Correspondence respecting the Imprisonment of Mr. Worth

by the Prussians.

No. 1.

Dr. Abrath to Colonel Lindsay.-(Communicated to Earl Granville by Mr. Joyner,

Dear Sir,

November 8.)

Epernay, November 2, 1870.

MR. WORTH, who has an office as a wine-merchant at 110, Cannon Street, London; he has been for the last two months at Paris, could not come out of the city, and paid 1001. to go with a balloon to Belgium. Last week, on Thursday, he left Paris in a balloon with three Frenchmen; they came as far as Verdun, when the balloon was shot on by Prussian soldiers; one man escaped in the woods; Mr. Worth and two other Frenchmen were taken prisoners and brought yesterday night through here by a Prussian officer. One of the Frenchmen had 60,000 francs money. I had only few minutes' time to speak to Mr. Worth, because the train was starting, and gave him the cigars which I had in my pocket. Mr. Worth's opinion was that one man was on a political mission in the balloon, and he begged me to let his friends in London know about his unfortunate expedition. Very likely Mr. Worth is, by the time when the letter reaches you, at the head-quarters, and set at liberty. Will you be so kind, and let Mr. Worth's friends know about this? I remain, &c. DR. ABRATH.

(Signed)

No. 2.

Earl Granville to Colonel Walker.

Foreign Office, November 8, 1870, 6·15 P.M.

(Telegraphic.) PLEASE inquire as to the situation of Mr. Worth, who left Paris in a balloon on the 27th of October, and is believed to have been captured at Verdun, and sent to Prussian head-quarters.

No. 3.

Mr. Littlewood to Earl Granville.-(Received November 9.)

My Lord, 110, Cannon Street, London, November 8, 1870. REFERRING to the interview which took place with one of your Under-Secretaries and Mr. Alfred Batson Joyner, relative to Mr. Frederick Gonner Worth, an English gentleman carrying on business at the above address (also in Paris), who has been taken prisoner by the Prussians while attempting to escape from Paris in a balloon, and now being tried by court-martial at Versailles; may I earnestly entreat immediate intervention on his behalf by Her Majesty's Government, as I am in possession of facts which prove that Mr. Worth made application to pass out of Paris on the 22nd of October or thereabouts, and was refused by some Prussian officials? Therefore it would appear that the course adopted was justifiable.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

HENRY BUCKNALL LITTLEWOOD.

H. B. L.

P.S.-I may inform your Lordship that Mr. F. G. Worth holds a British passport.

[175]

B

No. 4.

Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths to Earl Granville.-(Received November 9.)

My Lord,

1, Lombard Street, E.C., London, November 9, 1870.

IT has been brought under our notice by Mr. Littlewood, that Mr. Frederick Gonner Worth, a British subject holding an English passport, has been taken prisoner while attempting to escape from Paris in a balloon, after having endeavoured to obtain a pass out of that city from the Prussian officials which was declined.

We hear now that he is being tried by court-martial at Versailles,

Mr. Worth is well known to us, and we entreat your Lordship to take such steps as the urgency of the case demands.

Gentlemen,

No. 5.

Mr. Otway to Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths.*

Foreign Office, November 9, 1870. I AM directed by Earl Granville to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this days' date, relative to the case of Mr. Worth, a British subject, who has been taken prisoner while attempting to escape from Paris in a balloon; and I am to inform you that the matter is already engaging the attention of Her Majesty's Government, and that his Lordship has telegraphed to make inquiries as to Mr. Worth's position.

I am, &c.

(Signed) ARTHUR OTWAY.

No. 6.

(Telegraphic.)

Earl Granville to Lord A. Loftus.

Foreign Office, November 9, 1870, 4·45 p.m. APPREHENSIONS are entertained by the friends of Mr. Worth, a British subject who left Paris in a balloon on the 27th of October, and is believed to have been captured at Verdun and sent to Prussian head-quarters at Versailles to be tried by court-martial Please make inquiries. I have telegraphed to Colonel Walker.

No. 7.

(Telegraphic.)

Colonel Walker to Earl Granville.-(Received November 10.)

Versailles, November 9, 1870.

I VISITED Mr. Worth yesterday and to-day with the permission of the Prussian authorities. He will be sent to Prussia as a prisoner of war, as will be all who leave Paris in an unauthorized manner. A letter to his mother leaves to-morrow. He is well. I have given him some assistance.

No. 8.

Mr. Odo Russell to Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths.*

Foreign Office, November 10, 1870. MR. ODO RUSSELL presents his compliments to Messrs. Smith, Payne and Smiths, and, with reference to his letter of yesterday's date, is directed by Earl Granville to state that a telegram has just been received from Colonel Walker at Versailles, dated yesterday at noon, and reporting that he had visited Mr. Worth that day and the day before by permission of the Prussian authorities. Mr. Worth was to be sent. to Prussia, like all who have left Paris in an unauthorized manner. He was well and had received some assistance from Colonel Walker. A letter to his mother leaves Versailles to-day.

*A similar letter was addressed to Mr. Littlewood.

No. 9.

(Telegraphic)

Colonel Walker to Earl Granville.-(Received November 10.)

Versailles, November 10, 1870.

I BEG you to have Mr. Worth's mother told that he is well, and in safety. She lives at 11, Sandfield Place, Lewisham,

No. 10.

Sir,

Mr. Odo Russell to Mr. Littlewood.

Foreign Office, November 10, 1870.

I AM directed by Earl Granville to inform you that since my letter of this morning, a second telegram has been received from Colonel Walker at Versailles, dated to-day, at 9 A.M., and begging that Mr. Worth's mother may be informed that he is well and in safety. Mrs. Worth is stated to reside at No. 11, Sandfield Place, Lewisham.

Lord Granville will be obliged by your making this communication, which will probably alarm Mrs. Worth less, coming through her friends, than if it were sent direct to her from this Office.

(Telegraphic.)

I am, &c.

(Signed)

ODO RUSSELL.

No. 11.

Earl Granville to Lord A. Loftus.

Foreign Office, November 10, 1870, 4 P.M.

COLONEL WALKER telegraphs that he has seen Mr. Worth, who will be sent to Prussia, like others who have escaped from Paris in an unauthorized manner.

No. 12.

Mr. Littlewood to Earl Granville.-(Received November 10.)

My Lord, 110, Cannon Street, London, November 10, 1870. I CONFIRM my letter of the 8th instant, and have now to thank you for your reply, also for your Lordship's communication as to Mr. Worth's safety, which I have just received.

I must now ask you, as Mr. Worth's representative, to demand the immediate release from custody of Mr. Frederick Gonner Worth.

I am, &c. (Signed)

HENRY BUCKNALL LITTLEWOOD.

Sir,

No. 13.

Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths to Mr. Odo Russell.--(Received November 11.) Lombard Street, November 10, 1870.

WE beg to acknowledge the receipt of your two communications relative to Mr. Worth, and request you to express to Earl Granville our sense of the prompt attention he has been good enough to accord to our letter of yesterday.

Foreign Office, November 12, 1870.

WITH reference to my telegrams to your Excellency of the 9th and 10th instant, I transmit to you herewith copies of correspondence* received from the friends of

*Nos. 1, 3, 4, 12, 15, and 16.