The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-15 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, Dec. 11.—It is astonishing with what
avidity the German journals generally, and more
especially those of Vienna, snatch up the absurd
rumours which are disseminated by the truth-
loving members of the Russian party. A week
or ten days back it was reported that his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge had been com-
pelled by illness to leave his post in the Crimea,
and go to Constantinople. A second report
announced that it was very possible that the
stay of his Royal Highness at Constantinople
would be a long one, his illness being very
severe ; and for the last three days all the little
world of Vienna has been talking of the illness of
the Duke of Cambridge. A letter from the Duke
of Cambridge himself, dated Constantinople, of the
Vtli ult., has been received in this city. His
Royal Highness writes that his health is good, and
that Lord Raglan has given him a few days' leave
of absence, at the end of which time ho returns to
his command in the Crimea.

There is a general dearth of even Russian intel-
ligence. The last Menschikoff despatch is dated
the Ist December, and repeats the old tale, that
"nothing of importance had occurred—the bom-
bardment was very weak, and did little damage—
the Allies were fortifying their position."
The Austrian Correspondence has a letter from
Odessa, under date of the Ist inst. It was known
there that 35,000 Turks, under Omer Pach, were
about to embark at Varna for the Crimea. General
Osten-Sacken arrived from Kischeneff on the night
of the 30th, and intended to continue his journey
to the Crimea on the 2d, where, as has been already
aLnounced by telegraph, he takes the command of
the Dannenberg corps. The writer of this letter
states that the reason of the deposition of General
Dannenberg is, that in case any mischance should
occur to Prince Menschikoff, the command would
devolve on the former, and the Russian army would
lose all confidence, for though the general is an
accomplished soldier, and brave to a fault, he has
been almost uniformly unfortunate in all his under-
takings. The blockade of Odessa had not yet be-
gun, but there were four steamers of war lying off
the harbour.

PRUSSIA.
BERLIN, DEC. 12.
The question of an address in reply to the speech
from the Throne has entered into a new phase.
The original project, as moved by M. de Vincke,
did not meet with favour in the committees. Far
from it ; the whole with one exception voted for its
rejection. The report of the central committee,
notifying and giving motives for this rejection, was
brought up yesterday, and will be laid before the
committee in, plenum, on Wednesday, when M. de
Vincke will have an opportunity, according to the
standing orders, of defending his project. Mean-
time, the party designated as that of Bethmann-
Hollweg and Patow, from the names of its two most
eminent members, has determined not till allow
the project of an address to fall. Consequently, 41
of that party have drawn up and signed another
project, trhich was distributed yesterday to mem-
bers simultaneously with the report of the central
committee rejecting M. de Vincke's motion. The
Betbrnann-liollweg project is thus worded :
" May it please the Chambers to resolve that a com-
mittee of tiff:l-Ay-one members shall be elected by the
sections, and that the annexed project of an address in
answer to the speech from the Throne shall be laid before
the same for deliberation and reporting thereon.
"Motive.—His Majesty the King having opened the
Chambers in person, and the question of a reply having
been already *looted in another manner, the proposition
is justified by its appropriateness and the present state
of affairs. _ _

"This address runs thus
Most serene and most powerful King, most gra-
cious King and Lord ! Your Majesty has been pleased
to open this year's session of the representatives of the
country in your own most exalted person, and to honour
them with communications relative to a felicitous event
in your royal house, as likewise in respect to the state
of the country, internally and externally.
" The Second Chamber would think that it little
merits the royal confidence, and that it would fail in
bounden respect if it were not to respond to the summons
contained therein (the speech), not to lay at the foot of
the throne the expression of its sentiments.
" In the first place it feels itself called upon to ex-
press most respectfully its warmest sympathy at the union
of his Royal Highness Prince Frederick Charles, your
Majesty's nephew, with the Princess Marie Anna of

Allhalt—an alliance which, whilst on the one hand it
lays the foundation for the happiness of a heroic young
prince, on the other it promises to the country another
model of the blessings of domestic virtues.
" `'We bail with satisfaction the reconstruction of the
First Chamber, resolved by the law of the 7th of May,
1853, and effected by your Majesty's decree of the 12th
of October of this year, as the consolidation of the State
constitution, which forms the indisputable foundation of
its internal legal order. We look-forward with eager.
ness to the moment when it may be possible for us, in
union with this body, and with your Majesty, to bring
to completion the constitution of the country by a code
of communal, district, ancl provincial regulations appro-
priate to present circumstances.

" The long-maintained principles of Prussian admi-
nistration keeping pace with the demands of the times,
have, as your Majesty has been pleased to announce,
preserved the finances of thit State during serious times
in a well-rei•ulated condition, and raised the material
strength of the country, the means of communication,
and, above all, industrial traffic, to a height hitherto
unknown. In the earns manner, we trust that your
Majesty's Government, under God's assistance, and
with the energetic co-operation of all classes of your
subjects, may be enabled to meet the wants which mis-
fortunes have entailed upon some provinces, and the
general dearness of the necessaries of life upon the whole
country.

The most serious cares assuredly fill the breast of
every patriot at the sight of the conflict that has
broken out between the mightiest States of Europe, and
which, in proportion as it developes itself in greater
dimensions, must affect Prussia, in consideration of her
position as a great power, and her geographical position.
" We acknowledge with profound thanks your Ma-
jesty's paternal solicitude for the country in,maintaining
for it as long as possible the blessings of peace. But
we feel ourselves bound in our consciences to state most
respectfully to your Majesty that, according to our con-
viction as well as that of the vast majority of the country,
the time is come when Prussia, whilst she safe-
guards her special and North German interests, can,
by a prompt and decided return into the European
community, which, the other great German Power still
allied with her has steadfastly maintained and just
now restrengthened, avoid the dangerous position of a
complete isolation ; and that the object of a peace
founded on legality, secured against all future danger—
that is, a durable peace—can only be attained by your
Majesty throwing into the balance of decisions the full
weight of your voice, strengthened by acts.
" Should the united voice. of Europe find no bearing
. _ _ _

[meaning from Russia], and your Majesty see yourself
necessitated to call forth the whole strength of the coun-
try. then the nation will know that the heavy sacrifices
of blood and goods are not imposed upon it for foreign
interests, but for the elevated treasures of right, of inde-
pendence, and the honour of their fatherland, and, fol-
lowing the appeal of their King, will show in true Prus-
sian mauler that we are powerful in unity.' "