New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-04
THE LOSSES FROM SHELLS.

nopulation under this new and terrible trial.
THE LOSSES FROM SHELLS.
DEATHS FROM COMMANDMENT FROM JANUARY
< TO JANUARY 14-sTRANGE ASPECT OF THE
CITY-DEMEANOR OF THE PEOPLE.
lPRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
p,prs Ian. Ill inclose the official report
q, the casualties occasoned by the bombardment from
the sb current when the first projectles fell within the
wals ND to the night OF the 18th TO the l4tb incusvey
What may be the result in killed and wounded Oh the s'
d hours sheng do not yet know but the canhohue
during the night has been occasionally furous-"hch
means IL was intermittent 1t would really appear as
though the Prussians proceed upon amethocal prhco
in their attack They bang away from dark Till 10 OF H.
then stop suddenly Within this brief space OF time peo
nile compose themselves to The cold Is intense
there s no wood no coal fuel of any klnd 10 DE oo
tanned and oil is dear folks 90 to bed early as meas
IRE of economy They have scarcely dropped INTO ther
first sleep than-bangl bang catter crash, DUST SMOKE
and the res-a shel-perhaps two And this goes on all
through the small hours when comparative quiet Is re-
established But this rain of shells is not continuous
Sometimes a lull of half hour-an hour-takes
Mace when the storm Of iron hail recommences with
yeold intensity OF course 1t is understood tnat inc
object OF the besiegers Is to harass and TO terry ana
no surer could be adopted provided the popuia
ton would only be harassed and terrified But so far
"a terror is concerned the calculation OF the enemy Is
erroneous The imperturbabity Of the people in the
bombarded districts is something wonderful Ii Is TO
the last degree stoca. OF course folks who arc hted
on to the floor by bomb which explodes under their
bed are "harassed" and 80 are the families which are
compelled to migrate from south to NORTH at moments
notice. Nevertheless these victims OF the bombardment
do not finch They cench their teeth and suffer, but
no surrender is their last word In this there is no
exaggeration A stranger who should be dropped upon
the Bouevards cay from balloon, would not realize he
is in the midst OF Paris besieged He would, II pre-
yously acquainted with it, observe difference In It's
aspect He would seshops closed the large thorough
fares thiny peoped; few, omnibuses and hackney
coaches circulating and five out OF six adult males, in
almost every variety Of military costume but he would
discern symptoms of uneasiness stu less OF terror
He would remark motley groups besiegng In long files,
the butchers and tho bakers shops, and the cdntes
unieipales early in the morning, often at midday and
in the afternoons but he would be unable to record any
sign Of impotence, still less any Of rebellion or revolt
even in the poorest neghborhoods At night he would
find the Streets the ea the hotels the private houses,
dnnly lighted. He might be surprised to discover
that breakfasts and dinners are not easily obtanabe;
and vet more astounded would he be at tho prices
charged in the establishments still open and which still
manage to furnish these meals He would certainly re-
sent paying double the price for heavy, lumpy gray
coored bread, formerly charged for that white COM
pound he had been accustomed to eat and ne might DC
startled on being informed that no white bread to
be had because the bakers prohibited from manuac
turing it, and indeed not supplied with -four OF the
requisite quality but he would be the almsst only gru-
bier From these and other facts he would lnier
the conditions OF life here are abnormal but were
he to Judge actual situation of Paris by the at
tude of population would not believe it exposed to
the horrors OF siege He would see people going about
their ordinary business much the Same as usual the
cafes still thronged the rrepressble dbsne vermouth
and bitters being imbibed; the everlasting domihoes
and cards. chess and backgammon, afordng the amse-
ments OF the hour; welldressed ladies promenadng;
children playing in the meager sunshine-fe, In fact,
not interrupted in its course just there were no
Prssian guns bechng death and destruction into our
midst and we were not imprisoned within double circle
OF fire and iron he crossed the Seine, and visited the
southern suburbs he would meet with evidences VI the
proximity Of an enemy intent upon mischief in the dam
age done to public buildings He would see big holes
pounded in the walls Of dwelling houses, shops made
bombproof by of barricades of stones and EARTH
and bags sand and he would have to gain access to
them by zigag; trees rent in twain, and the boue-
wards despoed Of their chief ornament; he would
run against whole households emigrating with their
goods and chatels he might, perhaps, come across
small group of three four citizens conveying TO the
nearest ambulance a dead woman, or dead child or
wounded he might, even, be startled 10y the expo-
sion Of a big shell within few yards OF the spot where
he is standing; nevertheless he would notice
essential difference in the generalsatttude Of the
inhabitants of the bOmbarded neghborood compared
with that OF the occupants OF other quarters, and would
record the absenee OF anything like terror even
fear Yet what amentabe disclosure does the Journal
Ofciel make this morning Within the period specified,
1s9 vctims-of these killed. the remainder wounded
of the 81 killed. children, II OF the 1873
wounded q are children. As The area boni
barded embraces the entire southern superb OF the city,
The shells have fallen in every direction. spreading out
like fan from the Prussian batteries and tending the
conclusion that the object has TO cover wide
space possible II may not be the result OF calculation
although the facts in favor OF this conclusionthat
the hospitals, schools churches, and public buildings
over which oats the white flag with the red have
been the chief objective points OF the Prussan shells
Up TO the present time these and the neighborhood In
which they situated have suffered most II Is said
that enemy entertained impression that the
Pantheon storehouse for ammunition. and, there
fore, they fred at IL but Gen. Trochu sent
VI. de Moltke o messenger 10 disabuse MN OF
this notion. Nevertheless, that building IL sui
target for the Prussan shells, so there can no"
remain no doubt the enemys artilerymen have orders
10 continue the fro OF their batteries upon the same
points have not seen the fact officially announced
but the statement has found t way into ell the papers
that In of the bombardmept OF the 'aIde
Grace which was full of French wounded Gen. lroch"
has ordered their removal and substitution OF fru
sian sick and wounded and prisoners and has
NJ de Moltke OF the change. You VIII see oy VIC
I have already carbohydrates OF most Oh winch IN
closethat the oh sicians and surgeons attaehou our
ho,pitas and asylums protested against Tue he'n
o.lical ba rbarty OF the PrIssian COMMANDER III
directing the IRE Of his batteries upon