The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-15 00:00:00

E4c g•tou4ribgt Nserint.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1870.

THE SIEGE OF PARIS.

M. Garobetta, the French Minister of the In-
terior, has produced considerable sensation
lately, during a period filled with sensational
events. That section of the divided Govern-
ment of France which is located in beleaguered
Paris, desired to communicate with that other
section which had taken refuge in Tours. It
has been the misfortune of France. for sonic
time past, to want energetic and judicious lead,
era, both in the field and in the,councils of State
and to find that she has been deceived and mis-
led by those in power. It has been her misfor-
tune, also, that her profisional Government, or
Government of National Defence, have not been
able to agree among themselves. The Paris Sec-
tion has quarreled with the Tours section, and,
NA the former claims superior authority, M. Gant -
b •tta appears to have paid a visit to Tours to re-
oegmiise the deleEtotion there, and to counteract
the effect of the 'fours proclamation relative
the date of the elections for the Constituent As-
setnbly. These elections AIM now postponed
sine (lie, and unhappy France finds herself com-
mitted to a desperate war, with a divided Mid
eoulessedly temporary Government, and with-
out any prospect of electing an Assembly that
shall represent the voice of the nation. It is
deeply to be regretted that these elections were
ev;:r itostpobed from the original date the 2Tia
ot October, when they might have effect, d.
tlioutth uumd.r eitticaltiesl to the 16th, vslavii
would be LAC rly impracticable to carry them
est.

hlut M. Gatubetta had another object in pay•
in his literally flying visit to Twirl. He CAM,
to r,aise the ear spirit of the provinces, awl to
Proclaim the di tereini.d rewstance of Paris.
Hi jlorney was • perilous and sensational one.
Ile left the beleagne .•+1 v;ty l.aa baboon, and ar-
rived safely at ; thehce lie uroceeded 1,1
railway to Ronan, where he was most enthusia•i•
tio.i•ly received ; and h.thhillely cat iveal at Tours.
'rue Minister of the liv.erior came armed with
the authority 14 the Pori+, er Central Govern-
men?, 1111,i 110 !1.40 11.1,;
.•. 0.•11,0:ation ii tint
!hunt. Rats proetti,lll.•
imperil:A in the presuht lamentable conditim
id Paris, is one of the most remarkable docu-
ments that have been published during a period
when remarkable documents have been very
'omicrons. Reading it casually, as a mere liter.
'try llooltiOn, 1111.1 a; an appeal to the people,
it id impossible hut to be struck with its bold,
spirit-earring tom; it is thoroughly French.

ind completely adaptnel to the nation to whom
it is addressed. But of more importance than
:his are its statements relative to the condition of
Paris. These statements are so decidedly
favourable that few people in this conotv:- wii,
us inclined to accept them in full. For our own ,
',art "re ,-,rinot !to...licitly ; but, niak
ing full allowance for intentional or nninten-
tional exaggeration, they nevertheless show the
desperate determination of Coo Frew!), to carry
on the war mil ',trice. M. Ganibettit says that
Paris has now 400,000 National Guards armed,
that 100,000 Mobiles have been summoned, and
that 60,000 regular troops are assembled. It'
then goes on to speak of the continual casting of
cannon and making cartridges ; of the niitrail-
lenses, field-pieces, and IL marvellous artillery
aetved by the first gunners in the world ; of the
enr, int.' possessing 3,800 cannons, with 400
rounds of ammunition each; of the continual
drilling and labour; and of the third line of de-
fence formed of barricades; and then he says,
"It is not a vain illusion that Paris is impreg-
nable. It cannot be captured or surprised...
Speaking more generally, and appealing to the
departments, he alludes to •• rifles and equip-
ments from all parts of the world," and calls on
the nrovinetis to " inaugurate a national war.-
_

The French are a nation of proclamations,
and serf frothy productions many of them are;
but this is one of the plainest and most practical
that have been published during the war. But.
while saying this much, we nevertheless hold
to the opinion that the Paris Government appeal
to the provinces in vain, and that the provinces
in vain look to Paris to hold out successfully
against the Prussians. While Paris proclaims,
the German forces are steadily making immense
preparations for the botubvrdment of the unhappy
cily. They have rigidly invested it ever since
the 23rd of last month, and ever since that time
have been busily engaged in placing the must
formidable artillery that can be produced, to be
fining ht.to bear on the city; among them'Erupp's
monster 1100.1 b. guns, and mortars throwing
150-Ib. shells. The history of the world tells of
no siege that will be carried on with such awful
engines of destrnetion as the Prnssians have
already placed, and are yet adding to: and, not-
withstanding all that 31. Gambetta proclaims,
we maintain that it is outside all human proba-
bility for Paris to defend herself successfully
against her formidable enemy. Earnestly do
we hope that she will not recklessly endf avonr
to carry on an utterly futile struggle ; but, that
if terms of peace be once again offered her, before
this bombardment commences, she may have
the true moral courage to accept them.