Germany after 1858--The Regency in Prussia--Army-reorganisation--King William I.--Conflict between the Crown and the Parliament--Bismarck--The struggle continued--Austria from 1859--The October Diploma--Resistance of Hungary--The Reichsrath--Russia under Alexander II.--Liberation of the Serfs--Poland--The Insurrection of 1863--Agrarian measures in Poland-- Schleswig-Holstein--Death of Frederick VII.--Plans of Bismarck--Campaign in Schleswig--Conference of London--Treaty of Vienna--England and Napoleon III.--Prussia and Austria--Convention of Gastein--Italy--Alliance of Prussia with Italy--Proposals for a Congress fail--War between Austria and Prussia--Napoleon III.--Königgrätz--Custozza--Mediation of Napoleon --Treaty of Prague--South Germany--Projects for compensation to France--Austria and Hungary--Deák--Establishment of the Dual System in Austria-Hungary CHAPTER XXIV. THE WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY. Napoleon III.--The Mexican Expedition--Withdrawal of the French and death of Maximilian--The Luxemburg Question--Exasperation in France against Prussia--Austria--Italy--Mentana--Germany after 1866--The Spanish Candidature of Leopold of Hohenzollern--French declaration--Benedetti and King William--Withdrawal of Leopold and demand for guarantees--The telegram from Ems--War--Expected Alliances of France--Austria--Italy--Prussian plans--The French army--Causes of French inferiority--Weissenburg--Wörth-- Spicheren--Borny--Mars-la-Tour--Gravelotte--Sedan--The Republic proclaimed at Paris--Favre and Bismarck--Siege of Paris--Gambetta at Tours--The Army of the Loire--Fall of Metz--Fighting at Orleans--Sortie of Champigny--The Armies of the North, of the Loire, of the East--Bourbaki's ruin-- Capitulation of Paris and Armistice--Preliminaries of Peace--Germany-- Establishment of the German Empire--The Commune of Paris--Second Siege-- Effects of the war as to Russia and Italy--Rome CHAPTER XXV. EASTERN AFFAIRS. France after 1871--Alliance of the Three Emperors--Revolt of Herzegovina-- The Andrássy Note--Murder of the Consuls at Salonika--The Berlin Memorandum--Rejected by England--Abdul Aziz deposed--Massacres in Bulgaria--Servia and Montenegro declare War--Opinion in England--Disraeli-- Meeting of Emperors at Reichstadt--Servian Campaign--Declaration of the Czar--Conference at Constantinople--Its Failure--The London Protocol-- Russia declares War--Advance on the Balkans--Osman at Plevna--Second Attack on Plevna--The Shipka Pass--Roumania--Third Attack on Plevna--Todleben-- Fall of Plevna--Passage of the Balkans--Armistice--England--The Fleet passes the Dardanelles--Treaty of San Stefano--England and Russia--Secret Agreement--Convention with Turkey--Congress of Berlin--Treaty of Berlin--Bulgaria MAPS. EUROPEAN STATES IN 1792 CENTRAL EUROPE IN 1812 MODERN EUROPE. CHAPTER I.