The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-29 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 18G6.

The hopes that were entertained a short time ago
of a peaceful settlement of the differences between
the two great German Powers have been speedily
dispelled, and we are more justified in thinking that
war is imminent than that we shall see diplomacy
_carry the day in the arrangement of matters. In
Berlin there is a great deal said and written of the
probabilities of war, and also of the preparations
that are being made to that end. The organ of
Count BISMARCK gives detailed accounts of the
Austrian armaments. Certainly if the Vienna
Government thought that by settling things quickly
they would steal a march, they have been greatly
mistaken, .because all their movements and
plans seem well known to their oppo-
nents. It can scarcely be that the Aus-
trians expect to avoid extremities, for they have
taken steps for the organisation of their forces, and
been at great pains and considerable expense in order
not to be taken aback Thus we find that the city
o—f7Cracow is being fortified and armed in all haste
in order to serve as the central point of the first
corps. The towns are being garrisoned along this
route, and the third,corpsis gathering in Bohemia,
and is so strong in artillery that the Norddeutsche
considers it is intended especially to act on the offen-
sive, while the first and second corps respectively
stationed in Cracow and in Austrian Silesia, are
supposed to be for defensive purposes; and
these things indicate a special plan and
purpose, and show in an unmistakable manner how
far affairs have progressed. Besides these accounts,
it seems that special trains are conveying Austrian
troops to various destinations, and at Cracow im-
mense exertion is being used. Night and daylabour-
ers are engaged in working at the fortifications, and
the furlough men are called in. Garrisons are
being posted in spots hitherto unoccupied, and in
several miner ways great speed is being used to ar-
range all things in readiness. The Norddeutsche
very truly observes that, if, as has been indi-
cated in Councillor HETZ'S letter, that this war-
preparation is safely intended tn. protect the
Jews •
in Bohemia, it is strange that the
Viennese •
lournals should have been requested to
take as little notice of them as possible, because the
more they were
commented on the better the pur-
pose would be auz.N.,,,
ed. But the Prussian organ
concludes that it wi» ~„t
PUS an opinion upon the
" even the fortir, .
point, for ations of Cracow, for the
proctection of the Jewish Bohemians,
in a measure
it fails to understand, unless,
ps, the Austrian
Government intends to render ttla, city a new
Jerusalem', Prussia in the meantime bas not been
idle, beat has forwarded a Circular despatch
to in she
to the minor German
lays great weight on the insuflicienBy of an
appeal to the Federal Diet to arrange the present
dispute. In this Circular Note it is declared to be
imperatively necessary for the Minor States to take
up one side or the other in the event of a struggle
taking place; and it is added that the probability:of
such an event is rendered more and more imminent
through the armaments prepared by Austria. Of
course this really signifies that Prussia will consider
herself at war with all those lesser States and prin-
cipalities that do not side with her at the outset,
and assist her defensively and offensively. , Such an
arbitrary announcement is only in keeping with
what has gone before, and is indeed quite worthy
of the Government from which A emanates.