The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-30 00:00:00

THE ECROPEAN IMBROGLIO.

The Times announces, in telegrams from Vienna and
Florence, that Austria and Italy as well as Prussia have
accepted the invitation to attend the conference, Italy en-
gaging to make no attack during the sitting of that body,
though refusing to suspend its armaments. The intelli-
gence it thinks so far favourable to peace that Austria
must be aware that the question of her Italian possessions
must be one of the two principal subjects of discussion, and
Prussia, by accepting the invitation, expresses her willing-
ness topay some attentionto the remonstrances of her neigh-
bours. What now remains for the neutral powers is
simply and plainly to set before these hostile states what
is necessary to insure permanently the peace of the con-
tinent. Circumlocution and fastidiousness will be en-
tirely out of place. Meanwhile the Times cautions the
public against the false alarms and lying news which
during the next few days will be manufactured for stock-
jobbing purposes, and it prints as an illustration a copy
of an alarmist telegram which it received on Monday
evening with the forged signature of its Paris correspon-
dent. As these knaves are likely to ply their iniquitous
trade with activity during the coming discussions, it is as
well that the public should recollect that until the final
rupture of the negotiations and separation of the con-
ference there is not likely to be any act of war.
The Daily News remarks that the intelligence from
Vienna favours the expectation that before the conference
meets the Schleswig-Holstein question will be submitted
tr the Diet of the Germanic Confederation, whose compe-
tency in the matter cannot be denied though the question
may not be unreasonably asked why it has suspended the
exercise of its authority so long. The meaning of the
proposed reference just now to the Diet is believed
by the Daily News to lie in the fact that the
organisation of that body is now found by Austria
to offer a convenient and effective instrument for
giving effect to an alliance with the rest of Germany
against Prusaia. The decision of the Diet under such
circumstances would be simply a political resolution
owing all its efficacy to the firmness and military strength
of the parties to it, and the knowledge of the Prussian
government, that, ea long as Venetia remains in the hands
of Austria no treaty is needed to secure for it the co-
operation of Italy, makes it doubtful whether a strife
which began in Germany can really be settled at Frank-
fort now that it has become European.
The Post points out the perils of Italy through the
revival of the reactionary party under Austrian influence
in various large towns, and in the possibility that Austria
and Prussia may make friends at the conference, and
leave Italy alone with her sword drawn. Whilst hoping that
the conference will prove a success, the Post cannot help
fearing that Venetia will be a great difficulty, because
all that is reactionary in Europe is now strengthcring
Austria's obstinacy and pride.
The Star devotes an article to a statement which is made,
that Holland is negotiating to arrange for the secession of
Limburg from the Germanic Confederation.