The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-03 00:00:00

.Austria and made her respected and powerful; but
what is the use of an army if it is always beaten
when it has to fight? Now I shall have to pay for
two armies—for that which has been beaten and for
that which is victorious. I think it would be much
better, if our army cannot win battles, to do without
it, and ask Prussia what she wants, and she may be
content with less according to a peaceful arrange-
ment than she would be if she has to take it by force."
Perhaps be has reason to appreciate the distinctions
between the two armies by this time. There is no
great alteration at present in the actual position of
the troops, but the successes of the Italians, who
are forcing their way up to Trent, have led to the
march of a strong column in that direction. Al-
though peace is looked on as all but concluded,
every one foresees great difficulties in drawing up
the actual conditions which shall satisfy the
belligerents, and there is quite as much danger
of a rupture to be apprehended from the pride and
pretensions of Prussia in her treatment of the
small States as from her demands against Austria.
All the world is now adoring the rising sun, or
rather the sun at its zenith, and woe betide the
philqsopher who ventures to spy out the macula; solis
on that brazen, blazing, and radiant visage, which
is said to be very like Count Bismark's. Truces
and armistices have generally turned out to the
benefit of Austria, and, idspite of military discon-
tent, it may be that in the present case the same
rule will hold, even if war should ensue after all the
diplomatists have ceased doing their best. The Feld-
zeugmeister von Benedek has arrived in Vienna. It
is believed he will at once be called upon to give
evidence before the commission of inquiry. " Les"
malheureux comme lea " absens ont toujours tort."
He may explain how it was that Klum was left un-
guarded; but the day of Koniggratz cannot be ex-
plained away from the page of history. The student
may search in vain for its parallel—for one single
battle with such tremendous results—with the ex-
ception of Jena. There have been many decisive
battles in the world, but they have been the sequels
of a long course of war, or the terminating points of
protracted campaigns. Never before did two great
nations, after years of peace, engage in mortalquar-
rel, and in one day decide the controversy; and yet,
if the armistice be followed by peace, there can be
no doubt the Empire of the Kaisers was overthrown
on that fatal 3d of July. As a pendant to that re-
mark it may be as well to know that on the 22d
June the exact position of every division in the Prus-
sian armies was known at the Austrian headquarters.
The world may yet leern why and how it was Bene-
dek did not use his information. It may be that
allies are as often a source of weakness as of strength
in war. The King of Saxony entreated the Emperor
not to let his kingdom or his capital become the seat
of war or the prize of the victor. The Bavarians
played fast and loose. What else took place the world
knows, but much of the moving causes in the mar-
shalling of events arc still secret.

JULY 30.

To Prussia belongs not only the good fortune of
gaining victories, but the monopoly of describing
how she won them, and going over her battle fields
at her leisure. To Austria are left lamentation,
reclamations, protests, and courts of inquiry. On
one point, however, the whole Austrian army is
agreed—that, with a single exception, a surprise in
the streets of a town by the Prussian horse of
a detachment of their cavalry, the former have
never gained a single success of any description
whatever, and have throughout the campaign
evinced an amount of circumspection and regard for
their flanks and rear most creditable to their dis-
cretion, and most conclusive as to the value they
put on their services to their King and country.
When Benedek and bis staff were attacked at To-
bitschau by the Prussian Cuirassiers not a man ex-
pected to escape death or capture, but the enemy's
Guards let them off very easily, though they were
two squadrons strong, and Benedek and his staff
and escort all told were not 100 men, and several of
those were in charge of led horses. As the subject
is a large one it would be better, perhaps, not to
open it at present, particularly as there is small
chance of ever arriving at conclusions acceptable to
both sides. There are most important points still
to be determined, and the events preceding and con-
nected with the battle of Koniggratz are only just
coming out of the smoke into the light of day. It
is as well to state the truth at once. The Austrian
army was beaten before the 3d of July. It had lost
morale. Its Generals were disobedient; they violated
the orders of their chief. They got soundly beaten ;
their men lost confidence in them and in them-
selves, and became filled with despondency. It
may be remembered that in my account of the night
march on Dubenec I remarked how silent the men
were. I did not then consider it significant, because
1 was not acquainted with the manners of the
Austrian army ; but I now know the silence was a
sign that the men were out of heart, and that it was
quite unusual. These men had been either engaged
ith the Prussians or had heard of the result of the
combats at Skalitz and elsewhere. They were
down-hearted ; they were cowed ; and, although
most of them fought bravely on the 3d of July, and
many regiments displayed a courage and endurance
which their enemy thoroughly appreciated, and
which could not have been surpassed by any troops
in the world, on the whole it must be said the army
fought with confidence, and that itlacked spirit and
that sentiment of hope and belief in success which
gives a body of men elan and pervades them like a
soul. Benedek perceived before the battle was
fought that his army was not what it ought to be.
It stands recorded as a solid and singular fact that
when he fought that battle he believed he would be
beaten. (Two days before the battle of Konig-
gratz the Commander-in-Chief sent a message to
the Emperor, which must have shaken his very
throne, " Sire, you must make peace !")
It is only the closest student of military tactics
who has by this time recognised the skill with which
Benedek wheeled the whole of his enormous army
into a new line in the short time between the com-
bat of Jicin and the battle of Koniggratz. It was
a most difficult and dangerous operation. The roads
were narrow and bad, the enemy were on both
flanks, the country woeded and close. When he
sent the Archduke Leopold's corps to confront the
Prussians at Skalitz he gave his Imperial .Uighness
orders not to attack the enemy on any account,
but to retire slowly under the fire of his artillery to
a position indicated precisely for him, in which he
would have been sustained by another corps d'armee
already put in a most favourable line for defence,
hoping thereby to draw on the Prussians from their
vantage ground on the hills over Skalitz, and to pro-
cure for his own men the choice of positions. Had
the Prussians attacked the Archduke, he was to fall
back till he gained the ridge opposite to that from
which they must have descended. His flanks were
well protected, and he had nothing to do but carry
out his orders and see his guns were not taken as he
retreated. Then the Prussians would have bad
to attack the Archduke supported by one corps
d'arnzee, and with two whole corps d'armee in
reserve posted on rising ground, or would have
had to retire again turn,pursuedsetphaeriardfrom
beaten they must have been in
separated
other army and been driven through
euubgehthleefrat libertyssesinto
Silesia, while Benedek would have
soon afterwards to throw the whole
from T
leofhis victoriousurnau.
army on the Prussians advancing
But the Archduke Leopold did notorbuesyhuiss o
uorders.hte
On the contrary, he attacked the Prussians
heights and was repulsed and driven hack and
took
fol-
lowed towards Skalitz, where the enemyup
another strong position, from which Benedek sought
to dislodge them in vain. Thus one plan was frus-
trated. Then a fresh disaster occurred. The First
Army Corps, commanded by Count Clain-Gallas,
and the Saxon Army, under the Crown Prince, had
been directed to watch the Prussians on the left
coming from Munchengratz and Turnau, to avoid
an action unless hardly pressed, in which case they
were to retire steadily to 111iletin, and above all, not
to attack the enemy. Instead of obeying these
orders, the First Army Corps and Saxons attacked
the Prussians and were defeated. Benedek, who
had taken up a strong position with his centre near
Dubenec, his left towards Miletin, and his right co-
vered by the river and by Josephstadt, found him-
self in the twinkling of an eye placed in a position
of the greatest danger. His left was "in the air."
The Prussians were not only on his left,but in his

rear, and at the same time another great army was
marching to effect its junction with them where he
was altogether exposed. He instantly wheeled back
his left and centre, and then retiring his right took
up a line at Koniggratz at right angles to the line
he had occupied to the west of Josephstadt. An
examination of a good map, and a consideration
of the distances to be traversed, as well as of the
position of the combined armies of the Prussians,
will give the military reader a better idea of the
magnitude of the task and of the ability with
which it was accomplished than any amount of
written description. But Benedek did not shut his
eyes to the danger of defeat and to the tremendous
perils to which his army was exposed in the face of
a much superior force, armed with a weapon which
had produced a greater moral than physical effect,
large as his losses had been, on his soldiers. " Sire,
you must make peace !"—and the blow was struck.
And now, indeed, the words were heard above all
the confused voices in the Councils of the Empire—.
" Sire, you must make peace !" So CountMensdorff
is, they say, going to his own chateau of Nikols-
burg, where the King of Prussia and Count Bismark
are lodged, and where the envoys of the peacemakers
are assembled, to arrange the terms which Austria
must accept as the price of her future security. The
Archduke's friends—and they are many and power-
ful you may be sure—and Count Clam-Gallas's
supporters, and the whole of the German nobility of
Austria, disclaim their share in these dreadful dis-
asters to their country. But it is alleged that the
Archduke's misfortunes did not end at Skalitz.
When Benedek was retiring from Olmutz he gave
orders to the corps on his right to march in order of
battle. The corps, however, did nothing of the kind,
but marched with miles of baggage in the midst of
the column, and with the guns so placed that they
could not be defended or supported. When the re-
port of the military commission is made public it is
to be hoped the evidence of the witnesses will be
given in full. The history of a defeat is always in-
teresting, particularly when it was so very nearly a
victory; for, in spite of Benedek's apprehensions, as
near a victory for Austria was the day at Konig-
gratz up to the time when the enemy got into Klum
as any action which ended in a defeat couldhavebeen.
The Austrians are very candid in admitting their
defects and shortcomings, and it may yet be disco-
vered who was the guilty blunderer who committed
the fault by which the political mapof Germany was
at once smeared out with blood. My remarks are
solely applicable to the military a ue,stion, for I do not
pretend to say here whether the change effected was
desirable or not, but an Austrian certainly cannot
think it was a good thing to lose the battle of Ko-
niggratz. We hear that there is much anger in the
Prussian camp at the sudden interruption to their
victories, and that the soldiers yearn for an evening
in the Vollts-garten. There are soldiers at this side
of the Danube quite as displeased, and the cavalry
declare they will have no peace with the Prussians
on any terms. The troops of the Southern Army
are of the same mind, but General John, the chief
of the Archduke Albrecht's staff, is said to have
altered his opinion on the subject of carrying on the
war since he has investigated the condition of the
North Army, and it is certain many of the latter are
not so belligerent as their comrades of Italy. Whom
is Austria to marry ? The Thanes fall away from
her on all sides. Nikolsburg has become the centre
of Germany for the moment, and diplomatists cogi-
tate on their straw beds in obscure villages on the
disposal of kingdoms, thrones, dominions, principa-
lities, and powers. The castle which belongs to
Count Mensdorff by marriage is occupied by the
King of Prussia, and little is left of Austria out of
the enemy's hands which can be called German.

The success of Count Bismark cannot be equalled
since the days of Napoleon. The Minister of Ba-
varia is supplicating for a separate treaty of peace ;
the Ministers of Wurtemberg and Hesse Darm-
stadt are at Nikolsburg, and the Grand Duke of
Baden and the " Kurfust" of Hesse are awaiting
such measures and conditions as he may be pleased
to assign to them for the purchase of peace. There is
little left now for one but to indulge in retrospect.
Vienna isnot changed to the outward eye. There are
more soldiers than usual, crippled men in uniforms
are seen in the gardens and streets, but if thestranger
visited Florisdorf this afternoon he would find no
vast army there. The men arc quartered in ham-
lets and villages, and the great columns which could
in a few hours present a wall of bayonets from
Linz to Bruck are not to be detected by a casual
glance. How much all the great phantasmagoria
which has wellnigh vanished cost Austria who can
calculate ? Who can say what her glory will yet
make Prussia pay ?
As there is no possibility of seeing a Prussian,
and as the Austrians here are not very attractive, I
intend to shift my quarters. The column of troops,
which I estimate at about half a corps d'armee,
bound for Trent, will be still further reinforced if
needs be. The men who marched through Vienna
yesterday were in no mood to trifle with an enemy,
and unless the Southern Tyrolese be as Italian in
heart as they are iu language, the Volunteers will
have plenty of work on their hands if they persist
in the war on their own account. The truce will
soon be over, and although the Austrians may not
hold their present line, they will probably concen-
trate at some place north of Trent, where I trust to
see them speedily.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

A Malta correspondent, under date of the
26th of July, writes that her Majesty's surveying
steamer Hydra, Capt. P. F. Shortland, arrived at
Malta on the 24th from Cape Pessaro ; passen-
gers, Mrs. R. R. Drew and Son and Mrs. M.
Rickord. It is reported that the ransom money
paid by Captain Shorland to the brigands in
Sicily has been returned to him by the Italian Go-
vernment. A telegram from her Majesty's Consul-
General at Tunis announces the appearance of a
disease among the cattle at Bizerta, and recom-
mends a quarantine being established on cattle ar-
riving from the Regency. Several consignments of
cattle have consequently been placed in quarantine,
and the Malta Government has telegraphed to the
Consul-General for further information. News by
telegraph from Alexandria of the 24th of July states
that a quarantine of 15 days has been imposed on
vessels arriving there with foul bills of health from
any port affected with cholera. The public health
at Malta continues to be very satisfactory.
The Antelope, paddlewheel steamship, Lieut.-
Commander Bruce, arrived at Spithead on Wednes-
day evening from Woolwich. She left again yes-
terday for Plymouth, en route to the coast of Africa.

The Enchantress, Admiralty yacht, Staff-Com-
mander Petty, left Portsmouth yesterday morning
for Woolwich, to be in attendance on the Lords of
the Admiralty on their annual official visits to the
naval establishments.

The Urgent, troopship, Capt. Henderson, arrived
at Spithead last evening from the Mediterranean,
with naval and military invalids and time-expired
men, who will disembark to-day.
The left wing of the 31st Regiment, under the
command of Lieut.-Col. Westhead, embarked yes-
terday at the dockyard, Portsmouth, to join the
headquarters of the regiment at Dublin. The de-
pot of the 40th Regiment previously disembarked
from the Montezuma to await the arrival of the
regiment from New Zealand.
A court-martial was held on board the Victory,
flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Com-
mander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, on Tuesday, under
the presidency of Capt. E. Tatham, her Majesty's
ship Bellerophon, for the trial of Thomas Mills,
second-class carpenter on board her Majesty's ship
Asia, on charges of drunkenness and absenting him-
self from duty, which were fully proved, and the pri-
soner was sentenced to be dismissed from her Ma-
jesty's service. A second court was held, of which
the lion. F. Egerton, A.D.C., was president, for the
trial of GeorgeJephson, private, Royal Marine Light
Infantry, " for striking his superior officer." He was
found guilty, and sentenced to be imprisoned for 18
months in Winchester Gaol, and then dismissed her
Majesty's service.
Orders have been received at Chatham garrison,
directing the following troops to be held in readiness
to embark on board the chartered troopship Edwin
Fox, for conveyance to Bombay—viz., 2O non-
commissioned officers and men of the Ist battalion