The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-15 00:00:00

THE DANO-GERMAN WAR,

(From the Correspondent of the Morning Herald.)
EII3Y, near ODENSE (Head-quarters of
the Danish Army), July 10.
Last night seems to have passed over tranquilly,
although there was a strong feeling, 1 know not on
what foundation, that the Germans had made up
their minds to come across the water and pay us a
visit, Let the Danes have another week of prepare-
tion,and they may punish severely the enemy when
he musters courage to make an effort. As to the pre-
parations on the other side, there is no doubt that
they go upon a vast scale, and that not only bat-
teries are being erected in every spot, but boats and
small vessels and everything that floats are being
collected in great. quantities. This we know gene-
rally. Any minute or very precise information the
Dallas seldom receive. One of the military neces
allies of the ore tsion, and indeed of all warfare, most
abhorrent to them, and to which they most unwil-
lingly bring themselves to assent, is a well-planned
system of espionage. In fact they can scarcely get
a native-born Dane to act in this capacity, no mat-
ter how poor he may be or how largely he may be
tempted by offer of remuneration ; and as to the
employment of strangers of the mongrel German-
Danes, by doing so this simple people are more
likely to be imposed on, and have their own secrets
told to the enemy, than to gain any valuable in-
formation relative to his position and intentions
While the Danes are in this comparative ignorance
of the doings of the enemy, the Germans, I feel cer-
tain, are informed of every circumstance desirable
for them toknow from the Danish side. The country
is full of spies, and they are generated and encou-
raged by the very opposite feeling to that of the
Danes, believing it to be a duty to their beloved
Germany, and also by the mildness of Danish au-
thority, which never punishes any crime with seve-
rity. If a few spies, a few deserters—even a few
men who sleep at their posts—were tried by field
or drum-head courtmartial, and immediately shot,
the position of the Danish army would be much
improved, and we could lie down at night in some
comfort and without fear of the conseqnenees of
treachery. Three or four days since a foreign
officer employed in the mining department
by the Danes, and whose services at Alsen I believe
to have been very valuable, at least in the moral
effect produced on the Prussians, in company with
an cfficer once distinguished in our English service,
and who came here to offer his sword to Denmark,
took a post carriage at Odense for transport to
Middlefhart. As they were about to leave the
hotel, and while I was bidding them adieu, a gen-
tleman came up and asked if he might be allowed
to have a seat and share the posting expense, as he
was anxious to get quickly to the same destination.
The gentlemen courteously allowed him to accom-
pany them, and 1 saw him take his place on the
back seat of the open carriage. He was a respec-
table looking man, of middle age, close cut grey
hair, and of an honest and gentlemanly cast of
countenance. Thinking he was going up to visit,
probably, a son of his serving in the war, and
always feeling much sympathy with the poor
fathers who so frequently come up to camp to say
one or two words of affection to the beloved chil
dren who may next day be involeed in all the
dangers of the battle-field, I inquired at the post-
house, from some one who stood by and seemed to
know him, who the gentleman was. He informed
me that be was not a Dane, that he spoke German
very fluently, and was, be believed, a merchant who
had come several days before to Odense, and was
making bargains, and endeavouring to effect large
arrangements with several mercantile men of the
town and district. He added that he had made
himself quite master of the different bearings of the
Danish cause—a subject on which he aentinally
spoke, and for which the strangers expressed the
most ardent sympathy. So the matter ended; but
Colonel— on returning to Odense, mentioned to
me that this same respectable, grave-looking, nicely-
dressed, middle-aged gentleman, had scarcely
reached Middlefhart, and made a cautions survey of
the place, when he started for Assens on the West
Coast; but was tracked out, on certain information
given to the general, apprehended, and on his person
were found certain notes taken by him and certain
documents which completely established the first
evidence of his being decidedly a Garman spy. In
fact it is believed that a regular corps of these pry-
ing gentlemen have taken, up their quarters in
various puts of the island, and that this clever and
plausible old gentleman was head of the depart-
ment. I expressed to an officer high in rank my
opinion that as the district was under martial law,
he should be at once tried, and my supposition
that he would if found guilty be immediately hanged.
I think I never saw a greater stare of horror than
that which met—not my proposition, certainly,
but my supposition that this hateful old scoundrel
should be executed. My gallant friend said, "We
shall prevent him from doing mischief, and he will
probably be kept at Copenhagen till the end of
the war." " And what then?" " Oh, then of
course he will be let go home." This great mercy
in a war for the safety of an invaded country be-
comes in reality a great cruelty, bat the Danish
character is so adverse to anything which borders
on an appearance of painful severity, that whatever
the consequences no change can be expected. One
thing is now being done which will possibly guard
us here from a surprise such as that which gave
the Prussians such easy possession of Alsen. A
water patrol is being organised, and from this
night forward a chain of watch-boats will look
upon the Funen Sound. If precaution of this na-
ture be not taken experience shows that even i►► the
clearest nights low boats may approach to the very
shore before they are seen. It is to be hoped that
those who man the guard-boats may not come un-
der the usual Danish soporific influence, and when
the sea runs gently with hushing noise upon the
shore, may not be soothed to sleep, and be thus
captured by some more watchful German putting
out from the Schleswig coast, as happened to
some of the men of a regiment at Alsen the other
day. They were found fast asleep by the Prus
eians, who had to shake them by the collar to
awaken. them. What can we hope for a
people, who with all their noble and excellent
qualities, are half•an-hour after time in every thing,
and so very often fast asleep when they should be
up and watchful ? The very best thing their friends
can hope for them is an early peace on almost any
terms. And if there be any chance of this the King
has certainly taken the only means of securing it.
M. Monrad, who looks to a political future, and is
one of those selfish men with a sharper eye to his
own career than to his King's convenience or peace
of mind, was not the individual to take a bold
coarse and face a momentary popular amount of
odium. If M. Hall were called in to succeed him
still less could a self-denying policy be expected
from him. Both these able statesmen, I believe, see
in their hearts the necessity of au early peace, and
desire it.

The Duke of Newcastle is greatly improved in
health. The noble duke during the last three days has
taken walking exercise, and appears to regain strength
daily.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND MR. BABBAGE
AT THE EX MEITION.—During one of the moat
crowded days we became entirely blocked up and stationary
for upwards of ten minutes. Just in front of us stood a
woman with a child in her arms of about two years old, who
was leaning over is mother's shoulder. The Duke began
to play with the infant, pretending to touch its ear with h!B
finger, and then to touch its nose, The mother was grati
fied—the child was charmed. At last the crowd ahnost
suddenly broke up, and we went on. After we !Aldred-
vanced about a dozen paces I said to the Duke of bad
mg-
ton—" I must step back to speak to the mother of your
young friend." I then asked her if she knewtthe gentle-
man who had been
grew up that
minutes. She said " No, sir." I told her playing with her child forlw ahaothlaest
Duketen
of Wellington. Her surprise andlight e
were equally
gt whenan
hha
gwrheeant.
anl
idnefsaiaretdthheerDtaokteelolf,,ebnoiyn
played witL
him. I than returned and told
indicatedthe Duke the object of my
mission. His approbation was by a happy smile.
—Babbages Autobiography
THE laoN TRADE.—(From " RYlands' Iron Trad,
Circular.“)—The quarterly meeting of iron masters ha-
ended in the reduction of L'l per ton in marked iron. Thi.
must necessarily lead to an imp ement in orders, end wii
give a general briskness to the trade. It is most uuusue
at a quarterly meeting to make any change, as in the pre-
sent inetance, in the resolution adopted at the p:elimiflay
nieeting.