The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-03 00:00:00

THE GERMANS AROUND

The special correspondent of the Daily Hews at the
headquarters of the Crown Prilice of Prussia, writing
from Versailles on the 24th instant, observes The
firing which we heard the night before last, or rather early
yesterday morning, was from Fort MontValerien, and was
directed against a' part of the Sixth. Corps, occupying a
position near BnzanVal. There had been a forward move-
ment of the Prussians in that quarter. An unfinished
French redoubt had been seized, and the fort had opened
fire. It will be seen by this participation in the
struggle, of the guns on Mont Val6rien, how completely
Paris is threatened to the whole south and west of its de-
fenceS. The different corps of the Crown Prince's army
are taking up positions that command every approrich to
the city on the side which they have to attack, and the
boom of heavy guns, sending. stray shots among the
Germans here and there upon the line of blockade, skews
that the French are uneasy at: this tightening of the ;circle
round their walls. There, is .as yet •no 'artillery duel, no
thunder 'Of' battery against battery: But the- German
troops haw gone near enough to seize- the- "t WO
or three outlying works2-all of them I belie‘. e unfinished
-by: which it had been intlended. to remove the attach to
a longer range.. Paris vyill. now have nothing but her
reguhir ramparts and her' regular chain of forts, prepared
years ago. ThereVill be no extension Of the 'circle to meet
the possibilities Of Modern range. From What. I renhein-
ber of Charleston Harbour; I should judge that the dis-
tance from Fort. Warren to the . houses destroyed 'by
Federal shells. was greater than the distance from :the
captured redoubt behind Chi:Union , to, the towers of
Notre Dame. Many, thing's- may hinder -born-
bardnient. The Germans do not wishto injure Paris,
though they would greatly like to take it: There may be
a system of blockade;:or the forts may be separately be-
sieged and the rampart breached, which would, perhaps,
be . the more humane plan. The French may come to
terms and .peke may 1??, presently,: arranged as some
persons expect. But this question of long range
and possible destruction. haS an' important bearing
on the question of a defence pushed to desperate
limits. The monuments, the palaces, the churches
of Priris are within the -CharleSton 'range of whatlas 'now
become a German fort. • The Wight sunny weather con-
tinues to favour King NiYilliam's soldiers in their bivouacs.
Thereis too much dust to make the roads 'endurable, and
the nights are growing somewhat -cold. But•it is still
glorious weather for camping out. Xn.the woods, and gar-
dens near Paris there are more men to be so bestowed than
in the snug villages and handsome country seats which the
German's hold, for everyone is on the alert. All along the
line there 'are field gunAYeady to trot forWardlinto.poSition,!
and masses of infantry waiting the signal to .acT.Vance. If
General Trochu should sally out, ! he will be warmly
received. We hear, however, that all thought of sallies
on a large scale is abandoned by the French commander;
that everything is ready for a cautious defence ; and that
the garrison is settling down-L-as well as such turbulent
elements can settle—to hold its own behind its walls.