THE WAR IN EUROPE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 137, 22 September 1870, Page 6

THE WAR IN EUROPE.

THE FRENCH EVERYWHERE DEFEATED. PARIS IN A STATE OF SIEGE. On August- sth the Prussians gained a battle, and captured "Weissenburg. On the sth, they advanced on Hagenau, and on that and the following day a great battle took place, in which Marshal M'Mahon was defeated. The Prussians suddenly advanced through a forest widen Marshal M'Mahon wished to burn as a precautionary measure, but was overruled by Napoleon, and was forced to fall back in consequence, Frossard's corps was also defeated, and compelled to retreat on Metz. Midnight, 10th August. A great battle is considered imminent. Strasburg is surrounded by 50,000 troops, chiefly South Grormans. The Prussians are advancing from Saoulious and Troves, and are expected to make an immediate attack on the French at Metz. The French loses amount to 30,000 men. Paris is in a state of tumult, the people calling for arms, and for all the soldiers to be sent to the front. They also call upon Napoleon to resign the command, and for the Assembly to rule in his stead. This he refuses to do; suppresses the Republican journals ; and forms a new Ministry of a reactionary character. Paris is declared to be in. a state of siege, and cries for the Emperor to return thither. Ho replies that he will not return except as dead or victorious. The Assembly is in a state of great .disorder, and scenes of violence are frequent. The Bill providing for the national /defence lias been adopted, and the payment of all commercial cotitracts has been postponed by decree for one month, "to leave all minds, free to {defend the country." I Unless a victory is speedily gained, a revolution is imminent. The Emperor is reported to be ill, and the Empress and the Prince Imperial are to be sent to a safer place of refuge. A subsequent telegram states that the Prince Imperial has arrived at the French Legation in London with the Empress's jewels. (?) The Prussians " are $aid to have 800,000 men in the field, and the needle gun has proyed superior to the Chassepot. The French. Assembly is displeased with the new Ministry. It proposes to displace it, and substitute for it a new one of their own under De Troehin. France gas evacuated Rome. The Emperor Napoleon's first despatch to the Empress, dated 2nd August, says :: — t>£ Greneral Frossard with one division defeated three divisions of the enemy. Louis has received Ms baptism of fire. He was admirably cool, and a little impressed. . . . Louis and I were in front when the bullets fell about us. Louis is keeping a bullet which he picked upon the fjeld. The soliWg are delighted at liia tranquillity. We \^t O ne officer and 10 men." When reverses came, the French Ministry suppressed the news, but at last the Emperor's despatches admitted that serious defeats had been sustained, though he declared that all was not lost, and called upon Frenchmen to rise as one man, and save their country.