The New York herald., 1871-04-21
Progress Of tho War Against tho Paris
COmmune.

Our latest dispatches from Paris and Yer
sailes are to the evening of the 10Th. They
tell the same story of the terrible fighting and
slaughter that are going on outside of the city
and of the destruction progressing within the
walls. We have the truly melancholy infor-
nation that the Arc de Triomphe, that monu-
ment Of art with worldwide fame, has been
destroyed by the fire of Fort Mont Valerien
and other government batteries The insur-
gent forces have sustained terrible losses in
the recent engagements at Asnieres and
Neuilly, and many Of their prominent officers
have been killed or disabled General Ducrot,
with twenty thousand men Of the old
Imperial Guard, are on the move to the
front, when they will take an active part
in the operations going on. The men are
reported eager for the fray. Marshal Canro-
bert is at Versailles and soon will be in the
field at the head Of bis old command, which is
en- route from Germany. Within the city
terror, death and destruction reign supreme.
A shower of shells Is falling in the Avenue des
Ternes and over forty civilians have been
Communists are erecting barrlcades in the
Rue Rivoli and in many other streets, and are
making every preparation to defend all points
on the advance of the government forces.
The recent fighting has been of the most stub
born character, but numbers and discipline
will prevail. The National Guards are be-
coming disgusted at their want of success, and
the main hope for peace is upon their giving
up when they see their cause hopeless, with
out waiting for their leaders to surrender.
The situation is growing more and more
favorable to the government, and now that its
forces are being so rapidly augmented we
may expect more important and extended mill
tary operations at any moment. The advance
Of MacMahon's army will be stubbornly re-
sisted unless panic In the ranks Of the reds
aids in clearing the road for it, and we think
this quite possible. Constant defeat and
being pushed back within their inner line Of
defences will probably demoralize the army Of
the Commune to such degree that they may
throw down their arms rather than longer sub
NIT to useless slaughter. Should this not be
the case, however, we can see but little hope
of saving Paris from serious injury. Much Of
it will be destroyed, for the besieging army
is paying no respect to architecture or
art. Its guns are aimed in manner to
do the most damage, and If the Tuile-
ries or the Louvre has to be destroyed
in order to defeat the rebels it will be done.
The rain of shot and shell into Paris thus far
is nothing to what 1t will be in few days
more if resistance continues. Every part Of
the city will be reached, and no point within it
will be safe from the storm of projectiles that
will be poured upon the heads of those who
persist in making the city great slaughter
house. Much as we deprecate this war, op-
posed as we are to anarchy and bloodshed,
we would not have the government cease for
one moment the operations it is now carrying
on. Let it make Paris a heap Of ruins if neces-
sary, let its streets be made to run rivers of
blood, let all within it perish, but let the gov
ernment maintain its authority and demon
strate its power. Let it crush completely
every sign Of opposition, no matter what the
cost, and teach lesson that Paris and all
France will remember and profit by for centu-
ries to come.
1t is satisfactory to observe that the turbu-
lent spirit of the Communists remains within
Paris-that it has not spread to other cities.
This gives great hope for the future of France,
and it is time that Frenchmen began to under
stand that the prosperity Of their country does
not depend upon the prosperity of its gay,
brilliant and immoral capital. From what
has occurred since the peace With Germany
we almost believe that France would be far
better off were Paris blotted out of existence,
its buildings and monuments destroyed, and
the ground upon which 1t stands ploughed up
and sown with salt. Agricultural and manu-
featuring France can well afford to let it 90 !;
they would in short time be more prosper
ous without it; for all the wars, all the
revolutions and all the massacres that
have from time to time so crippled
the country have, in majority Of
cases. emanated from that great source
of tumult and disorder, the city of Paris.
None of the right-thinking people Of the coun-
try-those who desire and aid In its pros
perity--have taken part in or countenance
the revolution that is now shaking France to
It's centre. No, 1t is the adventurers, the
roughs, the mob that find home, an abiding
place in Paris, that are the head and front Of
all the offending. They are ever ready to aid
in any movement that looks to rapine, murder
and pilage. They only require few leaders
of their own stripe to urge them on In order to
make atrocities of oil descriptions their amuse-
ment and pastime. 1t is such miscreants as
these who are now acting with the Commune,
who are the willing followers Of Cluseret and
his subordinates but they are of class who,
when they find themselves foiled and their
hope Of plunder gone, are the first to cry
0eoans mn ne,H" and geek safety in FIGHT