The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-13 00:00:00

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Public attention, when directed to the Continent,
is now pretty well engrossed by the discussions re-
lative to Prussia and France. Of course it is quite
impossible, at this early stage of the proceedings,
to decide what will take place, but what with one
thing and another affairs seem ominous. Indeed, in
no case do we believe that it will turn out the easy
matter some profess to believe it, for there is too
much real earnest on both sides for indifference
to supervene, and for ready compliance to be
met with. To judge by the tone of the jour-
nals of Berlin, official, semi-official, and other-
wise, it does not look very much as if this
demand on the part of France had been ex-
pected, or, if it had, that it was likely to be regarded
with complacency. The Nord Deutsche Allegenzeine
Zeitung, in commenting upon this demand for ter-
ritorial compensation, declares that by this many
hopes have been raised in France, which must be
designated as impossible of fulfilment in Germany."
It would be amusing if the question were not so im-
portant to notice the extreme inconsistency which
characterises these German politicians. Why, we
may well ask, in the name of common sense, is
Prussia the only country of Europe who has a
right to acquire territories, and is also justified
in enforcing that right ? Nor is it more lawful for
Prussia to take possession of the Duchies of Schles-
wig and Holstein, and to annex a considerable por-
tion of Northern Germany, than for France to re-
ceive the Rhine provinces which formerly belonged
to the French Empire. No doubt if this sophistry
will go down in Paris, and at any rate it will not
pass muster with the French Government. The
Nord Deutsche Zeitung goes on in its virtuously in-
dignant strain to say that it is difficult to ex-
plain the motives for this absurd demand, unless
it be understood thereby that a complete
revolution has taken place in French policy ; and
thereupon we are treated to a repetition of the ridi-
culous argument that changes in Germany are
merely national, and do not partake of the inter-
national character and carry no menace to France.
This is quite untenable, because if Prussia becomes
so strong she will naturally assume a formidable
aspect to the other Powers, and we may presume
that the very admirers of this nation feel its impor-
tance from the manner in which they carry on
their remarks. Thus the article proceeds to say
that France will be in reality the gainer by this
ch au ge, because, as Austria has withdrawn from
the Confederation, the dimensions of Germany will
be thereby considerably narrowed. It is, indeed,
extraordinary to notice the lengths to which people
will go in contradicting facts, and in making the
worse appear the better cause.

The French are far too sharp to be taken in by
this idea, and it is now too late in the day for the
the politicians
tactics of Prussia to find favour with
of France. The fact is, that Prussia is just become
obnoxious to the French, and no doubt there
would have been great satisfaction expressed in
Paris bad the Austrians come out of the recent war
victorious. We see no cause to designate the un-
easiness now experienced in France as groundless,
and we think, on the contrary, that there is only too
much cause for it. It is said that the negotiations
going on between France and Prussia are being
conducted in the most cordial manner, but that is
no proof of a good understanding lasting, for at the
commencement of an affair like this it seldom occurs
that angry feelings prevail, the danger loom in the