New-York tribune., 1870-10-31


introduced at first, and combined with requi-
sitioDs would have prevented much waste,
and enabled the fortress. to hold out q month
longer.
HIGH PRICE OF PROVISIONS.
The Staff used at first to feed their horses
on bread. Recently, prices had reached the
following maximum Sugar, So pound; salt,
S3 pound one ham, 500; one potato, o cents; !;
one onion 12 cents. A little pig, caught near
GravelOtte sold for $780, During five weeks,
amputatiOns have been performed without
chloroform or ether and wounds dressed with
out carboliC acid
DISEASE AND DEATH.
There are more than 1900 sick and wounded.
During the siege $4,000 persons have died in
the town alone, the greater part from lack of
proper care. The prevailing diseases are
varioloid, spotted typhus, and dysentery. Scurvy
has not prevailed though even the sick have
for over three weeks, received their horse
steaks and horse broth without salt. The re-
ported discovery of a saline spring at St.
Julien was hoax, cOntrived by putting salt
into the spring to encourage the army.
GENERAL OPPOSITION TO THE SURRENDER.
When the capitulation became known, the
people were furious. The National Guards
refused 10 lay down their arms. On the after
noon of the 2Sth inst Captain of Dragons
appeared at the head of body of troops who
swore that they would sooner die than yield.
Albert COllignOn, the editor of an ultra-Dem-
Ocratic daily newspaper, the Journal de Mct-,
rode about on a white horse firing n pistol
and exhorting them to sally forth and seek
victory or death to escape impending shame.
He was followed by a lady singing the Mar
seillaise. This produced terrible excitement.
The doors of the Cathedral were burst open
and the tocsin was sounded and the bell rung
nearly all night.
When. Gen. Coffinieres appeared to pacify
them, three pistol-shots were fred at him.
Finally by the aid of two regiments Of the
line, he quietly dispersed the mob; but all
night the sounds of grief, indignation. and
terror continued. Respectable women ran
about the streets tearing their hair and fling
ing their bOnnets and laces under their feet,
seeking their friends, and asking wildly,
"What will become of our children 7" Sol
dieIs, drunk and sober, tumbled hither and
thither in irregular groups, with their caps off
and their sabers broken, sobbing and weeping
like children, and crying "Oh pGacre Net
Oh ma pdupre Nets! Tout est perdu !"
Yesterday was closeted with the Mayor
and the City Council during two hours, while
they detained me as the first stranger that had
entered the town, to ask all manner of ques-
lonesome childish in their uncertainty and
terror-as TO what the Prussians would do;
how they would do it, and how they must
be met 1t was as if they had
demanded to know whether their already des-
titute larders must still supply the troops, and
whether they would be personally maltreated
if unable to furnish what was required. They
were relieved by hearing that thousand
wagons were ready at Courcelles to bring pro-
visions hither, and also that there are funds in
London ready to be applied to their relief, in
response to the appeal of the Mayors of Briey
and other communes, published in English and
American journals, saying, Help is needed
quickly"
GERMAN SOLDIERS GIVE THEIR EATIoNs TO THE
FRENCH.
The entire besieging army voluntarily gave
up their bread ratiOns yesterday TO feed their
French captives. This deeply touched the
Metzians, and did much to relieve their fears.
At noon Prussian railwsy-inspectOr made the
trip by rail from Ars to Union Station, stu
ated a mile south of Metz, and to-day perfect
communication by rail exists between Saar-
bruck, Metz and Nancy. The road was little
injured.
But few German prisoners were found In
Metz the French had not kept those they had
taken when they were in condition to be
returned. On leaving Metz, last night, l
noticed on the faces of all the German
soldiers look of quiet atisfactiOn-nOthing
more Not one of the French officers and
soldiers who swaImed all about, even when
intoxicated-which was surprisingly unfrequent
wore any other expression than look of
sadness OF defiance, the latter not being COM
mon and occurring chiefly among the younger
officers.
DEMORALIZATION.
am informed that the French loss in killed
in the various affairs since August f8, added
to the deaths from sickness in the town, were
1000 Bazaine himself declined the Princes
generous proposal to let all the troops lay
down their arms outside of the works in view
of their conquerOrs, instead of laying them
down in the arsenal, saying that he could not
guarantee their behavior. The Imperial Guards
alone had preserved discipline sufficiently to be
trusted to pass in armed review. The inhab-
itants had never ceased to hope for the ap-
pearance of Bourbaki's army from Lille, or of
the Army of the Loire, or of some other re-
lieving force; but the troops themselves during
the last few weeks could no longer be de-
ceived, as they got better information through
the German outpOsts.
Their decentralization, due largely to hunger,
was bitterly and openly complained OF by
their officers. At o'clock yesterday afternoon