Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-12-01


AND VIRGINIA ADVER E r
(FoR THE COUNTRY
GE- Is published regularly on TUESDAYS,
THURSDAYS and SATURDAYS, at Sc per
snnum-paysble in advance.
THE SIEGE OF PARls.-An Englishman
writing from the French Capital, November s,
thus pictures the prospect -
1.-THE remainder of the siege will be bitter
time. Hitherto real priyatons have hardly
been widely felt. Hencetorward we shall be
rudely taught the realities of an actual block
ade When the miseries begin in earnest they
will spread ike wildfre through this immense
population. When once any article of food is
really wanting it becomes instantly and abso-
lutely unattainable Dishes vanish suddenly
at an hours notice week ago you might
get Liebig or pate de toie gras by paying for
it; now you might offer gold bracelet for it
in vain. Meat must fail as utterly in day or
two. The rations have long since been q mere
mockery. They are not worth the trouble of
sending for-an ounce a day-and might much
more reasonably have been suspended Alto
gether They are only kept up as pretext
to meet an outcry OF the populace. There is
one straw OF comfort amid the thought Of this
starvation and wrecheduesS, and that is that
it will partly, perhaps, cure the Parislans OF
their desperately gluttonous and luxurious
habits. But it is not: the luxurious Parisians
who are the real sufferers as yet. For few
days these people look all the better for little
lowering diet. But the sick and the delicate
have terrible time of ii.
Funerals are as common in the streets as
cabs. Once attacked by any lowering fever or
disorder, there is very little chance for you
And this mischief will fatally increase As the
rich and tho luxurious begin to really feel the
famine, their frames will sink very rapidly under
the attacks of fatigue and Geld and bad wealth.
or. Fortifcation duty on a rainy night is not
so bad after tolerable dinner, but when it is
accompanied by diet of dry bread aad vim or.
dinaire, it is sure to make its victims. There
will be dreadful sights in Paris before many
days are past Even fortnight ahead of US it
is now impossible to answer for. We know
what quicksand we stand upon with BeleVilie
and La Viette smoulderiDg like volcano at
our feet. We know what hunger will do with
Partisan populacc. 1t was famine that
evoked the fends of 1892. Famine made even
the Grand Monarque almost tremble on his
throne. This is she weapon that Bismarck
has unsheathcd against us-more terrible than
all his Krupps or needle guns. Uf one thing
we may now be confidently assured, that
great sortie must be made. We shall not
sit here like prisoners to be coolly starved out
by inches in our pretty cages. Paris is thrown
on her own resources; she must go out, beat
the enemy. or despair and die.
THE DANGERS OF PARlsIAN BALLooN1s1s.
The landwehr employed in the investment OF
Verdun enjoyed new and exciting sport dur
ing the continuance ofo strong southweSterIy
gale which blew on the 25th and two days tol'
lowing, and carried two balloons from Paris IN
that direction, in each of which the gas was cs
Gaming. The first perceived was on the afternoon
of the 25th, and came 50 close to a part OF the
investing lines as to be within easy nile range,
until the voyagers suddenly bethought them
selves of the last desperate expeGlent OF throw
ing their freight overheard, and by discharglng
in succession seven large packets of letters and
papers, rose steadily out of the reach Of danger,
and passed onward toward LuXembourg.-
Among the contents of the captured Journals
was found Ducrot's report OF the Versailles
sorte OF the 2lst, admitting the loss OF 433
officers and men. and OF the Two four FOUNDERS
captured by the Prussan skirmishers There
were also long dispatches from the War Ollce
of Paris to that Of Tours.
On the 9th the same scene was repeated,
only that this time the ..aeronauts were not so
fortunate Bundle after bundle was thrown
down from balloon which came toward the
German lines flying very low, and which con-
tnued to descend so rapidly that the pasSen-
gers 10 it found their hopes OF getting out OF
range vain, and descended voluntarily by
means of ropes, alter which the balloon again
rose and went on. They proved to be one man
in q sort of uniform, who said he belonged to
corps of ;pronauts, and refused TO give any IN
formation further, and two others, one OF Wnom
stated he was an EngliShman, and both
claimed to be simple civilians bent on eScaplog
from the beeaeuercd capital. These said they
had paid Sl20 each for their passage, and were
ready to afford such Information as they had.
They declared they had come from Paris IN
three hours and a quarter, or at tho rate OF
abour forty five miles an hour They gave
bad report of the markets OF Paris, especially
of the meat supplies, tho prices OF which were
rising daily. They had newspapers With them
of the days date printed, however, probably
the night before. A fourth person was with
them, but he had refused to descend into cap
tivity, and the lightened balloon had carried
him up and onward again.
GOT MAD. The Detroit Free Press relates
an incident which occurred on the return of an
excursion party from the city. Soon alter the
boat lett Toledo, the steward was approachcd
by an excited individual, who asked him ii
he was the captain. The steward replied in
tho negative, at the same time giving his
rank. Have YOU the power to put man
out of the cabin p inquired the straDccr.-
"Well, yes, if he's disordcrly, have re-
piled the steward. "Well, sir, look in here,
and see them, will you said the stranger
leading the official around to the door The
steward looked in upon the motley group, and
renied that he saw nothing out of the way
"You don't, ch ? D5nt you sec man sitting
there embracing woman p "Well, yes
replied the steward 'but what of that p
Hasn't fellow right to embrace his wife p
That's just whatI want you to run him out
for" replied the stranger, dancing around !;
"that's my wife, and I've stood it so long that
I've got mad -
SCENE IN CoURT HOUSE. The ColuSa
f(,,I \ Gun rol,tes q thri)linr scene in q rourt