The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-08 00:00:00

THE STATE OF FEELING IN PARIS.

A correspondent of the Daily Neu, writing from Paris,
says :—" The latest news of the German forces has just
been announced by M. Gambetta in the following
words :---` The enemy is approaching nearer and
nearer to Paris.' Late yesterday night I obtained
the following statement of the situation. I can
guarantee its accuracy. There will be, with Vinoy's
troops, 40,000 soldiers in Paris. They are utterly demo-
ralised. There are 80,000 Garde Nationale armed, 20,000
Mobiles, and about 5,000 armed Volunteers. This is the
sole armed force which can be counted on for the defence.
There are no more guns, so that it is impossible to arm
more Volunteers, and there is -hardly enough ammunition
for one battle. The Provisional Government would
be ready to treat upon any terms short of a cession of ter-
ritory. They are afraid, if the armed force is hurried to
the ramparts, that the scum of the populace will pillage
the town. The population of Paris require at least ten
more days of hard work to enable them to resist
an attack. Under these circumstances it would appear
most desirable that the Foreign Ministers resident here
should interfere to prevents if possible, a further effusion
of blood. A foreign diplomatist said, to me this morning,
" Why does not England, order her ambassador .to act ?
He has received no instructions since the capture of the
Emperor." Lord Lyons is a man of excellent judgment
and great caution. Let him receive by telegraph carte
blanche to proffer his services to the Provisional
Government, and to throw the whole moral influence of
England on the side of peace on conditions which a gallant
though vanquished nation, which has been for long a true
ally to us, may accept, and which Germany, after her
tremendous sacrifice in repelling aggression, could not in
reason decline. The situation in which twenty years of
personal government has left this nation is a terrible one.
The milks are prisoners or blockaded. Arms and ammu-
nition are wanting. Notwithstanding the proclamations
which the provisional Governmen issues every hour,
calling on the people to be united and all will be well,
the feeling of to-day is one of utter despair. Re-
sistance indeed is known to be impossible, and yet
anything is felt to be better than to cede two provinces
to the enemy. Count Bismarck, it is understood here,
required a war indemnity, the cession of Alsace and a
:portion of Lorraine, and the whole French fleet. It is
reported that the Prussian headquarters will be at Com-
I piegne to-night► If this be true, the railroad to England
will be cut to-morrow, if not this evening.

1.11-‘IIIS IN DANGER.
(PROM A FRE.NCII CORRESPONDENT.I
PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.
The state of affairs here is fast becoming critical. The
news received by the Government this afternoon an-

nounces that the Prussians are advancing hourly on Paris.
Their scouts have already appeared within fifteen leagues
of the capital. It is supposed the Prussians will be before
Paris in force in from six to eight days. Ido not mean
to say that the Prussians will easily enter Paris, if they
come ; but the direction taken by their armies seems to
indicate that they anticipate no further interruption to
their onward march. The fortifications are in an excel-
lent state, and well provided with guns and ammunition ;
and supposing that all those who rend the air with
" Mourir pour. la patrie " were serious, there are more
than enough men to defend the city for a sufficient length
of time to allow the great effort to be made to call out
every man capable ofibearing arms.
There can be little doubt that the Prussians intend
investing Paris. Great as her resources undoubtedly are,
it is very questionable if she will be able to do so. To
invest it effectually would require upwards of 500,000
men. But if the Prussians could bring that number, they
would have to leave Marshal Bazains in their rear, with
120,000 troops, and General Vinoy, with his division, now
augmented by about 15,000 men formerly belonging to the
army of MacMahon, and who were dispersed after the
battle of Sedan. They would also have to contend with
the army of Lyons, estimated at not less than 80,000
men. This army has been formed at Sartory, near
Lyons, and is said to be well organised and thoroughly
equipped. Then, again, the Prussians would be har-
rassed by the Franc-tireurs, who are being rapidly
organised in every department. All this seems to Suggest
that they will not try to invest Paris, but attempt to get
possession of one or two of the weaker forts, and commence
bombarding the city. Should they do so, which I trust
may not be the case, I am of opinion that the popula-
tion will demand to capitulate.
But the real danger which Paris risks is not so much
from a Prussian occupation as from a civil war. The
Socialist party, composed principally of idle and and am-
bitious workmen, have for chiefs a legion of needy adven-
turers, whose desires can only be satisfied by seizing on
power, and the robbery of the aristocracy and the wealthy
manufacturers and tradesmen. These men and their
satellites openly delare that they have worked too hard and
too long to enrich others, who now live in idleness. That
the day has at length arrived when the system must be
altered, and. the scene entirely_ changed—that the rich
shall work, and their property shall be divided amongst
the working-classes. To many such scenes only seem
absurd. But when the character of the Parisian Social-
ists is considered, and the extent to which vicious leaders
may excite and inflame them, it is only too probable that
the attempt may be made.
The present Government are most of them men of
property, and, as may be supposed from this, are utterly
guiltless of Socialistic proclivities. They are anxious to
maintain order, so that they may retain power. But the
fear is that they will not be able to do so.