The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-16 00:00:00

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.

(From the Correspondent of the Morning Post.)
ALTONA, Nov. 13.
There is much truth in the remark that Schles-
wig-Holstein is like a hedgehog, which never can
afford satisfaction to those who touch it ; and both
Austria and Prussia may have reason ere long to
regret that they have ever meddled with these
Duchies. In Schleswig, Prussia is not gaining
ground, though General Manteuffel is continually
making speeches in which he tries to flatter the peo-
ple, with whom all that he says goes in at one ear
and comes out at the other ; while M. Zedlitz finds
he has enough to do in making war against political
unions and meetings, and in resorting to a police
system of espionage wherever he fancies it can be of
use 'to him in restraining the liberal tendencies of
the inhabitants of the Duchy, whose attachment to
the Duke of Augustenburg and to Holstein is con-
sequently increased and strengthened.
In Holstein, Austria makes no progress, though
General Gablentz personally displays great activity
and zeal in his attempts to bring about reforms in
the Administration, in which he finds all his efforts
useless, because he cannot avail himself of the
authority of the " Estates" of the Duchy, which no
means have yet been taken to assemble. He is

likewise kept in constant hot water by the way in
which he is pestered by General Mailteuffel to do
many things for which he is not disposed, but with
which he feels he is compelled to comply, because
he has got instructions to submit to the wishes of
the Prussian ruler in Schleswig "in all minor
affairs," and he cannot easily distinguish as to which
of the demands that are made this limit may pro-
perly apply.

In both Duchies the feelings that are entertained
as to the Germans may be thus described—Prussia
is hated, Austria is distrusted, and the other States
of the Confederation are all more or less despaired
of. And yet in neither of the Duchies do the
people despair of themselves, bemuse they remem-
ber that they have already compelled the two great
German Powers to commence the war against Den-
mark, and to tear in pieces the London protocol,
which makes them believe that because they have
already so far succeeded, they must, by persevering'
in the same course, continue to be fortunate, and
gain their end by the convocation of the " Estates,"
which would enable them to show to the world that
their independence is dear to them, and that they
will not break the faith which they had pledged to
their hereditary Sovereign, though he may, in the
meantime, have been treacherously deprived of all
authority and power, and condemned to play the
humiliating part of a mere looker-on in the country
where he is entitled to reign.
There is reason to believe that M. von Bismarck
is not at all satisfied with the result of his visit
to France. It is said that when he had an inter-
view with the Emperor he spoke of the necessity
of having the Duchies annexed to Prussia, to which
the Emperor replied that he must be aware of his
steady adherence to the principle of the population
being in such cases consulted ; and when M. von
Bismarck spoke of the mischievous agitation which
had the effect, in such circumstances, of inducing
the people to submit to influences which were not
favourable to Prussia, the Emperor did not deign
to give an answer. Nor had the Prussian Minister
better success with M. Drouyn de Lhuys, who,
after repeating what his master had said, merely
added, when the people were alluded to, " Du reste
le peuple s'est exprim6 assez." At the Prussian
headquarters in Schleswig, while M. von ,Bismarck
was still in France, his return was eagerly looked for
as the signal for commencing the work of annexa-
tion ; but these military men seem to have reckoned
without their host, or at all events not to have been

aware of many of the difficulties and obstacles which
diplomatists have occasionally to encounter. Of
these, however, it is likely they have now got some
idea, for there is now an uncertainty and indecision
in all the proceedings of the Court at Berlin with
regard to these Duchies which formerly was not
apparent. As an example of this, it may be stated
that there is now sitting a commission for the pur-
pose of making inquiry whether the proposed Prus-
sian naval establishment should be formed in the
splendid ba4of IlOruphof, in the island of Alsen,
or in Kiel harbour, though the scale is understood
to turn rather in favour of Kiel, on account of the
benefit that would be • derived from the large ship
canal between that porte and the Elbe, if that grand
project should ultimately be realised. It has
nevertheless been remarked that as ,yet the progress
made on the proposed naval works at Kiel has only
been on a limited scale, from which it is inferred
there that the Prussian Government is not yet
in a position to conceive, far less to execute, plans
of any importance for naval purposes ; while in the
way in which they go to work the money that is
expended is little better than thrown away ; but
that is perhaps only the usual apprentice
fee which all who attempt new undertakings
are generally expected to pay. It has even,
as regards this subject, been reported within the
last few days that the arrangements which had been
contemplated for the building of large iron ships at
Kiel are not now to be completed, and that the
suitable site that had been obtained for that purpose
is now to be made use of for the enlargement of the
town, or in some other way which will not involve
the Prusssian Government in the heavy expenditure
Which they would otherwise have been called on to
incur.

There is no symptom of intimacy between those
connected with the Austrian head-quarters at Kie
and those Prussian officers who, under the Gastein
Convention, are stationed in the neighbourhood of
that town, though it continues to be asserted that
Austria will, at no distant day, surrender all her
rights in both Duchies to Prussia in exchange for a
sum of money, which Austria is eager to obtain, and
which Prussia professes to be willing to pay, though
there are difficulties in the way which would require
to be overcome. One of these, it is said, arises from
its being known that the:Crown Prince of Prussia,
who is now in England, does not participate in the
views on this matter of the King and M. von Bis-
marck, though his royal highness begins to perceive
that his objections will not much longer be allowed
to stand in the way of the intended annexation;
and if such should really be carried into effect, 1t
will most clearly prove that the true constitutions 4
system is utterly ignored in Prussia, that the wllo,l°
of the Government of that kingdom is thoroughly
demoralised, and that the only power that is now
recognised there is that which the needle-gun and
the bayont can command.
much
The crops here, when thrashed, turn out In
worse than had been anticipated, and the impres-
sion gains ground that before spring there will be
a great advance in the prices of all kinds of grain'
of which, in consequence, there are upnow Yery fclit
sellers at the present rates,