The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-20 00:00:00

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BRITANNIA.

TEN MEMO, GUNPOWDER TOE; 0s THE GIPSY
AND HER SAMOA SON.—Mr. W. G. Row The
Victorian. And THE CASTAWAY; OH, THE
iiiiriOßN HUSBAND.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDOZ.
TIM DAT --Wornlng, IS. 19m..--Attarowoot, 10b.D& $
TO.MODzow—Morning, 111%. Allersots, Ob. Os.

LONDON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER SO.

Tin Great Powers have now successively
made known in various ways the manner in which
they regard the consequences of the battle of
&dews. Prussia, by the mouth of the Sovereign
and his Minister, has declared that that victo.y
must result in the unity of Germany. The plan
whieh it is proposed immediately to execute
realises that union only in an incomplete form,
and Count Maluku:a has accordingly declared that
the Enrols Government will pursue its work to
the end as opportunity offers. The Emperor of
the False!' has signified in the most public
manner his acquiescence in the results of
Prussian policy and valour. Lastly, the Ens-
perm of RUSSIA, without entering into those
questions of nationality and unity which figure
so largely in the Prussian and French w vi-
festoes,declares that since the settlement of Europe
made in 1815 has been completely overturned by
the sword, he will hold himself free to act in
future as his interests dictate, and consider only
what is good for his empire in the crises which
may be expected to arise. There is one Power.
howeve to which all eyes have been turned of
late, that remains silent amidst all these demon-
strations. Austria makes no sign. Nearly two
months have elapsed since the date of the great
battle that was destined entirely to change the
position and prospects of the Empire, but the
course on which the Austrian Government intends
to enter is still uncertain and obscure. After
the battle of Solferino the same Government
acted with promptitude and decision. Seeing its
supremacy in Italy overthrown, it rapidly, though
mournfully, conformed its conduct to its new po-
sition, and took measures to recover, in the confi-
dence of the people, an equivalent for the
loss it had sustained in the diminution of its tehi-
tory and the eclipse of its military renown. An
Imperial manifesto was issued to explain the peace ;
new advisers were called to the Exrsnoa'a councils,
old disabilities affecting Protestant and non-
Catholic subjects of the monarchy were abolished,
national reforms were promised, and as a guarantee
of all, the Reicharath was convoked. If these
measures did not realise all the advantages to the
Empire that had been expected from them, they
at least showed that the Government understood
its situation, and the direction in which health
and safety were to be sought. Now, however,
nothing distinct is said, nothing effectual done.
Prussia is consolidating her acquisitions, and pre-
paring for the next crisis ; and Eustis is looking
out to learn by whose dissatisfaction she can
profit ; but Austria is still hesitating and unde-
cided.

It is easy enough to perceive the causes of this in-
action, and only too easy to predict the inevitable
result of its continuance. The task before the
EMPEROR is ono from which the ablest and most
patriotic of his advisers might recoil with doubt
and distrust. The monarchy has to be constructed
anew from its very foundations. The thread
of its historical life has been cut off, and its ancient
traditions, no longer applicable, lie heavy on its
hands like so much lumber. CAVOUR had not so
difficult a problem before him in 1856 as that
which the statesmen of Austria are now called to
solve ; for the great Italian Minister could see the
materials of a magnificent homogeneous State lying
around him ready to his hand, and had onlyto over-
come the obstacles which prevented their union.
The Austrian statesman of to-day has no such ad-
vantage. He has to do with a number of heteroge-
neous populations, each disposed in the best of
times to think more of its own claims than of
those of the State, and all now inclined to despair
of the fortunes of the Empire. The defeat of
the army, which, more than any other institution,
represented the union and concentrated the force
of the Empire, has diffused discouragement through-.
out every Austrian kingdom and province. The
public finances are in a state of indescribable con-
fusion and embarrassment, for the war, although
short, has been costly beyond precedent, be-
cause conducted without provident foresight ;
while the heavy looses that have fallen on the
provinces invaded and occupied by Prussia must
have impaired their ability to aid the public
treasury.
It may seem strange that under these circum-
stances the Government does not at once convoke
the representatives of the nation, and make an
appeal to the public spirit and patriotism of the
people. But of what people ? Unhappily there,
is no Austrian people, though many peoples.
There is no bond of common sentiment effec-
tively uniting all the populations of the Empire,
and disposing them willingly to make sacri-
fices for the common interest. The Hungarians
are the most constitutional people of the monarchy,
and would be quite ready to rally to the EMPEROR
on terms which would make them, as Count BIS-
MARCK proposed, the dominant race of the Empire.
The Germans have a more sincere and disinterested
attachment to the Imperial House, but the EM-
PEROR has sorely tried their patriotic endurance
by signing a treaty which cuts them off from
Germany, and the more intelligent of them do
not regard their present political relations as
permanent. Thus nothing has yet been done to
stimulate the public spirit, or develop the force
of the country. A month ago it was said
that an arrangement was on the point of being
concluded with Hungary, for which kingdom a
Liberal Ministry was to be nominated. But the
result has not answered to the expectation ; and
not only Hungary, but the whole Empire remains
in a state of political disorganization. This is
more than an Austrian, it is a European misfor-
tune, for the elements which have hitherto con-
stituted the force of Austria cannot long remain
loose and derelict without danger. The EMPEZOK
must bestir himself, or ii may happen to him to
be regarded as a " sick man," and to live to see
his neighbours arranging for the distribution of
his estate.