if he was his own master. “ There was no Government then,” he said ; “there was nothing.” In point of fact, Marshal Bazaine, after the fall of the Empire. ignored the Government of National Defence, and tried to preserve both his army and Metz for future contingencies. He lost both, for negotiation was not his province, and he negotiated weakly and unskilfully, as is proved sufficiently by results, independently of the still unknown details of the singular ‘ ‘ Regnier episode. ” The interest of the scene at the Trianon promises to increase now that the examination of witnesses has begun.