Year: 1870

VIII the Germans lombard Parish Whether
they do or not their action will be governed,
not by sentimental or humanitarian cOnsidera-
tons, but by military and political necessity.
They have subjected the large city of Stras-
bourg to a terrible bOmbardment, and they have
bombarded Metz, TOul, Sedan, SOissOns, and
number of smaller places There is very little
doubt of their determination to take Paris by
one means or another, and to enter it as con-
auerors. They believe that Paris must be
| subdued before the war can be ended, or the
| military pretensions of France broken down.
The largest army that France has brought
into action at any time during the war is now
| inside of Paris, and the most formidable
Notifications on French soil are around Paris.
They feel that they must obtain possession of
these before they can bring the Provisional
Government to the terms which they are de-
termined upon enforcing. A bombardment of
Paris, or an assault upon it after lombard
ment is therefore, an event which we must
be prepared to hear of at any time.
| The City of Strasbourg held ont under a
steady and destructive bOmbardment for over
six weeks, but there was no regular assault
upon the city before its capture for when
| Gen. Uhrich found that the enemy had
preached his lines, and were ready to make
an assault under which the city would neces-
sarily succumb, he surrendered, and thus pre-
vented further loss of life. Whether Gen.
Trochu will follow Uhrich's example, and sur
render Paris after he finds resistance to be
unavailable, remains to be seen.


There is reason to fear for Tours since
the publication of dispatch announcing that
the enemy dare not advance" upon Tours, be-
cause of the enthusiasm of its defenders.
Judging from past experience during the pres
ent war, we should say that this is an Omi-
nous Dispatch and gives indication of a Ger
man advance upon Tours within short time,
and the capture of the city, along with ten,
twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand prison.
crs. Dare not advance is dangerous
phrase to utter in the hearing Of the Germans
Our readers will have observed that the
German army has been very undemonstrative
since its arrival before Paris four weeks ago.
The French have made number of sOrties at
different points of their line, which the Ger
mans have been content with merely repulsing;
and the French have from time to time opened
angry cannonades from one fortifcation or
another which the Germans have taken very





reserving their strength for the real opening
of grand operations against the city.


The embrace which Garbaldi was reported
to have received from the Archbishop on his
arrival at Tours has been followed by blow
from the same dignitary, who has announced
that he did not go ont to meet Garibaldi but
that, on the contrary, he refused to receive
him officially, because he considered him an
enemy of the Church. This ecclesiastical blow
may be more weakening to Garibaldi than the
report of the patriotic embrace was strengthen
ing. 1t must be especially harmful to him in
the VOsges, the inhabitants of which are good
Catholics.


1t appears that the MOniteurI (Tours) Is
utterly dlsgused at the absence of any efforts
on the part Of the French to cut the railway
communications behind the German army,
since only slight diversion would be needed
anywhere between Paris and the Rhine to
jeopardize the supplies of the Germans, and
thus compel their withdrawal from before
Paris. We should suppose the Montew would
be able to see that one of the reasons why no
such attempt has been made or would be
likely, IL made, to prove successful, is
to be found in the existence of the
very large and splendid cavalry force
which the Germans have kept in con-
slant activity along their entire line of COM
mlnications. Between the Rhine and Paris
the Germans have nearly one hundred thou
sand cavairymen. among whom are those hard