The Times Paris correspondent, writing on New Year's Day, describes
a most dramatic incident which accompanied the fall of Prince Bismarck. The great Chancellor, aghast at finding the young Emperor determined to accept his resigna- tion, hurried off to the Empress Frederick and begged her to intercede with her son. He pointed out the fatal consequences which, as he fully believed, would follow on his dismissal, and especially the danger to the Empire and its head. The Empress heard him to the end, "enjoying the spectacle" thinks M, de Blowitz, more probably, as Englishmen will think, sensibly considering the whole matter, and replied: "I much regret being. quite powerless. I should have been extremely glad to intervene with my son in your favour, but you have so employed all your power in estranging his heart from me, and making his mind foreign to mine, that I can only witness your fall without being able to ward it off for is moment. When you are no longer there my son will perhaps draw nearer to me, but it will then be too late for me to help you." The Prince, utterly disconcerted, retired, and sent in his written resignation. That would be a scene for a great historic picture.
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