The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-02-02 00:00:00

lonian ant] Colonial inttlligrnu.

GERMANY AND DENMARK. Tag DAIo-
GeaieAj
QUlrrios.—The Morning Herald says:—"We
have reason to believe that at the Cabinet Council held
on Monday her Majesty's Government arrived at a very
grave decision respecting the Dano-Gennan confisct.
That di °Mien has been submitted by Earl Rossetti to
her Maje•ty ; and despatches have been sent off to the
ambassadors at the Courts of Prussia and Austria,
notifying the hostile attitude that the Government of
Great Britain would be compelled to Lamaism in the
event of the Pruaai•n troops invading Schleswig! The
French Government, it is said, is upon this point in
union with the British Ministry ; and it is hoped, with
the prospect of this opposition, the Great German
Powers will not persist in provoking a war."
The Moreau? Poll says :—" The time which will be
employed by Austria and Prusaia in making prepara-
bons for the invasion of Schleswig will be turned to
account by the promoters of pease, in the formation of
such a coalition in favour of Denmark as even Austria
and Prussia combined dare not despise. In the alliance
of England, France, Russia, Sweden, and Rely lies the
mist prictieableand ancient mode of guaranteeing the
integrity of the Danish kingdom, and of preserving
undisturbed the paean of Europe. Although the
aspect of affairs in Northern Europe is undoubtedly
threatening, we must not therefore despair of a pacilc
solution."

We (Express) are informed that her Majesty's Govern-
ment have decided upon augmenting the fleet in the
Mediterranean, and that, in the event of the commence-
ment of hostilities on the Eider, the fleet will be at
onoe dispatched to the Adriatic.
The Telegraph says :—" The one Power on which
Austria and Prussia can confidently rely to rapport
their cause against unjustifiable aggression is England;
and the recalling of the Channel Fleet proves bow com-
pletely .he ia prepared for the sternest eventualities;
but both Powers ouFlit to understand that the course
they are now adopting is one exactly calculated to do
something more than to deprive them in the hour of
their need of English support and sympathy. U
Prussia and Austria disturb the peace of Europe by an
act of wilful aggreesion, the time may come speedily
when both thee. Powers will be in danger of having
the same law applied to them as they are applying to
Denmark, and when they may look in vain to England
for the aid we have never ceased to afford to those who
are oppressed unjustly."
If this be the German dream, who is to rouse the In-
tellect the conscience, or the memory, of the stupilied
nation? Not France, which stands by, silent and ex-
pectant Not the statesmen of Germany, for they are
bent upon kindling the conflagration. Not England,
because Earl Russell, never so helpless, so irresolute,
or so pusillanimous as now, is her Foreign Secretary,
while his Cabinet chief, Lord Palmerston, is snore of a
veteran than a citizen, and looks upon the hazy turbu-
lence in Northern Europe with an eye far different
from that which flashed when Otho, of Greece and of
Bavaria, affronted the flag of the modern Romans. We
impute it as a public crime to the majority in the
Frankfort Diet. and no less to the Sovereigns of Austria
and Prussia. that they are thus endeavouring to bring
about a fearful war, in whose depths of blood end ruin
they might be the first to sink; but had • powerful
Minister stood at the helm of British diplomacy Europe
might have been spared this danger, and England this
shame. . . . The German race provokes another
siege of Magdeburg, lint Lord Russell is answerable for
a second Seven Years' War. —Standard.

The Fenner says that the refusal of Austria and
Prussia to enter into negmistions with Denmark must
be avcribed to the popular impulse, which they are un-
able to withstand, and apologetically remmks that
France is not to blame if a 'pacific solution" has
proved abortive. as the Cabinet of the Tuileries calmly
accepted the first acceptable proposal that was brought
forward.

Tt' tt—KEY.—The Turkish Government Is etrengthen-
ing all the defences of the Danube. Great agitation
prevails in the Unldo-Wallachian provinces, and it is
rumoured that Turkiah troops will be concentrated on
that frontier. Keen frost and heavy falls of snow have
occurred here. The precept winter is the severest
season known in Turkey for many years. 30,000 sheep
have perished in the province of Gallipoli alone.
GREECE.—Advioes received here from Athens state
that • favourable arrangement with regard to the lonian
Islands is ezpected. Several Greek officers intend to
offer their fervid** to the Danish Government in cm o
war.

SWEDEN—The Swedish officers who had asked per.
mission to take service in Denmark have been refused
by the Government, on the ground that Sweden herself
required them. The Norwegian Minieter of War has
arrived here. The King and royal family of Sweden
have given • considerable thin of money to the funds
for the support of the families of the Danish soldier&
BELGlUM.—Belgium is still without a ministry.
The King, it is said, has addressed himself to the
Prince de Ligne, to constitute what is called • business
cabinet; that is tong, one without political character.
Combinations of this kind are usually ephemeral, and it
it generally supposed that a new election aut alone
estsblish a ministry.
POLA ND.—A Berlin telegram informs us that
General Berg has issued an order that Poland is in
future to be governed by martial law. This, we
suppose, is intended to be something more severe than
the rule that has existed during the year of butchery,
1863, and in that case the poor Poles deserve something
more than sympathy. They have already endured the
torture. of theGoeerninent hard-hearted generals, and
now they are to have mtrtial law, which, as admin-
istered by Russia, is something not usually compre-
hended in that term.

JAPAN—From Japan we learn that Satsuma still
declines to pay the indemnity demanded from him by
Admiral Kuper, except upon condition that every
foreigner quits Yokohama. "The British forces in
Japan," says the China "Ire evidently waiting
for snpport, and are not likely to withdraw from the
country until something has been done much more
decisive than the affair at Kagosima."
A lIERICA.—The American newel. rather Interesting
as regards the position of military affairs. Genera!
Longsiyeet has been reinforced from Lee and Johnstone,
and he now ha, an army of 46,000 men, of whom 12,C00
are cavalry. This places him one footing both equal
to Lee and Johnston., either for aggressive or defensive
purpose.; and from his rare soldier-like qualities we
may expect him to make good use of his troop*. He
is now at the Junction of the East Tennessee, Virginia,
and Knoxville Railroad, only twenty miles from the
latter city, and in • position favourable for resuming
the offensive. General "Joe" Johnstone has also been
reinforced, and maintains "• bold front" at Dalton and
Tunnell-hill, while the Confederate cavalry in Virginia
hen made another extensive raid on the right wing of
the Potomac army, under the command of the dashing
Stuart. General Meade has been " speechifying" at New
York, promising to recommence bostilitirn in Virginia
as soon as the weather allows. "The war," be said,
" would have to be etded by hard fighting, and he
trusted that peace would be restored by next rummer."
An " Anglo-Confederate" steamer, whatever that may
be, ham been destroyed off the South Carolina coast;
whilst the Southern newspaperereport the blowing ape(
• Union steamer in Wilmington harbour, and the
captain of twenty-four prisoners.
INGIA.—The Indian newspapers report • "cow
mercial crisis" in the money market, both at Calcutta
and Bombay—not in consequence of want of credit, but,
infra/de diet'', from too much prosperity. It has for
some time been evident that the increase of capital in
India was by no means keeping pace with the rapid
growth of its trade. While the import trade has been,
so far as merchandise is concerned, alsrioet stationary
during the past few years,the export trade has increased
nearly twenty millions in value in the one official year
ending Mae last. This Is chiefly due to the price of
cotton, which has been tripled, and in some cues has
risen fourfold. So far from paying for Indian, as has
been hitherto done in the ease of American (rotten, in
her own manufactures, England has now to pay in hard
cash, the greater portion of which reaches the rye*
who hoard it, or convert it into ornaments, and thus,
practically, for ever withdraw it from the circulation of
the world. Calcutta has been drained to help Ronbay,
and now it it in a worm condition than the sister city.
Trade is at • stand-still, the city is filled with produce
for export, and the ships lie empty in the Hooghly for
want of silver. Even the retail trade is affected. The
erisis is said to bench yet at its worst.