to two hundred millions of francs. This payment must be effected before the fifteenth day of the armistice-the mode of payment to be determined by a mixed German and French commission. ARTICLE XII.-During the armistice nothing shall be taken away from the public objects of value which may serve as pledges for the recovery of the war contributions. ARTICLE XIII.-The transport into Paris of arms, of munitions, or of articles entering into their manufacture, is forbidden during the term of the armistice. ARTICLE XIV.-Immediate steps shall be taken for the exchange of all prisoners of war made by the French army since the commencement of the war. For this end the French authorities will hand, as promptly as possible, nominal lists of the German prisoners of war to the German military authorities at Amiens, at Le Mans, at Orleans, and at Vesoul. The liberation of the German prisoners of war will be effected upon the points nearest to the frontier. The German authorities will deliver in exchange, on the same points and in the briefest possible time, to the French military authorities, a like number of French prisoners of war of corresponding grades. The exchange wil extend to civil prisoners, such as captains of ships of the German merchant navy, and the civilian French prisoners who have been interned in Germany. ARTICLE XV.-A postal service for letters not sealed will be organized between Paris and the departments, through the medium of the headquarters at Versailles. In faith of which, the undersigued have appended to the present convention their signatures and their seals. Done at Versailles, the 28th of January, 1871. BISMARCK. No. 256.] No. 205. Mr. Moran to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, March 8, 1871. (Received March 23.) SIR: I have the honor to send herewith two copies of correspondence, just presented to Parliament, respecting the departure of Lord Lyons from Paris at the time of its investment by the Germans. His lordship's letter of the 26th ultimo will, no doubt, attract your attention, as it gives his reasons for going to Bordeaux, and his explanation of the motives which induced Mr. Washburne to remain at his post. I am, &c., BENJAMIN MORAN. CORRESPONDENCE WITH LORD LYONS RESPECTING HIS DEPARTURE FROM PARIS, AND PROVISION MADE FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH SUBJECTS. No. 1. Lord Lyons to Earl Granville. PARIS, August 26, 1870. (Received August 27.) MY LORD: I have the honor to inclose herewith to your lordship, extracted from the "Journal Officiel" of this day, a decree of the governor of Paris concerning the expulsion of persons without the means of subsistence. I have, &c., [Inclosure in No. 1.] LYONS. PARIS, August 24, 1870. In virtue of the law of the 9th of August, 1849, on the state of siege. In virtue of the decree of the 7th instant, by which Paris has been declared in a state of siege. In virtue of Article 75 of the decree of the 24th of December, 1811, relative to the organization and service of the staff of fortified places, which says: "In every place in a state of war if the minister or the general gives the order, or if the enemy's troops come within less than three days' march of the place, the governor or commandant is immediately, and without awaiting the state of siege, invested with the necessary authority: "1. To send away the useless mouths, foreigners and persons pointed out by the civil or military police." In virtue of the law of the 9th of July, 1852, relative to the dismissal from the department of the Seine of criminals, vagabonds, beggars, and other people addicted to practices dangerous to persons or property, The governor of Paris decrees as follows: Article 1. Every individual without the means of subsistence, whose presence at Paris would constitute a danger to public order or to the security of persons and property, or who should do anything likely to weaken or hinder the measures of defense and general safety, shall be expelled from the capital. Art. 2. Any infraction of the decrees of expulsion will be brought before the mili-· tary tribunals. GENERAL TROCHU. No. 2. Lord Lyons to Earl Granville. PARIS, August 26, 1870. (Received August 27.) MY LORD: In my previous dispatch of to-day I have transmitted an extract from the Journal Officiel, containing an order of the governor of Paris. This document recites a decree of 1811, which authorizes the governor of places threatened by the enem y to send away all "useless mouths," and refers to other enactments of a similar kind; and it orders the immediate expulsion from Paris of persons without means of susistence, whose presence may be considered dangerous. The order is already in course of execution, and has already been applied to several English subjects. The result of this, and of still more stringent measures which are likely to be adopted, will create great distress among numerous British subjects, and place those who have not the means of paying their passage to England in a very awkward, not to say very dangerous, situation. Under the circumstances, I might perhaps take upon myself to direct the consul to provide for the conveyance of these persons to England, under the circular of the 1st of April last. But as the cases are likely to be extremely numerous, I think it right to direct your lordship's attention to the subject without delay. Probably the most practical way of insuring economy and a satisfactory investigation of the cases of British subjects requiring assistance to go to England under present circumstances, would be to confide to the committee of the charitable fund the 7 management of a sum granted for the purpose. I have, &c., No. 3. Earl Granville to Lord Lyons. LYONS. Your FOREIGN OFFICE, September 8, 1870. MY LORD: I have received your excellency's dispatch of the 26th August, representing that great distress might be caused among numerous British subjects, and that those who had not the means of paying their passage to England night be placed in a very awkward, not to say perilous, situation, by a decree issued by the French government on the 24th of that month, ordering the immediate expulsion from Paris of persons without means of subsistence, whose presence might be considered dangerous, which decree was likely to be followed by still more stringent measures. excellency further says that, as the cases are likely to be extremely numerous, you think it right, instead of acting under the present authority contained in the circular of the 1st of April last, and directing the council to provide for the conveyance of such persons to England, to call my attention to the matter without delay, suggesting at the same time that the most practical way of insuring economy and satisfactory investigation would be to intrust the committee of the British charitable fund with the management of a sum granted for the purpose of assisting such indigent persons to return to England. I lost no time in communicating with the board of treasury. But I am only able to-day to inform your excellency that, although in principle the relief of persons who have gone abroad for their own purposes, and who suffer by war or by other general calamities, appears to that department to be a charge rather on private charity than on public funds, yet their lordships do not desire to exclude from consideration the most extreme cases, in which persons unexpectedly thrown out of employment in a foreign country, and obliged by the government to depart, are left absolutely without means, either of their own or from charitable sources. The board of treasury say, therefore, that they are prepared to sanction the relier from public funds in cases of this kind, where it clearly appears that no other resource is left; and I have, accordingly, to authorize your excellency to give relief in conformity with the views of that department in urgent cases. I am, &c., MY LORD: Your lordship did me the honor to inform me that you had received assurances from the Prussian government that the members of the diplomatic body at Paris would receive at the hands of the Prussian authorities all the usual courtesy to which they were entitled, although it was difficult to specify beforehand the particular course which would be adopted. I observe, however, that in answer to a request conveyed by M. Jules Favre from the diplomatic body remaining in Paris, to be warned in case it should be intended to bombard the town, and given the means of quitting the place, Count Bismarck, in a letter dated on the 26th ultimo, at Ferrières, answers that military considerations forbid his making any communications respecting the time and manner of an attack upon the fortress of Paris. I cannot conceal from your lordship the anxiety which this letter causes me to feel for the safety of the members of Her Majesty's embassy, whom I have left in Paris, as well as for that of the numerous British subjects who have, I fear, in despite of my warnings, imprudently remained there. As regards these last, your lordship is aware that, both by advice given specially to individuals and by general notices, I did all in my power to induce Her Majesty's subjects to withdraw in time; and that I published in the newspaper and distributed among them a printed caution that those of them who remained after the warnings given would do so at their own risk and peril; and that if they delayed any longer they might not afterwards be able to get away. Notwithstanding my pressing counsels, some remained voluntarily, while others were, from illness or other causes, unable to move. I cannot, therefore, help submitting to your lordship a request that the Prussian authorities, if they really resolve on bombarding Paris, should be pressed to give these inoffensive neutrals an opportunity of previously quitting the place. The funds which were in the hands of the British charitable fund would, I should hope, suffice to pay the expense of removing those who are unable to pay for their own journey; and, in case of need, Mr. Wodehouse might be authorized to act upon the instruction contained in your lordship's dispatch of the 8th ultimo. But it is, naturally, with regard to the members of the embassy that I feel most uneasiness. Count Bismarck states in his letter that he cannot defer to the opinion of those who regard the interior of the Paris ramparts and redoubts during a siege as a proper place for carrying on diplomatic intercourse. This observation may be, to a certain extent, well founded, so far as it regards those chiefs of missions who, having of their own free will chosen to remain in Paris, ask for special facilities for sending or receiving dispatches; but I submit that it cannot at all apply to a case like that of Mr. Wodehouse, who has staid in Paris by order of his official superiors, in order to give, as long as possible, protection to his fellow-subjects, and to preserve, as far as possible, the archives of the embassy and the government property from injury. Nor can Count Bismarck's objection affect the case of Captain Hore, who was too ill to leave Paris before it was invested. Captain Hore had indeed been for some time previously so seriously unwell as, notwithstanding the zealous efforts he made, to be scarcely able to discharge his duties. During several days before I came away he was confined to his bed in a very critical state, and I was prevented from taking him with me by the declaration of his physicians that he was not in a state to be moved. There are, moreover, servants of the embassy and servants of my own who have been kept in Paris in discharge of their duties. I trust, therefore, that your lordship will not deem me presumptuous in earnestly requesting that special representations may be made to the Prussian authorities in order to induce them to give the persons belonging to, or employed by, the embassy the means of acting upon the instructions which I left with them to come away if the place should be threatened with bombardment or there should be any other imminent danger. I have, &c., LYONS. No. 5. Earl Granville to Count Bernstorff. FOREIGN OFFICE, October 14, 1870. M. L'AMBASSADEUR: On the departure from Paris of Her Majesty's ambassador, he felt it his duty to leave behind him one of the second secretaries of the embassy, Mr. Wodehouse, in order that he might afford, as long as possible, protection to such subjects of Her Majesty, as, from various causes, had not already withdrawn from Paris, and that he might, as far as he was able, preserve the archives of the embassy and other property belonging to Her Majesty's government from injury. Together with these, he directed to remain certain servants attached to the embassy and to himself, for the discharge of their usual duties. Colonel Claremont, military attaché to the embassy, and Captain Hore, the naval attaché, the latter being wholly incapacitated by illness from leaving Paris, remained behind under the instructions and with the sanction of Her Majesty's ambassador after his departure. My object in now addressing your excellency is to request you, without loss of time, to bring the case of these public officers and servants, and generally of the remaining British residents, before the King of Prussia, and those acting under His Majesty's orders, whether in a civil or military capacity, and to express the earnest hope of Her Majesty's government that, before the operations at Paris assume a character by which their lives may be endangered, those persons who are in the service of the British government, and residing hitherto in Paris in execution of their public duties, as well as all other inoffensive British subjects, may be allowed an opportunity to quit the place; and Her Majesty's government do not doubt that such a request will readily be acceded to by the King of Prussia and His Majesty's advisers. I am, &c., GRANVILLE. No. 6. Earl Granville to Lord Lyons. FOREIGN OFFICE, October 15 1870. MY LORD: With reference to your excellency's dispatch of the 9th instant, I inclose, for your information, a copy of a letter which I have addressed to Count Bernstorff, requesting him to obtain from the King of Prussia permission for the members of Her Majesty's embassy, together with the servants and other British subjects, to leave Paris. I am, &c., GRANVILLE. No. 7. Earl Granville to Lord Lyons. FOREIGN OFFICE, October 18, 1870. MY LORD: I transmitted to your excellency, in my dispatch of the 15th instant, a copy of a letter which I had addressed to Count Bernstorff, requesting him to obtain for the members of the British embassy remaining in Paris, and such inoffensive British subjects as might wish to accompany them, permission to withdraw from the French capital before a bombardment. Count Bernstorff informed me yesterday, as I have stated to your excellency by telegraph, that the permission would be granted, and that a nominal list of the British subjects desiring to avail themselves of it should be drawn up by Mr. Wodehouse. Count Bismarck said further that he concluded your excellency would communicate with the government at Tours on the subject, which I accordingly requested you at * No. 5. once to do, and to inform me of the result, and, if possible, to make it known at the Prussian headquarters, either directly to Count Bismarck or through Colonel Walker. In requesting Count Bernstorff to thank Count Bismarck for his compliance with the wishes of Her Majesty's government in this respect, and informing him that I had communicated it to your excellency, I have further said that, as I could only communicate with Mr. Wodehouse through the Prussian headquarters, I should be obliged to Count Bismarck if he would send to Mr. Wodehouse a message from me, apprising him of the consent of the Prussian government, and desiring him at once to prepare and forward to the Prussian headquarters a list of British subjects who might desire to leave Paris; and I told him that your excellency was instructed to communicate with the government at Tours on the subject. I added that, as regards Colonel Claremont, he should follow the course adopted by the military attachés of other countries who may have remained in Paris. I am, &c., GRANVILLE. No. 8. Lord Lyons to Earl Granville. TOURS, October 18, 1870. (Received October 22.) MY LORD: I had this morning the honor to receive your lordship's telegram of yesterday informing me that the Prussian authorities had consented to allow the members of the embassy and other British subjects who should accompany them from Paris to pass the lines of the German army. I went immediately to the Comte de Chaudordy, and after placing in his hand a memorandum on the subject, begged him to move the government delegation here to do all that depended upon it to facilitate the departure of my countrymen from Paris. M. de Chaudordy said that he could answer at once for the willingness of the government here to do all in its power; but that, of course, the necessary arrangements must be made at Paris with the government and the military authorities there. If, however, I would compress an instruction to Mr. Wodehouse into a very small compass, he would undertake to send it for me to Paris in a way which he had reason to hope would prove to be both speedy and safe. I accordingly intrusted to M. de Chaudordy a short letter in cipher, in which I informed Mr. Wodehouse that your lordship had received through the Prussian ambassador in London an assurance that the members of the British embassy and inoffensive British subjects coming out of Paris would be allowed by the German military authorities to pass. I added that it would be necessary that a list of these British subjects should be drawn up by Mr. Wodehouse for communication to the German authorities; and I desired him to settle the arrangements with the French government at Paris, and, if possible, to make the result known to Count Bismarck either directly or through Colonel Walker. I further recommended Mr. Wodehouse to take every means to give notice to all British subjects of this opportunity for them to leave Paris; and I directed him, moreover, to make such arrangements for the safe custody of the archives and of the embassy house and property as should appear to be most advisable under the circumstances. Finally, I desired him to take advantage of any means he might have of communicating with me. Some hours after I had delivered the letter to Count Chandordy for transmission to Mr. Wodehouse, I received your lordship's telegram of this day, informing me that you had requested the Prussian ambassador in London to beg Count Bismarck to forward a communication from you to Mr. Wodehouse on the subject of the removal of the members of the embassy and other British subjects from Paris. I trust that the result will be that Mr. Wodehouse will thus receive, in a more certain and regular way than that to which I have been obliged to have recourse, complete instructions from your lordship respecting this matter. I have the honor to inclose a copy of the memorandum which I gave to M. de Chaudordy. I have, &c., [Inclosure.] Memorandum. LYONS. Le Gouvernement Prussien est prêt à laisser passer librement le personnel de l'ambassade d'Angleterre qui se trouve encore à Paris, ainsi que les sujets britanniques |