10 JUNE 1871, Page 1

A curious story has obtained much credence at Versailles. Rochefort,

it is said, is in possession of a telegram from the Emperor of Russia to the Government of the National Defence, written just after Sedan, in which the Czar promises his good offices towards a treaty of peace, and declares that Germany will accept Strasburg, Metz, and /32,000,000. Rochefort threatens if he is tried to produce this, and it is said that M. Thiers is afraid of it, but we do not quite see why. The terms were much more moderate than those ultimately obtained, but they were far beyond any Jules Elyse could concede while the Revolutionary power remained untried. The Republic would have been lost for ever if without a blow it surrendered fortresses neither of which were taken and one of which could not be taken, and at the time contained a gar- rison of 200,000 men. We presume the real fear of M. Thiers, if he entertains any, is lest the country should imagine that he could by holding out have obtained better terms from Bismarck.