THE WAR IN EUROPE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 838, 11 October 1870, Page 2

THE WAR IN EUROPE.

50,000 French and 40,000 Prussians killed in one Battle. Capture of 90,000 French at Sedan. Surrender of the Emperor. Three German Armies Forming. France Rising in a Mass. German Army Marching on Paris. Millions expected to take the Field. Surrender of Metz Reported. The follow ing telegrams are copied from the Wellington Independent, and will, wo doubt not, be found very interesting to most of our readers ; London, Sept. 3. Subsequently to the success at Saarbruck the Crown Prince advanced and fell on M‘Mahon’9 corps suddenly at Woerth or Hnguernau, 14 miles from Weisseuburg, and after an obstinate conflict ho completely crushed it by overpowering numbers, 10,000 French were killed and wounded ; 6,000 prisoners were taken —100 officers, 30 guns, four two eagles, aud the baggage of two commissariat trains. M'Mahon’s horse was shot under him. The German loss was 4,000. An attempt was made by the remnant to make a stand at Neiderbon with artillery, but the position was captured by the Bavarian army. M‘Mahon retreated to Saverne. On the same day the centre and right portions of the Uerman army, in great force, under £t'.'rnmedts, poured down upon General Frossard’s corps near Saarbruck, at Forbach. The battle raged from noon till dark, and the carnage was great, Frossard retreated with his shattered army, leaving his baggage and camp in the hands of the enemy. The absence of supports and reinfocements has been severely criticised. It is said that the French were slaughtered through bad generalship. No plan of operations was prepared, while the German system was complete. The French army concentrated at Metz was estimated at 230,000. Lebceuf is superseded, Bazaine is in chief command with Canrobert. General Ohangarnier is appointed to the staff. The Emperor’s generalship is utterly condemned. Strasbourg is invested, and is very weakly garrisoned. The Baltic expedition is abandoned. Bazaine received up to the 15th strong reinforcements at Met?, but all attempts to arrest the progress of the Prussians were unavailing. M'Mahon’s broken army was in retreat from the 14th. to the 17th, when the remains reappeared at Chalons. The Prussian cavalry obtained a victory at Luneville on the sth. At the occupation of Nancy the Prussians found it empty, and advanced to Pont it Moussau. The Prussians captured at Gravellotte 5000 prisoners, 2 eagles, and 7 cannons of the French Imperial Guards. The Emperor and the Prince Imperial left Met? on the 15th August. A series of battles commenced around Metz, from Bazaine attempting to retreat across Moselle; he was defeated. The main French army was surrounded in Metz. The losses in three days in killed, wounded, and prisoners, amounted to 50,000. German losses amounted to 40,000. Generals Canrobert, Frossard, Becain, aud Ladimralt, who were engaged in the battle, were wounded, Two Prussian Generals were killed and two wounded. The success of the German first and second armies is com) lete. They have cut off Bazaine. The Crown Prince, with the third army, has advanced to operate against Chalons. The Prussian Xing has abolished the conscription in occupied territory, and appointed Governors*General in Alsace and Lorraine.

Fourteen hundred German families have been expelled from Paris. This has caused great indignation in Germany, from which no French residents have been expeiled. The German war credit has been raised to one thousand million thalers. Bank note currency is forced. Two thousand four hundred million thalers are issued. The French fleet, off Kiel, is to blockade North west Germ any. France, on the 14th August, refused pacific overtures. The Emperor arrived at Chalons on the 18th. He is reported mentally ill. A sortie of ,the garrison of Strasbourg took place on the 16th, hut was repulsed with the loss of three guns. The Governor refused to surrender, and Strasbourg was invested. The Government of Italy were increasing their army. Mazzini was arrested at Palermo. Marshall M'Mahon is in command at Chalons. The army are resolved to relieve Bazaino, who had abandoned Chalons for Rheims. The Crown Prince had advanced to Chalons, His scouts reach to Eperney. A fourth German army bad formed on his flank. Prince Charles advanced his troops to Verdun on the 22ad. Prince Napoleon had arrived at Florence, and was attempting to conclude an alliance. The German envoy at Rome is gone to Oaprera, The subscription for the French loan of 760,000,000 francs was covered in a few days. An army of old soldiers amounting to 150.000 was forming at Lyons, and one of 80.000 at Paris. The French Press is hopeful. On the 24th the Foreign Minister declared he would not listen to a proffer of mediation while a single Prussian remained in France. Italy, Austria, England, and Russia are expected to mediate together when a fit time arrives. The American President has proclaimed strict neutrality. The bombardment of Strasbourg from Kehl commenced on the 19th, The trenches were advanced and the artillery kept firing day and night till the 23rd. One hundred guns were employed in the attack. The Bishop tried to mediate but failed. The commander resolved to defend the place to the last. General Troohu has expelled from Paris all persons who have no ostensible means of existeoce. The National Guard has been embodied in the army. All the crops were burned in the Departments of the Seine and Marne on the advance of the Prussians, and the people were ordered to prepare for a seige. The distribution of arms was proceeding on a large scale, and 13 army corps were despatched on the 30th to assist M'Mahon, who had removed from Rheims northwards to Sedan, followed by the Crown Prince, in forced marches. The Emperor is with M'Mahon. A Belgian army is on the frontier, and a passage for the Prussian wounded has been refused, as France objects. The German people are signing addresses protesting against any foreign intervention iu peac*e negotiations. Fever prevails amongst the wounded. Metz and Thionville were invested on the 27th. Strasbourg still held out. Prince Frederick Charles has been re-in-forced by two landwehr divisions. Three German reserve armies were forming. Jerome David announced in the Siate Legislature on the 3rd Sept., that “ Paris will be defended to the utmost—in forts, in streets, and from house to house; and rather than surrender, we will burn ourselves in its aßheß. ,, The determination was passionately applauded by both Houses and by the public journals. The Berlin press accuses France of a breach of the Geneva Convention relative to the immunity of hospitals and ambulances, which ia indignantly denied, M‘Mahon is fighting his way from Beaumont, through Mouson and Oarigan, to Sedan, The carnage was terrible. Strasbourg, though in ruins, still holding out on the 2nd. Prince Frederick Charles commands the army against Bazaine. General Winifred surrendered at Sedan. The Emperor left everything to the Regency in Paris, while offering to surrender himself a prisoner. General Baajaine attempted to escape from Metz, but was driven back, after two daya fighting. M‘Mahon was again defeated, and was driven back into Sedan, after five dajs desperate fighting, attended with fearful slaughter. Sedan eventually capitulated. Marshall M‘Mahon was wounded, and the whole army are prisoners of war. The Emperor Napoleon also surrendered, and the King of Prussia has consented to see him, and will appoint him a residence. September 5. Ninety thousand French prisoners were taken at Sedan. The Emperor is removed to Wilhelmshoe Castle. Berlin was illuminated. A peaceful revolution has taken place in Paris. The Emperor was deposed. A republic has been proclaimed, ana a provisional government ia formed of General Trochu, Gambella, Jules Favre, and others, who are determined to repel an invasion. The troops are fraternising with the people, A political amnesty has been declared. The Empress has left Paris for Belgium. The Gorman aimy is marching on Paris. A new army is forming under the walls of Paris and another on the Loire. The Senate has been abolished and the Republic is to repel invasions as iu 1792. A Defence Commission has been canaU* t vtteil.