The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-25 00:00:00

DENMARK AND PRUSSIA.

Mr. DISRAELI, seeing the Noble Lord the Secretary
for Foreign Affairs in his place, wished to ask him a
question relative to the negociations which had taken
place between Denmark and Germany under the Noble
Lord's auspices. It would be in the recollection of the
House, that the King of Denmark, out of regard for the
commerce of this country, was reluctantly induced to
sign armistice between Denmark and Prussia, which
was afterwards carried to Berlin, and there signed
by the King of Prussia ; he believed mainly
through the auspices of Sweden, and the native in-
telligence of the Noble Lord the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs. The House would be surprised to learn
that this armistice thns signed and ratified had been
repudiated by the Prussian people, and Europe had now
the mortification to learn that hostilities ruinous to the
commerce of England were about to be commenced. He
wished therefore to ask whether the Noble Lord had
any communication to make to the House on this almost
unprecedented occurrence in diplomatic negociations;
whether he had received any communication from
Prussia to the Court of St. James's explanatory of these
proceedings; whether Prussia, under the new con-
stitution which at present prevailed in Ger-
many, which not ev'en the King of Prussia
seemed to understand had. informed the Government
that the King had had no authority to sign and ratify the
armistice, and whether the King himself had withdrawn
his ambassador from The Court ofiSt. James,s.
Lord PALMERSTON had great pleasure in furnish-
ing the House with such information as he had received
with regard to this important Matter, and he trusted the
general result of his answer would be encouraging, but
perhaps not so satisfactory as the Hon. Gentleman
anticipated. Government proppsed to the two parties,
Denmark and Prussia, articles of an armistice which also

contained the basis et a futtitegerM;neniTeZenerliof
the ;disputes :between the two powers. That offer
however, was not accepted, .but eventually an officer in
the confidence of the King. of Prussia was appointed to
negociate for the-King, and he repaired for that
purpose to Malmo to communicate with the Ministers
of Sweden and Denmark. At that meeting articles of
an armistice not involving. the principle of a paramount
settlement were agreed to but not actually signed.
It might undoubtedly have been reasonably supposed
that the articles of the armistice were finally concluded
and duly signed, but when it was sent to the General
commanding the Prussian forces, that officer started
difficulties with reference to the position of his
own Government and the.. German Confederation. He
would not trouble the House by going into further de-
tails, but he. might state that from a communication
which he had received this morning from Ber-
lin, he was led . to hope that the difficulties
which had arisen would eventually be got over, and that
the armistice would be signed and finally concluded upon.
The House would understand that the main question re-•
mained to be settled, but her Majesty's Government
would still continue to give their good offices, with the
view of settling existing hostilities.
DANUBLAN TERRITORY.

Mr. URQUHART asked whether the Government
had received any information respecting the Danubian
provinces, .and also .inquired in what character the
Russian troops had .marcbed into that territory?
Lord PALMERSTON..said the Government had re-
ceived information .of the.march of the Russian troops
to Wallachia, but they had not received any in-
formation as to the actual entrance of any Russian
or Danish forces into Wallachia. He did not expect
that any collisioa would, take place, as the object of
their entry being to enforce certain arrangements sub-
sisting between the two powers, the sovereign power on
the one hand, and the protecting power on the other,
(LEST SITTING.)