Next came the =Requisitions=: saddles and bridles, bicycles, photographic apparatus, telephones, bedding and horsehair (photo opposite). The Germans relentlessly seized all bedding, including that of the old people, some of whom died of cold from sleeping on bare stone floors. Neither sickness nor old age could soften them, and when at last Lille was relieved, very few houses contained any bedding. Famine The town now began to be threatened with =famine=. Since 1914, bread had only contained one-third of wheat flour. At the request of the Military Authorities, the Mayor sent an =urgent appeal= to Switzerland for help, to save the women and children from starving, and cited the case of Strasburg generously revictualled by her in 1870. In March, 1915, a _Commission of Swiss Officers_ visited Lille, but was unable to conclude arrangements. On April 19th, after lengthy negotiations, the _Comité National Belge_, under the patronage of the _Ambassadors of the United States and Spain_, obtained permission to revictual the famine-threatened town. In the meantime, recourse was had to various expedients to eke out the stocks of food. In December, wheat flour was mixed with rye, Indian corn and rice. In April, potatoes were added. On the 11th, bread cards were inaugurated, fixing the daily ration per head at 9 oz. The inhabitants were divided into two classes, the ration being distributed every other day. [Illustration] The gold, silver and copper coinage disappeared, and was replaced by cardboard pennies and paper "bons" (photos above and below). [Illustration] [Illustration: THE KAISER AND THE KING OF BAVARIA IN FRONT OF THE RUINS IN THE RUE DE TOURNAI (PLACE DE LA GARE).] THE REIGN OF TERROR =Prohibitory Decrees= followed in quick succession, in an endeavour to terrorize the people, who were forbidden to possess arms, approach the prisoners, import Belgian tobacco, or sell their wares in the streets, breaches being punished often with vindictive severity. Two of the first =victims= were the Prefect _(M. Trépont)_ and his secretary _(M. Borromée)_, the former accused of treason, the latter of stirring up revolt against the German Authorities. Their "crime" was that, on August 24th, in conformity with their duty, they had mobilized the French citizens, within sight of the enemy. They were roughly handled at the time by the German soldiers, and would probably have been shot, but for the intervention of one of the University professors _(M. Piquet)_, who, acting as interpreter, managed to smooth matters over. After being closely watched and spied on, they were =arrested= on February 17th, 1915. M. Borromée was tried by Court-Martial on March 13th, and sent to =prison= at Alrath. Nine months later (December 27th, 1915), his release was obtained through diplomatic representations. The Prefect was sent as =hostage= first to Rastatt, then to Cellaschloss in Hanover, and his liberation was only obtained on January 17th, 1916.