The King of Prussia held a great official reception at
Versailles on New Year's Day, and told the Princes and officers present that "they had not yet reached the goal, important tasks being still before them, before they arrived at an honourable and a lasting peace." He repeated the same desire for peace—which he could have to-morrow, if he did not want territory too—at the banquet in the afternoon, and was answered by the Grand Duke of Baden, in a speech affirming that the German Empire dated from that day, although "Your Majesty desires only to accept the Imperial Crown when it can embrace and protect all the members of the Empire," a remark which may possibly refer to Bavaria, but would seem rather to point to Alsace and Lorraine. " As King Frederick William IV. said twenty-one years ago, an Imperial Crown can be won only on the battle-field," and now that the remark bad been so signally fulfilled, he gave the toast "Long liye his Majesty, William the Victorious !" King William, therefore, is not to be Emperor until the peace.
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