The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-03 00:00:00

THE WAR IN DENMARK,

(From the Times ,Special Correspondent at the Danish

iread-quarters.)
COPENHAGE', April 29.
The faith of the Danes in the possible result of a Confe-
rence was at no time very great, and that explains the re-
luctance with which the proposal cf such a meeting was at
first entertained at Copenhagen. Diplomatic mediation,
they think, may answer its purpose when war is going on
between two States of nearly balanced power, and when
pace is urged upon them by equally strong or even stronger
nations, interested in the preservation of public order and
security, and sure, by the slightest effort, to turn the scales
against that one of the belligerents who may show himself
less amenable to reason. But when the quarrel arises be.
tween an unarmed traveller lying prostrate on the ground
and two burly highwaymen pouring the contents of their
ruffianly blunderbusses into his writhing body, the case is
not one for the meek, Quaker-like remonstrance of the
peacemaker, but for the active interference of the police-
man's bludgeon. Prussia and Austria had from the begin-
ning the little monarchy of Denmark at their mercy. Their
aggression on a defenceless neighbour might or might not
involve them in difficulties with the Western Powers. But
they took their chance of that; they knew they
al-
ways rely on the apathy and irresolution of England ; they
flattered themselves they had it always in their power to
propitiate the ambition of France--at all events, they
reckoned upon the trad'tional antipathies, on the mutual
jealousies and suspicions of those two countries. They were
aware, at any rate, of the proneness of all Europe to acqui-
esce in faits accomplis. could
They were not far out in their calculations; they
brought against Denmark a force sufficient to crush her in
three days ; in three months they had her at their mercy.
Then began that diplomatic negotiation which secured the
consent of afi parties concerned to a Conference before
April 1, which put oft the meeting of that Conference till
the 25th, and which, so far as we know here, has not been
able to bring about an armistice on the 29th, And, in the
meanwhile, we have the byplay of the Emperor Napoleon
congratulating Prussia on her victory at Dybbol, and
throwing out his hints as to an appeal to universal suffrage.
With those bitter reflections and gloomy forebodings do
the Danes look forward to the results of the London Confe-
rence.

None of us can forget the time when another small State
—Piedmont—worsted in her Lombard campaign against
Austria, at Custozza, placed herself in the hands of those
same Western Powers, and expected from French and Eng-
lish mediation a solution of the Italian question, which
might enable her at least to fall on her feet and find some
remedy for the evils of an oppressed nationality. Well, the
endeavours. of the well.rneaning mediators seemed all tend-
mg to afford Austria what she wanted—time Time gave
Austria the means of reorganising her shattered' strength;
it wore out the resources, the patience, the faith of dis-
tracted Sardinia. Ten months' Anglo,French diplomacy
only ripened the disaster of Novara. So far as the Western
Powers were concerned, not only were Piedmont and Italy
sacrificed, but, thanks to them, the death, which was at all
events inevitable, was aggravated by 10 mouths' agony.
We have here a parellel case. Five or six months ago
Germady picked a quarrel with Denmark. Had the latter
been really conscious of her isolated position she would
have at once ascertained the extent of her aggressors' de-
mends, and compounded with them as she best could, taking
her counsel for necessity. But Sweden and Norway gave
positive promise of aid; and, in the case of a neigh-
bour whose house is only separated from a burning
building by
be reasonably i
expected. England was loud in her
lartition wall, co-operation was to
expression of sympathy.
Denmark fought and suc-
cumbed, and sho is as alone in the council as sho has been
all along in the field. That being
the case, why should
Denmark prolong negotiation any more than persevere in
the contest ? The traveller is on the ground ; the muzzles
of the highwaymen's blunderbusses press on either side on
his temples. "Would it not be a thousand times the wisest
course to hold out his purse and let the spoilers help them-
selves ? That is the conclusion most people about me have
come to. " What do these Germans wish ?" they say.
" What is the extent of their demands ? Do they want
Holstein and half Schleswig ? Or will nothing but the
whole of the Duchies,
and Jutland into the bargain,
satisfy them ? Lot them keep what they have ; lot them
take what we have no power to withhold from them !" All
the unarmed intercession of the Western Powers, the Danes
are convinced, will not at this moment be of any avail
towards preserving the integrity of their monarchy. Were
it even possible to retain the Duchies on any arrangement
of personal union, the very existence of Denmark as a State
and a nation would, they think, be more irreparably com-
promised than by any amount of territorial loss. So long
as one German subject remains, placed on exceptional con-
ditions, Germanism, they
fancy, will eat into the very vitals
of Danish nationality. Holstein and German Schleswig
must he held at discretion, or are better parted with. If
the line of the Schlei and the Dannewerke can satisfy Ger-
man cupidity, the Danes will ho rather gainers than losers
by the riddance. -Unfortunately, the line of demarcation
between the two nationalities cannot be fixed at the Danne-
werke and the Schlei ; it is not to bo drawn on any natural
or artificial boundary. Should the test of race, language,
and choice be referred to, it would be necessary to consult
the vote of every town, village, and hamlet; it would have
to be done upon the removal of all armed force, Danish or
German; it should take place under the supervision of a
fair-dealing French and English authority, and the result
would be such a jagged frontier, such a dovetailing of one