--

"Incidents of the most regrettable nature have occurred during the
last few days, and menace seriously the peace of the capital.
Certain National Guards in arms, following the orders, not of their
legitimate chiefs, but of an anonymous Central Committee, which
could not give them any instructions without committing a crime
severely punishable by the law, took possession of a considerable
quantity of arms and ammunition of war, under the pretext of saving
them from the enemy, whose invasion they pretended to fear. Such
acts should at any rate have ceased after the departure of the
Prussian army. But such is not the case, for this evening the
guard-house at the Gobelins was invaded, and a number of cartridges
stolen.

"Those who provoke these disorders draw upon themselves a most
terrible responsibility; it is at the very moment that the city of
Paris, relieved from contact with the foreigner, desires to reassume
its habits of serenity and industry, that these men are sowing
trouble and preparing civil war. The Government appeals to all good
citizens to aid in stifling in the germ these culpable
manifestations.

[Illustration: THE HILL OF MONTMARTRE!--WITH THE GUNS OF THE
NATIONAL GUARD PARKED THERE. VIEW TAKEN FROM THE PLACE ST. PIERRE.]

"Let all who have at heart the honour and the peace of the city
arise; let the National Guard, repulsing all perfidious
instigations, rally round its officers, and prevent evils of which
the consequences will be incalculable. The Government and the
Commander-in-Chief (General d'Aurelle de Paladines, nominated on
the same day by M. Thiers to the chief command of the National
Guard) are determined to do their duty energetically; they will
cause the laws to be executed; they count on the patriotism and the
devotion of all the inhabitants of Paris."

It was indeed time to put a stop to the existing state of affairs, for
already twenty-six guns were in the possession of the insurgents, who
had formed a regular park of artillery in the Place d'Italie, and this
is the aspect of the Buttes Montmartre on the sixth of March, as
described by an eye-witness:--

"The heights have become a veritable camp. Three or four hundred
National Guards, belonging partly to the 61st and 168th Battalions,
mount guard there day and night, and relieve each other regularly,
lik