GENERAL SUMMARY.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 836, 13 July 1871, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

London, May 21. The following is a summary of the events connected with the final collapse of the Paris insurrection. Severe engagements took place on the 20th at Anteuil and Passy. The Versailles troops made several attempts to scale the ramparts with ladders. The ramparts around Montrouge were abandoned. On the 21st the Federalists began to return to Paris in numbers through the gates of Orleans and Chatillon. A sharp engagement occurred in the Place de la Concorde and Place Vendome, when Dombrowski, commander-in-chief of the insurgent troops, was wounded. He attempted to escape, but was prevented by the German soldiers stationed outside the city, who also prevented the escape of all the insurgents they could find. M. Thiers announced on the 25th that the G-overnment troops were masters of Paris, except Bercy, and that has since been occupied. During the taking of Paris a great many insurgents were killed, the streets being strewn with dead. Besides this, over 20,000 prisoners were secured. A furious cannonade continued during the whole of the night of the 25th, the insurgent batteries at Chaumont keeping up a heavy fire. The Government troops captured the Hotel de Ville and Port Montrouge, with 1200 prisoners. Moanwhile a fierce battle was raging in the neighbourhood of Pantin. On the 26th, the troops captured the Mazais, Lyons, and Orleans raftway stations, and Barriere d'ltalie, making 6,000 prisoners, but the insurgents still occupied Chavron la Villette, Belleville, and the heights of Chaumont, whence they threw petroleum Bhells, causing serious conflagrations, women assisting in firing houses, and acting in a most demoniacal manner.

The insurgents evacuated and blew up Port Ivry, and the Government troops captured the heights of Chaumont and Belleville on the 28th, taking a great number of prisoners. Prom this time no insurgent bands remained, and the insurrection was entirely suppressed. The TuilJeries, the Concil d'Etat of the Ministry of Finance, the Hotel de Ville, the Palais Eoyal, and other public buildings have been entirely destroyed, which the insurgents ignited by means of petroleum. These acts, instigated by revenge, occurred during the entry of the Government troops into the city. The Luxembourg was

partially blown up and the Louvre almost entirely burnt, although all the collections of paintings and antiquities, excepting the libi'ary, were saved. Tho National Library has also been saved from the wreck. The insurgents, before they were finally routed, took revenge upon the hostages whom they held ; of these they shot 64 iocluding the Archbishop of Paris, and 15 of the chief members of the clergy. M. Delacluse has been killed, and General Doinbrowski was amongst the number shot. M. Thiers has proposed to give the Chamber the right to pardon the insurgents. On the 30th of May, Paris was quiet, and the inhabitants resumed their ordinary occupations. Arrests of tho insurgents are now being made without any resistance on their part. The disarmament of the National Garde has been ordered.

Great numbers of insurgent prisoners have been executed at Versailles. M. Grousset,. one of the insurgent leaders, has been arrested in Paris, whilst M. Felix Pyatt has been taken in Switzerland. The Belgian Government requested M. Victor Hugo to quit the country. With this requst he refused compliance, whereupon the King of the Belgians signed an order for his expulsion. M. Victor Hugo has since arrived in London. M. Jules Favre instructed the representatives of France, in foreign countries, to request the authorities to arrest all persons who had escaped there, and were guilty of complicity in the disturbances in Paris. He urged upon these gentlemen the argument that the acts of the insurgents were crimes, and not political offences. The Honorable Mr Bruce stated in reply, that the British Government could not prevent the entry of refugees against whom ordinary crimes have been or can be proved; and Spain's reply is that they will not prevent the passage of fugitives across the frontier, but they will rigorously execute the extradition treaty. Paris journals declare that the Legitimists and Orleanists have come to an understanding about the succession to the seat of power vacated by Napoleon. The prevailing opinion among the journals is that a Bourbon, in the person of Le Compte de Chambord, will shortly be King of France. There is a rumour current that the Versailles Cabinet is about to resign. "Paris is now divided into four military districts. The gensdarmes of Paris have been increased by 6000 men, and the Eepublican guard by 12,000 men. The question has been raised of constructing forts in the interior of Paris to prevent the eruption of fresh insurrections. The Prussians who were at St Denis are returning home. Communication with Paris is reopened. Measure's are being taken to prevent a pestilence in the capital. M. Eochfort's trial commenced on May 3.