The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1,

schooner Glenfeadon, bound from Truro to Neath. There
was nothing living on board except a dog. It is supposed
she got into collision, and the crew escaped. The
owner is Mr. D, W. Bayne, of Portreath. She now lies
in Swanpea port.

BEFORE THE CAPITULATION.

Writing on the eve of the capitulation, the special cor-
respondent of the Standard at Versailles remarks :—The
plot seems to thicken. Not only is Paris divided against
itself ; France seems on the verge of following her
example. Peace is the rock on which the nation is
in danger of splitting. It is evident that although
the capitulation is now only a matter of days, per-
haps of hours even, there is a serious obstacle some-
where in the way of terms being concluded, and the ques-
tion is, where does this block lie ? The fact that during
the very hours spent by the Foreign Minister of France in
amicable conference with. Bismarck the Prussian • and
French batteries were firing into one another
with redoubled vigour, is a proof, if others were wanting,
that the course of peace, like that of love, does not always
run smoothly. At times, indeed, as in this instance, it is
painfully rugged. There are many who, arguing in favour
of their conviction that the war will be continued in spite
of the fall of the capital, think that they clinch their argu-
ment by saying Paris is not France. Physically speaking
they are right, metaphysically, they are wrong. Any
one who knows the French people will agree with
me in this, and no one has studied their character
more than Bismarck himself. When, therefore, Jules
Favre arrived at Count Bismarck's to treat for the capitu-
lation of Paris, the wily diplomatist, dropping the imme-
diate subject of the envoy's mission, asked him in a direct
manner if he could not treat for peace at the same time.
This Jules Favre stated he was unable to do in
the absence of proper authority, remarking, as
another excuse, on his ignorance of the feelings
prevalent among the French people. The representatives
of the Government in Paris having accepted the situation,
and allowed, what all disinterested observers must have
seen for some time past, that the whole of the inhabitants
of the North of France are pining for peace, are naturally
anxious to conclude terms at once, knowing that the
Prussians must be in Paris in a day or two, and
that every hour's delay after that will be attended with
serious and useless loss to. the the capital. But what of the
South, the inhabitants of which are more ignorant than
those in the North, and who have not experienced in their
own persons the calamities occasioned by war ? Gam-
betta, who has returned to Bordeaux, replies, on being
referred to, that he and his colleagnes there concur in
giving Jules Favre full powers to treat, but, while
acknowledging that the game.is played out in the North,
states that in the South the people are unwilling to make
peace on any terms. In vAin Jules Favre and General
Beaufort, the military representative, tried to induce the
conquerors to modify their demand. The French envoys
are, indeed, to be pitied ; they stand in the position of men
who, with death and desolation following in their track,
see before them a haven of peace, to reach which, how-
ever, they must cross a quicksand where one false step
will envelope them in destruction. Need I say that
this quicksand represents the Parisian rabble. It is
said that at first Bismarck and his Imperial pupil
were willing to forego the triumphal entry into Paris,
but that Moltke strenuously insisted upon it, plainly
stating that he could not be answerable for the army
if the soldiers were denied the reward they justly claimed.
A smaller amount of brain than that collected in the
council-room at Versailles would at once see that
the best way out of the difficulty is by arrang-

ing that immediately on the terms of the capitu-
lation being published in the- capital, the Prussians
should be put in possession of a spot overlooking
the city, and thereby overawing the populace. When I
heard this morning that some Prussian officers were going
at once to Mont Valerien, strange as it seemed, I, for the
reasons above given, believed it. By way, however, of
softening the blow to Paris, it may be that the
Germans have promised that if Mont Valerien is
placed in their hands, the entry into the capital
will not be made until the nation has concluded peace.
Paris may then say she opened her gates only when the
country was no longer able to sustain the conflict,
though, after having held out for 132 days, her defence
reflects sufficient glory on her defenders without resorting
to quibbles.