The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-14 00:00:00

preted by the assumption that she has found encou-
ragement in the background. The Powers were jus-
tified in refusing to discuss the Eastern question
generally, but this minor quarrel should have been
allowed to take its course, unless there
was a clear understanding as to the basis of
arbitration and as to the means of compelling
the two disputants to accept the terms proposed. It
is difficult to conceive a scene more absurd than that
which took place at Paris on Saturday. When the
ambassadors of all Europe meet together in solemn
conclave, and are informed by the representative of a
few square miles that their mission is futile, the
undiplomatic mind can form but one conclusion.

In fact, notwithstanding the Conference, the aspect
of affairs has grown more gloomy. The fruit of
these pacific attempts has been that European
politics are far more threatening now than they were
when HonanT PASHA assailed the Enosis. The
French official army journal has deemed this a
suitable time for informing the world that France
can " advantageously fight " any Power in
Europe, and this cheerful announcement has
found its echo in every part of the continent.
So far as appearances go the state of Europe has
rarely been more unpromising: The troublesome
Eastern States have promised to be quiet whilst the
Conference sits, but they are making good use of
the time in arming. Turkey has now 40,000
men in Thessaly, and is sending artillery by
sea. The Russian war preparations in the
South are going on rapidly. Most inauspicious of
all is the unfriendliness—more violent than at any
time since the war—between Austria and Prussia.
Germany, which it was hoped would become the
great European security, is at present as
little pacific as any part of the Continent.
Ever since Count BELYST assumed the direction of
Austrian affairs, the old jealousy between the two
States has been revived. So long as Austria was
helpless her neighbour was satisfied ; but Count
BEUST, be it said to his credit, has rapidly retrieved
the fortunes of the empire, has succeeded in
thoroughly conciliating the Hungarians, and has
brought about social and constitutional reform on a
scale wholly without precedent. Austria is now far
more formidable than before the war in 1866. Hence
the revival of hostile feeling between two States whose
interests can never be identical. A war between the
official journals of Berlin and Austria was taken up by
Count BISMARCK and his rival themselves; and,
finally, the symptoms have become so serious that the
reports of a rupture cannot be wholly unfounded.
The danger of this hostility is not improved
by the fact that Austria and Rrussia hold
different views and have different interests
on the Eastern Question. Between hard words and
fighting there is always a wide interval ; but between
this unfriendly rivalry and peace there is a wider
interval still. If Europe be not involved in war, the
security and the confidence which are so necessary for
the welfare of its people were never more distant
than at present.

LATEST INTELL MENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

BOMBAY MAIL.
MEsstNA, Jan. 13.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tanjore passed through the Straits of Messina at
4 p.m. to-day, en route to Marseilles.

MALTA, Jan. 13.

The Massilia, with the heavy portions of the above
mails, arrived from Alexandria at 7.30 p.m. to-day,
and leaves at 6 a.m. to-morrow for Southampton,
where she may be expected about the 23d inst.