The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-23 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ova ows oonzaromnirr.)

PARIS, MONDAY Evesugo.

To the comfortable assurances of the Petrie that
France and Prussia are now on the boat of terms,
M. Grainer de Caasagnac's journal, the Pays, re-
plies as follows :
The Patric repeats with additional emphasis its contra-
diction of the report that the Marquis de Moustier has
lately sent a very sharp diplomatic note to Berlin. This
journal says not only that no such note exists, but that the
relations between France and Prussia are most satisfac-
tory. Now, it may be true that the despatch of the diplo-
matic note in question has been delayed; we will even
admit, for the sake of argument, that the draft note may
have never got beyond the stage of a project, and
in this point of view we attach but a secondary
importance both to the original news and the con-
tradiction. But that the relations between France
and Prussia are cordial and satisfactory appears to us a
most difficult proposition to accept. The attitude of the
Prussian government towards France, the acrimonious tone
of its semi-official journals, the extensive armaments and
accumulation of warlike stores openly made, the diplo-
matic intrigues going on to counteract French influence in
Austria and Italy, and to prevent the projected alliance
with Austria, and M. de Bismarck's constant language are
all inconsistent with the existence of cordial relations. It
could not be otherwise unless it could be shown from recent
diplomatic facts that M. de Bismarck is ready to satisfy
the just susceptibilities of the French government
provoked by the non-execution of Article 5 of
the Treaty of Prague, and also by the attempts,
under the guise of providing for commercial in.
terests, to complete the political absorption of southern
Germany. We are not aware that M. do Bismarck has
done anything of the sort. On the contrary, his most
recent acts—the revision of the postal treaties and the
financial unification of the annexed states—clearly show
that he steadily pursues his aim, and is pushing to the
realisation of his ambitious views, regardless of conse-
quences as they affect others, and thinking only how to be
ready for then, himself. Under these circumstances, to

affirm that diplomatic relations are satisfactory is to trifle
with public opinion. That it may be possible to
avert war is an admissible hypothesis, though
we can find nothing to support it. The foreign
journals abound in a contrary setae, and speak on the sub-
ject with a frankness and a luxury of detail to which we
cannot shut our eyes. For instance, the Brussels Gazette
says that in Russia, under the pretext of military ma-
nceuvres, a real council of war is now being held between
the staff of the Russian and Prussian armies with
the Czar presiding. A plan of campaign is under
consideration on the double hypothesis of a war
between France and Germany only and a war in
which Russia and Prussia would be on the ono side
and France, Austria, and Italy, and possibly Sweden
and the Ottoman empire, on the other. Russia
inclines to a postponement. But Prussia is for
beginning directly, and urges in support of her opi-
nion that the Austrian empire is in a state of disorgani-
sation, that the French armies are as yet relatively weak,
and that Italy is hesitating and not to be relied on by
France. Moreover the Prussian journals speak of war as
if It were not merely a probability but a certainty on which
tne mind of the Cabinet of Berlin is made up. The Prue•
sification of the armies of the South, far from being re-
laxed, is urged on with daily increasing haste. With such
symptoms before us the Patric has a singularly deranged
vision when it talks of cordial relations.

The above article is but the anticipation of a
paper campaign which I expect to become very
general as soon as the legislative session breaks up.
Hitherto the Situation, a journal specially created
to harass Prwaia, has blown the war trumpet
nearly alone. As in all previous modern wars, the
contending parties will seek to shift the responsi-
bility on each other's shoulders, and complain of
the provocation arising from preparations on the
other side. But in this case, nothing is more cer-
tain than that Prussia would never think of attack-
ing France if she would remain quiet within her
own frontiers, and that if there must be war, it
will be because the ambition and difficult internal
position of the French Emperor require blood.