The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-02 00:00:00

A Russo-Prussian Alliance.

The Paris Presse of yesterday's date has an
article, signed by M. Cucheval-Clarigny, commenc-
ing with the statement that—
" The alliance between Russia and Prussia is now
an accomplished fact. It is not now a question of
the continual interchange of good offices which was
revealed to indignant Europe in 1863 by the Extra-
dition Convention of Posen, of that permanent com-
plicity which led the Nord to speak of Prussia as
the ' traditional ally' of Russia ; it is a question of
binding engagements entered into with reference to
a special object, and in anticipation of events
already determined upon."
After noticing the manner in which this alleged
alliance has been effected, the article goes on to ex-
plain its object :
" If Russia, in the execution of her plans in the
East, should meet with any other obstacle than the
Turks, Prussia will range herself on her side. If any
foreign intervention should thwart the work of
assimilation which Prussia is accomplishing in
Northern Germany, or the already prepared absorp-
tion of the minor States south of the Main, Prussia
can rely upon the armed co-operation of Russia."
M. Cucheval-Clarigny points out the community
of interests between Prussia and Russia in the work
of denationalising Poland :
" The two countries have a common task to ac-
complish—the destruction of the Polish nationality.
It was Prussia which conceived the idea of the dis-
memberment of Poland, which prepared its execu-
tion, which precipitated its accomplishment, and
which has assuredly had a lion's share of the spoils.
United by their complicity in this crime Prussia and
Russia are now labouring with a common zeal to
efface the last traoes of the Polish name. While the
Cabinet of St. Petersburg omits nothing in order to
Russianise one portion of the Polish provinces, the
Cabinet of Berlin is engaged in Germanizing others;
it has compelled them, despite all previous engage-
ments, to enter into the North German Confedera-

tion in order to destroy the last vestiges of their
national existence. The sole obstacle to the entire
accomplishment of the design is the strip of Poland
which has preserved its language, its religion, and
its custom under the rule of Austria. . . . It
is not only in the accomplishment of their common
object that Prussia and Russia find Austria in their
path, but also in the pursuit of their ambitious de-
signs. Who could defend against Russia tha valley
and the mouths of the Danube ? Who could afford
the most speedy and effectual aid to the Sultan if

not Austria? Who could by its counsels, by its
influence, by its support preserve the States of
South Germany from absorption? Who is the
necessary ally of Saxony Who retains possession
of Bohemia so ardently coveted if not Austria ? Let
Austria disappear or be abused, and Prussia and
Russia will have removed the chief obstacle to the
accomplishment of their designs. \\Till these designs
ever conflict with each other? What interest has
Prussia in the Black Sea or at Constantinople
Has Russia any greater interest in opposing ob-
stacles to the designs of Prussia in Germany ? She
sought by matrimonial alliances and by the hidden
working of indefatigable diplomacy to create for
herself an influence over the petty courts of Ger-
many. What advantage has she ever gained by
it ? Did that influence, backed by all the efforts
of Prussia, succeed in inducing Germany to
take part with the Czar in the Crimean war ?
Would it not suit her better that all Germany should
be in the grasp of Prussia, as then to avail herself
of its power she would only have to arrange
with the Cabinet of Berlin ? Thus, then, nothing
exists to divide Russia and Prussia ; everything
tends to unite them. Backing each other,' writes
a Russian statesman lately, Russia and Prussia may
defy the rest of Europe.' We believe that Russia and
Prussia are nowibacking each other. . . Russia is
making preparations at Nikolaief which are not very
consistent with the spirit or the letter of the Treaty
of Paris. Her journals are daily demanding the
restitution of the lost bank of the Danube. Her
official agents stand aloof at Bucharest, and protest
by their abstention against the concessions of the
Porte. Finally, Russia is accumulating very consi-
derable forces upon the Austrian frontiers. Austria
discovers every instant in Bohemia, in Moravia, in
Silesia the hand of Prussian agents. The Prussian
functionaries in their relations with the Austrian
authorities display systematic arrogance and hauteur.
Finally, the personage to whom Prussia has con-

fided the principal authority in Saxony during the
occupation has told the Saxons as a farewell that
before five months have elapsed he will be nominated
at Dresden, not again tobe withdrawn from it. It has
appeared to us to be profitable to point out these
facts. Before seeking to obtain the fruits which
their union promises to them, they are now endea-
vouring to complete their alliance. They wished
to ascertain whether the alliance between Prussia
and Italy could hot endure after the war had ter-
minated. They do not despair that the prospect of
a protectorate over Egypt may render England in-
different to the fate of Constantinople. The Times,
in one of those articles, the unexpected appearance
of which always marks an evolution in the Govern-
ment policy, or a change in the views of the direct-
ing classes, has made light of the fate of Constanti-
nople and of the Ottoman Empire altogether; while,
on the contrary, attaching to the destinies of Egypt

an importance sufficiently great to warrant the sac-
rifice of the last shilling and of the last soldier of
England. How far will this new programme obtain
the assent of public opinion in England? What
.chance has it of being accepted and approved by the
Cabinet of London ? We do not pretend to know.
We do know that Europe is passing through a crisis,
and that the peace of Nicolsburg was only the ter-
mination of its first period."j

THE BETIIELL SCANDAL. —Some curious particu-
lars have transpired respecting Mr. Welch, the Leeds
Bankruptcy Registrar, whose name, it will be remembered,
occurred freely in connection with the Bethell scandal.
The Yorkshire Post says, it seems that during the last six
weeks, or thereabouts, Mr. Welch has been absent from
his court, and has been a prisoner in York Castle for debt,
and that on Monday last he was actually adjudicated a
bankrupt in his ()NI n court upon his own petition ; and yet
this gentleman yesterday again sat as Registrar of the court
in which he is a bankrupt, and made one or more adjudi-
cations of bankruptcy againet other persons,