The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-05
THE .SIEGE OF PARIS.

French View of the Condition of the
City.
The Paris Figaro has lately published. sew
eral very striking articles, evidently emanatlng
from q military mind, on the condition OF Paris
and the chances o, its successful resistance OF
rhe siege. In the first Of these, published
month ago, the writer urged the offensive policy,
declaring that the only .-esource OF paris lay IN
the strength OF the army within her walls. IL
will be observed that he new urges sae opposite
policy. The last article, dated Novemoe: ~ Is
headed, "Are We Lost?" and says:
In a material point OF view the position Of Paris
Is not improving; II our inlr.nchments are pushed
on WI, artIvIty, TIC russians are sun 'lo @ aG
rive. Besides, we have already consunleu SSa'
tain quantity Of our PROVISIONS [eS rs,n ea. -
meat and we know not, thanks TO ..ie retcence
of the government how long IllaC resource will
be open to US. In moral point OF view, our posi-
tion has not improved. Some people are completely
depressed, and are ready TO give themselves up,
bound hand ard foot, to the Prussans, while OH
ers retain the old self estimation and the old be-
lief thI.t Europe is looking Gil ana aumirllS tilel;
LSS. them undecelve themselves, aud understand
that the population Of the capital, properly SO.
called, has done scarcely anything for the
defence; that 1t has greatly ihwarteu anu
impeded It; that up 10 TINS ume IL mas
had no experience or the horrors OF siege,
and that on the day when it shall really 0e
called upon to endure those hardSh!p'lt IL VIII oe
less bellicose 1t IS quite time 20 put cnsck on
those boulevard patriots VINO preach resistance,
and stigmatize as traitors all those WAC SpeaN VI
peacs and of an armistice II all those idle talk-
ers had led the life imposed upon oar soldiers
since the commencement Of the siege, they would
be very willing TO see au end OF IL. we nave noS
to consider the value Of big words, but truthuiiy
to regard our position. Paris cannot be delivered
by ITSELF as every sensible man Is convinced. III
vain are we told that the number OF our garrison
is euua to that OF the besegerS. Pace on one sue
100 OF our pieces OF IL, and on the other lou OF
Erupp's guns. Then on either side there would
he 100 cannon, but still the forces would not pc
equal. We can successfully resist the Prnsslan
army; we cannot hope to compel IL 10 RAISE Tue
siege. 49,, ,,o
Gardes Moble-yery superior to the National
| Guards-are still not equal to the German troops
IN ensemble and discipline. If we admit lor q
moment that we can break the ellnceolinvestment.
| do we not know that the country, for space OF
thirty leagues round, has been wasted, AMI tnaC
the bloody sacrifice necessary to attain that emu
will not enable us to revictua Paris for single
day? The whole question, then, ls 10 know whettl-
| er we have or NOT relieving army which Is ap-
preaching to our aid. Without It all our Efforts
| will be useless. We shall, doubtless, Kill many
| Prussans, but the enemy will kill many French
men. and the loss Of Paris Will moi be averted by
a single day. Well, then, we say, and with grlel,
| thai this relieving army has hitherto been out
myth. Tie government assured rs that tt muster
| ed 80 600 men, aud 1t had but 10000 soldiers to
| oppose the 40 00) Prussians whS took possession
| OF orleans. We may be told that the army Is not
vet organized, but that shortly 1t VIII be. When