The New York herald., 1871-02-07
INSIDE PARIS BEFORE SURRENDER
~~~>~~~~>~~~~>~>~,~~-
Effect of the German BOmbardment in
the Streets Of the Capital.
FL a M H a ID I'll II II.
Citizens Watching the Explosions
i'm the ROu,eyards.
sToa1ns cE DIsAsTENS.
Roaming Through the Streets and Visit
to the Ramparts.
MAKE WAY FOR TIE COMMUNEs.

rhc inhabitants OF this bcseged city nave for
months rocked themselves IN the cradle OF security
under the belief that the King of Prussia would keep
his piQhted word. not to lombard Paris and that
even Kfupp could not reach 1t until one or more OF
the detached forts hau been reduced. IL was with
some feeling OF SURPRISE but not OF fear, that the
first shell from the enemy's batteries was received
by the Parsians. have hitherto shared the opinion
entertained by thousands thar 1t was customary-a
point OF etiquette OF humanity-parion, we viii say
nothing about the last consideration, for
THIS WAR HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON INHUMAN
PRINCIPLES,
to summon city to surrender before bombardment,
IN order to allow the aged, the mfra, the SICK, the
women and the poor little helpless prattling chill
dren TO leave the town or be removed from harms
way. Although foreigner, living in capital where
political changes rapidly Effected where empire
is destroyed and republic established between
breakfast and dinner have invariably written 10
you without prejudice Tor either party, and have,
with pain exposed the mistakes and shortcomings
of the people among whom dwell. II is with plea
sure now confess that it is out OF my power to use
words OF praise sufficiently strong In favor OF the
attitude OF the inhabitants OF that portion Of the city
which has been bombarded, nor terms sufficiently
c0ndemnatory OF the outrage on civilization pcrpe-
trated by the Prusslans. Yesterday ana on the pre-
vious day was unable to send you more than short
ucspdtCHes auuouuclHS VIC ARRIVAL vi JIc
PRUssIAN PRoJECrIIEs WITHIN OUR WALLS
and the proclamatlons OF the government. Come
with me to the other side Of Paris, ana then form
your own OPINION. During the night OF Wednesday
the enemy leisurely bombarded the forts OF lssy,
Vanvres and Montrouce. 1t was no: until the follow
Ing morning, alter eight O'Clock, that they received
veritable avalanche OF Shells many OF them which
did net burst. measured in length nineteen and four
nlths inches, and nearly eight inches IN diameter.
The damage done was comparatively small. The
Governor passed some time In the forts, and the
garrisons were in good humor. AT tile commence
ment OF the day the French IRE was feeble; but
later tne forts replied with well sustained vigor In
deed, Prussia must have found ..Roa d for her
Olivern but little expected. The first OF The iorts
which replied was that of yanvres Montrouge fol
lowed, and shortly the cannonade became general,
Vanvres Montrouge, Ivry Bcetre Issy, the redoubts
OF Hautes Bruyeres and Arcuell on side blazing
away against the enemys positions on tontenay,
Chaunon, Clamart and Meudon, which were yonir-
Ing fire return After breakfast the nastion num-
ber 66 joined in The tray, as did also the bastions
between Auteuil and number 75. All was smoke,
FLAME AND FIRE.
Several hundred persons crowded up the road be-
tween Aueuil ana the Pont du Jour. II curl
Ous sight AT every discharge down dropped mum
bers. Bomoardment Is a pastime that creates GU
rous sensation sensitive nerves until ustomed
to It, Besides the crowd in that direction were
sghtseers attracted by the noise to dangerous spot
like dies To sugar cask. "Oh. Ia la - said an old
woman, "wnat a dreadful noise" "oh, cest JoH,
Is it Otf' said the round wife Of still rotundcr
bourgeois, she gazed through her opera glass at
the fashes OF light. Then, OF course, there the
inevitable, irrepressbe c)c0te the regular out and
out Partisan screamer, with golden hair and rouge
and black trimmed eyes, faultlessly gloved and
booted with pair OF Louis XIV. heels.
which kept her perpeiualy tiptoe. But
what does she care for shess She came because
she thought that there would be crowd. she has
lived long enough in Paris to know that anything
extraordinary VIII attract the multitude. ami from
the multitude, whether 1t turns out for wedding,
q funeral, a bombardment or any other human
misery. is certain TO add few more 10 her long
list OF admirers. She does not fall down like tho
rest who have read in some OF the journals that
to do Is the surest way to escape annihlation oy
q bursting SHE'LL nor does she even duck her head.
The former would soil her dress the latter would
destroy the equilibrium Of that wonderful head
OF false hair. Both are part OF her stock
In trade. Then there were many idlers and
street bovs-those who had never heard
the shur- -shur-shur- r-shurch or the shells on the
battle Geld. III is like the mcwng Of
cats" said one. .No; like the bowling OF
distant dogs,n said another. "No it resembles the
lamentation or the wind on telegraph wires" said
third. Between their tumblings and their duck
ings the sight-seers laughed and chatted. They
were becoming accustomed TO bombardment. In
TACT, rather liked 1t than otherwise. Towards Pont
du Jour the people were lively, at Montrouge more
serious; equally indi nerent to danger, but deter
mined to avenge the outrage. The former were for
the most part sight-seers; the latter were the IN
habitants Of the district, which we shall presently
VISIT
THE GuNBoArs in ADVANCE or THE PoNr Du JOUR
were also attacked by the enemy, but most OF the
shells fell INTO the Seine. Some of them, however,
cleared the AuteuIl viaduct and exploded on the
road to Versailles. The enemy's battery OF the
Bergerie, in the rear OF Garches, opened fire on
Mont Vaeren; but the giant fort replied so aDgriy
that within two hours the fire Of the Prussian bat
,ery was extinguishcd, The firing which had been
sustained without intermssion until nghtiall Their
diminished; but at nile T. M. 1t was recommended
with vivacity. According TO the military report
there were but nine men killed and forty wounded
Unfortunately, several civilians were killed and
wounded, OF which the military authorities take nc
account. At Pont du Jour, between the viaduct and
The Porte de st. Cloud a crowd, Of men, women and
children had collected. Siiur-shur-shurch--
boum shell fell and exploded in front OF house,
No. ia, but no person was wounded. Within hall
minute another fell at the distance OF yards.
There was scramble for the pieces. The bomba rd-
ment is a success. We are taxing to 1t kindly.
IN THE GRENELLE DISTRICTS.
Beyond the celebrated Hotel des Invalides with
Its golden dome, II you pass down the Avenue dc
Breteul, you arrive at the districts of Grenelle,
vaugrard and Montrouge. They are unpleasant
localities even in peaceful days. The neighborhcod
Of the abode OF lnvalided soldiers is ihronsed by
blue-coated old veterans, and Is also thickly In
hahited ny priests There alss monks and friars
ana converts. 1t is deadly-lively purlieu IL
looks scraped and pared and the shops as you
draw nearer tc the rampar,s appear more scantily
supplied. Wine shops become more frequent. The
mon lounge listessly. with their hands In their
pockets, the women appear more satternly and the
children more dirty. Besides the windows adorned
with linen hung out to dry and various garments to
air bespeak scanty means, ana tell you that you
have left the fashionable world. The exterior ar.
rondlssements OF Paris are not inviting. Those tn
which now allude really have looked during the
past two days more lively than usual, as Grenele.
VaugraT0 aud Montrouge were the first 10 receive Q