The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-02-08
WEDNESDAY,. FEBRUARY 8, 1871.
Inside view of the war.

Inc Engiisn steamer ADySSlnia, Wnicn arrived
at New York in the latter part Of December
last, brought, amongst other papers relative to
the war, a few numbers Of Paris Gazette called
the Depeche BdROn. They are full Of interesting
information about the condition Of the besieged
capital, and no doubt will become quite valuable
to the future compilers Of the history Of the
Franco-German contest, as they viii forcibly, by
their very title, call attention to the wonderful
time when France had no other than aerial COM
munication with the rest Of France; when Paris
was sending over the heads of the disappointed
besiegers not only written messages Of hope, bat
also intrepid ehiefs,-undannted leaders, whose
influence inspired the inhabitants OF the remotest
provinces with desire to initiate the noble exam
pleset them by their heroic capital. These news
papers were carried to Belgium by the balloon
Arcbimedes, which, starting from Paris on the
22d of November, at IL P. NJ, alighted in the
neighborhood of Anvers at O'Clock A. N. In
the boat there were three gentlemen. intrusted
with special mission near the Provisional Gov
ernment at Tours, and a heavy load of letters and
mail matter, weighing 800 pounds. Thirty
pigeons were travelling companions Of the adven-
turous aeronauts, who sent them back to Paris
with the replies to the dispatches from the Gov
eminent.
The following items from the Depeche- Ballon
are translated, as the most interesting
"MmITAKY NEws-Nov. 2O.--Ihe Govern
ment of the National Defense has caused to be
placarded in Paris the news of the advantage
gained by the army of the Loire over the troops
that were occupying Orleans.
{" To The inhabitants and defenders Of Paris:
"My dear fellow citizens, it is with unspeak.
able joy that bring to your knowledge the good
news that you are going to read. Thanks to the
valor of our soldiers, fortune comes back to US
your courage will keep it. We shall soon join
hands with our brethren of the Departments, and
with them deliver the soil of the country. Long
live the Republic.
"The Minister of the Interior ad interim.
JULES FAvRE.
"The circle by which we are surrounded gets
larger, slowly it is true, but yet it is larger. In
front of Moulin Saquet, we are establishing a
line of defense, starting from Forta-l'Angais, on
the river side, and reaching to other strong works
in front of Villejuii numerous squads of men
work at it night and day, under the protection Of
the artillery fire of our forts, of gun-boat an
chored in the Seine, and of columns Of reserve.
On that side, our scouts have reconnoitered as
far as the Cemetery of Choisy, where the Prus-
SLAMS were said to have erected heavy batteries,
but they were much surprised to find there
nothing but two steel field pieces. On the right
bank our line of defense is extended up to Gre
tell, where redoubts and covered trenches, ac-
cessible from one to the other, have been
hastily erected.
" In other respects, the Notifications Of Paris
are becoming daily more formidable. One of our
bastions has been armed with ten naval pieces,
directed against Chatillon, so that whatever may
be the power of the Prussian batteries in the
latter position, they will be easily slenced by the
convergent fire of our forts, and of this portion
of the ramparts. Our scouts are exploring the
neighborhood Of Bagneux, and keep the Prus-
sian outposts constantly on the alert. Yester
day, about 3 o'clock, a column OF the enemy ap-
peared from behind rise Of ground, and would
have done us much harm had it not been for the
effective aid of the forts of Issy and Montrouge,
which discharged a vOley of artillery with such
accuracy that the Prussans hastily retreited
Those additional Notifications erected outside
of the walls of Paris with the view of making
second inclosure, now form a very respectable
line of defense. Above the tunnel Of Ivry there
has been built up a redoubt commanding the
valley of the Seine, and from which it is quite
possible to send side-shots on the line OF crcum-
valuation as far as Nicoai. Every day, we read
accounts of the Prussan works, accounts in
most cases, of an exaggerated nature. Thus it
has been said and printed that the great redoubt
Of ChatiIlon, confronting our forts, had one side
lined with 1872 pieces of cannon. This report is
SO far incorrect that one side of the redoubt-
that facing our forts Issy and Vanves,-bas but
% guns; and the side opposite the Hautes
Bruyeres is armed with the same number, making
total of Sc pieces only. The redoubt of Chatil-
Ion is unquestionably well planned and well built,
but its efficiency is almost neutrazed by the
series Of outworks which we have established in
FROM of Villejuif, and the Improvements we have
hhdO IA bAc VI bhC ooOFS-uaiucu boO
forts. 1t is evidently to these works, lately
erected by US, that we must attribute the hesita-
tion of the Prussans who are now unable to
carry out on that side, the attack they had plan
ned against it.
AMMUNITION AND WAR MATERIAL. : There
are, at this moment in Paris, five great workshops
for the manufacture Of cartridges in which about
5000 women are actively employed. The number
Of cartridges turned out in one day is 100000.
Yesterday, at O'Clock, at one Of the bas-
tions Of la porte d'Auteuil, General Trochu and
his staff were present at some experiments made |
with the view of transforming shelLguns of the
old system into breech-loaders. The latter worked
admirably. and have range Of 5000 metres.
"The manufacture of the Sothey-cannon is
pursued with the most feverish activity in the |
foundries Of Paris. These new pieces are said to
be superior to the Prussian guns. as they can be |
fred more rapidly, at greater range and with
more accuracy. Thsy throw shot OF IA pountis
The contractors for these guns will have one
hundred ready BY the beginning Of December.
"The day before yesterday, several guns of |
new pattern we're placed in position on some Of |