Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-16

-...a icge 81 Paris.
The Ptu=siap armies. after an unpar-
alIaIed series Of successes, are now IN sight
Of the ran3parts Of Paris, and unless dlplo-
macy intc1feres, that b1i6ant capital nuSs
undergo the perils and run the chances OF
war at her own gates.
A sfe1e. technically speaking, is one OF
the most certain operations OF war. &
skillfuI military engineer, having care1niIy
reconnoitred given fortress, IS able TO
,,redict. with almost mathematical accuracy
the number Of days necessary to reduce
II, Even without the contingency OF Ia
mine, q siege can have but one termlha-
lion, unless the place is relieved oy al
army able to keep the field and TO com
pel the besiegers to raise the siege. one
If the conditions Of q regular siege IS
conpleto investment Thus the siege OF
SebastopoI WIS not siege in the techn!-
col sense. for that fortress always had I'M
7nterr7pted communication with the Kns-
sian army in the field. Hence the length
Of time for which it held out.
No place Of the magnitude Of Paris has
ever been besieged in modern tlnes' ana
it is questionable If any very large Guy
can stand o siege. Strasburg, it IS true
is heroicaIIy resisting q barbarous bonn
berdmcnt avowedly directed against the
inhabited portions, which are set on hre
with petroleum bombs in order to hasten
surrender by The ruin and massacre OF non
c0mbatanta. This inhuman mode OF war
faro should be condemned by all civilized
.,-Tynnr-lNtlOe that IL
was never employed III the late war against
our Southern cities,
But there is . vast difference between a
citv Of 100000 Inhabitants and one OF
!. 5OC, 600 like Paris. In the first place the
7o+ter contains the accumulations OF ages
Of all that is precious IL arts, in Sciences
and in the higher results of human civil
cation, In it are found museums, libra
RIGS. monuments whose destruction would
be O. loss to the whole world as we'll as to
France: and it would be g kind OF suicide
to expose them TO a bombardment
But this consideration might weigh but
little with people resolved to conquer OF
to perish.
Let us, then, discuss the ability of Paris
to resist protraotcd attack.
Two clements are necessary to make this
resistance fuc7eesfu!-the material and the
nerve Surprising the city, with her col
Iossal Notifications, to be provided with
provisions for two months, we'll supplied
with ammunition, with 150,OO resolut'
effective fighting men, we'll commanded
and with II skilful engineer to direct he
defence, we would say that Paris can re
sist rs long as q cat or dog or old boot les
remains to bo eaten. Aad in fact il l
hardly supposabIe hat the Prussians vii
have men enough to form around the Cit.
a chain of fifty miles so compact as to pre-
vent fresh supplies being occasionally il
troduced.
But men ard material means alone WI
not suffice. There must be IN the inhabi
ta1ts and the soldiers unanimous d'
termination to suffer every prlvatlon
the last extremity rather than surrender
This seems to be the temper OF StrasburG
but It can hardly be expected IN Paris.
If we believe the o5tcia! accounts. Par
Is abundantly provided with supplies al
ammunition. Nearly 5000 guns OF hea'
calib-e arm hex bastions anu detacht
fOrt5. ana Inc 5plAlG U IAO POOk1O N@A\1 -
troops is all that can be desired.
But private dispatches frequently reve
many things which it is the interest OF tt
government to conceal. BY these we a
fold that there is hardly ammunition +
one battle. That the troops are eth
raw recruits, without discipline or instrr
ton. Or else the demoralized fuglt1Ves
Bazaine's and McMahons armies, a
that their officers can hardly do anythi1
with them. The arms placed IN TIT
hands are said to be Of q worthless c
soription, for the gigantic frauds OF
imperial officials LETT the arsenals as W
rs the regiments only half filed.
But in addition to al these causes the
is said to be dependency among soldi'
and citizens which seeks to cover itself I
der brave words. Worse than all, divisi
and distraction in council. The COVER
ment is self. Reconstructed, and receives
doubtful obedience. The "Reds"
proach it with not being radical enout
and the wealthy and middle classes are
dread of q rising of the socialistic eleme
or even worse; for in O city like Pc
there are atleast 60, coo professional THE
and vagabonds, who may at any time tt
advantage of the citizens departure
the ramparts, to plumber the solitary G
Then there are probably one humid
tbon8and foreigners, Of all rationale