The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-04 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN NEWS.

(From Correspondents of " The Anglo-American Times.")
Pints, May 2.
We shall know definitely in a few weeks whether
we are to have peace or war between France and
Prussia on the Luxembourg question. The state of
suspense which has been and is now paralysing con-
fidence throughout Europe cannot remain much
longer without a solution ; and whether that solu-
tion be the signal of a struggle for supremacy the
most formidable in its probable results which has
been waged since the days of the first Napoleon, or
the re-establishment of harmony and good feeling
as the consequence of respect accorded to
mate claims, it must transpire ere another month
has passed. France demands it in justice to

her own tranquillity and the wishes of her whole
people. She has shown a spirit of conciliation and
disinterestedness by withdrawing from negotiations
for territorial aggrandisement, which were spon-

taneously offered and in no way sought by

her. She now confines her representations
to the evacuation of the fortress of Luxein-

bourg by the Prussians, since the unaccountable oc-
cupation thereof menaces continually the security of

Holland and herself. She renounces for the time

being any idea of acquisition to her domains by
consenting to accept the neutralisation of the Grand
Duchy as a basis for settlement; and far from

seeking pretexts for war has encouraged with the
most loyal goodwill overtures made by England,
Russia, and Austria in order to maintain peace.
She can do nothing more but insist upon the recog-
nition of claims which are regarded by every disin-
terested European Power as equitable and neces-
sary. Prussia feels the importance of the termina-
tion of a state of uncertainty, which, from the ex-
pectant policy of the French Government in not
abdicating its right, and being at liberty to urge it
at any moment, places her under the neces-
sity of either acting on the offensive, and
assuming the responsibility of war, or delaying
longer and longer, thereby endangering still more,
her doubtful claims to the occupation of the
fortress, and engendering in European Powers a
moral sentiment of disapprobation, which must
ultimately expel her from the Grand Duchy. De-
lay on her part only renders a refusal to accede to
the requirements of France more palpably unjusti-
fiable, or a compliance therewith seemingly more
compulsory. Hence her anxiety for the issue,
whether it be peace or war, provided the former
does not detract from her exalted idea of national
honour, or the latter compromise her peaceful
relations with other powers besides France. Europe
is particularly anxious for a solution of this
question, which has produced such painful suspense
in diplomatic circles since its first introduction on
the political tapis. Commerce is suffering, inter-
national intercourse is becoming embarrassed with
certain reserves, and gloom is prevailing among all
those mutually interested in the preservation of
peace between the disagreeing governments. Any-
thing is better than the present feeling of ex-
pectancy, and be it peace or war, all desire to know,
and know soon, what they are to depend upon.
Rumours of a probable pacific settlement are cur-
rent now, and it is generally believed that the nego-
tiations engaged in by the three great Powers—
England, Russia, and Austria—had ended in a
proposition for a Conference, to be held in
London, on Tuesday next, in which France and
Prussia would take part. Many think that
Prussia would submit to the demand, or rather
judgment, of this Conference, which will in all
probability pronounce the occupation of the for-
tress abnormal, and therefore illegal. It is affirmed
by several journals that Prussia is disposed to
evacuate Luxembourg, and agree to its neutraliza-
tio.i, on the condition of a collective guarantee
being given her by the Powers signing the treaties
of 1839. Once in the way of concessions, she will
perhaps make others, so that, after all her bragga-
docios and menace, she may yet choose the better
part, and seek some better cause for fight than the
Luxembourg question. It would seem that a na-
tural desire for the consolidation of the work of
German unity would prompt Prussia not to under-
take at present a struggle with a great Power
having the moral support of nearly all Europe—
knowing, as she must, that failure would be attended
with the most disastrous consequences to her cher-
ished dream of a united Germany, with King
William, Emperor, Bistuark anything he
wishes, 8:e.
There can be but little doubt that both France
and Prussia are prepared for any contingency. They
have foreseen the possibility of a rupture since
the battle of Sadowa, and have been arming and
equipping for it. The day Austria was humiliated,
and German unity became a fact, Prussia became a
formidable rival to France, and Frenchmen as well
as Germans have looked forward to a struggle for
the championship of Europe. Where each power is
jealous of the other's pretensions and efforts for ex-
tension of territory, and constantly on the look-out
for some challenge to combat, it is no wonder that
a " bone of contention" has been found thus easily.
Prussia's intolerance and presumption have Afforded
would quarrel.
n A g
France a long list of grievances, and given her
lseissncepalaivfiec Emperor
accepted
amplethan ca
Napoleonuse f °III.r
the defiance ; but, if war is undertaken,
Napoleon
is determined that the responsibility shall rest with
Prussia. "They that take the d swor shall perish
with the sword " 'will very
likely
be the case if
Prussia does commence the fight. Diplomacy may
suTceed in averting the struggle threatening
at
present, but a trial for supremacy will surely come
off at some future time, ere peace may be said to be
durably established between the two now rival
Powers.

I gave in a previous correspondence a statement
of the actual strength of the French army at the
present time. I now gather from the Opinione
Nationale a few items in regard to the Prussian
army. This army is composed of 304 foot batta-
lions, 256 squadrons of cavalry, and 150 batteries
of artillery; in all, 240,000 men, of whom 175,000
are infantry. Supposing that the calling out of the
reserves and landwehrs would triple this amount,
we then have a total of 720,000 men, but since
much of this force would be required for garrison-
inn the fortresses of countries annexed in spite of
themselves, such as Saxony and Hanover, the real
fighting strength of the Prussian army would not
exceed, if' it equalled, that of France. Of all the
States annexed since the battle of Sadowa, only
Brunswick and Oldenburg have adopted the Prus-
sian arms and system. The former furnishes
1,500 troops, and the latter 3,000.
In response to a demand for interpellation rela-
tive to the Luxembourg affair, signed by several
prominent members of the Corps Legislatif, the
Minister of State, Mons. Rouher, addressed a letter
to the President of the Chamber, stating, that al-
though the Government felt every inclination to
expose to its legislators and the country all the facts
relating to the question of the Grand Duchy, cer-
tain negotiations favourable to the maintenance of
peace, which were now under way, imposed the
greatest reserve on the part of the Government of
the Emperor, which had to propose with regret the
adjournment of the discussion until some more
opportune time. As soon as circumstances per-
mitted, it was resolved to treat the important sub-
ject fully before the Legislative Chamber. The
members, realising the importance of silence at pre-
sent on the question, accepted cheerfully the pro-
posed postponement. Before discontinuing my
remarks on the Luxembourg difficulty, it may be
well to add that Queen Victoria has addressed a
letter to the King of Prussia, in which she appeals
to his vntiments of family, his Christian senti-
ments, and his feelings of humanity, and exhorts
him to preserve the peace of Europe by respecting
the just susceptibilities of neighbouring Powers.
This personal anti spontaneous intervention does
credit to the good sense of the Queen, and will
perhaps have a good effect upon the Cabinet of
Berlin.
An English paper says that orders for 40 thou-
sand breech-loading muskets have been received by
English manufacturers from the French Government,
and that a large number have been delivered, while
the remainder are being completed with the utmost
expedition.
There is much talk here now of a new portable
copper cannon, of extraordinary power, which was
recently invented by an artillery captain in the