The French people can perform wonders when they thoroughly trust their rulers.

The inexhaustible wealth inherent in their soil, the thrift of the peasantry, and the self-sacrificing ardour shown by the nation when nerved by a high ideal, constituted an asset of unsuspected strength in face of the staggering blows dealt to French wealth and credit.

The losses caused by the war, the Commune, and the cession of the eastern districts, involved losses that have been reckoned at more than L614,000,000.

Apart from the 1,597,000 inhabitants transferred to German rule, the loss of population due to the war and the civil strifes has been put as high as 491,000 souls[66].
[Footnote 65: They included the right to hold four more Departments until the third half milliard (L20,000,000, that is, L60,000,000 in all) had been paid.

A commercial treaty on favourable terms, those of the "most favoured nation," was arranged, as also an exchange of frontier strips near Luxemburg and Belfort.