THE ARMISTICE.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 372, 20 March 1871, Page 2

THE ARMISTICE.

PULL TEXT OP THE AG-REEMENT BETWEEN BISMARCK AND PAYEE. Berlin, February 2.—The following is the text of the conversation between Bismarck and Far re : Count Yon Bismarck, Chancellor in the name of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, and Jules Favre, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Government of National Defence of France are furnished with regular power to determine the following arrangements : Article 1. A general armistice over all the line of military operations in the course of execution between the German and French armies, shall be given in Paris this very day, and in the Departments within the term of three days. The duration of the armistice shall be twenty-one days, dating from to-day, and,excepfing it be renewed, will be terminable everywhere on the 19th of February at noon. The belligerent armies shall preserve their respective positions, which shall be separated by si line of demarcation. This line shall commence at Ponterzuie on | the east in the Department of Calvades, aad shall be continued on Lugucrres, in the northeast of the department of Mayenne, passing between Brion and Frontal. Touching the Department of the Mayenne at Luguerres, it will follow the limits which separate that Department from the Department of Arne and Sarthe to the north of Morrannes, will be continued in such a way as to leave the Germans in occupation of the Departments of Sarthe, Inde-et-Loir, Loir-et-Chere, and Yonue, as far as the point where the Department of Cote DOr, Nivre, and Yonne touch each other. Thou setting out from this point', the tracing of the line will be reserved for the understanding which will take place as soon a3 the contracting parties are informed of the actual situation of Military operations now being executed in the Departments of Cote dOr, Doubs, and Jura. In any ease, the line will pas 3 through the territory comprised in these three departments, thus leaving the Germans in occupation of the Departments situated to the north, and the French army of those situated to the south of this territory ; also, the departments of the north and Hus-de-Calais. The fortresses of Givet and Langres have the right of maintaining their authority in the territory which each occupies, and of employing the means which the commanders may judge necessary to attain that end. The armistice applies equally to the naval forces of Ihe countries. Adopting the meridian of Dunkirk as the line of demarcation to west of which the French fleet will remain, and cast of which, so soon as they can be warned, the German ships of war shall retire, and to a distance of ten kilometres from such territory us may surround them; and the ■ peninsula of Havre from the line drawn from Ettrctat in tho direction of St. Germain outside the limits of German occupation. The belligerent armies and their advanced posts will remain at a distance of at least ten ; kilometres from tho lines drawn. The separate position of each of the two armies will be reserved to itself. In Western writers, captures which may be made after the conclusion and before the notification of tho armistice wi'l be restored, as well as the prisoners taken in the interval indicated. Military operations in the territory composing the Departments of Doubs, Jura, and Cote dOr, as well as the siege of Belfort, will continue, independent of the armistice, until an agreement is arrived at regarding the line of demarcation, the tracing of which through the three departments mentioned is reserved for ulterior understanding. Article 2. The armistice tlms agreed upon, has for its object to permit the Government for the National Defence to convoke an Assembly, freely elected, to decide whether war will be continued or not. No matter what conditions of peace may be made by the Assembly to meet at Bordeaux, every facility will bo given by the commanders of the German armies for the election and the meeting of the Deputies who will compose the Assembly. By Article 3, there will be immediately surrendered to the German army, by the French military authorities, all tho forts forming the perimeter and exterior defence of Paris, as well as the material of war. The communes and houses situated outside of thut perimeter or between the forts, may be occupied by the German troops as far as the line drawn by tho Military Commissioners. The ground between this : lino and the fortified Enceinte of the city of Paris, will be interdicted to tha armed forces on the two sides. The manner of surrendering the forts by the drawing of the line already mentioned, will form the object of a protocol, to be annexed to the present convention. Article 4. During the armistice the German army will not enter the city of Paris. Article 4. The Enciente will be stripped of its guns and carriages, which will be transported to the forts designated for their roception by the Commissioner of the G-erman army. Article 6. Tho garrison of tho forts and the regiments of the line, the Mobiles and the marines at Paris, are to bo prisoners of war, excepting a division of 12,000 men, which will be under tho military authority of Paris to preserve order inside tho city. The troops who are prisoners of war will lay down their arms, which will be collected at the places designated, and to be given up according to an arrangement made by the commissioners in the usual manner. These troops will remain in the city, and will not bo allowed to pass the Enceinte during the armistice. The French authorities bind themselves to take care of every individual belonging to the army. Tho Mobile Guard shall remain in tho interior of the town. The officers of the captive troops arc to bo designated in a list, which is to be delivered to the German authorities. At the expiration of the armistice all combatants belonging to the araiy confined within the walls of Paris shall constitute themselves prisoners of war to the Gorman army, if before peace is not concluded. The officers made prisoners shall retain their side arms. Article 7. Tho National G-uard shall retain their arms, and bo charged with the protection of Paris and maintaining order. Tho same will be tue case with the Gendarmerie assimilated with the troops and employed on the municipal service—such as the the Republican Guard, Oouaniers, Pompiers, and the whole of this category, not exceeding 3,500 men. All the corps of the Franctireurs will be dissolved by an ordinance of the French G/oveiTunent,

Article 8. Immediately on the signature of these presents, and before taking possession of the forts, the Commander-in-Chief of the G-er-man armies will give every facility to Commissioners of the French Government to send, whether into the Departments or abroad, to fake steps for revictualling, and to bring into the city commodities destined for it. Article 9. After the surrender of the forts and the disarmament of the Enciente and the garrison stipulated in Articles 5 and 6, the revictualling of Paris will be effected fairly by transit, by railways and rivers, of provisions intended for revictualment, now drawn from districts occupied by German troops. The French Government engages itself to obtain provisions outside of the line of demarcation which surrounds the position of the German armies, except in case authorization to the contrary effect is given by the commander of latter. Article 10. Every person wishing to quit the city of Paris must be furnished with regular permits, delivered by the French military authorities, and submitted to the inspection of tho German authorities. Free passes will be grantei, as a right of their position, to candidates, provincial deputations, and Deputies to the Assembly. This free movement to persons who have received the authorisation indicated will be permitted only between 6 in the morning and 6 in the evening. Article 12. The City of Paris will pay a municipal contribution of war amounting to 200,000,000 francs; the payment must be effected before the fifteenth day of the armistice. The mode of payment will be determined by a mixed French and German co.nmission. Article 12. During the armistice, nothing shall be taken away of public articles of value which may servo as a pledge for the recovery of the war contribution. Article 13. The transport info Paris of nrms munition and articles entering into their manufacture, are forbidden by the terms of the armistice. Article 14. Immediate steps will be taken to exchange all prisoners of war made by the French since the commencement of the war. For this end the French authorities will hand as promptly as possible, a list of the German prisoners of war to the German military authorities at Amiens, Le Mans, Orleans, and "Vetour. The liberation of German prisoners of war wiil be effected at the points nearest the frontier. The G-erman authorities will deliver in exchange at the same points, in the quickest possible time, a like number of French prisoners of war, and of corresponding grades, to the French military authorities. The exchange of civil prisoners, such as Captains of ships of the German merchant service, and the Navy, and of French civilians who may be retained in Germany. Article 15. A postal service, with letteis unsealed, will be organized between Paris and the departments through the medium of the headquarters at Versailles. In the faith of which the undersigned have appended to the present convention their signatures. Sealed and done at Versrlles the 28th day of January, 1871. (Signed) - Bismauck, F-AVKE.