PARISIAN PREPARATIONS FOR BOMBARDMENT.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 761, 10 January 1871, Page 3

PARISIAN PREPARATIONS FOR BOMBARDMENT.

(Paris Correspondent of tbe Times.) '' The mayors of the different a'rrondisßeinents have; I hear, given notice to the concierges of all the houses to prepare for the removal of all lodgers from the upper. istories to: .the unoccupied floors beneath,, on the plea that the bombardment is imminent. '' The courtyard of one's house is. already filled with sand to receive.the Prussian shells with the necessary tenderness, and so diminish, in some degree, their murderous efficacy, and tubs : filled with water are in readiness on every landing in case of fire. - Some-people, I am informed, have gone .so ifaf as to fit up their most capacious cellars as/hying and sleeping, rooms. On my way the other day through one of those long glazed " passnges" which are a distinguishing characteristic of Paris, I noticed numerous tubs .filled with sand for spreading over the' pavement; but as to the fragile roof, that was left to take 1 its' Chance*. ' It : was different at the neighbouring Bibliotheque Nationale, where the roof was entirely covered with sacks cf earth, and all the windows were stopped with sand Oags. ' The' pavernqnt of the courtyards was, moreover, taken'up, and all tne Books, manuscrin'ti," engravings, and other treasures contained in this' noble establishthent had been removed >°. the , vaulted apartments 7 oil 'the ground floor, where thev .wijl be, perfectly: secure against risk from fire. ~lt ia the same at the Louvre, Which Has not only its iwujdowß stopped up with

sandbags, 'bat"has its ground -floors, where the pictures, statues, and other objects of art have been deposited, protected by a stone wall 18 inches thick. The Place du Pantheon has likewise had .its pavement taken up, while 1 pavement surrounding- the Arc de Triompho has been covered with sand a foot deep, rpja casks of wine for which there was not sufficient room in the Entrepot, and which re-mained-in'the quay : front, have been covered over with, a .mass of, earth and sand; in fact, precautions have been taken from one end. of the city to.the other to meet the threatened bombardment,: ... | ;