1 OCTOBER 1870, Page 1

We do not profess to have any clear view of

the amount of national spirit for the war now existing in France. The Daily News reports with an air of absolute knowledge that there is little or none, and that the whole country is longing for peace. But we believe it is unquestionable that the department of the Loire-et- Cher has voted -1,000,000 francs (£160,000) for the war ; that Toulouse has voted 1,500,000 francs (£60,000), and Bayonne 300,000 francs (£12,000) ; that the Council of Calvados has voted 3,000,000 francs (£120,000), Havre 1,000,000 francs (£40,000), for the same purpose ; that Marseilles has called for a loan of 10,000,000 francs (£400,000), and a single Greek merchant of that town, M. Zaffiropulo, has himself given 3,000,000 francs (£120,000) for the defence fund ; that fourteen departments of the west of France are leaguing themselves to raise resources and troops, and have already raised 15,000,000 franca (£600,000) for this purpose ; and that this movement is steadily spreading throughout the country. There is, thus, nearly a million sterling voted within a few days from municipal and private resources to aid the resources of the Central Government, and we do not suppose that we have nearly enumerated all that has been done. Does this look so very like the passionate wish for peace,—the despair of a spiritless population?