DIARY OF THE WAR.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 148, 8 December 1870, Page 7

DIARY OF THE WAR.

(Continued). October 1. Lissander, aeronaut, has already arrived at Tours from Paris. He publishes in his journal an interesting narrative of his balloon trip, and the situation of affairs in Paris at the time he left. He started from that city at two o'clock yesterday afternoon. On nearing Versailles, the Prussians were observed in great numbers in camp. Lissander dropped among them great numbers of the proclamation of Government officers, which had been printed in the German language for that especial purpose. The Germans opened a sharp fire on the balloon, but the range was too long, and no damage was done. The balloon was carried along to a point near Dreux, in the department of Eure-et-Loire, many miles west of the Prussian lines. Lissander descended slowly until he came within hailing distance of a few peasants, whom he now saw for the first time. These assured him that there was no danger of capture ; no Prussians had yet been seen in the neighbourhood; Lissander therefore alighted. On reaching an open spot favourable to his project, the balloon was properly secured, and the letters, 250,000 in number, were placed in sacks and taken to the post office of the town of Dreux, whence they will be forwarded in all directions wherever the lines of communication are not interrupted. A special locomotive was placed at the command of Lissander, at Dreux, in which he came forward to Tours with a large number of despatches to the Government, relative to matters in Paris. He says the city of Paris is defended by 500,000 soldiers, who are behind the walls. These are all armed and disciplined. The firing from the forts has been so accurate that the Prussians have been baffled in their attempts to erect batteries. The city is perfectly tranquil.

October 2. The cholera is raging among the German troops at Chalons, and is malignant among the troops at Rheims. The infected districts are surrounded by a sanitary cordon. The suffering garrison comprises only a few thousands.

A great sermon was preached today in the Cathedral of Westminister, by Archbishop Manning, on the present aspect of the Roman question. He declared that Rome was to-day in the hands of a mob. He upbraided England for indifference to the fate of Rome, which was the fate of Christianity and civil order, and praised the steadfastness of persecuted Ireland. The Roman question had not ended — it had only begun ; revolutionary feeling is spreading all over Europe, and might seem for a time to overcome the Church, but the direful day of reckoning would surely and terribly come.

October 3. The Prussians have resolved to demand 100,000 francs indemnity from each of the departments they now occupy, in which Germans have been killed by the French..

General Burnside, General Hazen, and Colonel Forbes, after much diplomacy, have obtained special permission from the King of Prussia to visit Paris ; they carry their own flag of truce, and go at their own risk. October 4. Paris letters say the Prussians threaten Pont dv Jour.

The bombardment of the city from the w^^st is imminent. The books of the great libraries have been removed to cellars. All windows have been filled with bags of earth, and watches have been stationed at Notre Dame to look out for fires.

From all parts of France accounts show that the shaprshooters are seriously annoying the enemy. Advices are received stating that the Prussians are concentrating at Toul, for a movement on Lyons. Energetic measures are accordingly being taken to defend that city.

A correspondent, writing from Paris, says :—": — " Judging from present indications, I think the Prussians will walk into Paris at the first serious attack ; no works constructed of stone can stand against Krupp's cannon at the range at which the besiegers, owing to their recent advances, can place them.

October 5.

The French army, now in Algeria, numbering 37,000 men, demands to be recalled, to resist the Prussians.

Paris is surrounded by French rifle pits, barricades, and other temporary defences. The villas in the suburbs and the walls of the cottages are loopholed for rifles.

The following was received this morning, per balloon, from Paris, dated the 29th September, and addressed, on an open card :—": — " P. H. Kidder, New York, by my son George; tell my family I am in no danger ; there are plenty of provisions here. The terrible story manufactured by Bismarck, regarding the internal dissentions here, are utterly false ; the troops are in -excellent condition."

By the same balloon, bearing the same date, was carried an open card from W. E. Dreyer, of Baltimore, saying :—": — " Our days are occupied with perfecting our ambulances, of which we Americans are justly proud. There is no danger of famine for three months to come; the city is provisioned and the troops are improving wonderfully. The city is quiet and very orderly ; no noise or disturbance."

October 7.

Bismarck has found it necessary to make public the following statement : — "Versailles, October 6, 1.30 p.m.— l do not hold the opinion that the Republican institutions of France constitute danger for Germany ; nor have I, as asserted in a letter of the 15 th ultimo, published in the London ' Daily Telegraph,' ever expressed such a view to Mr. Mallett, or to any other person. — Bismarck."

The following is an extract from a Paris letter, dated October 3 :— " The serious opposition is still at work ; growing bolder, they demand the confiscation of the property of all who left Paris, for the benefit of the National Defenders, and of all property of accomplices in the Bonapartist Gfovernment. The Government has been weak enough to yield in some points to these men ; they all demand the destruction of the Column Vendome, and all memorials pertaining to the Bonapartists. " The question of food begins to be serious, and food-riots are feared. Already the club men are urging people on, saying that the provisions belong to the people, and that Paris had no right to take them. Five thousand beeves and 4,000 sheep are killed daily, which is, perhaps, enough for all, if a just distribution were made ; but, unfortunately, money buys the best in quality and quantity, and little or none is left for the poor. Many groceries have been closed by the people for raising the prices."

Gfensral Burnside and Paul S. Forbes arrived in Paris yesterday, with a letter from Bismarck to Favre. They went to the American Legation, and had an interview with Favre. Buruside declares the fortifications of Paris are most formidable. The Prussians fail in their attempts to plant batteries and build redoubts at night, by reason of the electric lights discovering them to the French gunners on the bastions.

A balloon company offers to take people out of the city for two thousand francs per head. The Jacobins demand an equal distribution of food.

The Pontificial Zouaves, who are to come to Tours, will form a complete Corps of fifty thousand. 10,000 Italian volunteers arrived in France.

October 8. Considerable uneasiness was manifested in diplomatic circles to-day over the news from Vienna, that an extraordinary Cabinet meeting had been held this morning to consider a note from Berlin. The opinion in general in diplomatic circles that a rupture is imminent between Austria and Prussia.

It is certain that the orders for the disbandment of the Austrian army of observation on the Prussian frontier have been secretly countermanded, and every nerve has been strained for the past two months to place the army on a war footing. A letter from Paris has the following : — The Mobiles from Brittany are Christian heroes ; they have the moral courage before going into a contest to kneel and pray. After their devotions are concluded they receive a blessing from the priest. As a sign of the times, the writer adds, " the people do not jeer nor laugh at this."

News from Lyons is excellent, every effort being made for a strenuous defence. The Francs-Tirreurs from Bordeaux passed through Tours yesterday ; they are fine troops and well armed.

Twelve hundred Garibaldians have arrived in France ; they are commanded by Trappoli, who is to organise a larger force. The appearance of guerillas in several of the Departmeets in the North evokes Prussian threats of imposing levies of 1,000,000 francs on any Department where they appear,

Further details of the battle near Pithiviers have been received. The Prussians lost, by the success of the French, over GOOO cattle and sheep, which they had gathered from all parts of the country, and were ready to drive to the army now investing Paris. This success has animated the FrancTirreurs, who are coming up on all sides.

The number of unwounded French Prisoners in Germany is 3577 officers, and 123,700 men.

October 9.

Charles W. May, of Paris, formerly of New York, and William W. Reynolds, of New York, furnish the following about their trip in the balloon from Paris, which place they left at the same time with Grambetta :—: —

"Both balloons having risen at 11 o'clock on Friday morning, when about eight hundred yards up, the wind died away, the balloou remaining stationary over the Prussian camp. Musketry was fired at the balloon as well as cannon, the party in the balloon distinctly hearing the whistling of the balls. The Prussians used fuses, endeavouring thereby to set fire to the balloon. Ballast was thrown out of the balloon, and it lifted gently away.

" During the trip, which lasted five hours, several attempts"-;%ere made to land, but the presence of Prussians in the vicinity compelled the party to throw out ballast and rise again each time. They finally landed at Eouge, in the department of Somme, where they were received warmly by the people on account of being Americans. They lost sight of the Gainbetta balloon at about three o'clock on Friday,

but it landed at Mount Didier. They were joine.l by M. Gfambetta, and continued their journey by special train, with him, to Tours.

" Along the road Gainbetta was well received by the people. " The balloon was to have left Paris two days sooner, but was prevented by lack of wind."

October 10.

The "World" cable special from London states that the present attitude of Prussia on the peace question indicates that the strain upon German resources is beginning to be severely felt.

An Ostend despatch says: — " A malignant disease in the German troops at Metz is filling the hospitals and overtaking the surgeons ; the deaths for three weeks averaged 150 per day. The rinderpest prevails among the army horses, and has extended to Lorraine and Champagne, and is prevelent in tbe camps before Paris, and has extended into Rhenish Prussia."

It is understood at Tours that a battle is imminent near Tourney. The Prussians have returned there in force, and the French have from Centernoy to Tours, full of volunteers and conscripts from the south.

It is reported that Grambetta, who is charged with the portfolio of Minister of "War, is displaying great activtity and energy in his department.

The following statement is official : — " The Goverment of Prussia, unable to recognise the actual Goverment of France, will not despise the Bonapartes." Specie has vanished from France. London, Oct. 12.

Sickness increasing among the Prus sians before Metz. Large numbers dying from dysentery. The report of General Von Moltke's death requires confirmation. Prince Charles' death is also disbelieved.

Largo forces of volunteers are flocking to Garibaldi's standard ; it is expected that he will be in command of fully 100,000 men in a few days. His sickness is not of a serious nature, and he will take the field in person shortly.

A balloon communication from Paris states that the army within the walls is well equipped, and fully prepared to cope with the opposing forces. There is much sickness among the Prussians in consequence of their exposed condition.

The bombardment will commence in a few hours. The Parisians feel as one man; there are no dissensions, and G-eneral Trochu is inspiring great confidence in his power to withstand a vigorous siege. The wet weather is hourly expected to set in, when the Prussian mortality before Paris — already heavy — must greatly increase. • There is no chance of the European powers interfering at present, and the general feeling seems to be that the combatants must fight it out among themselves. The feeling in favour of France is increasing, also confidence in her power to resist the invader, and ultimately obtain favourable terms. The gold in the Bank of England is steadily increasing.