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

PARIS PREPARING,

Trees have been cut down in the Bois de Boulogne, in
the line nearest the fortifications, leaving stumps, and
sharpening them into points with the axe, so as to
render the ground unpleasant and almost impossible
for cavalry. It was hoped the rest of the rest of the
wood might be spared, but this seems doubtful. "Fire
will be applied on approach of the enemy,"
says to-day's Journal; Officiel, "to the forests, woods,
and portior 3 of woods that may impede the defence."
I much IL ar this will include the pleasant groves,
so well beloved of Paris promenaders.. Preparatory
works are to be immediately executed ; that is to
say, inflammable substances will be scattered in the
tvoods. We were told the other day that water was
being let into the moat, but it is now officially an-
nounced that the bottom of the fosses des fortifica-
tions will be filled with faggots and branches, and
will receive " liquid incendiary matters," and will
be set on fire when the proper time comes. Alas l
alas ! for the devastation all around us. The "edility "
of Paris, to adopt a compendious French word, betrays
the stress of the times, and the disorganisation of municipal
functions. All that department of police which comprises
the care of the streets, their guardianship, cleansing,
watering, &c., seems to be nearly abolished. The sergens-
de-ville have disappeared, and as yet I have observed
no signs of their replacement by the new corps without
arms, and perambulating in three, of which a decree
lately ordered the formation, and which are likely to in-
clude the greater part of the disbanded body. To what-
ever force the preservation of order in the streets of Paris
may be intrusted, it will be liable to be summoned to the
defence of the ramparts in case of need—a measure which
we may presume will be resorted to only at the last
extremity, since it will leave the women, children, and
invalid inhabitants at the mercy of the bad characters likely
to shirk military duty, and to pillage at the first favour-
able opportunity. The watering of the streets, in ordinary
times so well attended to in Paris, is now greatly
neglected. In the artistocratic quarter of the Fau-
bourg St Honord and Boulevard Malesherbes
the dust is getting deep, and flies in clouds.
The water-cart men, and those with the hose and
lance, who habitually sprinkle Paris so refreshingly,
are wanted for duties more important. Perhaps
the water-carts themselves have been converted into
trucks for the transport of provisions, or of the furniture,
of which loads are continually seen passing through the
streets. Judging by the numbers I have met, there must
by this time be a great many country carts in Paris, a large
portion of those primitive vehicles,like rude, strong wooden
boxes.placed upon wheels. One meets them coming in
early in the morning laden with the poor furniture and
scanty personal effects of the fugitive peasant population.
I have seldom seen a large quantity of provisions in them,
whether for man or beast, and it has often struck me
that so many unprovided mouths would prove a heavy
burden on the public store. Paris, however, the
authorities have announced, is provisioned for two
months, and .till more stores are coming. A farmer at
Verrieres declared that he had • quantities of potatoes,
corn, and fruit, which he would gladly bring into
Paris instead of leaving them to the enemy, but
he lacked hands to gather and carts to convey
them. A large number of National Gurrds were told
off for this duty, and the stores thus obtained
will soon be in Paris. If a siege occurs, and is pro-
longed, the authorities will have to !serve out food
to the needy citizens. To the absence of police is
also to be attributed the multitude of beggars that
infest the streets and the boulevards, where in ordinary
times they are not allowed to appear. Groups of
small children whine at the foot of lampposts, while
older ones rush at the passengers in clamorous solicita-
tion, getting in front of them and impeding their progress
until their demand is satisfied, or their importunity with
difficulty repelled. Trade is of course at a complete stand-
still, and the premium on gold going up, partly because
people need it to take with them and partly on account
of the absence of small notes. Since the Ist of September
notes of 95f. have been issued, but it is impossible to get
either them or those of 50f. in payment. The bankers
say they cannot get them because they are caught up
by speculators. The money-changers charge a premium
for exchanging these against 100 f. notes. Four days
ago respectable bankers charged 2i per cent. for
giving gold for notes, and since then the rate is very
likely higher. The shops continue to dress out their
fronts and arrange their wares seductively, but I fear it is
labour in vain, or as the French express it, all pour le roi
de Prusse. What a terrible new meaning that old familiar
phrase is now acquiring.—Times Paris Correspondent.