NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 794, 28 March 1871, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE SORTIE ON JANUARY 19

The following, dated Versailles, January 20th, describes the last sortie upon the German lines outside Paris :

There is excitement throughout the German lines. The sorties have been already officially reported from headquarters. It was a last desperate attempt of the French, yesterday, to break through their toils.

During the assault on the German entrenchments many of the French leaders displayed reckless bravery, urging their men bravely, but without effect; in some instances the French fought with fury, evidently heightened by strong drink and other causes. But all the efforts of the leaders were in vain. The French, after firing, turned and iled, dropped to the ground and threw away their arum. The first dash early in the morning, was made from the Bois de Boulogne towards the entrench v. onts opposite Fort Montretout, and was successful. The Germans fell Lack from their position, which was hold by the French till evening. An immense mass of French kept pouring out, evidently concentrating for an attack on St. Cloud and Versailles. There was tremendous commotion here. Large bodies of picked troops moved to the front, and amidst the roar of the guns of Fort Valerien, a general attack was made along the lines to the west and southwest. The advancing columns were met by a steady fire from Sevres, while the artillery in the rear kept up a constant shelling of the Bois de Boulogne.

On the retreat of the French lines, the German troops in several instances followed them up, attacking the former in their position at Montretout. The whole French force withdrew upon the steps of Valerien, under the shelter of their guns. The report is confirmed that Trochu asked an entire armistice, but it is doubtful if the Q-ermans granted it, except a temporyonc, for the purposo of gathering the wouuded. The officers on duty at the outposts say large masses of men were dimly discernible, and lanterns and stretchers were occupied the whole night and at the mournful work to-day. The streets aro filled with rumours of capitulation : the feeling is that the end is close n I hand. The news of tho entire defeat of Faidherbe's army, and

probably the annihilation of Bour. baki's army, strengthens the belief. In the morning a parliamentary will bo sent to Trochu, with information ol Faidherbe's rout.

Prisoners captured yesterday con* cur in the statement that the sortie yesterday was a last desperate effort by the besieged. They say the men were disinclined to fight, and were drawn to the front like sheep to the slaughter. An order issued by Trochu before the sortie notified the army that all soldiers retreating or shirking would be shot. A special guard was placed in the rear to carry out the provisions of this order. The troops were supplied with extra food and liquor. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. The Prussian iron cross, with a white ribbon, which is bestowed upon non-combatants who have done great service on the field of battle, was sent to the chief surgeon of the Saxon Army Corps, and rejected by him, with the remark that in consideration of the perilous nature of his services he felt himself as much entitled to the iron cross with the black and white ribbon as any soldier of them all. The* Emperor William, in a letter to the Grand Duke of Baden, says:- " Germany, which has become strong through the unity of her princes and people, has recovered her former po* sitionin the council of nations. Ger» many neither wants nor is inclined to transgress her frontier. She seeks only independence and the mutual advaneement and the welfare of the nation by extension of her commerce.' 1 It is reported that Eothscbild will retire from the representation of the City of Loudon, and will be called to the House of Lords with the title of Earl Mentmore.

The small-pox has become epidemic in London, and there is a rapid increase in the mortality cases. The deaths from the disease, which in the first week in January were 79, in the third week increasedto 188.

_ " World " cable.—Gladstone resigns his seat for Greenwich, and Gros» venor retires from Westminster, to make way for Gladstone. Guilders ia paralyzed in the lower part of his body The ministry is going to pieces. The "Times" publishes a request from Chiselhurst for the denial of its statement that intrigues were going on between Bismarck and the Bonapartists for the restora + ion of the latter.

The '• Daily News" Vienna despatch represents that Turkey is op. posed to Austria introducing the Danubian question in the Conference.

The " Journal de St. Petersburg;" in a recent editorial, criticizes in caus« tic language, the reply of Beust to the note of GortschakofF. It says the policy of Austria is not calculated to secure the friendship of Eussia or the Western Powers.

The splendid conservatories of the Jardiu des Plantes, which cost 600,000 francs have been destroyed. There is no prospect now that Favre will come to London, and no other delegate has been selected to re* present France in the Conference. The "Post" announces that the marriage of Princess Louise with the Marquis of Lome is fixed for the 21st of March. A strong influence is at work favoring the restoration of the Imperial family, under a Regency, composed of the Empress, Trochu and Favre. The following from Bordeaux appeared in the papers, shortly after the armistice of Paris : Chanzy's headquarters are at Laval, The Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-fifth Corps, occupy Vierson, Bourges, and Nevers. Bourbaki has the Eighteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty.fourth Corps at Roulands and Parlardes (?) Garibaldi, at Dijon, has 30,000 men, Faidherbo has the Twenty-second and Twenty-third. Corps at Arras, Douai and Cambrai. Soisel is in front of Havre with 30,000 men. The Camps of Instruction contain 50,000 men. The conscripts of 1871 number 300,000. At the end of the armistice Favre will resume the vvc with 900,000 men.