The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-03-12
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
The Danish Question.

Probably most of our readers, in looking over
the foreign news of late, have been puzzled to
know what the "Schleswig-Holstei question"
NAV be, 70 which such frequent allusion is made,
and which threatens TO be one of the many causes
of war in Europe
Schleswig and Holstein are parts of Denmark
and have descended from the middle ages as
"Duehies." They have an area of 600 square
miles, and an aggregate population of about
goo o O,-considerably less in both, than Massa-
Vusetts. Holstein has seaports on the Baltic
and the North Sea, whence its products of wheat,
hemp, horses and cattle find their way to the
markets of Europe. The seat of government is
Glucksburg. and the principal cities Altoona and
kiel, both Of which are connected by railway
with Hamburg. Schlcswig is noted for its great
dairy farms. Ii is almost surrounded by water,
and foundations are frequent The capital,
Schleswig, is an ancient city, formerly a great
commercial city, but has declined owing to Its
harbor filing up
The present difficulty is on account of the sue
cession. The King of Denmark, Christian TX,
father of the Princess of Wales and the new King
of Greece, claims sovereignty over the Duchy by
virtue of traditional usage, as well as by the
treaty of London of 1852, in which the King of
Denmark was formally recognized as Duke of
ScGeswig-Holstein. This claim has the merit of
antiquity, for it was in the middle OF the fifteenth
century that Christian L. of Denmark was duly
elected By the people Of the Duchies as their
ruler but he acknowledged the tenure to be
distinct from that of his Danish crown, and this
provision has ever since been recognized by his
successors, including the present monarch. He
has therefore, as Duke OF H~olstein, sent a repre-
sentative to the Federal Diet, paid an annual
quota, and raised the allotted contingent of troops
for the defence Of Germany.
But there is another party, that of Prince
Frederick of Augustenburg, who opposes the
authority of the King of Denmark in Eiolstein,
and whose pretensions the Diet has voted to sup
port, who claim that the change in the succession
to the Danish throne, by which females are per-
mItted to inherit the crown, IS unjust and illegal
In It's application to the Duchy that the success
sion IN Holstein cannot be changed without the
consent of the German Bund. because Holstein is
a part of Germany and the Duke of Holstein u
German sovereign; that the male succession in
the Duchy has not yet failed and that the Duke
OF Augustenburg is the legitimate ruler, as the
senior branch of the original family of which the
reigning king OF Denmark is the younger offshoot.
England espouses the cause of Christian *
partly probably, on account of relationship, and
partly from a desire to preserve the Z" balance of
power" in Europe. Austria and Prussia are in
favor of the contestant of the Danish monarch's
claim. - rF.-.r
Denmark, which has large naval and military
resources, is making preparations for war. The
estates of the Duchy of Lauenburg have passed
n unanimous resolution to support the bonds that
unite the Duchy to Denmark, and to recognize
King Christian TX, as Duke of Lauenburg. A
letter from Schleswig says that the Notifications
OF Da1nevIrke are now almost completed. The
part which is intended to protect the position
against an attack from the south is mounted with
two hundred guns. The King of Denmark has
ordered a strong squadron to be fitted out and to
assemble ut Kiel. Two line-oEbattle ships, two
frigates and FIVE steam corvettes have already pro-
cceded to that port. where they will wait for other
vessels which are speedily to join them.
1t was anticipated that Sweden, which sympa-
thizes with Christian in opposing the Federal
Diet, would assist Denmark with her fleets and
armies, but a dispatch from Copenhagen, says
that Sweden has withdrawn from the alliance.
The reason put forward, according to the Dag
badet. is that as the quarrel now pending between
Denmark and Germany concerns the London
treaty of 1852, Sweden cannot separate herself
from The other powers who signed the treaty.
The Federal Diet has passed, by a small major
ity, q resolution for IS federal execution" in
Holstein-ttat is, an order for the occupation of
the disputed territory by German troops, while
the King of Denmark issues a proclamation de-
clarTng his intention to put down insurrectionary
movements, by force of arms and to resist the
invasion. 90
The Prussian finance minister calls for q loan
Of II, 900 600 thalers, to meet the expenses of the
Contemplated warlike measures. but the latest
report Is shat the army of occupation, in aid of
Prince Frederick, is to be Austrian.