, 1866-06-08
The War Between Austria and Prussia.

The latest adviees from Europe brings in
teligence OF the highest Importance as to the
relations Of Austria and Prussia, the sum
and substancs of which is, that as Prussia
has made up her mind to annex the Duehies,
Austria has determined to resist, and to that
end is making active preparations to send a
powerful army TO the frontier. There are
rumors contradicting or modifying this lit.
tie, but the latest kilograms say this is not
10 be relied upon, aud that the crisis is suf-
fciently alarming to create the conviction
that conflict is inevitable. Though the his
tory of this new complication in European
politics must be familiar to the reader who
takes an interest in European politics, q briei
resume of its origin and DrO0ress may not be
uuInteresuug
Prussia now openly declares that the Du
chies were taken from Denmark, not to be
made an independent State, nor to maintain
the rights of Augustenburg, but 10 strengths
en- the Prussiau monarchy For year past,
Count Bismarck has scarcely thought it nee,
essary to make any coucealment of this pur>
pose, and now he boldly avows it. Anuexa,
tion is proposed by the minister and the press
which supports him and it is also apparent,
ly approved by the Prussian people.
On the other side, Austria, with the more
or less timid support of the minor States, de-
mands that the will of the Confederation and
the rights of legitimacy shall be respected.
Passing over conferences, conventions, miss
sions, aud dispatches, this represents the real
question now at issue. 1t is one upon which
negotiation has been exhausted for where
one party is determined to yield nothing, the
other must take the alternative of submission
or of war. That is the position of Austria.
Count Bismarck has carried matters with so
high hand that Austria is, as it were, driv-
en- to the wall. He has, apparently, made
no more account of her than if she were one
of the m NOR powers whose enthusiasm led
to the spoliatiOn from which they were to
gain SO little.
Austria, however, embarrassed as she is in
her finances and in her relations with her
great dependency, does not shrink from the
contemplation Of war. Hence preparations
for war are made on each side In both cap.
itals military councils are held, Generals
nominated, plans Of campaigns discussed,
and the question whether the territory of the
neutral States of Germany shall be turned
into battle field for these great territorial
rivals to fight out their battles upon, is dis
cussed as if the rights of these States and the
interests of industry and civilization were of
no account.
At last accounts, the King of Prussia had
been holding council of war; aud in Vienna
the Government had consulted its military
commanders as to the readiness of the army
to take the field, the state of the Bohemian
fortresses, and the points in the kingdom of
Saxony which could be occupied by the I'M
perial forces. According to custom, a mem
ber of~the reigning House is appointed to
high command Archduke Albrecht has
been named as one of the leaders, if not the
General mischief of Ahe Austrian army
Field Marshal Bepedek and Baron Hess,
known for their services in foreign cam
paigns, have also been consulted.
Continental Europe is thus again on the
threshold of great events, the issue Of which,
or the new complications to which it may
give rise, it is impossible just now to foresee.
1t is only certain that the news we are 10 res
ceive from that quarter, for some time to
come, will be of exciting interest