The Conservative

BY TELEGRAPH!

FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR!!

News of August 30th,

The Cincinnati Gazette of August 30th, says: The whole tenor of our dispatches this morning shows that a battle has probably begun on which depends the fate of France. McMahon with the bulk of the French army, moved rapidly to the north, and yesterday morning occupied a line from Rethel to Montmedy, with Belgium in her rear. The position is in a valley five miles wide. The Prince Royal of Prussia has stopped his march to Paris and turned north to confront him. Steinmetz, leaving sufficient force to keep Bazaine closely imprisoned, has also moved off to the northwest and thus the two great armies stand face to face. McMahon has taken up a position from which he does not intend to retreat. He is evidently staking all on the chances of a single battle. If he wins a decisive victory the advance of the Germans on Paris is stopped. The Crown Prince must fall back to succor his colleagues and to protect his own communication. McMahon winning the contest, becomes even: losing, his cause is lost. The entire German army moves to Paris, and we do not believe the Capital will stand a siege.

A dispatch from Arlon, Luxembourg, dated last evening, says a battle raged all day at the village of Dun, which is some twelve miles south of Stenay. Another dispatch, dated Paris, midnight, says it is believed there that a tremendous battle was being fought yesterday. Nothing is said of the results, though at Arlon there was a report that McMahon had been defeated.

The march of the Crown Prince on Paris is advancing more slowly. He is probably watching the conflict to the northward, and to a certain extent awaiting its result, ready, if necessary, to aid the main army. If McMahon fails to gain the battle, then he is ready and near at hand with his 220,000 men to march on Paris, which he can reach in about three days.

New York, August 30.

The city to-night is full of reports of heavy fighting yesterday and to-day. Private dispatches to French merchants say that McMahon attacked the army of Prince Frederick Charles when the Crown Prince was thirty miles away, and it was believed that the Prussians had been defeated, and were retreating in great disorder across the Moselle. McMahon is reported ready to meet the Crown Prince, and is confident of defeating him. There is some uneasiness among the Germans, to-night, over the fear that these French reports may have some foundation, but there is no despondency.

The following news from the French war office has just been received:

"Nearly 900,000 men are now in the triangle formed by lines running from Rheims to Rethel and Vouziers. Bazaine is not shut up He has 120,000 men, and McMahon is 180,000 strong. They are stealing two marches on the Prince Royal, who is two days ahead of Prince Frederick Charles, and it is hoped that the latter can not come up in time.

"Fifty thousand men left Paris on Monday for the vicinity of Rethel. It is said the Prussian forces there are 500,000 strong.

A dispatch dated Brussels, to-day, says McMahon is about to make a desperate effort to force his way from Sedan along the line of the Montmedy & Thionville Railway, with the object of attacking from the north whatever Prussian forces may be gathered in the triangle formed by the fortresses of Metz, Verdun and Toul, regardless of their numbers. McMahon hopes to have co-operation at all those places. The attempt is a bold and desperate one, as there is no escape from destruction in case of defeat. It is believed that the Emperor and his son will await the result of this movement at Sedan and be ready to cross at Bouillon, in Belgium, in the event of a defeat.

London, August 30.—A dispatch from Copenhagen to-day says the French ironclads Armide and Rochambeau anchored this morning off Frederick's Haven, Jutland. An attack on the Baltic fortresses is expected immediately.

A dispatch from Brussels, dated 8 o'clock—evening, says railway connections between that city and Paris are suspended. Fighting has taken place between the advanced forces of two armies on the line of railroad from Montmedy to Sedan.

An official dispatch from Mundelsheim to-day, via Berlin, says the combined infantry and artillery brigades opened parallels yesterday within six or eight hundred paces of the fortress of Strasburg, without loss or opposition. Forty-two new guns were placed in position.

Brussels, August 30.—Belgian troops are hastening to the frontier from all quarters. A battle between the French and Prussians is apparently imminent, and the services of Belgian troops will no doubt be necessary to protect the country from invasion.

Officers and others from the front insist that a great battle was fought Sunday, the 27th inst.; that Bazaine and McMahon had gained immense advantages. They say the latter expected to meet by this time the army of the Crown Prince, to which reinforcements were constantly arriving. There is no doubt a great and most important battle will take place at once. The condition of the French troops is excellent. McMahon has received large re-enforcements. An entire corps, the 13th, numbering 50,000 men, has been sent to him.

Bazaine has been abundantly supplied with provisions and munitions.

News of September 1st.

We are informed over Cromwell's line, by a dispatch of this morning, that a great battle was fought between McMahon's and Prince Frederick Charles' forces, on Tuesday last, which resulted in McMahon being defeated and driven back on the Belgium frontier. Great numbers of prisoners and cannon were captured.