The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-09 00:00:00

REDUCTION OF THE AUSTRIAN AIMS%

A telegram from Vienna informs us that a further reduc-
tion of the standing army of Austria is to be effected bypost-
poning thy, calling out of the recruits. Although the last
Army reorganisation law established a full Austrian force
of more than a million men, the standing army was made
comparatively small—lower than that of Prussia, and not
more than three-fifths as large as that of Prance. This further
reduction is decidedly a pacific symptom. It is primarily
a measure of economy, but it is not likely that economical
considerations would prevail if there was serious danger of

GERMANY.
A very significant vote has just been taken in the
Bavarian Chamber of Deputies at Munich. The Govern-
went recently brought in a Money Bill, for the purpose
of raising nearly half a million sterling to be
&voted as an extraordinary credit to military purposes.
The bill was submitted to a commission which
recommended that instead of half a million the Chamber
should vote less than one-fourth that sum. The Chamber
has taken the advice, and has, by a vote of 63 to i 2,
declared £llO,OOO to be enough for extraordinary military
purposes. The Bavarians are not disposed to have their
country transformed into a military camp.

THE SPANISH THRONE.
It is officially announced that Dorn Fernando has finally
refused to accept the Spanish Crown upon any terms
whatever. The proiect of a commission which was to set
out for Lisbon in order to lay this dangerous present before
the Portuguese prince has been abandoned. Had the com-
missioners started they might possibly have met with a
"warm" reception. The Portuguese were much opposed
to Dom Fernando becoming King of Spain. They appre-
hended, not without reason, that an Iberian Union would
be the inevitable result; and the idea of Portugal thus
becoming a Spanish province is most repugnant to them.
The excitement, in fact, was so great that the commis-
sioners would have been in great danger of ill-treatment.
What the Spanish Ministry will do now is a most impor-
tant question. The Inclipendance Beige says that Prim
and his colleagues persuaded Serrano and Topete
to consent to this offer of the crown to Dom
Fernando, but Prim's party seemed unwilling
to promise that if the Portuguese prince refused
Montpensier should become King. Another hypothesis
put forth by some authorities deserves attention. It is
affirmed that this offer has been made to Dom Fernando,
;a the certainty that he would refuse, in order that the
Duke of Montpensier might be the more readily accepted.
THE BELGIAN RAILWAY AFFAIR.
The French Ministers are doing their best to gild the pill of
concession which M. Fr6re-Orban is to swallow. On Monday
he dined with M. de Lavalette, and after dinner, says the
Independance Beige, the affairs of the two nations were dis-
cussed at great length. What was done on this occasion does
not transpire, but it is quite clear that the progress made
was not great. On- Tuesday there was another dinner,
and more talk at M. Rouher's. On Wednesday M.
Frdre-Orlian and M. Rouher hr.d another interview,
which must have taken place before dinner, seeing that
some business was done. The French Government, vfe
are informed, indicates its wishes without bringing them
to any formal proposition. The initiative of settle-
ment is left to the Belgian Cabinet. But the French
Minister of State did not fail to again put forth the
treaties with the railway companies as an essential part
a the solution. So far from the leasing of Belgian lines to
French companies being disadvantageous to the interests of
Belgium, M. Rouher held that the issue would be quite the
reverie. M. Frdre-Orban brought arguments against this
theory. M. Rouher very courteously, but very energeti-
cally, combatted these arguments, The question stands
precisely where it did. The Belgian Legislature has
given King Leopold's Ministry the power to veto any
lease of a Belgian railway to foreign companies. The
French Government insists that in the case of the Luxem-
bourg Railway the veto shall not be exercised. The mixed
commission is not constituted, nor is it likely to be at
present. Before the commission is nominated the Govern-
ments must determine what business is to be laid before it.

THE UNITED STATES.
It is expected that the great railroad across the North
American continent will be opened throughout during the
summer. The work is carried on eastward and westward
with great rapidity, the Central Pacific line from the
west meeting the Union Pacific from the east. On
the Ist of January the Union Pacific Railway had
constructed its line westward from Omaha, Nebraska,
9.55 miles ; and the Central Pacific Railway had
;milt its line eastward 445 miles from Sacramento, Cali-
fornia. This left between the termini of the lines a gap
of 319 miles yet to be built. On the 24th of March, how-
ever, the Union Pacific Railway had extended its road
85 miles further westward, and the Central Pacific Rail-
way was built 152 miles further eastward. This leaves
only 82 miles to complete the most stupendous railway
Project i 4 the world.