Year: 1871

TIE Dreadful Catastrophe in Paris-The


Situation Omt.ide tho Walls.


Another calamity has fallen to the lot of un-
fortunate Paris. The announcement in yes
terday's issue that Q terrible explosion had oc-
CURED in the city is not only cOrroborated by
the news this morning, but according to the
intelligence received from one of the HERALD
special correspondents, the occurrence proved
to be one Of the most melancholy which has
taken place for a long time. An accident oc-
Cured in q cartridge factory in the Avenue
Rapp, which resulted In its total destruction
and the sacrifice Of the lives Of large mum
ber of persons, principally women and chill
dren. The effects of the explosion were felt
all over the city. Even in Versailles it
was experienced. The HERALD correspondent,
who was present, near the scene of the calamity,
describes the sight as most frightful. For
time all thought of war had passed away from
the minds of the Parisians, as they thronged
through every avenue leading to the spot,
where burning buildings met their gaze, and
the shrieks of the injured and the means of the





still were the mutilated, bloody and disfigured
forms of the dying and dead which they be-
held as the forms were borne away on stretch
ers from the place where they met their death
or received their death wounds. Truly Paris
has cause 10 be excited, with such dreadful
scenes enacted In its very midst. This time
it is not men In military garb who have
suffered death and injury, but honest. indus
trious, hard-working, innocent women and
children, who were laboring possibly for the
bread that kept body and soul together.


While to hundred houses q new misery
was brought while father and mother and
brother and sister mourned over the DESC
lation which this terrible visitation brought
upon them while the whole popuace was ex-
cited over this dreadful calamity, which
brought death in new shape to many poor
household while burning roofs Illuminated the
scene of the dreadful holocaust and excited
throngs gathered round the spot where was
exhibited death in almost every shape while
this new calamity caused Paris to throb with
new grief, the fratricidal strife outside the
gates still continued, the guns of the forts still
belched forth their fame and ball, and the
leaders of the contending forces, both of P aris
and Versailles plotted and planned, each for
the destruction of the other. In the city the
distrust Of the Commune grows almost uni
versal; but how is Versailles2 The informa-
ton reached us that the members of the
Right desire the overthrow of Thiers,
and that already M. Grevy, Marshal
MacMahon and General Changarnier have
been approached regarding their acceptance of
the succession in case the plan Of depriving
the present Executive Of power is put In force.
Grevy and MacMahon decline; Changarnier
hesitates. The news from France cannot be
regarded in any other light, therefore, with
these facts before Ills, than as most distressing.
A battle is hourly expected near Passy. It is
also reported that Marshal MacMahon has
asked the assistance Of the Germans and has
obtained 1t, and that he is now preparing to
make an attack, in conjunction with the Ger
man troops, on the city. In regard to the
terrible explosion, which we have previously
referred to, some attribute the disaster to
treachery on the part Of the agents OF the
Versailles government. Let us, for the sake
of humanity, hope that this idea is ground
less. Peace, if it must be bought at terrible
price, let not the blood of innocent women
and children stain the eventual triumph of
law aud order over Generalization and law
lessness.