The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-23

ready. all waiting and anxious for the
fray.
on Aug. ? there was the first engage
ment. resulting I'm the evacuation OF
Saarbrucken by the Germans. but this
was followed by q series OF French
disasters. which terminated at Sedan.
In -FOUR weeks there were eight battles
fought, resulting IN the practical col
lapse OF the Napoleonic dynasty
Finally the Germans invested Paris,
and the bombardment of that unhappy
city continued from Jan. 10 TO 25.
1871. when an armistice was declared.
All hostilities were To be suspended on
the evening of the 26th inst, so far as
Paris was concerned. and all ways OF
ingress were 10 be thrown open. A gen.
eral armistice OF II days was to begin
from Jan. 81. The regular forces of the
Paris garrison-troops OF the line ma
rines and gardes mobiles--laid down
their arms, only 1900 men and the ma
tional guard being allowed to retain
them for the preservation of order. The
garrison was interned for the time OF
armistice and afterward regarded as
prisoners. They were not transferred 10
Germany because every possible place
was already overlooking with captives.
The forts Were occupied on the 18th
without opposition. The blockade OF
Paris lasted 1S2 days. and the greater
part of the German forces then detaln-
ed outside the walls were released TO
end the war in the open field.
Fighting still continued I'm other parts
OF France. but with the capital city in
the hands OF the enemy belligerent
operations were comparatively inactive
and wholly futile. On Feb. is a definitive
treaty was signed at Versailles, declar-
ing the war at an end, the French pro-
visional government accepting The hu-
mliations Germany imposed upon the
conquered country. They were obliged
to surrender Lorraine and Alsace. with
the exception Of Belfort and to pay a
war indemnity of five milliard francs, or
81, ,00c, 900 900. AS long as German troops
remained on French soil they were fed
at the expense of France. Another ar
mistice was prolonged TO March IL. but
IL was in the option OF either of the two
powers TO end IL after March by Civ
ing three days notice.
There was parade OF the German
forces in certain streets of Paris on
March 1, by which the Emperor Will
liam avenged the sights placed upon
his mother. Queen Louise. by the great
Napoleon so years before. On March
Is the German monarch left Nancy for
Berlin. Then appeared the commune,
and Paris had all the horrors of civil
war for three months or more. but the
invaders remained outside Paris and
continued on French territory until the
indemnity was paid.
In the meantime the negotiations
commenced in Brussels and continued
in Frankfort were said ito be making
rapid progress" and by May 10 the def
mite treaty of peace. based on the pre-
iiminaries, was ready to be signed. The
ratification on both sides followed with
in the appointed time of ten days.
This war. carried on with such a vast
expenditure OF force on both sides, was
brought to an end by incessant and
restless energy in the short period Of
seven months.
The formal declaration Of war by
Russia against the Ottoman empire was
handed to the Turkish charge d'affaires
in st. Petersburg on April "a. 1877 It