The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-03 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

•
TIMES.—The first blood in the Schleswig cam-
paign has been shed in a battle which has been a
victory for the Danes. The telegraph informs us
that the Prussians attacked the Danish position at
Missunde yesterday morning, and were repulsed
after a conflict of six hours. Thus are we once
more spectators of warfare the details of which are
broiight us fresh from the field of battle, before the
dead are cold, and while the wounded are still drag-
ging themselves to the rear. The little town of
Missunde, on the Schlei, is the scene of the first
encounter in a campaign which may have the roost
important effects on European policy. History
seems as if it were about to repeat itself in the new
Schleswig campaign. In these countries there is,
indeed, not much choice of fields of battle. Two or
three main lines of road leading to two or three
principal towns are to be lost or won, and then the
contest is at an end. Almost 16 years ago the Prus-
sians entered Schleswig, and took the towns of
Schleswig and Flensburg, just as they are now in-
tent on taking
them, el year later the Schleswig-
Holsteiners attacked the Danes at Missunde and
Eckernforde, pretty much as' is described in the
telegraphic despatches of to-day. The position of
the opposing armies in this campaign is soon de-
scribed. The Danes occupy a line south of the Schlel,
from Eckernforde to Hollingetedt. Their left is
strengthened by a work extending from the bay of
Eckernforde nearly to the Schlei. Their main force
protects the town of Schleswig, and their left ex-
tends to the Dannewerk, their whole force, of which
very different estimates are given, being spread over
a rether long line of defence. According to the
report of the Daniell Commander,the Prussians had
attacked his outposts, and were advancing towards
Missunde with the intention of forcing the passage
of the Schlei. The later news gives the result of the
movement. Missunde is on the south bank of the
firth, at the point where what may be called the bay
of Schleswig narrows to the dimensions of a river. It
is here that that the Prussians' it seems, desire to
cross in order to cut off the Danes from the sea. Field-
Marshal von Wrangel, probably, has his recol-
lections of 1848, when the Danes retired before
him and gained the island of Alsen, where their
fleet made them secure, and in the neighbourhood
of which the Prussians and Henoverians met with
the bloody repulse of Doppeln. It is, therefore, an-
ticipated now that the General will operate on the
east coast of the peninsula. A German despatch de-
clares that the passage of the Schlei is to be at once
forced at this point, and the Danes cut off from the
see, while the Austrians operate on their centre.
This, the Germans expect, will end in the destruc-
tion of the Danish army. The Prussian Commander,
with the Crown Prince and Prince Albrecht, who
accompany him to see the only campaign of their
countrymen in later times, had set out to join the
advancing army, and the Princes were possibly pre-
sent at the defeat of their countrymen. The retiring
which the despatch speaks of refers probably to the
retreat from Eckernforde which General ldleze, men-
tions, and, as the events prove, gives no ground for
believing that the Danes will evacuate their present
strong positions without a contest. It is useless
further to speculate on the events of which intelli-
gence may be brought us at any moment. The
Austro-Prussian army has taken the field in num-
bers which must make the task of the Danes in de-
fending their territory one of the most arduous
that ever fell to the lot of a nation. From the cam-
paign of 1848 both parties have learnt lessons. The
Danish army at that time was quite unprepared for
war, as the Government could never have expected
the revolutionary fervour which arose in every dis-
contented population as the consequence of the
events let Paris. As now, a new King was on the
throne, a new Constitution had been adopted, and
the civil administration of the kingdom was un-
settled. But the Danish military system is now in
far better order, For a long time the people have
been expecting some such events as are now taking
place, and bete in numbers and efficiency their army
is highly respectable. The fortifications, which
had been negtected, are in excellent order ; and
were the Danes opposed to anything like equal
forces, their ability to hold the Northern Duchy
would be undoubted. But the German Powers
have also been careful to avoid the
mis-
take of 1848, which consisted in fighting
the Danes on too equal terms. A sturdy peotele,
holding a country which they have spent so much
in rendering secure, must be dangerous opponents.
In the last campaign the Danes showed an obstie
nacy in defending positions and a capacity for mak-
ing the best of narrow resources which have gained
for them the ready applause of their opponents.
Although compelled by the strength of Prussia to
retire, they took np an impregnable position in a
neighbouring island, from which they were able to
renew the struggle against the revolted inhabitants
of the Duchics. Their fleet played a great part in
the war, blockading the chief ports of Germany
both in the Baltic and the North Sea, and though
at one time the monarchy seemed to have come to
its last gasp, fortune in the end remained with it.
The Austro-Prussian leaders no doubt think that it
will be unpardonable to allow so doubtful a game
to be played over again. Denmark successful, or
even struggling heroically for a time, would gain a
sympathy that might make the position of Germany
insecure. For their own credit, and for the safety
of the Fatherland, it is necessary-that what is done
should be done quickly and thoroughly. Hence the
overpowering force which is sent to the Eider, and
the attempted cutting off of the Danes from their
former line of retreat. What the success of this
strategy may be remains to be seen, but from the
"neeches of the Danish statesmen, the addresses of
the
_Legislature, and the acts of the King, we can
hardly btgtieye that the great line of defence will
pass into the lad
nds of the enemy without such a re-
sistance as these unanimous declarations of patriot-
ism are likely to inspire. Turning from military to
political events, we see wit': satisfaction that Field
Marshal von Wrangel has decinred to the inhabi-
tants of the Duchies that the Comm:ssioners of Aus-
tria and Prussia would assume the adm!.nistration of
bath Schleswig and Holstein. This e.nnonncernent
is likely to cause a great outcry in Germane' , and deep
disappointment among the partisans of thej Prince of
Augusten burg, but it is consistent with justice,Eure-
peen policy, and the laws of war. Prussia and Aus-
tria have virtual possession of one Duchy, and they
aim at establishing themselves in the other. If they
conquer, they have a right to rule. Holstein has
been evacuated by the Dares through deference to
them, and not to the Federal corps;, Holstein may,
therefore, be considered as resigned to Austro-Pros-
sian rule. If Schleswig be abandoned, the same
rule will be established by the same right—that of
conquest, If the allies actually bring the Duchies
under their own administration, they will be able
with greater ease to carry out their engagements to
Europe and restore the Duchies to the King of
Donmork, after taking security for the observance
of all that was promised in 1851 by the late King.
That the partisans of the Prince of Augustenburg
are endeavouring to do in Schleswig what was done
in Holstein is evident from the news which we
publish to-day, that the Prince had been proclaimed
at Eckenforde. So long as the Duchies remain in
the occupation of Saxon or Hanoverian troops, no
opposition to these proceedings can be expected;
but the Prussian Commander's warning to the
Schleswigers to abstain from party agitation shows
the responsibility of a great Power, and gives hopes
that the engagements of the two States will be held
sacred.
POST.—The announcement which we publish this
morning, that George Victor Townley has been pro-
nounced sane, and that the capita! sentence of ecath
has been commuted to one of penal servitude for
life, will probably occasion some suretise. That
surprise, however, will vanish on a perusal of the
medical report on which the Home Secretary has
based his present proceeding, and of the letter ad-
dressed by his directions to the Visiting Justices of
Derby. We believe there were not a dozen men
in the entire community who believed in Townley's
insanity, and it will be a source of some satisfaction
to the public that the criminal has not entirely
escaped punishment. To be confined in a lunatic
asylum, especially if sane, is undoubtedly a ter-
rible hardship, but it cannot be termed a legal
punishment in the proper acceptation of that
term. Logically, the Government were undoubt-
edly bound, on being furnished with evidence
na
nl ey 'ss
ffsearnni sanity, to
opposition
sailtlioo.nse
to
ohteb lawthe
fulfilment
t o take
bits
lurty imposed
of
rw
course,n d
upon him. But it was felt that,be de
aft
would have been indecent to Jiang the wretched
criminal. We almost doubt if respite,
a sentiment of deli-
cacy has not in the present instance been over -
strained.. The most con I • usive evidence is now
furnished that Townie
time he killed Mirs y was not only sane at the
Goodwin, which was found by
the verdict of the
been insane
since
t„jury, but that he has at no time
sistently, then, the that act was committed. Con-
liver him over Government were bound to do-
liver to the executioner. Under all the cir-
cumstances,howeve- it has •advisable
b een considered
to commute the sentence of death, and George Victor
Townley will pass the rest of his life in penal servi-
tude. Without recapitulating the history of " the
Townley case"
.from the time of the murderer's con-
viction to the present moment, • roes be sufficient
to state that, in consequence of the representations
made by the Visiting j • ustices of Derby, of the sin-
gular statements made by those on whose certificates
oiTownley's insanity the Home Secretary deemed
himself obliged to direct the criminal to be removed
from a gaol to a lunatic asylum, and above all, of
the unceasing demands made by the press for further
investigation, the Home Secretary, with the euncur-
rence of the Lord Chancellor, epnointed lour phy-
sicians to institute an inquiry into th© state of
Townley's mind. Of these gentilseMen, two are