The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-23

The Campaign Against the Paris Cone
mune-Activo Hostilities Continued.
Our special dispatches from Paris and YER
sailles are TO the evening of the 2lst inst.
Hostilities continue with undated vigor, the
government forces pushing the Communists to
the wall Within the city the condition OF
affairs is becoming more and more deplorable.
| The Avenue des Ternes has been rendered
uninhabitable by reason of the storm of shells
poured into it from Mont Valerien and Cour-
bevoie. The Porte Maillot has been utterly
demolished by the bombardment. A double
attack by the troops of the government is ex-
pected, and every preparation is being made
to repel it. The rebels have suffered
fearful losses during the last few
days. All the avenues near where
the fighting took place are filed with
wagons bringing wounded men from the field
of battle. Barricades are now constructed in
many new localities and the streets are being
torn up in every direction in order to procure
material to make additional Notifications.
perfect state of defence, and at the time of
sending the despatch there was nothing
occurring that in the slightest degree indicated
surrender. 1t is stated that the Germans are
preparing to evacuate the forts on the north
and east of Paris in favor of the Versaillists,
by reason of the first instalment of the war
indemnity having been paid. At Versailles
all is activity, and the movements against the
insurgents are being carried out with great
energy and promptness. There Is no truth in
the report that Fort Mont Valerien has been
injured by the rebel batteries.
Notwithstanding all their reverses the forces
Of the Commune still show a determined
'front.' All the intelligence we have thus far
received indicates determined resistance on the
part OF the rebels. Dcludcd fools! They
how utterly without hope their cause is, and
yet they persist in their madness, with the
apparent resolution Of involving the entire
city of Paris in ruin and desolation. We can
not yet believe that the magnificent city is
doomed, but those who new have it in their
possession act as if they meant mischief and
were determined to render Paris of but little
value to the captors if compelled to acknow-
ledge defeat. The contest that is now
approaching will be desperate indeed. The
assault Of the city, which means the hand-to-
hand street fighting, the carrying of barricades,
the blowing up and destruction of buildings,
the wholesale massacre, the vain cry for
quarter, the murder of innocent people, and
other horrors that attend the storming of
fortified position, may all be going on at this
moment; and if they are we shall have to re-
cord scenes of savage warfare such as the
world has seldom seen. The attack will pro-
baby be made at several points stimuli
taneously, and will be supported by the fire
of the forts within range Of the city. In
other words, the Parisians will be surrounded
with a sea of FIRE, and be subjected to q
tempest of shot and she'll, besides the
musketry-the fen denfer of the columns Of
infantry who will press them down and keep
them there, even il their city has to 20 down
with them. The government will not be
trifed with; that is very evident 1t will have
Paris upon its own terms or else it will leave
nothing Of Paris worth having.