24 DECEMBER 1870, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

GENERAL TROCHU is moving again, to what purpose is not yet certain. He made what appears to have been a feint against the Guard beyond St. Denis on the 21st, but in the artil- lery duel which ensued but few lives appear to have been lost. Other attacks were made against Stains—which was taken and .retaken from the Saxons, near Rosny, and so on ; but we have as yet no trustworthy account of results, only the King's idea that he was to be attacked next day, of which day we have no account from Versailles. The King reports the capture of 1,000 unwounded prisoners, but does not mention whether they were soldiers. Feints of this kind generally imply a subsequent sortie in force, but up to Friday night none had been reported in London. Meantime the General is increasing and im- proving his works in such a style that, should Chanzy or Bourbaki break through the outer line, the Germans may find themselves besieged. Mont Valerien has been supplied with a new gun which throws shells into and over Versailles, and Mont Avron, which commands the whole valley of the Marne, has been covered with new works, mounted with marine cannon of enormous range,—taken away, we imagine, from Issy. New works are still in prospect, and one competent eyewitness evi- dently believes that Mont Avron will be a danger to the besieg- ing hosts.