erable
engineering skill has been shown of late in strengthening the defences,
that the Mobiles and the National Guard, if their words mean anything,
which has yet to be proved, are full of fighting, and that the armed
force at our disposal has at length been knocked into some sort of
shape. Every day that the Prussian attack is delayed diminishes its
chance of success. "If they do carry the town by assault," said a
general to me yesterday, "it will be our fault, for, from a military
point of view, it is now impregnable." What the effect of a bombardment
may be upon the morale of the inhabitants we have yet to see. In any
case, however, until several of those hard nuts, the forts, have been
cracked, a bombardment can only be partial.

There was heavy firing last night, and it increased in intensity this
morning. At about one o'clock I saw above 100 wounded being brought to
the Palais de l'Industrie, and on going to Montrouge I found the church
near the fortifications full of them. The following is the official
account of what has happened:

Our troops in a vigorous sortie, successively occupied Chevilly and
l'Hay, and advanced as far as Thiais and Choisy-le-Roi. All these
positions were solidly occupied, the latter with cannon. After a
sharp artillery and musketry engagement our troops fell back on
their positions with a remarkable order and _aplomb_. The Garde
Mobile were very firm. _En somme journee tres honorable_. Our
losses have been considerable. Those of the enemy probably as
considerable. TROCHU.

I need not add that as usual we have had rumours all day of a great
victory and a junction with the Army of the Loire. General Trochu's
despatch, dated 10-30, Bicetre, reduces matters to their real
dimensions.

_October 1st._

Although the Government statistics respecting the amount of food in
Paris have been published, and are consequently, in all probability, in
the hands of the Prussians, I do not like to give them myself. It can,
however, do no harm to explain the system which is being adopted by the
authorities to make our stores hold out as long as possible. Every
butcher receives each morning a certain amount of meat, calculated upon
his average sales. Against this meat he issues tickets in the evening
to his customers, who, upon presentation of the ticket the next morning,
receive the amount for which they have inscribed them