.
We shall then fall back on horses, and our own salt provisions; the
former will perhaps last for a week, as for the latter it is impossible
to give any accurate estimate. We have, however, practically unlimited
supplies of flour, wine, and coffee; if consequently the Parisians are
ready to content themselves with what is absolutely necessary to support
existence, the process of starving us out will be a lengthy one.

_November 14th._

"Wanted, 10,000 Parisians ready to allow themselves to be killed, in
order that their fellow-citizens may pass down to posterity as heroes!"
The attempt to obtain volunteers having miserably failed, and fathers of
families having declined to risk their valuable lives whilst one single
bachelor remains out of reach of the Prussian guns, the Government has
now issued a decree calling to arms all bachelors between the age of 25
and 35. If this measure had been taken two months ago it might have been
of some use, but it is absurd to suppose that soldiers can be improvised
in a few days. I must congratulate my friends here upon the astounding
ingenuity which they show in discovering pretexts to avoid military
service. It is as difficult to get them outside the inner ramparts as it
is to make an old fox break cover. In vain huntsman Trochu and his first
whip, Ducrot, blow their horns, and crack their whips; the wily reynard,
after putting his nose outside his retreat, heads back, and makes for
inaccessible fastnesses, with which long habit has made him familiar.
That General Trochu will be able to beat the Prussians no one supposes;
but if he can manage to get even 5,000 of the heroes who have for the
last two months been professing a wish to die for the honour of their
country under fire, he will have accomplished a most difficult feat.

For the last few days the newspapers, one and all, have been filled with
details of the negotiations which were supposed to be going on at
Versailles. Russia, it was said, had forwarded an ultimatum to the King
of Prussia, threatening him with a declaration of war in case he
persisted in besieging Paris, or in annexing any portion of French
territory. Yesterday morning the _Journal Officiel_ contained an
announcement that the Government knew absolutely nothing of these
negotiations. The newspapers are, however, not disposed to allow their
hopes of peace to be destroyed in this manner, and they reply that "it
being notorious that no member of the Governmen