The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-13 00:00:00

THE WAR.

PARIS IN SUSPENSE.

PARIS, SUNDAY.

The great topic of the day is the blowing up of the
citadel of Laon, which has created the greatest excite-
ment. Most persons applaud the spirit of the defenders,
whose desperate act comes almost as a relief after the
• tamenes and vacillation of too many French com-
manders. It may be remembered that at the beginning
of the war the commander and all the officers of
Laon assembled, and took an oath to blow up
the place rather than deliver it to the enemy.
It is said the gates were thrown open without any capitu-
ation being made, so that the officers held themselves ex-
cused from the military law which forbids any offensive
act after surrender.
General Trochu has issued a proclamation directing
that on the approach of the enemy all the woods and
forests &c., surrounding Paris shall he fired, in order to
prevent their giving airy shelter to the enemy. The
tinsniane have so kugeip proated by the 4sroody nallnrecat
*Ye Mgt:Acta they have Invaded that this measure- though
culling for a sacrifice on the part of the people ie not an
unnecessary precaution. The General, in his proclama-
tion, calls upon the citizens of Paris to surprise the in-
vader by showing him that the capital which he thought was
enervated by the enjoyments of peace is in every way
prepared for the combat. An armistice for a fortnight
has been talked of for the last day or two but there is no
authentic grounds for the rumour. There has also been
a report that all women are to be sent out of Paris—
a measure which they not unreasonably object to, as they
contend their presence may be useful in encouraging and
cheering their husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers, and
also in succouring and tending the wounded. In the
latter capacity, especially, it would seem they could ill be
spared.
Meanwhile the action of the diplomatic world is
engaging anxious attention. The Republic has met with
a favourable reception on the whole. Four. Powers,
America, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, have
formally recognised the new Government, and the
official recognition of Belgium is daily expected.
According to a despatch from Prague, published in the
Constitu(ionnel, the Washington Government has gone
further than this, and has represented to the Prussian
Government that the war has no longer an object since
Napoleon is dethroned, and the King proclaimed at the
outset that he was not fighting with the Freneh people.
To add force to this remonstrance, the Government
of the United States declared that it could
not regard with indifference the effusion of
blood in a country whose institutions were
kindred to its own. This despatch, it Is said, has
produced an immense sensation in the diplomatic world,
though what effect it will have on the sturdy old King,
who, to judge from some of the German papers, is lw no
means inclined to have his declaration taken au pied de la
lettre, may be questioned. The papers are full of the
courteous despatches exchanged between M. Jules Fevre
and the Ministers of Spain, Switzerland, and Italy. They
are less openly enthusiastic> than the letter of Mr.
Washburn, but they are amicable enough. Switzerland
and America can more openly sympathise with the esta-
blishment of a Republic than their professedly monarchi-
cal companions. There is no doubt that the overthrow of
the Empire 1,13 given a great impetus to the Democratic
movement on the Continent. In Spain, in particular,
the example of France is likely, in the present
unsettled condition of things, to have a great
effect. The Figaro publishes, under reserve, a letter
from a correspondent, who reports that he has seen a con-
fidential communication from Marshal Prim to Olozaga,
directing him to ascertain how the offer of 40,000 or 50,000
Spanish troops, on the establishment of a Republic in
'l3Paln, would be received in France, Numberless
4mm** are =rent respecting the negotiations now
.pforeng, I)at ail accotmdle sgree hi' describing England
.ae hesitatiug anti unwilling, to act. Russia was
.Said to have been, on the contrary, -vesy active
end to have herself proposed an armistice to the Prussian
King, feeling certain of the support of Austria and Italy.
Another report, however, states that she has drawn back
and grown cold and hesitating in her turn. Austria is
believed to be the Power in Europe most friendly towards
France, and the Liberte rejoices in the conviction that she
bas at last perceived it is a war of races as much as a war
of conquest, and that as Prussia has absorbed Germany by
force, so she will eventually by force dismember Austria.
The dream of the house of Hohenzollern has always been
to be the strongest, and the work of to-day dates from 1740.
Prussia is a nation of prey, and it will be unfortunate for
Austria if she allows her to pursue her course unmolested.
All Europe should take warning for Prussia fighting,
Prussia conquering. Prussia triumphant dreams of a colossal
German Empire, which would be nothing but a great bar-
-euelca, in which noziewaie (Beans, bat auk were &Alms.
1413ssing. elhicting 4o flie Prussian tnilitary m's)
tett, called Prussia " the most enslaved nation
In Europe." How many slaves, asks the Liberte,
will be made by the eventual triumph of King William?
Some of the German organs are by no means so bitter or
so desperate in their tone. The ilvenir of Berlin declares
that now Ca,sarism is, humanly speaking, entirely de
stroyed, Germany has no object in raising an insensate
demand for war. A Republic in France will give her a
better guarantee of good neighbourhood than the annexa-
tion of political dilettanti. The Woehenblatt, a Mayence
paper, has a very strong article, counselling Germany
to use her victory with moderation. History, it says,
proves that conquests have never secured the happiness or
the liberty of the people, but have always produced flesh
complications leading to war and misery. It would only
be just and reasonable for conquering Germanyto demand
the repayment of the costs of the war, but to annex pro-
vinces to Germany against their will, would be wholly
opposed to the democratic sentiment, which refuses to
regard populations like flocks of sheep which can be passed
from hand to hand. The peace of Germany
will be better secured by forcing France to disarm, to
dismantle the fortresses which threaten Germany, and
to employ in works of civilisation and education the
miillions she has hitherto expended on war. Out of an
enemy Germany would thus make an ally, and the only
conflict possible between the two peoples in the future
would be a rivalry in works of civilisation.

It is generally believed, however, that France will not
be able to obtain such terms of peace as she can accept
until she has obtained a military success, or until so much
blood has been shed that Prussia becomes exhausted, and
a universal protest is made in favour of peace. At present
Paris looks like one vast citadel, and reinforcements keep
pouring in. Twenty thousand Kabyles from Algeria are
among the latest arrivals. The proclamation of General
Trochu, already referred to, has been so far anticipated that
in the direction of Melan trees have been cut down and
used to barricade the roads. The bridges have been blown
up. In Paris itself preparations are being made in case
of fire, and orders are given to destroy every inflammable
article. The task of providing the defenders with
sufficient and suitable munitions is no light one. The
difficulty is heightened by the diversity of arms and
calibres. It has been necessary to distribute guns of
the old sort to the Gardes NationauX and the
Mobiles, and consequently there is some risk
of a mistake in a hurried distribution of cartridges. The
Temps, in discussing this problem, suggests that all the
men with the old weapons should be stationed on one
bank of the Seine, and those with the new on the other, and,
also, that the names of the arms to which they belong should
be very distinctly painted on the cases of cartridges.
Neither method, however, would prove effectual with
ignorant or careless agents.