The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-09 00:00:00

DBNMARK.

The following is the text of the circular of the
Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, explaining the
conduct of the Government in reference to this
Schleswig-Holstein question. The circular, which
has been mentioned in a telegram, is addressed to
the diplomatic agents of the Danish Government at
foreign courts

Copenhagen, March 22.
Sir,—lt will be known to you that some days be-
fore the assembling of the Holstein Estates the
representatives of the non-German great Powers
took steps to persuade the King's Government to
submit to the Estates the budget of common affairs
for the financial year 1861-2, as far as regards Hol-
stein, considering that this would be the only way
of avoiding the federal execution. I answered them
that the propositions which would be laid before
the Estates had been already drawn up by, the
Council of Ministers, and transmitted to the King
to be discussed on the following day in the privy
council, and that the affair having once assumed
this phase, I could not inform them officially of the
tenor of the paragraph devoted to the budget of
1861-2 before his Majesty had taken his resolution,
but that I would hasten to communicate the propo-
sitions to them as soon as they had been approved
by the King.
You are aware that section 13 of the measure
relating to the provisorium submits to the Estates
the patent of September 25, 1859, which fixed the
share of Holstein in the budget of common
affairs of 1861-2. Nothing is more natural than
that this patent, and not a new measure, should
be submitted to the Estates, for on the one hand
the sums charged to the duchy in that patent do
not exceed what is strictly necessary to meet the
ordinary expenses, and are in exact proportion to
those demanded for the kingdom and for the Duchy
of Schleswig ; on the other hand the dignity of the
King would not permit that a Royal resolution,
published long ago, should be set aside as null and
void, not retaining even the character of a proposi-
tion. But after all this is only a matter of form ;
in reality the Estates have been put in a position
to discuss freely the share of Holstein in the
general budget. The patent of Sept. 25, contain-
ing the various heads of receipt and expenditure,
the Estates might have asked for information from
the royal commissioner (with whom was associated
with this object a superior employe in the ministry
of finance) respecting the various particulars, and
thus have entered on a discussion of the budget in
detail. And, as forming part of the measure pro-
posed, the patent of Sept. 25 is accordingly, as
completely, submitted to the deliberation of the
Estates as all the other dispositions of the measure.
The Estates might then adopt or amend it at
pleasure, and although no positive decision has been
come to in this respect, I think I can inform you
confidentially that, in accordance with my personal
views, the Government of the King would have pre-
ferred to renounce the quota of Holstein in the
common expenses, and confine itself as regards
that duchy within the limits of the national
budget, rather than expose itself to a federal exe-
cution for an interest comparatively so small.
To such an extent, sir, did the King's Government
anticipate the wishes expressed by the powers. But
it is only too natural that in a question so com-
plicated as ours has unhappily become, and above
all when the powers conceive that they ought to
occupy themselves with a question so peculiar and
delicate, misunderstanding should arise ; and to
judge from the words lately uttered by Lord
Wodehouse, in the House of Lords, the English
Government appears to have understood the matter
as if the budget had yet to be submitted to the
Estates, whereas the King's Government has already'
done in that respect all that it can do, by submit-
ting the patent of Sept. 25, 1859, to their delibera-
tions. lam very anxious that this misunderstand-
ing should not be propagated, and I beg you, sir,
to make a point of explaining to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and your colleagues the real state
of matters. In conclusion, I ought to call your at-
tention to the following principal points :-
1. The budget of common affairs for the finan-
cial years, 1861-2, as far as concerns Holstein, will
not be submitted to the Estates, for this has been
already done by section 13 of the measure submit-
ting the patent of Sept. 25 to their deliberation.
2. That deliberation arising from the aforesaid
patent may embrace all that concerns Holstein in
this budget.
3. The deliberation to which the Estates are
admitted on the patent is as complete as that on
the other parts of the royal proposition.
4. In submitting the royal patent of Sept. 25,
1859, to the Estates, the King's Government per-
formed an act of conciliation, but as the powers
have expressly declared that that deference on the
part of the Government should not entail conse-
quences, the King's Government has not thereby
created a precedent which can be interpreted to its
prejudice in case disagreement should arise on a
provisional condition.
I have the honour, &c., C. HALL.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
OF 1862.

Nr
Yesterday the secretary to the Commissioners for
the International Exhibition of 1862 was busily
engaged during the whole of the day in examining
the different communications received from nearly
every part of the United Kingdom, notifying the
intention of the most eminent firms to become
exhibitors, and requiring space to be allotted to
them in the new building to an extent altogether
unprecedented in the Exhibition of 1851. The
towns requiring the largest allotment of space are
Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Wakefield, Nor-
wich, and Coventry ; but there are hundreds of
others who desire that ample room may be afforded
them for exhibiting their different branches of
industry. These demands at so early a period
show that the public take a deep interest in the
forthcoming exhibition, and there is little doubt
that in point of extent and variety it will eclipse
its great prototype of 1851.
Up to yesterday evening the guarantee fund
signed now amounts to £357,350, and it is expected
to be materially increased before the end of the
week.

Summonses will be issued either this day
or to-morrow for a meeting of the Advice
Committee for the Fine Art Department, to
make the final arrangements as to that branch of
art, which will embrace architecture, paintings in
oil and water-colours, drawings, sculpture, models,
die-sinking, intaglios, etchings, and engravings.
In the course of the present week the representa-
tives of the Chambers of Commerce will hold their
second meeting, in London, for the purpose of faci-
litating the arrangements.
The digging of the foundations for the intended
building at Kensington is nearly completed, and
the foundations will be laid in the course of a few'
days. No delay whatever has taken place in con-
sequence of the dispute in the building trades, as in
the absence of a settlement of the present difference
Messrs. Kelk and Lucas have made other arrange-
ments to prevent the possibility of any delay in the
works,