The Pastor Mr. S. Descombaz, President of the Evangelical Alliznce of Lyons to Granville Leveson-Gower, August 26, 1870

Lord Lyons to Earl Granville

My Lord: In my previous dispatch of to-day I have transmitted an extract from the Journal Officiel, containing an order of the governor of Paris. This document recites a decree of 1811, which authorizes the governor of places threatened by the enemy to send away all “useless mouths,” and refers to other enactments of a similar kind; and it orders the immediate expulsion from Paris of persons without means of subsistence, whose presence may be considered dangerous.

The order is already in course of execution, and has already been applied to several English subjects.

The result of this, and of still more stringent measures which are likely to be adopted, will create great distress among numerous British subjects, and place those who have not the means of paying their passage to England in a very awkward, not to say very dangerous, situation. Under the circumstances, I might perhaps take upon myself to direct the consul to provide for the conveyance of these persons to England, under the circular of the 1st of April last. But as the cases are likely to be extremely numerous, I think it right to direct your lordship’s attention to the subject without delay.

Probably the most practical way of insuring economy and a satisfactory investigation of the cases of British subjects requiring assistance to go to England under present circumstances, would be to confide to the committee of the charitable fund the management of a sum granted for the purpose.

I have, &c.,