NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 781, 25 February 1871, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The letters between the leading captains of the two great opposing armies about Paris, relative to the recapture of Orleans, were brief and 1 courteous. The first was as follows : Versailles, Dec. 5. "It may he useful to inform your Excellency that the Army of the Loire was defeated near Orleans yesterday, and that the town is re-occupied by "the German troops. Should, however, your Excellency deem it expedient to be 'convinced of the fact through one •of year officers, I will not fail to piovide him with a safe condmt to come : and return. Receive, General, the •expression of the high consideration with which I have the honor to be your ■very humble and obedient servant, " Chief of the Staff, Count Moltko. " General Trochu, Governor of Paris."

The Governor promptly replied : " Your Excellency thought it might he useful to inform me that the Army of the Loire was defeated near Orleans, and that that town is re-occupied by •German troops. "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication, which Ido not think it expedient to verify through the means which your Excellency suggests to me. Receive, •General, the expression of the high consideration with which I have the honor to be your very humble and ■obedient servant.

"Governor of Paris, General Trochu."

A number of letters appear in the Irish papers with reference to the Irish regiment in the French service and the Ambulance. Corps. "M. W. Kinvan, captain commanding," writes from Caen, repudiating the " London Irish," and boasting that the Irishmen from Ireland "redeemed their conduct." He quotes from the Bulletin tie la Guerre a eulogy •on the Irish volunteers, to this effect: — V Last Saturday, we saw with emotion the Irish volunteers marching through our streets, and heard their deep voices singing their national songs. We blush to think that these noble strangers place at the service of France a courage and devotion which some of her own children have not shown." One of the Ambulance men writes from Evreux : <( A captain of the Garde Mobile introduced us to the celebrated Mouchard, the head of all the Francs-tireurs. He is a splendid looking fellow, just the sort of soldier to command an army. The Prussians offer 0,000 francs for his head. He showed us around the whole camp." Mr. Baxter, surgeon-in-chief at the Ambulance, writes :—" Words cannot describe the enthusiasm of the people of the town when they saw our waggons laden with their dear wounded. Large numbers followed the vehicles cheering loudly, and manifesting their gratitude to Ireland for the aid rendered in their time of need."

It is to be hoped that the Prussians, now that they have occupied Rouen, will have the goodness not to meddle with the heart of Richard the First of England which is deposited in the museum in that town. Nothing would displease England more than to hear that this interesting relic of one of her most respected sovereigns had been injured or destroyed. The heart, which was buried beneath the pavement of the choir of th s cathedral, was lost for more than two centuries, but was found in 1838, together with an effigy or great statue of its owner, dug up at the same time.