§ EARL RUSSELLMy Lords, a short time ago I had the honour to inform your Lordships that in all probability in a few days I should have to announce to you that the Conference had agreed to the bases preliminary to a peace; or, upon the other hand, that the object of the negotiations had failed, and that war would be renewed on the termination of an armistice. My Lords, I am sorry to say that the latter alternative appears to be most likely. On Monday next I shall lay upon your Lordships' table, by command of Her Majesty, the Protocols of the Conference, and in so doing I shall state what has been the general course of the negotiations.