, 1865-11-10
(From the London Times, October 49,

~ Hdtuldl' AZ WIS scdSOI VI VIC yCdl3
though nothing happens, there is always
a good deal expected, and foreign politics
especially engage the attention of all our
neighbours. Now is the time for the
apparition of maps of Europe in 1870"
with a Greek Empire, a consolidated Ger
many, a revived Poland, and France with
o Rhine frontier, TO say nothing OF an
African Empire extending from the At
lantic TO the Red Sea. Now is the time
for mystery on the part of those who
have the honour to be acquainted with o
person high in the confidence of an init
mate friend of NJ. DrOuyn de Lhuys.
AS the 1st of January looms dlstantIy
through the mistS Of autumn, the Cont
mental world is always on the alert for
indications of the policy of the coming
year. It is not strange, then, that every
one coming from BjarritZ should be look
ed upon as possibly possessed of some OF
the great States secrets Of the time. The
leading potentafe of the Continent is re-
%ceiving there the visits Of Sovereigns
and ministers; the illustri0us pers0nages
who represent those two important dl-
visions of the Latin race, the Spaniards
anu L utSCs GOIltG ~ = liIliI3 HllA WV
politics both of the Old and New Worlds
may be affected by these courteSics.
From another quarter the redoubtabIe
PruSsian Minister, the famous Bismark,
has made his appearance. lie has stayed
several days, and was admitted to Il pri-
yate audience which lasted an hour. This
event has been the sensation of the last
few days. It has been telegraphed every
where, and, for aught We know, may
have produced its effect on the Bourse.
At any rate, it is the subject Of comment
in the foreign papers, and OF much con-
versation in political circles. The Pro
vinziaJ Correspondence, a Berlin scmi-ohi-
clal paper, thinks it worthy Of special
notice. 1t says that 'the honorable
"and cordial reception Of Count Bismark
"Uy the Emperor Napoleon, and the OBJ
"servations of His Majesty upon pending
"Questlons, are guarantees for the unal-
'stered continuance of the friendly rela-
''tions between France and Prussia. 1t
sis mainly owing to this fact, indeed, that
Esthe question of the Duchies could be
"brought to q solution in conformity with
"Ge~r9an national and Prussian interests
"without European complications" What
has passed the world is not aware, but,
as Count Bismark is evidently pleased,
there is a disposition in some quarters 10
be uneasy.
Such an anxiety, Of course, could not
extend to this country. No feeling strong
er than curiosity can affect US with re-
gard to Continental politics. But even
were we Continentals we could hardly
look upon the meeting between the two
personages and this agreement of their
views as a very important event, much
less as a sinister one. The disposition
Of the Prussian King and Minister to be
on friendly terms with the French EN-
pire is we'll known, and is quite natural
and laudable. Though there is a class
of Germans who hate the French with a
hatred that seems hardly consistent with
sanity, the Governments have never al
lowed themselves to be swayed by these
animosities. They know that the infu-
ence of France is, on the whole, a good
one on the Continent-that, with all their
military vanity, the French are not likely
to play the tyrant to surrounding nations;