The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-27 00:00:00

THE NEGOTIATIONS POE PEACE.

The Times, in commenting upon peace negotiations
says : "There are few even among the sanguine who
speak of spending Christmas at home." This is a
sentence in the last letter from our Correspondent

at Versailles, which may found in another column ;
and though it was written on Saturday.
when the attempt to bring about an Armistice

had not been made known at the Royal
Headquarters, it remains true still. The prospect of peace
recedes the more we strain our eyes in hope to herald its
arrival. We had attempted to believe that the willing-
ness of the delegation at Tours to convey the suggestion
for a suspension of arms to the Government of National
Defence indicated something like a change of temper in
France. Although they are a mere delegation, not endowed
with any authority to bind the Provisional Ministry, and
still less with any authority to bind the mass of their
countrymen, it was still argued, with a fond confidence,
that they would not communicate to their princi-
pals propositions they themselves rejected as
inadmissible even for consideration. But fuller

intelligence from Tours dispels the hope founded
on this argument. The good people in that
pleasant city on the Loire took it for granted that the
Germans had, somehow or other, shown their willingness
to recede from the demand for a cession of territory, and
that it was upon this change of attitude the English
Ministry had proceeded. The demandi for a
transfer of French Departments being aban-
doned, all else they knew might be arranged.
Unfortunately, this condition precedent to suc-
cessful negotiation has not been secured. The resolu-
tion of King William and of Oount Bismarck remains
precisely what it was. The temper of the German people
offers no proof that they will be contented with lesser con-
cessions than have been hitherto insisted upon. M. Thiera
may go toand fro between Paris,Tours, and Versailirs, as,
in spite of 76 years, he has passed from London to St.
Petersburg, from St. Petersburg to Vienna, and from
Vienna to Florence : but the end is no nearer than
before—no dove bringing an olive branch when it makes
its appearance.

The Standard, which again takes a gloomy view of the
result of the proposals for an armistioe, remarks that
Europe only interferes to chatter commonplaces of the
goody order about the wickedness of war, the horrors
of bombarding Paris, and the propriety of moderation
and generosity on the side of the winners and
submission on that of the losers. The only hope
consequently of any result to the negotiations, if we may
call them so, which have commenced would lie in a com-
plete change of opinion on the part of the French or Prus-
sian Governments—in the resolution of the Governmen,t
of the National Defence to cede territory as well as allow
fortresses to be razed, or in the withdrawal by Count
Bisniarck of the demand for Alsace and Lorraine.
Is there the slightest reason to suppose that such a
revolution of opinion has yet taken place on either *Adel
And if not, what possible good can result from this con.
ference b, tween Count Bismarck and M. Tillers, if it
should come off, which is still doubtful ? A report of it
from shorthand writers' notes would no doubt be interest-
ing reading, but any greater fruit we cannot expect. The
formal failure of the negotiations, however, will not be
announced for some days. M. Thiers has to get into
Paris and to get out again—the latter, under present
circumstances, the more agreeable part of the journey.
His conference with Count Bismarck, if the Chancellor
admits him to au audience, and his report to the Delega-
tion at Tours, or wherever it may then be, will take a
little time ; and in all probability we shall only hear how
M. Tiers fared at Versailles, and what the Government
of the National Defence, were ready to yield, after events
have occurred which have completely altered the situation
and produced something of that retreat from the stub.
bornuess of demand, or of refusal, which is indispensable
before peace negotiations oau be entered upon with tho
slightest chance of success.
The Telegraph says c—On the side of Prussia, we would
fain hope, there will be no inexorable refusal of a fair
compromise, no haughty persistence in a " blood and
iron" policy towards the vanquished, Let it be well ob-
served that the demands of the Germans have never yet
been formulated officially. Von der Tann, it is
true, at Orleans, roundly asserted that Alsace
and Lorraine must be recovered; but the irrevo-
cable word which would make so great a price final has
never yet been pronounced by the King and his Chan-
cellor ; nor is that statesman the personage to commit
himself beyond recovery. it is not impossible that Count
Bismarck may meet M. Favre half-way on the ques-
tion of territory, as the French statesman has
already met the Count half-way on the " stones
of our fortresses." It remains, moreover, to be seen in
what mode Moltke solves with compass and pencil the
question of " military security." No doubt, Count
Bismarck has already handed over to him the map,
and requested him to trace the line which would
render invasion most difficult and defence most
easy. Who knows whether that line goes half so far
as public suspicion has drawn it ? The principle of
cession of soil once yielded, it is possible that the
ultimate arrangement might be easy. Nay, not only
might the conquerors gladly show themselves generous
in the presence of such wise submission, taking
into consideration the dangers of their remaining
task, and the desire of Germany to make peace,
but other advantages might follow. It would be the inte-
rest and the wish of the King to soften the humiliation of
his foe by all practicable concessions on other points.
Paris might save her honour ; Metz, perchance, might
remain La Pucelle. There aro many heads—the fleet, the
indemnity, the future military footing of the land—under
which Germany might be lenient if Franc() would only
look facts in the face and realise the oompletene3s of her
defeat. If there be anybody who still doubts that fact,
it is not M. Thiers ; and therefore, while the threads
of negotiation are in his hands, we shall hope that the
last chance of a compromise may not pass, after all, into
a renewal of furious hostilities, and the beginning of that
" end " which must be bitter indeed.

The Daily News thinks -the real obstacle to be en-
countered lies in the illusions of France. If it be held
that all is not yet lost, and that the victorious Germans
can be checkmated either before Paris or else-
where, then the talk about an armistice will simply
be so many idle words. Even while appealing to
the Neutral Powers to step in and stay the strife,
M. Guizot appears perfectly confident as to the ability of
his country to prolong resistance. Ho shares the convic-
tion common to his countrymen that France possesses
latent powers of an extraordinary and overpowering
character. This is a legacy which the revolu-
tionary period has bequeathed to all Frenchmen.
They cannot rid themselves of the belief that history
will repeat itself, and that the invaders will again be ex-
pelled, whenever the nation resolves on making the
attempt. What the French need is a man who will
calmly estimate the present position of affairs, and give
his countrymen judicious counsel as to their conduct. No
one desires to see France humiliated. What her truest
friends fear is that by obstinacy she may humiliate herself.
She will gain a real triumph should she speedily come to
terms with the conqueror, for by putting a period to hos-
tilities she will avoid the exhaustion which must be the
necessary consequence of persistence in an attempt to turn
the fortunes of the war. In this matter she would act
wisely in taking a hint from the enemy. An official
Berlin paper recently consoled the Germans for the
sacrifices they had to bear owing to the continuance of
hostilities, by pointing out that every week the war lasted
was a direct gain to Germany, inasmuch as the French
were so much the more weakened. This reasoning would do
little towards reconciling the Germans themselves to bear
their lot with patience. While they have had many vic-
tories to celebrate, they have also had serious losses to
deplore. Although contending hosts have not met on
German soil, yet the towns and villages of Germany
know what war really means nearly as well as
the towns and villages of Alsace and Lorraine. The
winter will be a sore trial to many a German family,
from which the father, the son, or the brother has been
taken away. All the testimony we receive concurs in
depicting the. Gormands as most anxious that mace should
be made

During the past fortnight 6,2511b5. or meat have
been seized in London as unfit for human food, 3,8761br.
of which were diseased, 2901b5. putrid, and 2,0851b5. had
come from animals that had died from accident or disease.
The barometer is higher at all stations than it was
on Tuesday morning, but has reconnnenced falling on all
coasts. Temperature has fallen in the north and north-
east, but is hardly changed elsewhere. Pembroke is 15
degrees warmer than Nairn. The wind continues westerly
or north-westerly and moderate in the southern parts of
our islands, but has backed towards south in the north,
and freshened slightly at Greetieastle. Brilliant aurora
was again seen in all parts of the British isles on Tuesday
night. Some rain has fallen in the west and south. The
sky is overcast, except in the north and north-east, and
hail squalls are prevalent at Valentia. The sea is mode-
rate in the south-west, calm elsewhere,