THE WAR IN EUROPE.

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

THE WAR IN EUROPE.

The San Francisco papers contain further particular?, by telegraph, regarding the war. We make the following extracts from them :—: — Paris, August 6th. The "Journal Ofiiciel" says that the French troops were to the number of 7000 or 8000, who were engaged in the affair before Weissenburg, had to contend with two Prussian array corps, including the picked troop of the Prussian Guard. It adds — " In spite of the inferiority of their numbers, our regiment resisted the assaults of the enemy for several hours with admirable heroism, when they were forced to give way. The loss of the enemy was so severe that he did not dare pursue. While at Saarbruck we have broken the Prussian line, our own remains intact." The. entire Fi-ench line of operations is kept in intimate communication by underground telegraph wires. The enthusiasm of the people here over the favourable reports from the frontier is indescribable. Enormous crowds are in the streets and around the Bourse, so that no vehicle can pass, and crowds are singing patriotic songs ; the cafes are filled to overflowing ; placards are posted at the Bourse, giving particulars of the last two days' fighting. Official reports are awaited with feverish anxiety, but none have yet appeared, and, as the Government will permit no other "news from the army to be telegraphed abroad, the bulletin reports cannot be used. London, August 6th. The Prussian victory made a great impression here. The " Gaulois " prints a despatch from Mebz, reporting that a regiment of 'the Royal Guard of Prussia was cut to pieces at Weissenburg on Thursday, and a Prussian General wounded. The EYencli soldiers fought like lions, I and the loss of the enemy was seven thousand placed hors de combat. New York, August 6th. The Herland has the following ! special, dated Carlsruhe, August 6th, ! 6. 15 p.m. : — A forward movement on the right of the Prussain army from Treves and Saarlouis, commenced yesterday ; the Prussian captured Sierck, and vigorously attacked Thionville in overhelming numbers. After some resistance, the French threw away their arms and took to flight. At the same time yesterday, the army , commanded by the Crown Prince moved in the direction of Bitche, the advance guard of the French force I making slight resistance. To-day there was a general advance of the whole army. Upwards of 2000 prisoners have "be&n forwarded to Frankfort. CoPE««vGEisr, Aug. s— Evening. Ten French in tm of -war to day entered the Baltic. This maUos nineteen French war vessels now in the Baltic. Berlin, August 6th. Dense crowds to-day assembled in front of the Royal Palace. The King's despatch announcing the victory at Weissenburg, was read by order of the Queen. There will be an illumination to-night. Subscriptions to the war loan already exceed one hundred and twenty millions. The substantial fruits of the Crown Prince's victory are, the destruction of one side of the French Quadrilateral and the cutting off M'Mahon's corps from his northern connections. London, August 7th. The position taken by England in regard to Belgium is approved by Prussia. A Herald's cable special says serious apprehensions of disturbances are entertained in Paris, and the strictest surveillance is exercised over telegrams sent from there. The Emperor presided at a meeting of the Council of Ministers yersterday. The Guards are under arms, and street gatherings areprohibited. Information has reached London that the defeat of M'Mahon was complete, and that the Crown ' Prince has advanced to Haguenau and captured that place and routing the French. The French loss is stated at 4000, in additon to a great number of prisoners. Thirty pieces of artillery and six mitrailleurs were also taken. Paris, August 7fch. A despatch from the Emperor, dated Sunday, says the communication with

M'Mahon having been cue off, nothing was received from him till last evening, when the following was announced :—: — " M'Mahon 's loss was great in the battle, but his retirement was effected in good order. On the left the action began at about 1 p.m., but was not serious until several masses of the enemy had concentrated, before which the Second Corps momentaiily held its ground. Between 6 and 7 o'clock p.m. the masses of the enemy became more 1 compact, and the Second Corps retired on the right. To-night all is quiet. I go to the centre of the position." The following despatch is received from the general headquarters : — Metz, August 7th, 8.30 a.m.. — That we may hold our position here it is necessary that Paris and France should consent to great efforts of patriotism. Here we lose neither our coolness nor our confidence ; but the trial is hard. M'Mahon, after the battle of Kirchshaffer, retreated, at the same time covering the road to Nancy. The corps of G-eneral Frossard, which suffered severely, is taking energetic measures for defence. The MajorGeneral is in the front. Metz, August 7th, 5.20 a.m. j During the fight yesterday the Prussians fired upon the ambulances at Forbach. and set fire to the town. The corps of G-enerals Admirault and Failly were not in the fight. The combat commenced at ten o'clock, and at first appeared of little importance ; but soon large masses of troops, hidden in woods, attempted to turn our position. At 5 o'clock the Prussiaus appeared as if they had been repulsed and given up the attack, but fresh corps arriving to the assistance of the Prussians from Worden ( Wallerfangen V) Gen. Frossaivl was obliged to retreat. To-day the troops which got separated yesterday are concentrating around Metz. The " New York Herald's " special from London says : — From official news received here, the situation may be summed up as follows : — The Crown Prince has driven Marshal M'Mahon's ai-my from Weissenburg and Sultzburg on Worth, and he has probably completely evacuated Hagenau and Strasburg. The victory of General dc Goeben at Saarbruck and Spiehcren, and the advance from Homburg, has driven General Frossard's corps from Forbach and St. Avoid, and probably rendered Bitche untenable. M'Mahon's corps is at present cut off from Melz. The prisoners taken by the Crown Prince and General dc Goeben number 8000. The number of killed and wounded is unknown. Immense quantities of army stores were captured. Paris, August Sfch. Paris is fearfully excited over the i news from the front. The universal | cry is "To arms ! to arms ! " The Empress is in consultation with the Deputies at the Tuileries. The Prince Imperial ha 3 returned j from the front. No fighting to-day. The latest advices from the front say the French are concentrating at Metz, I where a battle, it is thought, will be fought before many hours. The " Journal Officiel" contains the following despatch: — Metz, August 7fch, 9.30 a. in.— In the battle of Saturday, near Reichsoffen, M'Mahon's Chief of Staff, General Colson was shot by the Marshal's side. General Rault is among the missing. Our artillery suffered heavily. M'Mahon is in communication with General Failly. Metz is preparing for a vigorous defence. The general commanding the : fortress ordered the Germans and strangers to provide themselves with a permission of residence. A report of the Minister of War, approved by the Emperor, is published in the " Journal Otficiel." The Minister says existing circumstances oblige him to provide for the defence of the capital, and to garrison it with new troops, allowing all those which the Emperor keeps under his orders to contend in the open country against an enemy emboldened by his first success to the point of marching on Paris. But Paris "will not be taken unawares. The extorior forts received their arms some time ago. We have commenced an army around the city. A state of siege has been declared for the execution of the works which will be commenced to-morrow. Three extn. ior forts are in a condition to sustain a siege, and in a few days the entire circuit of the walls will be found in a similar condition. Neither the strong arms nor the devotion of the inhabitants will be wanting for this task. The National Guard is to defend the ramparts, which it will have helped to render unassailable. Fifty thousand men have been taken from the ranks and added to the present garrison. There will be more than enough to make an active defence against an enemy occupying an extended front. The defences of Paris will then be secured ; but there ia a point not less essential — it is the necessity of filling up the void in our army with the half of the marine troops, with the regiments still at our disposal in France and Algeria, with the 4th Battalion, each of one hundred regiments, including those members who belong to the Garde Mobile, and with a portion of our gens d'armes, we may easily put into the field 150,000, besides this, the class of 1869 will give us 60,000, who in a month will become soldiers. i London, August Bth. French despatches to-day report that actual hostilities are momentarily expected j but a rumour prevails that

the Prussian armies are concentrated, and that a battle ia raging before Menlz. The French press generally, consider the French loss irretrievable ; but there are three French corps which have not yet been under fire. A movement in retreat for the purpose of concentration has been effected, and a new line of defence taken up in the j passage of the Vosges. A general battle in front of Metz is considered I probable to-morrow. The Prussians ! j are moving in that direction by forced marches, But for this struggle we can also i employ the entire National and Mobile gardes, and the companies of French tirailleurs, who are everywhere asking to be engaged. Here we have 400,000 men ; and finally, once bring on the Garde Rationale Sedentaire, France can then arm two millions of defenders. Their arms are ready, and a million are still in reserve. The project of a law will be presented to the Chambers for the incorporation into the National and Mobile Guards, all citizens under thirty years of age, who are not members. London, August 9th. A dispatch from Carlsruhe to day states that Strasbourg is surrounded by 60,000 troops, mostly South Germans, and must surrender, as the garrison numbers only 7,000, although this does not include the national guard of the city, which would increase the garrison largely, should it be called out. The "Pall Mall Gazette" has assurances from private parties in Paris, that the Empire is on the verge of colLipse. The Germans are expected in Paris ; and even if they are arrested, the Empire is dead ; the Parisians are receiving arms ; and they are all republicans at heart. The establishment of a Provisional Government is already talked of. The Orleanists, through Generals Changarnier and Trochu, are !in the ascendant, and eminent Tm perklists are leaving Paris and France. Authentic advices from France show that Marshal Bazaine, the Commander-in-Chicf, lias 130,000 men at Metz; M'Mrthon, 50,000 at Saverno ; and C-uirobert, 50,000 at Nancy. General Trochu has entered upon the duties of Major-Goneral of the army. "Figaro" asserts that 21 divisions of the French Infantry anil 8 of Cavalry have not yet been engaged, making 220,000 men altogether. Bismarck, before leaving Berlin, was asked whether, if successful, Germany ought not to insist on Napoleon's abdication I He replied : "No ; Germany can only fight for German subjects, not for French." A special correspondent writes from Berlin on Saturday : " The whole Prussian coast is in a state of perfect defence. I have witnessed excellent artillery practice on the iron clad Anninus, which had left for the North sea in the teeth of a French squadron, and has reached port without seeing or being seen by Freucli vessels, which she passed while at Fredericks Haven. The yacht Grille, the swiftest ship of tlie Frussian Navy, is out on the Baltic with orders to keep close to the French, and watch their movements. She is in no danger of being caught. A French corvette, near Bornholm, attempted to chase her, bufc gave it up after half an hour." French diplomacy is striving to retrieve the disaster of the French army, and strenuous efforts are being made for English and other intervention in the Emperoi's favour, to arrest the Prussian inarch and secure their allies. The " Moniteur " says, important answers are immediately expected ; bufc there is no reason to believe Napoleon will be successful. The English Ministry are capable of almost anything for the sake of peace, but English opinion will not tolerate diplomatic intervention at such a moment. Extreme impatience is already manifested in England at the unsatisfactory character of the arrangement of Belgian neutrality, under which England might suddenly be called on to fight against Prussia, with whom she sympathises, and for the Emperor, who has forfeited utterly the foolish confidence formerly given him. The favourable impression made by Gladstone's statement has already disappeared. The new treaty is now regarded as a device to get rid of all liability for Belgium ab the end of twelve months after the war, and it is asked : suppose France or Prussia had refused assent, what was the English Government prepared to do 1 So far as known, nothing, until coerced by public indignation. It is the dread of being forced to do something which has led the Government to hurry up the adjournment of Parliament, suspending the rules to get the Appropriation Bill through. It shrinks from questions, and what the public fears is that during the recess their deferential diplomacy with France is to be resumed. A Paris correspondent writes : — "From what I hear of the feeling among the people and the army I think it more than possible Napoleon will never re-enter Paris. The army is sick of his amateur generalship. Possibly he has already been forced to resign. His factotum, Leboeuf, will also retire. Bazaine will command. The statement of a secret alliance between France and Italy, and the expected reinforcement of 100,000 Italian troops, is certainly false. No matter what the King of Italy may have promised, the troops would not march to France."

Berlin, August 9th. The King, in passing through Neustadt yesterday, received a great ovacion. The streets and roads were filled with people, vvho waved flags and covered the King with flowers, and cheered wildly. Bismarck, Von Roon, and others addressed the people, and thanked them for the King. The losses of the French in the battle of Worth, on Saturday, were 5000 dead, wounded, and missing, and 6000 prisoners. M'Mahon's baggage, many cannon, and two long railroad trains Avith stores and munitions of war were captured, and the Prussian cavalry, in their pursuit, bagged a thousand of the stragglers, who had thrown away their arms. The total Prussian loss was 3500 dead and wounded. New York, August 10th. A special cable despatch from L.ondon says the letters from Metz speak most undisguisedly of the calamitous and fabulous (1) incapacity of the Emperor. Marshal Leboeuf and all the militaiy leaders, comprising the Imperial Staff, have utterly lost the confidence of the army, and a change in command was an absolute necessity to prevent mutiny. All this while there i§ no official news whatever of the whereabouts of the Prussian army, and under the circumstances, no news is bad news. Lafrene, editor of the "Soir," Ayho has just arrived in Paris from Forbach, says he witnessed the entire destruction of Frossard's Corps, and he claims to speak for 30,000 French soldiers who were cut to pieces by the fault of their leaders, and who lamented with theij? last cry that they fell uselessly. The universal cry of the army, M Favre says, is " G-ive us Generals we can trust." i London, August 10th, Prussia is organising a volunteer naval force. The French continue concentrating on the road to Paris. All that region is in a state of siege. It is said that after the battle of the 6th, the French abandoned their works in the greatest confusion ; ineffectual efforts were made to check the Prussian advance on Leiderburn, which was taken by the Bavariant. The French continue to retreat towards Bitche. The Wurtemburg cavalry are picking up scores of prisoners. The line of retreat is covered with dead and wounded. The Prussians entered Hagenau early on the 7th, and soon after occupied Forbach and Saarbruck. Outside the Corps Legislatiff a wild crowd assembled, and refused to disperse. Bodies of cavalry and lancers were stationed in all the surrounding streets and in the court-yard of the Tuileries. The people thronged around the Hall of the Corps Legislatiff. The police repeatedly charged the mob, but the latter reformed after each charge. Bodies of the National Guard threw down their arms and fraternised with the populace. Other detachments remained passive in the barracks. The Prince Imperial of France has arrived in London, and is now at the French legation in charge of W. P. Smith, the Emperor'a confidential agent. [This is denied in a Paris telegram of the same date.] Smith also brought the Empress's jewels and valuables, and the famous diamonds of the Duke of Brunswick. Latest advices say the Emperor has not resigned himself to give up the command, although all France is clamorous for it. Parts, August lOfch. A number of French newspaper correspondents, who arrived to-day, are wounded. In their accounts of the battle, they testify to the wonderful bravery of the French troops, and particularly of the African corps, who j fought for eight hours against over- j whelming odds. An official despatch from Metz, 1.30 this morning, says : — This morning the j Emperor has gone to visit the commandants of the army, and the enthusiasm of the soldiers hourly increases. Signs of a battle are eagerly waited for. Changarnier is placed on the General's staff; his presence has an excellent effect. La Ziibertd says. all the members of the staff of M'Mahon were killed or wounded in the battle of Bisehwiller. The Seventy-fourth Regiment lost at Weissenburg forty-eight officers, killed and wounded. The wounded of both the German and French are still arriving in hundreds from the front. The hospitals are crowded. The second line is moving forward, and the reserves are taking its place. The movements are impeded by the weather. It is raining in torrents since yesterday. London, August 10th. Paris telegrams of Tuesday and tonight do not change the aspect of affairs. Houses and trees at all distances within five thousand yards of the fortifications of Metz, are destroyed. La Patrie, describing the scene in the Corps Legislatiff yesterday, says when Ollivier attempted to speak a second time, the Deputies of the Left rushed for him, and would have murdered him, had not the members caught him and promptly interposed. Paris, August 10th. The Moniteur announces that the Mediterranean fleet has sailed from Brest for a destination unknown. A Bill for the National defence was adopted unanimously, by 273 votes, amid applause and excitemsnt. A voice was heard " now let Prussia look us in the face."