INCIDENTS OF THE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 285, 3 December 1870, Page 2

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR.

(From the London Times, October V.) A letter in the North German Gazette from the camp before Paris, dated 27th September, says: — "Our soldiers are shovelling and digging with a zeal, like that with which the Romans are credited. Double, and frequently treble, lines of rifle pits are formed, the stone walls of the most charming villas are provided with embrasures, and barricades aro erected which even Hocheforfc could not fail to admire. All contingencies are evidently being prepared for, and everything goes on after a consecutive and elaborate plan, in which every physical feature of the spot has been carefully weighed. And not alone in this way is the soldier busy. Here he is carrying off the stores of corn which were spared by the fire of tlie Franc- Tireurs ; iu the village the sound of the flail is heard, handled by the soldiers. The soldier sets t.he windmills on the hills in motion, brings in tho vegetables from the fields, digs up the potatoes, and gathers the grapes, which are now happily ripe, iu the vineyards.

A correspondent of the Cologne Gazette comments on the strict discipline and cleanliness of the Prussian soldiers. If lying on the ground, they spring up as soon as an officer comes to them. None of them will keep the pipe in their mouths, however iudispensable to their eujoymonfc, and they only resume smoking if the officer motions to them to do so. They keep their uniforms as tidy as possible. Such trifles as cleaning uniforms aud buttons may seem to some of no account in war, but, as long as the soldier is particular as to external's, his mind is less apt; to become stupefied. Emulation is excited, for nobody likes to stand dirty beside his comrade, and the consequence is that, from the appearance of the troops, one would not suppose they had undergone such privations and dangers. "An unwashed man is only halt a man," people say in ordinary life, and there is much truth in it, for an unclean mau degenerates, till afc last he sinks in mire.

The France gives an account of a new murderous missile recently tried at Paris, the results of which were so fearful that it is said the authorities hesitate to adopt it. Tne missile is called the Satan Fusee, and consists of a hollow shell, which is filled with petroleum, the explosion of which is regulated hy a time fusee. These bombs contain one, two, or three litres of petroleum, and one of the largest, when tried at St. Cloud covered an immense space of ground with a sea of liquid and inextinguishable fire. The Commission appointed to test the merits of this invention reported strongly of its efficacy, but declined to recommend its use except in reprisal for the employment of similar destructive compounds by the enemy, whieh the Germans are accused of having done at Strasbourg, The inveutor has been assigued a large establishment at Batignoiles, formerly a girl's school, where 200 men are busily engaged in preparing these dreadful messengers of death.

The Duke of Saxe Coburg writing from Versailles, on the 30lh September, to the Duchess, and speaking of the j environs of Paris, says: — The whole district has for some years been dotted J with parks and chateaux, and has been very much beautified. Truly very illadapted for the seat of war. We seated ourselves at a very picturesque spot, and were absorbed in the view of the great city which lay in the evening sun i ight before us. All at once a 60-pounder from Fort Montrouge, was directed at us, and went whizzing over and beyond us into a woody part. Ifc was a sorry jest, and we were going back to onr horses, when again a large ball flew over us. felling branches and trees, so that the poor animals, whieh were standing in the shade, were much frightened. A few minutes afterwards a similar shot carried off the head of a poor Bavarian, who was likewise enjoying the prospect. This, people call amusing in war. Without siege artillery we cannot properly atfack and take the forts; it would cost too many i men. We must, therefore, confine ourselves (o investing, intrenching ourselves, aud repelling sorties.

Two • fashionable young ladies of Hartford have heen laid up for repairs from wearing high-heeled shoes, and the doctor thinks he has got a job that will last a year to straighten out their little toes. One of the girls was to have been married soon ; but the ceremony will have to be performed sitting down, if at all, as she cannot stand on her feet. — New York Herald' For remainder of News see Fourth page.

According to the New York Herald, a charitable gentleman has lately beeu imposed upon in a most shameful manner in Boston, United States. Meeting a woman in one of the streets in great distress he inquired the cause of her grief, and was informed that her husband was dead and she had no money to bury him. The gentleman, expressing doubts as to the truth of her story, was invited by the •woman to come to her house and sec the remains of the deceased, which he accordingly did, and found her husband lying in a coffin ready for burial. Ashamed of the doubts he had previously entertained, he removed his gloves and gave her money sufficient for the funeral. On leaving the house he found he had left his gloves behind him ; be therefore returned to claim them, and was both grieved and disgusted to find the dead man sitting up in his coffin counting the money received by the woman. The gentleman took his gloves, and, merely remarking that the deceased need not trouble himself to count the money, for it was all right, left the house a sadder and a wiser man. Frightful Tragedy at Bath.— On August- 22, a shocking tragedy was perpetrated at Bath. Mr. Prankerd, the proprietor of a preparatory school at Spencer's Bellevue, quarrelled with oneof his daughters, named Minnie, because she had determined to leave home for a place on the Continent, and high words took place between them, another daughter being present, while the sister was packing j ready for her departure. Shortly afterwards four discharges of a pistol were heard, and on a servant going upstair into the schoolroom, she found the bodies of the two young ladies lying on the floor with pistol shots through the head of each. The daughter with whom the quarrel com- 1 •me.i~.eed was quite dead. The other was so injured that she is not expected to recover. The father retired to a garret, took poison, and was found dead. Miss Kate Prankerd, the young lady who was shot at by her father (who after shooting his eldest daughter dead, went upstairs and committed suicide by drinking prussic acid), has been removed from the house of the Uev. Mr. Way, whither she escaped shot and bleeding, from her father's schoolroom, and she is now lying at the Baih Hospital. Her symptoms for some days after ihe tragedy were not so favourable, but hopes aro now entertained of her ultimate recovery. The pistol with which tbe young ladies were shot was a five-chamber Colt's revolver, of the original kind, aud one of tlie barrels remained charged when found, thus confirming the evidence given at the coroner's inquest that four shots were fired. A whit • haiHiki'tcbief was found in Mr. Prankerd 'a pocket, perforated in five places, evidently by .shut, the edges of the holes being slighily scorched. The theory is that the murderer, to conceal his object from his daughters and preveut him carrying it out, held the handkerchief doubled before the nozzle of the pistol, tbe bullet thus passing through it. Upwards of £400, a Jar«_i j quantity of clothing, and some valuable plate, were found in Mr. Prankerd's bi-droom, and there were no indications of penury having at all contributed as a cause of so terrible a crime. W'tY is the solar eclipse like a woman whipping ber boy ? Because it's a hiding of the sun.

A Woed to Volunteers. — E. I-I. Featon, Lieutenant commanding Auckland Naval Artillery Volunteers, writes as ollows to the Daily Southern Cross > — There is no difguising the fact, our Volunteer system is not what, it should be, nor are our Volunteers what they should he. It is pi: asing to us _.ll to hear how liberally the present Government have met our requirements ; it is equally unsatisfactory to us to know how aloof the general public are in supporting the ouly protection they command. Hoicrary members are slow in rallying round us ; gifts of prizes are still wanting, and embroidered flags from fair fingers are still in perspective. Great Britain, in this present crisis, can confidently rely upon her 200,000 Volunteers, should every regular be drawn from her shores. Why should not every young man in Auckland, possessed of health and strength, swell the Volunteer ranks here ? It is only a part of his duty as a citizen ; and if there is a nobler duty in this world to perform than to succor the old, and shield the young from violence and misery, ifc is only when we lay down our lives to save another's. Let those who are already Volunteers be dutiful and attentive : their conduct will emulate others to join their ranks. Let officers and non-commissioned officers be studious and persevering, not to he overcome by small obstacles, but persisting in the execution of their respective duties ; and I have no hesitation in saying that the force will prosper, and that, if occasion should require them, they will not be found wanting.