The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-25 00:00:00

PRUSSIA AND SWITZERLAND.

FRANKFORT, Dec. 23.
Prussia has demanded a passage for its troops for
the 15th of February next.

BERLIN, DEC. 23.
The Kreuz Zeitung: affirms that an amnesty after

will not satisfy Prussia.

It is stated in the Nord of Brussels, that Genera!
Dufour has refused to take the command of the bwisa
army, and the inference drawn is that he disap-
proves of the conduct or the Federal Council, and
i. using his influence to induce Switzerland to give
way to France. But a correspondence of later date
in the Prase of Paris says, on the contrary, that
General Dufour having been sent for by the Federal
Council, to give them the benefit of hie opinion, said
that Switzerland was perfectly able to defend herself,
and that he should be proud to command troops,
which, united with ardent patriotism, possessed all
the qualities of good soldiers.

Mom ♦ SPECIAL

BERLIN, Dec. 22.

The Prussian government has issued order, to all
military officiala to hold themselves ready for
mobilisation. the definite order for which they may
expect to receive immediately after the commence-
ment of the new year. Within a fortnight alter the
publication of the definite order the troops most all
be cn the march. Each of the eight provinces is to
contribute a division with its lull contingent of
landwehr, 16,000 strong; making, together with a
division of the guards, a total of 144,000 men to
be sent to the south as a demonstration against
Switz-rland. They will probably first be thrown into
the Prussian Principality of Hohenzollern, hard on

Swiss confines, Whither the Prussian government
has an Beappert-Strasse, or military right of way,
through the intervening German States. It is highly
probable that one of the King's chief motives for the
acquisition of Hohenzollern was the advantage of
such an advanced post and tree passage to the south
when the time for recovering Neufchatel should
come.

It may well be imagined that the prospect of a war,
or even potions demonstration, for such an object as the

titular sovereignty over a small and distait Canton
in Switzerland, excites unequivocal dissatisfaction
among all classes of the Prussian people. The de-
puties who at the opening of the session, in a moment
of loyal effusion, cheered the appeal in the King's
speech to their courageous patriotism, little thought
that the empty compliment of their acclamation
would be construed as a national acquiescence in plans
of serious warfare. The country has for several years
been suffering under bad h is and high prices,
and has only now begun to breathe more freely under
the return of comparative abundance ; it had with
difficulty just begun to get over the monetary crisis
eased by last summer's over-speculation; it has
had to bear, in recent times, no inconsider-
able increase of taxation ; and, above all,
it is just recovering from the anxiety caused by
its equivocal position during the Oriental war. Its
hope of secured peace and returning prosperity is
now again crushed in the bud. To the evils of
an impending conflict it is not blinded by any ex-
, citement of passion. The Prussian people hss no
animosity whatever against the Swiss, nor will it be
easy to excite any. There is, no doubt, a strong
personal feeling of offended dignity on the part of
the King, and kings do not forget affronts ; but
Neufchatel's secession took place during the
year of general revolution, when sovereigns
had to put up with worse things than the
disaffection of a remote and inconsiderable depen-
dency ; and that Neufchatel was one of the few points
over which the subsequent reactionary movement bad
not re-established its sway was naturally a matter of
perfect indifference to the Prussian people in general.
To pretend that Neufchatel's refractoriness compro-
miles the military and political position of the Prue.
sian nation is as absurd as to say that Prussia's
authority is lowered by the refractoriness of
any Prussian political fugitive in Switzerland
who has thrown off his allegiance, and equally
disregards the summonses and the Sentences
lof Prussian tribunals. There is no question that the
force of Prussia could coerce to obedience the canton
as easily as the individual, if it got bold of either ; but
the nation feels that its dignity must be more injured
by efforts disproportionate to the object than by justly
disregarding an occurrence in which no national in-
terest whatever is involved.
It is generally hoped that matters will not go
further than a military demonstration—which, how-
ever will cost a considerable sum ; nevertheless the
publi c mind here is uneasy enough. When once an
armed force is set in motion, there is no saying how
far it will go ; for, unfortunately, it is but imperfectly
objected to the control of reason and justice.

The Austrian Gazette contains a letter from Ber-
lin, which says that in consequence of the expense
of the military preparations of Prussia against
Neufchatel, it is probable that the Prussian Chamber
will not vote the sums necessary for the fortification
of Berlin, projected by the government.
In the Second Chamber of the Prussian Diet, on
the 19th, some important communications from the
government were expected, but none were made.
The Chamber, on rising, adjourned for the Christmas
holidays to the sth January.
As tor Switzerland, besides the measures we have
already announced, it is stated in La Presse that the
Federal Council, in an extraordinary sitting held on
Sunday, the 21st of December, decided on ca►ling out
immediately the staffs of tour new divisions the
second, commander-in-chief F. Veillou ; the fourth,
commander-in-chief Katz; the sixth, commander-iu-
chief Egloff; the eighth, commander-in-chief Zoo-
meoli. Each staff is immediately to repair to its own
head-quarters, and there await the orders that may
subsequently be issued.
The head-quarters of the third and fifth divisions
already called out are—the former at Lientall, the
capital of the canton of Basle, and the latter at
Frauenfeld, the capital of Thurgovia.
The greatest emulation prevails amongst all the
cantons in the exertions which they make to
comply with the requirements of the circular
issued by the federal government with regard to the
completion of the equipments and numbers.of the
troops. The government of Argovia has granted an
extraordinary credit to the board of military admi-
nistration. The canton of Berne has allowed 150,000
francs for the purchase of greatcoats for the soldiers.
The federal board of military administration made
some weeks ago a contract with an Alsatian house
for the delivery of 20,000 rations of bread. It is
evident that Switzerland will not be caught unpro•
Tided. At Zurich, 130 students of the University
and the Federal Polytechnic School have petitioned
as a favour that they may be organised into an aca-
demic legion.

TURKEY.

(MON AN OCCASIONAL CONASSPONDIINT.)
CONSTANII:COI'LE, Dec. 11

Slifer Pacha has cent here from Circuits his dor.
fidential agent, Ahmed Aga, to give information to
his friends about the twelve provincee which have 000
more elected him for theirgovernor. They are inhabited
by 126,140 tribute-paying families. Twelve persons ate
reckoned, on the average, to each family. The popu-
lation is divided into four classes, aocording to the
wealth of each family. Those of the first class pay
13 moneta (one of which coin is equal to a Rubio
rouble); the second-class pay 10 monets, the
third-class pay five, and the fourth class pa).
three. The contributions of horses and rd.
visions for the government service are levied
in the same proportions. Every family
it
bound to supply one soldier for the defence of the
State; but in case of great need as many as font
soldiers are to be supplied from each family.
Ahmed Aga relates the affair of Soujouk•Elskh
to
the following manner :—Five thousand Eustis:
troops, under the command of General Philipsod.
arrived at Soujouk-Kaleh for the purpose of recoil.
noitring the country, and also making an eximins-
tion previous to a plan for rebuilding the ruined
fortifications being drawn up. The Ruvsi,n troop
got into Soujouk-Kaleh without any fighting. licr"