The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-27

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Masked Batteries - Balloon Letters -
Imputience In Germany--"Why Don't
the French Give In ~
Correspondence OF the New York World.l
VERSAILLES, December 27.-
The wish of the German people has at last
been grati6ed, as the regular siege operations
against the Partisan forts have this day COM
menced. in the bombardment Of the new fort
thrown up by the French some time back ct
! Mont Avron. The German batteries erected
on the high ground to the east ofthls pointope
ed fire from seventy guns this morning at day
light, andby II An oil was again silent on both
sides. owInS-so our Germa n friends here say
TO the fact that after the first three shots every
one of their shells pitched straight Into the
French embraslires and very speedily dis.
mounted their guns; but with what effect
these guns were worked against us during the
earlier part of the day it Is not mentioned.
This puny way of commencing such vast
enterprise rs the reduction OF the Partisan
forts may to the uninitlatel appear as simply
ridiculous, but the tact Is that tO-duy's attack
Is only feint to draw of the attention of the
French from the more serious attack which is
in contemplation for tomorrow, and which
takes place from this side with over two hum
dre,l and slxLy guns in position in masked bat
terlcs erected In the Park ofSt. Cloud and on
the heights to the eastward OF ii, the existence
of which batteries the French Ut the present
moment are supposed to be unaware OF, owing
10 the dense wood which hides them from
their sight; and 1t Is believed that BY COM
Inencns operations OH the east OF Paris
Trochu may be misled into throwing the great
rr norton OF his forces on that side TO repulse
the threatened attack, and thus, perchance,
leave Fort D'Issy open 10 be carried by coup
lie man after short bomOardment.
The trees, which at present screen the Ger
man batteries, are all sawn through III readl-
ness to he felled at q moments notice, and our
main efforts will be eXerled against Fort D,lssy
the Rednn VI the slege-always provided
that our batteries answer the expectations OF
our chiefs, and are, on trial. found to be able
to Withstand lhe converging fire which will be
poured upon them by Mont Vulerien, D'Issy,
Vunves, Mont Rouge, Point du Jour, and the
other forts of the enceinte, all OF which are
armed with by far the heavier, aud, from what
have seen, i should say better Guns than are
the German bslteries-anyhoW this point Will
soon be settled. SO let us biae our time pa
tiently, and not break our necks over useless
COnjectures.
The German guns at present in position are
all supplied with five hundred rounds OF am
munition, and both guns and ammunition are
SO placed as, In German estimation, to render
them perfectly safe from being bit by the
French return fire. The Prince OF Hohenlohe
has been given the command and direction Of
the Siege operations, while the engineer officer
in charge under him Is the same who carried
out the Siege Of Strashourg. Thus, everything
is ready; but cannot help believing that it Is
so only TO stop the cries and clamors OF the
German people at home, and of the soldiers
abroad, who, one and all, ore IN seml-state
OF open muliny at the long delay which has
taken place in their long cherished hope being
rcalized-of entering Paris in triumph and
OF speedy peace being MADE eighteen hum
dred and sixty-siX was something like war,
If you like, they all say. I'VE fought, con-
uuered, made peace, and went home glorious
lv in few days; but here there Is no telling
when this war will end. How stupid the
French are Can't they see they are beaten
and give in pa way Of arguing which do
not lhiuk our French ncighbors would be con-
vinced by. Regarding the truth OF The report
that the French guns III Mont Avron were all
dismantled this morning, owing to which fact
the firing is said to have ceased, all can soy
Is that al the present moment General Won
Mol,ke has not been Informed Of the circum-
stance, and therefore am nearly confident
thai the silence OF our batteries must be due
to some other cause. Perhaps our own guns
found 1t rather too hot "Que saiSje 2"
The belief is here current that By lombard
ing the stronghold OF the Reds, or the eastern
quarters of Paris, the surrender OF the place
viii be fastened, If not quickly brought about.
by the lissensions viii h will arise between
the citizens. But In this feel confident they
are at fault. and are again, to use homely
phrase, !scounting their chickens before the
eggs are hatched;" rs they have been doing, in
fact, ever since the commencement OF the
siege: and 7 do not believe that Paris itself
could say for how long it can yet hold out,
leaving the hombardment entirely ont Of the
question. as do not believe that 1t will in any
way tend to bring about the surrender. II
Paris !ulls-she falls by famine.