The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-05 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

ring DAY.—Merning, lh. 44m.—Afternoon, 2h. 2m.
a-Mon.now.-Morning, 2h. 21m.—Afternoon, 211.38 m.

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LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 5, 1867.

The reorganisation of the Austrian army at pre-
sent engages a large share of public attention in
that country, and many of the authorities are

busily engaged in discussing the chances of success,
and speculating upon its effects. The War Minister,
Baron JOHN, has sent to the EMPEROR a report
upon the deficiencies of the army, aLd also sub-
mitted to him a scheme for its reorganisation. The

EMPEROR has replied to these in a letter which

approves of the :plan in its entirety, but deems

it more expedient to reserve it for " consti-
tutional deliberation." The defensive force of

the Empire, however, stands so much in need of
augmentation that the EMPEROR authorises the
Minister to publish his report, with the draft for
the organisation of the army and the general levy.

The draft in question is of considerable extent, but
its main clauses seem to be carefully considered and
planned with a view to general success. Of these
one is very good, which decrees that the " army
shall always be organised, so as to be able to
enter the field with the briefest possible delay,
and should form the school of arms for
the entire population." Had such a statute
been in force, an' been strictly carried out
during the last summer, we should not have wit-
nessed so complete a demolition of the Austrian
forces as took place on various occasions.
What the Vienna Government should aim at
more than anything is centralisation, and bad as
their prospects are now, and fallen their position,
if they can continue to effect this they will assuredly
get a better, while as certainly they will deteriorate
still more if they persist in that narrow style, and
continue in that exclusive system which have worked
so much mischief and injury. It was long thought
that there was something very faulty in the
manner in which the Austrian army was conducted,
but we suspect few believed the actual state of the
case to be what it was. In some respects we are

justified in saying that any change must be for the
better. We hope, both for its own sake and for
the better equalisation of power in Europe, that
those alterations may be effected in such a manner
that they may be conducive to the interests and
general security of the empire. To gain this de-
sideratum, however, it will be necessary that great
energy must be employed, and great unanimity
displayed ; but, perhaps, under the circumstances,
these may not be found wanting. By this time we
should imagine that even the notable self-com-
placency and assurance must give way before the
pressure of circumstances and the exigencies of
their altered position.
As for the Prussians they are going on as if there

could not possibly be any flaw in their work, or any
drawback to their success. Many times and oft
have we heard of their celebrating their unwonted
triumphs, but they to not yet seem tired of renew-
ing their efforts in this cause, and the arrival of
New Year's-day appears to have aroused them
with increased force to the work of self-glorification
and of national praise. The Crown Prince, in the
name of the army, delivered a congratulatory ad-
dress to the KING, in which he sketched the course
he had taken for years past, concluding with an
extravagant eulogy on the recent management of
the army which h,ls led to such glorious results in
the opinion of all his people. It may be said that
the people in question did not seem to find
the steps which were taken in the matter
either so pleasant or so profitable as it is now
made out that they did. " This is the fine
trait distinguishing us Prussians above other people,
that with us there is no distinction between people
and army, but that both are one." Really we are at
a loss to understand how this can be reconciled
with the arbitrary and exclusive regulations that
fetter the progress of the Prussian soldier, but such
trifles as exactitude and consistency are not taken
into account, we suppose, on memorable occasions
like this referred to. Besides, where no reply can
be made the speaker can say what he pleases with-
out fear of contradiction or chances of discom-
fiture.

At a dinner which took place subsequently to the
ceremony of presenting a tribute to his MAJESTY
some speeches were made, all tending iu the same
direction, and the KING himself declared that the
new year and those which follow must bring forth
the fruits of the seed sown in last year's work of
military renown.. We have before this remarked
with regret the constant allusions which are always
being made by King WILLIAM to the favour of
Heaven, which has been so greatly bestowed
upon him ; surely, when so much is done,
directly and indirectly, by any Power as we con-
stantly see effected by Prussia to work out its own
will in spite of all considerations of propriety or
scruples of conscience, it would be more in accord-
ance with propriety to avoid the constant assertion
that it is by the direct interposition of Providence
therefore that hardship and misery are inflicted on
those put under their control by the adverse
chances of war. We believe, however, that all
will not go so smoothly as it does just now when
the actual work of the North German Con-
federacy commences. Saxony already shows
signs of discontent at the undertakings in which
she is expected to take a part, and the various
parties recognisable in the kingdom cause a state
of great disquietude and uncertainty. It is true
that nothing they can do will, for the present at
least, stop the course of Prussian policy ; but still
they may cause a great deal of annoyance to the
Berlin Government in the furtherance of their
scheme. Unity that is compelled to join at the
point of the sword will be a curious illustration of
good will; and yet we may have to witness this, or
worse, before the celebrated schemes of Count Bis-
MARCK are completed

After universal wonder has been expressed at the
exceptional weather of 1866, 1867 seems deter-
mined to astonish us still more, though not in a
very pleasant fashion. During the weeks just pre-
ceding Christmas, and during Christmas itself, the
weather resembled that ordinarily experienced in
September or February. We heard from all parts
of the country of the growth of vegetation belong-
ing to the milder month of the year; in one case even
the gathering of fruit was reported, so genial and
clement was the season. It was certainly not what
we are accustomed to expect in December, but al-
though some fears were expressed as to its
effect on the general public health, none of
our weather prophets were wise enough to
foretell the extraordinary change at hand. After
the fashion of the French proverb, " Le reculer pour
inieux sauter," the remarkable mildness of the sea-
son has proved the herald to a frost of intense
severity. beginning with the cold of Tuesday and
the heavy snowstorm of Wednesday morning, the
cold has reached a point very seldom witnessed in
this country. 'We are accustomed to see the ther-
mometer register some ten or twelve degrees below