404 Appendix I 



our present policy, which is, I am told, strongly recommended by Lyons, 

 who is afraid of burning his fingers and losing his reputation as a safe 

 man. France will, of course, be thrown into the arms of Russia, and 

 sell her support in the East for a European alliance of vengeance on her 

 faithless friend across the Channel." 



I remember that my own feeling at the time about Alsace Lorraine was 

 one of rejoicing that the Germans, whom I hated, should have let slip an 

 opportunity of high-minded moderation which would have redoubled the 

 glory of their victories. While at Worth Forest with my brother Francis, 

 we used to argue the French and the German case, he strongly main- 

 taining against me that the French defeat had delivered Europe from its 

 chief danger. Germany, he thought, could never be a serious menace. 



"3rd, Oct., 1870. — Ormeskirk. Odo Russell [our Ambassador at 

 Berlin] who sees all the despatches now as soon as they arrive, and is 

 therefore a good authority, writes to his wife, who is here, that Bismarck 

 has intimated to us his intention of eventually, after taking Paris I 

 suppose, sending the Emperor back to France with a slice of Belgium by 

 way of a letter of recommendation to the French people. You may fancy 

 how this has fluttered our Downing Street dovecote. I can myself hardly 

 believe the story, but if Bismarck really does play off this practical joke on 

 us what a reductio ad absurdum it will be of the lauded prudence of the 

 Gladstone Cabinet in regard to that absurd Belgian treaty. Odo adds that 

 Bismarck wishes to keep Bazaine locked up in Metz with the whole 

 garrison till the end of the war, but not to attack them or destroy them, 

 because it is his wish to hand over to the Emperor at the end as large a 

 remnant as can yet be saved of the Imperial army. Meanwhile Russia 

 is certainly arming fast, and the Russian merchants in the city have 

 already created a panic there by their expressed apprehension, which 

 seems to me perfectly well founded that she is about to attack Turkey. I 

 take it that whenever she pleases Russia can do this with perfect impu- 

 nity and success." 



" jth Oct., 1870. — Knebworth. In connection with the story I men- 

 tioned in my last, Odo says that Bismarck avers that, although it is neces- 

 sary to keep Bazaine safe in Metz, he is anxious, if possible, not to starve 

 or otherwise destroy the army shut up in that town, in order that at the 

 end of the war he may hand over to the Emperor as much as can be 

 spared of the Imperial forces for the preservation of order in France. 

 However, I still disbelieve the story. In a letter which Lady Emily 

 received from her husband the day I left Lathom, he said: 'The French 

 Government has again for the third, and it says for the last time made a 

 most earnest and pathetic appeal to us as the old friends and allies of 

 France to come to the rescue, to which we have replied by a long despatch 

 to the effect that we pity France, but can't help her. This document is a 

 very painful one to read, and it is one which I am certain your dear father 

 [Lord Clarendon] would never have written.' 



" Lady Cowley, who did not go to see the Emperor at the request of the 

 Empress but on her own hook from Frankfort, said he was looking in 



