I have nothing of interest to add to my dispatch No. 220, of July 14. The armies are gathering in overwhelming numbers on the banks of the Rhine. It is reported that the Emperor will leave Paris to take command of the army on Saturday next. Meantime France is hurrying forward her troops with great dispatch, anxious to strike the first blow. Both powers have given assurances to England of the strict observance of the neutrality of Belgium. No doubt for a short time they will observe this neutrality, but when armies of 200,000 men are in face on so narrow a front as the line between France and Prussia, one or the other, to gain a great strategical advantage, will invade Belgium, and, perhaps, Switzerland and Holland too. WASHBURNE. NE. Prussian chargé has notice declaration war. Leaves to-morrow. Places archives under our protection. Saxony asks same. No. 46. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. [By cable.] FISH, Washington: PARIS, July 21, 1870-10.50 a. m. Government refuses to exempt North German steamers from capture, except those now at sea, ignorant of war, which may enter French port. E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 47. No. 228.] Mr. E. B. Washbure to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, July 22, 1870. (Received August 3.) Referring to the subject of the request made by you on the 17th instant, that I should inquire whether, in the event of war between France and the North German Confederation, the North German steamers would be exempt from capture, I have the honor to transmit you herewith First. A letter of Colonel Hoffman to the Duke de Gramont on this subject. Second. A translation of a reply of the Duke de Gramont to the let ter of Colonel Hoffman, received the 21st instant. 220, of July he banks of th strict observ time they are in faced Third. A copy of the telegraphic dispatch which I yesterday transmitted to you on the receipt of the Duke de Gramont's communication. I do not see that I can do anything further in this matter until advised by you. It seems to me that the difficulty would have been in a great measure solved if the recommendation of the President's message of the 15th instant, a synopsis of which we received by the telegraph, had been adopted by Congress. E. B. WASHBURNE. ia, one or the Belgium, and OFFMAN Mr. W. Hoffman to the Duke de Gramont. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, 18, 1870. to-morrow. SIR: I have the honor to transmit to your excellency a copy of a telegram I have just received from Mr. Fish, with the request that your excellency will favor me with a reply as soon as possible. It is probably known to your excellency that the steamers referred to do an immense carrying business between the United States and France. They also carry our mails to England and to France, to a greater extent than any other line. If they were to cease to run it would be a serious inconvenience to our Post Office Department. I take this opportunity to renew &c., &c. His Excellency the DUKE DE GRAMONT, &c., &c. WICKHAM HOFFMAN. BURNE. 50 a. m. capture, nch port. URNE. st 3.) 7th inFrance Pamers here n this e let The Duke de Gramont to Mr. W. Hoffman. [Translation.] PARIS, July, 1870. (Received July 21, 1870.) SIR: The consignees of the German steamers established between Hamburg, Bremen, and New York, stopping at Havre, have applied to the cabinet of Washington to know if they could, notwithstanding the war, continue their traffic without being exposed to capture, and Mr. Hoffman was in consequence charged to ask of me what are, in this respect, the intentions of the government of the Emperor. My colleague, the minister of the marine, whom I have just consulted upon this subject, desires me, with reason, to observe that the steamers in question are enemies' ships, and do not find themselves in any of the conditions required in order that, after the opening of hostilities, they may permanently be exceptionably authorized to continue the mercantile operations to which they are devoted. It is true that, like all merchant ships, they take charge of letters or of mails, the carriage of which, according to the federal laws, gives a right to compensation from the American treasury. But this compensation, whatever may be its form, cannot in any way influence the hostile and private character of the ship which receives it, nor consequently justify any exception to the general principle of the law of nations, of the character of that to which the telegraphic dispatch, which Mr. Hoffman did me the honor to communicate to me on the 18th of this month, refers. The government of the Emperor feels, therefore, regret that it cannot resolve favorably the question put by the consignees of the Bremen and Hamburg steamers. However, and in order to save in a certain measure the complex interests engaged in these ships, we are disposed to exempt from capture those among them which are actually at sea, and which, in ignorance of the state of war, may enter one of the ports of the empire. I hope that the suspension of service performed by the company of Lloyd and of North Germany will not have for the federal Post Office the disagreeable consequences which it appears to apprehend, as the English and French packet-boats from Liverpool and from Havre will not cease to keep up regular communication between the United States and Europe. Receive &c. [For inclosure 3, see preceding number.] GRAMONT. Mr. Fish to Mr. E. B. Washburne. [By cable.] WASHBURNE, Paris: WASHINGTON, July 17, 1870. Government and people of the United States depend upon German steamers between Bremen, Hamburg, and New York for postal communication with Europe, under arrangements with the United States Post Office. Inquire whether, in the event of war with North Germany, these steamers will be exempt from capture. Report by cable. FISH. No. 231.] No. 48. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, July 22, 1870. (Received Aug. 3.) Count Solms, chargè d'affaires of the North German Confederation, left here for Berlin on Wednesday night, after turning over to this legation the archives of the embassy to which he belonged. He expressed himself as much gratified with the courtesy which we have extended to him in receiving the archives of his embassy, and in assuming the protection of the subjects of the sovereign whom he represented. Many subjects of the North German Confederacy found themselves here upon the formal declaration of war, and the count left with me sufficient funds to pay the expenses of a certain number of them, who would be directed to call at this legation to obtain the proper authoriza tion to leave the French territory. Accordingly many have presented themselves during the past three days to receive some proper instrument that will enable them to go out of France. I was unwilling to give any paper or certificate, in the nature of a visa, unless I was satisfied it would be respected by the French military and civil authorities. I therefore went to the Foreign Office yesterday to state the case and to ascertain whether these North German subjects would be permitted to leave, and, if so, upon what kind of a protection, to be issued by me. I was there advised that it was a somewhat serious question, and that it would be best for me to state my object in writing. I then addressed a letter to the Duke de Gramont, a copy of which is herewith inclosed, marked A. I was promised an answer to this letter before this time; but now, at five o'clock p. m., it has not come, and will not in season to send you a translation of it by the dispatch-bag, which leaves to-night and goes by the way of England. I send you also a copy of Colonel Hoffman's letter, marked B, to the Duke de Gramont, in relation to the authorization of our Government to extend protection to North German subjects, with the assent of the government of his Majesty the Emperor; also the reply of the Duke de Gramont thereto. E. B. WASHBURNE. them, wh authoriza presented per instru willing to was satis uthorities ise and to 'mitted to ne. I was t it would d a letter ‚ marked but now, A. Mr. E. B. Washburne to the Duke de Gramont. Referring to the letter of Colonel Hoffman, of the 17th instant, to your excellency, in relation to putting the subjects of the North German Confederation residing in French territory under the protection of this legation, and the response of your excellency of the following day, giving the entire consent of the French government thereto, I have the honor to state that quite a number of the citizens of the North German Confederation, finding themselves in Paris at the time of the declaration of war, have applied to me for such protection as will enable them to leave the French territory. I have, therefore, now to apply to your excellency to know whether any certificate in the nature of a visa, given by me to these subjects of the North German Confederation, will be so far respected as to enable them to pass into the neutral territory of Belgium. I have to state that there will be no more than one hundred of these persons, and they are mostly poor men who have been necessarily detained here by reasons over which they had no control, and who are extremely desirous of leaving France. In this connection I beg leave to observe that I only desire to conform to what is due to the function which I have undertaken in this respect, with the assent of the government of his Majesty the Emperor. While, perhaps, under a strict construction of public law, the government of his Majesty would have the absolute right to treat as enemies of war all of the subjects of the North German Confederation finding themselves in France after the 19th instant, yet under the modern and more humane interpretation given to that right, the government of his Majesty might deem it consistent with its views to permit these men to leave the territory of France within the reasonable time which the text-writers observe has become the usual concession of nations engaged in war. I will thank you to advise me upon this subject at the earliest convenient moment, so that I can inform these men in regard to their application. If permission be granted, I beg to request that I may be informed of the nature of the certificate to be given by me, which will be respected by the military and civil authorities of his Majesty's government. E. B. WASHBURNE. * His Excellency the DUKE DE GRAMONT, &c., &c. B. Mr. W. Hoffman to the Duke de Gramont. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, I was requested by the ambassador of the North German Confederation, before his departure from Paris, to take the North German subjects residing in French territory under the protection of this legation. To-day I am in receipt of a telegram from my Government authorizing me to do so, provided that it be done with the assent of his Majesty's government. I have the honor to apply for this assent.. His Excellency the DUKE DE GRAMONT, * * WICKHAM HOFFMAN. send you nd goes 1. to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. rnment of the Duke de NE. The Duke de Gramont to Mr. W. Hoffman. PARIS, July 18, 1870. I have received the letter which you did me the honor to write to me, of yesterday's date, in which you say you have been instructed by the cabinet at Washington to take under your protection the subjects of the North German Confederation residing in France. The government of his Majesty has no objection to your charging yourself with this mission, and I hasten to respond to your desire that we give to you our entire assent. GRAMONT. No. 49. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. [Telegram.-Received July 25, 1870, at 9.30 a. m.] PARIS, July 24, 1870. FISH, Washington: French government assents to our protecting North Germans and Hesse Grand-Ducale and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha also ask pro Saxons. tection. WASHBURNE. No. 234.] No. 50. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, July 26, 1870. (Received August 11.) SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the correspondence relating to the protection of subjects of the King of Saxony residing in France by the Government of the United States, as follows: 1st. A translation of a communication from Baron Lüttichau, chargé d'affaires of Saxony, asking that protection may be given. 2d. A copy of my letter to the Duke de Gramont upon the subject; and 3d. A translation of a note from the Foreign Office, signed H. Desprez, giving the entire assent of the government of the Emperor to the protection assumed by this legation. Hon. HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State. E. B. WASHBURNE. Baron de Lüttichau to Mr. E. B. Washburne. [Translation.] ROYAL LEGATION OF SAXONY, Mr. MINISTER: The government of the King, compelled by events to recall his legation from Paris, earnestly desires permission to place under the protection of the legation of the United States, pending the existence of the war that has been declared, the interests of Saxon subjects in France. In conformity with the orders which I have just received, I have recourse to the great kindness of your excellency, and beg you to inform me if you consent to this request of my government. I profit by the present occasion to offer to your excellency the assurance, &c., &c., &c, DE LÜTTÍCHÁU, His Excellency Mr. WASHBURNE, Chargé d'Affaires. Minister of the United States, Paris. |