Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-11-05
Frv,adhc Cincinnati Commercial
Tho Situation il Paris.

|
tho prpsent week. The cannonading is
llikely 10 exceed enormously. III the num-
her of guns and the weight of metal
employed anything that has ever hap
pencd. We may be sure the Prussians
have not been idle during the six weeks
that they have surrounded Paris Their
silence has resulted from their policy
that they would not begin the lombard
ment until prepared to make it effective.
They have been intrcnching themselves
and hurrying up guns and ammunition.
1t is expected that they vii! concentrate
their fire upon two of tic outlying forts,
and, having overwhelmed them, advance
to position from which the city may
be commanded.
In calculating the duration of the siege
of Paris, we may depend that the num-
Der OF noncombatants confined within
its walls is smaller than is.pepularly esti-
mated, and that the quantity of provis-
ions on hand is greater than is couject-
ured. During the weeks that the siege
of Paris was anticipated by the resi-
dcuts, great nlmber Of persons got
quietly away. Travellers had calls else
where. Tens of thousands of citizens
found it convenient for their families to
,, visit the provinces, and then it became
necessary that they should go to see
j their wives aud children, and it turned
out inconvenient for them. to return.
l0thpr tens of thousands would have
s been delighted to stay in the city to en-
\ Joy the experience of tirst-class BON,
$ bardmcnt and the sensations incident to
il n long siege, but uutOward incidents
II, I'm
- was that nj the time of the revolution,
:, while the boulevards and some OF the
~ great public squares were crowded,
- there was II strange solitude III the less
" conspicuo us streets and in the places OF
'o resor, of inferior celebrity. Many peas
ants from the neighboring villages moved
VI into Paris, but not 80 many as has been
rr reported. The number of the villagers
who fed TO the country instead OF the
" city was very considerable. The peasants
r who came in with their carts, cattle, ana
rs household goods, made u great show,
but were not mutitudnous. 1t may be
questioned whether they exceeded i'll
u number the Germans who were residents
u of Paris and driven from it by formal
=, decree.
n Persons who proposed to remain ii
Is Paris whatever happened, began to pro
III vide themselves with provisions tmor'
than month before the city was sur
W rounded. The provision market was eX
in ceedingly lively. Cellars were fillet
Is. with -four and meat. 1t was not onl
cl the prudent, but the patriotic thing t.
cs make ready for a long siege. The pnr
ly chase of six months supply of flour wa
W not only measure OF safety, it was con
sidcred q precaution that called TO
- ueiuhborly colnncndation. Dearlers II
-, provisions delighted To show that the.
v :" had ample stores, and encouraged b.
~ liberal displays OF proluse purchases b.
IL their customers. Great heaps of provis
o. ions were popular They were suppose
o- 60 advertise determination never t
nc yield 10 the enemy
on We imagine the Parlsians can not b
ISL starved ont for many weeks--twe month
he at least. The fall Of the city, however
is only question of time. When W
= remember that the Germans were abunt
m, antlv able before the fall OF Strasbur
th and Metz to surround Paris, and devon
of the country far and pear with their fiyln
40 columns, and to watch with specli
:" armies the French military organization
u! north, south and west, there is no rool
ny to doubt that, with the reinforcement
3D. from tho besiegers OF the great tortress'
cir Of the East, they will be able while the
l., please TO hold the French capital in the
-. grasp.
mr. Tue Germans are making war in dcaC
ly earnest. They are pursuing Sherman
ne aud Shcridan's policy Of hurting peopl
ia who oppose them. They have not d,
:, ibcrately desolaled n country with fir,
~ as Sheridan swept the Shenandoah Va
le- ley. nor have they marked their marcht
pi- with scorched chimueys like Sherman
yn. movemen in South Carolina and Gcorgi
,or but they punish numerically all vllagel
who disturb their lines OF communic
"'' ,ion, shoot spies and assassins, and G
'c., lablish themselves not only through II
luh discontinue of opposing armies, but b
,,, aid of the terror OF the hostile peasantr
a They will lombard Paris, if not withol
Wv regret, without hesitation, and it the d
ige tense is persisted in, according to Il
nse programme proclaimed by the Provisio
al Government, the city will be- immens
;,, Ily damaged, it not definitely destroye
We must remember, however, in co
% sidering the effect Of the bombardme
~ ut Ihrls, tlaJ no such lhl'S ~ wv o"
The den and whosesale destruction OF t
nj r city can oecur. There is no chance
,osi. 4 great couhagration such as would
:, the imminent peril of New York, if I'll
o' city were uuder fire, Paris is a sto
tate city. Her great editices are all iire-pro
the They may be shattered by shells, !
vice they will not be consumed with ii
,Lo Not only are the houses of stone, |
, '"' the city is constructed upon the thee
a''s that there is abundant room for buldi'
The streets have generous breadth, a
!, ex the public squares, the gardens, pa
, aud groves, are SO numerous aud ext
ans, sive, that there is out door space tor
toUd eccentrcties of shells.
,ided Trochu may be successful in oonv
roos ing his masses OF crude material into
'.N"' liable soldiers. II he ia man of ger
tenn he has wonderful opportunity.
pro only hope OF France is that he u
Tia create an army in Paris equal to the
the of going out and defeating the Germ'
,r,no WIN Lle example before rs of the b
'."s lessness in Metz OF the veteran arm