The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-24 00:00:00

A VIEW OF THE BOMBARDMENT OF
STRASBURG BY NIGHT.

The correspondent of the Daily .1170,-3, writing from
Achern' the 15th inst., given the following sketch of
that which "appears to be lees the work of men than
of llemons"
I have made several attempts to witness the bombardment
of Strasburg by night, and last night I succeeded to genii g a
good view of the firing on both sides It might be suppuied
that to ip- ad a night in the trenches tithe best course to
adopt for the purpose of witoessing a night bombiardme nt.
But the trench is perhaps the very worst place from which
to obtain a general impression of the manner in which the
sit or Is being conducted. If an adventureaome and Inqui-
sitive npirit ratios his head sh,PVC the parapet thl chino:l:mare
that It will encounter a hall, which will put an end to sight-see-
ing Whileerouching In the trench a shell may fall arid explode
there, and this accident, to which the orcupants of trenches
are liable, aud for which no compensation can be claimed
untie Lord Campbell's Act, may In like manner serioutly
mar the descriptive power of those entering a trench in pur-
suit, of knowkdge. Yet even if all go welt, and If neither
utiwelc,,me bullets nor unexpected soitlea disturb the mono-
tony and misery of getting the cramp in a dry ditch, the
total sum of acquired Information Is limited to the fact that
the noise of exploding powder and bursting shelln has b,en
de-afening. This is emphatically a case In which the gamut,
not Worth the candle.
. . . _ . . . .

lb stand on arising ground, and to see the batteries on
both side, vomiting Bre is a much grander and more imposing
sp-ctacic. It is one, however, winch cannot he beheld with
wise. On the right bank of the Rhine there are numerous
churches within a comparatively sheet uistance of Strom-
burg, from the steeples of which a commanding and (mien.
CVO view can be had of the batteries from Kehl to lichil-
MOW, hut these steeples cannot be ascended. The
approach to them ti strictly guarded hy soldiers. I have
in ire than once been inclined to think that the Ger-
man officers regard the siege as designed for the.r
especial ainntement, and are consequently very id.
Iwo of allowing civilians to derive any gratification from
it. That a host of mere sightseerl might Interfere with
military movements is probable, and ills perfectly reason-
aide that troublesome intruders should be excluded. But
in general this excuse cannot be urged. Many of the
places which command a view of Strasburg are for
removed from the Berman butterlea Nor do I consider
It creditable that any informstion gleaned by those
who stood on the gallery of a church spire could he of
any service if communicated to the enemy. The defenders
of Strasburg know by this time what they hare to fear,
and what they have to undergo. In truth, if spies
do carry communications to the beleaguered garrison, they
must be tine flioOinS of convincing the Governor that a timely
cspitulation Is the best policy. The only encrets whicli the
beide7en would di well to keep are those which relate t.,
mining operations. But I doubt If among all the per,.
Ivo unglt wish to ascend a couveniently insulated church
noire a single one could use his eyes with such effect as to
j trace maths uuderaround operations of miners several miles
distant.
the reasons which may be assigned to prove the absurdity
of the course which military martinets have adopted with
respect to this matter will never make the slightest impres-
sion on those immediately concerned. When • German in
suthority has once made up his mind he cannot be moved by
logic or entreaty. The best plan is to bow to his decision,
and circumvent him_ flaring failed to get permission to go
to • particular place, I resigned myself to the neceasity of
selecting another,leferior in many respects, yet intim tor to it
in this, that it was still accessible. It is an eminence at
some distance from this village. I was assured that the
whole of Strasburg and the surrounding country could
, be clearly discerned from that point. Last night
when the rapid booming of heavy guns proclaimed that the

firing was at we :a II al I progeeded to the place In wrew
lion. The guide who accompanied me was warranted
trustworthy. This Is the conventional formula. All guides
are said to be trustworthy, just as all men are assumed to be
brave tel all women to be virtuous. When pet to the teat my
guide proved to be a fair specimen of his class. lie took one
or two wrong turnings and caused me to make one or two
false steps, but then the eight was very dark and the guide
had never before visited thts place by night. Nor can I any
with truth that the Fptctacle itwlf repaid roe for my
trouble I certainly saw very plainly the gums on both
shies belching forth volumes of flame, and I could believe the
havoc wrought to have been prodigious. The fires which
have burnt In Strasburg without Intermission during the
past three da}s are extlngutshed,so that from a purely artistic
Point of view the spectacle has lost In ptclarrociuenees.
Nothing, Weed, con be more imposing than the sight of the
grand sld Cathedral standing erect amid the fl.mrs. the
red stone of which it is butlt glowing like molten
metal. The sight recalls to mind the Weird and vivid
picture which Dante gives of Die. lodged, at night this
siege appears to ba leis the writ d Men than of demons.
During the thy the canopy of smoke which covers alike the
beleaguered city and the besieging works cuoceals the wont
port of Dm nodertekirg. bat at algl‘t the hissing tholls
aud ii ialling powder, and the internal din of how:reds of
guns firing t.imultaneously, otutttute arpcclacle thlialte in
kg.ucieur and ',nett:llly iu effect.

Lettee a from before Strasburg in the Car!simile and Frank-
fort paper., mention that OD to 13th 3,000 periOlie. 111.419
childom and aged women, were nib-mad to lease the town,
and, for tle most part, took u:i their resideneif in the neigh-
bouring villages. Ike churchyard Is entirely under water.
By the diversion of the rive, 111 she wale,. poured into Stras-
burg is. such •manner that the inhabisanta caught multitudeil
of fishes. V alusble horses are everyday slaughtered, thesoldier
receiving half a pouuel of horseflesh daily as rations, two
hundred persons, mostly women, perished by the burning of
the theatre. they having sought shelter in the casement room,
from ilia %moves and Turco,. Many soldiers have been
burnt to death in those portions of the citadel which are hot
Ore-proof. On the lath the breach shooting began, and ap-
parently with great success. One could 1.1 iinly diatinguish
the hod far SUUTIti of the heavy breach batteries, and tho
striking of the cannon halls on the walls of the 1 ortreas. At
night the bombardment was frlghtf id, and there were several
Ores in the town. Relics of the battle are plentiful iu Alsage,
and at Woerth helmets, cooking utensils, knapsacks, and
shot-elf arms and legs can be (mind in abundance. On
the 131 h a man collected there a large bundls of letters, sol-
diers' books, a., belonging to French and German soldier',
and It was melancholy to see the letters, with their flowers
and other tokens of aff action, sent by lover., wives, nod re-
latives.