Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/107

 public opinion, to found a firm dynasty in Mexico, was it not wrong in having paid to its ally only forty millions out of two enormous loans—loans by which it had realised, through its own receivers-general, the sum of five hundred millions lent by imprudent subscribers who had been allured and then deceived? Was it not from the very outset a mere ushering into the world a still-born kingdom? Our minister of foreign affairs was kept too well informed, by the reports emanating from our head-quarters, to be able to deceive himself as to the real situation of Mexico. Yet, with a policy full of inconsistency, the cabinet of the Tuileries allowed its work to crumble away from the first beginning, by refusing to it the resources which were indispensable. At the end of 1865, the Mexican treasury was getting very low, and the bad financial administration stimulated an increase of the deficit, which, however, could never have been made up by the strictest control; for the receipts, even if they had been regularly collected, would not have exceeded ninety millions of francs, whilst, without noticing the sinking fund, the expenses swallowed up one hundred and fifty millions at least. Never, however, was the want of money more stringently manifested.

Certain military positions on the shores of the Pacific were no longer tenable. Among other places, the climate of Acapulco had exercised so deadly an influence on the French force who defended this port that the commandant, D'Assas, was compelled to propose the formation of a battalion recruited on the coast of Tehuantepec among the natives, who were accustomed to the tropical sky. Further away, Parras justly demanded reinforcements; for this industrious place had given an example, alas too rare, of energy and self-sacrifice which, if it had been generally