The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-12 00:00:00

[STAMPED, Id. ADDITIONAL.]

THE WAR IN GERMANY.

(nom ovi 81741 AL ow

VIENNA, JULY 8.
A conversation which took place a year ago be-
tween Count BranTirck and Count" Platen, the
Hanoverian minister, shows thet4 the . for
attacking Austria had been long arranged. Events
have shown also how correctly the Prussian premier
judged the minor States when he calculated on
their timidity and indecision. " I shall hound on
Italy against Austria," he said, " and then attack
her when she has this war on her hands. We can
get ready far more quickly than Austria. As to
you minor States (Hanover, Bavaria, &c.), I have
nothing to fear from you. I know you all well.
You will do nothing." And in truth so it turned
out. It was the certainty that they would not set,
or if they did, that they would be so long
about it as tomake action harmless,which caused the
Prusaians to appear everywhere on their forays
with such a small force. For the remiss they have
hitherto undertaken but a few thousand men were
employed, and even these were not united, but
distributed over a large extent of territory. With
decision on the part of the middle States, these
plundering invasions in Nassau, Rene, Hanover,
might have been prevented. Hanover at first was
desirous of being neutral ; then, when too late—
too late, at least, to save the army after the
decision had been come to—it resolved to act. On
the part of Bavaria, it is evident there was no
sincere desire to oppose Prussia energetically
otherwise the Bavarian army would, not have been
marched, now hither, now thither, leaving the
Hanoverians meanwhile in the lurch.

On this point great bitterness of feeling prevails
in Bavaria. I was in Munich some days ago, and
was surprised to hear the freedom with which
government measures and the conduct of the Bing
were canvassed. The Bavarian was hitherto ac-
customed to consider the latter as something too
sacred to be attacked. Now, however, you hear in
the streets civil officials, high and low, expressing
openly their opinion of the unworthy and un-
becoming behaviour of their monarch. " And then
our King !" they will exclaim ironically, after
criticising the state of things in the country ;
" And then our King !"--as if in that weed were
the climax of perverse action, as if that word
represented the complete non-comprehension of
the earnestness and the necessities of the time.

And, in truth, it seems to do so. While every
throne is tottering, the young King is unable to
leave his roses on the Staremberg Lake. With the
utmost difficulty he is at last prevailed on to open
in person the Chamber which is to vote the money
for the army. Instead of being in the capital or
coming thither daily as the Emperor of Austria
does from Schonbrunn, he buries himself in his
cantle on the lake ; not however to occupy himself li
with affairs of state, but—will it be believed 7—with
the Saga of Lohengrun and medieval poems.
Instead of thinking of the impending dangers of the
State of which he is the head, he writes letters to
the burgomaster of a Swiss canton in order to be
admitted as a Swiss citizen. Or, still worse, he
pens a long condolatory epistle to M. de Bulow,
in which he gives full vent to his indignation that
profane tongues should have dared to utter their
tittle-tattle about his wife, and promising that he,
the King, will do his utmost to find out and punish
' the chatterers. His head is full of Marie Stuart
and William Tell when he should be thinking of
Germany and his subjects.
It is this utter disregard of every regal duty
which has embittered the people so against him.
And, believe me, it takes a good deal .to make a
Bavarian not feel full of enthusiasm for his King.
When he came to the throne he ass the idol of
the nation. He has entirely lost its love now.
In Bavaria the hearts of the people go with Aus-
tria. Hence, when it was seen that an army
which would have done Austria good service
w* lost to her, though action on the part of
Bavaria might have saved it, the murmurs grew
still louder. Everyone felt that, to say the least,
there was a want of good intention. Ido not mean
to say there was anything like complicity with
Prussia on the part of the General, or General Van
der Tann, but it is well known that both are at
heart well disposed to Prussia. There was, there-
, fore, not that anxiety to serve Austria and to harm
Prussia ; none of that ardent striving and resolve to
overcome difficulty (though here there was none to
overcome) which impel us onward where our whole
heart is in a cause. Then, too, Prince Charles of
Bavaria is an old man, enervated, and a pedant.
His last experience of war dates almost from an-
other century. From such a leader much has not
to be expected.

The fourth annual meeting in connexion with
the Working Men's Club and Institute Union, which
is formed for the purpose of helping working men
to establish clubs and institutes, where they can meet
fur conversation, business, and mental improvement,
with the means of recreation and refreshment, was held
on Tuesday afternoon at Exeter-hall under the presi-
dency of Lord BROUGHAM. Amongst those who occupied
seats on the platform were Lord Lyttelton, Lord Ebury,
Mr. Layttrd, M.P., Mr. Ayrton, M.P., Mr. Julian Gold-
M.P.. Dr. Allis, Rev. T. W. Fowler, M.A., Rev.
S. Hansard (Bethnal-green), Mr. George Goodwin, 1.R.5.,
Mr. 1). M. Thomas, Mr. H. Pratte, Mr. H. Home, Mr. F.
G. Foster, Mr. E. Hall, Mr. W. Lovell, Mr. A. A. Watts,
Rev. H. Sully (organising director of the l'nion),
REPRESENTATION UP THE DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.—
In consequence of Mr. Walsh's appointment to the office
of Attorney-General, Sir Edward Grogan has withdrawn
his " pretensions to represent the university on the pre-
sent occasion." We trust the good taste and proper feel-
ing by which Sir Edward has been actuated will also in-
fluence the other candidates who aspire to that honour.—
Saunders News.
RAILWAY BILLS BEFORE PARLIAMENT.—Yeater-
day some business was transacted in the House of Lords'
Committees. In room A the opposition was withdrawn in
the case of the Cambrian Railways (new works), which
passed. The Aberdare and Central Wales Junction Rail-
way, Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway (devia-
tions), Wrexhitu, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway
(extensions), Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay (addl.
tional powers),Swansea and Clydach Rail way,and Brecon and
LlandoveryJunction Railway, were adjourned. In Room B
their lordships passed the Teme Valley Railway Bill ; and
the following were adjourned :—The Pembroke and Tenby
Railway,' Great Western Railway, Wye Valley Railway,
Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway, and Barry
Railway (extension). Their lordships in room C, threw
out the Ere Valley Railway Bill, and adjourned the
Colebrook Railways and the Llanelly Railway and Dock.
In the Painted Chamber. the bill of the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (central station and
lines) was further proceeded with and again adjourned.
CARMARTHEN AND CARDIGAN RAILWAY. A
Wharncliffe meeting of the shareholders of this railway
was held yesterday afternoon at the offices of the company,
No. 4, Chatham-plane, Blackfriars—Mr. Everitt in the
chair—to consider the following bill now pending in par-
liament :—" A bill to separate the Kidwelly branch and
extension from the rest of the undertaking of the Carmar-
then and Cardigan Railway Company, and to incorporate a
company for the purposes of the said branch and extension."
The capital required for the new company is 170000 f.,
which is proposed to be raised in shares of 10/. each. A
formal resolution motioning the bill was moved by Mr.
Knight, seconded by Mr. Tyler, and unanimously agreed to.
A collision took place in the Channel yesterday
morning between the steam-tug Cruiser and the schooner
Sartram, bound from Liverpool to Falmouth. The latter
vessel was sunk, but no lives were lost.