ARRIVAL OF THE KAIKOURA AT WELLINGTON.

Southland Times, Issue 552, 3 September 1866, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE KAIKOURA AT WELLINGTON.

ENGLISH NEWS TO JULY 2. AMERICAN NEWS TO JULY 26. By the arrival of the Overland Mail from Danedin, we are in receipt- of the mails via Panama. The Euglish news has, to a certain extent, been forestalled by the latest telegrams received by the July mail on the 19fch August. The following details are of considerable interest . — THE WAR IN GERMANY CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE PRUSSIANS ANI) AUSTRIANS. Marshal Benedek's movements were unknown until his troops cams in front of the enemy, and then came the first encounter between the Austrians and the Prussians in a great battle fought on Austrian great battle fought on Austrian ground, between Josephstadt and the frontier of Silesia. The Prussians were commmded by the Crown Prince. The various accounts received by telegraph made it uncertain at what point the Crown Prince intended seriously to invade the Austrian territory. The Prussians were heard of at Oderberg and Oswiecin, at fche extreme south-east of Silesia : they were in possession of Zueknaatel and Fried'mrg, having crossed the frontier opposite Niesse, and they were also operating further to the north-vest. The centre of the Austrian line is supposed to have extended from about Turnau to Josephstadt, and it is with trie main body of Benedek's army that the Prussians have boen engaged in this the first battle of the German war. The troops engaged advanced through Nachol and Neusfcadfc to Skaliez, which is within 10 miles of Josephstadt, and here we may suppose they were met by the Austrims in force. The battle began afc 10 o'clock on the morniug of the 27th June, and lasted till (3 iv the evening. T-ie Prussians were repulsed frum Skaliez, the Austrian cavalry taking part in the action ; and the Prussians were at the close ot the day, according to fche Austrian telegraphic despatch, in full retreat, le tying their dead and wounded on the field. The Prussian dispatches are to the effect that on tne 23th June the 3rd defeated the 10th Austrian Araiy Corps under General G.ibleuz after au obstinate engagement, in which fche Austrians lost sever .1 thousand prisoners, sever .1 fieldpieces, and a large quantity of materiel. The Austrian loss in killed and wouuded is placed at between 3000 and 4000. On the same day Prince Frederick Charles, in junction with General Bitterfield, captured Miinchengratz. after a successful engagement wifch the enemy in which he took 800 prisoners. Tae Austrians retire 1 to b'urstdnbruek with the loss of 2000 men. These encounters prove that the Prussians had advanced considerably beyond the frontier. Furstenbruek, to which the Austrians are said to have retired, is some 25 or 30 miles from the frontier on the direct road to Prague, and we may conclude that the main body of the Prussian army had so far fouud the way open to it in its invasion of the Austrian territory. But it is not in this line alone that the Prussians are advancing. Whatever may hive been the result of the battle of the 27th at Skaliez, the Prussians appear to be still in full force between the Silesian frontier and Josephstadt. The Prussian sth corps, which is said to have been so successful against the Austrians in the battle of the 27fch, was again opposed on the 28th to the Gth and Bfch Austrian corps, under the Archduke Leopold, and is reported to have gained signal advantages over it. The AMjiiiteur of June 29 publishes in telligences from Berlin dated the 23th, announcing that in a fresh engagement between the Prussians and the Austrians, near Trautenau, the former captured 10 guns and took many prisoners. The Austrians were compelled to fall back. The same paper also publishes au accoanfc of an engagement between the Hanoverians and Prussians near Lagensalza, which it states to have been without result. The Prussians lost two guns. A Berlin telegram of June 20 announces the surrender of the Hanoverian army, consisting of upwards of 20,000 men. It is further stated that the '' King and Crown Prince of Hanover, and the officers of the Hmoverian army, have pledged their word not to fight against Prussia during the present war. By the terms of the surrender, the Hanoverian officers retained their side arms, aud the men were disarmed and sent to their homes. The war material was given up to the Prussians." About 5000 Austrian prisoners from NachoJ, and 3000 from Trautenau, are reported to have been senfc on June 20 to Posen. We have given above an account, founded on telegrams from Berlin, of decisive victories on the 27th and 28fch June, over the Austriaas by the armies under the comm md of the Prince Royal of Prussia and Prince Frederick Charles. Now we publish the Vienna telegram, which claims for the Austrian army decisive victory on both points. It is distinctly stated that the troops -of the Priuce Royal recrossed the fronter towards Glatz, that the army of Priuce Frederick Charles retreated to Niemes, northeast of Tiernau &ud Muchengratz — therefore nearer the Prussian frontier on that side — and that the junction of the Prussian armies wa* prev&itsd. Ia ffi

caso whofe representations bo entirely .•ontlieting as thoio of the Berlin aud Vienna ' toldgraan are made, itis or course impossible to say on which aids the truth lies. Tiar one of them must be grossly d ic-eivitig the public is obvious, unless we are to supnose that the battle which lasted two days remained undecided, and that each party, therefore, claimed the victory. Not only does each side claim the victory in the field, but the Berlin accounts state that the Prussians took Muuchengratz, while the Vienna accounts state that the Prussians were driven considerably to the north-east of that place. The following official despatch, dated Vienna, June 29, 8.15 a.m., relates to the battle of June 28; — Pardubitz, June 29. The Prussians were yesterday completely defeated by the Austrian forces under General von Gablenz. Leaving behind 1000 killed aud wounded, thf>y withdrew to Prussian territory towards G-latz. After occupying Jicin yesterday, the Prussians were attacked by the cavalry division of Greneral von E lelsheim, they were driven out of Jicin and repulsed toward Tiernau. In consequence of this defeat, the Prussians last night evacuated Melnik* Druba, and Leipa, and withdrew in great haste to Niemes. The Prussian losses by General von Eldelsheim's attack were enormus. The stragetic operation of the Austrian army was "completely successful. The junction of Prince Frederick Charles with the army of Silesia was prevented. The Austrian loss in the battles of the last three days is estimated at nearly 2000 killed and wounded. The Prussian 1033 is afc least equal.