Martinsburgh Gazette

Translated for the N. Y. Mercantile Advertiser.

EAST OF FRANCE.

Colmar, Dec. 31. The prefect of the upper Rhine has received orders to cause the levy en masse of the population of that department.

We hear by way of Basle that the head quarters of prince Schwarzenburg continued at Lorrach on the 29th. The emperors of Austria and of Russia were at Friburg. The force of the enemy that crossed the Rhine is said to be five divisions, forming from 36 to 40,000 men. It is the Bavarians who besiege Huningue and Belfort, general Bubna is marching to Geneva. Gen. Colloredo is at Berne.

Troyes, Jan. 2. Count de Segur, senator and commissary extraordinary of his majesty, has arrived here. He appeared much pleased with the excellent spirits with which we are animated. He has addressed to the inhabitants of our department a proclamation which has produced the liveliest impression, and in which amongst other things he says, "the emperor sends me in the midst of you to tell you important truths, and speak to you of our dearest interests." "His majesty at the head of his armies is about going to advance to give battle to your enemies, if they defer any longer the signing a treaty which they alone are retarding without any motive."

An enemy's vanguard of 3000 men, under the command of Bubna, presented itself on the 30th of December, before the city of Geneva. The armed national guard had been called out by the prefect, and amounted to 1800 men. General Jordy who commanded the place, had put it in a state of defence; he had 14 pieces of cannon.

The garrison was 1500 strong. 1800 men who, from Grenoble, were on their way to reinforce it, which was sufficient to shelter it from a coup de main.

By a sort of fatality, gen. Jordy was attacked with a stroke of the palsy in the morning of the day that the enemy made his appearance. The officer who commanded under him, suffered himself to be persuaded by the inhabitants, and the garrison quitted the city. The prefect had abandoned it three days previous, during which the citizens had constituted themselves and taken the authority in their own hands. The garrison having marched out, the inhabitants opened the gates. Had the prefect done his duty, had he not quitted Geneva, had he been animated with the same sentiments which guide the conduct of the prefects of the upper Rhine and of Doubs, that important place would have been safe.

[By an Imperial Decree of the 4th January the Baron Prefect of the department of Leman (of which Geneva is the chief place) is suspended from his functions and arraigned before a court of enquiry.]

Lyons, Jan 1. The population of this city has manifested the greatest enthusiasm at the announcing of the invasion of the French territory. Already upwards of 20,000 citizens are disposed to second the efforts of the government to repulse the enemy. The Lyonese are too well aware of the jealousy of the English against their city; and that they would not fail to cause all its manufactories to be destroyed by some barbarian corps, come from the remotest part of Asia.