Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOLUME IX.-NUMBER 1360. CHARLESTON, MONDAY MORNING, MAY 2, 1870. SIX DOLLARS A YEAR. MIDNIGHT DISPATCHES. THE FRENCH RETREAT. METZ AND NANCY ? EVACUATED. THE PRUSSIANS OCCUBY NANCY. BAZAINE CONCENTRATING AT TOI L. THE^FRENQH FLEET IN THE BALTIC. TUE PLEA OP. THU JO VENAL OFFICIEL. The FimclL-Retreating. LON*DON, August, 14. The French are retreating. They hive re? tired from Metz and .Nancy, and the -Prussians occupy the latter, place. Efforts OH a colossal scale are in progress for the defence of i Paris. The fortifications around the city are becoming Immense, and the work of completing them ls being pushed with great-energy. .The railroads approaching Paris have been cut, but drawbridges have been placed over the cuts to allow the passage of friendly trains. Th? JUal Situation of Affaira. ?LANDON*, August 14. Advices 'tram Metz -state that the-French army has been withdrawn to the west back of the Moselle. Marshal. McMahon ls at Toni, twelve miles west .of Nancy. The evacuation pf Metz is considered certain. The Prussians count on starring out the de? fenders of Strasbourg, without recourse-to bombardment. A dispatch from yancy via .Berlin, dated .'Saturday night, says that a French battalion : mo ving towards Mets was encountered in the. .morning on the : railway near Pon?a Mo ass au,. and retreated, leaving its baggage trains in' the .hands of the Prussians. The Prussians have occupied Nancy, which has been evacuated by che French. The Prussian cavalry have destroyed a por? tion of .the railway between fouard and Paris, .cutting-off supplies and forage ?>r the French troops. Later. The Emperor Napoleon's retreat from Metz ie fully confirmed. From Cuxhaven it is stated that nine French iron-dads and avisos are in the offing. The french Admiral Bouet ls off Kiehl. The French deny that they committed any viola? tion of the Protocol of Geneva, in neglecting the wounded soldiers. The French Account. PARIS, August 14. j There is nothing new from the headquarters ( of the army.' T?l?graphie communication was , interrupted yesterday between Paris and Nancy. Last night the authorities, at Toni sent a dis? patch to Paris stating that Nancy had been occupied by a detachment of Prussians. The newsjs confirmed this morning. The Late it. WASHINGTON, August 14-Midnight. I An immense masa, of cable .dispatches are i coming in. The French have certainly evacu- i ated Metz and Nancy, and are crossing the: . Moselle to the fortress of Tool. * Tue French destroyed a fine bridge of seven arches. Large quantities of stores were cap? tured by the Prussians. Fighting was confined to the outposts. The headquarters Ol the united armies of Frederick Charles and General Steinmetz are at Henry, twenty miles from Metz., Latest from Parle. * . PARIS, August 14. The Journal Officiel contains the following intelligence, which, it Ls authorized to give to the public: At the beginning of the war-with Prussia, the Emperor received an address from the principal chieftains of Algeria, who asked that they might be permitted to march and fight by the side of our troops, and to open a subscrip? tion for the sufferers of the war. The Empress Regent has commuted and re? duced the sentence ol 1641 convicts, .now con? fined Jn France and beyond the sea. This im? perial; clemency applies especially in cases of uniform good conduct. One of the public journals having still pre? sumed to doubt that real work is going on for the armament and defence ol Paris, although lt may be an act of treason to speak thus in - the face of the enemy, such Insinuations im? pose the necessity of a reply, notwithstanding the danger involved. All material necessary for the armament of Paris is in the city. More than. 600 cannon are already mounted on the walls of those forts which are likely to be first threatened, and the work of placing the other pieces in position continues without interruption day and night. Yester? day 7500 workmen were engaged in cutting off the streets leading into Paris. This work has been completed, and nothing remains but to close the openings in the walls, and to place the drawbridges in position. Thousands of laborers occupy the outside of the walls on earthworks, mines, ditches, .A-c., which are to complete the network of fortifi? cation? around the capital. These facts and figures we are obliged to give, in order to re? ply to perfidious insinuations and to restore The corrtflence of our good citizens. If such questions should be renewed, their authors will have to answer for their conduct before a council of war, to be subject to all the conse? quences of the law; for there are hours now, more than ever, when justice cannot be per? mitted to sleep. The public opinion of Europe does -justice to the heroic courage ol our sold? iers, and the energy with which the whole na? tion rises as one man, prepared to repair unex? pected reverses. Our enemies counted on party divisions, which would have been treason to the national cause. The patriotism of the Chambers and the country has disap? pointed their calculation. In the Corps L?gis? latif. Bight and Left rival each other in eager? ness to push preparations to the last limit of vigor and a spirit of devotion to France. The new ministry finds that it has the active and cordial co-operation of the country's represen? tatives. The session of the 10th of August will distinguish that day as among the most noble in our parliamentary annals. Never has the nation acted under the inspiration of sentiments more elevated. Tills altitude of the Chambers ls both encouragement and recompense for the troops. The soldiers feel that the whole nation ls behind them, and that the hour approaches when the enemy will be chased from the land. A review o? the diplomatic, situation shows how efficacious havifbeeffthe efforts to place on a good foot? ing our relations with foreign powers on every point which touches the present crisis. At tiie beginning of the contest Bismarck sought to accomplish the following objects: 1. To awaken against us the susceptibilities of . England on the Belgian Question; 2 To cement an alliance between Prussia and Russia, 3. To embroil us with Spain through the Hohenzollern aflhir. 4. To alienate Italy from us on the Roman question. This entire combination has failed.. England, fully as? sured by our declaration o? sincerity, has just j signed with us a treaty which is as valuable to I ns as it Is to Belgium, and renders secure our northern frontier. * WASHINGTON ITEMS. WASHINGTON, August 13. Revenue $611,000. Treasurer Spinner-ls'sick. Belknap has gone for six weeks. The Treasury holds in gold $103,000,000, and currency $40,000,000. Robeson has gone Xor -several weeks, Com? modore Case acting in the meantime. There hare been a great many seizures of tobacco, particularly in the South, under the new circular of the Revenue Department de? fining irregularities in traffic, which give ground for confiscation, fines and penalties. Gerolt has notified Fish that the buoys of Western Ems have been displaced and bracon lights on Ems extinguished, as well as those at the months of the rivers Jade, Weser and Elbe; also, the entrance ol the harbor of Kell obstructed. THE WAE IN CUE A. HAVANA, August 13. Official correspondence from De Rodas with the home government states that ten thou? sand reinforcements are required to make the Spanish army as strong as last year. The loss, however, Includes five thousand, whose terms expired. The Insurgent ?olareas has been captured and executed. The insurgent General Castel? lanos, who surrendered at Puerto Principe, arrived at Havana and reports that Agramonte ha3 forested Generals Fortune Ortega and Rodrigues for attempting to surrender. NOETH CAROLINA AFFAIRA. RALEIGH, August 13. It is asserted, on what is considered good authority, that Holden will surrender the pris? oners held by his order at Yanceyville to Judge Brooks, at Salisbury, on Thursday. It-is understood an injunction will be taken out restraining the treasurer from paying Hol den'SrfState troops. NORFOLK, VA., August 13. One hundred guns were fired in the streets, and many business houses and private resi? dences are illuminated to-night, in honor of the Conservative victory in the late North Carolina ?lection. A congratulatory meeting of citizens is now being held. Kader Biggs, a former J resident of North Carolina, is chairman, speeches were made by Mayor Whitehead, Colonel Wm. Lamb, president of the Board ol Trade, Colonel T. Stark, Hon. Wm. H. Smith md Colonel J. W. Hilton, formerly ol North Carolina. '_ SURGEONS FOR PRUSSIA. NEW YOBS, Augusts Twenty-one surgeons, mostly Germans, aave left this city for rjervice In the Prus? sian army since the opening of the war, re? ceiving their expenses, and the rank and pay of second lieutenant on arrival. The Prus? sian authorities have telegraphed that they object receiving surgeons who do not 6peak German; also that the army and hospitals have nurses In abundance. SPARKS FROM THE WIRES. The funeral o? B. B. French, the eminent Mason, took place In Washington yesterday, and was the largest ever Been In that city. The Masons, both of the Scotch and York rites, at? tended. Admiral Farragut is dead. Fifty German sailors have left New York for the seat of war. It ls announced that the Orangemen of New York will soon hold .a picnic outside of the Metropolitan District, and will be prepared to resist attack. The San Francisco printers have yielded, and established the rate of composition-day, sixty cents per thousand, and night sixty-five cents, and members of the union allowed to work with printers not affiliated with the union. The Archbishop of Buenos Ayres died in Rome. The Board of Health orders all vessels ar? riving from Philadelphia at Norfolk, Va., to be quarantined for five days. The 8lamese Twins arrived on Saturday from Liverpool. Chang ls attacked with para? lysis. Eng feels no symptoms. - Holland has sent twelve hund/ed volun? teers to Rome. Cholera prevails in the Black Sea ports, and vessels thence are quarantined. A number of desperate affrays occurred at Londonderry at the Orange celebration. The riot act was read. Forty persons were injured. SUCCESS OF CHINESE LABOR. Fifty More Coolies for North Adams, Classa thu KC tts. The Springfield Republican, of the 0th Inst., has the following: Mr. Sampson, of North Adams, is so well pleased with the result of his introduction of Chinese labor Into his shoe fatory, that he will, within a few weeks, 6end for fifty more work? men from California. Of the seventy-two Chinamen he has now at work, all but four or five are doing flnelv; the Imcomptent ones he will send back to San Francisco. These Ori? entals continue peaceable, industrious, quiet and eager to Jearn, and in every re? spect pleasingly contrast the other for? eigners who, under the Crispin organization, have almost ruined Mr. Sampson's busi? ness In the last few years. There are now many who' can talk intelligible English who could not utter a word when they arrived here, and, save a few exceptions, they show a very accessible and teachable spirit. A Sunday school is carried on in the factory. The recent visit of two ot their countrymen. Ar Showe, the prosperous Boston tea merchant, and an? other in the same business at Cambridge, was very beneficial to them. The merchants ar? rived on a Saturday and spent Sunday with them, explained to them the character ami condition ol' the Crispin Order, their own posi? tion, their duties and prospects, and left them quite enlightened and still cheerful. Ar Showe. by the way, has married an American wife and permanently settled here. It should be men? tioned, as a commentary on the ignorant Cris? pin cry about "taking the bread from our children's mouths to feed aliens,'' that there are now more laborers employed in the shoe business In North Adams, exclusive ol' the Chi? nese, than before the strike. Last Thursday, the 14th instant, Coroner Munnerlyn held an inquest over the body ot Elizabeth RobinsoD, a colored woman, at Campfield plantation, on Black River. The verdict of the jury was that said woman came to her death by Wows Inflicted by one Rose Stewart. THE FRENCH. UPRISING VOLUNTEERS POURING TO THE FRONT. THE FATAL BLUNDER AT WOURTH. STRASBOURG ARMED AND READY. THE PRUSSIAN TROPHIES. PROCLAMATION OF KING WILLIAM ITO THE FRENCH PEOPLE. The Defence of Strasbourg-Making Ready for the Fight. PARIB, August 13. A proclamation ol the Prefect of Strasbourg says: "Reports calculated to create uneasiness are circulated. Some have dared to express the belief that Strasbourg will surrender with? out a blow. The ramparts are armed with 400 cannon and the garrison is large, and France will defend Strasbourg as long as a man ls left. Let good citizens be reassured, and let the evil-disposed tremble." * General Trochu has assumed command at Chalons. General Canrobert replaces Bara guay D'Hilliers in command of the army of Parie. There has been no fighting before Metz. On Tuesday the Emperor reconnoitered the ene? my's position In the woods between St, Avoid and Forbach. The "Reds" and the War. PARIS, August 13. A decree was published this morning nam? ing Bazaine as commander of the Second, Third anJ Fourth Corps of the Army of the Rhine; Trochu of the corps being formed at Chalons from new levies, and Genera! Alvry of the corps being formed at Paris. In the Corps L?gislatif Deputy Gambetta read a communication from the citizens of Paris, thanking the deputies and urging them to push the armament of Paris and call out the reserves. The ministry said a large number of men would soon join the army. Gambetta thanked the ministry .u the name of the country. The ministry asked leave to depart, having much business, and retired amid the applause ol the Chambers. 1 Official dispatches from Metz, say the Empe- . ror visited the camps. The troops are In flue condition. t . ? The Prince Imperial Canard. 1 BR?SSELS, August 13. Adrices from Metz reiterate tho disappear? ing of the Prince Imperial lrom France. It is reported, on excellent authority, that ?ggenie has made preparations to go to Eng? ine! via Belgium, in case of necessity. The tone of the French papers is hopeful and e6olute. ! The Battle of Wourth-Opinions and j Comments of the London Press. LONDON, August 13. '?a abstract of McMahon's report of the bat le of Wourth, or Froschweller, says, on the ;th, the enemy attacked the heights of Guers- } lori, opening with cannon and rifled. The , ittack was so violent that at fir3t a division vas compelled to change their front. Soon j he Prussians made a feint from the right bank \t the Saar, followed at noon by a renewal of j he attack on the right wing. A charge of avalry and infantry failed to dislodge the j ,'nemy, and, at 4 o'clock, the French right was ?roken, and a retreat upon Saverno and Neid- ' ?rbrun became a necessity. The Saturday Review reirains from specula- ' lons on the war, because, lt says, a lew days nust determine the fate of France and the Em- ' lire. Probably the army will take matters iu 1 ts own hands, choose a leader and fight out 1 he war. . The Spectator thinks the next battle must 1 lecide the fate of the Empire. a3 I he popular alta in the Emperor is vanishing. The Post, contradicting the evening papers )f yesterday, asserts that the Prince Imperia B with the Emperor. The Prussians hold Phillipsburg and the ad oining passages of the Vosges. The garrison of Bitsche consisted of 300 of :he Garde Mobile. The Prussian cavalry are before Luneville. Advices through Prussian channels from St. Avoid to the 12th inst, state that the Prussians have taken 7000 prisoners. The Saarbr?cken fight was more demoraliz? ing to the French than has been supposed. The Prussians found arms and equipments on the road worth 100,000 florins, or about 530,000. The Times says : "In a fortnight the Em? peror has more perfectly undermined his throne than his enemies in a score of years. Reassured by the plebiscite, he has thrown away the votes of the people and his dynasty." The Shipping Gazette states that, in the view of those whose opinion deserves respect, the war ls virtually closed. The Fatal Blunder. METZ. August 13-9:30 A. M. All ls quiet; there is no news at general headquarters. Failly was directed to move on Limback; he found Karsback in the telegram as receiv? ed: hence McMahon's supports failed, and the battle was lost. Arming the Volunteers. PARIS, August 13. Volunteers are coming forward in large numbers. Orders have, been issued calling the lull Guard Mobile into service. Martial law is proclaimed in the Departments o? Bouches de Rhine. No Fighting before Metz-Proclamation by the King of Prussia. NEW YORK, August 13. There is little news of importance. The cable dispatches are full ol' minor details. There has been no fighting before Metz. The French claim that Strasbourg is amply armed and garrisoned for a long siege. The King of Prussia has issued a proclama? tion abolishing military conscription on French territory occupied by him, and an? nouncing that he will not retaliate for the ex? pulsion of Germans from France. Seventy thousand French reinforcements have gone to the front, and volunteers and re? cruits are pouring Into Paris. The generals are busily organizing two new corps afCha lons and Paris, General Changarnler has been appointed commandant of Metz. A London dispatch to the New York Herald says the French Embassy had news of fighting to-day at Metz, and that the French made at? tacks, but no such reports hud been received at London from correspondents In Paris or through the usual press channels. Pfalsburg, the key of the Vosges, surrender? ed to the Prussians. Ali Unsuccessful Reconnolssance. METZ, August 13-Evening. A body of the enemy attacked General Frols .sard, on the Paris and Strasbourg Railroad, this morning, but were driven off. The enemy's couriers and a small body of cavalry penetrated far into the country, but In vain. The enemy is not moving. METZ, August 13-10 o'clock. All quiet. No news at general headquarters. Facts and Rumors. Lox? ON, August 13/ Late advices report the French army west of the Moselle and still retreating. The Prussian advance captures vast stores. A dispatch from Constantinople sayB a num? ber of Frenchmen have left for the war. The Prussian and French lron-clads are in close proximity near the mouth of the Elbe. The Prussians have cut communication be? tween Metz and Strasbourg. It is stated that Prince d'Auvergne de? clines the foreign ministry. The seat of war is now between the riverB Saar and Moselle. Proclamation ot the King of Prussia to the French.. LONDON, August ll. The King of Prussia has issued the following proclamation to the French: We, William, King of Prussia, make known to all Inhabitants of French territory occupied by Germen torces that the Emperor Napoleon, having, by sea and land, attacked the German nation, eager to live in peuce with the French people, have taken command of our German annies to repel aggression, and by military events have been led to pass the French fron? tiers. We war against soldiers, not citizens. There? fore the latter may continue secure in person and property so long as they abstain from hos? tile acts', and we grant them protection as a matter of right. Generals commanding corps will deckle what measures are necessary by the usages of war. They will also regulate requisitions necessary to sustain their troops and fix the the difference of exchange between German nnd French currencies in order to facilitate dealings between soldiers and citizens. WILLIAM. Given at Saarbr?cken, August ll, 1870. The Cause of the Troubles la th?: Corps L?gislatif. Panta, August 13. Tho recent stormy scenes in the Corps L?gis? latif, which culminated In the downfall ot the ministry, grew out of the introduction of the following proposition: Inasmuch as the Incapacity ot the Chief of Stnte has brought France Into peril and caused the loss ot two great battles In spite of the heroic valor of our soldiers : First. A committee ol national defence is constituted in the national assembly, composed ol' fifteen members. Second. Until further order this committee shall be placed over all existing authority. Third. It snail summon all citizens to arms. Fourth. Every act tending to obstruct the acts of tlie committee shall be considered as srinies against the nation. THE MILITARY SITUATION. An Interesting Review. A telegram from Mr. Frederick Gnlllardet to nur able contemporary, the Courrier des Etats Unis, furnishes the first indication of the losses if the French array in the battles of last week, i Mr. Galllardet says that the relics of the First ind the Seventh Corps under McMahon will j remain at Saverne for the present, and that 1 they are now about fifty thousand strong. As 1 these two corps were nominally a hundred ' thousand strong and contained at least ninety ; thousand fighting men before the battle of last i Saturday, the amount of their losses in that j fight, in killed, wounded and prisoners must , have been at least forty thousand. That ellis i figure is not exaggerated also appears from j the care of the French authorities in keeping . secret the official returns. Had the losses not i ieen very large, they would certainly have jeen published by the government. Ol the ? osses of Frolssard's corps, which was routed at t Saarbr?cken at the same time that McMahon 1 ?vas crushed at Hagenau, Mr. Galllardet affords j no Indication; but as they fought obstinately i ill day and retreated in comparative order at ( nightiall, they must have been less than Mac- ( Million's, though still considerable, say from t twelve to twenty thousand. < Mr. Gaillardet gives a much more favorable J picture of the present condition and resources ; of the French army than has been gathered . from other sources. Acording to him, the re- J mains of Frolssard's corps are already assem- < bled under the walls of Metz, and the corps of ? de Fullly, which he says hus not yet been en- ] gaged, ?s also in the same entrenched camp. Tlie Third Corps, hitherto under the command . of Marshal Bazaine, but now under General de , Caen, is there likewise; making, as we are J told, one hundred and fifty thousand fighting men at that place. In echelon, between Metz , and Nancy, ile the Eighth Corps and the Impe? rial Guard, under Bourbaki: while the Fourth Corps, under L'Aduilrault, is mainly nt Nancy. The Sixth Corps, likewise flfty thousand strong, commanded by Marshal Canrobert, has. Mr. Gaillardet says, , also arrived Irom Chalons upon the theatre of ? hostilities. This makes in all. according to j hhj estimate, three hundred and flfty thousand veterans already in Lorraine, without count? ing the Garde Mobile. These numbers are j probably somewhat exaggerated; but lt is safe to presume that, alter deducting the guards of railroad stations, forage trains, local garrisons, , and all the many drafts which are made upon the effective force of an nrmy in active cum- ' palgn, the French coinmauder-in-clilef will be : able to bring Into the field for fighting near I Metz, anv day within the next week, a bely of , two hundred anti ility thousand men. Against this loree, what ls the strength ol' the Prussians ? Leaving out of view the imagi? native figures, none of them official, which have reached us, the fact most significant as to the numbers under the command of General Von Moltke is that he has boldly made his campaign thus far willi three columns so far apart Irom each other that neither could march to the other's assistance, in the case of an overwhelming attack Irom the enemy. No general of sense could venture upon such a movement In the face ot such an army as the French with less than one hundred thousand men In each of his columns. The French re? port I hat the army under the Crown Prince Frederick William, which defeated McMahon at Hagenau, consisted of one hundred and fortv thousand men; and If we take one hun? dred thousand as the ofigiual effective force of McMahon's command, it is not improbable that the Crown Prince may have brought as iarge a number as this to tlie at? tack. That the Prussians have out-generaled the French ls unquestionable; and lt ls always the part of good generalship to attack with a superior loree. Assuming, then, that after the losses ol battle the Crown Prince has still one hundred nnd twentv-five thousand men; and thal Von Steinmetz, who commands the Prus? sian centre and why defeated Frolssard nt Saarbr?cken, has one hundred thousand men; and that the Prussian left, under Prince Fred? erick diaries, is equally strong, we shall have as the aggregate of these tliiee coluavis, when concentrated l'or a battle near Metz, three hun? dred and twentv-five thousand men. Win this loree be sufficient to assail, with a reason? able probability ol success, a position like the great intrenched camp where the main body of the French army is now posted. In num? bers the Prussians are evidently the stronger; but tile advantage ol'position and the Intreuch raents ol' the Frenen more than outweigh this excess. But here again the question is not ol num? bers or of position so much as Of brains. The generalship ol' the Prussians has hitherto been immen sely superior to that of their antagon? ists: but it is a question whether that superi? ority will continue to be manifested. lin; Freuen have a new commander, not hitherto suppered to be a great soldier, but cautious and respectable. They certainly cannot now be taken by surprise," as they evidently were both at Hagenau and at Saarbr?cken, lt is plainly their policy to act upon the defensive : and if they should adopt that great addition which the recent- American war made to military science-we mean the system of ex? temporaneous field intrenchments-they mav now avert the tide of Prussian victory, anil break at once, if not wholly repel, the advance of the Prussian invasion. THE PRUSSIAN "ON TO PARIS!" Explanation of thc Latest Movements of the Hostile Armies as Indicated by the Telegrams. Strasbourg, which Is said to be invested by a portion of the Prussian Army of the South, under the Crown Prince, is by far the most important of the series of fortresses along the left bank of the Rhine which constitute the first line of defence against German invasion irom the east. Its fall would, therefore, be equivalent to a breach as complete being made on this frontier as has already been done in the north. Should the news of an advance to Mulhouse be confirmed, It will be Important as opening a new line of advance to Paris, and as threatening the strong fortress of Belfort, which guands what ls practically the most ac? cessible avenue to the capital. An army advancing from Metz upon Paris must proceed at right angles to the direction of the mountains, rivers and valleys which He In Its course, or it must make long and tedious detours. At Mulhouse, on the other hand, the enemy place themselves on a route traversed by an Imperial highway and a railroad, and following first the course ot the River III, then that of the Doubs, and next crossing the open plain in front of Digon, emerging by the passes behind it into the upper extremity of the val? ley of the Seine, 190 miles southeast of Paris, from which point the road to the capital is guarded by no formidable position or line of defence. Mulhouse being situated near the extreme southern extremity of the Baden frontier, where it is Joined to Switzerland, it will be seen that should this movement be conformed, the entire extent ol the German frontier, from Sicrck. on the border of Luxem? bourg In the north, to H?ningen, opposite the Swiss town of Basle on the south, only awaits the reduction of Strasbourg to be in the undis? puted possession of the Prussian armies. So far as the positions of the Prussian troops are ascertained.bcyond any doubt the line along which they are at present posted may be best described* as starting from St. Avoid on the one side, and Strasbourg on the other, and de? scribing a curve bent outward toward the frontier. Or, let a straight line connecting Metz and Strasbourg represent the string of a bow, the advancing Prussian line will repre? sent the bow Itself, naving the positions which It occupies dotted over a curve of at least eighty miles long. The Important fact must be remembered that aline of railroad, not laid down on the older maps, follows the entire course of the curve we have Indicated, and that its chief stations are precisely those which the telegrams have indicated as being central points of the Prussian forces, viz: Hagenau. Nlederbr?m, Bitsche. Saaraguemines, Forbach and St. Avoid. The line upon which McMahon Is posted forms a curve of a nearly similar character directly opposite to the one occu? pied by the Prussians, add bent in the opposite direction, with Its termination at Nancy, Just as that of the other is at Metz. Strasbourg forms the starting point of both, so that Its Importance In affecting the French position on the Moselle, between Metz and Nancy, becomes correspondingly Increased. As against an army advancing from the eastern frontier, the . Vosges Mountains, run? ning parallel with the Rhine, constitute the second line of deience of French territory. In the centre of a valley formed by the nav? igable river Zorn, a tributary of the Rhine, and at a distance of twenty miles northwest of Strasbourg, Is situated the town of Saverne, at present Occupied by McMahon. It forms a station on the great railroad to Nancy, and :ommands the most accessible passage Into Lorraine. About five miles further on ls the fortified town of Pfalsburg. It is extremely iirobable that should the reduction of Straf? wurf prove as easy as is anticipated, an ad? vance against Saverne, with a view to a further ittack upon Nancy, (distant about forty-five niles.) where, in the event of defeat, McMa? hon would fall back to join the remains of his irmy with that of Canrobert, would be the lext movement of the Prussian Army of tue south under the Crown Prince. It is evident that the Prussian Army of the S?rth, under General Steinmetz, and the Cen ral Army, under Prince Frederick Charles, are >eing con centrated around Metz. It ls difficult ;o say whether the capture of this great fort ?ess would rank higher as a military achleve nent or as a decisively successful point in the jampaign. The army that are now encamped >utside~can he Inclosed within its walls, and tven If defeated and demoralized, will find hemselves in one of the strongest fortified ;amps in the world, with every available means )f defence ol which modern science ls capable. The place can be flooded by the waters of the Moselle In rive minutes, and there is also con? structed under the ground a series of casemated ihambers, whose uomb-proof coverings can rive shelter to the entire population. UETZ As? AN OBSTACLE TO A PRUSSIAN ADVANCE. Should the French army now concentrated n front ol Metz be defeated in a general en? rageaient, and fall back upon the Vosges .fountains, or should it voluntarily retire to he mountains, the road to Paris would be )pen to the Prussians. Before an advance :onld be made, it would be necessary to reduce Uetz. And just here the Germans would en-. :ounler their flr?t difficulty. Metz ls the itrongest fortress In France, and ls regarded is impregnable to anything but starvation or eoluntary surrender. In 1552, the Constable Montmorency gained possession of it by strat xgera. Charles V, Emperor of Germany, im? mediately after besieged it with an army of 100,000 men. At the end of ten months, he raised the siege and retired, having lost 30.000 3f his force in a fruitless contest. The present fortifications of Metz were planned by Vauban. It may be well to say here that the city is seated on the Moselle River, at tliejunctlon of a small stream called La Sellle. The population is nearly 70,000. The eily ls entirely surrounded by fortifica? tions, so constructed that thev can be defended by 10,000 men or by 100,000. Several forts, crossing each other's lire and sweeping the surrounding country for miles, are situated at Intervals around the place. One of the most Important of those is called Belle Croix, and Is regarded as a chef d'oeuvre of military con? struction. Next in strength comes La Double Couronne, an immense work, surrouuded by a triple ditch filled with water. In addition there ls the great redoubt of Le Pate, which can be converted into au island by closing the sluices on the Sellle. About three hundred guns ol' heavy calibre are mounted on these works. There are, besides, bastions and re? dans for light artillery. A fourth great fort is said to have beeu constructed quite recently, which, if true, adds greatly to the strength of the citv. lu fact, when it is borne in mind that to "reach the fortifications it will be neces? sary for an assailing force to cross two ditches, fifty feet wide by eighty deep, the impossibility of carrying Metz by storm will be perceived. Furthermore, the waters of the Seille can be raised i weutv-four feet, tlooding the surround? ing country so as to form a lake six miles in extent. Ordinarily the garrison of Metz numbers about 15.000 ui-?n.~ ifould the French army uncover Paris, we simp?se that a force ot 25, .)00 or 30.000 men. without including the Garde Mobile of the citv. would be left to defend it. And here, ?is wu said above, the troubles of the Prussians begin. Nothing short of treach? ery cowardice of starvation is likely to reduce ??tz. Twenty thousand men can defend it against any loree that can possibly be brought a""ain-t lt. Nevertheless if the Prussians push on to Paris, leaving it behind, and are defeated ina ?arnera! eu-ragement. they could only re? treat back to Germany by cutting their way throu di the garrison which would by this time lave sallied out to oppose them. It is true that Kiev could leave ti corps to watch the elly, but thi? would weaken the main army and expose tiis corps ol' observation to a sudden and dis? astrous defeat from the French. TH3 FRENCH CKNTRE ii at present located at Nancy, where the bulk Cf tue Imperial Guard and the greater part of rae Sixth Corps ls stationed, the whole com? manded by Marshal Canrobert. We have no ?.?ea what the strength of this force is, bul it cannot number less than sixty thousand men. Staudiug midway between Metz and Saveine, Canrobert ought to be in in a position to afford 1 Rid to either McMahon or Bazaine in two marches. Nancy is strongly fortified, and is capable of resisting a severe attack, but it is by no means Impregnable. The great advan? tage it possesses as a defensive position ls tlie large plain which surrounds lt. . An advancing enemy would have to move across an entirely open country exposed toa raking artillery fire. Nancy Is 220 miles from Paris. THE FRENCH RIGHT, or, to be particular, the right centre, the ex? treme right being at Belfori, is at Saverne, to which place Marshal McMahon retired after hfs defeat near Wourth on Saturday. Here he has his own corps, and near by is the corps under de FaUly, the whole numbering perhaps seventy thousand men. Saverne is situated I-on the east slope of the Vosges, and not far from the fortress of Pfalsburg, which stands on the rocks and commands the defiles of the mountains. McMahon is at present safe from any attack of the aimy commanded by the Crown Prince, and will probably be allowed to reorganize his loree unmolested. STRASBOURG BESIEGED. A dispatch from Carlsruhe announces that 60,000 German troops have surrounded Stras? bourg, and that as the garrison numbered only 7000 men, an early surrender is expected. This expectation will not be realized. Stras? bourg is, like Metz, one of the strongest for? tresses in Europe, and is regarded as absolute? ly impregnable. The fortifications, including the citadel of five bastions, extend to the Bhlne, and are of immense strength. Situated near the confluence of the little river 111 with the Rhine, the same arrangements for defence have been made as with the Seille at Metz. By means of large sluices, the whole country around Strasbourg can be laid under water, ex? cept on the side of the Porte des Mines, and there tne glacis ls mined. Six thousand men can hold Strasbourg against 50,000 men. The inhabitants of the city, who number 75,000, can unaided resist any force the Prussians can besiege them with. Such being the case, we have no idea that Strasbourg will surrender, and it ls absolutely necessary to the Prussians before they attempt an advance to the defiles of the Vosges Mountains. In fact, nothing could be more dangerous than to leave two such fortresses as Strasbourg and Metz In thc rear; while, should the Germans sit down be? fore them, they will enable thc French to or? ganize and drill one million of men In thc Inte? rior ol France. Various War Notes. From the special cable telegrams to the Northern papers we glean the following : At the battle of Froschville a corps of volun? teer su'geons, wearing white badges, as insti? tuted by the general convention, everywhere rendered most praise*ortby services. The Moniteur says that ? person worthy of | entire confidence, who bas arrived from Alsace, says that the Prussian losses in th? recent fighting is beyond computation. The Gaulois reports that Menotti Garibaldi is at Milan, where be is inciting popular de? monstrations against France, in order to pre? vent theFrsnch sympathies of the Italian gov? ernment from taking practical form. Aa American correspondent, wno was pres? ent at tbe battle of ff ourtb. telegraphs the fol? lowing from Carlsruhe : "The French official accounts of the battle of Wourth are wholly untrue. Marshal McMahon was compiotelv routed. The French abandoned everything and fled, leaving behind them their kilted, wounded and prisoners, numbering 20,000, out of 50,000 engaged. The French held a strong position, but the Prussians fired with terrible precision; the French very badly. Both sides fODsht desperately. Finally the Frenoh gave way in a panic." A physician returned from the front Bays that even the Prussians acknowledge the superiori? ty of the French guns. Nearly alLthe French soldiers are wounded in the legs and feet, while iu the battle of Wourth the loss of the Prussians in killed and wounded was immense, owing to tbe longer range of the chasBepots. These facts make a strong imp;e<?biou on che soldiers. The same gentleman say* the French wounded were taken by the Prussians into their ambu laooee and treated with the utmost care and kindness. The ambulance servie J of the ene-. my is perfectly organizad. The Moniteur gives the following accoun t of , the death of General Douay, at the battle of Weissen burg : "The General waa from tue be? ginning in the thickest of the fight. When he | saw that the day was lost, after be had done all be could to retrieve it, when even nota bat? talion was left him, he called his aids, one by one, gave them orders and sent them away, i As Boon as the last one was gone, the General, t spurring his horse, rode some distance to the a front, dismounted, and taking a pistol from the t hostler ehot the animal, and then turning c around slowly, he walked toward the enemy. ? His soldiers vainly tried to stop him. Amid c the terrible firing he deliberately walked on. 1 Tbe retreating soldiers, aroused by the s pec ta- I cle, turned again upon the enemy, but fell in 1 heaps around their general, who still pressed 1 forward. Another tremendous discharge from ( the enemy, and General Donay, almost alone, 1 fell dead." t The presence of Napoleon at the battle of Wourth ie positively reaffirmed. It is ?aid the Prussians have outnumbered the French io every engagement. The French { claim that at Weissenburg 8000 men charged ? 80,000 Prussians, with 120 guns, for four hours, f losing 4000, while the enemy lost 10,000; also ( that McMahon, at Froschweiler, bad only , 40,000 men against 90,000 Germans, yet the , French only yielded when 100,000 more Ger- , mans weie hurled upon them. The Crown Prince promises to release all j newspaper correspondents taken prisoners on , the field. The Revue des Deux Mondes (Orleanist) has a skilful article defending the attitude of France, and holding np Prussia to the execra? tion of mankind. The London Times says : "The pride of Franco is wounded and ber prestige dimmed. Who brought this on her must suffer for it. Victorious or discrowned is Napoleon's alterna? tive on tbe next battle-field." Prussian accounts say nothing atEoniggratz could parallel the destrnction of life at Wourth. The same a "fount Baye it ia believed that Na? poleon was on tbe field with McMahon. The war reports are obscure and unsatisfac tor v. Russell writes to the Times that he is wholly ignorant of the details of the battle of Wourth, but was impressed with the belief that it waa decisive aud important in its re? sults. The Duke of Chartres ba? asked permission to take service in the French army. He claims the privilege as a Frenchman who has learned something of the art of war in America and Italy. A Berlin correspondent of the London Times writes that England has declined to join Aus? tria in the league proposed bv Von Buest for guaranteeing belligerents against Io3s of terri? tory. England's reason for declining ie that the" league could not save tbe North German Confederacy in case Prussia should be defeated. A circular from the French minister of the interior requires tho prefects of the various departments to oncourago the formation of companies of the National Guards, volunteers nnd franctireurs, to take the field at once. Thev will receive arms as soon as possible, but in the meantime they will assemble at the chief towns of the departments to organiza and drill. They will be paid one franc per day from the date of enlistment. General Sheridan, of the American army, has left Berlin for the King's headquarters. Ba fore his departure for the seat of war, Generil Sheridan, accompanied by an adjutant, visited General Hokc-r.fal.lt, at tbe war office, where he was received witb the attentions with which ne bas been constantly honored since his arri? val in Germany. The Queen of Prussia announces that she willtak? personal charge of tbe wounded of both nations, and tint their treatment shall be identical. Fiencb prisoners, as they pass through the ?railway stations, receive nothing but kindness. Tuc citizens and volunteers give them refreshments, cigars, &c, and ladies enter tbe cars, and going from man to man, o<*er them pa per-a nd peucil and volnateer to ?rite to their friends for them. The Paris Pays publishes a letter from Charles Les Moulins, dated at Nancy, denounc? ing the Emperor's bad generalship. He Bays McMahon, gallantly struggling, was beaten for lack of support, though there were multitudes of armed Frenchmen at hand eager to save bim. Tbe passage of the Rhine was undefend? ed, the commissariat was utterly inadequate, and the soldiers were compelled to eat sour fruit and raw vegetables and take the conse? quences. Prussia to-day has Alsace; to-mor? row she will have Lorraine. The people are desperate. Soldiers believe themselves be? trayed and clamor for a leader. We learn that a colored woman was beaten to death by her husband on Monday night last, a few miles below Bennettsville. He has made his escape, and ls now at large. THE UP-COVXTItT. The Effect at thc Reform Meeting In . Union-Union County Solid for Re- ' form. The Union Times says that according to ap? pointment, Hon. It. B. Carpenter, a,nd General M. C. Butler, the Reform candidates for Gover? nor and Lieutenant Governor of the State, and? iron. T. Y. Simons, of the Charleston Courier,, addressed the citizens of Union on Friday, August 5th. Early lu the day our streets were crowded with people from the country, of both races, all eager to hear the truth regarding our public affairs. The Radicals, fearing that many of their colored followers might hear something that would shake their faith In the leaders of the party, got un a barbecue and decoyed hundreds ol colored people to it, thus verifying Tim. Hurley's statement that "the Radical party does hot appeal to the reason of the colored people, but to their pockets and bellies." Notwithstanding this artful dodge, about one hundred honest and manly freemen of that class attended the Reform meeting and listened to the home-truths uttered ' by the speakers, and lt was gratifying to notice the, smiles and nods of endorsement they gave. te-. the mighty truth was sent home to their hearts ? and consciences. There was but little ol that noisy ebullition - of feeling manifested by any of the vast assem? bly, which often charterizes such great gather? ings, but the countenance of each portrayed the deep and earnest conviction that lay deep in their honest hearts, and a settled determi? nation to work and labor at eveiy sacrifice to wrest the State from the reptiles who are now crawling on their bellies and gorging them* , selves with honest people's money. Although the speakers were much jaded by the Incessant travelling and speaking of the past two weeks, they spoke with an earnestr ness and eloquence commensurate with the vit? al importance of the great cause for which they are battling. In their charges against Individ? uals they made no hap-hazard remarks, but referred to page, day P.SCI date of the public re? cords, to which all who listened could reler. Never have we seen a more qufet, attentive and orderly assembly of people, and never have wc known political speeches leave so great and salutary impressions on an audience.. We see and hear their effects as we walk tho streets or converse with our citizens. The few colored persons who had the manliness to at? tend are anxiously inquiring for the truth. Already we hear many declare their determin? ation to leave the iniquitous party and Join with the true and honest of the State to re? form our government. We were pleased to hear the speakers Im? press upon the minds of our people the neces? sity for individual exertions, if they expected to defeat the. present corrupt Bing. Public speaking can do but little, unless every Indi? vidual recognizes the fact that he is part of the State, equally Interested in having an honest and economical government, and that he is equally responsible with every other man for the character of the government un? der which we live. Every man must be will? ing to sacrifice some time, money and labor for the cause of good government, If he ls a true son of South Carolina, and would defend the interests of the State, himself, and his children. The speakers are gone, but their speeches' linger In the thoughts and hearts of those who heard them, and their effects will be developed In an overwhelmincr majority In Union County for Reform, at the October election. The speakers addressed the people of Flsb Dam, but June Mobley "knewed" it would not clo to let the colored people hear them, so* he trumped up a League meeting about a mile from the stand, and coaxed the colored people not to listen to our speakers. How long will che colored people allow themselves to be kept in Ignorance by such political tricks ? Can't they see that Mobley and the rest of the lead? ers of their party aro "pulling the wool over their eyes," in order to make them vote to put Mobley and such men Into office ? We respect those colore;; men who refused to be hum? bugged by such hypocrites and acted as free? men should, by seeking Instruction from all source's. We have Intelligent colo ed men imong us. who cannot be pulled and hauled ibout by Mobley and his crer,. ruc Feeling in Horry-Only One Anti Reformer? The Horry News says : In all portions of this :ounty our people who favor Reform are signing in agreement pledging themselves to vote for io candidate to represent us In the Legislature, vho is not pledged to the Reform principles, md who has not been nominated by a conven lon of the Reform voters of this county. Near me hundred copies of this agreement, (which ire all to be deemed originals,) are now being ?irculated for signatures, and so far as we have leard of, but one white man, to whom lt has leen presented, objects or refuses io sign lt. rVe are safe in saying, that the names of not eas than one thousand voters, all pledged to ?st their votes as one man, will be represented n the nominating convention to be held at his place next salesday. V Voice from Laurens-No Neutral Ground. The Laurensvllle Herald says: The political ?ampalgn in this State between the Reform ind the Radical parties has begun. Each has . i leader that aspires to the chief magistracy, ind beside these leaders there is no other can late. The programme of the Reform party is .hat ol'economy, andan honest administra? ron in the affairs of the government. The irogramrao of the Radical party ls to be seen n the established facts of the past-common spoliation, and corruption in high places. *#?****# In the present election there can be no neu? tral ground. If we ave not for Carpenter, we are In effect against him. It matters not how the lact may oe concealed In wordy thun :ler, and shrouded with political cant, lt ls In? disputably true that every vote withheld from Carpenter aids in the election of Scott. Lancaster Speaks ?ut-Cheering News. The Lancaster Ledger says : The standard bearers of the Union Reform party are push? ing the work bravely. At every place where they have yet addressed the people, the great? est enthusiasm and Interest has been awak? ened. Hundreds of colored men In the up? country, where lt was expected to meet with the strongest opposition, nave rallied around the native whites in their effort to rescue the control of the State from the pack of worth? less adventurers and thieves. Old and youug, white and black, crowd arounc'. the speakers and manifest an Interest in the success of the movement. ****** For one time in vour life, colored citizens, act the part of freemen, and don't allow those white men, who have deserted their own color, and pretend to love you so much better than they love themselves, to entice you to stay away. The Reform party is a movement in the in? terest of every citizen who values good, honest and cheap government. The opposition of thieves, political tricksters, and those two faced white men who have joined the Leagues for office, is reasonably expected. But w.* do expect the honest, the Intelligent and the Christian part of the colored population to join us in this great and important move. Tue Progress of Reform in Barnwell. Tlie Journal says : We are glad to chronicle the lact that In our couuty the Reform move? ment Is meeting with some encouragement from our colored citizens. We are inclined to think that the better they understand the pur? poses and principles of the Reiorm party the more heartily will they co-operate with lt. At the various township meetings colored people have taken a prominent part, and they are be? ginning to see that they will be accorded as many rights with us as "the Radicals promise them. If our citizens, both white and colored, who are friends of Reform, will Improve the next few weeks, we predict that when Car? penter and Butler visit the county In Septem? ber the highest enthusiasm will be excited, and Barnwell will assure these gallant stand? ard bearers that she will not be behind hana in her duty to the dear old State. Some ol our best colored citizens ore already at work, ana we hope the Reform ranks may be sweuea everv dav until we shall outnumber the ene mies'of our State and crush them. Orangeburg Presses On. The News says' The movement means that the colored man's equality is admitted by the heart of this people, as it is graven upon their cuntes and written In their law. If we are in earnest, ii shall succeed. The Ring is not near as united as it was at the last election. The colored man ls not as much the slave of his partv, nor is he as bitterly opposed to this movement as te the old Democratic party. And there is brighter hope and stronger en? couragement lor the white man to turn out and vote solidly for Reform. Th.'se arp sub? stantial and real reasons why the Reform movement can succeed. It eau succeed. It will succeed if we are earnest.