The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-06 00:00:00

IGENCE.

t r7AVSTRIA AND- PRUSSIA.
tirtiraillnaf of inday says :—" We do
•• as yels if Prussis las replied to the note
e Austrian Antheinador, but we are now in a
•
. anticipate the character of that reply.
The Provincial Correopondence, an official journal,
and to some extent issuing from the bureaux of
Count Von Bismarck—declares plainly that the
pacific declaration made by Count Karolyi in the
name of Austria is not sufficient, and that
the Prussian government will continue their
armaments. That even should Austria, un-
mindful of her dignity, yield on the ques-
tion of the duchies to the injunctions of
Herr von Bismarck, it would not be sufficient.
What Prussia wants and urgently desires is federal
reform, not in a democratic sense, but a reform
which would give Prussia an absolute authority
over the minor States, and assure her indisputable
supremacy in the confederation. To emphasise the
sense in which Prussia wishes to reform
the federal pact it is ,sufficient to re-
mark that the Provincial Correspondence proclaims
the urgency of this measure by basing it on the
unsatisfactory replies which the minor states
have made to the circular note of the Prussian
minister.' Prussia, therefore, not only challenges
Austria, but the entire confederation. The ques-
tion of the Elbe Duchies is but a pretext. That is
not enough for the ambition of Frederic William.
He must have more—the mediatisation of
the whole of North Germany. Such is
the new programme haughtily put forward by
Prussia. The minor states, under the
strong impression that they are menaced by Prus
sia, are arming. Wurtemburg, following the
example of Bavaria, is placing herself on a war
footing. Evidently the Prussian government would
not be so defiant if they did not feel they were
supported. The Italian alliance is not sufficient
to account for this Berlin bluster. Herr von Bis-
marck must rely on something stronger than that.
Let us hope that he reckons without his host."
The Berlin correspondent of the same journal,
writing under date of April 3, says :
There ia no longer any doubt about it—the trumpet, and
the trumpet of war is sounding. Up to the present time
Prussia, proceeding with the greatest mystery, confided her
armaments only to men whom she could trust, and who
could put the best face on the warlike preparations which
she has been making for three months. She has now un-
masked herself and announces to her valiant army, for whom
the Duppel laurels are to reflourish, that she ample nor.
The circular of Herr Von Bismarck, elegantly printed,
has been distributed in all the barracks of the monarchy,
in ceder that the defenders of the country may be able
to judr for themselves who is in the wrong. In the
Pederalfgarrieons, outs'de the Prussian territory, the officers
received a copy of the circular, and three days ago
all of them were afticiotudy told to impress continuously
on the people with whom they came into contact the cala-
mities which Austria was heaping on Germany, and the
danger which the secondary States would run if they sepa-
rated from the policy of Prussia.
The Nation, in a correspondence from Venice,
says that Austria is making great warlike prepara-
tions in Venetia, such indeed as are usually made
on the eve of important military movements. The
Provincia of Turin says that at the presont moment
65,000 men are concentrated on the line between
Bologna and Ferrara, and that 35,000 more will be
assembled at Piacenza. War material is being con-
tinually sent from Alexandria to Bologna.