KERN, Minister of the Sums Confederation to Count Bismarck-Schönhausen , Chancellor of the North German Confederation, Versailles, January 13, 1871

A 377.

Count: For several days large numbers of shells, from the localities occupied by the besieging troops, have fallen in the interior of the city of Paris. Women, children, and invalids have been struck. Among the victims, several belong to neutral states. The lives and property of persons of every nationality established at Paris are constantly jeopardized.

These facts have occurred without any previous notice having been given to the undersigned, (most of whom have, at the present time, no mission save that of watching over the safety and interests of their countrymen,) to enable them to warn their countrymen of the dangers with which they are threatened, and from which motives of vis major, particularly the difficulties placed in the way of their departure by the belligerents, have prevented them from escaping.

In the face of events of so grave a nature, the members of the diplomatic corps at at Paris, who have been joined by the undersigned members of the consular corps, in their respective embassies and legations, have thought necessary, in view of their responsibility to their governments, and with a keen sense of the duties incumbent upon them toward their countrymen, to come to an understanding in relation to the determination to be adopted.

These deliberations have led the undersigned to the unanimous resolution of asking that, in accordance with the recognized usages and principles of international law, measures may be taken to permit their countrymen to retire to a place of safety with their property.

Confidently expressing the hope that your excellency will be pleased to intervene near the military authorities for the furtherance of their request, the undersigned avail themselves of this occasion to beg you to accept the assurances of their very high consideration.