The New York herald., 1871-01-08
The Bombardmcnt of Paris Opencd-The
General Military Situation,

u1Hitary SuuattOn.
We publish in this mornings HERALD
special telegram from our special correspond
ent at Versailles, giving an account of the
German activity on the north, east and south of
the besieged capital. The taking of Fort Mont
Avron is still a matter of much surprise at the
Prussian headquarters. The silencng of the
guns of Forts Rosny and Nogent is also cir
cumstance of equal wonder. The belief ex-
pressed that these two forts can now be taken,
and this task accomplished, that the Ger
mans can then advance on Montreuil is be-
lief we are not yet prepared to share Dark
as the prospect appears for Paris, from the
reading of the kilograms we still adhere to the
opinion that Paris is not on the eve of capitu-
lation, and that before the city capitulates one
great, desperate effort will be made to break
the investing lines. We very much mistake
the character ability and courage of General
Trochu if, with the large force which he must
have under his command, and which during
the whole siege, now numbering one hundred
and seventeen days, he has been preparing to
raise the siege and save the capital. he will
capitulate without tremendous effort.
The story of the deserter as to the condition
Of Paris can be taken for what it is worth.
During our war we had intelligent con-
trabands come within the Union lines with the
most startling revelations as to the state of
affairs on the other side. True, many of them
proved correct, but very many of them were
stories. Of questionable veracity We feel
satisfied that Paris suffers, that much misery
prevails there, and that it cannot last much
longer Yet we hear of no act Of insubor-
ceedings on the part Of the sufferers.
Trochu is calm, collected and silent
No ,wordy proclamation, no grandilequent ad
dresses, no appeals to French patriotism come
from him. and this very relicence encourages
the hope that his forces are under a state OF
discipline and organization that when the
proper moment in his judgment arrives he will
be prepared to act, and with such results as
may possibly surprise the armies which
months have been awaiting the struggle
The bombardment of the city on three sides
has been inaugurated and is still continued
Forts d'Issy on the south, de Nogent on the east
and de Rosny on the northeast have, at least
SO the dispatches say, all been sileReed The
comparatively short and easy manner in which
these results have been attained causes us to
reflect moment ere we arrive at the too hasty
opinion that from such indications we may
anticipate the easy capture of Paris. If
grand sortie in force is contemplated we be-
lieve that neither Of these points are the ones
contemplated by Trochu. When we consider
the movements Of Chauzy-of whom, by the
way, we have heard little or nothing for the
last two or three days-we are inclined
to the belief that should sortie in
force be attempted, it will be made to the west
Of the city. Estimating Trochus army at
three hundred thousand men, disciplined as
they ought to be by this time-a force almost
equal to the army bosieging Pars-it is diff
cult to think that the capital of France is
about to fall into the hands Of the German in
vaders without struggle Of the greatest mag
nitude.
The very silence of the cable, too. in rela-
tion to the movements Of Chauzy and Bour-
that they have not been checked; that they
are still marching on, and that the crisis in
France is fast approaching a climax. Faid-
herbe's success at Bapaume was greater even
than the first dispatches led us to believe The
very energy displayed by the French generals
at present, the vast accessions being made to
their armies, the spirit that has been awakened
throughout the whole of France may be the
stimulus which has urged the German Com
mander-in-Chief to inaugurate the lombard
ment of the city, which has been so often
promised and so frequently deferred.
TIE ADMISSION OF THE GEORGIA SENATORS
will be an important question in the present
session of the Senate. There are eight or nine
of them, Georgia evidently wanting to make
up for the eight or nine years she has been un-
represented.