New-York tribune., 1870-09-30
WAR TOPICS,

A Paris correspondent gives an amusing ac-
count of the meetings of the populace In one
of the minor theaters to discuss schemes OF
defense and problems of statecraft. 1t was at
ono of these meetings that the patriotic
chemist, of whom the telegraph has already
told us something, brought forward his great
invention for destroying the enemy with
stinks. Every man was to carry in his pocket
a handful of certain bullets, about the size OF
pums, which would explode on being thrown,
and make smell bad enough to kill at least
three Prussans apiece. What effect they might
have upon the Frenchmen was not stated
The inventor offered to exhibit his plan in
operation, but the assembly did not avail
itself of this very kind offer.
There is a great deal of vain dispute
whether it was Verdun or the Fort du Mont
Yalerien which Count Bismarck demanded as
one of the conditions of an armistice. We
are not certain that the Count would have
asked too much even if he had insisted upon
the Fort, for there was no question of perma-
nent possession, but only of guarantee pend
ing the negotiation of peace. France has no
right to expect q suspension of hostilities under
the present military conditions. If she wants
an armistice she must prepare to pay round
price for it.
Every day affords fresh justification of
King Williams reluctance to accept the pres
ent Provisional Government as the response
bic head of the French nation, and fresh proof
that for the time being France has no real
Government at all. Trochu rules in Paris,
Committee rules in Tours, the Red Democracy
rules in Lyons and the Bonapartist Bazaine
rules in Metz. The pOstponement of the Con-
stituent Assembly was mistake which the
country may have cause to bitterly repent.
Here in one newspaper, we read that the
Queen of England has behaved very shabbily
in not extending the hand of kindness to the
deposed Empress of France, in not mingling
her tears and sighs with those of o sOrrOwing
sister. Here, in another newspaper, we read
that Her Britannia Majesty has sent an auto
graph letter of coincidence to Mad. Bonaparte.
Which story is true7 Who knowsP We must
confess, however, that aside from the pity
which every gentleman feels for woman in
trouble, we see nothing in the fortune of this
dethroned Empress which calls for the tragic
style of coincidence. She has played great
game, at which she won, for q time, uncOm-
monty brilliant stakes; but now, as happens
often to gamblers, there is a run of luck
against her. She was distinguished, while in
the monarchical line, for nothing in particular
except setting the fashion of wOmen's clothing
and bringing a good deal of hdeous raiment
into good repute. Her career has been some
what like that of Mr.. Thackeray's Becky
Sharp and she can now, like Becky, turn
devotee if she pleases. Are these words un-
foo l. T.
but we are thinking of something moro i'm
portant than mere suavity of expresson-of
misgoverned, bleeding, anarchical France. We
are thinking how fatal to the intellectual and
moral and political progress of q great people
this ill-omened dynasty has been. So occu-
pied, we may be allowed to forget for a moment
the sorrows of a single woman.
"A droll story comes to us from Paris. The
authorities having ordered, in view of a
scarcity OF provender, that all useless mouths"
should leave the city, great was the consterna-
ton in elderly female circles, and immense
was the rush to the Mayors office, and plain
tive and shrill were the interrogatiyes-doe
the order refer to cats dogs parrots canary
Dlrdsf Not at all" responds the polite
oincerj Tor II worst comes to worst these
beasts and birds can be eaten.n We wonder
how many pets, birds in cages and cats and
dogs IN baskets, were sent out Of the city that
very day. Just think of roasting poor Tom,
the warbler or of broiling that other Tom,
whose midnight warbling to be sure, is not of
the most melOdious.
Except that it reiterates the statement first
published by the members of the French Gov
eminent at Tours that Count Bismarck had
demanded the surrender of Fort Mont Valerien
~ v CONDITION Qt peace, NJ, Jules Fayres re-