The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-29 00:00:00

THE CONFERENCE,

The following is the Protocol of the last sitting
of the Conference:—
The Protocol of the preceding sitting is read and
proved.
Earl Russell reads the following declaration :
"The belligerent Powers are on the eve of re-
suming hostilities. This determination puts an end
to the deliberations, the object of which was the
restoration of peace.
"Although this object has not been attained, it
is my duty to do justice to the efforts which the
Plenipotentiaries assembled in Conference have
made to arrive at a pacific conclusion, and at the
same time to point out the circumstances which
have prevented the accomplishment of this work of
conciliation.
" With this view the Plenipotentiaries of Great
Britain deposit to-day among the archives of the
Conference a summary of the proceedings which
commenced on the 25:h April and which terminate
on the 25th June,

"This narrative shows the importance which the
. representatives of the neutral Powers have attached,
since the opening of the Conference, to the mainte-
nance of the reciprocal engagements resulting from
the treaty of London to the Bth of May, 1852. It
• shows also their unanimous resolution not to depart
from those engagements before having devised, by
mutual agreement, new arrangements calculated to
provide guarantees for the peace of Europe equiva
lent to those NI hich were the result of the European
Act concluded i❑ 1852.
"With this intention the Plenipotentiaries of
France, of Great Britain, of Russia, and of Sweden
and Norway have devoted their efforts to bringing
about an equitable arrangement, designed to pre•
serve henceforth the independence of the Danish
monarchy, since an uncqual contest has inflicted an
inevitable injury on the integrity of that State.
"The bases of that arrangement having been ac-
cepted in principle by the belligerent Powers, the
arrangement of the questions of detail which this
plan, cordially supported by the neutral Powers,
comprised remained to be settled.
" The difference, thus reduced within narrow
limits, would have admitted of a successful solution
if tie decision of an impartial Power,to which it was
recommended by her Britannic Majesty's Govern-
ment to appeal, had been accepted with mutual con-
fidence.
" This hope is not to be realised. The narrative
which I am about to deposit in the archives of the
Conference will point out the circumstances which
have forbidden the accomplishment of a plan of
conciliation supported by the neutral Powers and
suggested to her Britannic Majesty's Government
by a sincere desire to prevent the recurrence of the
calamities of war.
" Public opinion will see with regret that the
hopes of peace have vanished, because the parties
directly engaged in this dispute have been unable
to come to an understanding with regard to the
tracing of a frontier, leaving a difference of some
square miles of territory more cr less to the south
or north. Public opinion will also recognise that a
few days more devoted to reflection, instead of hav-

ing recourse to arms, might have contributed to
calm resentment, to enlighten the belligerents to
their real interests, and to lead the Cabinets to
more pacific resolutions.

" To-rnorrow hostilities will recommence, without
the advice of the Powers desirous of peace having
succeeded in preventing the renewal of a conflict so
deeply to bo regretted.

" Whatever may he its Les ue, the Courts of France,
Great Britain, Russia, and Sweden remain none the

less animated with a sincere deaire to see the Danish
Monarchy maintain its independence, as the pre-
servation of that State constitutes an element of
the balance of power in the North.

" Their wish in separating is that this principle
may continue to be the b Isis of future operation."
The summary of the proceedings of the Confer-
ence, of which Earl Russell has spoken, is then read,
and this document is annexed at his nquest to the
present Protocol.

Count de Becnstoiff wishes to say a few words in
reply to Earl Russell's declaration, Ho expresses
himself es follows

.." It is obviously impossible that we should be
authorised to make an cflicial reply to the declara-
tion which the President of the Conference has just
read, and with the contents of which we were not
previously acquainted; but I think that, without
in any way binding my Government with reference
to events which belong to the future, and to even-
tualities which cannot be calculated beforehand, I
may remark at once that it was never the inten.
tion of my Government to threaten the political in-
dependence of Denmark, but that the sole question
in dispute has always been that of the Duchies."

Baron de Beust inquires what is the object of
the summary which has been read.
The Earl of Clarendon replies that it is an ac-
count of the sittings of the Conference which has