Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register

JULY 28TH, 1870. A fete day at Ertldig how joyful the sound. The news of it rings through the country all round, And <) with what pleasure we looked for that day, When all there assembled in goodly array. The sun shone resplendent on young and on old, And the beauties of Erddig they ne'er can he told, While beneath its tall trees, on its lawns soft and green, Was as merry a party as ever was seen. The music was charming, the flowers were bright. The faces were happy, they ne'er thought of night, While refreshments in plenty sn pleasant and good, Were all to be hail as you walked or you stood. Above all that was charming on that happy day, The Lady of Krddig stole all hearts away, So pretty and graceful, and kindly in mien, So lovely, so beauteous, she looked like a Queen. There were ladies by dozens, both pretty and bright, That would make your heart beat, and that dazzled vour sight, Let them be what they might, light or dark, short or tall, Erddig's peerless young daughter was the pride of them all. And the pretty young lady, her sifter was there, May she ever continue as happy as fair, An he thought of the absent in that scene so gay, God keep him from harm, guide and bless him alway. And now what can I say of the worthy good Squire, How he looked, 0 delightful! one could but admire, With his beaming kind face, giving welcome all round, Receiving the hundreds who met on his ground. The fete day at Erddig, what a charm it is still, To talk of past pleasure, it makes one's heart thrill. And e'en to our children, when years have rolled by, We'll talk of this day, with a smile and a sigh.

A FORTNIGHT IN NORTH WALES IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 1869. THE ASCENT OF SNOWDON. Friday mornirg I devoted to an inspection of Carnarvon Castle. Both the town and castle were built by Edward I., and the walls are still nearly entire, bnt the town has greatly extended beyond their limits. They are flanked with round towers, and had originally two principal gates and several lesser ones. In the ancient part of the town the streets are narrow, but this defect is remedied in the new part where they are more spacious. The -town contains three churches, and a nnmber 01 Dissenting places of worship. The public buildings are but few, and do not call for much notice. The harbour is situated below the ca.-tie. The principal exports are slate and copper. Outsiie the walls is a fine terrace walk, and at the end of it a pier, which, when I was there, was being greatly improved and -enIarlled. But to return. After breakfast I visited the castle, and was admitted on payment of fourpence. The castle is one of the most nohle and magnificent ruins of its kind in the kingdom, being externally nearly entire. It has been so often described, and its history narrated, that it would br- folly to re- produce it here. I first visited the Eagle Tower, which I ascended to the summit by a number of stone steps, and were Giddy with my elevation, I then expressed my admiration of the delightful view all round, embracing the castle itself and the surrounding country. I spent above three hours in the castle, poking into every nook and corner, and allowing my thoughts to wander back to the days of the first Edward, who brought the Welsh to subjection, and in this castle by the birth of his son so greatly strengthened his position. What changes in tb3 world's history since then! The ruins are kept in good order, under the authority of the Con.missioners of Woods and Forests. Leaving the castle I ascended the eminence above the station, called Twthill, from which was an excellent bird's eye view of the town and country for miles round, embracing the greater part of Anglesea, with the Holyhead and Pary's Mountain in the distance. On the other hand was the range of hills of which Snowdon is the chief. On the summit of the hill there is a capital camera obscura. After luncheon I had a long walk on the shore, crossing the Seiont beneath the castle. How I enjojed that walk, I cannot express. There is a rapture on the lonely shore There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea.. and music in its roar. I love not man the less, but nature more From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the universe, and feel What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal. I could fully endorse these beautiful sentiments of Byron. My walk extended as far as the msuth of the Gwrfai, not far from the bar. At the point where that stream discharges its rapid waters into the ocean, I turned into the meadows along the banks of the stream, and so returned to Carnarvon. Saturday I devoted to a pilgrimage to the summit of Snowdon, being accompanied by iry friend H-, We went by the first train to Llan'eeris, arriving there about half-past eight. It was a most unfavour- able morning. the rain at intervals pouring down in torren's. Between the storms, however, the sun shone brilliantly, giv:ng u-; a slight hope of a clear day. But alas our expectations were not to be realised, as will be seen. Without any delay we proceeded from the station to the Victoria Hotel, and then turned into the path at the back of the honse, being pestered on the way with guides" whose services we dispensed with, the road being most easy t') follow and, in addition to th:9, my friend had been up be"ort'. Our road lay through a thriving plantation by the side of a mountain torrent. which rushed along All at once and all o'er, with a mighty uproar. We then left all civilization behind, and commenced the real ascent. We intended to walk no quietly, which would not only sive us from much fatigue, but sive us more time to view the scenery. Mount ing the slope known as L'echog, we had a in-ignificent picture before us of the L'anberis Lake" and all the country down to Carnarvon while on the other hand was the grand glacier valley of Cwm Brwnog. Onr pleasure was marred by the occasional heavy showers of rain, and to add to our discomfort we were son enveloped in mist. No more the mountain, horrid, vast, sublime, Who pours a sweep of rivers from its sides, And high between contending kingdoms rear. The rocky long division fills the view With great variety but in a night Of gathering vapour from the baffled sense Sinks dark and dreary thence expanding far, The huge dusk gradual swallows up the plain— Vanish the woods the dim seen river seems Sullen and slow to roll the mystic wave. This prevented our having any more scenery, ns we were not able to see above three yards on either side. The path now become zigzag and steep, makit,g it rather wearisome, and I began to look out for a resting place. H-- said, Oh, we shall be at the Half-way House presen'ly." For this goal we kept a look out. On we went, higher an.1 higher, the niist growing thicker and tb-cker; but no Halr-way Hoa-e appeared. 16 Ave cnme to it presently," says H-. I replied Hat I thought the other h?If, from the resting phce to the summit, would be found th? l?er one." We baù pro?'e??d some little distance when H broke out, "B. Jove, we are nearly at tae ton! We must have passed the Half-way House' without observing it." Here allow me to remark that this Half-way H 1 1 I II h House" is not a house, hut merely a. small heap of stones near a clear spring of water. To find that we were nearly at our journey end was a pleasant surprise. We, however, had a good stiff pull before us still, for Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise. We at length arrived safely on the summit in a pelting- shower of rain, which compelled u, to se^k I' i "ltl" shelter in one of the huts—I leg pirdon "hotels," which grace the top of Snowdon. There are two of these hotels kept by two men, who reside up here during the summer months, only occasionally descending into the world beneath. While at the Padarn Villa Hotel on the previous Tuesday, a gentleman said he had been rambling about, and had visited the cottage of one of the summit hotei proprietors, whica was situate at the foot of the mountain. The husband, of course, was absnt, and be a?ked the wif-? how ofitn did she see her husband. She r-plied, "Once a fortnight nabl the end of October, when he comes down f..r 1(,<> wi it.-r." We soon seated ourselves by th- stove in which was a blazing fire, and, ordering coffee, set ourselves to the task of drying our clothes, »ur outer s;nrinent- being cO'fI"l"tdy saturated by the mist and rain; and we aiterwards made a he:u-tv meal. There was no Sign of the tog clearing, and we resigned onr- selves to our i;tte. To this we were more reconc led when we were joined by two gentlemen wLo had followed in our wake tiom Lbmberis, and who had suffered very much from the rain. Soon after another party came up from Beddgelert; and although their Cjndttion w.?s m.?'. p;t;?d th.?y r?dly prc.?ntMl .1 ludicrous abearance, bph.? thoroughly drenched and one Door ft How had brought a large portmanteau with him, as if the labour of ae-.tmg himself up w; not suiffcient. We gave place to them at the fire, iirt-I turned out. I clambered up the great- ciirn of t ines oreetad by Government some years ago, and is sur- mounted by a huge wooden pole. Here I stood for a few moments the most elevated person in England and Wales, perhaps in the British Isles! I came down, not quicker than I went up, as I had to be careful so a-A not to slip. We remained on the summit for about two hours, in the faint hope that we should be favoured with a view. This, however, was not to be vouchsafed us, and at last we deter. mined to descend. This we intended doing by tlw I Capel Curig route, which is the most grand, the views being different to those on the other side. But I can only speak of this from what I have heard, as we had no view on the other side, all being veiled from our sierht by the thick fog. The Capel Curig route is the mo-t difficult, much more easy to descend than to get up, being very steep in places. While preparing to go down we entered into con. versation with the two gentlemen who had followed us. and they agreed to join us. We all then bade adieu to the summit of Y Wyddfa, deeply regretting that we were not allowed to appreciate the full pleasures of the ascent. For a short distance we returned along the road we came, and then suddenly turned to the right down a very steep path to the shores of Llyn Llydaw. Shortly before we reached this magnificent lake, we found we had descended be!ow the region of mist. The sun shone out resplendency, glistening on the placid rocks and jagged peaks, which presented such a gi-arid appearance. Llyn Llydaw is about a mile loig, and lies directly under the .Miffs )f Y Wyddfa and other eminences, all of which are seamed with veins of white quartz, which gleam like sheaths of snow on the tall black rocks encircling the vast amphitheatre. The precipice appears quite in- accessible, but H- said that he had one;; descended it from the summit, but however could not get back that way. A ifner scene of mountain grandeur than that through which we were now passing cannot be found. To attempt to describe it would be useless— What even are kings, when balanced in the scale Of these stupendous worlds. As we journeyed ou we saw nioie lakes, calmly reposing in their rocky beds. I imagine we ua-sed eight or nine before reaching Gnrphysfa. We Raw one beyond, above the road, at the foot of the Glydera, appearing like a brimming basin. Very soon Moel Siabod and the Mvmbir Lakes came in su-ht, and the bead of the lovely Vale of Gwyuant; and in less than an hour and a half after leaving the summit we arrived at Gorphwysta, the little hostelry at the top of the Pass of Llanberis. Here we Darted from our companions and walked through the Pass, which presented a different appearance to that which it had on the Tuesday, when I drove through in a. tremendous storm. By walking we bad also more time to view the wild and rugged grandeur of the scenery. Passing through the village we, at nearly every step, were saluted by the children with "Good- bye, good-bye," which appeared to be the extent of their English vocabulary, with the excep- tion ot a penny." We sauntered about the village and lakes nn'il the train started. A very beautiful sight this valley presents, with its ruined castle, to the summit of whose L.)wt rs we scaled, and its own soft greenness strangely contrasting with the dark wild precipices which fence it in on all sides. We had a pleasant ride to Carnarvon, and after dinner had a ramble on the beach, where all was still and quiet. We sat down and watched the sun sink beneath the opposite shores of Anglesea, and then Night's shadows fell softly O'er mountain and sea, and the moon rose and shed its tranquil light over all. We returned to the hotel through the busy streets, and I retired to rest, thanking my Heavenly Father for all his manifold mercies towards us. (To be continued.)

An order to manufacture some millions of cart- ridges for the Snider breechloading rifle has been re- ceived at the Royal Laboratory, Woolwich, and the department is engaged executing it. Eighty ad. ditional hands were taken on in that department on Monday.-Globe. Great and grievous complaints are made of the French commissariat. In the unequal encounter above described, we are assured the poor French soldiers went into battle wearied and fastinl, for the previous twenty-four hours, and no rations were served out to them until the following day. The disastrous result is attributed scarcely less to this cause than to the absence of adequate reinforcements and the lack of artillery. The Times' Berlin corresponden t says :-The North German armiep consist, firstly, of 550,000 line with 1,200 guns and 53,000 cavalry secondly, of 187,000 reserve, with 234 guns and 18,000 cavalry; and thirdly, of 205,000 Landwehr, with 10,000 cavalry, making a grand total of 944,000 men. with 1,680 mobilised guns and 193,000 horses. To these must be aided, firstly, the Bavarians. 69,000 line with 192 guns and 14,800 horses—25,000 reserve with 2,400 horses, and 22,000 Landwebr seondlv, the Wurtc-mberl-ers-22,000 line with 54 auns and 6,200 horses, 6,501) reserve, and 1;,0 0 Landwehr; and thirdly, the Badeners—16,000 line with 54 guns, 4,000 reserve, and 9,600 Landwehr. All the German troops ta1-en together as under arms at the present moment reach the enormous fieure of 1.124,000 men. Four weeks ago on the peace footing they numbered no more than 360,000. It is curious that her Majesty's dominions con- tain an instance of military org inisation more com- plete than any other State in Europe can exhibit. In the Channel Island every male betwetn sixteen and forty-six must he enrolled in the militia. We do not happen to have the numbers thus furnished in Jeisev, which is the larger island hot in Guern- sey a population of 30,000 trives a militia of above 4 000. The men are drilled frequently in their parishes, and inspected in a body by the general commanding four times a year. Applied to the United Kingdom tlás system would supply an army of four millions of disciplined soldiers. But where shall we fi::d the system that will give us statesmen to create, organise, and arm such a force, or the generals who could handle it P-PAZI Mall Gazette. PKUSSIAN FORCES IN FRA::CE.—In the second edition of the 2Iorning Posi oti Tpei ity, the Paris correspondent of that journal writes:—" I heard this (Sunday) evening, from authority, that it is no n.n. T"'to. calculated there are buu,uuu rrussians now in rranee We have no telegraphic communication with either Strasburg or Nancy." PRUSSIAN EXPECTATION. The Daily News understands that a pamoblet from the pen of an eminent writer, and expressing more than his indi- vidual opinions wdl presently he published in Eng. land, in which, in the event of the final victory of the Germans, the oe-sion of Alsace by France to Prussia will be advocated as the basis of a treaty of peace. The Germans themselves are more out. spoken, and boldly demand the Cession not of Alsace onlv but also oi Lorame. RELIEF FOR THE SICK AXD WOUNDED.—On Monday e-.eninsr a party of five ladies left London to join the Prussian army at the seat of war, under the aus'>ic=is of the English Branch of the Societe Inter- national, to which we have so often alluded. Up to the present time no request for lady nurses has been forwarded from the h-ad-quarters of the French army, and, therefore, none have been sent. The ladies who have --one out have been carefully trained ill hospital practice, and have had an opportunity of gleaaing some experience on the field of battle. FRENCH OPERATIONS IN THE BALTIC. Tn the Baltic," says the Pays, the French squadron is blockading the port. Those of war will he bombarded, those of commE-rce will be merely blockaded. The bombardment of a port without defence is eortrary to the right of nations and to the laws of humanity, which France will always respect. The French shirts have token, in the Baltic only, more than 50 German vessels, all freighted with rich cargoes. The number of those captured in other seas is not known." I McMAHON'S ESCAPE AT WoEHTM.—The Prince Archide Murat ha paid a flyin visit to London, whither he brought his wife and children. The Prince, who returns to his duties, berved on Marshal McMal.¡on'ó" staff at ti e bat tle of Woertli. At the close of that well-conte.-ted battle, tile Marsha l, ordering his st:iff to remain where they were, threw himself at the head of the last charge. His staff, however, insisted on occompanying him, and it was thpn that General Col-on and M. de Vogne, and so many others were shot down. The Marshal, who was at the storming of the Malakoff and at man/ forlorn hopes, and who has never been wounded, again escaped without a s -Hitch. It is not true that he had a hors- k:le.¡ under h'm. or that he iWe 1 in a ditch After this last effort, he lighted his (;:aar ana personally superintended the disastrous retreat in which his guns were lost, owing to the muddy nature of the ground, rendered too soft for the passage of artillery by the heavy rams.—Morning Post. THE WAY THE MUKCUS I-XUNX.—XNC ?ives from private letters, on Mconnt of the con tvI ?Thp Turcos at Wei-senbur? :-Thcy could ? r he br? to ?'? the call to rctr,jvi ?t?dwith not attend? to ,t, WOM reply, ??ri?°? qui.qni ci ? mac?-ho sabir, macache com n?n Iir This he.?c i?nor?nce it was th.t caused ?Oof?mtobet=?npr;.ouers at W^senbarg. They hurled t?m?tves upon the Prnsw.1J3 with- ou?h?ki?ofwhat?eut oa m ttar. Ihey broke ?d ????rc.i whaler w? m the?. w..y Are??t of the noy?l Guard was turned ?.d crushed by this human w.'er.po.t. TLe remain iei- of the d?'i?o. crushed by the numerical sunec it, of its adrersa?es. w? ?rced to yieU; tae M^^nai of retreat was sou'ded, but the T.u-eos acco:d.ng to c?tom, took no heed of it. Gen?at Dc,uay g:do;;e<I up to warn them, but was si ruck ?y a 'MtU, :H?l t.t! mortallv wounded. The ardour of the Turcos was doubled. They rashed upon another regimor.t, and. in a pjuvxysm of fury, made a wide passage through the enemy's line of ba tle, which they went through at the j>as tIe clia/ye, producing an cilect like it scvthe at' C11 .} t ¡ 'T] tl scythe attached to a locomotive. They were in the rear or the enemy. The elwf Imttallion put his (lorgnette to his w here are oar corn- l ',> ye. of! W h.:i'C are 0,11' com. 1'0.' c, "au1 h. TT 1 i-ades ?" ??d he. lie saw them mnrchin? at a dis- anl"C j')erC"Ivcl h. 1 M t?nce, perceived his dn,n??rou9 no"ition and tried to  force a. frc.tt p:?s'?H to n-i?n them. But what cou!d 500 men do ag.nnst 4').0?0 ? ne was su' ? I round ezl on ad s l,Je" mid compelle d to snrrea d er i with his bm\e detachment. compe.c to Sl1l're:mer

I THE WAM. I A GERMAN WAR SOIIPX.- I me l ines Berlin correspondent sen(lfr; the ta-zt of the new Rhine song, which, set to an inspiriting tithe has fast become the Marseillaise" of the present war. He appends the following tran dation by Mr G. Soiling, late of the Woolwich Academy:— DIE WACHT AM RHEIN.—(THE RHINE WATCH;) I A roarlike thunder strikes the ear, Like clank- of arms or breakers near. On for the Rhine, the German Rhine Who shields thee, my beloved Rhine ?" Dear Fatherland, thou needst not fear, Thy Rhinelaml watch stands firmly here. A hundred thousand hearts beat high, The flesh darts forth from ev'ry eye, For Teutons brave, inured by toil, Protect their country's holy soil. Dear Fatherland, thou needst not fear, Thy Rhineland watch stands firmly here. The heart may break in agony, Yet Frenchman's thou slialt never be. In water rich is Rhine thy flood, Oermania, rich in heroes' blood, Dear Fatherland, thou needst not fear, Thy Rhineland watch stands tirmlv here. When heavenwards ascends the eye, Our heroes' ghosts look down from high We swear to guard our dear bequest And shield it with the German breast. Dear Fatherland, thou neeilst not fear, Thy Rhineland watch stands firmly here. As long as German blood still glows, The German sword strikes mighty blows, And German marksmen take their stand, No foe shall tread our native land. Dear Fatherland, thou needst not fear, Thy Rhineland watch stands firmly here. We take the pledge. The stream runs by; Our banners, proud, are wafting high. On for the Rhine, the German Rhine We all die for our native Rhine. Hence, Fatherland, be of good cheer, Thy Rhineland watch stands firmly here.

THE HISTORY. ADVANCE OF THE PRUSSIANNS-OCCUPATION OF NANCy-I-IATTLE9 BKFORE METZ—DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH—TIBPU^SE AND GHEAT Loss OF THE PRUSSIANS—MARSHAL MACMAHON LOST. THE DOINGS OF THE FLEET. On Saturday the Prussian cavalary had advanced as far as the Moselle, and were then before Metz. Pont-a- Mousson, Luneville, yet the town and passes of Ph ilsburg, on rhe western slopes of the Yo^gps, were in their possession, and the all but impregnable frontier fortress of Bitche, which was balieved to he garrisoned only by some "60 men of the Mobile Garde, was placed under ohs.-ry;,tion by a company of Prussians, whilst Lichtenburg. a little lower down on the eastern side of the Vosges, had capitulated. Since then, we learn thnt Nancy, where Marshal Macmahon's corps was lately reported, is occupied by the Prussians, the Freuch having evacuated it on Wednesday or Thursday. rhe invader's position sustained a slight, reverse at another part of the river-the little town of Pont-a- Vloussori, situated midway between Nancy and Metz, and which they seem to have occupied for a short time on Saturday morning. As soon as the intelligence of thia bold advance reached Metz, a brigade of cavalry was sent out to dislodge the incursionists, and after a sh"rt fijht, they w¿re defeated with a logg of thirty pri- soners. Tnat part of the French army hitherto encamped before Metz, began to cross over from the right to the left bank of the Moselle, with a view to the aban- donment of that line, at some early hour, apparently on Sunday morning, and, whilst thus engaged, it was attacked in force by the Prus-ians. The assail- ants seem to have chosen their moment well, for at the time of the attack, we are told, one-half of tne French army had crossed, and the oth'r half lad therefore to bear the brunt of the battle, unsup- ported. A fierce fight ensued, lasting ro less than four hours. Both sides claim to have been victori. ous. According to the Prussian account the locality of the battle was the vicinity of Pan ire. a small vii. lage situated about six miles from Metz, at the foot of the hills which run in front of thit city, parallel with the iiue of the Mo.elle. Both on the French and German sides only two Army Corps, or about 60,000 men on each si ie, are said to have been en- gaged. 011 the Prussian side they were the 7th and 1st; on that of the French, the corps of L'Ad- mirault, lately stationed at Thionville and De Caen. JVIar.-hall Bazaine, we are told, was present at the battle. The French accounts do not identify the precise locality of the battle, so that whether two distinct engagements had been fought, er both claim the victory for the same action, we are as yet at a loss to discover. The French despatch is dated from Longeville, a village two miles from Metz, the Emperor having left the latter place with the Prince Imperial, on Sunday afternoon, for Verdun. Before def,.irt-nl he publisberl a proclamation in which he says he entrusts the defence of the place to the patriotism of thu inhabitants. Metz, it is stated is uow in a perfect state of defence, and provisioned for a siege. Neiv details t"\ud to confirm the view that the apparently conflicting reports of the result of the fighting before Metz, refer to two more or less distinct engagements, both of which were fought on 7- I -1 .? z? -1 the riLiht, or Prussian Danic ot tlle ALosselie. it does not follow b-caure both sides claim a victory on the same day, that one is necessarily untruthful; aud we can quite recognise the reality and thoroughness of the success achieved by Prussian arms in the evening, without therefore questioning the correct- ness of the French victory in the morning. In one respect, at all events, th, French may fairly claim to have secured the balance of advantage in the d*y's figh:illg. Th-jv have accomulished the strategic end for which it was undertaken namely, 'the withdrawal of tbe:r army from Meta; and in suite of unforeseen opposition on the line or t?avel, have made good their retreat to a position which renders them comparatively safe ag:>in»t their pursuers. Oil Tues iav, the bulk of the Irench armv under Marshal Baz line, was con- centrated at Etain, a small town of 2,800 inhabitants in the department of thi Meus", situated on an affluent ot the Moselle, only twelve miles from Ver- dun, and about eignt to the North of the direct road between that town and Metz, and ere this, at the same rate of progress it must have placed between it and the Prus-ian armies the strong natural bar- rier which marks the line of the Meu-e. On the same t-vening. we hear that the Emperor had safely reached Chaions, where large auxiliary forces are being organis-*d, and this fact sutlic-cutty shows that the apprehended severance of the rear com- munication of the French army, had not been effected up to that time. .1 rt-» "1 A i JSewa wis teieg.aphect on luesuay ot a gre'.t b attle said to have been raging ou Monday, on the road between Metz and Verdun, but no authentic report has yet been rec-rivid. According to a French despatch of that day, the French army was attacked on its march from Metz by two divisions of the ene:nv"—belonging probably to the army of the Crown Prince—but these were repulsed. It was, doubtless, the firing in this encounter which was h-aril by the sub-prefect of Verdun and reported, and the statement of his informants who beheld the Prussians executing a retreat southwards is so far confirmed. A telegram is said t J h:tve been received by the Empress from the Efriiie:or, on Monday afternoon, announcing that everything was ready for a great battle, and that the French preparations were such that the Emperor could guarantee before- hand a victory which would perhaps be decisive." When to this, we aid the report in ihe Gaulois, sf Weiuesdav, that the Ministry of War had received important despatches, on Tuesday, of a nature to arouse great hopes," but for tlu present kept secret for strategic tenons, we think enough has been said to show, at all eveats, the possibility of a gre^t battle having be >n fought, on Mon lay, somewhere between Mel z and Verittin. With respect to the older battle of Woertb, it se-ms that the French losses at that disastrous affair were not so great as W1t previously reported by310O men—that nu-nber having succeeded in mak- ing their way in safety to Stra-burg before the Pru- sians invested the i»lace. Of the investment we have little furtli-r intelligence, but it is reported that no serious measures of attack are being taken a -ainst the town, and that the object of the assailants, who are not very nnmerous, seems to be merely to inter- rupt its communications. After evacuating Nancy it appear- that Marshal Macmahon did not waste time in futile end avours to reach Metz. but fell back directly upon the forti fitd town of Toul. Toul, we may ob-ervo, is a small manufacturing town of some 80O0 iulvtbit&nts, situated on the left bank of the M iselle, some twelve miles west of Nancy, and on the direct road and rail from that town to Chalons and Paris. Macmah m's hea'l-quarters were fixed thereon Saturday, but he does not appear to have remainea mere long, as when the pursuing Prussian-, on Sunday, demanded the surrender of the plaee—which was energetically refused—the ramparts are described as beinf? manned only by the Mobile and National Guard. We learn also that the garrison of that town had already tried conclusions with some of the Prussian cavalry. Learning, on Sunday atVrnoon, that the enemy was within 15 kilometres (about 9t miles) of Toul, the commander sent out a reconno ssance in force, com- posed of (-uir,,t;;sii-i s and gendarmes, who presently came upon a body of 20.1 Prussian Lancers. The issus of the encounter we are lint told, but inasmuch as only Ol,e gendarme was killed, it cannot have been a very serious business either way. The French fleet does not appear to have accom- plished much as vet. Beyond a North German Lloyi's barque being towed ciptive into Cherbourg, we hear of no results. From Cuxhaven we learn that the commander of the French squadron which is before Heligoland, has addresse 1 an official Jocu- ment to the Governor of the Island and to th" British Consul, declaring the Ni), th G rman coast, from Ba'trun south wards, t > ba in a state, oi blockade from Tiie»dav. Ten days are allowed for neutral vessels to 1 :avn German port.?.

A FALSE IIFPORT -Ali doubt as to the falsehood of the tory that Mr Ed-.ott had been shot as a Prussian spy in Paris is now set at rest. Mr Elliott himself arrived at Braeklcy from Paris on Tuesday afternoon.

I ATTLES; BEFORE: METZ. FRENCH' ACCOUNT. THE VICTORY CLAIMED BY THE FRENCH. GENERAL DE CAEN WOUNDED. PARIS, AUG. 15 (9.20 a.m.)—A despatch of the Emperor, dated Loageville, 10 p.m. yesterday, says The French army commenced to cross over to the left bank of the Moselle. This morning, reconnoi. tring parties announced the presence of the Prussian vanguards. When one-half of the army had crossed, the Prussians attacked in great force, and, alter a fight which lasted four hours, were repulsed with considerable losses." A despatch of the Prefect oi the Meuse states the Prussians to be at Vignuelles. Another despatch from the Pre ret of th-j Vosges announces the approach of the Prussians on the Moselle. The Fr nuh engineers have blown up two bridges. PARIS, AUG. 16 (Evening).—No full details have yet been received of the battle of Longevdle. It appears that General I' Admirilult and De Caen manoeuvred so as to bring the Prussians under the fire of Fort St. CJuentin, causing them thereby con- siderable loss. Ucueral Dc Caen has been wounded. The Emperor's daspatcii, dated Longeville, Sunday, was addressed t) the Empre-s, and, the Gatdois says, waa .counters gned by Marshal Bazaine, as Cummander-in-Guief. It is believed that Marshal Hazaine will not risk a decisive battle until the enemy are i.ear Chalons.

OFFICIAL PRUSSIAN DESPATCH. I ALLEGED FURTHER SUCCEdd OF GERMAN I ARMS. HERNY, AUG. 15.-Yesterday, the 14th instant, our advanced guards before Metz believed that they saw signs of a retrograde movement of the French corps which was still encamping under protection of the fortress. Without delay the brigade of General Goltz attacked the rear guard of General De Caen's corps, formerly that of Marshal Bazaine, and suc- ceeded in engaging it in t-uch a severe encounter that the whole corps and some detachments of the troops under General Frossard were obliged to hasten to the trout to its assistance. Gcnjral Giuaier then led his Second Brigade (East Saxons) at once to the front, and the flivi. sions of Generals Kameke and Wrangel opportunely engaged in the fight on the lert wing, and ultimately drove back the enemy on all points tiehuid the works of the fortress. In the meantime the French c.)rp.-i, under General l' Admirault, had endeavoured to fasten upon the right flank of the First Army Corps, but was attacked by General Mantenfflj's reserves, who advanced to the beat of drums, and, storming successfully the positions held by different detachments of the enemy, drove them back into the fortress in an equally decisive manner, as on other parts of the field. The troops of this wing pushed on as far as Balle Croix and Bonney, wituin range of the advanced forts. TLiis morning his Majesty the King made recon- naissance of the battle-field, and inspected the arrangements made for the safe removal of the Prussian and French Wounded. From the Prussian outpusts, occupying the same ground as before the battle, and from the most elevated spots around, nothiug could be tieen of the enemy on the right bank of the Moselle, Thick clouds of du4, which were visible on the opposite side of the river, led to the conclusion that the bulk of the enemy has withdrawn. [fI.üs telegram was forwarded by post to Saar- bruck, on account of the interruption of the telegraph lines, and was despatched from Star. bruck at 7.20 a.m. on the ICth.J BERLIN, AUG. 16 (3 p.m.)—The King of Prussia has smt the following despatch to the Queen, dated Herny, Monday 7.30 evening:—I returned from the field of battle at Metz, at three o'clock to-day. The advanced guard of the 7th Army Corps attacked the recreating enemy at about five o'clock yesterday evening. The latter made a stand, and was rein- forced gradually by troops from the fortress. The 13th division and part of the 14th supported the advanced guard, as also part of the 1st Army Corps. A very bloody fight ensued along the whole line, and the enemy. was thrown back at all points. l'he pursuit was continued up to the glacis of the outworks. The nearness of the fortress allowed the enemy, in many instances, to secure his wounded. After our wounded had been secured, the troops marched to their old bivouacs at dawn. The troops have all fought with incredible and admirable energy, and also with enthusiasm. I have 8en many, and have thanked them heartily. The rejoic- ing is really affecting. I have just spoken to Generals Steinmetz, Z^astrow, and Munteuffel.

ENORMOUS PRUSSIAN LOSSES. I The special correspondent of the Manchester Guardian telegraphs as follows :— LUXEMBOURG, AUG. 16 (8.50 -.t.m.)-On Satur. day the French retreated. The Prussian advance gunrd crossed the Moselle and engaged the French rear guard. The French army came back to its support, and threw themselves on the Prussian advance guard, and drove them back under the guns of Metz. Their loss is said to be 28,000 kille-i and wounded, and 5,000 prisoners. The action became general along the whole line yesterday, between Metz and Nancy. Ttie following telegram has been received by the Manchester Examiner:— BERLIN, AUG. 15.—In the battle fought at Pange, on Sunday, nearly 60,000 German troClps, under General Steinmetz, were engaged. It is reported here that the action lasted six hours. The French corps, un ler L'Admirault, De Caen, an 1 Frossard, were defeated. Marshal Bazaine was present. The French withdrew into Metz, and are retreating on Verdun. We (Evening Standard) have received a telegrau from one of our war correspondents who was with the French army before Metz during the fighting on Sunday, and he states that the Prussians were repulsed with great losses; that the French were retiring strategic illy upon Verdun that on Mon- day the Emperor was at Gravelette with 60,000 troops that eiiza-euient-4 had taken place at Longe- ville; that the Prussians were following the retiring French; and that the Emperor, on Tuesday, had gone to Rheims vii Verdun.

 ANOTHER GREAT b?TL?.—RUMOURED E ?OHMOUS LOSSES OF THE PRUSSIANS. PARIS. AUJUSI, it; IL d -.il)att!li of the Sub Pre- fect of Verdun, dated Tuesday 10, at 10 a.m., says "Nothing new has been received from Metz. Throughout yesterday cannon werf- heard between M tz aud Ver lun, an I travell ers who have arrived .-tt Ver.!un rep wt that a great battle had been going on sinf'e the morning. Iu the action of the 14th. the Prussians are ad to have lost 40,0110 me Yesterday the fiiiht was going on at the extremity of my arrondisseineut, 28 kilometres from Verdun. At this point the enemy were sean exejuting a retreat to the southward. But I give this information under reserve. So received at Router's office.

THE INVESTMENT OF STgA.SBURG. I PARIS, August 15 ( >.15 afternoon.) From intelli- gence received from the upppr and lower Rhine depart- ments, the enemy's forces do not appear seriously to intend undertaking the seige of Strasburg. They are chiefly endeavouring to i-iolate the besieged, and have it is said blown up the railway to Bale near Tegusheim. It is also believed that the forces in front of Strasburg are not very considerable. MANDOLSHELM, August 16.- i he garrison of Stra-burg tna,le a sortie this afternoon in the direc- tion of Ostwidd, but was driven back, with a loss of men and thrte guns. CARL'-RHUE, August 17. Official intelligence from tLe seat of war announces that, on the 14th, the head quarters of the Haden army were at Laipertheim. Ttie garrison of Strasburg is actively engaged in arming the ramparts, raiding the glacis, and barri'-a ling the approaches to the town. while the besiegers, on their part, are at present ocetipied in disturbing and destroying these defensive works. Ou the 13ch rliree, smail encounters took place with successful results as regards that object, and in one of these skirmishes a Bailen detachment set fire to a train standing in a railway st ition. A field buttery was then advanced to wit tin 3000 paces of the fortress, and fired upon the works by the light of Mi" conflagration. The Baden troops lost three kill d and seventeen wounded.

THE EUPEROft AT CHALONS. I CONCENTRATION OF FKENCH AKMIKS. I PARIS, Waduesday. Ihe Ministry of War posted up, this morning, the following desoatch, dated last night, 11 p.m.:—The Minister of War has received intelligence from the nrmy, which is con- tinuing to execute its combined movements after the brilliant engagement on Sunday evening. Two divisions of ihe enemy endeavoured, yesterday, to harass the army on the march, but were repulsed. The Emperor arrived this evening at the cam? of Chalons, wh re large force i are being organised. The bulk of the French army is now concentrated at Ktain, de artment of Meuse, 76 kilometres from M tz. The Gariles de Paris have petitioned to be allowed to join the Army of the Rhine. The Minis- ter of War has deided not t) recall the four French infantry regiments remaiuing in Algeria. The towns of Cherbourg, tiri-t, L'Orient, and Rochefort, have been placed in a state of siege.

I THE THREATENED SIEGE OF PARIS. I I PREPARATIONS FoR DEFENCE. I PARIS, AUG. 15.—Six hundred guns are now mounted on those parts of the fortifications of Paris which would be first exposed to attack. The authorities are bu-ily oc.-uoied with the necessary measures for provisioning P?ri?, should th'? enpital be be-iegtd. The ferti?c ?tions of Lyons arc bciug placed in a state Ðf deft nee.

I PRUSSIANS AT COMMERCY. PARIS, Aue. 16-—The Pre feet of the Meuse telegraphed last, night to the Minister of the Interior that Prussian Uhlans Lave been seen at Commercy. They took the road by way of Bar-le-Duc, and cut the railway line.

THE PRUSSIANS AT NANCY. We take from the Temps the following account, given by a local journal, of the occupation of Nancy by the Prussians Yesterday (Friday), the 12th of August, at three o'clock in the afternoon (melancholy date for us and our descendants), four Prussian soldiers took possession of the town of Nancy, the ancient capital of Lorraine, and chief town of the department of the Meurthe. (Let us add at once for our credit that Nancy, an open town, had no- longer a single soldier, and that in the interest of the city the municipal authorities had thought it desirable to recommend calmness ) Half an hour later a detachment of twenty-six Prussians traversed the tovvn and took possession of the rail- way sta'ion, making the superintendent a prisoner on parole. The mayor was required to present him- self before the chief of the expedition encamped between St. Max and the road to Essey. In the meantime an officer of Uhlans, followed by two borsem n, galloped round the town to reconnoitre. On the mayor's return the municipal council had to vote for the conquerors a sum of rio,000 francs and suppl-es of oats. They asked no less than 300,000' trancs, and considered 50,000 for a town blessed with such fine buildings a mere trifle. For the short period they ha,ve been here the Prussians have lost no time. At the station particularly twenty citizens, under Prussian directions, were compelled to tear up tlie rails towards Maxeville, where the rails were thrown into the canal. The telegraph posts have likewise been pulled down. The Uhlans numbered loO. Two hotels at Nancy — the St. George and the Chartreuse—have been required to furnish daily dinner for seventy-five persons. Here is the menu :Soup, bonilli. vegetables, a bottle of wine. and f ix cigars per man.' In addition coffee had been ordered for this morning at four o'clock. but at four o'clock all the Ublans had disappeared."

I HOLLAND WANTS TO BE GUARANTEED. It is reported at Brussels that the Duiclt Govern- ment has tried in vain to obtain a guarantee of its neutrality similar to the one granted to Belgium. —————

I MORE ABOUT THE SECRET TREATY. As the secret treaty has long smce served the pur- pose for which its publication was designed, it can. not much matter now. so far as the war is concerned which side really originated this pretty project. Nevertheless, as a matter of history, it is interesting to observe how completely the tables are being turned upon the accusers in this discreditable busi- ness. Every day brings to light some new piece of evidence confirmatory of the original declaration of the French Government, that the only share they had in the matter was to reject the proposal when it was communicated through their ambassador, M. Benedetti, as a suggestion from Count Bismarck whereas the evidence in support of the accusation bv the latter minister, that the scheme originated with France, bsgins and ends with the one fact that the draft is in the handwriting of M. Bane letti. We have in a previous number e-iven the circumstantial explanations of that undoubtedly compromising cir- cumstance, furnished by M. Beneiletti himself, and by the Due de Gramont—explanations which, apart from their innate probability, are strikingly con- firmed by many surroanding facts, ani thu testi. mony of independent persons, and we have now to quote a new witness of unimpeachable int'grity, as to the real originator of the scheme for a French annexation of Belgium. General Turr, the Hun. garian patriot, the Italian general, the friend and brother in arms of Garibaldi, the English agent who was taken prisoner by the Austrians, at Bucharest, during the Crimean war. and to rescue whom from the clutches of his national enemies our Queen officially interposed ;-this brave soldier and stain- less man. comes voluntarily forward to give testi- mony of three occtsions oi which, in his hearing, Count Bismark urged the identical scheme which he has lat >lv sought to father on France. Twic^ in June, 1866, when Prussia was about to commence the war with Austria. Bismark toll General Turr that he had offered Belgium and Luxembourg to Napoleon as the price of jis neutrality whilst Aus- t ia. was dealt with, and so persistent was the temp- ter to gain his ends, that when the French Emperor refused the bribe, Bismark sought to ply him again through the not too scrumlous ngancy of Prince Napoleon. In February, 1867, when the union of Germany was under discussion, the G neral statps another conversation with the Prussian Minister, in which, after a series of suggestions and insinuations, scarcely more scrupulous. Count Bis. mark expressed his great anxiety to do something for the French Emperor, who had acted so disin- terestedly during the recent war. Did he want Luxemburg, he should have it, said Count Bismark; or if he wished to annex Belgium, let him "takci it and "if any Government ol)ji etA. we shall fix onr bayonets against it." These representations the General was reque-ted to make from Count Bismark to the French Emperor. He did so, and in due course communicated the result, which v, at simply nil. Yet we are asked to believe, by the Prusian Minister, that both betore and subsequent to these dates, France was intriguing for lea e to annex the little kingdom, which, on these various occasions, Count Bismark was urging her on such tempting terms to absorb.

It is reported that, the Prince of the House of Orleans have returned to England from Be'gium, their offers to serve with the French naval and military forces having been declined by the Cabinet of Paris. A correspondent writes from Saarbruck After many stoppages I hive arrived here, and find that the damage done by the French in shelling Saar- bruck had been greatly exaggerated. One or two h'-u-es and the railway station show marks of shot, hut as a rule everything look much as usual. Coming back, I met Bismarck in the yellow cap of his Cuirassier regiment. TII: DEFENCE OP PARIS.Galignn-.ii says the members of the Cabinet are unceasingly occupied with organising means tor the defence ot Paris. Generals Trochu, de Chabaud-Latour, Dejean. and the most experienced engineers superintend and pi ess forward the enecution of the arinam-nt. PROVISIONING METZ.-A letter from Metz says: —" Stores of provisions are being laid in here, in the ffitrthtttthe communications inav be int rrupc-J. I happened to be to dny in the shop of a grocer, wh-n I heai-d him refuse to supply a customer with ebht pounds of sugar at once. Potatoes now co;t a sou each." ALL FAIR IN WAR.—The correspondent of a contemporary writes as follows:— The horrible drama of war is not without its comic incidents. Of such a character is the occurrence which is narrated in a private letter of the 8th inst., from Munheim, and which I have not seen mentioned in any of ti e Wat* Correspondents' letters A somewhat comie scene amidst the grand tragedy of war was the capture of a French tram with troops, effected through our Badeni.-h oldiers at Haguenau. After our army had taken po^sesnon of the latter place, ati', of course, h iving replaced the French telegraph- ist by a German one, a telegram arrived from the Commander of Strasbourg, n,king,' Is everything safe, and may we send troops?' The Gennnns answered Yes when an h >u" afterwards, a train arriver1, with a thousand Frenchmen at Haguenau, which, without giving them the trouble of netting out of the cars, was sent, together with the locomo- tive, their material and everything direct to Be lin, where they thus will arrive even before the 15th of An<rust THE SICK AND WOUNDED.—It is very gratifying to find chat an active movement has been inaugura- tpri in Loudon for alleviating, as far as possible, the sufferings of the poor so'diers wounded in the war. Mrs Cicely Co'linson Hail, of the Kensington Gardens Square, London, is oue of the most active promoters, and amo g oth 'r things she suggests that contributions of white lineo mgs for convers:on into bandages should he made. This rag collei-t on may seem trifling aid in-Iced-tIle r:ts are of little value here—and ill .-en 1;ng them as help across the water to the wounded their very poverty here may cause us to forget how useful and priceless they ar on the battlefield. Mrs Hall wrote to the French Minister and to Count Bismarck, offering them the bandages contributed. From the former no answer has been received, and Count Bismarck has gladly accepted the aid. Mrs Hall has issued an appeal to the public, in which sh e savs Mr Garner, of 45, Strand (opposite the Charing-Cross Station), has gratuitously placed one 0" his warehouse-rooms at my disposal to serve as a depot for the collection, and I have arranged to send collecting vans round to tti(t houses of any contributor- who may write to m., to say that they have some few rugs, no matte: how sljg- it a quantity, tor the service "f charity. TMO railway carriage anl all expenses wilt be cheeriuily paid at the depot on any contributions from the country addre-se 1 to iilis CullmsOn Hall, ca- e "L.\Ir G.trd ier, 453, Strand."

I WAR:—CAUSE AND EFFECT. The London correspondent of the Birmingham Post gives the following interesting account of the principal events preceding the present war, tracing the relations to the points at issue. The Danish war was a turning point in the his- tory of Prussia and Fratice. So entirely was the popular feeling of England on the side of Den- 'I J'I .10 1 1 1 I t* marK tuat II we nan Deen tola that the spoliation ot our Danish ally would in no long time bring tin Frencii into cmflict with the Prussians, we should have hailed the war as the act of a righteous and avenging providence, and our sympathies would cer- tainly not have been wita the despoilers of Denmark. I happened to hear Lord Palmerston make that celebrated speech in the House of Commons in which he said, that in the event of a war Denmar k would not find herself alone. This declaration of the Prime Minister of England jllstifieil the Danish King in believing that England and France would interfere to p -event ths violation of the Treaty o' London, of 1852, which secured to the Danish Crown all the dominions that then belonged t,) it; France and Eit-Iltii i, with the other Great Powers, beinj parties to that Treaty. Lord Palmers on first, turned to France, aiiii if Nap deon had joined us in 1861-, we should in all probability have gone to war for Denmark. Franca declined, and as L n: n-mili- tary power it would have been absurd for Eneland to a-sume alone the championship of the Danish cause. Why did Napelesn refusi to cvopevate with Eng- land, ani did he act w.th his u-uial foresight in holding aloof ? Exactly two years before the lament* able death of M. Prevost-Paradol, at Washington, he contributed an urt cle to the Joitrna.l tin Deb,its, in which he pointed out that war with Pms-ia was inevitable. It was ci>nc:ud<d thus: France wi:l pav for her chddren's blood if she succeed, with her children's blood if she suezecit. with her greatness— perhans her very existence—if she fail, for the series of faults committed since that fat il day when she Stoo l hy, and suffered the dismemberment of Den- mark to take place, in the hope of turning it to ac- count We did not believe in England that the Emperos- refused to ilrany the sword for D -nmark in order that he might the better turn her dismemberment to account. and in the absence of evidence I am dis- posed to acquit him of this imputation. O' her onuses sufficiently accounted for h;s determination. We had, from motives of prudence, refused t., join France m a Jfolisn inrcrveuuon agunst Russian despotism, and we had also, p-rhans unne- cessarily, mortifi.-d his a)-inoit;- propre by sub- sequently declining his invitation to attend a Euro- pean Congress. So France stood aloof trom inter- vention in the Danish war. The English Premier, it was believed, would have gone to war singb- handed. but Lord Palmerston was outvoted in his own Cabinet. After a gallant but hopeless struggle, Denmark wAs forced to surrender Schleswig-Hol- stein and Luxemburg, and to pay a portion of the expenses of the war. Looking back to this troubled perioi, and to the imminence of hostilities,, our countrymen will feel inc'ined to thank Heaven hat England kept out of that war. Frenchmen may think differently, and may wish that the Emperor bad availed himself of the help of England to break the power of Prussia Germany at that moment was not so united, nor was Prussia so well prepared for war. I- r.iin-e, too, would not then have bc"n,. avow-dlv at least, fight- in for the Rhine. England would have blockaded every Prussian port, and many hundreds of our brave soldiers would have found Danish graves. The war would have left us many millions the poorer in the w iy of treasure, and would not have added an inch to our territory. Whether France would have been a gainer can only now be conjectured. It is. however, almost certain that if Napoleon had joined us in 18d4 in a war against Prussia, he would not now be fighting for his life and crown against a united Germany. Why does not some nublicist write a book to show that, in this modern Europe of ours, when you have srone to war wit,h a Power and knocked it into a cocked hat, yau are sure to regret it before lonsr, and to need its alliance against some other Power r At Navarino we destroyed the Turkish fleet, which was never replaced, and hence we had tj find a fleet for the Porte when Russia had designs upon Con stantinople, France assisted England to break the power of Russia in 1855, or both Powers migiithave had her help in preventing the dismemberment of Denmark. France went to war with Austria in 1859, gained two or three decisive victories over her in Italy, ruined her prestiga in Germany, overwhelmed her with debt. and immeasur- ably weakened her for that subsequent con- flic with Prussia which made the latter th" supreme military Power in Germany. France at the present emergency would allow Austria to carve out Central Eur)pe to her mind, if she would only bring 200,000 men to her aid. But Austria has been so beggared, discredited, and dispirited, mainly and in the first instance by hr war with France that she lia; no heart to set a division in the field. France has lived, then, to want the aid of both the Powers she has warred against—Austria and Russia. P 'rh ips if her own turn has cime, and the very ex- istence of her Great Empire is imperilled, Germany, before many years, mav need the alliance of a power- ful France against a Northern invader. Advice and moras t3 Powers about to go to war Don't. fhis is, however, a digression. L -t us pursue the cha;n of events, and see whether the piesent war is not strictly traceable to th' dismemberment of Den- mark. After the Danish w.ir, the Prussian Govern- ment were displeased by n. division of votes in the German Diet, and h g ui ;.> us-u ne a haughty tone towards the lesser G rnan S at.es, wlrcli boded ill for their independence. The Ga-tein Convention followed, in wiiica Austria and Pruss a divided Reoirrtpinca.ty the co-dominion exercised in the countries ceded by Denmark. The British aud French Government- were much displease 1 by this Gasteiu Convention. Lord Russell, then our Foreign Secretary, used very strong_lam;u;ige, declaring that the Convention was establi-hed on the sole basis of violence and conquest. M. Drouyn de Lhuvs. th;n Foreign Minister of France, nsp-It irony still more cutting. By the Gast";n Convention it was arranged that S'hleswig sh .nld be provisionally governed hy Prussia, while Holste n was fntrusted to the administration of Austria. The Prussian Govern- ment, however, in pursuance of the ambitious designs of Count Bismark, managed to secure the perma.nent control ot the port of Kiel, and of the cinal projected to unite the Noitli Sea to the Baltic Should tin arms of Germany prevail in this war, we -111,11 see the construct on of a German n .vy set about in earnest. At the time to whieii the brief narrative has now descended (1S65) Prussian influence was paramount in Germany. Austria was content to follow in the wake of Bismark, and Bavuria anl Saxony showe 1 their irriiation at the abdication by Austria of her pr.ip.'i- functions in Germany by recognising the kingdom of It aly, In 1866 the irntat:oa between the two great I German Pow -rs came to a head. Austria had, as it now appeared, unwillingly joined in the s izure of Schleswig and Hjistein to prevent Prussia from being looked up to as the exclusive champion of Germany against D-nmarlc. The two neighbouring Governments pursued different lines of policy in the two Duchies, and the proposals of Austria to submit matters to the arbitration of the Diet were steadily rej -tt-teil by Prussia, who thought the time had come for dissolving the German Comederatinn, and er ct. ing a united Germany, with the Hcuse of Houcu- zoll°rn at its head. The Hon e of Hap.-burg t qualh aspired to the leal ill Germ my, and Austria accord- ingly increased her armaments. Pru-sia assumed that this was a mennce a jainst herself, and made a secret treaty with Italy, hy which the latter Powr undertook to join Prussia ;n a war against Austria, upon condition that they should hare the Venetian mainlnn 1. By May the three powers were ready for war, and were looking auxiou -ly t.) Paris toa-certa n the intention of Nao-deon. His neutrality was in- dispensable to Peii,-A .-L, aiitl. one of Count Bisuiark greatest stroke' of genius wai in secarin,' his non- intervention without compromising himseif. He bai visite t Napoleon at Biarritz in the autumn of 1865. and t'viiiid thai the lOioperor bad a i. a'ous and covetous eye upon Rheinlaud. Little doubt need t;e entertained, that Bismark offered to connive at the annexation of Belgium, if France would stand by a id allow Prussia to settle matters with Austria. Napoleon did not wish to embroil himself with Eng- land, by seizing Belgium, and he indicated a preference for the cjal-fieli of Siarbruck, and the rectification of the n irth eastern frontier, which he formally dem uided after the war. Bismarck was much less reticent aud liberal in ids -or calne t,) !)(-?L k of tiie promises when th Emperor came tj speak of tue cession of (3erinaii territory, and he eft Biarritz without obtaining any distinct pr miise of trench neutrality. Still, he came away with a no le-is dis- tinct conviction that France would not interfere, at least at the beginning of the war, and that the safety Of Prussia hiy in adopting the _E npercr s o.vn advice t) an Italian General—Strike quickly, and strike har, Bismarck is emuienty a statesman who has the courage of his convictions," and ho felt so certain that France would not interfere, that he left the frontier of the Rhine totally un le- gended duriug the campaign, at a time, too, might easily have seized the Rhine provinces under one of the miiny pietexts known to diplomacy and war. C donel Hozicr, the author of the 11 Seven who had access to the highest sources of information at Berlin, asserts that Na- po'e m expected, like everyone else, that the content would he, if not favourable to Austria, certainly long anl doubtful. His intention accordingly w.is, at a certain stage of the war, to st-pupon the th-,atre of war, and demand from whichever side Le espoused the possess1 ou or the Rhine Provinces of Prussia. But B smarck had two gr at powers at his back--the military srenius of tIle" Mall in Spectacle and the needle gun, which was not slo w to show its sui e. iontv over ti;e muzzle-loading musket of Aiist, ia; and the long c ntest between La two great houses ended in a fortnight's cam- paign, and with One great battle. When the cam- paign ad thus ahruutly terminate.i, the Etnperor or the French, Colonel Ilozier says, wished to cla ta the price of his neutrality. Prussia, however. flushed with conquest, was then in a condition to enter on a campaign with France, whose troops were not armed with breech-loaders, nnd not one inch of German territory would Bismarck s rur- :ender, although he continued to point in the direction of Belgium as a safe field for French, aggrandisement. -1 N-ipoieou was stung to the qnieie, ano inz- meniat,ly set to work to re organise his army. H. iinmed :ttely proposed to embody in a reserve the entire class which had hitherto been liable only to the chanc > of c inscription. This would have givea him, it he had succeeded in carrying it, an army of 1,250,00;) in time of war, including a mobilised National Guard of 30 ',000 men. He also set to work to discover a breech-loading rifle, and before long armed his troops with the Chus-epot. Bis- marck watche,lall these military preparations witli full fore-knowledge. Von Roon, the Prussitatt Minister of War, has laboured incessantly to pe— feet the military organisation of Germany. Vora Moltlce has had four years in which to study and exhaust every strategical contingency which a war" with France co il 1 entail. And now the liismem- henncntot Denmark has, by the chain of event. pointed out, brou.'ht France and Piiissia into a d¡!lth.rug!!11) for .supremacy. M. Provost Farodol concluded the article (luot- d above by sli.YinL-r,- France and Prns-ia arc like two steam locomotives hurrying ugaiust eiich other at full speed on the same line ot rails. Alter many curves aud windings, the two trains mu-t inevitably iiieet-in,it n, als-i with how mmy loving and living hearts, with untold Wealth, an 1 with the fate of two great em- pires.

THE CROWN PRINCE OF PRU^IA AND THE MiWSPAPEtC CORRESPONDENTS. Among the French who fell into the hands of the Prussians after the battle of Woerth were two correspondent s of the Paris preiti M. Henri Ciiati)till;trt, of the F,g,t)-o, and M; Cardon, of the Gaulois. Kach of tnese geiitleiii, n lias publishttl all account of his a lventures. At Soulz they were brought in'o the pre-eucc o: the Crown Prince, and (lie interview is thus described by M, Cba- bridurt. :— "I confess I am very much embarrissed. If I draw a flattering portrait of the Prince it will be sai i thut I am sold to the Prussians if I draw am unfavourable picture of him to gratify any male- volent passion I shall be guilty of injustice and falsehood. I ain :t reporter, which means a kind of photograp1 her. I ha¡¡ therefore simply and truly I I I l rpi- :a e what i saw a..a wuac was moae wutp may be dissatisfied with my account mu-t deal with tlia Prince themselves. It is not my fault that be is human. Would to Heaven that all (ii rinans were like him but, unfortunately it is not 8". Prinoe Frederick William, heir to the Crown of Prussia, is a man of tall stature, thin, with a calm and placid countenance, but in the curve of his aquiline nose and his dilating nostrils there arc evidence of energy, while the rapidity of his gianne convinces you of his decision. A full filir beard softens the somewhat stern expression of his feature-. He has great simplicity of manner, and effects rattier a kind of bourgeois stile of speaking, thinking, and general behaviour. He was dressed in a binc;\ tunic with red collar and facings, without any embroidery or gold braid, upon the shoulder a small epault!t. t& indicate his rank, but no other distinguishing orna- ment. He wore a small black cap bordered with red, and the whole uniform, was severely simple. He speaks French with great purity, without foreign, accent beyond a slight German intonation and occ-tsiond hea-tition at certain words. Do yoit speak German, sir f said he to me. N,) prince, not ,.iufficiently.' *I am sorry for it, as otherwise you would have heard in what manner our troops speak of yours, and in what esteem they hold them.' 11 thilnk you very much for that opinion.' Oh, it is quite deserved. YVe have all admired the tenacity and the courage which have been evinced by even the humblest of your soldiers.' Then, with much delicate consideration, an" almost m lkiug excuses for mentioning the facts to us,. he told us they had. taken between 3000 and 4000 prisoners, 30 guns, six mitrailleuses, and two eagles. Among the prisoners,* said he, is General Raoult. I went this morning to see him at R uchshofen, where he lies wounded, his hip and thigh being brokea; I fear that he ist now (tying. He is a brave officer, and he has given me some addres-ias in Paris to which he wishes letters to be sent.' 'But, Prince,' I observed, the other prisoners have also families.' 'I h ive thought of that. I have h id them supplied with writing- materials the letters will be sent unsealed to our- consul at Geneva, who will forward them to France.* Prince, we thank you on behalf of the mothers whose grief you are about to assuage." I do not like war, gentlemea. If I should reign I would never make it. Now, despite my love ot peace, this is the third campaign that I have been compelled to make. I went over the battle-field yesterday. It was frightful. If it only depended upon myself this war would end here. It is your Ministers and the Empe- ror who would have it; it was not we who wanted it. And yet the Emperor has been very good to me and very kind to my wife. The last time that I saw him was at the Tuilerlies on the 12th of January, when he said to rue, You know that I have found a new minister.' That was this M. Ollivier, who now makes war against us.' It is terrible iudeed and I think your artillery is very formidable.' No, sir, it is not superior to yours, but we make different use of it from what you do, placing k more freely with the advauced posts. Your aim is very good— t"o good, indeed; for we have lost, I think, mo:e men than you have. I have regimeuts which have lost 29 or 30 officers. But we have taken prisoners, and that restores our a fvant.tge.' An enormona advantage, for you know well what you had before you yesterday.' Nearly 4(1,000 men, th" c'rps of Marshal Macmahon, and a division of the 7th corps. I did not intend to attack, wishing only to make a. reconnaissance in force, but one is not always able to put an end to a fight when once it has begun. It was fortunate for us on the whole, as he would. doubtless have received reiuforcements, and we should have had still harder work next day.* Prince, it seems to me that you are very wall informed concerning our army.' One must be so,* said he, smiling. But,' said I, wilfully committing" an eiror, 'it was your entire army wuich waa engaged, 250,000 men at least.' Not so many- 180,uOD men. They all fought well, but if the Bavarians had marched as well as our men we should have had it ail over by noon instead of fighting" alter sis o'clock. I should not give battle to your army unless I was superior in number; otherwise I would pre er to retire.' I o a have one great a ivan- Prince, in the precision of the movements of your troops. From the tower of Woerth we admired though with the grief caused by witnessing your suecess, the two flanking movements which yon effected u-)on on- position.' 'Tne hill-of Freisch- well-.r lire real fortifications, and I did not care to attuck th tili directly. By turning them I lost fewer men.' We arc very much obiged, P, iiiee, for the few minutes you have been pleased to devote to us, but we do not see with you the Duke of Cobourg, whom we desire to thank, for it was he who saved us yesterday, and, notwithstanding his many anxieties, he has not forgotten the promise which he made to speak to you about Ug.' I will perform your commission.' We now ask that we may be taken back to the aivanct-d posts.' I see no objection and then, having courteously saluted as, he withdrew." M. Emde Cardon gives a more brief account of the interview, in which he confirms the chief points in M. Chabrillart's statement. Buth gentle- men were subsequently taktn to the rear, and conveyed utid, r e,cort through Germany to Basle, where they were released, aud whence they subse- quently proceeded to Paris.

THE BLOCKADE IN THE BALTIC. HiMBUBG, SUNDAY.—ihe -Briti-h Consul re- ceived last night a despatch from the governor of Heligoland, announcing that the admiral of the French squadron had requeste d him to make known that a blockade henceforth exists, extending to the river., Eider, Elbe, Weser, and Jahde, and that neutral ves-el.3 will bi allowed ten days to leave G'rman ports, dating from the 15th ins ant. The iorsenhalle says that the governor of Heligoland refused to allow a piiot to take a French ship to Cuxhaven for a parley. The Timt-s Hamburg correspondent telegraphs that the declaration of the blockade of the German ports was made in con- sequence of the refusal of the governor of Helgo- land to furnish a pilot for a flag of truce. "I Le French squadron consists of eight ironclads aud three smaller vessels, either steam tenders or transports.

THE FRENCH FLEET IN THE NORTH SKA. GREAT GRIMSBY, TUESDAY EVENISG. -The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Jompauy's steamer Grimsby arrived here tli safter- n ion. She left Hamburg on Sunday afternoon, and passed through ships laden with stone aLd sand, for the purpose of block-.ding the Channel. In 1lw evening she cast anchor, as torpedoes have been laid duwn in the Elbe right and left. h weigbed. anchor again at half-jja-t three on Monday morning aud passed some Prussian gunboats at anehor, With, 'heir steam up. Shortly afterwards she passed another Prussian gunboat cruising, with armed marines on her deck, aud her topmasts down. Tha Grimsby next pus-el -mother Prussian gunboat steaming eastward. The commander was on her bridge, and she followed in the wake of the Grimsbv for some little distance. Off HehgoL n t the Grimsbv saw t -.e French fleet at anchor. Ir, comprised six imclads, a frigate, and a gunboat. They bad all iheir Steam up and their topmasts down, and were lying si* miles south-east of Heligoland. The French fleet had one prize steamer with them She appeared to be coal Iiden, prob,bi, from Sunder land, ?n Rurpogd to have belonged t? Ha?bin? owner. The Gnmsby next a? ? large ?ouS?d u? c!_?n? ? ??tl .termer. At tLe .? Xhe n?-.?d a barge and a brig at R.chnr. are supposed to have been prizes. A Fre..c r? .?Jd -?111)1)0se(I to lia ve 'oi-,en t?r.z i, A Prt??,c 4 ra,u pa,;sed el se to the Grim bY'4,tud :33!utc.l li?-r, the salule

DESPATCHES FROM MARSHAL BAZAINE. PAIIS, AUG. 17.—The Joumal Officielot to-day contains no fresh news. The Gaulvis says that tli t .Ministry of NV-ar received important despatches yesterday, but Marshal Bazaine bad recommended their being kept secret. The ftall/ois a ids thiit the despatches are of a lsa^nre to arouse great hopes.

EXPULSION OF GERMANS FROM FRANCE. I COLOGNE, August 16.—In consequence of the great number of Germans expelled from France, the North German Bund has issued orders to pro. vide those in need with the money required to defray their travelling expenses. The servants left in charge of the Hotel of the North German Embassy in Paris have also been expelled, and the United States Minister, who is charged to represent the interest of the Germans in Paris, has placed the houses in care of some Americans. STUTTGARDT, August 15. Th.) official Sta-it- zeinzeiger of to-day says :-The Russian Embassy at the Court of Vienna having made inquiries at the Russian Legation at Paris, has now telegraphed to Stuttgardt My Paris colleague has informed me that no general order of expulsion hils been issued against the Germans. Peaceful Germans wishing to remain in France have received authorisa- tion to do so."