flag. They then rode away, and were succeeded by a few Hussars, commanded by a young officer, who rode into our courtyard, and finding my father there, an old man and a clergyman, at once put a pistol to his breast, and ordered him to have all our horses brought up instantly that he might choose the best; fortunately, however, he rejected them all as not being good enough, and contented himself with ordering us to bring him three bottles of our best wine, with which he finally withdrew-all this though we earnestly called his attention to our flag and nationality.

In the evening Colonel Von Rosenberg returned with his troops, and his first proceeding, after turning us nearly all, ladies included, out of our rooms, which he and his officers at once occupied, was to order me, after I should have their dinner ready, to have soup prepared for twenty men also. As I was unable to have this done, the provisions I had in the castle not being enough, Colonel Von Rosenberg threatened to put my father and me under arrest, but as I defied him to do so, he did not proceed beyond threats. During the officers' dinner, though I had them served with ordinary and good Bordeaux wine, they called me in and demanded six bottles of champagne. As there were only women servants in the house, of course frightened and excited by this invasion, my brother and I were obliged to go and fetch them this ourselves-similarly with tea, and afterwards with blankets, feather beds, fires in each room, &c., for these gentlemen were contented with nothing short of luxury in their newly-appropriated quarters, and seemed to take a pleasure in giving us the utmost trouble they could. Finally, they ordered breakfast for early morning and went to bed.

In the meantime their men had broken open the doors of our granaries, and had taken all the oats stored for our horses for the winter, and a great portion of our hay, stabling some of their horses in the hay-shed, so as to waste as much as they took. On my remonstrating with the Colonel, he had said this was quite right, and that the fault was mine in not having opened the doors, which, by the way, would have done if I could have been in several places at once on their arrival, for from the first I offered no opposition to their demands as long as I could satisfy them. Next morning they rode away, after making us serve them at breakfast as before, though their orderlies were in the house; and I had to run after the Colonel to get a receipt for the hay and oats they had taken, simply as a precaution, to be able to show to those that

might come after that we had been already plundered. Even then I found it difficult to get his staff officer to put down the right quantity.

That morning and several afterwards many little sundries were missed from the rooms which the officers, fourteen in number, had occupied during the night. Colonel Von Rosenberg and another, either an officer or an orderly, had slept in a room usually occupied by an English friend staying with us, Mr. David Cannon. In the morning Mr. Cannon missed the following articles: a drinking flask, a pair of plated spurs (convenient on the march, as they require little cleaning), one, if not two, flannel shirts, and a piece of soap. My brother's worked slippers and handkerchief were also stolen, as were some down quilts and pillow slips, &c. Let me say, en passant, that it is amusing to see English papers, in speculating on the chances of the war, lay stress on the fact that the Germans came into France insufficiently clad-a small consideration with troops who, like Falstaff's, find linen enough (and woollen too) on every hedge, or rather in every body's drawers. Salbris, Nonan, Sheillay, and the other stations on the Ligne du Centre, in this neighbourhood, they have ransacked all the houses, and taken every thing they wish for their comfort and luxury. In our stables, the soldiers had turned out our horses, broken down the stalls, stolen five or six bridles, halters, whips, spurs, horserug and roller, &c.

At

Next day, the 9th instant, came twelve cuirassiers of, I think, the 9th Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Von Spalding. The soldiers rode into our courtyard, and demanded oats and cognac, while the officer went and sat in the auberge of the village. In vain I showed the receipt for all the oats I had had taken from me the day before. The soldier or non-commissioned officer in command (named Fluch, as the officers afterwards told us) proceeded to menaces to make me produce oats that I had not. Finding menaces useless, he struck me two violent blows on the side of the head with the flat of his drawn sword; finding that useless, he made a lunge to run me through the body, which I avoided, and escaped through the stables, fortunately open, while the cuirassier turned his fury upon my father and Mr. Cannon, who were present. Meantime I went down to the village to complain to the officer in command, who certainly did reprimand the soldier, but who did not refrain from robbing one of our farms of poultry half an hour afterwards, with the same man, though he had given me his word of honour, before wit

nesses, that the soldier should be punished. I have omitted to state that the same man had previously struck my brother, ordering him to bring wine, and calling him a swine. My brother had returned the compliment, but not brought him the wine.

One Prussian officer had been heard to remark of us in the village, "They think that their filthy rag of an English colour" (which he called by an obscene name) "will protect them, but they will find themselves very much mistaken;" and all the rest of them seem to have acted with the same feeling, except, let me state it to his honour, one staff officer, the Baron von Treskow, who also did good service in protecting the property in the village.

On Saturday, the 10th, two parties of Uhlans arrived and searched for oats in our granaries, though assured by us that there were none left; and again our horses were inspected, but not considered good enough to rob us of. The Uhlans generally, throughout, spoke to us lance and pistol in hand.

About the 13th they retreated from this neighbourhood, and we have seen no more of them here, though they have been pillaging as far as Salleris, and there is continual danger of their return.

I trust your lordship will excuse the length of this statement. I have con

sidered that the minutest details had a certain importance, as regarding British persons and property. M. le Préfet de Loire-et-Cher has kindly undertaken to forward you our complaint, which I would have despatched sooner had I known that communication was possible.

Though we are any thing but rich, we think less of the pecuniary loss we have sustained than of the insults offered to ourselves and our nationality; at the same time, I may as well state that from the above occurrences we do not lose less than 4000 francs, the deterioration of our stock from the loss of our hay and oats in a year of such scarcity being considered. We leave the whole question of reparation, without reserve, in your lordship's hands, feeling confident that you will exact whatever is possible and adequate.

I beg that your lordship will, if you should think fit, do me the honour to have this published in the principal English journals.

(Signed) ROBERT WILLIAM KIRBY.

Vu par nous, Maire de la Ferté Imbault, Canton de Salbris, pour légalisation de la signature de Mr. Robert William Kirby apposéé ci-dessus.

La Ferté Imbault, le 29 Décembre, 1870. (Signé) LOUIS DESCHAMPS.

(Inclosure 2 in No. 2.)

(Translation.)

The Undersigned, L. E. J. Deschamps, Mayor of La Ferté Imbault, Canton of Salbris (Loire et Cher), France, certifies and attests that Mr. Robert William Kirby, son, born in this Commune, is an English citizen, and has never been naturalized a Frenchman, any more than his father, or any member of his family.

I further declare, on the honour of my soul and conscience, that I have known Mr. Kirby well enough, and for a long time, to know that he is incapable of attesting a false fact, and that he has always been in this Commune a model to all the inhabitants of delicacy, sentiments of honour, humanity, and probity.

In faith of which I have deliverered these presents, which I certify to be exact before God and man.

EARL GRANVILLE TO LORD LYONS.

Foreign Office, January 11, 1871.

My Lord, I have received your Excellency's despatch of the 6th instant, enclosing a letter from Mr. Kirby, an English gentleman established with his family at La Ferté Imbault, complaining of the conduct of the German troops in making requisitions on his property; and I have to instruct you to acquaint that gentleman that, much as Her Majesty's Government regret the inconvenience and loss to which he and his family were exposed, it is out of their power to interfere to obtain any redress for him, inasmuch as foreigners residing in a country which is the seat of war are equally liable with the natives of this country to have requisitions levied on their property by the belligerents.

(Signed)

I am, &c.

No. 4.

GRANVILLE.

MR. CONSUL BERNAL TO EARL GRANVILLE.

(Received January 24.)

My Lord, I have the honour to enclose herewith copy of a statement made by Mr. Lawrence Smith, master of the English barque "Theresa," respecting the alleged wilful destruction by the German troops of a house and furniture belonging to him at St. Ouen, about fourteen miles below Rouen.

Mr. Smith was absent from home at the

Protest of Mr. Lawrence Smith, Master of the English Barque "Theresa," against the wanton destruction by fire of his house and property at St. Ouen, a town about fourteen miles from Rouen, on the Honfleur side of the Seine.

On December 15, 1870, about 500 Prussian soldiers arrived at St. Ouen, a village about a mile from La Bouville. Though the English flag was flying, thirtyone soldiers were quartered on me for the night, whom I had to feed at my own expense. On December 17 sixty Prussian soldiers came to my house and robbed me of all my provisions, corn, straw, and farm stock. They left on the 18th. The same evening a party of four were quartered on us for the night. On December 31 sixty Prussian soldiers were again quartered at my house until the following day. On January 4, 1871, about seven o'clock in the morning, about sixty Prussian soldiers surrounded my house. My family had previously retired to the cellars. Five minutes afterwards the Prussians fired a volley of musketry into the cellar, and my family only escaped death by being in a smaller cellar at right angles to the entrance. Mrs. Smith, as soon as the firing ceased, rushed out with a child in her arms, and the remaining portion of the family followed. The troops then broke all the windows, destroyed the furniture, and, making a pile of the débris, they set fire to it and the house. They refused to allow linen or any thing to be taken away, even burning all our wearing apparel. They took away all the things they could carry. The English flag, which was hoisted, was first ordered to be taken down. Every thing in the cellar was also burnt; two of my children were frost-bitten badly through the family having been driven away half-dressed, with bare feet, into the nearest wood, where they had, without sufficient clothing, to remain three hours in the snow. I estimate my loss at 20007. sterling. LAWRENCE SMITH.

(Signed)

No. 5.

VISCOUNT ENFIELD TO CONSUL BERNAL.

Foreign Office, Jan. 31, 1871. Sir, I am directed by Earl Granville to acknowledge the receipt of your de spatch of the 23rd instant, enclosing a

statement made by Lawrence Smith, a British subject, respecting the alleged wilful destruction of a house and furniture belonging to him by the German troops at St. Ouen, about fourteen miles from Rouen; and, in reply, to convey to you his lordship's wishes that you should, if possible, personally inquire into the truth of the alleged facts, and report to him the result of your investigations. I am, &c.

(Signed) ENFIELD.

No. 6.

CONSUL BERNAL TO EARL GRANVILLE. (Received Feb. 6.)

Havre, Feb. 3, 1871.

My Lord, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Lord Enfield's despatch of the 31st ultimo, conveying to me your lordship's wishes that I should, if possible, personally inquire into the truth of the facts alleged by Captain Smith respecting the destruction of his property at St. Ouen by the German forces. There would be no means of my personally inquiring into the truth of his statement without visiting the locality, but I had a conversation with him on the subject, and the impression left on my mind was that he was telling a true story. He gave the same account of the circumstances to Mr. Vice-Consul Wagner at Honfleur, and to Commander Crozier, of Her Majesty's ship "Helicon," who likewise, I believe, saw Mrs. Smith and her children. Captain Smith sailed with his vessel, the "Theresa," for the Tyne two days ago. His address is, "Care of Messrs. Bell and Dunn, of Queen-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne." I have, &c.

MESSRS. BELL AND DUNN TO EARL GRANVILLE. (Received Feb. 9.)

8, Queen-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Feb. 8, 1871.

Honoured Sir,-We respectfully beg to ask your lordship, on behalf of Captain L. Smith of the English ship "Theresa," who had his house burned and furniture destroyed in France on the 4th January last, and his wife and family most cruelly ill-treated, without the slightest provocation, by the Prussian soldiers (the particulars of which outrage would be forwarded to your lordship by Her Majesty's Consul at Havre), if your lordship has received any reply from the Prussian Government on this matter, and if they have agreed

to pay him the compensation which he claims.

Captain Smith arrived in the Tyne with his ship on Saturday last, with his family on board, and as he will require to leave again shortly, he will at once have to make arrangements to leave his family here, and as they have lost every thing they possessed, even to their very clothes, the Prussians refusing to allow them to take sufficient to cover the children, driving them into the woods almost naked, of which fact your lordship will have been already informed. He is very anxious to know if any reply has yet been received, and for your lordship's information begs to state that Captain Smith, having had to go through the country from Havre to near La Douille to get to his family, he did not, although making inquiries, hear of a single similar case to his own, where they had acted with such wanton cruelty, and in the face of such facts is compelled to think that it was owing to the fact that they were English subjects that they were treated thus barbarously.

We have received from all classes, and from all parts, expressions of the greatest sympathy, all trusting the Prussians will at least be made to pay Captain Smith for the loss of property received, if no compensation for the injury done to his family; and soliciting the favour of your lordship's early reply, we are, &c.

(Signed) BELL AND DUNN, Owners of ship "Theresa.”

petitioners, knowing Great Britain was a neutral Power, considered their property safe and themselves exempt from requisitions and billeting; that since the 15th September, 1870, we have had heavier requisitions, a greater number in proportion of your Majesty's soldiers billeted upon us, and more grievous impositions than the French have been subjected to; that unless your Most Gracious Majesty, by a timely exercise of your royal clemency, interpose on our behalf, complete ruin appears inevitable.

And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

(Signed) THOMAS CARTER.
JOHN PALMER.
JOSEPH SPINK.
WILLIAM BALCHIN.
J. BARTHOLOMEW.
JOSEPH ASHMAN.
JOSEPH JACOBS.
ED. FLATMAN.
THOMAS HUDSON.
JOHN BAYNES.
WILLIAM PLANNER.
S. THOMAS.
M. EYRE.

JOHN CUNNINGTON.

JOHN BALDRICK.

HENRY KENDALL WOOD.
T. PAGE.

W. BOOTH.

MARY HODGES.

No. 9.

MR. WEST TO EARL GRANVILLE.
(Received Feb. 26.)

Paris, Feb. 24, 1871.

My Lord,-Repeated applications are now being made to Her Majesty's Embassy on the part of British subjects, whose property has been destroyed during the war, for indemnity for their losses. They wish to be informed of the decision of Her Majesty's Government respecting their supposed claims, and are most importunate in the matter.

Under these circumstances, I venture to apply to your lordship for instructions as to the answer which I am to return to them.

I have, &c.,
(Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST.

No. 10.

EARL GRANVILLE TO MR. WEST.

Foreign Office, March 1, 1871. Sir, I have consulted the law officers of the Crown upon the point submitted to me in your despatch of the 24th February, as to the claims of British subjects

are

Her Majesty's Government of opinion that you might request Count Bismarck to submit the petition to the gracious consideration of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany; but, in doing so, you should state that Her Majesty's Government make no claim for the petitioners to be exempted as British subjects from the evils incident to a state of war to which all other persons resident in France are exposed, but that they trust that, as an act of justice, it will not be permitted that heavier burdens should be imposed on the subjects of a neutral Power than are, in fact, imposed on the enemies of Germany.

I am, &c, (Signed)

No. 12.

1

GRANVILLE.

EARL GRANVILLE TO LORD A. LOFTUS. Foreign Office, March 4, 1871. My Lord, I enclose to you herewith copies of correspondence on the subject of the destruction, by Prussian troops, of a house and property at St. Ouen, near Rouen, belonging to a British subject named Lawrence Smith, under circumstances which would seem to call for investigation on the part of the Prussian military authorities.

Her Majesty's Government do not consider that, in strict right, they would be entitled to claim compensation from the Prussian Government for the destruction of Mr. Smith's property, as it would seem that, though an Englishman, he has become the proprietor of a house and farm at St. Ouen, and has established his wife

1 Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7.

and family there, by which proceeding he has so incorporated himself into the territory of France as to render it unavoidable that his family and property should be exposed, like those of native citizens of France resident in the same district, to the evils incident to a state of war. But, as the case is at present represented, the destruction of the property in question would appear to have been an act of wanton violence on the part of the Prussian troops resulting from lax discipline, and not provoked by any misconduct on the part of the occupants of the house or farm. If this assumption be correct, the case would be distinguishable from those in which the distinction of property is an inevitable incident of war; and I am therefore of opinion that you may bring the facts to the notice of the German Goverment, and express the hope that they will think fit to direct an inquiry to be made by the military authorities, and if the statement of Mr. Lawrence Smith should prove to be truthful, that they will, as an act of justice, award compensation for injuries wantonly inflicted on him and upon his family.

I am, &c. (Signed)

No. 13.

GRANVILLE.