THE WAR NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 724, 15 October 1870, Page 2

THE WAR NEWS.

EECOSD OP ENGAGEMENTS. CAPTURE OP SAAKBBUCKE. The first victory in the war between Erance and Prussia is claimed by the former Power. At eleven o'clock on August 2 the Erench troops advanced upon Saarbrucke, and two hours afterwards—that is, by one o'clock in the day—were masters of the place. They had eleven killed, including one officer. According to the official Erench accounts, the division of General Froissard was alone engaged in this encounter, and was opposed by three Prussian divisions. Eroin the official German account, it would seem that there was only one battalion of Prussian troops in the town, and that they retreated fighting. The Erench report states that the mitrailleuse produced an extraordinary eifect, and that the artillery officers are enthusiastic in its praise. A Prussian detachment, at a distance of 1600 metres (about a mile) is said to have been dispersed, leaving half its number on the ground. The Prussian official account states that at ten o'clock on the morning of August 2, the small detachment at Saarbrucke was attacked by three divisions of the French army, and a fire from 23 guns was opened upon the town. The Prussian detachment evacuated the heights of the drilling ground at noon, and the town at two p.m. A retrograde movement was then made to the next defences. The losses on the Prussian side are comparatively small. According to the statement of a prisoner, the Emperor Napoleon arrived on the grouud in front of Saarbrueke at eleven a.rn Eusilier Ki*aus, who killed the first Frenchman, has received thirty thalers —about five pounds—from Berlin. STORMIXG OF WEISSEXBURG. On August sth we were informed that a brilliant but bloody victory had been achieved by the army of the Crown Prince of Prussia on the 4th, under the eyes of his Hoyal Highness. The occasion was the storming of Weissenburg and of Geis Hill, in the rear of that town. The troops engaged on the German side were regiments of the Fifth and Eleventh Prussian Ariny Corps and Second Army Corps of Bavaria, and on the French side the Second Division of Marshal M'Mahon's corps d'armee, under General Abel Douay. The French were repulsed and dispersed, leaving behind their encampment. General Douay was killed, and over 800 unwounded prisoners, includinglSofficers and many Turcos, fell into the hands of the Prussians. One piece of artillery was also captured. On the German side General Kirkbach was grazed by a shot. The King's Grenadier Guards and the 50th Regiment suffered severely. The foregoing is the Prussian account. The French official account, which is brief, is as follows:—Three regiments of General Abel Douay's division and one brigade of light cavalry were attacked on August 4th, at Weissenburg, by very considerable forces, which had been massed in the woods bordering on the Lauter. The French troops resisted the assaults of the euemy for several hours, and then fell back upon the ridge of the Eigeonnier, which commands the line to Bitsche. General Douay (Abel) was killed, and one of our guns, of which the carriage was smashed and the horses killed, fell into the hands of the enemy. Marshal M'Mahon is concentrating the forces under his command in the vicinity. The Figaro gives, from private letters, an account of the Algerines at Weissenburg:—" They could never be brought to obey the call to retreat, and when taxed with not attending to it, would reply ' Retriie I quisqui ci ! macache sahir, macache oomprendir /' This heroic ignorance it was that caused 500 of them to be taken prisoners at Weissenburg. They hurled themselves upon the Prussians without thinking of what went on in their rear. They broke and massacred whatever was in their way. A regiment of the Royal Guard was turned and crushed by this human waterspout. The remainder of the division, crushed by the numerical superiority of its adversaries, was forced to yield ; the signal of retreat was sounded, but the Turcos, according to custom, took no heed of it. General Douay galloped up to warn them, but was struck by a ball, and fell mortally wounded. The ardour of the Turcos was doubled. They rushed upon another regiment, and, in a paroxysm of fury, inado a wide passage through the enemy's line of battle, which they went through at the pas de charge, producing an effect like a scythe attached to a locomotive. They were in the rear of the enemy. The chef de bataillon put his lorgnette to his eye. ' Hold where are our comrades ?' said he. He saw them marching at a distance, perceived his dangerous position, and tried to force a fresh passage to rejoin them. But what could 500 men do against 40,000? He was surrounded on all sides, and compelled to surrender with his brave detachment.'* THE BATTLE OP WOEB.TII. Following up his success at Weissenburg, the Crown Prince of Prussia continued his advance without encountering any serious resistance. As ho proceeded, if we aro to believe Prussian accounts, he passed French villages filled with wounded men, amongst whom was the colonel of the 50th Eegiment, forming part of the second division of the French corps d'armee. On arriving at Woorth, ke

came up with Marshal M'Mahou, when a terrific battle ensued, and the French were driven back to Bitsche. The Crown Prince, telegraphing at six o'clock on August 6th, said : —" In the victorious battle over M,Mahon, near Woerth, whose corps had been reinforced by divisions of General de Failly's and Marshal Canrobert's corps, two eagles, six mitrailleuses, and about thirty canuon were captured. The number of prisoners made by us is, on a first calculation, upwards of four thousand. General Bose is wounded. General Kirchbach commanded a corps. Heavy losses were sustained on both sides."

In the battle of "Woerth, M'Mahon had 50,000 men under his command. He lost 2,000, and it is stated, compromised the army by his impatience. The following from the Emperor Napoleon, dated Metz, August 7th, has been published:—"My communications with M'Mahon being interrupted, I had no news from him up to August 6th. It is General L'Aigle who announces to me that M'Mahon has lost a battle against considerable forces, and that he has retired in good order." SAARBRITcke BETAKEN, AND FOBBACH OCCUPIED BY THE PEUSSIANS. On August 5, the advanced guard of the Prussian columns had approached the Saar, and early next morning General Count Kaineeke encountered the enemy to the west of Saarbruck, in a strong position on the hills near Spichern. He immediately commenced the attack, aud upon the cannonading being heard detachments of the Barueckow and Stulpnagel divisions hurried to the spot. General von Goeben assumed the command, and, after a very sharp engagement, succeeded in carrying by storm the position occupied by the French corps under General Frossard. General von Francois and Colonel von Router were wounded. According to Goeben " Several hundred men of General Frossard's corps were made prisoners. The Prussians were opposed by four divisions of the French army, and the fighting did not terminate until dark. The enemy covered his retreat by a heavy artillery fire from Spichern. General Steinmetz arrived towards evening and assumed the command. General Francois fell. Our loss is great, especially in officers. The French left many dead." The following, dated Metz, August 7, has been received from the Emperor : —" In yesterday's engagement at Forbach (west of Saarbruck) only the third Army Corps was engaged, supported by two divisions of other corps. The corps of General Ladmirault, that of General Failly, and the Imperial guard did not take part in the fight. The engagement commenced at one o'clock, aud appeared unimportant, but soon numerous troops concealed in the woods endeavoured to turn the position. At five o'clock the Prussians appeared to be repulsed and to have abandoned the attack, but a fresh corps arriving from Werden on the Saar, obliged General Froissard to retreat. To-aay the troops which had found themselves divided are concencrated on Metz. In the battle which took place near Friesdwiller, Marshal M'Mahon had five divisions. The corps of General Failly was unable to join him. Only very vague details have been received. It is said that there were several charges of cavalry, but the Prussians had mitrailleuses, which caused us much harm."

An official despatch received from Metz, dated August Bth, announces that the army is concentrating to march upon the Vosges, and to defend the defiles. Marshal M'Mahon has fallen back to Saverne, on the road to Nancy. His losses in artillery were fearful. Generals Colson and Raoult were killed. Strasbourg, garrisoned by 18,000 men, prepares for a siege. The Emperor is still at Metz, but he is expected to retire, Avith his head-quaters, to Chalons. General Coffiniere organises the defence. The dams of the Moselle have been opened to surround the city with water. At Forbach thirteen regiments of the line and two battalions of Chasseurs were under Frossard, who suffered severely. Battle commenced at one. At six two Prussian divisions pushed on from St. Vandel, and decided the fate of the day. The defeat is irreparable. The enemy occupies St. Avoid and Forbach. At Forbach the losses on both sides were heavy. The French fought heroically. The 77th Eegiment was completely decimated. NEW WAB MISSILE. A most important and interesting trial of a sea torpedo was made on July 25, in the offing at Plymouth. The Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir IT. Codrington, K.C.8., Captain the Hon. F. A. Foley, Captain Jones, Captain Napier, Commander Harvey (the inventor) and other naval authorities were present on board the gunboat Pigeon. Several attacks were also mode on the turret-ship, Prince Albert in every conceivable direction, and in almost every instance with complete success, as the capsule was found to be pierced after every contact, showing that, had the torpedoes been loaded with an explosive compound, the destruction of the vessels must have ensued. The trial, although quite sufficient to show the principle and accuracy of this formidable weapon, would have displayed its precision more prominently had the towing been performed by a faster vessol than the Pigeon, which steams only six^knots, whereas it should be a speed of eleven knots at least to insure

good steerage to the torpedo and its sharp contact with the opposing vessel. The Commander-in-Chief and other officers went on board the turret-ship Prince Albert during a great part of the time, so as to witness the approach of the torpedo from this point of view. A number of men in the chief engineer's department at Chatham Dockyard have commenced working overtime at night for the purpose of preparing torpedoes. A contemporary has been told, on the best authority, tbat on Captain Harvey finding the . Admiralty disinclined to purchase the* secret of and proprietary rights in his torpedoes, he made offers to Eussia. The Government of that country, fully alive to the value of Captain Harvey's invention, purchased the secret directions for placing and working these torpedoes, and 100 of the torpedoes themselves. These 100 torpedoes have actually left for Eussia.