A translation of this despatch was printed, with some minor inaccuracies, in the New York _Tribune_, Feb.

5, 1863, and of Mercier's report, April 28, on his return from Richmond, on Feb.
9, under the caption "The Yellow Book." It is interesting that the concluding paragraphs of this report of April 28, as printed in the _Tribune_, are not given in the printed volume of _Documents Diplomatiques_, 1862.

These refer to difficulties about cotton and to certain pledges given by Seward as to cessation of illegal interferences with French vessels.

How the _Tribune_ secured these paragraphs, if authentic, is not clear.

The whole purpose of the publication was an attack by Horace Greeley, editor, on Seward in an effort to cause his removal from the Cabinet.