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

WHAT MANCH HAS TO GAIN.

It will be asked, perhaps, what France has to gain by pro-
h•nsti rig the war. me anise er is suniciehtly indicated by the
deicription just gie en of what she migNt kayo lost by bring-
ing it to an immediate end. she has to gale self-respect.
She hes to show that the soldierly virtues are not extinct In
the Frerch tent le ; that generalship, endurance, kali,. trol,
are yet to Ii ii und combined in a French army. The siege
of Parts tarnishes an opp•rtimity almost wit bout parallel
for the revelation of this fact. Let It be granted that the
pre spec tel making a successful defence tuna small ae the
niott sanguine German can make it, there are still ample
means et making a hero'c defence. Let it be granted
that SCO,Ot u homed men cannot drive the Germans
back, they can at least mike the siege as memorable
for the tones sustained by the hesiegers as for the
losses Millet. el by them. Let ft be granted even
that the preesure of avant civil population will make it lus •
presible in hold cut to the very last, the army that Geheral
Trochu con bring Into tho field ought to be strong enough, if
well handled, to tight one battle which rimy be quoted here-
after in proof of what cc. he compa,sed by the despairing
monition of a great and fain, us et, y. If tn applytcg them-
selves to It. tbscourr,ging labours which await them oath.
return of peace Frenchmen have such a memory as this be-
hind then,. they will at all events wok with the sprit that
comes irom a cola, 1011/111.3 of having lett nothing untried
that mieht avert iheiniable mlefortime. Surely this alone is
an advantage f•Jr chicle It Is worn h their while to light tore
few weeks longer."—Pail MnU Gazette.

THE SIEGE OF METZ rs 1441.

When Melt sem besieged in 1444 by the Kings of France
and Sicily He Inhabitant. seem to have been rather hardly
treated by the governor of the fortress. The governor of
Heir iii. stated in Monstrelet's •• Chronicles," was a very
cruel main called John Varna, who during the siege rode a
small courser having at his tall • bell which made a great
Cole.. De did this that .11 might bear and know when he
was ...hang about the town. T'.l. governor was very severe
on all women who left the town to ransom their hatbands
who had been made prism.. by the French on their re-
turn he had them drowned because they had supplied the
enemy with money. He put to death without mercy all
French prisoners, ni:d would nib hear of • ransom or ex-
change. Nevertheleu the King was go benign • prince that
he wished not his death nor that of his accomplices. but
granted them ninth handsonaa terms of surrender. The heavy
articles of capitulation v ere a handsome present of gilt
plate, 200,(00 crowns for the expenses of the siege, and the
acquittance of leo,enti tiorMs of gold, which King Woe of
Sicily; and his predeceasore had borrowed from them. tic
these terms they preserved all their rights and privilege.
from innovation, and their quarrel with the King of Sicily
renisined undetermined, n, were any further measures
taken towards bringing it to a conclusion.