New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-13
AUSTRIA AND THE WAR.

inspection OF the Gallclan Army recently maoo py
the mperor Francis Joseph. The writer, in mar
rating the events of this tour, and in stating the
disocation of the Imperial forces, confirms the
opinion we have on former occasions taken care
to explain, that in the preparations she last year
mace for war Austria was BY no means engaged
in comedy for the delusion Of the Western Pow.
ers Certainly she could never have made such
sacrifices merely to throw dust in the eyes Of the
world.
It is true that the utmost necessity alone in.
duced her to arm against Russia; ana indeed,
as long as it was possible to procrastinate,
Austria chung to the cobweb thread Of pro-
spective peace which Russian diplomacy held
out for bait. At last, however, her patience
was sxf austed, and St. Petersburg learned with
surprite, not unmnged with terror, that the
Austriao columns were drawn up along the Ga
hcisn frontier. This was before the bare pos
sibil ~ of such an armament had been admit
ted; and to concentrate an army of equal
strensth on the Russian side, within an equally
,hort time, was altogether out Of the question.
The srts of diplomacy had therefore again TO be
reso,ted to. In what manner, and with what
success this was done, need not be rep ssted.
The whole Of the immense army lately gathered
on the Gaican frontiers wss dissolved at once,
and the spprehensions of Russia in that quaeter
were partly allayed. We say partly, because
two important elements have risea with that
army which are not dissolved along with it.
These are the Notifications and rail Tays
erected, renewed, or compile led, during the stay
of the army in Gslicis.
While in al other parts Of the Empire the
Government was guided by the principle of
abandoning railway enterprise to private specu-
lators, while the Western Railway, intended to
connect Vienna with Munich, was even strik-
ingly ne gle cted, Baron Hess, the commander
p.chief in Galcis, was employing thousands
of soldiers in the construction Of lins Of which
however great the stratagetical value the CON-
mercial advantages are questionable, at least for
the presents line, too, which otherwise might
have remaiEed in the desks Of private engineers
for thirty years to come. TO Russia nothing
could have been more disagreeable than the
construction of these railways, by which Austria
is now able to recOncentrate the army just dis
solved within less than fifth part of the time
required by Russia to bring up similar army.
Whoever will take the pains to inquire into the
statistics of Austrian railway enterprise, aud
compare what has been d)ne in the east to
meet purely political views with the little at
tention paid to the interests Of commerce in the
west, he cannot fail to disbelieve that these
Galician railways were thus hurried into prema-
ture existence for the mere deception of the
world. Indeed, it Is plain that such purpose
would have been much better answered by the
speedy completion of the western lines connect
Jig Austria with Bavaria.
Our opinion is also confirmed in still higher
degree BY the recent extensive improvements and
additions in the Notifications Of the eastern prov
inces of Austria. If railways may or may not be
constructed from strategical considerations, the
erection and completion Of system OF fortlhca-
tons, and the unproductive outlay occasioned
BY such works, certainly admit of no explains
ton beyond the immediate necessities Of the
case What we have said about the CON-
pars.iye extent of railwsy-works in the east
and west of Austria spplies with much greater
force to these Notifications. OF the thirty.sn
fortre.ses Of the Austrian Empire seven belong
directly, and nine indirectly, to the eastern line
of defence, most of them having only recently
been raised to high perfection-as for instance
Cracow, Przemysl and Czaleszezyk The two for.
mer, together with Lemberg, which on account of
;ts situation cannot be made Of great strength,
command the road to Warsaw; the latter is at the
easternmost extremity Of Galicia, opposite the i'm
portsnt Russian fortress Of Chotim. Cracow has
beep made fortress of the first order, and al the
works Of this az well ss of the other Gaician forth
fca,ion,, have been put in complete readiness for
x.r It was once the custom in the Austrian
army to give the command of ortresses to old worn
ont generals, as sort of noIabe retirement :.
and such places were looked upon as sort OF ex.
lie for officers in disgrace at the Court; but we
now find in the whole east and north east really
Efficient men, generals Of merit and distinguished
,taf.officers in command Of fortresses. era
cow Ia commanded by Field Marshal Wolter !;
Przemysl by Major General Elmer Zalescrczyk
by Minor. General CHASER; Cnrlsburg In Transyl
ysnis. by Field Marsbal Sedmayeri and OlmhA.
on the northwestern flank. by General Won Bohni
Al the same time tho state Of things Ia tho wost 10
the very fr,rrss-incn aud things all but ruins
kxssnauily made over to further decay, How
different would bo tho aspect there u The Western
Powers could even pretend 10 call Ausfia'S policy
snbis uous How the Austrian authorities would
hasten 10 restore Lins with Ito fofty masin'iliaa
towers nav scarcely treated 40 q iostfoss aud
eai.bu,s, oAee a stronghold ~ tho nist a'dus '
Instead IL tbis What do we bohoid dead quito,
. n. n all AL nj lima