The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-02 00:00:00

MORE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

A second batch of official correspondence respecting the
war has been issued. The first series of letters and despatches
contained no information about the secret treaty; i had not
then been published. This second batch is almost wholly
devoted to that extraordinary document. The series com-
mences with a despatch from Earl Granville to Lord
Lyons, containing a demand for immediate explanations
from France respecting the treaty. It is dated July 25th,

the day on which the treaty was published. A second
despatch from Earl Granville followes. It is dated
Tuesday last and notes that the French Ambassador called
upon him and stated that the draft treaty was originated
by Count Bismarck, but it never bad any serious basis,
and was rejected by' both parties. The French
Government said M. de Lavalette had respected

the neutrality of Belgium even when ther; was
reason to complain of her conduct. The fourth des-
patch is from Lord A. Loftus, British Minister at Berlin,
and contains an assurance that Prussia intended to respect
the neutrality of Belgium. The fifth is from Count Bismarck
to Count Bernstorff, Prussian Ambassador at the British
Court, and is a summary of the extraordinary circular
note, published in a separate form, which the great Prus-
sian statesman sent to the representatives of his nation
at different neutral courts. The sixth paper is from Earl
Granville to Lord Lyons, and contains the substance of
a despatch which the French Foreign Minister sent to the
French Ambassador in London, and which the French
Ambassador communicated to Lord Granville. In this
despatch the French Foreign Minister affirms that "ever
since the year 1665 M. de Bismarck has constantly en-
deavoured to carry out his own plans by attempting
to turn the attention of the French Government to terri-
torial aggrandisement. He told M. Lefebvre deßehaine,then
Chargd d'Affaires at Berlin, that Prussia would willingly
recognise the rights of France to extend her borders
wherever the Trench language is spoken, thereby indicat-
ing certain Swiss Cantons, besides Belgium. These over-
tures the Government of the Emperor declined
to entertain. The following year, immediately
ofter the battle of Sadowa, similar proposals were
made at Brunn to M. de Behaine, and on this occasion
Count Bismark told him that the course of France was
clear ; the French Government should go to the King of
Belgium and explain that the inevitable increase to Prus-
sian territory and influence was most disquieting to their
security, and that the sole means of avoiding these dan-
gerous issues would be to unite the destinies of ' Belgium
and France by bonds so close that the ',Belgian
Monarchy—whose autonomy would, however, be respected
--would become in the North a real bulwark of safety for
France." The Emperor's Government, however, says
the French Foreign Minister, refused to listen
to these terms, though it would haVe been
easy to have carried out the scheme with
the aid of Prussia, who was anxious only to, secure the
fruits of her victories. The document in the handwriting
of M. Benedetti was written by him under the dictation
of Count Bismarck. In the 7th paper Lord A Loftus,
English Minister at Berlin, sends a lithographed copy of
the treaty draft, and adds that he has seen
the original himself, and recognises the hand of
M. Benedetti. The eighth paper is one from the French
Foreign Minister enclosing a letter frrm M. Benedetti,
and observing that, with respect to Count Bismarck's
circular note he reserves his observations. The letter of
M. Benedetti is in English as follows :—" Unjust
they were, I did not think it proper to notice
the observations made upon me personally when
it was known in France that the Prince of Hohen-