The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-04 00:00:00

3totiqri4e 011serbcr.

iATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1871

THE SURRENDER OF PARIS.

The observant reader who may have had the
strongest sympathies for France, and who may
have desired ever so earnestly that she might
find a turn in the tide of her misfortunes, must
have latterly hoped against hope if he indulged
the dream of the ultimate victory of this unhappy
country. The course of the war has from the
very outset—it may almost be said from the 15th
of July, when war was hastily and passionately
declared—marvellously unequal and one-sided.
No great war in the world's history shows such
a wonderful succession of defeata and disasters,
blunders anti failures, on the one hand, and such
a marvellous series of triumphs and successes
on the other. For more than four months Prus-
sia has on the whole beou gaining strength and
prestige; she has had a scarcely broken career
of victory, her temporary checks having in no
important respect influeuced the progress and
developemeut of the war. And during all this
time France has, as a natural consequence, suf-
fered a continual series of losses and humilia-
tion. and defeat has followed defeat with crush•
ing effect. It would be out of place here to
speak at length on the causes of this. They
have undoubtedly been many. On the one side
there have been coolness aud determination,
combined with the most carefully prepared plaits;
there have been good generalship, admirable
organisation, and admirably served and ably of-
ficered forces. On the other there have been
disorganisation, an unreaognised and divided
Government, a badly supplied army, and a mar•
vellous sheenss of able generalship. The advan•
tages on the one side and the disadvantages on
the other seemed relatively to increase as the
war progressed, and, bearing this in mind, re-
cent events have led the way for the inevitable
event that has now occurred. When it was
found that the three great armies of Generale
Chanzy, Bourbaki, and Faidherbe were severally
defeated. anti that the last desperate effort of
the garrison of Parts to make a sortie resulted
only in disastrous failure, it ceuld not be es•
pected, even by the must sanguine friends of
France that victory could, under any ressoitably
probable circumstances, deviate for her. The
news of the eavitulatiun of Paris comes then:-
fore, as a natural corollaiy to preceding events.
We learn that the principal forts of Paris have
been successfully occupied by the Prussian
troops ; that an armistice of twenty•ftne days. by
land Red sea has been agreed upon in order
that a Constituent Assembly may lie convoked
and a Government chosen with whom Prussia
can make terms of peace ; that the main army
of Paris remain there as prisoners of war; that
the re-victual:nig of the eity is to be ailowed ;

and that, in a word, nada. ihe once pr,nd and
still beautiful hut tearful cite, lies at the feet of
her e•nravierers. M•o.y of tio, frieads cif Frane.
Slid cling to the falia—rons hope that she may
)et renew her streilgth ; that, like Antams, hav-
ing been brought to the groand, she may gaia
new life ; that she may yet battle with her now
ieturiona enemy. But there seems little grouhd
for each hip. Frantie is utteriv and definitely
defeated, and she has been brought so low that
she umat perforce accept the terms of the vie-
torioaa Germans. That peace will result front
the fall of Paris seems almost beyond doubt;
but on what terms has yet to be decided. Paris
is condemned to pay a war contribution of DV
millions of francs, or eight millions sterling, and
a very heavy pecuniary penalty will doubtless be
exacted from France as a whole. And the ces-
sion of territory will, as a matter of course, be
insisted ou by the Prnssians. This has with
them been a sine gut non ; the war was carried
on by Germany for this object, and now that sho
has conquered she is not likely to be less ecact-
ing. Prussia is evidently determined to humble
France, and unless England or other neutral
powers can induce the victors to modify their
demands the humiliation of France will Dater-
ally result from this disasterous war. We can-
not admire the spirit with which the Emperor
of Germany telegraphs this important news to
the Empress. Alluding to the surrender of
Paris, he says, " This is the first blessed reward
of patriotism, heriosin, and heavy sacrifices. I
thank God for his mercy. May peace soon fol-
low." The Christian world generally will have
different views of "this mercy," and will regard
the surrender of Paris us a crowning tirumph of
an ambitious nation who whatever may have
been the cause or original of the war, hums
carried it out as a war of conquest as atterly as
any nation in the world could have done. Rut
though the great event of the day cum scarcely
be regarded as a " mercy," to the Prussians, we
shall have ample can's for gratitude shout that
event he the precursor of lasting peace. To
conquerors as well as conquered, 'the war will
bring hitter teachings, and the present genera-
Con will have heard so much of the horrors and
misery of war that the wholesome dread of it
will be stronger than ever, and in this way good
will come out of evil

LXTEST NEWS.

PRESS

ASSOCIATION TELVIRA 31 S.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS)

Tll E WA 11.

FHA NCI,

FRANCE DP.FERMINED TO
CARRY ON THE WAR.

MARSEILLES, TilUiliafty.

M. GALL Prefeet of Mars.•illes, and M Ann-
foie de la Forge, Pr, foct of the noiset; of the
I.'r•afees, hay,. .ta proel :mation reeor

‘• 4isl4uce if

'I litirs4lay

A meeting of the democratic party has con-
fided to (lambetta the task of constituting a

committee of public safety, with the object of
rejecting the armistice, and carrying on the war.

BORDEAUX, Thursday.
The Seiele approves the decre eof the delegate
Government relative to electorial disabilities.
2.3 Republican leaders have been nominated to
form a future committee of public safety.
Among them arc Louis Blanc, Victor Hugo,
Gambetta, Rochefort, and Esquiros.