New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-25
THE NEWS FROM EUROPE.


England, France, AID Austria seems to PIT an
end to the suspense in which the Court of Vienna
has hitherto kept the belligerent powers-an1,
indeed. tie whole world. Notwithstanding, how.
ever, the great probability Of such an event,
the manner in which this news appears excites
some doubt, and seems to require to be accepted
with caution, until it becomes disentangled from
the cloud OF uncertainty in which at present it is
wrapped. Wepever strongly doubted that Austria
would finally eide with the western powers. The
relations between ST. Petersburg and Vienna
have for months and months been in state Of
extreme and merscipg tension. The excitement,
and tie polite warfare waged in the saloons OF St.
PetertbUIgwitb envenomedsharpDess, hisforsons
time rendered the abode there of Count Ester
hay, the Austrisn Envoy, in the highest degree
iDsuferable TIE Gar has lattetly not omitted
On occasion TO give free u.terance to his bitter
feelings against Francis Joseph; and in the diplo-
maticaI circles of all the capitals of Europe has
for some weeks been curTeHt phrase spit out by
the Gar against bis former darling. the Aus
TITAN boy, the cOarseness of which for6ids US to
report it to our readers.
On the other hand, Notwithstanding the recent
violent ou.oursts of The London Times, aad of
the other organs Of the English press, Francis
Jose oh and Austria have been continually coaxed
by the despot Of the Tuileries, and by THE Eogish
Statesmen. For these, as for many other rea-
sops-poiDted out, at various epcchs, ia our pa
per-we shall regard as very natural the positive
intelligence of defensive and offensive alliance
between Austria and the western powers. But
before treaty, that covers the whole ground,
can he signed by Austria, this power is emphati-
cally OBLIGED to clear up her mutual relations
with Prussia aud the German Confederation.
To have done this by the I'd of December which
is assigned as the day Of tue signature of the
new Treaty ia Vienna, was hardly possible. Aus
tra, as a German power, cannot conclude an
offensive and defensive alliance with foreign
States, without at least announcing her decision
to TIE German Diet, and by courtesy to the lead
ing German powers, such ss Prussia, Bavaria,
Saxony, Wurteuberg and Hanover; and she must
also await their answers. Negotiations were on
foot to clearly define these points, aud term
was officially marked somewhere about the end
of tbs month or the beginning of January next,
whom the proposals aud demands Of Austria were
TO be submitted to the deliberations OF tae Con
tederste Diet. Whatever may have been the ur-
eency Of tue Austrian and western diplomats,
there WIS scarcely time enough to bring the in
terna Gergan negotiations to close, 10 the
state in which they were at the end of Novem
Der, and to conclude a new ALI ,nce Of 20 serious
a nature and such incalcu'able consequences.
The accession Of Austria must undoubtedly
lend a powerful additional strength to the west
ern powers but, in itself, i. iofebodes the con
tinuauOD Of the war rather than approximation
to peace. Nothing authorizes US t0 believe that
Russia Wal be frightened by il, so MS to yield
more than she would have done before. The
sudden and considerable advance in the Eoglish
Consols-from 81 to 93-is, in all probability, not
Occasioned by the certainty of the conclusion Of
a treaty OF the sort we are tod this one is
which, however advantageous to Englaud, ends
all hopes and probabilities of speedy paciicaion
and must result in pouring large subsidies from
the English treasury into the empty Golfers Of the
rev slly. This rise in the Consols would rather
Indicate thst, some way or other negois-
tons for general peace are preached under tie
mediation Of Austria. This may be the more
probable, as the steamer brings likewise deolar-
alton Of Nesselrode accepting, with small
modification, the four celebrated points OF the
allies as a basis for general settlement.
These are our reasons for no. admitting with
| absolute certainty the conclusion Of q treaty
which will result in an immediate declaration Of
war by Austria against Russia. II, no yeyer, it
should prove that We are too cautious, the war
and its further developments will &C IIire gigantic
Dimensions 1t will undoubtedly become gen.
eIal war, which shall, before It's close rock Eu-
rope to its base. Will Austris drag with hvr
Prussia and the rest of Germany, or will the
lesser powers preserve certain independence of
action No one can foretell the future; one
thing, however, seems already certain, thst if a
general cobfagration arses-even without the
admilture of the laten, revolutionary element
some power or State will become the subjec. of
at least partial political dissection. II canno.
be Frsnce-Englsnd is out of question. As
for the possibility Of effectuaUy gripping Russia
even her most inyeterate enemies begin to regard
it as doubtful. Let u.s. therefore, rapidly review
the position Of the chances of Austris--chances
devolyipg from the new alliance and from The de-
cisive step taken by her.
As far as we can Judge from what has been
already developed, Germany is divided into two
parties, nearly equal in strength. If the animosty
sgaiD't Russia is very powerful in the Rhinish
Provinces and among the Liberal party Of ls4s,
no less strsng is the feeling against Austria in the
north of Germany. The Prussian army is favor
ably disposed toward Russia, and it now appears
that the old internecine antaeOnism Of North and