NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 783, 2 March 1871, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE WAR,

The following official information with reference to the late fighting was received from Paris on Dec. 29 : " In the attack on Le Eourget, field batteries, two ironclad locomotives, and mortars, the projectiles of which weigh 75 kilogrammes, took part. The Forts Aubervilliers and Est, principally the former, opened a terrible fire upon the famous white wall surrounding the park of Le Bourget, and behind which the Prussians had fortified themselves in a formidable manner. However, iu the morning our soldiers were able to peuetrate into the first houses of the village. The Marines of the garrison of St. Denis and the 134 th Eegimont of the Line commenced the attack. Accordins; to their custom, the Marines attacked the enemy with their cutlasses, carrying their muskets slung from the shoulder. At the entrance of Le Bourget they made 100 prisoners, almost all natives of Poseu. At that spot the struggle was severe. _. The Prussians lost many men there, judging from the great number of helmets and needle-guns brought by our soldiers to St. Denis. The Marines suflVed severely. Out of GOO who were engaged in the action, 279 were missing at roll-call; four Marine officers were killed.

" All eye-witness reports a very brilliant feat of areis which honours our artillery. It occurred on the first day after resuming operations. Twenty pieces of Prussian artillery were in an excellent position to bar the passage of the army corps which indicated the progress of gaining Chelles under cover of the slope of the railway ; from the side of Avron, as far as the marshes of Chelles, our artillery on the plateau of Avron, rifled 7-pounders, the breech-loaders and the marine guns of Fort Nogent, dismounted one by one, in a short time, the formidable battery of the enemy, of which not one piece remained on the carriage. " During the time the Fort de Briche fired from the side of Deul upon Butte Pinsan, Double Couronne directed its fire upon Pierrefitte and Stains, whilst the Fort Eat swept Le Bourget and the plain before Aubervilliers. " The artillery prepared the ground. Admiral La itonciere le Noury repaired to the Redoubt de la Carsane, in order to be better enabled to direct the ope- ' rations. The 12th battalion of the National Garde Mobile was hotly received by the enemy, who fired from the tops'of the houses. At Le Bourget. the lieutenant-colonel, the commandant, the captain, adjutant, major, a captain, and a lieutenant, all of the 10th battallion of the Mobiles of the

Seine, wee all wounded at the commencement of the fight. We met a batch of Prussians who were escorted to St. Denis barracks, called' L'Ancien Convent des Ursulines.' These were splendid men in their bearing. Almost all wore forage caps ; only one had his helmet. They were Pomeranians. One remarkable" thing is that the Prussian prisoners or wounded will not take any food without having previously consulted their superior officer. * The number of Prussian prisoners taken in the morning at Le Bourget amount to eighty-seven. We were told that the Prussians had saved a battery which was placed at the entrance of Le Bourget during the attack in the morning, by planting upon it the flag of the Convention of Geneva." The Prussians commenced the bombardment of Mont Avron on the 27th Dec. On the following day the following semi-ofiicial statement was published : " This measure is not yet to be looked upon as a bombardment of Paris, not even exactly as a bombardment of the forts, but as an effectual introduction to that course. As soon as Mont Avron is taken, not only will operations against the surrounding forts be greatly facilitated, but the bombardment of the neighbouring forts of Paris will become possible. This great fact will now be all the more safely effected inasmuch as the besieging army has but little to fear from without."

Adespatch has reached the Bordeaux Government announcing that the Germans who have hitherto occupied Dijon, and who recently fought at Nuits, have suddenly evacuated the former city. It seems to derive support from the statement which the Germans thought it worth while to telegraph from Versailles, that Bourbaki is moving eastwards against General Werder. It would appear, at any rate, that a serious?ttempt is to be madu from the South against the main liue of the German communications with the East. Such a movement promises more at the present moment than a march upon Paris. Bourbaki's army, united with that of General Creraer, would compose a force so formidable as to compel the Germans to assemble hastily a very considerable body of troops to meet it. The fact of Werder's movement shows' that the conditions of <he war are approaching that state of equilibrium in which the French may reasonably hope to see the monotonous series of tkair reverses broken by success. The siege, of Belfort proves a wearisome business, the fortress being one of great strength. Two assaults were made on Tuesday night, but, according to a French account, were repulsed with considerable loss to the besiegers. The compulsory withdrawal of General Werder to any great distance from Dijon

might compromise the position of the force before Belfort. The land communications between the north of France and Cherbourg, except as permitted by the Germans for their own purposes, have now been interrupted for several weeks. To supply this link the French G-overnment have established a daily mail service between Calais and Cherbourg. Advices from Havre state that the Prussians have abandoned the left bank of the Seine, but are in considerable force at Tvetot. The Commandant of Duclair who seized the English colliers is described on good neutral authority as "an unmannerly little fellow, who boasts that he is a German, and knows nothing of any other language." THE ATTACK ON BOURGET. The following is the report of Admiral de la Eonciere to General Trochu on the attack of Bourget: " In obedience to your orders we have attacked Bourget this morning. The Marine battalion and the 188 th Regiment, under the energetic command of Naval Captain Lamotte Tronet, stormed the northern part of the village at the same time an attack, vigorously executed by General Lambique on the south pjirt of the village, found its advance arrested, notwithstanding its gallant efforts, by strong barricades and loopholed walls, which made it impossible to push further than the first houses we had taken. "During nearly three hours our troops held their position in the north of Bourget, even beyond the church, fighting hard for each house, tinder a hail of shot from windows and cellars. " They were forced to retire ; this was done calmly. At the same time au important demonstration was made by the 10th, 12th, 13, and 14th Regiments of Gardes Mobiles of the Seine, and a detachment of the 82 nd Battalion of the Mobilised Guards of St. Denis, under , the command of Colonel Lausamont. i Lastly, the 68th Battailion of the Mobilised National Guards of St. Denis ; made its apperance in front of Epinay, : while the two floating batteries, No. 1 I and No 4, fired upon the village as well as upon Orgemont and the Swan i Enghein, whence the enemy replied 1 vigorously. i " Our losses are considerable—especiI ally the 134 th and 138 th Regiments. 3 Although our object has not been ob- - tained, I cannot sufiicieutly praise the valiant energy displayed by our troops. One hundred Prussian prisoners were 1 brought in from Le Bourget. r " De la Eonciere."

THE ATtMV OF THE NORTH . General Faidherbe issued the following order of the day, yesterday, Dec, 29th:—" To the army of the North,The General Commanding-in-Chief congratulates the troops comprising the Army of the North on their gallant conduct at the battle of Pont-Noyelles and on the glorious success which has been their reward. The artillery was well handled; some of the batteries admirably, The infantry, after having shown firmness in their position under the fire of the enemy, gave proof of the greatest vigour when they recieved the order to attack the enemy at close quarters. The Mobiles and the Mobilised Guards, seasoned from day to day by marches and engagements, have shown that they may be relied upon. Some days' rest, merited by their glorious deeds, will soon make them forget the privations and the rigour of the temperature,whicli they have born with resignation. Let us be penetrated by this thought, that these rude trials are imposed upon us by the safety of the country. The General Commanding-in-chief has ascertained that men, small in uumbes, forgetting all their duties, disbanded themselves before and after the battle. Severe examples will be made." WAB, ITEMS. The entrenching and fortifying of the French positions was carried on actively until the 25th, when it was interrupted b7 the hardness of the soil, which had frozen to a depth of fifty centimetres. The frost is intense, and unparalleled iu the memory of man. General Trochu has therefore ordered that it was not necessary to keep the captured positions. The troops will be quartered in sheltered cantonments. The trenches are guarded by different reliefs over night. On the 22nd, some Prussian soldiers, who had remained in the pits at Ville Evrard, attacked the French outposts, but were vigorously repulsed, the greater part being killed. General Blaise was killed in this engagement. Prussian prisoners confirm the losses of the enemy as very heavy. The attempts on the part of private enterprise to manufacture ordnance, continue with the very best results. Referring to the seizure of a submarine cable for the French Government, intended to be laid between Dunkirk and Bordeaux, the "Daily News" says: —"Count Bernstoffcan have little reasou to complain that, in this instance at least, the English Government has not acted witk promptitude and effect, if it be true, as we are assured, that within three hours from the time of filing the complaint the vessel was in custody." At Marseilles two wealthy inhabitants, found guilty of being absentees, have been condemned to pay, the one 3000 francs, and the other 1000 franca per day, dating from the Ist of December, until they shall return home and take their share in the work of national defence." One regiment of Landwehr of the the Guards, consisting of 2,400 men, has left behind in Germany 7000 children. In one company of 1$

men, there are only eight men unmarried. Marshal Macmahon is at Pourra- • aux-Bois, and is recovering strength. The usually trustworthy correspondent of tho " Pester Lloyd," writing from Odessa on November 28, estimates the Eussian troops on the frontiers of Austria and the Black Sea at over 300,000 men, and de(hves that there are six frigates at Nikolaieff, besides thirty masked gun. bmts belonging to the Government. Austrian official circles, nevertheless, are confident that the Conference will be held. The Belgian Customs officers have made two seizures of arms, which it was Bought to convey into France : one at Howardriee, consisting of 108 ehassepots, and another at Blandain, consisting of rifles of an old pattern. The " Correspondent," a Spam's journal, asserts that should the Prussians udvmce too far to the south of France, the Spanish Government would send a corps of observation to the frontier. Ilerr Wachenhusen, of the " Cologne Gazette," speaking of certain Kreneh prisoners, says, somewhat brutally : "On the whole, they have to thank the good nature of the Bavarians for giving themselves the trouble to capture them, for amongst our troops there are many who no longer give these opponents any quarter, as I have, I think, especially observed among the Mecklenburgers." The same correspondent adds: —"At Bambouillet 1 am told the whole of the celebrated floc-k of sheep has been devoured by our troops, which, considering the enormous prices that are paid for Kambouillet rams, must have beeu an expensive treat for our fellows. 1 believe that express instructions had j been issued by the Government, to leave these sheep untouched and to send them to Germany, but possibly the order only arrived after the animals had been offered up a sacrifice to the war A splendid acquisition has, however, been made for our German studs in the «Percheron stallions, for the protection and deportation of which the necessary orders have been given. . . . To-day is a day of rest, and all are busy patching and mending and hunting after boots and shoes, which it has been found occasionally necessary to take irom off the feet of the natives, though there are large stores of these articles at Meaux and Chartres."

GENERAL ITEMS. The postal rate upon letters between England and Australia lias been reduced to ninepenee per hdlf-ounce. The rate on newspapers and bookpackets has not yet been altered. Queensland cotton is somewhat in the shade just now, not more than 8d being obtainable for the parcels now on hand. Some Sea Island kinds from the JPijis, have been parted with at prices varying from Is 3d to 2s Id. and pome from Tahiti at from Is Id to 2s. Mr J. O. Hamley, from New Zealand, has been appointed to be DeputyController at Dublin. The wool sales for the New Year will commence on the 2nd of February, when 100,000 bales will in all probability be catalogued. Thus, without any of the new clip, nearly 10 per cent, of the year's stock remains to be carred over to the next sales-. Australian theatrical artists continue in good request in England. Mr G-. F. Eowe has appeared at the Opera Comique with his very clever adaptation of " Found Drowned," in which he plays two characters, and plays them with all bis old effectiveness and force. Miss Tilly Earl and Mr John Edouin play in the same piece. On Monday week Mr W. M. Akhurst's burlesque will be produced at this theatre, and from the way in which the rehearsals have gone, a success may be expected. Miss Geraldine Wardon made an appearance at the Opera Comique, but comic opera has been withdrawn for a while. Mr CI ares _ Wilmot aud Mr Shiel Barry are playing with great success at the Princess's, whilst Miss Julia Mathews promises to renew her Australian reputation at Covent-garden. Lady Don is still at Nottingham, whilst the Misses Nelson, Emma Stanley, Grace Egerton, and the Lentons seem to find favor everywhere. On Dec. 10th, at noon, the mortal remains of Lord Hotham were interred in the most unostentatious manner (in accordance with his expressed wish) in the family vault at the noble church of South Dalton, East Biding, which, at a cost of £30,000, the deceased erected Rome few years ago. The Moscow Town Council having, in their congratulatory address on the jilack Sea question, petitioned the Uar to add liberty of the Bress, tolerance of all religions, and other reforms, to the blessings he has conferred upon his subjects, their address has been returned with a reprimand. lhe Bussian conscription is not at the rate of six in every 1000 souls, as originally announced, but eight in Roland, six and a half in the Western rroviuees, of mixed nationality, and six in Eussia Proper. Galician papers state that, according to the version of the decree published in some Bolish totnets, ten recruits will be levied there in every 1000 souls. -lhe Due de Gramont has arrived at . Petersburg, where he intends to remain for the present. r fta r!ati* lLeisure Hour," among other 2Sv W' glves its readers a* account of the metropolitan journals whL „ on ? on newsboys, from « n r£, talce the blowing item : uue little urchin told us yesterday

• that he had earned by the " Echo," halfpenny paper, as much as 8s in an hour and a-half. He must have sold, at the ordinary profit, twelve quires of twenty-six copies each; but a single speculator of this class has been known to consume in one day no less than thirty quires, or 780 copies. I have heard of lads making as much as £2 10s a week by the sale of "Echoes." There are 600 boys engaged in the sale of this paper alone in the streets of London." We learn that the French Academic des Sciences has held its sittings regularly rince the commencement of the siege, and the " Comptes Rendus " has been published regularly every week. Every sitting is reported fully, and several numbers have had even more than the average number of pages. A large part of them is devoted to military science and to ballooning. Irishmen have just erected a simple but pretty monument to the memory of Samuel Lover, in St. Patricks Cathedral, Dublin. The picture gallery of Prince Esterhazy has been bought by the Hungarian Government. The price is said to be 1$ million florins (£123,000). I Tennyson is understood to be contomplating a short epithalamium, in honor of the marriage of the Marquis of Lorn with the Princess Louise. Recent revelations relating to the frequent iniDurities in milk, and the increasing interest taken in all matters connected with the dairy and dairy produce, have led to the establishment of the " Milk Journal." Mr Thomas Thornton, of London, the eminent ship-owner, has died. The will was proved under £900,000 personalty, besides freehold estates.