ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 145, 17 November 1870, Page 7

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL

VIA SAN FRANCISCO. THE WAR IN EUROPE. BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS. SURRENDER OP METZ. DEFEAT oi? PRUSSIANS BEFORE PARIS. DEATH OF GENERAL VON MOETKE. FORMATION OF A FRENCH VOLUNTEER CORPS BY GARIBALDI. GARIBALDI SICK. DUKE OF NASSAU KILLED. PRINCE FREDERICK CHARLES (KING'S BROTHER) DANGEROUSLY ILL DESTRUCTION OF TWENTY VILLAGES, AND EXECUTION OF 1,500 PEASANTS, BY THE PRUSSIANS. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH). (From our own Correspondent.) The following was published as an extra by us on Monday last : — Dunedin, November 14. London, October 12. The French were defeated at Ernay. A portion of the army of the Loire was defeated. Garibaldi forming a French Volunteer Corps. There is no prospect whatever of peace, and no apparent danger of any European entanglement. The Prussians opened fire at different points on the 16th October. The National Guards defeated the Prussians forty miles from Paris, driv icg them back. The French were defeated at Metz with a frightful loss. On the 4th October a battle near Chateau Gilliande was fought. Germans retreated, abandoning Pithiviars. They were also driven from Theonville. On the 7th the Prussians abandoned several towns, including Soissions and Bitsche. On the 6th Bazaine made a desperate attempt to cut his way out of Metz. There were frightful losses on both sides. The Prussians were victorious. In Paris the National Guard numbers 400,000 ; Mobile, 100,000 ; Regu. lars, 60,000. The Prussians are confident of being in Paris within a week. The bombardment has been commenced. The Duke of Nassau has been killed. Prince Frederick Charles is dangerously ill with fever. General Von Moltke is dead. It is rumoured that the Emperor Napoleon and Bazaine are endeavouring to make peace with a view of restoring the dynasty. . Prince Napoleon is actively intriguing in London, with the same object. The Prussian Ministry charge England with, supplying the French with army material. Bernstorff says 50,000 stand of arms were sent from England to France in one week. Prussian Government addressed j final note of remonstrance to England on the 4th, which was not replied to. There is said to be an understood secret alliance between Austria and Russia. The Spanish Cortes asked England and Russia to mediate, which was refused. The Romans voted for the unity of Italy. The Government pensioned the Pope. [By the detention of mail steamer for two hours, the following important telegrams were received by Greville : — ] Parisians steadfast, orderly, and without anxiety for food. They pro-

nounce themselves fully prepared for assault. A telegram from Orleans states, "Battles now raging so close to the city that shells fall into the suburbs." Severe fighting renewed at St Quentin. Advices from Metz state that the Prussians burnt twenty villages and executed 1,500 peasants for carrying on illicit warfare. Soldiers greatly dissatisfied with their situation when counselled to surrender. The " Times " says Bismarck's policy renders France powerless for offence or defence hereafter. Garibaldi seriously ill and unable to take the field. On the 7th October a battle was fought between Bulerain and St. Cloud. The French made a terrible sortie in force, and the Prussians were compelled to retreat to Versailles, thus entirely surrendering the position which enabled them to shell the western part of the city. The city of Metz surrendered at 6 p.m. on the 12th October. New Zealand wool 6d. to Is. 9; flax, £12 to £31 ss.

[The following additional telegrams are from the " Daily Tiroes " : — ] Auckland, November 14th via Nelson, November 13th.

The Wonga Wonga arrived at 2 p.m. to-day. She arrived at Honolulu on Oct. 23rd, at 2.30 p.m. She encountered a heavy gale on the 9th October from the north-east, which lasted to the 11th ; she left Honolulu on the 25th October, and had fine weather during the passage. On Sunday last she broke a cylinder, or she would have been here 26 hours sooner. The steamer Moses Taylor sailed from San Francisco on the 12 th October with 52 passengers, and 250 mail bags for New Zealand. London, October 12. The Germans expect to cany the heights of Sceaux, 4000 paces from the forts. On the same day the National Guard of the army of Rouen had a brush with the foe 40 miles from Paris in the ■ forest of Rosny. They drove the Prussians back through Mantes. Desperate fighting took place on the bridge over the Seine. German rei'jforcements from Mannheim drove *h<French back with great loss, and *:;■ Germans now occupy the Mantes bridge over the Seine and the Faubourg of Sumatz. The seat of Goverment is still at Tours. All the South of France is under arms. Angera and Nantes are crowded with t'*oops drilMng. The towns on the Rhine from Lyons to Avignon are like camps. There is no thought of peace. On October sth, a combat took place between Lasin and Bruyeres, 10,000 Prussians attacking. The French held the'r position. The Prussians were also repulsed at G>'sarg, but are steadily advancing on Lyons. An apparently well authenticated rumour is current of the surrender of Metz.

The Prussians won a victory near Stenay against a French Corps of the Line and the Gardes Mobiles. The battle was fought from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., when the French broke and fled. Nompolaze and Bois des Trunelles were taken with the bayonet. The Prussian loss was 20 officers, and 4lo men; the French loss was double that number, including 600 prisoners, 60 officers and a quantity of booty. Garibaldi is in France. He went to Tours, where he was received with enthusiasm. He delivered an address, in which he declared himself favourable to the Republic, and urged it to drive oat the invaders- He also addressed the Volunteers at Tours. He expressed his belief in the speedy relief of France from its invaders. He wore the Garibaldi uniform. He also addressed the National Guard.

The Prussians attacked St Quentin, but were repulsed. Prefect Forgs made a heroic stand with the National Guards. He was formerly editor of a Paris journal. On October Bth, General Buddenbrock defeated General Dupre with the regulars and riflemen. Dupre was wounded. His army is demoralised. The Prussian 10th and 3rd Corps and the Landwehr divisions were engaged. General Van Voght was in command.

M. Gambetta escaped from Paris in a balloon. On his arrival at Tours, he issued proclamations calling on France to be united, and to accept the Republic, saying that the autumn rains would force the Prussians to retreat, and that they would be decimated by the armed population. It was not possible that the genius of France should be elauded for ever, or that the nation should be under the domination of 500,000 men. The motto of Paris should be " Vive la Nation ! Vive la Republique indivisible!" He calls on the 2,000,000

Frenchmen in Paris to forget their" differences and to withstand the invaders.

Paris is considered impregnable, and in no danger, except from sedition or starvation.

M. Gambetta's account is confirmed, and communication is kept up with Tours by ballqns, carrier pigeons taking back rep.ies. The cannon captured at Strasburg and Toul have been planted against Metz.

The Prussians have ordered no prisoners to be taken, and the Parisians have given the same orders.

The Duke of Nassau was killed while riding with Kins; William, whose carnage was riddled with bullets. An aide-de-camp was killed, and another mortally wounded. Petitions were sent from Berlin to the King, beseeching him not to expose himself. The Kirg said he would share the danger till peace was established.

The Empress Eugenic writes to Napoleon, statins; that she has received good treatment in England. Wilhelmshoher is a rendezvous for distinguished guests. The Emperor is in good health, and makes daily excursions, accompanied by his staff. England and Prussia are growing warm on the neutrality question.

A strong despatch received at the Foreign Office on October 9th shows that Earl Granville shifted his ground. He first asked proofs of the furnishing of arms, and then said that the trade was legitimate, and that the authorities had no power to prevent it ; also imputing to Prussia a desire for benevolent neutrality from England. Count Bernstorff disclaims such a desire, and says that 50,000 stand of arms were exported to Frence in one week and that factories in Birmingham and London are working ni^ht and day for the French Government. " I possess authentic copies," says Count Bernstorff, "of the contracts, and proofs that the export of arms is thoroughly organised in various British ports." He then quotes "Wellington's letter to Canning in 1825, which says — " It is England's usual habit to prohibit such export, and not prohibiting it is a bref.ch of neutrality." He also quotes the order to the Customs authorities in 1863 to prohibit the export of a-*ms to be used against Denmark. After refuting the other suwoesiion? of Earl G."anville, Count Berostorff says: — "As for the hope expressed by youc Excellency that fie German people t" :|1 in a cooler mntDP nt ,t.v-;o ie«s .-r sreiy o^ tie atfciiut'o oi the Bcu'sl (-^jieri/U'eut I regret that, after your Excellency's note of the loth nit. it hv*. beeu added to our knemr '?d%e bail our enemy is being daily equippe with British arms. I cannot tluibio'v „!iare such a hope, and can only trust that the known sympathy of the English people may produce a change for the better." It was understood that Prussia addressed a final remonstrance to England on October 4th, but the result was not known.

Berlin was indignant against America for shipping arms to France, and demanded explanations on the subject. The United States Government in consequence prohibits the export of munitions of war to belligerents, and makes provision for preventing the use of forts by men-of-war. Prussia is satisfied with this. England makes no move.

It is understood that serious complications have taken place between Austria and Prussia. Austria says she cannot allow Prussia to be the dominant power in Europe.

M. Tbiers met with a satisfactory reception at Vienna.

New mi tirailleurs have been invented at Lyons to work by steam. They are said to be scill more deadly. Madrid, October 9fch. — S.vjoat says the Government represented to England and Russia the desirabi I i by of met' >- ation. Both declined to do so.

England was willing to facilitate an interview between Bismark and Favre. Spain applied to Bismark, who refused.

In the plebiscite of Eome on the question "Is it desirable that Eome should be united to Italy under the government of Victor Emanuel and his successors," there were 50,000 ayes and 65 noes. The proclamation of union was received with enthusiasm.

The British Cabinet have held a further meeting. They say they cannot interfere.

President Grant has pardoned the Fenians.

The dullness of the market for news, especially that of an exciting character, hac had a very melancholy effect on one of the New York papers. That paper calls attention to the fact that steamers are sometimes utterly lost at sea, and no account of the tragedy reaches the newspapers ; while a carrierpigeon might easily carry the story to shore. It adds, " Birds of this kind can be cheaply maintained on shipboard and easily trained ; the idea is one worth experimenting upon, and we hope to see some of our great steamships testing its practicability."

" Show me the man who struck O'Docherty," shouted a pugnacious little Irishman the other day ; " show me the man who struck O'Docherty, and I'll — " " I'm the man who struck O'Docherty," said a big, brawny fellow, stepping to the front ; " and what have you got to say about it?" "Och, sure," answered the small one, suddenly collapsing, " and didn't you do it well !"