The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11


, trated London News in the ca
pacity of secretary during the
siege. The data given below are
derived from official documents
of the time.
TIFTEEN days after a white table
- cloth nuttered over the citadel
i OF Sedan-Napoleon Ills token
OF the surrender OF his army
to the victorious forces Of united
fatherland--the German army began
the investment OF Paris. BY l o'clock
in the afternoon OF September 10 the
telegraph wires communicating with
Versailles were cut and Paris was left
to her doom.
For nearly four months thereafter
the isolated city was subjected to "A
siege by which the Germans hoped to
starve II into submission. But, not
withstandng that rigorous winter
had set in and the suffering caused
through the scarcity of fuel was in
tense, notwithstanding the hardships
experienced and the prvations endured.
Paris still held out.
In the meantime the Germans had not
been idle. Siege guns that had been
sent for were placed at various points
of vantage on the heights commanding
the city and every preparation made
for the bloody duel that was to follow.
Summoned once more to surrender. the
Government announced its policy to de-
fend the city To the bitter end to Citi-
zens of Paris in these terms:
"pumors have been spread that the
Government of National Defence in
tends to abandon the policy for which
1t was placed in charge. This policy
Is ex. ,ressed in the terms: Not an
inch OF our territory; not n stone OF
our fortresses' The Government will
maintain this policy to the end"
Then the bombardment began. The
first shot was fired on the afternoon
of January 3. 1871. and fell in the Rue
Lalande. The objective was clock
tower near by, and soon shells began
TO fall thick and fast in the neighbor-
hood. AS night drew on the cannonade
became more violent and the range OF
the hostile artillery expanded. During
the first night twenty-six houses were
destroyed. Early ihe next day shot
and shell fell continuously, especially
in the Latin Quarter, and several per-
sons were killed.
Having ascertaned the range of
their artillery the Germans there
after decided on "A continuous lombard
ment at night. hoping thus to terminate
the siege speedily. But they were mis-
taken and compelled to keep up an in
cessant fire. From sunrise To sunset,
from the rising Of the moon till its
shining splendur was dmmed 10y the
brightness Of the day Herr Krupp's
0la..t..
course from the German batteries.
on August Q the Municipality of
Paris had turned ITS attention to pro-
visioning the capital. At this time there
were. according to the official return,
293,2S9 quintals of flour in storage,
which, increased 10y the moderate stock
in the bakers hands, amounted to 30
900 tons. the equivalent Of about forty
five days supply. During the latter part
OF August 100000 sheep and between
10000 and 10000 oxen were herded in
the Bots de Boulogne. Thus it had be-
come transformed into vast cattle
range and an immense sheepfold.
on September IL the Government
gave notice that the Minister Of Agrl-
culture and Commerce would fix the
price at which butchers meat was to
be sold. Dating from September 16
this price, which was IL anything below
the average rate at which meat was
then being sold, remained In force I'M
I'll the stock became exhausted The
prime parts of beef cost francs the
kilogramme, or 26 cents the pound avoir-
dupois: second rae parts francs 10
centimes, or IS cents per pound; inter
mediate parts, ! franc 20 centimes, or
u cents per pound; inferior parts, l
franc 80 centImes, or IL cents per
pound.
As to mutton the prime joints were
l franc so centimes the kilogramme,
or l6 cents the pound. second rate
Joints were l franc 80 ccntimes, equal
to IL cents per pound, and the inferior
parts ! franc 10 Centimes, or 10 cents
per pound. Fresh pork was sold at ?
francs 80 confines the kilogramme. or
21 cents the pound. and salt pork at |
franc so centlmes, or l6 cents the
pound. The butchers were required to
indicate by written labels placed on the
meat itself the particular cut, and to dis
play the official decree fixing the price
at which the different cuts were to be
sold In some conspicuous part of their
stores.
Remember, thes, prices are French
prices tOTlN-louT years ago we i've
at siege prices in New York to-day.
At first many OF the butchers re-
fused to sell their meat at the prices
indicated, and National Guards had to
be constantly summoned to enforce the
regulation.
AS To bread a fixed price for this was
not decreed until four days after Paris
was invested. Then the price was set
at As centimes and 3S confines the kilo-
gramme or about ~ cents and cents
the pound avoirdupois for the first and
second grades.
The stock of flour belonging to the
Government and In the hands If the
municipal authorities on the 2Oth OF
September, the day following the in
vestment, amounted to upward OF 2g2
900 quintals; the stock in the hands of
the trade at the same period was Sc,
down at about $4,000 quintas, giving a
total Of fully $4,000 qulntals equal "a
about $4,000 tons. Allowing for an ordi-
nary rate of consumption 1000 quin-
tails per day-it might b. calculated
that there was ample Hour To last for
ten weeks. or to the end OF November