The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-16 00:00:00

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j 44 4 44-
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LONDON, MONDAY, JULY IG, 1866.

" The proposed mediation of the Emperor of tile
FRENCH is for the prese.nt, at least, at an end," so. says
the official journal of Vienna, and the intelli gemee
will be received with general regret, for mu:, b. had
been expected from the sagacity of that motuarch ;
but, as the Presse observes, " Austria must 1-tence-
forth trust to her own strength and resources . She
is resolved not to hesitate before the most st.enuous
exertions, in order to maintain her position as a
great European Power." It is, indeed, J..eplorable
that nothing better can be done than to reaort again
to war, and. the more so, because under the circum-
stances it does not seem probable that the
Prussians -sis ill be defeated. Hitherto the most ex-
traordinarysuccess has attended their troops, and
N ictory has smiled on their career in all directions.
The last news is that a conflict took place on Satur-
daybetweenthePrussiansandFederalsnearAsachaf_
tenburg, which resulted in the complete success of
the former. The Federal troops have left Frank-
fort, and the Diet has removed to Augsburg. llere
again is another great advantage for
the Prussian,. ,
and it is further stated that they have now occu.-
pied Brunn. The truth is that there is I,no
sustained power in the Germans : they do riot
seem to make any stand against the ens may,
and defend no cities or posts of im por-
lance. Here we find them evacuating one Ila ee
after another, and thus the Prussians are having; the
game all to themselves, and will shortly be in poi;_
session of the chief positions. It is now declarell
that they are pushing on towards Vienna, and that
they will reach there in a day or two. It is, of
course, doubtful whether the Emperor of AUSTLIA
will risk the hazard of another battle in the imm, B-
diate vicinity of the capital, but all this wi 11
depend on :circumstances and the chances an d
changes of the war. It will add materially
to the dismay and consternation prevalent at
Vienna that the failure of the plan for the cessi on
of Venetia to France has prevented the army

or temporary a gain, they may be able to make
terms not wholly disadvantageous to themselves; but
if, as appears only too probable, the contrary should
take place, then we should see the Emperor NAPO-
LEON compelled to come to a decision. He will
either be forced to resort to " armed mediation,"
or he must rest satisfied with a state of things
most adverse to his interests and most inimical to
the cause of that policy which he has hitherto
carried on so successfully for 14 years.
We do not believe that the EMPEROR will allow
Prussia to assume the position which some are so
hastily assigning to her, and if the game be played
out by the Germans, so that the King of PRUSSIA is
to be at head of an immense empire, we shall see
that France has a word to say as to her share of the
bargain. The balance of Power in Europe
will be so materially affected by this
arrangement of Prussia that it is not
surprising that Russia should be disturbed
in its equanimity.
The _Moscow Gazette affirms that Russia does not
desire any change in the present state of things in
Europe. This is tantamount to a declaration against
the course of policy now being pusued in Prussia,
because that certainly will, if carried out greatly
alter the " state of things." It is also most signi-
ficantly added that the " supremacy of Prussia in
Northern Germany menaces Russia in the Baltic."
Even if he should march into Vienna at the head of
a victorious army, the King of PRUSSIA
may find out to his cost that a triumph
may be bought too dearly and that it is
not all gold that glitters. If Russia and
France remonstrate against the inordinate demands
he is making, and declare that his encroachments
upon Austrian territory, and his swamping of the
minor States, make him of too much power and
consequence, what answer will he make ? He can
hardly afford to treat them with contempt, either
real or apparent ; neither will he be willing to set
them at open defiance. Ile may take a middle
course, and yield up a portion of his ill-gotten gains,
and we trust that he will do so, for a general war
is a deplorable calamity., and its evils cannot
possibly be overrated. Th ere are, however, occa-
sions in the history of nations when it cannot be
prevented; and unless by skilful management France
and Russia continue to lessent he pretensions of Prus-
sia, we do not see how the calamity can be avoided,
;mil if this crencration do not see it the next will
with tenfold violence and increased horrors. It is
against reason to suppose that such a state of things
as Prussia would bring about can possibly go on
without occasioning seriours evils, and the strife
and misunderstandings that will inevitably arise
will bear bitter fruits to all concerned. The
present aspect of a? airs is indeed disas-
trous, and so far from the lapse of time bring-
ing about a change for the better each day seems to
add to the complication of things and to increase
doubts and perplexities. Who can be said to
be altogether exempt from the direful in-
fluences of this sanguinary and most un-
necessary war. Its consequences are speading,
and, like the whirlpool, drawing all far and near
into its fP.tal gulf. It is indeed a lamentable sight
for the 'nineteenth century to witness, and one that
may •sell moderate the boasts of the disciples of
prorotress.

The interval of Parliamentary inaction produced
by the absence of the new Ministers from their
places in the Commons has been enlivened by
plenty of political addresses. During the whole
of last week the elections were going on, so that
one or other of the candidates was continually
holding forth on the various topics of the war,
Parliamentary Reform, and domestic legislation,
which are just now engrossing the attention of
the political world. The last day of the week
was very fully occupied, Sir S.
.NORTHCOTE, Lord
BURLEIGH, Lord J. MANNERS, and Mr. CAVE all
regaining their seats without difficulty, and in most
cases without any opposition whatever. The new First
Commissioner of Woods and Forests has unfortu-
nately been attacked by serious illness, and was,
therefore, unable to address his Leicestershire con-
stituents. No doubt if he had been present he would
have pledged himself to do all in the power of his
office to preserve the public parks for the enjoy-
ment and recreation of the people in the east as well
as in the west of the metropolis, and we hope he
will turn his attention without loss of time to the
really pressing question of the preservation
of our heaths and commons from the en-
croachments of the builder, the railway con-
tractor, and other dangerous innovators. By so
doing he will be conferring a great boon upon
the working classes of the community, whose inte-
rests in all matters of health and recreation he has
always shown himself anxious to defend.
The speech of the day was decidedly that of the
new President of the Board of Trade, whose liberal
and enlightened views on our commercial policy
qualify him admirably for his post. After going
over the old ground of the Reform Bill, and de-
claring himself to be favourable to the admission of
a great portion o the working classes to tfie
franchise, Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE came to
the consideration of our foreign and finan-
cial policy. Speaking of the former he
supported the views of his leaders, and de-
clared himself favourable to a policy of peace
and non-intervention with regard to -continental
questions. " We must remember," he said, " that
we are not infallible, and that we are not the tutors
and lecturers of other nations. We know what
suits ourselves, but we are not necessarily the best
judges of what may suit other nations." On this
head there was not much new to be said, and Sir
m t el
STAFFORD NORTHCOTE soon passed on to topics
languagemhioisreim e immediately
on concerningssubjeet his own department.
reassuring to the commercial winillterbeest
Ythi gratifying yei ng
deniedan d
in the strongest terms that a change of Government
gave any indication of a retrogressive or restrictive
policy. If that could be supposed to be the inten-
tion of the Cabinet, he wo old no', himself have

together.
The Belfast election, which took place on Friday,
gave the constituency an opportunity of hearing an
address from their eloquent and able representative,
Sir HUGH CAIRNS. The right hon. gentleman paid
a high compliment to the good citizens of Belfast,
and felicitated them upon the growing wealth and
importance of their city. Looking at their crowded
harbour and their thriving manufactories, he more
especially congratulated them on our pacific foreign
relations. In reference to domestic troubles, he
rejoiced at the entire collapse of Fenianism on both
sides of the Atlantic, and expressed his conviction,
in which all impartial observers must coincide, that
the future prosperity of Ireland must not be based
on any attempt to create disorder and commotion,
but on the cultivation of harmony and goodwill be-
tween all parties and by a faithful observance of the
laws. There is much to be done, no doubt, for the
relief and improvement of the sister country, and
the present Administration will not, we hope, neglect
their opportunity. The admission of the Secretary
for Ireland (Lord NAAs) into the Cabinet gives
reason to believe that they are not inclined to under-
rate its importance. Sir HCGII CAIRNS, in speak-
ing of the storms which have shaken the financial
world, expressed his gratification at the manner in
which Belfast had stood out the tempest, and gave
utterance to the hope that before many years had
itul,,qt-r3r and energy which have
enriched that neighbourhood may extend to other
and less fortunate parts of the country.