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

THE DANO-GERMAN WAR

(From the Correspondent of the Horning Herald)
EIBY, near ODENSE (Head-quarters of
the Danish Army), July 10.
Last night seems to have passed over tranquilly,
although there was a strong feeling, I 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. A 3 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 every thing that fiaats are being
collected in great cpantities. This we know gene-
rally. Any minute or very precise information the
Danes seldom receive. Oce of the military neces
shies of the occasion, and jade el 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 Germans
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 car-
tain, are informed of every circumstance desirable
for them to know 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 consequences of
treachery. Three or four days since a foreign
officer employed in the mining department
by the Danes, and whose services at Alen I believe
to have been very valuable, at least in the moral
effect produced on the Prussians, in company with
an officer 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 eon 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 he was not a Dane, that he spoke German
very fluently, and was, he believed, a merchant who
had come several days before to Odense, and was
making bargains, and endeavouring to effect large
I 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 continally
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 cautious survey of
the place, when he started for Asserts on the West
Coast; but was tracked cut, on certain information
given to the general, apprehended, and on his person
were found ec,rtain 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 parts 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 attire 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, Out 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 in 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 miq not come un-
der the usual Danish soporific influence, and when
the sea runs gently with hashing 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-
sians, who had to shake them by tho 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
aas 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
Oc mint,', was not the individual to take a bold
courst: ant face a momentary popular amount of
odium, If Hall were called in to succeed him
denying policy be expected
still less eouts.l a self-
.rem him. Both ti hose able statesmen, I believe, see
n their hearts the 11‘..: cessity of an early peace, and

,esire it.

The Deice of Newcastle is g.: ally improved in
health. The noble duke during the labTt three days hes
taken walking exercise, and appears to yet: sin strength
daily.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND MR. BASTAGE
AT THE EXHIBITION.—During One of the MCA
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 mother's shoulder. The Duke began
to play with the infant, pretending to touch its ear with his
finger, and then to touch its nose. The mother was grati-
fied—the child was charmed. At last the crowd almost
suddenly broke up, and we went on. After we had ad-
vanced about a dozen paces I said to the Duke of Welling-
tcn—" I must step back to speak to the mother of your
young friend." I then asked her if she knew the gentle-
man who had been playing with her child for the last ten
minutes. She said " No, sir." I told her it was the Duke
of Wellington. Her surprise and delight were equally
great. I desired her to tell her boy when he grew up that
when an infant the Duke of Wellington had played with
him. / then returned and told the Duke the object of tny
mission. His approbation was indi,:tatefi by a happy mile.
—Babbage,s Autobiograph y
Rylands. Iron Trade
le' IE, 1. ug)°_:lT e quarterly meeting. of iron masters has
T nADE.—(From g.
Cir
ended in the reduction of t per ton in marked iron. This
must necessarily lead to an impiov3ment in orders, end will
give a general briskness to the trade. It is most untw,al
at a quarterly meeting to make any change, as in the pre-
sent instance, in the resolution adopted at the preliminary
meeting,

EDITION.

~UN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,—This Day,

--~s

LIVERPOOL 23ACES-THIS DAY.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH)
FIRST BICKERSTAFFE .'•,TAKES.

Ely
LIVERPOOL Sr. LEGER.

Claremont

SCURRY HANDICAP.

Hesper . .....
Holkar ..
liepeless

Four ran.
SECOND BICKERSTAFFE STARES.

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