After dinner a letter was received from Favre, in which he requested, first, that notice should be given of the commencement of the bombardment of Paris, in order that the diplomatic corps might remove; and, second, that the city should be permitted to remain in communication with the outer world by letter. Abeken said, as he brought the letter down from the Chief’s room, that the answer would be sent by way of Brussels. “But then the letter will arrive late or not at all, and be returned to us,” observed Keudell. “Well, that does not matter,” answered Abeken. From the further conversation it appears that the answer agrees to the French proposals under certain conditions. In the evening I was again called to the Chief on several occasions to take instructions. Amongst other things, I ascertained that, “while Favre’s report respecting his interviews with the Chancellor shows, it is true, a desire to give a faithful account of what passed, it is not quite accurate, which is not surprising in the circumstances, especially as there were three different meetings.” In his statement the question of an armistice occupies a secondary position, whereas, in fact, it was the chief point. Favre was prepared to pay a considerable cash indemnity. In the matter of a truce two alternatives were discussed. First, the surrender to us of a portion of the fortifications of Paris, namely, at a point which would give us the command of the city, we on our part to allow free communication with the outer world. The second was that we should forego that condition, but that Strassburg and Toul should be surrendered to us. We put forward the latter demand because the retention of these towns in the hands of the French increases our difficulties of commissariat transport. The Chancellor stated that with respect to a cession of territory, he could only disclose its extent and frontiers when our demand had been accepted in principle. On Favre requesting to have at least an indication of what we proposed in this respect, he was informed that for our security in the future we required Strassburg, “the key of our house,” the departments of the Upper and Lower Rhine, Metz, and a portion of the Moselle department. The object of the armistice was to submit the question of peace to a National Assembly to be summoned for the purpose. Again called to the Chief. “The King wishes to see some of the newspapers, and he desires to have the most important passages marked. I have proposed Brass to him, and when the papers come, put that one (the _Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung_) always aside for him.” He added, smiling, “Just mark some places for the sake of appearances, it does not much matter what, and send me up the paper.” At tea we hear a great piece of news:--the Italians have occupied Rome, the Pope and the diplomatists remaining in the Vatican.