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

A STRANGE COTNCIDENCE.

......
'lt seems a strange coincidence that the world should
have at the same moment to lament the insecurity of those
two cities which enclose the greatest wonders of human
genius that the treasures of art in the Vatican should be
expoutt to the lame dangers which threaten those of the
Louvre. Rome and Parts are both beset by armies. It Is
true that at II •nia the Italian under General Cadorna, the
soldiers of Ring Victor Emmanuel, appear as trethren and
deliverers, that they claim what is indisputably their own,
and have only to contend spinet a handful of foreign
fanatics ant mercenaries equally ileteited by the people and
disowned by the Government itself, while at Paris the whole
population Is bent on helllog the city against the Prussian,
an Invader who has nothing to urge against them but the
right of conquest, and that prover stion which prompted him
to meet the clamour 'A Berlin ." wills the counter cry,
'Sada Paris! '"—Leader In The Time'.

COUNT BLSMAIICK.9 OPINION.

A correspondent of the Diked*, who spent a short time at
Rothe! with Count Bismarck, has recorded the conversation
be had with him. The Count, be says, attributed the reverses
of the French army to the incompetency of its chiefs, whit
oily compared with that of French Ambassadors Beriedittl,
thottgb he resided • long time in Germany, did not learn the
language, whereas he himself, when to France and Russia,
engaged professors to teach him those languages that be might
Understand things personally. The French Generals, ho went
On to say, did not keep abreast of military progress but the
soldiers had always fought well, especially at Gravelotte. The
army had always allowed itaelt to be surprised, and had no
more discipline. At Sedan, which was cue of those sur-
prise; MacMahon being wounded while mounting his horse,
there was no more command nor anybody to replace him.
The Emperor, he believed, charged at the head of his army
In order to meet death. Ile could not understand Mac-
hishon's wavering movement, for had he made a rapid and
direct march by Moutmedy, the Prusaimm would not have
come tip in time, and would not have penetrated like a
wedge the French army, which thus from the beginning was
divided into two separate pasts. A lady molted him whether
the Prusalana would go so fax as to burn Parts. Ile replied,
It will not come to that; but as to fighting In the streets,
I will only facilitate the entry Into the city."
PITY THE POOR CORRESPONDENT

" The Breton troops who arrived yeeterday to Paris, seem
to be more bretonnant' even than the first arrival.. They
searched into Paris with bagpipes and fiddlers at their head,
laying 'La Llgoune, ma doom.' What that air may bet
bar no Idea at all, but, if It resemble the woeful ditties I
was haunted by to a late hour last night, all the tom-cats in
the Vicinity of the Chttenu d'Eau must have been roused to
lealOns agony. I have heard Chinamen sing, and Panama
Indians I don't bout of the experience, nor even recall it
with arrogance. Other people have undergone suffering' ;
several persons In the course of this war have, I doubt not,
endured pains with which min:city prow nts me from com-
paring mine. Only it may be allowed to a man to remark,
historically, as one should say, that he hes been tried to a
degree which only Foxes Martyr's could describe with any
approach to truth. It le not, therefore, empirically or with
youthful rashness that I sum up my criticism of the
Preton mmic In the emphatic statement that, of rill
Ilea dreadful stmods to which humsn lips can give
utterance, it is the most infernal. A railway whistle is
harmony to It ; the sound of a threshing machine badly
In need of grease is lively melody, most iliverni-
tied in note, and cheering In expression, by the side of it.
There is, as far aa I can make out, one line in every verse,
and the first word and the last are chorus. The line, there-
fore, starts with a nasal burst, prolonged till every one's out
of breath. Then the chief of these sweet singers chants all
he one tone, and with one gulp of air, the ravings of his
national poet. The hat word of the line Is taken up attain
by him dnadful friends and they make night hideous with it
as long as their kings holds out. Give me rather, since one
must be sung with agony to one's grave—the short, sharp
pang of a Chinese love ditty. Why so prolong our palm, oh
merciless youth of Armoric'? limb, what is that horrid
sound/ Is It the screaming of • percussion shell? Is it the
first wall of agony alibiing from this doomed town A 1..,
alas! how my heart bleeds for these poor barmier children
who are screaming In the next house! Again i—no, by Jove,
its those confounded Bretons overhead, beginning their
devilish psalmody. Pardon my abrupt conelusiou!ho
sense of duty could withstand this trial. lam about to fly
to the uttermost parts of the city—lnto the Prussian lines—
anywhere that • La Ligousse, ma deuce' cannot penetrate."
Telegrlph Correspondent in Paris.

GENERAL SHERIDAN ON THE FRENCH ABLY.
The following le an extract from a letter of General Sheridan,
o the United States army at present at the headquarters o
I f
the King of Frusais --" have not time now to glee yen •
detailed ac .ourit of army affairs sir ce I Heed it, it
to say that the French have been beaten is every engagement
from Welaxnturg up to the surrender of the Ernperor Napo-
leon at Sedan, and there seems to be little left except It be
the siege of Porte, and that will not save France. lt is
hEm th 4 the French trot ps have not dire so well as ii WO'
they might have done on cos or two ocesalous which I wit.
mused, from the fact that the poor fellows found themselves
so badly handled by their comontnlere that they could see CO
equivalent to he obtained by the ...orifice of their lives All
men like to have an eiptivali tit for their labour, and especi-
ally in It so with the soldier, who wants success where many
livoo have be rokaificed. 'The French generalship put this
out of question in every battle which I have witnessed.
Everybody here has been very kind to me."

THE ARREST OP MARSHAL VAILLANT.
The Rappel Mateo that on Friday, an old gentleman, in
civilian drew, me men walking shout the fortifications near
Thiamoos aud &Wog notes. A National Guard came up $e

hjm,—aner Voncbinf-hlienni—tho Shongee, Tatill• _tar
Marshal Valliant. I street you." With the moistened of
some comrades, who gathered round him, the National
Guard compelled his prisoner to enter a haiku y carriage,
and conveyed film to the office at General Trochu. The
news had rapbily sy,road, and by the time the coach
reached its deatination acons,derable crowd had assembled,
which evinced its feeling by cries it A D lee fro? tree, ilo
out teadts /a Prance al mord." An inire.tbratlon wan de.
Mantled. General Troebn wal absent. bet M. G.ruler Pages
appeared in his plaCe, and, monntleg a chair,addreased
the crowd. "Cltizans," said he. "we mast have at this time
beet one thought—ta drive away the invader. To do that
what is needed. Revolution. You have that. As for trea-
sons, it any ho discovered, needy justice will be done
You bevy rely upon the Gmernmeet ter the nationri de
fence. Is will watch and will do its duty. lure Ira Rrimb
:ique." The crowd replied to this address, which the
/4pirt to idZmules,taa ,
„" rather algae' by repeated cries of