The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-30 00:00:00

AUSTRIA AND PBOIIAIA.

There is, says the Times, too much reason to
fear that the pear of Europe is shoat to be broken by
one of the least just and least wroessary wars of
molern times. Never were two states booed over,
so to speak, in heavier recognisance" to keep
the peace tower& each other than Austria and Prussia.
Both Austria* and Prussian statesmen know that Germany
divided Maier hared' is exposed to dangers on both sides.
Prussia cannot forget that she has provisoes on the wrong I
'ride of the Rhine, and adjoining the territories of a power
which respects the principle of natural boundaries quite
as much se that of nationalities. Austria cannot
forget that she Ira a dependency on the wrong side
of the Alpe, which requires a garrison of 80,000 men, and
which eves that force would probably be unable to hold if
a coalition between Prussia and Italy should gave new
strength to the permanent dinalleatise of its population.
The lacings of Prussia is altogether In character with her
traditional spirit of aggression, and might well have pro- 1
oeeded from the conqueror of Sibiu. It means that i
Prussia is determined to annex the duchies, per Jos et
seas, and will assept nothing short of en sumo°.
&lanai submission on the pert of Austria. Aa yet
neither the neutral dates nor the " German ' people,' of
whom we have heard so much, have made say visible
sign. They look on helplessly while M. Bissau,* makes his
preperalleee for devouring them one after the ether, or in-
duip a faint hope that, if the worst comas to the worst,
a European congress may settle the whole German question.
With regard to the policy of this country, we have, says
the Tirana, wished our hands of the Schleswig-Holster
Orr. and the troubles which is may yet entail epos Gets
nary eau ealy interest us as every serious disturbance in
the European States system must Interest every member
OM.
The spectacle of Austria and Prussia quarrelling savagely
over the spoils of Deemark, may be, says the Herald,
perhaps, an agreeable theme for she political moralist. To
us it is simply disastrous. When Schleswig and flohrtein,
without our wrest were, wrung from Denmark. we
hoped that we bad beard *sherd it. It tutu oat, however,
that while Prussia finest only half the battle her rulers had
se: their minds on reaping the whole of the advantage.
Fines the Gastein Convention, the preteesioei of Prussia
have been more and more openly and unreservedly put for-
ward, and the Prussian rule has been spoken of in North
Germany as permanent, the Austrian as temporary. The
arrogance of the Pruden ofilcials having at last reached
the length of se attempt to dictate to the Austrians the
conduct which they should pursue with regard to the Aug's-
timbal; periods:, the Austrians fairly took the ahem The
rumours of war might have been looked upon as exaggerated
and alarmist, if it had not been for the circular despatch
of Count Bismarck to the minor German states, is
which he speaks of the prospect of war as imminent.
In a war between Austria and Proud% presuudeg that
nou-German Europe will stand aloof, the chances are not
quite es stases@ as seems nmerally supposed. Peoria is
perhaps richest in resources, while Austria has the best
generals, and a veteran army which has had experience of
bard lighting. The Prussians, without much difficulty,'
could drive the Austrian coatingent from Haste's. There
would, however, be the immediate danger of repdaals on
the southern frostier of Prussia, which is by no means
so safe from attack as some seem to imagine. The
Herald trusts that the danger of war may yet be
alerted, and that the Prussian government may commit to
b s warned is time by the couciliatory counsels which are
doubtless addressed to it oa all sides by neutral powers
travailing to re Germany in flames.
The Star Is of opinion that never race the months which
preceded the Lombardy campaign of 1859 has the prospect
of a great Continental war seemed more imminent than
now. The two German allies who so lately went side by side
into sn easy victory over Denmark now glare fiercely upon
moblother. But if Awe' and Prussia are going le fight it
certainly will not be for Schleswig-Holstein. If they fight it
will be for supremacy in Germany. To this things
hive long been tending. " Two stars keep not
their motion is one sphere," nor could Bismarck's
star possibly continue to increase in brightness with-
out gradually extinguishing that of Austria.
Von Bismarck, we rosy feel well assured, has so thought
now of shrinking from the issue. Thome who know him
best and dislike him most say that he has in him at least
this attribute of greeters—that his spirits rise to higher
buoyancy in proportion as the danger of the situation
hareems. His fateful hoer has come. His triumph
=eau Europese war—a policy of peace assures his fall.
According to the latest advice. from Germany, it seems
is the Tekoraph as if Prussia had determined to enforce
her pretensions at the risk of war. Whether peace, there-
fere, will be still preserved, depends upon the extent
to which Austria is prepared to maintain her ground.
If the Emperor Francis Joseph is content to remain upon
the defordve, the first act of hostility must be an attack by
Prude upon the army et ocoapetlea In Holatein ; that is,
upon ,the very keeps who shared with these of King
William I. the glories, whatever they may have been,
of the Diippel campaign. Under those: circum-
stance% the 10111 11400111004 of bringing about
1 couttiot by as unprovoked ettu,:c Would reit spot the
1 gaverdment of balk ; and before undertaktog such a
respoositithy even so reckless a pointed gambler as
Grunt Bismarck may well hesitate. Then, too,
it is pretty orris that, ea the whole, the govern.
meets of the minor states sympathise with the
southern rather than with the northern power.
The real petit of Austria arise from the possibility of
Preach or RuitSah interference in ease • conflict shoed
take place; but then, in order to avail herself of the
'Bedsit assistance from the Czar or the Emperor, Prussia
must forego the pre`Asnce that she is about to make WIL7 for
the promotion of German 'literati.