SHIPPING.

PORT OF AUCKLAND

ARRIVALS

Ivanhoe, aehooficr, 70 tons, McGregor, from Mon gomd. Tnnranga, schooner. 00 tons. Moller, from Tauranga. Samson, p s.. Munrtlc, from Wangarei. Amateur, three-masted schooner, 180 tons. Hughes, from Lvttelton. City of Auckland, ship, 800 tons, W. Ashby, from London. Magellan Cloud, schooner, 170 tons, Mailler, from Rnv of Islands. .Mary Ann, cutter, 2-1 tons, from Awanui Xorth Cape.

The Government steamer Luna will leave the hnrhonr thi9 evening, for the East Coast.

The schooner Amnteur, Captain Hushes, arrived in harbour yesterday morning, with a full ca"(*o of grain. She left Lyttelton on the 27th uhimo, and experienced h«*ad winds during the greater part of the passage.

DEATH.

Windsor.—On December 10. °usanne, the beloved wife of Frederick Windsor, aged 44. The funeral will leave her late residence. Seafleld View Road, to day, at 2 p.m. friends will please accept this in vitation.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE

Mails will elosp n« under : — For "Rucgnil and Kawakawa, per Gazelle, this day, at 4 30 p.m. To- Wangarei, &c, per s.s. Go-Ahead, this day, at 4.80 p.m. por Th»me.9. Il'ifl rlay, at 5.30 p.m., and to morrow, at noon and 5.30. p.m. Io" ''""rs.nira »!tkl Onotiki, per p.s. Samson, to-mon-ow, at 11.30 a.m. For T»rniniki and the Southern provinces, per Air dale, imni' rtiat-el? after arrival of City of Melbourne, from Honolulu.

For Pvrlney and Australian colonies, per Cify

of Me'bourne. fit hrurs after her nrrival. Notice. —The mails for Otahuhii, Woodsido, Pnpfil-urn, »nd Drurv, di-patched hitherto from this office on Mondays, Wednesdays, nnd Vri'lays. fit 8 a.m., will on nnd after Mondfiv next, sth ins^nnt, be closed on the previous evening, at.7 30 o'clock, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 'he mails for the nbore places will be closed at 7 a.m. S. B. Bifs. Cbipf Postmaster.

The Evening Star. MON DAY, DECEMBER 12, 1870.

Those who take an interest in passing things may have casually noticed that a deputation waited on his Honor the Superintendent on last- Thursday, me morialising and protesting against the appointment of Major Keddell to the Wnidenship at the Thames. Those who devoted to the subject a passing sentiment would naturally conclude that this gentleman, wbo was so bereft of confidence on our gnldfleld, must be some disreputable person whose ante cedents and personal character had evoked a storm of indignation against his receiving such acommission as the charge of that goldfield. It is for the interpst of the public that the question affecting this appointment should be honestly ripped open and that the true causes of the agitation should be made public. Major Ked dell, and wc speak on the testimony of general public feeling, is a gentleman by birth, education, and character, exceedingly liked by those with whom he has come in contact, nnd of unim peachable honor. But Major Keddell^ unfortunately for him, was, when in a private capacity, an opponent of the late administration, the stench of the corruption of which is still in the nostrils of the province ; and Major Keddell, in opposition to his partners in business, was a supporter of the candidature of Mr. Gillies for th'o Superintendency. Had this gentleman at tho time been in the service of the province, and so com mitted lii.nßelf to political partizanship, as office was prostituted by others on the occasion ill support of Mr. Wil liamson, we should have advocated that he slwmlo, be excluded from the service of the province. But Major Keddell was. at the time in private life, and had a right to the untram melled exercise of his own political predilection:*, in the enjoyment of which rights he did not even go to that warmth of advocacy which is usual with gentlemen in his po sition, and . with the influence which he then possessed. But his failure on that occasion to satisfy the requirements of those whose interests lay in seeing, .provincial affairs be draggled in the dirt is not forgotten to nim now ', and, accordingly, a party at the Thames has organised an oppo sition which could only hope for sue cess from the.experiences of the politi cal corruption- to which New Zea lauders have been long habituated. A person with 'an outlandish name, but who is unknown to fame, has been deputed to present the memo rial to \het superintendent ; and we regret to see that the honorable tjiie Secretary for the Gold fields, Jkjr. Mitchell, has deemed it right to so far injure the position of the Ministry with which he has the honor to be. connected, as to lend a hand to the unworthy transaction by introducing the.deputation. We wish well to th? present' Executive, but we cannot help saying that if Mr. Mitchell

does not aspir'o to be the Jonah of the new administration, and necessitate Ida being . pitched overboard to lay the storm, he (should a little more con sult the interests of his colleagues. But a few days ago great noise was raised in the Couucil because an attempt wag made to prevent the scandalous scenes enacted by the servants of the province in times of political contest; and here is an at tempt to punish a man because when in private life he merely exercised the unquestionable rights of good citizen ship Mr. Gillies has noc abused his position in interfering with those who abused theirs to oppose his election; but it is counting rather too much on his indifferentism to hope that he will listen to the murmurings of a disappointed clique, whose bit terest wrongs are in ■ his own ele vation to the Superintendency.

The Reverend Chaplain of H.M.S. Galatea j performed Divine service at St. Paul's Church, yesterday morning, before a very large con gregation. Ward's Amateur Minstrel Company will give a performance at the Parnell Hall to morrow evening. Notice is given that the annual races will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of January, under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor. Tenders are required by the Provincial Government for the supply of certain articles mentioned in the advertisement. John Williamson, Esq., Curator of Intestate Estates, has been appointed administrator in the estate of E. H. Law.ou, late of Tauraiga, deceased.

THAMES.

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

THIS DAY

El Dorado —75 tons yielded 120 ozs. melted gold.

Grood stone has been brought down 'r^m a claim at Upper Tararu this

morning. The Junction crushing is not yet completed. It will be a rich one, and the result will be known to-morrow.

IMPUDENT THEFT

About one oMock this afternoon, as Mr NHII, who keeps a miscellaneous store in Albert-street, stepped around the corner, into Victoria-street, to purchase moat for his dinner, at the shop of Air. Maxwell, somebody ehe stepped into his shop nnd quietly decamped with a brace of watches, his property. The police are on the alert, and we have no doubt we shall hear further of the cool proceeding.

DISTRICT OOtTRT.-MoNDAY. [Before Thomas Beckham, Esq., District Judge.] Judgment foe Plaintiffs. —Red Queen Gold Mining Company v. Savory, £21 ] 6s. 9d., calls ; Bank New South Wales v. C. Canning, £58 Bs. Bd.; estate N. W. Massey v. John O Groats Gold Mining Company, £100 ; same v. Brauanza Gold Mining Company, £94 2s. 7d.; same v. Shortland Gold Mining om pany, £49 Is.; same v. City of London Gold Mining Company, £7 9s. lOd. ; san c v. Golden Turret Gold Mining Company, £21 2s. 7d. ; Waiotahi Gold Mining Company v. Weare, £36 6s. 6d.; Jones v. Dawn of Hope Gold Mining Company, winding-up order granted. Casfs Adjourned.—Lusk v. Midnight Gold Mining Company (without cobU) ; Estate of N. W. Massy v. Hidden Treasure Gold Min ing Company. defended causes. In be Mclsaac's Golld Miniko Company. —It will be remembered that an argument was fixed for yesterday rehitire to costs in this case, but, on the applicat ion of learned coun sel, the argument was adjourned until next Court day.

Official Liquidator t. Golden Cbown EXTENDED.—In this case the necessar> order was made for the various shareholders to pay their contributions towards winding up the company. Mr. Rees appeared for the Official Agent.—This was aU the business.

POLICE COURT.—Monday.

(Before James Williamson and T. Ritchie,

Esqs., Justices.)

DatTNIENNESS.—J. T. Gorman, G. Hill, W. Snow, 0. Higgins, W. Clarke, J. Brown, John Walsh, and J. Wright were each fined 5s and costs ; and Jane Kelly, for a third offence, was fined 20s and costs, and imprisoned 7 days.

Stealing fbom -Aboabd Ship.—J. Talbot, alias J. Blake, pleaded guilty to having stolen from on board the Alice Cameron, on the 11th iust., wearing apparel to the value of £4, the property of W. Dudge, also a rug and other articles, the property cf another person, value £1 3s. Sentenced to three months' imprison ment for the first offence, and two months for the second.

Vageanct.—The same paisonerandThomas Brown were charged with being thieves, and be.Dg found in Chancery-street with intent to commit a felony. On the application of Mr Broham it was adjourned till to-morrow.

Municipal Police Act.—George Staines was charged with allowing materials to ob struct the public thoroughfare. Mr. Hesketh for the defence. An amendment was asked for, so as to allow the addition of the wor is " without-the consent of the proper authori ties." . Mr. Hesketh objected, us altering the whole complexion of the defence, but the prosecution undertaking to prove the absence of <on int the objection wms withdrawn. — J. H. Smith deposed : I am clerk to Thorn ton, Smith and Firth. On the 6th ir St., in passing defendant's place in Upper <^ueen utreet, saw boards outside defendant's pre mises against the fence of the street, and upon the street. There were four or five of them. Mr. Sparrow was with me.—Stephen Sparrow deposed to facts in corroboration of previous

ovilence. Did. not consider the boards to be an obstruction.—Seraeant Jeffrey deposed also to the position of the boards. They had been removed when I spoke to Mr. Staines. —W. Anderson, Foreman of Works, deposed : I am the person deputed by the City Board to issue permits to place materials on the public thoroughfare. No permission was given for tae materials in question.—Mr. Hesketh argued that a witness for the prose cution had proved that no obstruction had been caused, and that-it had not been proved that this was a public road. Also that Mr. Anderson was deputed to give permits for building materials not such as this.—The Bench held that no obstruction had been proved, and the case was dismissed, each party to pay his own costs. Vagrancy.—Thomas Cooper, pleading guilty to being a vagrant, was sent to gaol for one mouth.

Housebreaking.—Henry Davis and John Kearns, alias D'Arcy, weVe charged with hav ing broken into and stolen from the dwelling house of T Kelly, various articles of wearing apparel.—T Tfelly deposed : I am a laborer, residing at the Whau. Saw both prisoners at my hut, on 2L>th November. Alter having a drink of water they went to the Hotel. Left the hut and went to the township, when I met the prisoners returning. I had locked the hut and taken the key. My mates and I remained in the township till one or two in the morning ; found the calico window had been removed, the nails being withdrawn. The hut was completely gutted. I missed five shirts, value £2; four flannel shirts, value 30s ; five pair socks, value 7s 6d. I identify the articles produced as mine, and portion of that stolen. On seeing Kearns in the lock-up he had on my trousers ai & socks stoieu ; they are on him now in the dock. — Martin M. Canley, mate of the last witness, corroborated his evidence. On g ing to the hut with last witness I mi*sed a blml-et, value 255.; a pair of troiue.s, value 10s. ; flann 1, value 65.; waistcoat, value 135.; flannel drawers, value 255.; a looking-glass, value 6d. I identify the articles produced as mine. My trousers are now on prisoner Davis. They are torn across the kn c. with a bit of calico inside. —Joseph Dyer, mate of two previous witness s, corroborated their tes'imony. I missed two pairs bla kets, value 30s. ; a pair of boots, value ss. Those produced are my property. I saw the boots on Kearns in the t»uard-room. The window is about eight or nine feet from the ground.—Detective Murphy deposed : On the 23rd inst. I took over cha-ge of prisoners from Constable Negus, who had arrested them at Onehunga. H. K"arns had on him the five shirts produced, and which have been identified by previous witnesses ; also waistcoat and boots and trousers now identi fied. Davis had three shirts on him, and the trousers identified. I got the blankets and ■diirts produced from two women at One hunga, who slated ' hey had nought thpm from men like the prisoners. Kelly identified both prisoners on seeing them in the lock-up. The prisoners were committed for trial.

ARRIVAL OF THE 'CITY OF AUCKLAND,' FROM LONDON.

The arrival of the City of Auckland yester. day, after a very rapid passage from London, caused an immense amount of interest in the city, and the crowd of spectators and the flotilla of boats launched to meet her in mid stream testified to the popularity of the ship, and her worthy commander, Captain Ashby. The Samson had brought intelligence that the City was beating up to harbor, so that she had many an admiring eye observing her, as under a cloud of canvas " the tall vessel came gal lantly on." The City has made a splendid passage, 15,601 miles from Gravesend being run in 85 days. This is the fastest passage made for the past four or five years. The ship has arrived in splendid condition, and the pas sengers speak very highly of the conduot of Captain and Mrs. Ashby for their extreme kindness during the passage.

No misfortune or illness occurred during the passage, with the exception of the death of Miss E. J. Fox, aged 23 years, who died of brain fever on the 10th October, in latitude 6 deg 27 mm. N., long. 24 deg. W. The following report has been kindly furnished to us by Captain Ashby:— Ihe City of Auckland left the East India Docks on the 14th Septen^ier for Auckland, with 22 chief, 10 second-cabin, and 125 steerage passengers, and 800 tons of general cargo. Anchored at Gravesend for the day. 15th— Left then in tow of steam-tug; wind north west, light and fine. Tug left us off Margate the same day. 19th—Landed the pilot off Portsmouth, and took our departure from the Channel the next day, the 20th; had light unsteady windii and fine weather down the Channel. 4th October—Passed outside Cape Verde Islands. From the Channel to these islands had nothing but B.S.E. winds and fine weather ; from these islands to the Equator, light S.S W. winds and fine weather. The Line was crossed on the 17th October in 22 deg. west, thirty-two days from Gravesend. Fell in with the south-east trades, which proved very good, and carried us to 28 deg. south. 25th—Passed in sight of the Island of Trinidad ; distance, about 10 miles. "Were detained for a few days with light foul winds and calms off Tristan d'Acunha, and on the Bth November, pas ed the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope, in 46 deg. couth. 13th—Detained all day in sight of Prince Edward's Island. 17th. —At 3 a.m. passed in sight of the Crozet. Islands, weal her being thick at the time. 3rd December—Rounded Van Dieman's Land in 46 deg. south, 73 clays from the Channel. I had the north east trades for seven days. Between Cape Verde Isles and the Equator had very light winds and a vast number oi vessels in company, one day no les3 than iweiity-eight were counted off the tle ; k at one time. The south-east trades proved very good, and well to the eastward. From Tristan D'Acunha to Cape Luwin had winds unsteady from north to north-east, with thick damp weather. From Cape Luwin to Van Dieman's Land had strong westerly wind and very fine weather. Our easting was run down between 46 deg. aud 47 deg. south. Had four days

very strong south-west winds after rounding Van Dieman's Land. On the 9th, at 2 p.m., sighted the' Three Kings Islands 79 days from the Channel, and 85 days from Gravesend. 10th—At noon, off Cape Brett, distant six miles, wind light at south-west.

Passengers.—Saloon—Mrs. W. Ashby, J. Jamesand Maria G. O'Neil, Charles Spencer ; Revs. Lewis, SmaUey. Issitt, and Williams; Miss Osborne, Thomas 'Wilie, H. A. Chapman, Miss M. A. Wood, Miss Longdon, John Gil mour, Miss Mary Stewart ; Mrs. Elizabeth, Miss Jane E., Nicholas T. Maunder ; Frank W: Bush, Frank Hill, G. H. Greg, E, G. Tennant. Second Class—Rev. H. 8., Eliza beth, Elizabeth Ada, and Mary Anne Wed stone; Eliza Hanbey, James and Elizabeth Gibson, Fredk. J. Davey, Earnest Hemp. 3rd Class : Mary M. Laughlin, W. A. Crombie, Jane Kelly, vl ary, Matilda, Alice, and Charles Lam by; Wm.F. Massy, Mrs, Ann Risley, Eliza beth Keir, Melindia Granair, Alfred and Eliza A. Garnet; Elizabeth Taylor, Samuel Frith, Thomas, Jane, Thomas, Robert, George, Ri hard and Jane Garrett; H. E., Alfred, and Kannard W. Smith; Ben. J. aud Susan Heath; Samuel and liliza Nixon ; Ohas. and Thomas Snowden, Geo. Chapman, John Dickson ; Sergt. William and Georgina Ellis; Elizabeth M., Mercy, Jatm-s, Elizabeth, William, John, and Thomas ludoe ; Robert Alhin ; James, Margaret, Mary Jane, Esther, and Annie Johnson ; Walter Loigg ; Johnson Clark ; William O, Maria, Emma J., William, Lilly M., and Annie J. Wright; Alfred H. Hoi lis ; Richard and Frank J. Hewett; William Jones ; Richard Dunn ; Elizabeth and Agnes Robinson; Mary, Thomas, John, Mari, Caroline, and Patrick Byrne ; Agnes Pettegrew, Henry Johnson, Eden John son, Alfred, Ann, Alfred fjun.), Robert, and Sarah |Rayner, John Willis ; Miss Thomas ; Hugh Willis, Enoch Burden, Lydia Ralph Charles Ta'lislier, Ernest C. Kemp, Robert G. Wangsfcon, George E. Rogers, Elizabeth Kelly, Charles J. Pryke, Krancis Pryke, Herman Watson, W. 'S. W. Cullum ; Casper, Rise, Ann, Kate, Isaac, Mark, Julia, Imanuel, and Julius Mendlesohn ; Mary Mtisou, A. C. S-hollis ; J., Sarah, John, Mary, Sarah, and ftlary Howard ; Benjamiu, Sarah, and Thomas S*eet ; Elizabeth Feat, Char lotte and Emona J. Fox ; George and Ann lee ; Jane Humber, S. W. and Thomas E. Stringfellow ; George Binney, John Ste phens, Mary A. Eddy, John Britisher, Wil liam Airey, John Clark, Isabella Roy, S. B. •^prake, Jane Brassin^ton. The following i» a copy of the address pre sented to Captain Ashly, referred to above: — "Ship City of Auckland, " December 9, 1870. "To Captain William Ashby,— "Dear Sir, — We, the undersigned passen gers of the above ship, desire to express our cordial appreciation of th? manner in which you have discharged the onerous devolving upon you is commander. We cannot speak too hi»h'y of the extreme kindness which bus ever characterised your conduct, and of the diligent attention with which you have sought to secure the comfort of each one under your enre. It is a matter of great pleasure to us that it is our privilege to day to congratulate you on attaining the tweDty-fifth anniversary of t>>e commencement of your successful sea faring career. Very heartily do we join in praying that Mrs. Ashby an t yourself may be spared for many years in the enjoyment of i His favor, " Whose blessing maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow." " We remain, dear sir, " Yours ever in gre tlful remembrance. [Signed by all the passengers.] [Reply.] "To the passengers per ship City of Auck land, from London— " I beg to thank you for the very flattering letter you presented to me on my arrival, and accept it as the evidence of your good feelings towards myself and Mrs. Ashby. We both join in wishing you all every prosperity and happiness in the country of your adoption.— I.remain, &c, "Wm. Ashbt, " Commander ship City of Auckland."

MUSIC HALL—TO-NIGHT.

A well deserved benefit will he given to-night, in the Music Hall, to Mr. Far row, whose services in conneccion with the Choral 'Society are fully appreciated by all the music-loving portion of the people of Auckland. From the pro gramme, published in another column, it will be seen that the scl ction is of the most popular kind; and as by the kind permission of His Royal Highness, the band of the Galatea will attend, and Mrs. Mitchell, whose musical abilities have made her so popular at the I haraes, and a host of amateur talent, will assist, the entertainment will, undoubtedly, be a very successful one. We learn that while for the body of the hall the charge of admission will be 2s. 6d., the gallery will be thrown open at one shilling.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN AS SOCIATION.

We remind our readers of the very choice entertainment to be given this evening at the rooms of the Association to-night. From the programme in another column a very charming evening may bo anti cipated.

SUPREME COURT.

Tn the Supreme Court, to-day, the prisoner Harris, whose robbery from the" person, ac conpanied by violence at, the Whan, has been published be us in detail, as brought out in evidence in the Police Court, was found guilty and sentenced to three years' imprison ment with hard labour.

CITY BOARD.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the City Board was held today. When the minutes had been re id, Mr. George moved, that the motion carried at the previous meeting, refei ring to Mr. Stainvs, be modified by expunging the word " blackguard."

Mr. Staines then addressed the Board at great length, going over his career in connec tion with the Provincial Council and the City Board, express:ng his gratitude that the ol» noxious word had been expunged.

THE WAR.

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR

By the side of the Infantry Guards fought a battalion of Rifles, which left more than half its men on the ground. The following letter from one of its c (Beers i 3 worth being preserved as a contribution to the history of the times : —

" The night from the 16th to the 17th we spent in a nice little arbor we had constructed with considerable trouble. Suddenly, while we were still dreaming of entering Paris in state, the alarm was sounded. We were startled, and arose. Brilliantly the stars glittered on a cloudless sky. The men got under arms, and Major yon Fabeek, our commanding officer, ventured the supposition that it was all a mistake, and that some con founded trumpeter had blown the ' alarm' instead of the 'reveille;' but presently the signal was repeated, and we were told that the French were still at Metz, that a battle had been fought yesterday, and that another was sure to occur to-morrow. Marching rapidly in the direction of the for tress, we passed the battle field of the day before, where we met a sergeant of the 2nd D'-agoons wounded in the lust action. He told us all about it. They had fought against fearful odds, yet prevailed in the end. Some of the cavalry, he said, had almost ceased to exist, and where had we been all the long hours .hey had been so sorely beset ? Our hoarts burnt with rage and we swore to avenge our good comrades the Dragoons. We marched through a village where they were burying the cavalry officers. Lieutenant Hindenburg, of our rifles, was just in time once more to set eyes upon his brother before he was lowereu into the grave. Poor fellow, he had defended a battery against the Chasseurs d Afrique, and had fallen at the first moment of the charge. His place at the head of his squadron had then been taken by Count Fmkenstein, who in another moment likewise fell, expiring, Lorn hi. horse. The squadron was on the point of being annihilated by the tremendous odds against them, when the 10th Hussars ca:ne to the rescue aud emptied neany every saddle of the enemy. Such was the story of the dragoon sergeant who accompanied us as far as the village.

" After a march of 30 mile 3we reached the village of Latour, where the Guards meet. We slept in the cottages, and mustered at four o'clock in the morning. At five we left but proceeded slowly, our rear being some distance behind. At a quarter to eight we were in our allotted position. 'Colon*! Knappe had just given us the orclre de bataille, when the uevvs arrived that the enemy had drawn off. But it was a false report. We lay down on the ground, and at half-past twe've were ordered to form columns of attack and proceed to the front. Marching forward, we soon heard the thunder of the guns and the harsh grating of the mitrailleuse. Pre sently the needle-guns join in our right, and the military orchestra, which we have listened to so many times before, was again complete. The 9th corps d'arraee was engaged. When the Guards attack and the Saxons out-flank the enemy's left he will not be long in giving way. So we are led to think. But man proposes and God disposes. " Towards one o'clock we saw tlie battle be fore us. The artillery of the Guards and the Saxons were already engaged. To our right we had the Ist division of the Guards con cealed by an undulation of the ground, to our left the Saxons were struggling manfully. We witched the grenades of our artillery as they burst with remarkable precision among the tirailleurs of the enemy. Queen Augusta's Regiment was the first ordered to support the Saxons; the turn of a battalion of the ' Emperor Alexander' came next. The Saxons were evidently gaining ground in their flank movement, and all went well, I must say we began to bo disgusted with playing the part of spectators. At last we moved to support the Hessians on our right. We stopped again in a slight hollow, until at last there came the command ' Rifles to the front!' Now we are in for it in right earnest. It is a quarter to five, and as we begin to dv ance we get a taste of Chassepot balls. A man is shot through the arm. He is our first wounded.

"' Second company to the right; first to the left!"' As wo are turning a copse we are suddenly in the thick of it. Into the copse then, and along its outskirts. The fire is heavy, but as yet the balls faU short of us. At first we are at a loss to make out where they come. Can it be that we are fired at from the heights in front, at a distance of at least 1,800 paces? As we proceed our doubts are set at rest. We have the enemy really before us, and in a few minutes begin to suffer very perceptibly. Forward! forward ! Spread in.: out in their lines. We are running on while our breath lasts. But we are exhausted even before we can see the enemy, so great is the distance, and so steadily ascending the long-stretching slope we have to go over. Stop! We are still at 1,000 paces from the French, and must take breath before we can proceed. Now on again, a few hundred paces right into the potatoe field. Stop again, fire a few shots, aud now at them at a run.

"At last we succeeded in getting near enough to see the heads of the French popping out of their ditches. As usual they were in rifle-pita on the slope and top of the hill. By this time very many of us had fallen, and we halted,on wholly protected ground to exchange some rounds with our friends opposi'e. Cap* tain Baron yon Arnim was shot in the foot, but remained sitting in our midst to direct the. movements of the company. He soon got another ball in his breast, when he had to give it up. Finding we could not do inu h execution, we betook ourselves to cur feet again, and ran to within 500 paces of the enemy. Now, at, last we had a fling at them. I measured the distance myself, took a dead man's rifle and popped • nway as fast and as well as I could. At, this juncture Major yon Fabeck was shot, Captain yon Hagen was shot, fur men next to me were shot. We were in skirmishing order, and beginning to melt away like wax. in front stood the French, concealed in excavations up to their very eyes; behind us, for a distance of 800 p.ices, the ground was strewn with dead and wounded. If we had been strong enough, we should have tried Io c.oss bayonels, but our numbers had tilrev.dy been so much reduced that we could nor, think of making the attempt. Indeed, had the French assumed '.he offensive they mi.is .'have taken or killed every man of us. But according to their practice they kept in their ditches, and were quite satisfied with slaughtering ur at a distance. The thing became perfectly unen durable, and there arose a low murmur in

our lines that we had better fly at them at any expense and knbck down as many as we could while there were any of us left to do it. At this moment Captain yon ' Beoger, the adjutant of our brigadier, came up at a gallop, shouting from a distance, and ordering us to remain where we were if vre woUld escape being taken prisoners. So we just N stood our ground until troops were perceived coming to our support in the distance, whett we all advanced again, and at 300 paces once more, opened a murderous fire. All through my men were calm and self-pos sessed. Under the circumstances of the case they could not but know that the greater part, and perhaps all, of them had got to die. Yet they were as tranquil as the few of their officers still remaining, and looked with perfect equanimity upon the French relieving again and again their tirailleurs ia the ditches. We were now near enough to see that they had four rows of rifle pits, the one over the other. The fire was terrific, and Sadowa in comparison to it mere child's play. By and by our cartridges got exhausted, and we had to empty the pouches of the dead and wounded. As many of the latter as had a spark of life left did all they could to assist us in this. But everylhing has an end, and so had our ammunition. I had given orders that every man was to reserve two caitridges in case the French took the offensive and with these two cartridges in our possession Weconfronted the enemy even after we had ceased to fire. After a little while, which seemed to us terribly long, our supporters came up. They were skirmishers of Queea Elizabeth's Regiment, and the moment they joined us I heard the captain give the com mand in my rear, " Charge with the bayonet." I was lying on the ground with a shot in my left arm and shoulder blade; but as I heard these glorious sounds I jumped up, and halloaing to my men, fiercely repeated the word of command, " Charge with the bayonet!" But alas there were only three men left to respond to my call. With the exception of a few who had joined another company the whole of my men were down. I do not know whether the . three survivors took part in the attack. As for myself I could not do it, and sat down on the ground. The moment the Elizabeth regiment charged the French jumped out of their ditches and' ran away. An enormous quick fire opened upon them, and, as I can assure you, to some purpose. " The French were driven from their whole position. Tlie villages around were on fire, and the shooting continued here and there. We had been opposed to the Guards, who were the last to retreat. As I was with diffi culty picking my way to look for the ambulance, I had the bitter sorrow of walking through fields strewn with men of my own country. Many of them were still alive, and asking me to assist them to rise and tet up ; but in the state in which I was I could only promise to send them help as soon as p ssible. All the officers of the battalion are either dead or wounded. Cf the 1000 men with whom we went into the battle only 400 are left."

The battalion which met with this melan choly fate was one of the finest in the Prussian army. The men were crack shots, and the officers belonged to the cream of Berlin society. , .

ARABIAN HUMOUR.

One of the many special co-respondents, speaking of the presence of the Tucos in Paris, says :—" These Turcos, if only there were not so many of them, would be capital fan. The Arab or the Khabyl is not - a humorous person, excepting in the dirty bosom of his family, or amongst people with whom he thinks there is no need to care about dignity. But thers c&w-comers from the desert, though not in the bosom of the family, are vastly amusing, and- consciously so. This morning, on the Place de la Concorde, a merry Turco stood looking on at the exercises of a company of National Guards who were not very bright in their drill. He watched them with gravity and interest for some time. They went through the manual exercise, and pre pared to march. The merry Turco took advantage of the opportunity ; putting a stick between his legs, he cocked his tarboosh, and pranced along the line with that peculiar hop and step which is supposed by our infant population to represent a horse's canter. There were thousands looking on. The officer, a finicking sort of gentleman, turned very red. " March!" he cried. The line advanced, so did the Turco, who galloped up and down in front of the poor Guards, without a stnile. Now he stook on one flank, and now dashed at full speed to the other, eyeing the movement with that critical glance which distinguishes an ancient martinet. The people roared with laughter; the officers grew redder, and, perhaps, muttered mild oaths between their teeth; the honest privates did not know which wav to look, "Remove that man!" cried the commandant. " Halt!" They halted, but they did not remove the merry Turco, who cantered to the middle of the lino, and frowningly scrutinised the equipment and bearing of the men. There was a little fat follow there who got desperately uncom fortable under this gaze. He glanced down at his boots to see they were all right, theu along his belt; he tried, to twist round and examine his knapsack. " Remove that man !" roared the officer. No one stirred in the ranks, but the audience shouted and held their sides. What would have happened I don't know, but a friend of the Turco's came out from the crowd, and led him away, prancing al the time, and throwing back over his shoulder that seTere general-on-review look which had so disconcerted the little fat private. In the evening, only an hour or two since, I saw another Turco causing a disturbance. He had apparently houghfc some object, and paid insufficiently for it. The shopkeeper was raving his grievances too circle of flaneurs, and the tall, lithe Arab stood in front, with the calmest smile possible upon his tawny face. Two Gardes de Paris e0,n.6 up. The shopkeeper insisted that the thief, as he called him, should be arrested. The crowd increased, but no one took measures to do justice. The Turco, I •hould say, was armed with a sword-bayonet, and towered by a head »bove the group. He listened with an amiable air until, tired of the joke apparently, he suddenly swung off with rude insouciance and lounged away, always wearing the same pleasant smile ; a<>d no one attempted to pursue except the little shop keeper, who swooped round and round him ilke a seagull, but soon gave up the useless chase. I mention these two little stories as instances, among a thornand, of the way our | Turcos behave, and the way they are treated! llf the Arabs do not shortly show by acts the

THE EVENING STAE, DECEMBER 12, 1870.