The French mails forwarded to Paris by way of Calais for the first time since the investment of the city by German troops. Regular railway service was established with Belgium on the 23rd. Wide currency being now given to a rumour that the Germans intended to make a triumphal march into Paris, General Trochu writes:-"Since the enemy so desires, let the government of the city be given over to him, and let him bear alone the odium and responsibilities of his violence. As a mute and solemn protest, let the gates remain closed, and let him open them with his artillery, to which Paris disarmed will make no reply; and let us leave the judgment of our cause to truth, justice, and history." 21. Mr. Trevelyan's motion for altering the tenure of the Commander-in-Chief's office, so as to enable the Secretary for War freely to avail himself of the best administrative talent and most recent military experience, rejected after debate by a majority of 201 to 83 votes. 22.-Versailles intelligence makes mention of a further extension of the armistice, to the 26th, a concession looked on in the City as confirmatory of rumours now current regarding an immediate and lasting peace. M. Thiers was received by the Emperor William this forenoon, and General Chanzy by the Crown Prince. President Grant gives a general audience at Washington to O'Donovan Rossa and other Fenian conspirators. 23.-The Ecclesiastical Titles (Repeal) Bill read a second time in the House of Commons by 137 to 51 votes. The University Tests Bill read a third time and passed by the House of Commons; Mr. Fawcett protesting against the measure in so far as it did not deal with clerical fellowships. In the course of a debate raised by the Earl of Carnarvon on National Defences, the Duke of Cambridge, speaking as the military officer who was in a great measure responsible for the efficiency of the army, said that from the day he first entered the army to the present moment he had supported every measure and every improvement which he believed had a tendency to promote the comfort of the British soldier, 23. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council give judgment in the appeal of the Rev. Mr. Purchas, known as the " 'Brighton Ritual case." Their lordships considered that Mr. Purchas had offended against ecclesiastical law by wearing the chasuble, alb, and tunicle during the Communion service; by using wine mixed with water and wafer bread in the administration of the Communion; and by standing with his back to the people, between the Communion table and the congregation, during the consecration prayer. The charges of wearing a cap called a biretta, and of using holy water, were not sufficiently proved to enable their lordships to come to a decision; and on these points, therefore, the appeal was disallowed. The appellant was condemned in costs in both courts. Lord Hartington gives notice of his intention to move for a Secret Committee to inquire into the state of the counties of Westmeath, Meath, and King's County, the existence of unlawful combinations there, and the best means of suppressing them. The proposal gave rise to a sharp debate on the 27th, when Mr. Disraeli taunted the Premier with having recourse to a Committee of the kind proposed after being selected as the only man capable of dealing with the evils of Ireland, and backed by a majority which had legalized confiscation, consecrated sacrilege, and condoned high treason. 24. Mr. Grant-Duff submits to a thin House the Indian financial statement for the year 1870-71, showing an estimated revenue of 51,000,000l. and an expenditure of 50,000,000l. French Rentes quoted in Paris at 52f. 5c. Professor Jowett, Master of Balliol, entertained at a banquet at the Albion, presided over by Dean Stanley. Explosion in the Pentre Colliery, Rhonda Valley, Glamorganshire, causing the death of thirty-eight workmen, the whole employed at the time in the Welsh steam seam, where the disaster occurred. Count Bernstorff presents his credentials as German Ambassador to the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and the Duc de Broglie as Ambassador for the Government of France, now recognised by nearly all the European Powers. Mr. Disraeli introduces a debate on the Black Sea Treaty by calling attention to the "mysterious inconsistency" of the Government regarding that question, and charges the Premier with confounding his own private and unpopular views with the policy of the Government of 1856, so far as to impute to departed statesmen of great eminence opinions which they did not hold, and contrary indeed to all their expressed convictions. Mr. Gladstone made an animated reply, imputing to his assailant artifice and ignorance, and explaining that the language said to have been used by Mr. Odo Russell recently at Versailles was in reality the language of Count Bismarck. As far as the object of the Conference was concerned, it was intended, he said, "to receive, in a manner compatible with and conformable to public international law, the representations that Russia may have to make, to give to those representations a fair, candid, and friendly hearing, and to consider, renovate, and, if need be, fortify any of the other provisions of the Treaty of 1856, against which it may be found by the Conference any reasonable objection can be raised." 24.-Anniversary of the French Revolution of 1848 celebrated in Paris by a demonstration at the graves of citizens shot in the Place de la Bastile. 25.-Anxious discussion of terms of peace at Versailles, the conference to-day being protracted over a period of fully eight hours. It is now given out as one result of the negotiations that Paris is to be occupied for a brief period by Germans. 26.-Treaty of peace between Germany and France concluded at Versailles, the preliminary conditions, after much patient negotiation, being signed this (Sunday) afternoon by the high contracting parties. The Emperor William, "with a deeply-moved heart and with gratitude to God," telegraphed the result at once to Berlin, while the French Executive gave instruction to all the Prefects, and recommended them to inform military commanders of the fact. The negotiations were conducted with the utmost secrecy, and removed altogether from any influence likely to be exercised by neutrals either for advice or guarantee. The most serious discussion took place regarding the surrender of Metz, which the French negotiators opposed till they saw that continued resistance imperilled the cause of peace, and might probably end in a renewal of hostilities at the termination of the armistice at midnight. The only modification the Germans were understood to have made in the original severity of their terms was the restitution of the fortress of Belfort commanding the passes in the Vosges, conceded, it was said, as an equivalent for permitting the German army to march through Paris. The major conditions of the Treaty were the cession of Alsace and German Lorraine, and the payment of a war indemnity of five mil liards of franks (200,000,000/.)—demands it was thought as great as Europe would allow, and not unlikely to create a permanent feeling of hatred between the two countries. The boundary of the new frontier was described as commencing at the north-west portion of the Canton of Cattenom, towards the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, tending southward to Rezonville, south-eastward to St. Marie, and again southward to the Swiss frontier by way of St. Maurice, Giromaguy, and Delle. The payment, it was stipulated, of one milliard of francs was to take place during 1871, and the remainder within three years from the ratification of the present preliminaries. The 3rd Article provided for the gradual withdrawal of the German troops from France in proportion as the indemmity was paid or financial guarantees given. By a Convention subjoined to the Treaty it was provided that "the part of the city of Paris in the interior of the enceinte comprehended between the Seine, the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, and the Avenue des Ternes, shall be occupied by German troops, the number of which shall not exceed 30,000 men. The mode of occupation, and the dispositions for the lodging of the German troops, in this part of the city, shall be regulated by an understanding between two officers of the two armies; and access to that quarter shall be interdicted to the French troops, and to the armed National Guard, while the occupation lasts." The last conference over, M. Thiers and his friends returned to Paris, where s delegation and Council were summoned to receive their report preparatory to submitting it for ratification to the National Assembly. 27.-Deputies of the Extreme Left meet a Bordeaux, to protest against any peace based upon the cession of territory. 28.-Debate in the National Assembly Bordeaux on the terms of the Treaty of Peace. In the afternoon, amid the most profound silence, M. Thiers said: "We have accepte a painful mission, and, after having used a possible endeavours, we come with regret to submit to your approval a bill for which we ask urgency. Art. 1. The National Assembly, forced by necessity, is not responsible, and adopts the preliminaries of peace signed at Versailles on the 26th of February.' At this point M. Thiers was so overpowered by his feelings, that he had to descend from the tribune and leave the hall while the details of the treaty were read by M. Barthelemy St. Hilaire. At the conclusion of the debate, M. Thiers made an animated appeal to the Deputies to share the responsibility already curred, and not to refrain from voting. Ner. day, when the victorious Germans entered Pars in triumph, the terms of the treaty were rained by 546 votes to 107. At the same sitting formal proposal was submitted, amid exte siastic cheers, for the deposition of Napolea III. as the person "responsible for all our L fortunes, the ruin, the invasion, and the ch memberment of France." The ex-Emper was permitted to leave Wilhelmshöhe on the 19th March, and on the 20th arrived at Dover, where he received a welcome reception, and was met by the Empress Eugénie and the Prince Imperial, with various members of the late Court, who accompanied him to Chise hurst. About, M., 557. Plowden, Consul, 233. King Theodore's letter, 798. approach to Magdala, 816. death of King Theodore, 818. return march, 819. royal message, 821. homeward march, 823, 828, 830. Theodore's son leaves England, 877. v. Newman, 356, 375. erial transit patent, 131. ffghan war:- Bokhara Burnes," 6, 97. Rawlinson and Vickovich, 7. Burnes on Dost Mahomed, 7, 12, 15. INDEX. Affghan war, continued- Lord Auckland thanked, 57. thanks of Parliament, 61. rising in favour of Dost Mahomed, 74. victory at Bameean, 75. the Dost surrenders, 77. views of Court of Directors, 79. disturbance in Cabul, 92. assassination of Macnaghten, 65, 102. arrival of Indian mail, 51, 99, 101, 112, 124. massacre of British troops, 96. 97- fort of Ali Musjid, 97. Duke of Wellington's memorandum, another proclamation, 98. 118. defeat of Akhbar Khan, 119. Simla proclamation, 119. reception of army, 124. 885, 909. Albert Prince- visits the Queen, 53. marriage resolved upon, 53. made a K.G., 60. settlement, 60. arrives in England, 61. |