Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III British Negotiations Preceding The Declaration Of War During the doldrums of the first week in July of 1870, it seemed peace brooded over all the capitals of Europe. M, Ollivier, as we have seen, inaugurated the month with a grave assurance to the French Chamber that the time was one of peculiar serenity, and that there was apparent no difficulty of disturbing imminence. Diplomatists were glad to make his words a summer text and gratefully close their portfolios and go vacationing. A calm almost sabbatical enwrapped the darkened embassies. In Paris, the Chambers were still sitting, but it was supposed the most important business was well finished with the disposal of the St. Gothard affair and the passing of the bill to reduce conscription. The Emperor was preparing to go to Vichy for the waters.1 Mr. Washburne, the United States;Minister to France, was leaving for Carlsbad with the happy reflection that he availed himself of a time unusually propitious.2 In Berlin Herr von Thile was left in charge, while his King sought recreation at Ems and the Chancellor buried himself on his estates. The great houses of London, including the French embassy, were dark, though Parliament was still in languid session. Lord Granville had but lately acceded to the office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs, leftvacant by Clarendon's death. On the fifth of July, the veteran Under Secretary, Mr. Hammond, congratulated him on his having assumed his duties during the greatest lull in the Foreign Office he remembered.1 Tempo lente e suave, truly, but already, pianissimo, could be heard the strain that was to swell to the crescendo of war! 1 Gentleman's Annual, 1830, " The Story of the War," pp. i et seq. 1E. B. Washburne, The Franco-German War and Insurrection of the Commune (Exec. Doc....