The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-12 00:00:00

EXTRACTS FROM A BESIEGED RESI-
DENT IN PARIS.

A SAD HOLIDAY, NEVERTHELESS

"At present, however, the very large majority believe
that France must eventually conquer, and that the world is
lost in wonder and admiration of their attitude. The sige
is one long holiday to the working classes. They are as well
fed as ever they were, and have absolutely nothing to do ex-
cept to play at soldiers. Although the troops are unable to
hold the villages withiu the lire of that. forts, they are under
the deludon that—to use the favourite expression—the
circle in which we are enclosed Is gradually but surely
being enlamed. I was this morning buying cigar. at a small
Lbaccoulats. • Well,' sahl the proprietor of the shop to
me, BO we are to destroy the Promises in twenty
days" Really,' I said. 'Vs.,' he replied, was
this moraine at the Metric ; there was a crowd
before it complaining that they could not get meat. A gen-
tleman—a functioaary—got upon a stool_ " Minns and
ss citiseneee," he ad ,d, 'be calm; continue to preserve the
admirable attitude which la eliciting the admiration of the
world. I Ore you my honour that arraugements have been
made to drive the Prussians away from rails in twenty
days" "Of course." added my worthy bourgeois, "this
functionary would not have spoken thus had the Govern-
ment a,ot revealed its plans to him." At this moment noel!
dressed Individual entered the shop and naked for a subscrip-
tion for the construction of a machine which hashed invented
to blow up the whole Prusaima army. I expected to see him
handed over to • policeman, hut instead ol this the hour
goals gave him two franca! What, I asked, Into be expected
of a city peopled by such credulou• fools, said the Goren,
meat fools them to the top of their bent."

RATHER BILLFISH!
" The JOU, nal duo Matsui Oct 27, contains an article pro-
testing against the bombardment ef Paris, on the ground of
the possibility of its pictures and statue* being liable to be
injared. War itself is a reflection upon civillaation, but as
long as wars exist, and the capital of one of the belligerents
not only is fortified, but serves as an entrenched camp for an
army, I hardly sea how It can claim exemption Irmo bor.
bartlitierit. Surely pictures and statues might he trans-
ported Into some lodn't-proof collar. The world, no doubt,
would bear ray death with greater equanimity th to the
destruction of a celebrated statue ; but much se I admire
works of art, I confess that I should far prefer, as a matter
of choice, • cannon ball to page throngh the most beautiful
picture to the Louvre than th,oUgh sip body ; and I suspect,
whatever may be said of the atrocity of destroying pictures
and statues, the majority of the wrtors In the Debate, as re-
gards themselves, arias selfish as lam."
Tilt END WILL SURELY COME!
I tee at :tweeting of the mayors, the population of Paris is
put down at 2,038,00. 'lids noes not include the regular
army, or the Harmer and Slobiles outside and within the
note The consumption if meat, unsequently, at the rate
of nal grammes ter diem, inust ainonnt to between 400,000
and 600,000 Me. per diem. Although mutton according to
the tariff Is ,heaver than beat, I rarely see any at the restau-
rant. Tills tells Its own tale, sod I imagine that In three
weeks teem now ortober 28) at the very latest, fresh meat
Will have come to an end."

TAKING IT tar!
"The National Guard In Siontroartre and Itstignollea have
held an indignation meeting to protest molest their betas
employed In the forts A law was passed oa Aswan 10, a.ll-
- under arms all unmarried ging beim.= 25 and 40. In
Parts it has never been acted as; it Would, how erer, ice far
better to regularly enrol thin pertion of the National Guard
as soldiers than to at le for volllieteen. As long as thews
sedentary' warriors can avoid regular service, or subject-
ing themselves to the disciplits and the hardehipa of
real soldier., they will de so. Before the 1.4.1,2011,
the mayor of an ammilmemeist sits on • plat.ren,
writing down the name. of volunteer'. Whenever ace
makes hie apperance, • roll'ol drums •lIllO4lllCoa to his Isliowa
elite.. that he has undertaken to risk his valuable life one.
side the remparts. It really does appear too monstrous that
the tattle bodied meet of this city should wear uniforms, l,son
the 1;0°,0 step, and refuse to take any part In the defence
within shot of the enemy. That they should ot.j:ci to be
employed inn carupaign away from their homes, is harday is
accordance with their eppeal to the provinces to rise en Mabee
to defend Prance, but that they should decline to de any-
thing but go ow, every twelve days to the ramparts, Is
h .rilly lighting even for their own homes. Surely as long
as the siege lasts they ought to consider that the Govern-
ment tea a right to use them anywhere within the lit es of
Investment. They make now what they call military prome-
nades, that is to lay, they go out at one gate, keep well
within the line of the forte, and come in at anuther gate.
Some of the battalions are ready to face the enemy, although
they will not submit to any discipline. The majority, how-
ever, do not intend to fight Imitable the rampart.. I
was reading yeeteroay the account of • court-menial ou one
of these heroes, who had fallen out with Ms commanding
officer, and threatened to pass his sword through las
hotly. The culprit, council urged, wale man of an amiable,
though excitable disposition ; that he was the father of
two cons, had once saved • child trim drowning, and had
presented several curiosities to • museum. Taking these
facts Into constritration the court condemned him to six
days' imprisonment, and his accuser apologised to hint, and
shook hands with him What is to be expected of troops
when military offences of the grossest kin.' are treated in
this isahlniesi I know myself odicers of the Garde Stabile,
who, when they are on duty at the ramparts, quietly
leave their melt there, and come home to dinner. No one
appears to conolder this anything extraordinary. Well
may General Trochu look up to the sky when it is overcast,
anti wish that he were In Brittany shooting woodcock.. LIO
hoe undertaken a task beyond his own strength, anti beyond
the strengih of the greatest general that ever lived. How
can the Parisians expect to force the Prussians to raise the
siege? They decline to be soldiers, and yet inta3lne thatin
some way or other, not only Is their city not be desecrated
by the foot of the invader, but that the armies of Germany
are to be driven out or Franoe."—Blary of a Besieged Resb
dent, In Daily Nem.