Peace talks aimed at ending the German-Danish War opened in London's Downing Street with Earl Russell as chief mediator. A cease fire was arranged but the intransigent Danish position eventually doomed the Conference to failure and it broke up on June 25, 1864, with hostilities resuming the next day. The Danes could not hold out against the superior German Federation, however, and were forced to sue again for peace later in the summer. (By John Osborne)