The Mobiles have passed many hours in drill during the last ten days; they are orderly and well conducted, and if not soldiers already, are a far more formidable force than they were at the commencement of the siege.
Whether they will ever become available for operations in the open field is, perhaps, questionable, for their regiments would probably be thrown into confusion if called upon to act together.

Within the line of the forts, however, there is no reason to suppose that they will not fight well.

The forts are manned by sailors, who are excellent artillerists, and the guns are formidable ones.

On the Seine there is a flotilla of gunboats.

The city has food and ammunition for two months.