The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-27 00:00:00

UNVEILING OF A STATUE TO SMITH

O'BRIEN.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

The unveiling of a statue to Mr. Smith O'Brien took
place yesterday at Dublin, the Lord Mayor presiding.
The statue is in marble, and is a most excel-
lent likeness, from the studio of Messrs. Farrell.
The statue looks over. Carlisle Bridge and
Sackville-street, and is considered a good work of art. At
one o'clock the pedestal was surrounded by bands of
several trades-unions, the members of whom were
dressed in green and gold. They played national
airs. The crowd present numbered 10,000. Mr.
John Martin, of Kelburn, unveiled the statue, and made
allusion to the fact that '2O years ago Smith O'Brien was
ordered to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Now the
Irish people, by the erection of this monument, had
raised a noble protest' against English misrule. Smith
O'Brien was one of his country's most distinguished sons.
After the ceremony was concluded, Mr. Fay, barrister,
moved a vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor, which vote
was seconded by Mr. Isaac Butt in an eloquent speech.
A dense fog prevailed.

THE CONTEMPLATED BOMBARDMENT OF

PARIS.

In a communication from the headquarters of the Crown I
Prince of Prussia, Versailles, December 21, the special
correspondent of the Daily News says :—The shortest day
of the year finds us, where the bright afternoon in Sep-
tember found us, waiting before Paris. Three months ago
yesterday the great army of the Germans circled round
the city, and all communication was cut off, and
all supplies were stopped. I shall be slow to forget
the exciting impression of that first arrival on the
heights of Meudon, and that first glance over the
white houses, and domes, and towers of Paris. It then
seemed certain that the Parisians would yield so soon as
they realised their peril, They might be shelled. Was
not that enough for them ? Their daily newspapers
would be deprived of news, their coffee would
lose its flavour in the dulness of the time, and
Paris would yield with tears of joy at being spared to
fight some other day. Such were the prospects of Sep-
tember 20—when the Crown Prince rode up to the Pre-
fecture on the Avenue de Paris. What are the prospects
on December 21—when German uniforms have become
as familar to Versailles as the tall figures of the Life
Guardsmen are to Knightsbridge? The answer is simple.
Paris is more likely to hold out six weeks now than she
seemed likely to hold out six days on September 20.
Parisians have risen to some extent to the measure of
their destiny. We are in presence of a population which
begins to feel proud of what it has achieved, and there
will only be a surrender when such is absolutely neces-
sary. But we know so little of what happens in the
beleaguered place, that I will speak rather of the pro-
gress of those who shut it in. Whilst only a faint echo
of the resolution of the garrison reaches Versailles, there
is here a full-toned shout of the stern desire of the Ger-
mans for glory and for revenge. They may be long de-
layed, but they are not going to let their prize slip through
their fingers. If six weeks must be given to the task,
six weeks shall be spent before Paris. If two months,
or three months for that matter, the time can be
spared. General Trochu must make up his mind to cut
an opening in the German line, or must defend himself to
the last in hopes of being helped from the Loire. By
mere persistence in holding out, he will never drive away
these finn obstinate besiegers. They did not attack him
at first because they thought the works of Paris too
strong to be easily silenced, and therefore chose the more
cautious line of a well-armed blockade, of cir-
cumvallation, one might ahnost say, in old world
fashion. But they always could have tried their guns
against Paris, and perhaps they will do so yet. I think
the cry in Germany to bombard somewhat unreason-
able. Surely the generals whose fame depends
on success are doing their best to win. We
should remember, however, that some confu-
sion exists as to what " bombardment " means.
The Germans who call for vigour, and the English
public which deprecates severe measures, have in mind a
burning up of dwellings to make non-combatants scream
for surrender. But the bombarding which I understand
to be probable in regard to the Parisian outworks is an
artillery attack upon French artillerists, with a view to
be in a position to threaten harsher measures.