The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-17 00:00:00

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA

The accounts given in the German journals of the
negotiations between the Austrian and Prussian Go-
vernments on the Eastern question are noticed at
considerable length by two of our Paris contemporaries.
ft is difficult to arrive at anything like a positive con-
clusion from the contradictory statements that are made,
but the balance of accounts seems to warrant a belief
that if concessions have been made by either party, it is
rather Austria than Prussia that has given way. Some
of the German journals state, indeed, that if Austria
has yielded something to Prussia it is because the
latter power has declared that at her intercession
Russia has offered to accept the four points of guaran-
tees laid down by the Western Powers as a sine qua non
of any negotiations for peace. Others declare, and
probably with some truth, that the utmost that the
Russian Government has offered is to make the four
points the object of negotiation, and not to accept them
as a basis.

(From the Pays.)
The German journals now announce with more
unanimity than ever the complete understanding come
to between Austria and Prussia. The followinc, is the
way in which matters stand. It is known that, on the
221 October, Austria addressed to Prussia a categorical
note, in which she maintained her right of isolated
policy with regard to Russia, while expressing a desire
for a common actiun of the two German powers in the
&ill:era:ions of the Diet. The resolute tone of this note,
coinciding with the victorious progress of the Allies, ap-
pears to have made some impression on the Cabinet of
Berlin, for its reply, which is dated the 31st ult., con-
tains, according to the Wurternburg 31oniteur, specious
conditions, which that journal sums up as follows :—"ln
the first place, Prussia completely accedes to the fuur points
of guarantee, but in the second place she adds as a condition
that Austria shall not go beyond these four points, what-
! ever may be the issue of the war. In the third place,
mention is made of a proposition to be made in common
to the Diet by Austria and Prussia, inviting the Confe-
' deration to accede to the four points. The Germanic
Confederation, Austria and Prussia, will then declare to
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg that the acceptance of these
bases is necessary for the re-establishment of a firm and
durable peace in Europe. In the fourth place, the Con-
federation and Prussia will promise to assist Austria not
only in case she should be attacked in her own territory,
but also if such should take place in the principalities.
In the fifth place, it speaks of the preparatory arrange-
ments to be made by the military commission of the
Diet, in order to give proper force and efficacy to these
vesolutions."

It will be seen that this reply is conceived with the
object of uniting Austria and Germany to the Prussian
policy. Clause 2 will suffice in case of need to render
the acceptance of it difficult. That clause states in fact
as a condition the maintenance of the extreme limit of
the four guarantees. Now Austria, following the exi-
gencies of the West, or we might rather say the law of
events, has for a long time past gone beyond that limit.
Her close alliance with France and England, although
without the sanction of a special treaty, is written in
all her protocols and all her acts. It may be remem-
bered with what eagerness the young Emperor congratu-
lated the two Governments on their first success in the
Crimea, and the same eagerness was shown at Vienna to
transmit to Paris a despatch confirmative of the battle of
the sth inst. There is evidently between the three Cabi-
nets an identity of principles and of views which
must sooner or later lead to a unity of action against
the common enemy, And for this reason it appears to us
difficult for Austria to connect herself absolutely with
Prussia within the circle of the four guarantees. But for
this second clause the new protocol of Prussia would re-
alise an evident progress. The fact of an identical im-
pulse with regard to the Diet would determine the
unanimous adhesion of the Confederation to the basis of
the four guarantees. The *hole of Germany in this im-
perious dilemma would rise up before the Czar, and de-
mand either the abandonment of his political and re-
ligious pretensions on the East or war. Thus laid down,
the problem of the future would no longer appear
doubtful. Even Prussia would find herself one day
compelled by Muscovite obstinacy to leave to the logic
of events the care of determining the definitive bases of
future peace. The illusion, in fact, which is still cherished
at Berlin, but which will be soon dispelled, is that
the Czar wishes for peace, and that he is disposed to
make concessions. This illusion has hitherto resisted
the most convincing contrary proofs. It clings to family
relations, which are skillfully worked on by Russian
diplomacy. It has dictated innumerable attempts at
mediation, and particularly the Prussian despatch of
the 23d ult., which demanded from the Czar the adop-
tion of the four guarantees. These attempts have been
unfortunate. Russia has always replied by evasive
phrases or by lying promises, aid she has not the less
Continued her military movements and her public acts i
of aggression. Will the despatch of the 23d ult. meet
with a better reception It is thought perhaps at Ber-
lin, and several German journals have already pro-
claimed it, that Russia is ready to_ negotiate on the four
bases. We must, however, be permitted to think that
this is also a deceitful illusion, and that there may be
in this apparent concession of Russia only a manoeuvre
to sow the seeds of disunion between Austria and
the Western Powers.