The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-16 00:00:00

TIIE ALDERNEY BREAKWATER.

Captain Saumarez calls public attention to the
costly and unsatisfactory harbour at Alderney. Five
years ago some thousands were spent in repairing it,
when he made the same protest, prophesying that it
would never stand when repaired. Intelligence just
received from the island informs us that during the
late gales the works were completely broken through
by the action of the sea. Captain Saumarez reminds
us that some years since H.M.S. Emerald, proceeding
to :\ lderney with troops, was nearly lost by striking
on a sunken rock inside the harbour, and thinks that
some M.P. should ask for returns of the expenses
incurred for its maintenanex, _

STREET rnEACIIING.

The inhabitants of the Edgware-road have lately
been much annoyed by the crowds and disturbance
caused by street preachers and singers on Sunday
evenings. Two of the preachers have been brought
up at the Marylebone Police-court on this charge,
and were fined each the sum of 40s. and costs. One
of them refused to pay, preferring to be a martyr,
and exclaiming as he went to the cells that Bunyan
was once locked up. half an hour's experience
changed his opinions, and he allowed his " brethren "
to pay the fine.

FOREIGN NOTES.

'THE AEXIEZ OF THE CONTINENT.

A military correspondent of the Times opportunely
estimates the number and efficiency of the various con-
tinental armies. The events of 1866 set aside the old
theory of war. Reconstruction ab origine became a
necessity for every army in Europe except that of
Prussia. No State has neglected this work, and all the
stronger nations have pressed it forward as rapidly as
possible. It would be idle to deny that at the present
moment the general result is of special importance. The
correspondent of the Times estimates that two of the
European States are thoroughly prepared for war, with
splendid armies and abundant inaM•iel ; the rest
are more or less in arrcar. France could put into
the field fully half a million of men, armed
with breech-loaders, which, without being perfect,
are deciiedly superior to the Prussian needle-gun.
Behind this great army is a vast array of reserves, more
or less carefully equipped, making altogether a million
combatants. The latest improvements in organisation
have been carefully attended to. The French artillery is
good. The Prussians have greatly improved, too. But
the infantry fighting is still open to some faults, which
have been avoided by the French. The Prussian cavalryand
artillery is not all that they might be, the latter being
in particular indifferently handled. In 1866 the Austrian
artillery proved decidedly superior. Prnssia's great streagth
lies in her infantry,'which has on its side all the prestige of
recent successes, as well as confidence and experience in
its weapon. The South German armies, too, would be at
the command of Prussia in case of war, though their
movements are slow and their efficiency somewhat below
the average. They number 200,000 on paper. The North
German Confederacy is inferior in numerical force to
France, but the difference in the field would be practically

Two great Powers, then, are ready for the combat, having
command of men, money, and the spirit of antagonistic
races. The rest of the European nations are unprepared
for a great struggle. Austria is behind, but is yet more
formidable than in 1866. The new organisation gives
a peace strength of 250,000, a regular army for war
of 800,000, including the reserves border troops,
53,000, and Landwehr, 200,000, besides the Landsturm,
not yet completely organised. The field artillery did right
well in the war, and has needed no changes. The cavalry
rode and fought splendidly, but were not employed to the
extent or in the manner they ought to have been, and
probably would be now. Breech-loaders have been
furnished to the troops, and the arm now in use
will be replaced shortly by a better one. A few
years of peace would bring Austria once more to the
front. Russia is still further behind. She professes to
have a force of a million and a half of all arms,
but this is a pen-and-ink estimate. It is certain
that only a part of the army has rifled field guns
and breech-loading small arms, and without these
modern necessities for war it would be madness to take
the field against trained European troops. Italy has
350,000 regulars and a National Guard ; but from the
weakness of the Government and the flightiness of the
people, the Italian army is of less value in calculations
than any other in Europe, except Spain. As to Turkey,
she has got an Englishman to take charge of her fleet—
when she does the same with her army there will be some
interest in counting its numbers. The writer sums up that
if France and Prussia would shake hands, or Prussia and
Austria form a strict offensive and defensive alliance
there would be little fear of war for some years. Unfor-
tunately, neither of these contingencies is probable at
present. •