Comptroller, is twenty billion dollars, there is but one possible way to do it, and that is for you gentlemen to devise at once the ways and means for a cash payment in gold of five hundred million dollars and a guarantee of the balance of the five billion dollars demanded."
The General left the room. With his departure the spirit of optimism began to prevail and ultimately a committee was appointed which decided to make a counter proposal of one billion, with a cash payment of fifty millions in gold. Meanwhile the Federal Government gave orders that no military demonstration should be made for the next twenty-four hours.
This proposal was handed to Captain Dornfeld, who promptly returned to the flagship.
The afternoon and evening wore away; but no answer came from the German
