The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-26 00:00:00

PRETENSIONS OF AUSTRIA AND PRUS-
SIA TO MARITIME POWER.

It is singular that the two great German Powers,
who have little or no seaboard, and the defence of
whose territories depends almost entirely upon the
employment of large land forces, should exhibit to
the world a zealous ambition to become naval
powers. The Governments of both countries, it
would appear, are severally at this moment mak-
ing unheard-of efforts to create for themselves a
navy.

At the conclusion of the war of the French Re-
volution, and many years thereafter, Austria had
not a single war vessel. Indeed she had little or
no commerce to protect, nor had she many sea-
ports to defend. But Prince Metternich and his
colleagues, who best understand the traditional
policy and ambition of Austria, foresaw that the
day might come when a naval force would be of
importance to the prestige of that power. The
nucleus of a navy was formed in the Adriatic, and
fishermen from the villages of the coast were in-
duced to enter the service. Of late years the Go-
vernment have given more than ordinary attention
to the increase of its strength, and it is understood
that the Emperor takes an extraordinary interest
in this infant branch of his
twarlike establishments.
Several of the vessels which constitute the Aus-
trian navy been built in the ship-building yards of
the Thames, and the strength of the armament is
as follows :—six frigates, carrying upwards of 200
guns ; seven corvettes, carrying 135 guns ; four-
teen brigs, carrying 165 guns ; seven galleys, car-
rying 70 guns ; two schooners, carrying 9 guns
besides nine steamers, of 80 to 300 horse-power ; a
fleet nearly as formidable as that of Naples, which
has recently boasted that her naval power is next
supreme to France in the Mediterranean. It may
be that the far-sighted statesmen of Austria had
anticipated what she hag gained from the present
war, viz., an important voice and interest in the
maritime regulations of the Black Sea as the pro-
tectress of the commerce of the Danube, which is
destined to become of groat importance should
Russian pretensions be really defeated in that
quarter. Not Withstanding the intimacy of her
' alliance with Russia, the policy of Austria for
several generations has been to recover,her right
over the navigation of the great river which flows
through the heart of her territories, and in this re-
spect the interest and the policy of England are
identical with that of the eastern Germanic empire.
Austria has truly profited by a war which has
cost nothing beyond the exercise of their best wits
by her superior statesmen and diplomatists.
Prussia, until within the last few years, made no
pretensions to naval power, and, beyond some ves-
sels stationed at the commercial ports for police
purposes, she possessed no vessel carrying guns of
any calibre. Like her neighbours, however,
Prussia is determined to have a warlike flotilla.
When, after the war with Denmark, the German
Confederation disposed of the fleet they had em-
ployed on the occasion, Prussia purchased several
vessels to form the nucleus of a navy. She has
since increased the power of hersmall fleet by pur-
chasing from, or bartering vessels with, the English
Admiralty ; and we have recently heard of the ex-
ploits of a Prussian man-of-war, under the com-
mand of one of the princes of the blood, even in the
Mediterranean. The new service is popular in
Prussia ; the sons of the best families strive fcr
commissions in the infant navy.
With what views is Prussia thus actively creating
a naval force ? Probably never to employ it
against England ; but certainly never against
Russia, if there is any truth iu the proverbial say-
ing of the Czars, that " Prussia will never give
them any offence."—Correspondent of the Morning
Advertiser.