Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1870. THE WAR—THE SIEGE OP PARIS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 15, Issue 2017, 27 December 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1870. THE WAR—THE SIEGE OP PARIS.

Why don't the Prussians bombard Paris ? Tbe siege was commenced on the 19 th September. Most of the heavy siege guns were brought iuto position by the middle of October, and the mouster Krupp guns themselves, that cau throw shot weighing 1200 lbs., wore in position, at latest, by the beginning of November. Since the beginning of October the Germans have had possession of the heights of Meudon, from which, it is said, they can send balls as far as the Tuileries, yet they Lave uever so much as fired a single shbfc, either at the city, the enceinte, or the detached forts iv the neighbourhood. They might as well have postponed their eccentric religious festival " previous to commencing the bombardment.", if, indeed, they ever had one, which* after all is doubtful, or something more, than doubtful, verging towards certainty iv the negative direction. The Freuoh account for the delay in opening fire on them by the theory that their own gunners are too much for the euemy. They say that'whenever the Prussians begin to raise earthworks, or to plant a battery, the steady aud accurate fire from the French for"ts dislodges them. If they try to do it at night, electric light is brought to bear on them, aud upsets their little game effectually. This seems, at first sight, the most natural explanation ; at the same time it must be admitted that it is at variance with the commonly received opinion, which also, there is every reason to believe, is the correct one— 'that the Germans are in possession of guns of much longer range than any that the French are" in t possession of. If this be true, they' have merely to plaut them out of range of the French guns, and commence the bombardment at any moment. Bisraark, it is said, observed, on one occasion, that he meant to take Paris by bombarding the stomachs of the Parisians, not their walls. One would, imagine that the bombarding of the walls would be tbe most expeditious method, and, if so, why adopt the other. The theory that they adopt it from mere reluctance to destroy the great and beautiful city, would not be worthy of consideration if we had any other theory that we could resort to.. If it implies an unheard of degree of generosity towards the enemy on the part of the German statesmeu, it seems to imply a no less extraordinary failure, iv their duty to their own countrymen. A Berlin official, or semi-official, paper, ( accordingly, denies that it is from any', motive of false generosity that thebombardment is deferred. Besides, if they bad no hesitation in bombarding Strasburg, Toul, Schletstadt, and a host of other places, why should Paris be spared ? On account of its beautiful beautiful edifices and treasures of art of all descriptions, perhaps ! If the Prussian Cabinet were made up of half-crazy dilletanti, they might pay a degree of regard to the sacred ness of Veuuses and Correggios, which they did not feel for thesacredness of human life. But, with the troops dying at the rate of fifty per day ; with au : enemy being drilled into efficiency every hour, by an active, vigilant, Trochu, within the city ; an able Bourbaki to the north, and a successful De Paladines to tho south ; with arms pouring into the country— Birmingham manufacturers working night and day at them j with wiuter coming on ; the love of art — never, probably, a very lively sentiment in the Royal or Ministerial mind, would scarcely get the length of being a sentiment at all, much less such & powerful one as to sway the judgment. If, then, we are obliged to reject both the, theory that the delay in commencing the bombardment, flows from inability on the part of the Germans, and the theory that it flows from humanity, or respect for works of art, how is it to be accounted for ? There seems really no third theory available. The fact, perhaps, is, that we do not know, as yet, enough about the circumstances to form a correct opinion on the subject, at all. It is worth noticing, however, that Metz did uot sutler auy bombardment to speak of either, aud it may bo the ! case with large cities that M. Bismark's plan of bombardiug the stomach ; : only, is the most expeditious plan after all. Notwithstanding tho tolerably vigorous bombardment of Strasburg, and all the horrors that we heard of in connection with it, the number of killed was only about two or three hundred altogether, just enough to keep the inhabitants in a constant state of excitement and irritation. Every man who lost a brother, or a father, or a friend, would become a supporter of the party who advocated holding out at all costs. The pressure brought to bear on Bazaino, by some accounts, had its due effect iv bringing about the surrender of Metz, aud it is very doubtful whether that pressure would have been increased or diminished if their excitement had been kept up by the spectacle ofsome halfdozeu of their number killed every two or three days. Paris, in the meantime, can hardly realise that she is besieged. One day, as some correspondent says, the Parisians all look as stern, aud grave, aud resolute as Cromwell's ironsides ; next day they are full of fiery and elated patriotism of the highly demonstrative type ; next day they are themselves again, making believe that they are as careless and nonchalant, as much taken up with their old occupations and amusements, as if there was no siege at all going on. But whatever change comes over them, in one thing they are constant, they are always acting. Hunger, it is to be feared, will put a damper on their histrionic proclivities, aud, then, wiil Paris be another Metz ? Time will shew.