The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

INSIDE OF PARIS.

An (irrational Correspondent of The Tine., writing from
Perla, by Balloon Post, mays:—

I have made more than one attempt to give you some
information of our doings here, but I fear they have
none of them been successfuL Now I really think I
have a good chance of getting a letter over safely, and
I take advantage of it somewhat hurriedly, without
being checked by the fear of repeating what you, per-
haps, know already. We have no means of measuring
your degree of enlightenment or ignorance as regards
us. Since the 19th of last month, when we were sepa-
rated from the rest of the world, we have had an En-
glish paper but twice—on the OCCINion of General Burn.
sides Iwo visits. We have had The Tintesof Septern ber 23,
and one of October 3, which have furnished matter
to all our papers for a week. AU the rest is blank.
From the Provinces we scarcely get more news. Now
and then a provincial paper gets in, and sometimes •
Parisian journal (like the Figaro the other day) invents
a provincial paper, and republishes it almost in talent°
in its columns. No one could have believed before.
hand that a town like Paris could be so completely
beleaguered. The Germans have done what was
universally proclaimed to be impossible. The Govern.
merit now and then receives despatch. from Tours by
carrier pigeons, but these despatches invariably tell
us only that armies are forming in the Provinces to
come to the rescue of Paris, and that all France
applauds the Republic and the Government of National
Defence

The privations consequent on the siege are not very
great as yet, and for people who have some means of
their own are certainly not greater than those which
most emigrants have to undergo. We are hencefor-
ward to be rationed for butchers' meat, every person
above eight gears of age being entitled to one hecto-
gramme (a fifth part of a pound) daily. This rule is to
be enforced rigidly, earls being delivered at the
Mairies to each household. The price of meat is not
very high, however, and the State, up to this time, only
charges the consumer 21 eons a pound. But horse-flesh
is abundant, and you may indulge in that without limit
at the rate of 16 sous per pound for the choicest morsel..
Some Parisians have learnt to like it. There is flour
in store for months, and oceans of wine. Coffee and rice
are plentiful; salads, fruit, and a few green vegetables
are still to be had, but at high prices. Eggs, not fresh
laid, but good, cost four or tire sons each. Milk, of
course, is not to be had, and—worst of all—butter (even
salt), lard, suet, and all kinds of fat have quite disan-
. peered from the market, so that all cookery is very un-
palatable, unless you have a cook who knows how to
use oil. Saltfish is sold at 30 sows a pound, and not a
cheese can be had for love or monevin all Paris. All
men who are in the National Guard receive 30 sons •
day, and when on duty they can club together and so
manage. But the women of the working classes especially
the single women,are most to be pitied for they earn no-
thing now, and there are many pinched and wan facee
to be seen among them. Their fare was always very
poor, for no Parisian ourrtere cared to spend much on
eating, and they have consequent ly not much strength in
them to resist want. The cltarcuterie, the raP as tail,
the fromage (lc Erie which formed their chief food, can
no longer be had. There is food still in Paris for
many weeks to come, but it mast soon be distributed
gratuitously to thousands who never dreamt of living
upon charity. As it is, almost all the peasants who
have taken refuge here are fed at the public expense.
They have neither store nor trade in this great town.
Shopkeepers sell literally nothing, but, at best, this
is with them a 'dead semen," and so they have
taken patience hitherto; but, as winter comes on,
they, too, will be impatient that all this; should end
"somehow." As yet, however, no pressure has been
put on the Government, except by the party asking for
a bolder system of warfare, and every one bean his or
her lot patiently. The dull, dusty, unswept streets are
as quiet and orderly as possible, and the most timid
woman need feel no fear. In every open space may be
seen men of every age and in every stage of military
development practising drill. Every other man has a gun
on his shoulder, but all are civil and good-humoured.
The mania of seeing spies everywhere and of 'suspect-
ing everybody, which raged fearfully at one time,
has now almost entirely died away. Measures—some
of them not a little arbitrary—have been taken to
alleviate distress. All articles of bedding and linen
pledged at the Mont Jr Pietd for less than 151. have
been restored to their owners, and the payment of the
October quarter of rent has been postponed to January.
Landlords are, moreover, prohibited from giving notice
to quit. A more inexcusable decree authorises the
Mayor to locate houseless persona in any vacant lodge
ices without compensation to the laadlord.