The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-21 00:00:00

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.

We have received the Hamburg journals of the
17th, from which we extract the following :
It appears that the King of Denmark remained at
Schleswig only two hours, and that he returned
to Flensburg after having strengthened the fortifi-
cations at I.renewerk. The Danes seem disposed to
take up their position at Schlei. The dam of Eckern-
forde, opposite Schleswig, was planted with cannon,
and the ferry had been sunk. The palace of Prince
krederick, in Holstein, had been totally destroyed.
Danish ships of war were everywhere cruising in the

east sea.
A deputation arrived on the 17th at Hamburg from
Flensburg, which had travelled under the protection
of a pass from the Danish ministry. They came with
proposals of peace, limiting the Danish demands,
which had hitherto extended from Denmark as far as
the Eider, to Denmark u far as the Schlei. The de-
putation, however, was not received either by the
Prussian Colonel Bonin or by the Provisional Govern-
ment. On the contrary, it was commanded to leave
within an hour. The deputation was, however, ver-
bally informed that there could be no question of
negotiation till all the Danish troops had quitted the
soil of Schleswig, and the Danish ships of war had
withdrawn from those seas. Although the deputation
did not bring any credentials, there can be no doubt
(says the Maven Halle)that it was sent by the Danish
leaders.
The commission appointed by the King of Den-
mark for the maintenance of order and the adminis-
tration of Schleswig, endeavours to ascertain the
sentiments of the civil officers of the different dis-
tricts, by putting seven questions ; and, according to
the answers returned, they are continued or displaced
from their post.
The Dance, so far from pressing the inhabitants of
Eckernforde, as has been asserted, to enter the Danish
fleet, or using any violence to the inhabitants, behave
with great moderation. It is true there was a threat
to bombard the city if theftag with the federal colours
was not removed within two hours, and replaced by
the Dannebrag flag. The Danes honourably paid for
everything that they required on chore.
The Duke Von Augustenburg passed through
Hamburg on-his way to Hanover, for the purpose of
hastening the approach of the Hanoverian troops.
The Prussian courier, who was cursing despatches to
the Danish comp, was detained by the Danes for
several hours on the road. He then tore up the
despatches himself, and returned without hiving
effected anything.
The Duke of Brunswick arrived at Altona on the
afternoon of the 16th, and was to set out for Rends-
burg on the 17th. The chief quarters of the }fano-
verians would be provisionally at Neumunster.
The suggestion that Schleswig should declare itself
either German or Danish, originated in the first in-
stance during the late ministerial crisis at Copenha-
gen, when it was proposed that :he votes of each parish
and districts should be taken upon the subject, and
that the boundary line should be drawn accordingly.
The letters from Copenhagen are of April 15.
An official report from Commodore Palau to the
Minister of the Marine, announces his arrival off
Eckernforde, and his demand to the city to withdraw
the troops, to hoist the Danish flag, and to innd the
burgomaster and two other members of the magi,-
tracy on board, and in case of refusal, threatened to
bombard the city. As the whole of the munic4pol
authorities and troops fled, the city was garrisoned
by the Danish marines. The report further state,
that communication is open with the Danish bat-
talions at Missuede. None of the enemy's soldiers
were to be Been. Friedricks Ort was wholly nue'
risoned, and Kiel but very weakly defended. itta
King was said to have left Flensburg for Appeals&
on the 15th.
A private letter from Flensburg, in the Berli ger
Gazette, accuses the commander-in-chief not only of
cowardly flight and had disposition of his troops
Flensburg, bat also of the malevolent purpose
ficing the German students, and of thereby awakening
greater wrath among the Germans.
The Ber linger Zeitung also says that the general
sentiments of England are in favour of Denmark.