The Pastor Mr. S. Descombaz, President of the Evangelical Alliznce of Lyons to Granville Leveson-Gower, December 27, 1870
Lord Lyons to Earl Granville
My Lord: I have the honor to submit to your lordship a copy of a letter, dated Paris, November 23, and signed “Pollock,” which reached me the day before yesterday. I know nothing of the writer.
The object of the letter is to call attention to the oases of the large number of British subjects who are still in Paris, and who are now desirous of getting away.
Major General Claremont will, no doubt, have been able to give your lordship full information as to the prospect there may be of enabling these British subjects to quit Paris. So far as my knowledge of the matter goes, I have reason to believe that the obstacles are now caused by the French as much as by the German authorities, and that, in fact, the removal of any considerable number of persons from Paris under flag of truce is necessarily attended by circumstances seriously embarrassing the operations of the beseiged garrison.
Your lordship is well aware of the urgency with which I pressed British subjects to leave Paris before I came away myself, and of the distinct notice I gave that those who remained after the warnings they had received would do so at their own risk and peril, and might not be able to get away afterward. Still I venture to recommend the matter to your lordship’s attention, and to suggest in particular that an opportunity of leaving the place should certainly be given to neutrals, if there be any immediate danger of its being bombarded.
I have, &c.,
Mr. Pollock to Lord Lyons
My Lord: I have the honor to recall to your excellency’s attention that there still remain here about one hundred of Her Majesty’s subjects very unwilling prisoners, and to earnestly solicit an early intercession on their behalf.
My personal dread of having to spend Christmas (usually a season of happy family reunion) in this desolate city, decides me to write also to influential friends in the House to lay our unfortunate case before Lord Granville.
Trusting that your lordship’s firm representation will suffice to change the present capricious decision of the authorities,
I have, &c.,