es of the provinces," replied Ducrot. Poor Trochu, like many weak
men, must rely upon some one. First it was the neutrals, then it was the
armies of the provinces, and now it is Ducrot. As for his famous plan,
that has entirely fallen through. It was based, I understand, upon some
impossible manoeuvres to the north of the Marne. The members of the
Government of National Defence meddle little with the direction of
affairs. M. Picard is openly in favour of treating at once. M. Jules
Favre is very downcast; he too wishes to treat, but he cannot bring
himself to consent to a cession of territory. Another member of the
Government was talking yesterday to a friend of mine. He seemed to fear
that when the people learn that the stock of provisions is drawing to a
close, there will be riots. The Government dares not tell them the
truth. Several members of the Government, I hear, intend to leave
shortly in balloons, and Trochu, as military Governor of Paris, will be
left to his own devices. He himself says that he never will sign a
capitulation, and it is suggested that when there is no more food, the
Prussians shall be allowed to enter without opposition, without any
terms having been previously agreed to. The Parisians are now contending
for their supremacy over the provinces, and they seem to think that if
they only hold out until famine obliges them to give in, that supremacy
will not hereafter be disputed.

It is impossible to give precise data respecting the store of provisions
now in Paris, nor even were I able would it be fair to do so. As a
matter of private opinion, however, I do not think that it will be
possible to prolong the resistance beyond the first week in January at
the latest. Last Sunday there were incipient bread-riots. By one o'clock
all the bakers had closed their shops in the outer faubourg. There had
been a run upon them, because a decree had been issued in the morning
forbidding flour to be sold, and requisitioning all the biscuits in
stock. Government immediately placarded a declaration that bread was not
going to be requisitioned, and the explanation of the morning's decree
is that flour and not corn has run short, but that new steam-mills are
being erected to meet the difficulty. _La Verite_, a newspaper usually
well informed, says that for some days past the flour which had been
stored in the town by M. Clement Duvernois has been exhausted, and that
we are now living on the corn and meal which was in