ADDITIONAL TELEGRAPHIC WAR ITEMS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 737, 8 October 1870, Page 2

ADDITIONAL TELEGRAPHIC WAR ITEMS.

ONE DAY'S LATER NEWS. [FROM THE MELBOURNE AKGUS.] The capture of the French Emperor is confirmed. He was removed to Cassel. The camp at Chalons was raised on the 20 th, and the troops took position along the River Marne. The Crown Prince's army was 150,000, and extended to near Saint Dizier. He appeared to intend an advance on Paris by the valley of the Aube. Letters from Verdun, dated 19th, stated that the Prussian advance guard was closing on Vevdun. The Italian Minister for Foreign. Affairs declared to the Chambers that Italy, Austria, England, and Russia had agreed not to take any mediatory step 3 without a previous understanding among themselves. On August 24, Marshal M'Mahon left Rheims. Prussian scouts appeared in the Departments of Marne and Aube. One Prussian reconnaisance, advanciug to the Department of Marne, reached Chalons and occupied the district of Vassy. Orders were given to arrest the advance by every possible means. Chalons was evacuated by the French the same day. At Strasbourg, the beseiging force succeeded on the 25 th in entrenching themselves within 1000 yards of the walls, and captured the railway station outside the town. Bombardment proceeded actively. The official journal of St. Petersburg, contradicting a statement that appeared in the Independance Beige, said that although Russia did not wish for the dismemberment of France, she would make no arrangements with England to oppose it. Toul, which had been invested by the Prussians, maintained a gallant defence. The Prussian Royal head-quarters on the 26th advanced to Bar Le Due ; a portion of the army was stationed to watch Marshal Bazaine, the remainder resolutely commenced its vnarch on Paris. Detachments advanced on Varennes. The 27th found the Prussian scouts within ten miles of Rheims. Verdun was surrounded. The Crown Prince was steadily pushing towards Paris. A new army was covering his flank. Defence preparations were urged on at Paris. Phalsburg, which has been invested, still held out on the 28th, aud had repulsed two Prussian assaults. The German troops arrived before Rheims on the 28th. Thionville was invested the same day. The Prussian advance in the department of Aube seemed to be arrested, and the troops fell back on St. Dizier, where the head-quarters of the army had been esxablished. Next news stated that the Prussian force in this region was directed northwards in the direction of the Rethel and Vouziers. It was supposed the march to Paris would not be continued till the pending battle with Marshall M'Mahon had been decided. The small fortress of Vitry capitulated. Fighting was going on at Stenay, near Belgium, and Belgian troops vrere under orders for the frontier. mi xz.- ,_, — » t». .. ■ .!■■ ..n..., „a,....v,i. a — „-„- Paris by the Upper Marne and Meuse. Twenty-four thousand Prussians occupied the heights near Rheims, where preparations were made for a vigorous^defence. 300,000 Prussians were at the same time gathered between Epernay and Rheims. On August 30, 32 squadrons of Prussian hussars stormed the village of Trizy, between Vouziers and Atligny. The defenders were all take a prisoners. At the same time the siege of Strasburg was being vigorously prosecuted. The parallels were within 500 paces of the fortress. The bombardment by 100 guns was doing great damage, but the commandant resolved to hold it to the last. The Prussian cavalry obtained a victory at Luneville on the sth. At the occupation of Nancy they found it empty, and advanced to Pont-a-Mousson. The Prussians captured at Gravellotte 2,000 prisoners, two eagles, and seven cannon of the French Imperial Guard. The Emperor and the Prince Imperial left Metz on the 15th. A series of battles then commenced around Metz, for Bazaine attempted to retreat across the Moselle, but he was defeated on all sides. The main French army was surrounded in Metz. The losses in the three days of killed, wounded, and prisoners amounted to 50,000. The German losses were 40,000. Generals Canrobert, Frossard, JBegain, »nd L'Admirault were engaged in the battle, and were wounded. Two Prussian generals were killed, and two were wounded. The Prussian King has abolished the conscription in the occupied territory, and has appointed Grovernoi's-Generftl in Alsace and Lorraine. Fourteen hundred Germau families have been expelled from Paris, and have arrived at Cologne. Great indignation has been caused in Germany, but no French residents have been expelled. The German war credit has been raised to one thousand million thalers, and a bank-note forced currency of two thousand four hundred million thalers has been issued. The French fleet is off Kiel to blockade North- West Germany. France, on the 14th August, refused pacific overtures. The Beveil and Rappel newspapers have been suspended. A sortie of the garrison of Strasburg took place on the 16th August, but was repulsed with the loss of three guns. An army of old soldiers, amounting to 150,000, is forming at Lyons, and one of 80,000 at Paris. A private letter from an Oxford man, dated " Saarbrucken, July 28," says :- " I can't help reiterating that in all the shooting there has yet been the Prussians have had out and out the best of it. Nothing could be worse than the Chassepot at short ranges. We see the Frenchmen spitting on their cartridges, sticking their fingers into their guns, and giving every possible sign that, after a few shots, the Chassepot gets so foul that they dont't know how to treat it." The news of the expected battle between Marshal M'Mahon and the Crown Prince of Prussia reached London on September 1. The battle occurred on August 29.

?he following is the telegram sent on Uigust 30, by the King of Prussia, at f arennes, to the Queen of Prussia : — " Yesterday we had a victorious enf,igeme»t with the French, in which the Tourth and Seventh Army Corps and one 3avarian Corps took part. Marshal YTMahon was beaten, and driven back rom Beaumont across the Meuse to tfouzon. Twelve guns, several thousand jrisoners, and also much material were ;aken." Later details stated that the Prussians ittacked Marshal M'Mahon near Beaunont. They defeated and pursued him to,vards the Belgain frontier till nightfall. Fighting was resumed at 5 o'clock the lext morning against Marshal M'Mahon, >vho was retiring to Sedan. The carnage was terrible. On September 1 a great battle raged wound Sedan. The French were driven [jack with great slaughter. The Prussian Royal Guard and five army corps were sngaged. The French were almost all driver inside the fortress. On the 29th of August, while the Crown Prince and M'Mahon were engaged at Sedan, a great battle occurred at Metz, where Marshal Bazaine was in command of the French forces. The whole of Bazaine's army was engaged against the first Prussian Army Corps. General Reumer's division and the fourth Landwehr division, Prince Frederick Charles commanding. The battle lasted all the 29th and 30th, when- Marshal Bazaine was driven back at all points. The French were admitted by the Prussians to have shown great bravery. The battle of the 30th-31st August and Ist September, between M'Mahon and the Crown Prince, effectually prevented Marshal M'Mahon's intended attempt to relieve Metz. The Prussians on the 30th captured 30 guns and 7000 prisoners. On the 2nd September, the King of Prussia telegraphed to the Queen of Prussia from before Sedan as follows : — " A capitulation, whereby the whole army at Sedan are prisoners of war, has just been concluded with General Wimpfred, who is in command, vice Marshal M'Mahon, wounded. " The Emperor only surrendered himself to me since he has no command and has left everything to the Regency in Paris. fl His place of residence I shall imme- ■ diately appoint after an interview which will immediately take place." On the 3rd September M. Jerome David announced in the French Senate that Marshal Bazaine had failed in his attempts to break through the Prussian lines round Metz. Marshal M'Mahon, he said, after vainly endeavoring to join Marshal Bazaine, had been driven to Sedan. Several days' fighting had taken place, with alternate successes and reverses. On the following day, September 4, a proclamation of the Ministers to the French people was issued, announcing that after three days' struggle, sustained by Marshal M'Mahon against the enemy's forces, numbering 300,000 men, 4000 French troops had been taken prisoners. General Wimpfred, who had replaced Marshal M'Mahon, who was dangerously wounded, had signed a capitulation. The Emperor was taken prisoner during the conflict. OJln, t ,^v>wli.muibl«^>-wo»»4— t*rt— tVStty- that these reverses did not shake the courage of France. Paris was in a state of defence, and in a few days a new army would be under the walls of Paris. Another army was forming on the banks of the Loire, and Government, in accord ance with its powers, was taking such measures as were required by the gravity of events. The following additional items are from the despatch of Messrs Greville and Co. (Reuter's agents) : — The Empress is in Belgium, and the Prince Imperial is still at Nanuir. Galle, Sept. 5. The Crown Princes of S.ixony and Prussia, accompanied by the King of Fruasia and Count Bismarck, are now marching direct on Paris. [BY BRITISH IXDTAN CABLE.] Paris, Sunday Evening, Sept. 4. The Corps Legislatif assembled at 1 p.m. to-day, when Count Palikao presented a proposal from the Council that a Government of five members be elected by an absolute majority of the Corps Legistif, Count Palikao to be Lieu tenantGeneral. Jules Favre then claimed priority for the discussion of his proposal of yesterday. M. Thier3 proposed that the Chambers should appoint a commission for the government and the national defence of the country, and that a meeting of the constituents of the membei'3 cf the Assembly should take place as soon as circumstances permitted. The Chamber passed a vote in favor of the urgent uecessity for excimining these propositions, but the sitting was then suspended. While the Chamber was in committee an immense multitude gathered round the Corps Legislatif, where they made a great republican demonstration. Cries of •*Decheance" and "Vive la Republique" were raised. The National Guards and troops fraternised with the people and the citizens, and invaded the galleries and body of the Chamber. A great tumult then ensued, and it was impossible to continue the proceedings. Gambetta and several of the deputies proclaimed the fall of the empire. The deputies on the left afterwards proceeded to the Hotel de Ville, where a Provisional Government was proclaimed, consisting of Gambetta, Terry, Simon, Le Favre, Arano, Pages, Cremieux, Keratry, Rochefort, Pulletan, Picard, and Grevy. Trochu remains governor of Paris. Paris is greatly agitated, but no disorder or excesses have taken place. [BY INDO-EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.] London, Sept. 5. It is reported that Metz has surrendered. The Government is constituted as follows : — Trochu, President of the Government, with full military powers of the national defence ; Jules Favre, Foreign Affairs ; Gambetta, Minister of the Interior ; To I< 10, Minister of War ; Fournlcbon, Minister for Marine ; Cremieux, Minister of Justice ; Picard, Minister of Finance ; Jules Simon, Public Instruction ; Dorian, Public Works ; Magnin, Commerce. The appointment of President of the Council of State has been suppressed.

Etieune Diazo lias been nominated mayor of Paris ; De Keratry, prefect of police. The manufacture and trade in the sale of arms is cU.cla.red free. The deputies of Paris, including M. Rochefort, constitute a commission for the national defence, General Trochu as president. Perfect order is maintained in Paris. The Republic has been proclaimed at Lyons, Bordeaux, Grenoble, and other: great cities.