The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-16 00:00:00

had steadfastly refused to
despatch was, however, it
accompanied by • confident
tion from Prince GORTCHAXOPP, explaining
to M. DS BISMARCK the motives and objects which
dictated it. The English Government, the Bingen
Minister says, had repeatedly urged Russia to
declare openly against the policy of the German
Powers, and in favour of maintaining the integrity
of Denmark. Lord Yuma, he continues, had
recently renewed the proposal, intimating at the
same time that England was prepared to draw the
sword, and that the only means of a pacific
settlement would be found in community
of action in favour of Denmark between
Russia and the Western Powers. The Russian
Minister intimates that while declining this
proposal, he deemed it prudent to write a despatch
apparently sympathising with its spirit, in order
to paralyse the warlike tendencies of England ;
he also observes that he had purposely inserted •
passage about the determined hostility of Russia to
the formation of a Scandinavian state as a hint to
France ; the French Government being, in his
judgment, more disposed to favour the project of
a union between the Northern States.

Tbit

The third and last step in the formation of
this revived Holy Alliance, which appears to
have been taken towards the end of March, is on
the Russian side closely connected with this last
project. M. Ds BISMARCK, uncertain of the future,
has, itseems, resolved tooonsolidate the new alliance
on the strongest basis before going further, and
General Mammurms. was accordingly despatched
to the Courts of St. Petersburg and Vienna for this
purpose. To Russia he offered the support of the
German Powers against Poland, and to
Austria a compact with Prussia against
Italy. As the result, the German Powers
agreed to conclude an offensive and defensive
alliance with Russia the moment Sweden inter-
vened in the conflict, and in such case Germany
would unite in support of Russia against Sweden.
By this agreement Russia effectually secured
her interests in the Baltic. Russia had no objeo-
tion to the weakening of Denmark by the separa-
tion of the Duchies, because this would only leave
the Danish State weaker, and thus more dependent
on the friendship of the Northern Courts. But
she has the strongest interest in resisting the
formation of a powerful Scandinavian kingdom,
as this would effectually curb her designs in the
Baltic, and raise a new obstacle to her coveted
dominion of the Sound. So bent is she upon
opposing this scheme, that she has offered
to support "by all means " the separation of the
Duchies from Denmark and their union with Ger-
many, on condition that the German Powers unite
with her in preventing the aggrandisement of
Sweden.

These are some of the results which the confi-
dential intercourse between the Northern Cabinets
appears to have produced. If the intimate under-
standing which the documents we have referred to
reveal does actually exist, it is moat important, not
only to this country but to Europe at large, that
it should be known. The presence and action of
Russia in the Conference would, under such cir-
cumstances, be the most mischievous form of
diplomatic duplicity. Professing to take her seat u
a neutral and a mediating Power, she would, of
course, occupy not only a false but a treacherous
position, and prove a fatal hindrance in the way of
any really equitable and conciliatory proposal.
The serious doubts thus thrown on her position
ought to be settled without delay.