XXX 
Appendix. 
ihrem Ansehen in die Schranken treten gegen die Verletzung des 
M^escns der l^eutralitiit durch die von der gegenwiirtigen Grossbritan- 
nisclien Eegierung adoptirte Behandlung des WafFenhandels, gegen die 
den lientigen Maclithabern Frankreichs zur Last fallende Untcrgrabnng 
der Gnmdlagen des Volkerrechts, nnd fiir eine Fortbildung des letztern 
im Sinne der Gerechtigkeit nnd Gesittnng (Unverletzlichkeit des 
Privateigenthums znr See n. s. w.). In solchen Bestrebnngen diirfen 
dieselben der eifrigen Unterstiitzung der dentschen Wissenschaft 
gewiss sein. 
* ' Icb habe die Ehre ganz ergebenst zn zeichnen, 
''De. Richard Dove, 
" Z. Z. Prorector der Georg -Augusts- Universitdt 
m GottingenP 
[Translation.] 
GoTTiifGEN, \^th December^ 1870. 
" Yert Honoured Mr. Secretary op the Eoyal Irish Academy, 
''In your esteemed commnnication of the 17tli nit., yon invite, 
in the name of the Eoyal Irish Academy, the co-operation of our Uni- 
versity in certain steps by which the Government of Her Britannic 
Majesty may be induced to protest against the threatened destruction 
of the scientific and artistic treasures of Paris through military opera- 
tions, and thereby support itself upon the unanimous protest of the 
learned societies of the civilised world. The Eoyal Irish Academy 
accompanies this request with the assurance that it regards the contest 
between Germany and Prance with entire impartiality. To this posi- 
tion I must, in the name of the learned body which I have the honour 
to represent, demur. It can hardly have escaped the notice of the 
Eoyal Irish Academy that these perils are the consequence of the forti- 
fication of Paris, for which the ambition of our restless neighbours is 
indebted to the most distinguished historical romance writer of Prance, 
Thiers, in order that the country might in future be secure against the 
possible miscarriage of its periodical recurring attacks on the peace of 
Europe. At the time when Prance decided on transforming the place 
which encloses so many treasures of culture — the ' property of the 
entire human family,' as you observe — into the greatest fortress of the 
world, it might have been becoming for the learned bodies of England 
to have headed a protest of the learned world against this undertaking 
so hostile to culture. But neither was then a protest of science heard 
of, nor did the Eoyal Irish Academy raise its voice when Eome — 
which contains treasures not less precious and unique than those of 
Paris — was taken by force of arms in 1849, by the French under 
Oudinot ; and by the Italian troops during the present year. N^ay, 
when the troops of Her Britannic Majesty besieged in Delhi the re- 
volted Sepoys, whose method of conducting warfare was so surprisingly 
