The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-23 00:00:00

T FIE WAR .

THE SIEGE OF PARIS.

BY BALLOON MAIL.-FROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
OF THE CENTRAL PRESS.]

Faris, Jan. 15.

There has been something like another bread panic.
The night before last the bakers closed their shops, having
no more bread. This was owing, it was said, to the neglect
of the officials in not having furnished the bakers with
flour, but the fact is there is a scarcity of flour, and it is
probable that after the 19th there will be no more bread.
The flour is now mixed with rice and other ingredients to

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spin out the waning supply. There are, however, suffi-
cient horses to supply food for thirty days, so the failure

of flour will not produce.a capitulation.
Will France be represented at the Conference, and by
Jules Favre? That question may be answered in the
affirmative. He will proceed to London as soon as
he gets his safe conduct, supposing the state of
affairs in Paris will allow him to leave. The
general impression is that he should nob have hesitated
a moment in deciding to go, as his presence at the Con-
ference would be a recognition of the French Provisional
Government by the other European nations. The excite-
ment produced by the whole affair is scarcely
commensurate with its importance, but the
fact is that the immediate issues of the
war and the interests of the defence are
the all engrossing subjects. Nevertheless, Herr von Bis-
marck has contrived to excite a considerable amount of
indignation by his conduct in reference to Lord Granville's
invitation to Favre to attend the Conference. The
Government has published the correspondence, and it
seems Lord Granville's letter was dated December 29, but
Herr von Bismarck did not forward it to the French
Minister of Foreign Affairs until the evening of the 10th
instant, and then without sending at the same time the
necessary pass for crossing the Prussian lines. Bismarck
maintains that he cannot send a Prussian officer with
it, because flags of truce have been fired on by the
French, and until reparation has been made for this
outrage, no communication can pass between the rival
armies. Bismarck refers to the affair of Dec. 23rd, which
was not proved by any witness, and cynics suggest that
it would be difficult to prove it. On the other hand, the
French complain that Admiral de la Ronciere's aide
de camp, with a flag of truce, was fired on near
St. Denis, though the Prussian officer in command
apologised, and also that the Governor's aide-de-camp
went on the 11th to the bridge at Sevres to protest against
the bombardment of the hospitals, and was fired on. If
these assertions be correct, Bismarck's complaint is cer-
tainly not well-grounded, and his virtuous indignation is
somewhat out of place. The Corps Diplomatique, such
of them at least as still linger in deserted Paris, have held
three meetings at the residence of the Swiss Minister,
and resolved upon despatching a joint protest to
Bismarck, against the absence of notice prior to a
bombardment, whose victims have included many
belonging to neutral States, and by which the
life and property of persons of every nationality are
constantly endangered. The foreign representatives
request the Chancellor to interpose with the military
authorities, in order that measures should be taken to give
their compatriots the opportunity of sheltering them-
selves and their property, To this note were
appended the signatures of the Ministers of Switzerland,
Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, the
United States, and Bolivia ; the Chargds d'Affaires of
the Brazils, the Dominican Republic, Turkey,
Peru, the Central American States, and several
smaller States, and the Consuls-General of Austria,
Russia, Italy, Portugal, and Greece. England is con-
spicuous by her absence, which has caused considerable
remark. There is no one to represent her interests in
Paris but the hall porter at the Embassy.
The results of the bombardment officially known from
the sth of January, when it first reached the civil popula-
lation, until nightfall on the 13th, have been published.
The names of the victims are given, but the returns are
not yet complete. The total killed and wounded up to
that date were 39 children, 57 women, and 93 men. The
spirit of the people, however, is yet undaunted, and every
effort is made to relieve the inevitable distress.
Mr. Richard Wallace has, in consequence of " the ad-
mirable conduct of the population in the quarters of
Paris so brutally bombarded," suggested that a patriotic
subscription, be opened in favour of the unhappy families
obliged to leave their lodgings, and he offered, should the
Government adopt his suggestion, to subscribe 100,000
francs. M. Jules Faye accepts, in the name of the
Government, " with gratitude," and personally subscribes
1,000 francs.
From an early hour this morning the bombardment of
the South has been more violent than on any preceding
day since the opening. General Ducrot made a sortie
during the night and destroyed the houses and walls still
left in the park of Beauseigner, taking some prisoners.
General. Vinoy's attempted sortie on the evening of the
13th against the Moulin de Pierre was received
with such a murderous fire that the troops
returned. It is evidently the intention to push on
matters with vigour. The military authorities desire that
all men capable of returning to their duty shall be sent
out of the ambulances without delay. Soldiers not join-
ing their regiments within 48 hours after leaving hospital
will be proceeded against according lo military law.