The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-17 00:00:00

THE CAGED LION.

" A calm after the storm. The snow falling softly. tiot a
sound in the broad avenues of the city of Versailles. The
waggons and carts of many convoys passing along the paved
streets mats no noise on the stones. Ihe forte are silent.
Like some wild bemt encased, poor Parts has her filial fury
and cf dejected, oneedy silence—perchance repose which
cannot bring her comfort or streogth—the sleep of a
wounded man who is tortured in his dreams. The change
from an attitude of savage energy, such as she 1:411100,in
the lmt day s of Nos ember and the beginning of this m....nth,
to tha profound lethargy, is most striking. You nave ali
seen how the lion too.. him up, gaunt, hungry, and furleus.
from his torpor, rushes at the iron bars of his Ware and
strives to tear them down and get free ; and now, with sullen
growl and baffled purpose he retires to the truer of his den
anti lied down, with glaring eyes fined ou )ou, motionless
butter the heaving of his wearied flanks. So le Parh now."

HOW AND WHERE TO FIND DEATH.

" General Trochu has promised ha will defend Paris to Vic
last and die in its defence. But the Commander-in-Chief of
the Army of Paris la the hst man likely to die of hunger in
the city, and there is no other enemy to be feared. The
only way 01 meeting death now is to come out and lieek it,
for the Germans are not apparently going to try either
bombardment or assault, nor are they, more properly
speaking, going to prepare for an assault by any attempt
at bomloarding. Toe guns are Will in the Siege Train
Parka. It I. not possible to determine on what principle
the Government of Parts is acting. While there was a re.
tiering army in the field it was their duty to hold out
Unless they are satisfied that army can be reconstructed
or another put in its place, they are acting like men who
defend a fortress which is unteninle. The letter wirch
General Count von Moltke wrote and sent in by Count
liostits recapitulated the facts known at Head-Quarters re-
specting the battle beforeOrleane and invited General Tynan'
to satiety himself, if he pleased, that the result, were
correctly stated by the despatch of an officer of his Stall who
would receive every facility to repair to the German
armies and ascertain the truth. General Denim replied
in s short letter thanking Count Moltke for the
offer, but refusing to avail Mouton as 'it was not
necessary to do so.' That may have meant he was
quite sure the reports were correct; or that it would make
no difference In Ms resolve to defend Parb whether the
Army of the Loire were beaten or not. Count Moltke's
letter, In fact, WAS & commons to surrender. 'You are a
soldier, and you know the laws of war. Unless you are aa-
pared of help, oral beingable to raise the blockade. without it,
you have no right to owner.° the lives of men, women, •nd
children toe point of military honour. Infect, honour is more
than satisfied now, and you am committing crave military
error IS you persist in a violence which cam ot avert
the capitulation. I will prove to you that all nelson-
able baits of your hope of help from without has vanished.
You have tried to raise the blockade from within, and you
have failed.' The oaly interpretation of the reply is that
General Trochu is resolved t act as If there were still a
chance of success from without or from within, lie affects,
it is thought, to be the mere General, subservient to the
orders of tile Government, but if he t lid U. Fevre and his
colleagues that there was no object to be gained in firing
guns at the German positions, and in holdtug walls within
which there was an enemy Increasing in power every day.
would they indeed force him to continue the cruel work
stock mast end in submission 4"