THE NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 13, 16 January 1871, Page 2

THE NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The telegrams which reach us by the Sau Francisco route are so fragmentary, contradictory, and in many cases unintelligible, that a very careful perusal is necessary to enable the reader to form any idea of what is actually taking place in Europe. We shall therefore, instead of publishing them as they are forwarded from America, endeavor to put the information they convey in something like a connected form. Commencing with the state of things in France, we find that several engagements have takeu place in various parts, iv the majority of which ihe German armies appear to have been victorious. Near Amiens a battle is reported as having taken place on the 29th November, when the French loss was 4000 killed and 700 prisoners, that of the Prussians being unimportant. This, however, it must be remembered is the German account. General references are made to the army of the Loire which is Baid to be completely routed aud in full retreat, but there is an absence of anything approaching to detail which compels us to look upon this statement as being somewhat exaggerated. Of tue evacuation of Orleans, however, there is no doubt, and considerable dissatisfaction is expressed throughout Fraoce with General Palladines tor having retreated from that town, and a commission has been appointed to enquire into the circumstances attending

the evacuation. On the sth December an '•nL'agemeiit taok place near Potay, 14 mi!< j s north-west of Orleans, when 20,000 Frenchmen held their" ground for a. long time, agsiinst 60.000 of Frederick Clmi'liV army, hut were cut to pieces l>y the shells of t iie enemy. The Prussian artillery was served with fearful and overwhelming effect. The Popal Zouaves fought with superhuman bravery, but nearly all were killed. Another account, dated Versailles, December 6, says that the French were utterly defeated with a loss, in addition to the killed and wounded, of 10,000 prisoners ; 97 pieces of artillery, including several mitrailleuses, were also captuied. From Tours, a despatch under date Dec. 9, states that General Chaussy reports that he fought on the previous day against the army of Prince Fedrericlc Charles, and repulsed them along the whole line. Ou the 9th and lOih two engasemeuts took place near Meung, in both which i lie Germans were victorious, but not without suffering severe losses. On the latter of these days another battle was fought at Beaugency between the army of the Loire, and that under the Duke of Mecklenburg, when 15,000 prisoners are said to have been taken. The fighting continued for four days when the French were compelled to retreat ou Blois and Tours with severe loss. Telegrams of the 13th state that the third and tenth corps of the German army were then in pursuit of the French towards the south and south-east, but up to that time had not proceeded in force beyond Vierzon and Glen. At Versailles the French had assumed the offensive, and ou the 30th November, and 2ud December, had proved victorious, but on the 10th, when another engagement took place, they were repulsed at nightfall after a day's artillery fight. The Prussian loss Avas slight. The Prussians are advancing iv the neighborhood of Havre, and an engagement had taken place at Bol'»ec, the results of which are not stated. The temporary seat of Government had been removed from Tours to Bordeaux. Such is a slight sketch of what has takeu place since the departure of the last mail throughout the French provinces, but we have not yet alluded to the besieged city of Paris. The accounts relating to its capabilities of still further sustaining a sie<io are somewhat conflicting but it would seem that while meat is falling short there is a sufficient supply of flour to feed the besieged until February. It. was summoned to surrender on the 6th December Out. refused, and at a council of war held at Versailles on the 10th it was decided to commence the bombardment on the 19th, for which purpose 80 battery and siege guns were in position on the 13th, The German terms of peace are likely to be much more oppressive the longer France holds out, and it is said that the present intention is that the military occupation of the country will be coutinued for two years after peace is declared. Still the French are determined to fi>;ht to the very last, and look forward with sanguine anticipations to the results ef their resistance. In another mouth it was expected that they would have 800,000 men in arms, and they will continue to resist even should Paris fall. The campaign has completely changed its character, and is fast becoming a detached warfare of large armies manocuvering in au open country, where the French look forward to being able to successfully oppose their enemies. Meantime, the German troops before Paris are suffering from the effects of the weather which is ■ said to be intensely cold. In Berlin an anti-war riot occurred on the Bth December, caused by au order draf'tiug married men for the laudwehr, and as the police were not able to quell the disturbance, the military were called out and much severity used. If this order were carried into effect it would give au additional force of 25,000 men which is of great importance for the prolongation of the war, as France i v s every day increasing in strength. Nevertheless, there seems reason to believe that the war is still popular, as in the North German Parliament a bill for granting a credit of 100,000,000 thalers had been read twice with but four dissentient voices. The King of Bavaria had written to the King of Saxony inviting him to unite with the other German Princes in urging the King of Prussia to assume the title of Emperor of Germany with presidential functions. This was formally done, and later telegrams assert that a note had been recieved from Bismarck stating that the title had been accepted bs*King William. With regard to Louis Napoleon it is said that a general impression prevailed in Germany that 'the prospects' of his restoration were steadily improving, the argument in favor of it, being the ruinous consequences to the many poverty-stricken sections of«Gfermany in case of a much longer protraction of the war^n addition to which, Bismarck had. asserted that a congress on the Eastern question would not be held without a French plenipotentiary; that France had no authority

to appoint, one just now, 'md that he. ••vouM nol i'fi ■ogniaf (Lie authority of men of i 'no pavement to sit- iimonji their betters. Wo now come to thosw matters which more immediately interest England and her colciiii'jg, namely, the attitude assumed by Russia, Tiiere^cau be now but little doubt that she inteuds to insist upon the abrogation of certain articles of the treaty of 1856, and if her demands are not acceded to peacefully, that she is prepared to appeal to the sword. We are told that there is ample evidence of every kiud that she is prepa:iug for war on a grand scale. It has been announced by the Emperor that 40,000,000 roubles will be devoted to extraordinary expenses ; notice has beeD tfiven to the reserve corps to hold themselves in readiness, a measure which has not been resorted to since the Crimean war; a number of American workmen are engaged in the manufacture of mitrailleuses, and it is said that a warlike feeling exists over the whole empire, similar to that which prevailed, on the arrival of the Sebastopol uews. In England, public opinion appears to be in favor of presenting a bold front to Russia, and Earl Granville's reply to Gortschakoff 's circular, in which he denounces the action taken by her, is unanimously supported by the public and the press. There are those, however, who sledfaslly set their faces against entering upon such a war, foremost among whom are Froude, and John Stuart Mill. In the Cabinet too there are divisions which are thus briefly summed up : — Granville insists on England showing a rjiirn front, Carthvell and Lowe are against war ou the preseut issue, Gladstone hesitates. A telegram dated Nov. 25, stales that Granvillo had gone to the Queeu at Windsor to tender his resignation, and that the dissolution of the Cabinet was almost inevitable, but, as we have three weeks later news, and no mention is made of such au event, we may presume that their differences wore settled. Meantime, every preparation is being made for war. A contract for 60 batteries of light guns, each of Gottling's mitrailleuses, has been given out to contractors in America ; all vessels of war in foreigu waters, except such as are actually Deeded there, have been recalled, and great activity is displayed at Portsmouth and all the naval depots. Thpi'Q is no panic on the Stock Exchange, but great excitement prevails throughout England, aud the Times counsels the immediate assembling of Parliament. The latest telegram conveys the intelligence that Gortschakoff remains firm iv his determination to regard the Treaty of Paris as abrogated, but whether any immediate action will be taken appears doubtful, a3 we learu that winter has commenced in earnest", and that the river at. Cronstadt is so frozen that it is impossible for shjps of war to leave the harbor for the Black Sea, before the spring. We will conclude our notice of the mouth's news with a few telegrams bearing upon jzenernl matters : — Florence, Dec. S. — Parliament was opened on Monday by King Victor Emauuel. The King, in his speech from the throne, declared, that with Home as the capital, the edifice commenced by Charles Albert was crowned, and the freedom of Italy completed it ; it was now the task of the Chambers to make her great and happy. " While we are thus bappy," he continued, " two cations the glorious representations of civilization, are engaged in a horrible struggle. We will persist in our efforts to induce them to end the conflict, and prove that United Italy is an element of order and peace in Europe." In reference to the Pope, he said it was the duty of the nation to secure to the. Supreme Poutiff the free exercise of his religious offices and the maintenance of his relations with the Catholic world. Improvements in the administration of the Government, and the development of the military and educational system were promised. Florence, December 10.— A mob iv Rome attempted on the 9th to sack St. Peters, aud attack the Vatican. The disturbance was quelled, the services of the military having beeu called into requisition. Gladstone's note, stating that the Government had taken care to make provision for the protection of the Pope's person excites surprise aud criticism. It is intended to be a conciliatory policy for Ireland. London, November 25. — Rev. Mr. Mackonichie's appeal from the sentence condemning him for Komanising tendencies, has been decided against him. Dublin, December 13. — The LordLieutenaut of Ireland declines to receive the deputations soliciting pardon for the Fenian convicts, on the ground that no good result is possible.