The Paris Commune. Friday, April 7, 1871. During the night there were armed clashes outside Paris, but in the city everything is rather calm. Today, therefore, is an opportunity to describe how life unfolds in the city during these early days of April. Since March 18, the Versailles government has organized the "blockade" of Paris to isolate it and cut off communications with the outside. However, there has never been, so far, a truly effective food blockade because to the north and east the capital is surrounded by the Prussians, who do not prevent food supplies from reaching the city. What is real, however, is the information blockade. The mail has resumed functioning in the city, but it is very difficult to get it to the rest of the country, except by subterfuge or by hand. Only "government" information reaches the newspapers of France, aimed at casting the Commune experience in a bad light; Parisians are even depicted as drunkards thirsty for alcohol and blood, devoted to bacchanals and "red" orgies. As mentioned, today the city appears calm and Sunday will be Easter. Despite the difficulties, many activities continue, although in the wealthy neighborhoods a large number of shops are closed because their customers have left. The Paris Stock Exchange, however, continues to operate normally, as does the Bank of France. In the photograph, the masthead of the Journal Officiel, in the evening edition, and the stock market list from recent days.
