The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

PRUSSIA AND TILE NEW TREATY.

BERLIN, Dec. 11.—Our Cabinet has made up its mind
to sign the new treaty of 'Vienna of the 2d inst. as soon
as it is invited to do so by the contracting parties. This
you may rely upon. The resolution has not, however,
been taken with any intention of really promoting and
supporting the plans of the Allies. Prussia, on
the contrary, will join the alliance in the first place
to escape being left out of the councils of the great
Powers ; and in the second, to gain an opportunity
of continuing its diplomatic efforts in favour of
Russia. The first paroxysm of panic excited by the
news of the conclusion of the treaty of the 2d
December having subsided, the persons who influence
the decisions of our Government have recovered
their self-possession sufficiently to recollect that trea-
ties are not always entered into with an intention to
fulfil them. There is little likelihood— at the present
moment less, perhaps, than at any former period—of
Prussia's acting in true and honest concert with the
Allies. The vanity of our Court has been deeply
wounded by Austria's concluding without its knowledge
the treaty with the belligerent Powers ; for it prided
itself upon maintaining the appearance of beins, entirely
uninfluenced by anything the Governments of France
and England could do. This sense of humiliation—for
which our Court is entirely indebted to its own weak
and undecided policy—draws it closer to Russia. More
rational views do indeed at intervals gain possession of
it ; but they are at once dispelled as soon as allusion is
made to " the sacred obligations to near relatives,"
which some persons who surround the throne, and some
who are sent from time to time by the Emperor of Rus-
sia, take care to throw in whenever there is any appear-
ance of indecision. At such moments the will of the late
King, in which his successor was warned t 3 remain true
to the Holy Alliance, is sure to be recalled to the King's
recollection. If the royal doubts appear to be very
powerful, and consequently the situation critical, the ex-
ample of firmness set by some of the German princes is
pointed to as an example. The Grand Dukes of the
Mecklenburga are foremost among these model princes.
They are nearly related to the reigning family in Russia,
and never can forget their Russian origin. As if all this
systematic management were insufficient, a day has
scarcely passed, within the last two or three months,
in which we have not seen the name of some Russian
prince or distinguished nobleman announced in the
new:papers as having arrived at the Palace. Some
faint conception of the extent to which the most trifling
accidents contribute to confirm our court in its subser-
viency to Russia may be formed from the following fact :
The Austrian General Hess came to Berlin last spring
to arrange the preliminaries of the treaty of April 20.
Everything was going on smoothly, when a report
reached that capital from St. Petersburg that the Em-
peror had attended the funeral of General Rochow, who
had died while acting as Prussian Minister there, in
Prussian regimentals. The King's determination to
sign the treaty was immediately changed, and it was
only by the straightforward and energetic remonstrances
of the Prince of Prussia and General Benin, at that time
Minister at War, that his Majesty was brought back to
his original resolution.
Should the Empress of Russia die—and the intelli-
gence from St. Petersburg leads us to expect every mo-
ment the news of that sad event—there is no knowing
what effect it may have on the policy of the King of
Prussia. The intriguers in the interest of the Czar
would use all means unscrupulously to persuade him
that the undecided conduct of his Government in the
Oriental question has been the cause of his beloved
sister's death.

As regards our military preparations, no fresh orders
have been given that indicate an intention en the
part of Prussia to abandon the ground of neu-
trality. Anything in the shape of preparations for
war is still confined to the provisioning of the Rhe-
nish fortresses. Immense quantities of corn have been
purchased of late for this purpose. Magdeburg, too, is
quietly being placed in a condition to withstand siege or
blockade. The position of this fortress on the Elbe
would make it, in the event of a war with France, the
most important defence and covering of Berlin. The
fortifications of Konigsberg—on the Russian frontier—
are not carried on as was promised and expected. Of
the 360,000 dollars per annum granted for that purpose
only 240,000 have been spent in the current year. Go-
vernment intends only to lay out the same BUM on them
next year, although the works are far from complete.
This shows plainly that it is not from this quarter our
government anticipate danger.