The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-27 00:00:00

paramount necessity to circumscribe that power,
and the end must be reached by means of the
treaty of Prague. What Pr-ussia took from the
Austrians at lioniggratz, and what France had
granted to her previously, has been in Germany
limited by the Maine. Bat what neither France nor
Austria did ever acquiesce in is that Prussia should
plant her foot in Southern Germany. Already she
bas twice tried to do so. Firstly, by her treaties
of offensive and defensive alliances; secondly, by
the Zollverein convention. Austria could, with
reason, find in these a violation of the treaty of
Prague, because in both circumstances Prussia used
her preponderance, and compelled the southern
states to accept her proposals.
But enough of concessions. As soon as Prussia
puts forward for the third time exigencies that
would destroy the independence of the southern
states of Germany, Austria and France ought to
oppose Prussia. To- day they openly ask in Prussia
why France should interfere with the treaty of
Prague ? Such a question is sheer nonsense, and
it is also a denegation of the truth, both precon-
certed and bold.
Let us ignore that at Nikolsburg M. Benedetti
was always between Count Bismarck and Count
Mensdorff. But would it not be a shameful thing '
to forget that France by her attitude greatly
helped Prussia to go on with the war of 1866?
Has not the Prussian Prime Minister been at
Biarritz—did he not offer Luxemburg to France
as the price of her benevolent neutrality ? Had
not France shown herself disposed to such an ar-
rangement—had she informed Italy that she was
opposed to her conquering Venetia through
Prussia—had France placed a corps of observa-
tion at Life or at Besancon—would Prussia have
been able, even with her needle guns and her in-
tellectual strength, which we gladly admit, to send
a single man to the frontiers of Bohemia ?
The arrare pensee of a Prusso-Russian alliance
had not yet dawned at that time. Russia was not
ready, and the pacification of Poland—we mean
her crushing—was not in the advanced state that
it is now. And, also, the Prussian army did not
possess then that assurance and that confidence
in its own strength that it entertains now. Prussia
would have deemed herself happy if she had been
able to acquire the Elbe Duchies for a portion of
the county of Glatz, and for a large sum of money.
The Sovereigns of Hanover, of Hesse, and of Nas-

sau would sit still on their thrones. It is France
which has accomplished the greatness of Prussia.
And the Emperor Napoleon should not be entitled

to interfere with what is going on in Germany !
Is it, perhaps, because he did not paraph any pact
with Count Bismarck at Biarritz? No. We can
reckon on the association of the principal Prus-
sian organs, if we recognize the right of France to
interfere in what is going on on her frontiers. We
are edified enough.about that continual bavardage
of inimity from France to Germany. It was the
same in old times ; but we do not know yet to-
day if we must prefer Prussian hegemony to the
Emperor Napoleon's protection upon the Rhenish
Confederation. But one thing is certain—Austria
and France, the most interested neighbours, are
compelled to keep a careful watch, since not Ger-
many, but Prussia, has acquired so much power Ai
the centre of Europe. A wider development of
Prussia would give them the right to oppose that
country in common. This would not be an
alli-
ance against Germany, but one against Prussia.
So far the Viennese journal. The Journal des
Debats of Saturday had a still more striking decla-
ration as to the intentions of Russia and Prussia.
Here are the salient points of the Debats article:—
The news received at Vienna from Berlin is not
at all satisfactory, and in no way pacific. It is
believed that the Prussian Government is continu-
ing its war preparations, under the pretext that the
other Powers have set the example. The Prussians
say that it is necessary they should fortify them-
selves against certain dangers with which they say
they are menaced. It is the same tactics which
Prussia employed against Austria last year, with
what success is well known. The report has spread
in Vienna that the Prussians are placing cannons
on the ramparts of Cologne, and are also actively
at work on the fortifications of Mayence, which
they desire completed. Certain things, it is said,
have been pronounced by General Moltke, the
importance of which is probably exaggerated. The
general having been invited to give his opinion on
the new organization of the French army, such as
will result from the Bill presented to the Corps
Legisiatif, and which will be discussed next winter,
replied, " The French army, no matter what is
done, will always be inferior in number to the
Prussian army, in consequence of our landwehr
institution. The battalions of infantry of the
landwehr can, whenever we like, supply us with
MAO men to reinforce our permanent army."
Russia, also, is not in good grace ; the under-
standing between the Cabinets of Vienna and St.
Petersburg is singularly cool. Not only does the
Cabinet of Vienna not forget the tolerance which
the Russian Government extended to the
Sclavonian meetings at Moscow, where Austria
was publicly attacked with great violence, but it
reproaches the • Cabinet of St. Petersburg for its
incessant propaganda in the provinces of Turkey,
and even in Galicia. That propaganda is being
pushed with prodigious activity, and it is impos-
sible to deny its results. At the same time Russia
is reorganizing and completing her army. It is
stated at Vienna that Russia is at the present
moment concentrating considerable bodies of
troops on the frontiers of Austria. The Danubian
principalities have refallen into the sante state of
agitation and disorder as at the commencement
of last year, and this disorder is attributed to
Russian influence. It is expected that another
revolution will shortly take place, when Prince
Charles will be dismissed. "It is all these things,"
we are told, " which give great importance to the
meeting of the two Emperors. The statesmen of
A'istria have, therefore, made on this meeting their
programme, which is only based on conjectures,
no doubt, but those conjectures are founded on a
state of things so true, on a situation so pressing,
that they acquire great probability. We have
said that it did not seem possible that the two
Emperors should separate without speaking of the
affairs of Mexico and the Eastern question. we
may add that it neither seems possible that they
can. dispense with exchanging their views on the
affairs of Germany, and we will endeavour to
explain the opinions entertained on this important
subject by those statesmen interested in this
que3tiya. We shall, at the anmc time, say how
these statesmen persuade themselves that the
Emperor Napoleon ought to approve of their views,