FOREIGN NOTES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3123, 14 February 1871, Page 3

FOREIGN NOTES.

* The following little episode of the Franco-Prussian war is given by the " Semaphore de Marseilles" of the 3rd |of December :— " Not long ago a captain of the Mobiles stationed between Drancy and Bobigny early one morning picked out one of his privates, a youth possessed of intelligence nnd sang-froid, and ordered him to take four of his comrades to reconnoitre a little at the extremity of an avenue beyond the outposts, giving him the following recommendations : — ' You will perform the duties of corporal. Be prudent, and use your arms if you should deem it expedient. In case you should not be strong enough, beat an instant retreat, for I can do nothing before you return. The little troop departed, and the young soldier on arriving at the avenue, bid his men on the, right and on the left, and took up a position himself behind a large tree, prepared to await whatever might turn up. Jn about twenty minutes three horsemen appeared in sight. The distance, obscurity, and the cloaks with which they were enveloped prevented the ambuscade from ascertaining their nationality. 'Quivive,' cried the pseudo corporal. ' France,' replied a voice. ' What regiment?' 'Hussars.' The mobile was somewhat astonished to hear this, and besides it seemed to him that there was something peculiar in the accents in which the words were pronounced. He accordingly exclaimed, ' Advance and give the countersign/ One of the horsemen rode out in front of the others, and prepared to advance close to the party.' ' Answer. Where do you come from '?' again answered the corporal. ' Verdoun.' Scarcely had the words escaped j his lips than the word ' Fire' was given. Four shots were fired, and three horsemen were stretched upon the ground. They were three Uhlans, but the countersign for the day was really • Verdun.' It is not often that the lives of three men are sacrificed for the sake of a letter of the alphabet." The Paris correspondent of the " Daily News" says : — I never shall see a donkey without gratefully thinking of a Prussian. If anyone happens to fall j out with his jackass, let me recommend him, instead of beating it, to slay and eat it. Donkey is now all the fashion. When one is asked to dinner, as an inducement one is told that there will be donkey. The flesh of this obstinate, but weak-minded, quadruped, is delicious — in color like mutton, firm and savoury. This siege will destroy many illusions, and amongst them the prejudice which has prevented many ani- | mals being used as food. I can most solemnly assert that I never wish to taste a better dinner than a joint of a donkey or a ragout of cat — eccperto crede. This favorable opinion on asinine flesh is fully corroborated by the Paris correspondent of the " Athenseum," who says one of the successes of the siege is asses' veal ; donkey flesh is recognised as a great delicacy — veal with a poultry flavor — it is scarcely to be had for love or money ; a group of women collected j this morning around a carcase in my neighborhood, and forestalled all the prime pieces before it was cut up. The proprietor of the donkeys that were the delight of the damsels of Paris, who visited Robinson, and dined in the trees with their friends, the students, on fete days, not being able to maintain his four-footed friends in these days of scarcity, has opened a butcher's shop in Rue de l'Ancienne Comedie and is regaling the " Quurtier Latin" with the flesh that was bestridden with so much hilarity a few short weeks since. The " Gaulois" of the 20th mentions the ascent of the General Uhrich balloon, which was effected at 10 p.m. from one of the railway stations. The time j of departure of balloons is not now publicly announced, it liaving been found that the information reached the enemy, who launched incendiary substances at them. The General Uhrich took on board some bags of letters and cop : es of " The Official Journal," and its departure was favored by a fog. " Our letters," says the*' Gualois," "will reach a good port this time, unless the baloon en route, strikes against a star." The same paper describes a visit to a pigeon fancier's, where thirty-six pigeons wero stuffing themselves, as if conscious of the importance which events have given to them. Fifty young ones were offered for sale to those who preferred pigeon to horseflesh and peas. The bystanders were horrified at the thought of pigeons being eaten at such a crisis ; but the owner explained that they were not fit for carriers. Paris is said to contain 1400 trained pigeons, so that there is a prospect of obtaining news by this means as long as the seige lasts. On tbe 17th a pigeon arrived from Tours with a small sheet of paper, on which

a Government despatch and 110 private letters were photographed in microscopic characters. The " Daily News" special correspondent at Tours says that, notwithstanding the enormous losses France has sustained, the towns and villages appear as full of strong men as before, and armed men ure pouring into every town and filling every railway line. In a journey he made to Le Mans, the whole of his route he says, was " bristling with bayonets." Anns did not appear scarce. Men who had no Chasscpots had Remingtons or Sniders. The levee en masse was taking place in the departments he passed through. Dr F. Guigne, jun, surgeon-major, writes to say that he has visited Marshal M'Mahon at Pourru-aux-Bois His wounds are nearly healed — one of them has already closed. He can walk a little, and takes drives in a carriage. He will have to be careful for some time, but no doubt is felt that ultimately his cure will be complete, and that no ill effects will arise from the wounds. Among the mails of the steamer Calabria, on arriving at New York, were some two thousand balloon letters from beleaguered Paris. They were extremely light, being written on paper furnished by the Government, and excited considerable curiosity. The mails '* via sky," leave daily, and carry from 28,000 to 30,000 letteis. Even in the event of their capture, the packages marked America are forwarded from Bremen and Hamburg via England. Paris has had to withstand a considerable number of sieges in the course of its history. Sometimes the assailants have been successful, but on other occasions they have failed. We subjoin a list of the principal sieges : — 52 B.C. — The Romans fought a successful battle outside the city, and then entered it. 403 A.D. — Childeric I. drove out the Romans. 845 — The Normans pillaged and burned the city. 887 — Charles the Fat surrendered the city to the Normans, after standing a twelve month's siege. 1358 — Ihe Dauphin, afterwards Charles V., laid siege to Paris without success, and the attempt of Edward 111. in the following year was attended with a similar result. 1420 — The English troops captured the city and held it for sixteen years, notwithstanding the attempt of Charles VII. to reduce it in 1427. 1404— The Court of Charolais attempted its capture and failed. 1530— The Emperor Charles V. of Germany likewise failed to capture it. 1593 — Paris sustained a memorable siege during the civil war, and opened its gates to Henry IV. in the following year. 1814— The Allied troops occupied Paris, and re-established the monarchy under Louis XVIII. 1815— Aftei the battle of Waterloo the Allied troops again captured the city, and occupied it for three years. 1870 — The Germans attempt its capture, with what result remains to be seen.