New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-29
Slt,r Orleans 8tpnblita,1.
OFFICIAL J0ARNAL OF THE UNittDSlAItS
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
MARK TWAIN.

His Man of the Notifications of Paris.
MarkhTwan's map of the Notifications OF
Paris is published in the GALAXY this month,
with the following explanatory introduce
ton:
I published my Map of the FOrtifica-
tions of Paris in my own paper fortnight
ago, but am obliged to reproduce it in the
GALAXY to satisfy the extraordinary demand
for it which has arisen in military circles
throughout the country. General Grant S
outspOken commentator originated this de-
mand. and General Sherman's fervent in
dOrsement added fuel to it. The result is
that tons of these maps have been fed to the
suffering soldiers OF our land, but without
avail. They hunger still. We will cast the
GALAXY into the breach and stand by and
await the effect.
The next Atlantic mail will doubtless
bring news OF European frenzy for the
man. 1t is reasonable to expect that the
siege of Paris will be suspended till Ger
man translation of it can be forwarded lit
: is now in preparatory. and that the de-
lenses of Paris will be suspended to await
the reception of the French translation
(now progressing under my hands and
likely to be unique) King Williams high
praise of the map, and NapOleOn's frank
enthusiasm concerning its execution, will
insure its prompt adoption in Europe as the
only authoritative and legitimate EXPOSE
ton Of the present military situation. 1t is
plain that if the Prussians can not get into
Paris swith the facilities afforded by this
production of mine, they ought to deliver
the enterprise into ADLER hands.
Strangers to me keep insisting that this
map does not explain itself" One person
came to me with bloodshOt eyes and a har-
raised look about him, and shook the map
in my face and said he believed | was some
new kind of idiot. l have been abused a
good deal by other quick-tempered people
like him. who came with similar complaints.
Now, therefore, l yield willingly, and for
the information of the ignorant will briefly
explain the present military position as
illustrated by the map. Part OF the Prus-
sian forces, under Prince Frederick VIII
liam, are now boarding at the g farm house !"
in the margin of the map. There is nothing
between them and Vincennes but a rail
fence in bad repair. Any corporal can sec
at glance that they have only to burn it.,
pull it down, crawl under, climb over. Or
walk around it, just as the COMMANDMENTS
chief shall elect.
Another portion of the Prussian forces
are at POdunk, under Won Moltke. They
have nothing to do but to float down the
Seine on raft and scale the walls of Paris.
Let the wOrshipers of that Overrated sol
der believe in him still, and abide the re-
suit; for me, do not believe he will ever
think of raft. At Omaha and the High
Bridge are vast masses of Prussian infant
ry, and it is only fair to say that they are
likely to stay there, as that figure of win
dOwsash between them stands for brewery.
Away up out of sight, over the top of the
map, is the fleet of the Prussian navy,
ready at any moment to come cavOrting
down the Erie Canal unless some new mi
guilty Of an unprincipled Legislature shall
nut up the tolls and so render it cheaper to
walk. To me it looks as if Paris is IA singu-
larly close place. She was never situated
before as she is in this map.
MARK TWAIN