Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-09-15
A third Visit of the Prussians to PARIS
From the St. Louis Republican.

From the st. Louis Republican.
0.few days ago we had occasion to speak of
the first visit of the Prussians to Paris, six
months after the battle of Leipzig. on the Both
of March 1914. The shattered corps of Generals
Marmont and Mortier, with part of the Ma
tional Guard. under the command Of the ex-
King, Joseph Bonaparte, made a last stand on
the north side of the Paris, and the allied troops
succeeded only after bloody battle, in enter
ing the city. The Empress, Maria Louisa, ac-
companed by her son, the King of Rome, left
the capital on the south side, whilst the Prus-
SLAMS and Austrians marched down from the
MOntmartre. The Emperor had sent letter
by his brother Joseph. in which he per cmptor.
lily ordered the Empress to leave Paris the mo-
ment the allied forces should occupy the CAPT
tall fearing for his son, /" he said in the let
ter, the fate of Astianax, +" whom the Greeks,
after the capture OF Troy, threw down the walls
of the conquered city.
But Napoleon tried his fortunes once more,
and after the defeat Of his army at Waterloo,
on the 18th Of June, 1915, the Prussian and
English armies, about one hundred and twenty
thousand strong, followed and dispersed the
demoraized troops Of the Emperor, and appear
| ed upon the heights surrounding Paris, on the
Cd of July. This time no battle was needed to
effect their entrance. The French troops left
the city in consequence OF an agreement be-
tween the authorities of the capital and Marshal
Butcher, and few days afterward the allied
forced entered the city. Even this time Paris
had to be conquered, inasmuch considerable
l
| Montmartrc and the heights Of Bcllcville, and
General Vandammc had to be defeated in a
murdcrous struggle. But the terrible defeat OF
the French at Waterloo had done the most IN
opening the gates of the capital to the invaders
On the eth OF July the city was occupied by
Butcher, and the next day Louis XVIII., made
his appearance at the Tuieries.
In many respects the present situation of Ma.
poleon ILL.,, resembles that Of his uncle. His
| throne depends on the victory of his armies
and the condition of the Empress and Imperial
| Prince is the same as that of Maria Louisa and
that Of her son, only that the last decisive bat
tie Is not yet won by the Prussians, and that
Paris is now a fortress, whilst in 1915 it was III
open city.
i Now, we do not speculate on the chances O
the Prussians in regard to their ultimate sue
cess on the battle field, nor shall we dwell OF
the probability Of peace previous to the event
ual approach of the Germans under the walls
Of Paris, nor on the action of the French capita
concerning the present dynasty. We only sup
pose, for the moment, that the Parisians ar,
determined to defend the capital from captur
by the Germans in order to caculate theil
chances of success.
1t is a matter OF course that the Prussans cal
. maintain themselves longer outside of Paris
than million and half of people, and, sa
200, 600 troops, can live within. All the ap
proaches being supposed to be in the hands o
the Prussans. Paris can resist a siege only u
long as the commissary stores and provision
may last. When in 1915 the allies had take
, possession of the roads leading to Normandy
| the council of war ut Paris concluded to Civ
] up all idea of resistance: cut off from Nor
! mandy, Paris could not be provided with mea
for more than two days. They have. perhaps
! 1000 tons of wheat in their granarics; the
; have wine for about a month. which In time q
! siege would be consumed in three days; bu
! the meat, the vegetables, and almost all tn
other articles of every day use, would not las
week ut an average, before even in time Z
! ordinary consumption, they would be cor
lat -
!, The water they drink they receive from tn
y canal L'Aurecq, and from the artesian well q
s Grenelle. The canal may be Obstructed, be
] cause it carries the water a distance OF twenty
. seven leagues. and the population Of the fau
/ bOurgcs wou1i soon suffer terribly from a wan
8 Of water in case the canal was stopped up. Tn
4 price of provisions would run up so high tina
i the poor could not purchase anything to liv
4 upon, and starvation would produce rebelli0
Y | as 1t always has done.
3 But can the Notifications be held for an
3 length OF time? The national vanity has fla
z tered itself that had Paris been fortified
a would have defended itself against the allie
q until Napoleon could have collected q free
army to rcpel the invaders. Instead of avOi,
2 ing war by y reasonable policy, and empl0yir
9 the 800, O0O, 600 francs which were expended
i masonry and ditch digging, toward the lnstru
g ton of the masses. they cherished only veng
Z" ance for Waterloo, and, fOresceng similar r
90 suit in the future, they expected to save Fran
c6 by saving Paris, and SO in 1861 made fortre
Y OF it. 1t consists OF continued eacente OF raj
10 parts, formed by series of curtains and bs
= tons, twenty two miles In length, extendil
q round the city, and sixteen detached forts.
81 There are thirty entrances into Paris not for
IS fled but left open, the adjoining lands havil
q q been purchased by the government, under u
g. supposition that there would always be time
close or fortify these openings in case Of nee
z, In his report the armament of the escie'.
= and Of the forts, M. Theirs asserted that So
q guns would be required to defend them. +