New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28

cu.t n, thai, rootion In two weeks, on sne iStn
Of sepomber ust two months after Tho Frenon dooara
ton Of war; tho German armies dep'oyoo oo'o,o "a"
north defcnscs of Paris This part OF tho limo OF
.,ort Vas established without serious opposition,
o,, M tho surprise Of the Germans. who anticipated
st the passage Of the Seine. TrochvJ troops
vor. certainly unfit at this time to be trusted patie'
and coud not have prevented tho investments though
they might have retarded IL under = sAhu' .one's''
without ,eopardy TO themselves. itwas wise, however,
o., onpose tho passage of tho Seine with such troops,
a. was madness to attempt Trochu did four days later
th of tho elevated country south OF Paris
The extenson Of the German line from the Seine TO YER
sees I'm front OF the southern line OF fors brought on
an sept 19 known to the Ffenoh a. tho BAT
Tie of Chaton. the Germans as that OF sceaux
Living between tho two towns thus named ana COM
handing tho country round and the French forts In ts
'front.' range Of hills known o. the Hights OF
and IL was for the Of this position that tho
battle was fought Gen. Tr0chu, with apparently cui-
psbe negligence had failed TO seize and fortify TINS -
portant position He had declared bis Intention 70 re-
strictly the defensive until he could arm organ
ize and discipline the immense mass OF Gdrdes Aooes
marines and volunteers who had crowded Into Paris Tor
Its Defense He doubtless had also some indefinite hope
of aid coming from tho army which had already begun
to form on the Loire at Orleans but dependence on this
force or on his own unskled soldiery was, ~ events
proved, mistaken confidence, and won TOR Irochu INC
satircal title OF the Military Micawber." But after
defensive Trochu weak enough TO be overrued oy
the advice of subornaes the wishes Of his assso
cates In the Government, and consented to make an
effort to retake the hightswhch he had permitted the
Germans to seize without opposition. II 1t was folly
not to have secured them before the approach OF the
Germans It was insanity to attempt to recapture thom
with single corps Of half drilled, untried troops The
unwisely ordered attack badly directed and tardy
conducted the troops displayed great gallantry, but
they also displayed their indiscpne, and their enor
naturally resulted In positive repulse.
The movements Of the Germans In strengthening their
lines south and west Of the city than once Induced
Trochu to make which In or two In
stances resulted In brief yet serious engagements On
September so two columns operating from Chaton ana
st. Cloud advanced to develop changes which had been
made the investing line in front Of these positions but
they had hardly depoyed before overwhelming numbers
of Germans were advancing from their bvouacs to meet
them The French wero driven back at both points, and
being hanked ON their right by the overlapping lines
OF the Germans, suffered severe losses'
Tho only result of the affair was TO reveal pre-
cisely what the French did not wish assured
them that the Germans were daily transferring forces
from the east TO side OF Paris and preparing 70
lombard the city Its weakest front. BY these move
ments masked by the flights Of sceau1 and their own
strongly maintained lines, the Germans finally disposed
their great forces around the city in the order named on
the map which illustrates another part Of this paper
the Of the SIEGE The investing line established
by the Germans about 1--WE miles In DEPTH the re-
serves being not than that distance from the ad
vanced posts. Tho system on which the Germans con-
Quoted the siege different in many respects from
that In vogue during own war The advanced
posts. where small bodies of men kept vigant look
out on the proceedings of the French In the city
and forts were strongly intrenched with the design OF
being held until supports could come up In their mme
date rear larger forces posted in camps OF sta
toned in convenient farmhouses, Villas and chateaus
while divisions and corps still further to the rear were
cautioned In the villages and towns which form
suburban Paris With houses to live in. warm beds and
rich linen to upon wine In the cellars, fruit on the
trees and vegetables from and distant gardens OF
tho occupied departments, the besegers had
little to dread from delay and could afford to
walt until famine forced capitulation. Strong as this
line was known TO be the French old not
despair of breaking through It, and while the Germans
prepared for the bombardment their enemy made two or
three frtless efforts raise the siege and escape The
most of these were made against Trochu Judgment and
badly supported and directed failed ignomnously
The first any note made Oct 49, against lie Bourge
on the north Of Paris appears 10 have been permitted as
sort OF concession corps Of Paris volunteers led by
noted Communists 1t lis significant Of the condition OF
Paris at this time that its failure and the repuse OF
their corpa with heavy loss Communes OF Paris invaded
the Hotel de ve captured Trochu and the members Of
the Government proclaimed new republic, and for sew
era hours possession OF the Government corps
of Mobiles happily arriving thrust the new leaders onf
and restored the Committee Of National Defense else
France would have been again revolutonzed by Paris
mob.
The most formidable of these sorties undertaken
on Nov 80 by Gen. Ducrot, with 100000 men, against the
positions at Bre, Champgny, and AKRON held by the
sa1ons and wurtembergers and commanding the Ger
man line of communications The French were GER
any sagacous In detecting here the weakest points In
the German line but they underesmated the facilities
for concentration which their positions gave the enemy
Gen. Ducrot passed the Marine and penetrated the Ger
man lines capturing three important positions
and establishing himself at Brio and Champigny. But
here strangely enough he resumed the defensive as II
satisfied with what he had gained when clearly his tao
tics were to all the troops possible In that part OF
the line and continue the attack He waited, how
ever for two days. when the Germans reinforcing their
allies attacked and carried Champigny and Brie Dec ~,
and forced Ducrot back into the small peninsula formed
by bend In the Marine. This on the following day, he
was compelled to abandon. Two important positions
gained during this attack retained by the French
and from these they driven only after the prepare
lions for bombardmcnt had boon competedby the Ger
mans One of these hillock east OF Paris called
Mount AKRON, overlooking and commanding Forts
Rosny Nogent, and Noisy; tho other was the town OF
vieuif south Of the city Both were at once forned
by the French with the heaviest In Paris and con-
tinued to be held until the Germans having resolved on
bombardment partly concession to public opinion at
home and partly to strengthen their lines by concentra-
ton Knocked the works at Mount AKRON to pieces and
advanced their own batteries to that point. Against
villejuif no direct effort was made.
THE EFFORTS OF TIE PROVINCES.
From the beginning of the siege of Paris the Military
Micawber" who waited there for something to turn up
depended less on his indscipned masses than on
the armies which 1t was known werc forming In tho
Provinces Tho hope which inspired their resolution
was vain one nevertheless, the grand and heroic ef
,rts of the Provinces almost warranted the confidence
reposed In them. Tho Republic, which had como into
power on Sept had not army to contend against
the victorious half million Of Germans on French soil.