The New York herald., 1870-09-18
Opening Operations in the Siege o.
Paris-The General Feeling In France.

opening OperntiOns IN the SieHo OI
Pnris-The General Feeling in France.
What may be regarded as the first scene in
the great war drama to be enacted in and around
Paris is the reported blowing up by the French
OF the fort Of Vincennes, one Of the eastern
outlying Notifications erected for the defence
of the city. The reason assigned is that the
fort was regarded as untenable. We doubt,
however, the correctness of the information,
and suppose that it must apply to small
redoubt in the neighborhood of Vincennes.
The railroad between Paris and Orleans has
been cut by the Germans about eight miles
south of Paris, and the Germans have planted
a battery at that point. Heavy firing had
been heard on Friday in that direction and it
was thought that battle was then in pro-
gress. No particulars Of it, however, have
been received. Several minor engagements
are reported to have taken place on the same
day outside of the fortifcations. The railroad
communications have been cut for forty miles
around Paris, except in Normandy and Brit
tany, and no train has been permitted to leave
the city since Friday last. The siege, there
fore, has been regularly established, although
the besiegers have not yet commenced to
plant batteries within range of the fortifca-
tions. Some Of the departments of the gov
ernment have been removed to Tours, and
several of the Paris journals are to be pub
lshed in that town.
No news has been transmitted of the sur
NfC Cfcoo Mato or
the besieged fortresses; so that it may safely
be inferred that they have been, for so far,
able to repel the attacks of the besiegers. 1t
is reported that the siege armament directed
against Strasbourg consists of eighteen bat
teries of mortars and riled cannon, from which
seven thousand shots are daily thrown into
the city The intelligence from Metz makes
no mention of the successful withdrawal of
Canrobert or Bazaine, but speaks Of Bazaine
still holding out there with seventy-fve thou
sand men and sufficient supply of
provisions. 1t is possible, however,
that this intelligence is not of 80 late
a date as that which announced that Can
robert was on his march to Paris with six
thousand men, aud which located Bazaine
near Sedan. We are thus left completely in
the dark as to the present position of the army
which occupied Metz.
One of the correspondents of the HERALD,
in attempting to reach Paris by circuitous
route, telegraphs that he has had pretty fair
opportunities of judging of the tone and temper
of public opinion in France, and he represents
it as being adverse to the continuance of war
He says that the French people are downcast;
that outside of Paris there is no military
organization, no chief, no controlling mind,
no political confidence. The desire for peace
is universal, but there is very general belief
that no treaty of peace will be signed until
after the German army is in the military occu-
patton of Paris. 1t is also said that great
numbers of Frenchmen are emigrating, which
may be true of the inhabitants of the depart
ments overrun by the German troops, but
hardly applies to the other parts of the coun-
try.
Our London correspondent telegraphs that
M. Theirs was definitely informed by Earl
Granville, the English Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, that the British government
declined positively to interfere in the matter
of proposing peace arrangements. He adds
that ministerial information to the same effect
was placed by the English Foreign Office in
the hands of the Prussian Minister at London.
That disposes finally of the last attempt at
peace negotiations, and leaves no alternative
to the French government and people but to
strain every nerve and make every effort to
protect their capital and to repel the
enemy from the country. The Germans
give no indication of relaxing in
their demands; for according to a
correspondent of the London Standard
Count Bismarck afirms that Prussia will prose-
cute the war indefinitely rather than abandon
the idea of territorial aggrandizement. In
fact, the two conquered provinces of Alsace
and Lorraine are already treated as integral
parts of Prussia.
Much excitement is said to have been caused
by the arrest at Wilhelmsh0he of Germa n
who had loaded pistol on his person with
which he confessed his intention to assassinate
Napoleon, while on the other hand many ar
! rests have been made in Paris Of persons
charged with being concerned in Bonapartist
plot. But these are only small ripples COM
pared to the tremendous storm which is now
upheaving French nationality from its very
foundations and threatening to engulf it, We
rejoice to learn that the Americans residing in
Paris are showing in every possible way their
sympathy with the cause of France and are
courageously identifying themselves with the
| fate of the city, declining to leave it even
though it be subject to the perils of lombard
ment. They may, with Mr.. Washburne at
! their head, be yet able to render valuable SER
vices to France. We hardly think, however,
that it is the purpose of the besiegers to en-
deavor to reduce the city by bombardment and
| assault, but rather to starve it into capitula-
tion.