The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-10 00:00:00

THE WAR,

THE SIEGE OF PARIS.
TR OCHU AND THE PARISIANS.

PARIS, December 31st.

Rumours of divisions in the Ministry have been rife.
and there has, in fact, been a very animated discussion
in the Council; but a note which appears in the QfficialJourlaal
this morning, bearing Trochu's signature, recommending
general harmony, and announcing that action would
speedily be taken, proves that, for the time being, at least,
the Ministry is in stata quo. General Trochu pos-
sesses great administrative powers as well as great
military capacity ; but some of the chief dignitaries of
the army, whose position and whose services authorised
them to interfere, have insisted that the Governor of Paris
should share a responsibility which was becoming over-
whelming. A Council of War, composed of members of
the Executive Committee, has been formed, and is already
in active existence. The bombardment goes on vigorously
and it has been calculated that Rosny alone
received 580 shells in one day. Since the beginning of the
bombardment it has been calculated that Prussia has
spent 3,420,000 francs, but without doing the forts more
damage than is repaired at night. The western forts,
and especially Mont Valerien, are to be bombarded
next, but they are stronger than those on the
eastern side. If the Germans were wise,. they
would abandon their obstinate point of honour, and give
up the attempt to reduce Paris, while devoting themselves
to preserving Alsace and Lorraine; but they prefer to
exhaust themselves in useless efforts under the walls of
the capital, risking the consequences of a prolonged
sojourn in a foreign country during a very unfav-
ourable season. If they are building on famine
in Paris they are mistaken, for ration tickets have been
delivered dated to the 15th of March, so that provisions
will last till then. The privations as yet are not extreme.
The well-to. do classes find means to supplement their
allowance, while the poor are so well looked after that
they are really better off than in many ordi-
nary seasons. The trees in the Champs Elysees are
being cut down for fuel, and those in the Tuileries will
soon follow.

January 2nd.

The pressure on General Trochu has induced him to
consent to admit the assistance of a council composed
of four Ministers and four generals, but they
are merely to be councillors, not active agents.
An important meeting has been held, and some
energetic action resolved _ upon, for the troops are ,in
motion and the ambulances astir. It was rumoured at
St. Denis that the town would be bombarded, and the
ambulances were evacuated, but it is not easy to see what
use this would be to the Prussians. They are, however,
blowing up a number of buildings in the environs.
The clubs have been making some hostile demonstra-
tions against the Government, but little attention was
paid to them. The only noticeable thing was that the de-
monstrations were simultaneous with the bombardment•
However, no repressive measures were necessary. Jules
Favre has published a note, cautioning the public
against being deceived by false news of a favourable
character, while professing to find ground for confidence in
the provincial news received through the English papers;
but the note is written in a dispirited tone. There are
some complaints of the attitude of the United States,
whose relations with Prussia are somewhat mysterious,
and who only quote papers which are unfavourable to
France. ' Switzerland was also out of favour, out since
the Luxemburg affair M. Kern's views have been a good
deal modified.
January 3rd.

The bombardment in the direction of Vanvres, Issy,
and Montrouge is ceasing. There is indeed no
reason it should continue, since some thousands of
shells have poured upon Fort Rosny of which only
one injured the rampart without penetrating it, and the
injury was at once repaired. It seems by the fragments
of foreign papers received here that the Germans are daily
expecting the capitulation of Paris. It is quite possible
that France may be ohce more disappointed, and the Army
of the Loire may be dispersed ; but, in any case, Paris
will not surrender before exhausting its very last resources,
and that will not be before six weeks, and perhaps two
months. As for the Bonapartist restoration talked of at
Brussels, it is not even dreamt of here. A few, a very
few, persons have ventured to speak of treating with Ger-
many at the risk of being torn to pieces, but not a single
journal ventured to take that up. Not one individual,
however, has proposed an Imperialist restoration.