The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-07


the splendid army Of MacMahon on the Rhine
frontier, became a certainty (unless avoided
by treaty Of peace) after the astounding
capitulation of Sedan. After Sadowa there
was treaty Of peace which saved the capital
of Austria; but after Sedan. which involved
the overthrow Of the responsible government
of France and the substitution of provi-
sional republic resolved upon the expul-
sion of the enemy, there was no alternative
to King William but the siege Of Paris. Ac-
cordingly his resistless army columns from
Sedan were moved down upon the city.
They have encircled it, and by an impossible
wall Of steel they have isolated it from the
outside world. They have so far completed
the prodigious work of investment in circuit
Of thirty miles that they are reported as ready
to commence operations not only upon some
Of the exterior defensive forts, but in the
| bombardment of the city itself.
We have meantime, through tho limited
pigeons, Information from within the walls,
that though the city has two millions of con-
sumers Of provisions, and is totally cut off
from all outside sources of supply, it is still
| provided with means of subsistence which may
be made to hold out for three or four months
that the Seine, flowing through the city, fur
nishes an abundant supply of water, which
cannot be cut off, that the armed defenders
within the city's walls and exterior fortfca-
tons far exceed in number three hundred
thousand men; that they have an abundance
of ammunition for small arms and artillery
that they are preparing for offensive opera
tions; and from Tours we learn that on the
Rhone and the Loire other armies are rapidly
forming to come to the rescue. These reports
of the state Of things in Paris are from the
citys defenders, who, Of course, represent
their situation in the most favorable light.
We really however, know no more of what is
going on from day to day in Paris than of the
events transpiring in the inner city of Pekin
or in the streets of Timbuctoo-a fact which,
in this boosted epoch of advanced civilization,
is the most astounding Of all the astounding
facts of the wonderful nineteenth century.
Assuming, however, that the internal condi-
ton of Paris, as represented at Tours through
those balloon and pigeon expresses, is sub
stantially true, may not General Trochu be
preparing for sortis upon which he calcu-
lates to change the fortunes of the war? With
| an army of three hundred thousand men at his
command is it not within his power to sally
out en- naGsse upon some weak point of the
enemy's encircling line and double it up by
| mere weight of numbers, as Stonewall jack
son, in an overwhelming flank attack, doubled
up and pushed away from Richmond tie army
of Mcclellan? Some such brilliant coup as
this may be contemplated by Trochu, and in
the little outside skrmishes with the Germans,
now occurring almost every day, he may be
training his soldiers for q grand attack but
the repeated failures of Bazaine with his vete-
ran soldiers in his sorties from Metz are
rather calculated to discourage than to invite
any such experiments with the raw troops of
| Paris.
General Grant, we are informed from a
reliable source al Washington, $50 far from
uttering doubt, as alleged, with reference to
the Prussians being able to capture Paris, to-day
October 81 expressed the opinion that they
would be successful, judging by all the mill
tary circumstances" General Grant thinks
that from call the military circumstances"
IS will have to capitulate, or that it will be
by the investing German army; and this
on, from the hero of the sieges Of Vicks-
b. and of Petersburg and Richmond, will
command universal attention and respect.
| Assuming that the issue of the siege will
| establish the soundness Of this opinion, and
| that Paris, month or two or three months
hence, from the combined pressure of isola-
| ton, bombardment, hunger and internal dis
orders, will be reduced to surrender, what
then? VIII the government at Tours succumb
and ask for peace or an armistice, or will it
be still controlled by the impacable and i'm
practicable 'reds" in favor of war to ssthe
last dtch?"
We think it altogether probable that the fall
Of Paris will bring even the most violent of
the members of the existing French govern
ment to terms of peace, with the conviction
that further resistance will only entail upon
France further losses, sufferings and humilia-
tons. Count Bismarck has emphatcally
declared that Prussia has nothing to do with
the business of establishing the local govern
ment of France, but that short of RESPONSE
BILE or regular government Prussia must hold
some material guarantees in entering into
treaty Of peace. That the present prov-
sional establishment Of France, with or before
the capture Of Paris, will be brought into such
stipulations for peace as will save France from
further misfortunes, and secure to her the
republic, we can hardly doubt. Meanwhile
we cannot dismiss the conviction that England,
Russia and Austria, acting conformity at this
crisis with Prussia and with France in behalf
of peace, would speedily put an end to this