The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-04 00:00:00

services would be required elsewhere in case of
Some little time since, on some deputy

war.

asking in the Chamber whether we were on the eve
of war, La Marmora replied, " If we were, I should

not be here."

The difficult position of Austria between Prus-
sia and Italy is very strongly illustrated by
Prussia's last demand in connexion with the pro-
posed simultaneous disarmament. "We will both
disarm, yes ;!but mind," says Prussia, "you are to
disarm altogether, in Venetia as well as in Ger-
many, otherwise your armaments there pushed to
any extent on the plea of menace from Italy may
be an effectual menace to us." And how is Austria
to replyto this? It is to be remembered, also, that
without necessarily supposing any formal alliance
between',Prussia and Italy, quarrel between Austria
and Italy may be Prussia's opportunity, as well as
quarrel between Austria and Prussia Italy's oppor
tunity. _ _

Another report is, that two proposals have been
made to Garibaldi—the first, a full general's com-
mission in the regular army, with a large part in
the conduct of the war ; or permission to enrol a
body of volunteers, and to operate within certain
understood limits independently. It is added that,
as might be supposed, the military hermit of
Caprcra has chosen the latter alternative.
Upon the whole, I think that Italy means to fight.
Of course, if she does, she will do so with the good
wishes of all in Europe whose good wishes are best
worth having. But what as to their opinion of her
prudence T I think that it is rash to pronounce an
unfavourable opinion on this point so readily as
some, who are undeniably Italy's well-wishers, are
inclined to do. If it is necessary to be in the inmost
secrets of this cabinet to know with any degree of
authority whether war is intended or not, it would
be necessary to know the moat jealously concealed
intention of several cabinets to judge this question
aright.

Alas, for the blind obstinacy of Austria! What
a card she might have played, nay, might play even '
yet, if she could read the times aright, rise to the
courage to do what is right and wise, undeterred by
the coward's fear of being thought to be afraid,
and frankly made Italy her friend and surest ally.
I wrote to you the other day an indignant denial
of the rumour that Italy was prepared to cede, or
had contemplated the possibility of negotiating on
the base of consenting to cede, to France either Sar-
dinia or any portion of the Ligurian coast as the
price of her assistance in the matter of Venice.
And I am well assured that I accurately expressed
the sentiments of the existing Italian cabinet. But
I have reason to think that it maybe possible that a
former cabinet, in which a statesman no longer
holding office held a prominent place, made some
sort of admission to the French Emperor that, in
case, by his assistance, Venice should be secured
.to Italy, some rectification of frontier might rea-
sonably be expected by France. I believe that,
if any such admission were made, it was
at the same time explained to the French
government that it was wholly out of the question
to talk of Sardinia, or any part of the Ligurian
coast, but that something might perhaps be done—
one of those vaguepromisesof "doing something for
you if we can," with which men try to rid themselves