Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-06-15
WHAT THE EUROPEAN WAR Is ABOUT.

gagged in hostilitles IN Germany and Italy,
and that the whole Of the European con-
tinent is shaken by the shock. There has
not been, since 1915, promise half so strong
Of general war. 1t was not difficult af-
ter all, TO "localize," rs it is called tho
BeIgian-Dutcil war, or the Austrian Hum
garian war, OF the Russian-Turkish war, or
the French war. These
were all avowed!y waged about interests
essentially local, or else were so far remov.
el from the great centres of European
affairs that any Of the great powers which
chose to stand aloof could do go without
difficulty. But this war which is on the
point of breaking out will rage in the vc-
ry heart Of European civilization, and,
though nominaily for the possession Of a
strip of territory, is in reality waged 10
shape the future Of one Of tile great races
of the world, and to decide whether one OF
the Oldest and proudcst Of European en-
pres shall or shall not vanish from the
map.
And yet nine ont Of every ten Of our
rcalers have probably no idea at all, or a
vague enc, Of what j, is all about. There
is confused notion in the public mind
that Scheswig lfolstein ia somehow or
other at the bottom Of it, but how it got to
The bottom Of it, or why it remains there,
very few indeed know. Most people have
been deferred from following the Schleswig
11oisteln controversy at all, owing TO the
general and not unnatural belief that it
was incomprehensiLle. The efforts ofmost
European Journals to throw light on the
matter have made it rs clear as mud
Punch published a year or two ago an anu
sing Iu'lesq"e oil the subject, which was
probably OF Us much value TO most readers
MS the most serious Of the previous at
fempts at explanation.
We DO moi propose TO follow the dispute
through all its ramiications. An tex
hans''ve" treatise uron it would fill several
volumes. But the gist OF it is this: The
Duchies OF Schlcswig and Holstein are
auhject to the Salic law, which prohibits C.
woman from re:gning. In l460 they were
'"hc''"d by the King Of Denmark, and
lhey remained in the hands OF his descend
ants until the time Of Frederick VII, who
died in 1868; with him the direct male
line terminated, and tic duchies legally re.
verted to the young Duke of Augusten-
burg In view of this contingency, how
ever, conference of the great powers was
held in London, in 1852, at which it was
resolved for various considerations affecting
the peace of Europe, but perhaps from
deierence to Russia as much as any other,
that the Duchies should remain annexed to
the Danish Crown and should not pass in
the legal order Of Succession.
When tic King died in 1868, however,
it was found that the popular party in Ger
many were by no means disposed 10 ac-
4u'esce in the arrangements Of the diplo-
matists. lIostcin is German, and has al.
ways been a member Of the German Con-
federation, though governed by q Danish
prince, and there was q general oulcry
against IFS annexation TO Denmark. The
clamor grew louder every day, and at last
found formal expression through the Dict,
which ordered the King of Denmark to
take himself ont Of IIolstein. On his re-
fusal, federal execution" was ordered
that is, the troops Of the Confederation
were ordered 10 turn him out, and put the
Duke ct Augustenbnrg in possession.
Up to this point Prussia and Austria
had stood a'oof. The movement against
denmark being an essentially popular one,
they would have nothing to say to it; bu.
as soon as the troops began to move, they
announced that if there was to 30 anv
lighting done, they would do it themselves
and would not allow the smaller states TO
interfere. by this time Denmark had
yielded Holstein to The federal army: but
frnss'a now came in, and demanded
ochlesw'g also, and sent the federal armv
ABOUT its business. Austria then sent troons
TO The scene Of action also. Denmark pre.
pared for resistance, Lord Russell swore bv
lhe nine gods that Denmark ehould not be
harmed; bit the Prussians kept marching.
Duppel was taken in tho course, and then
" conference was hastily called in London,
IN May 1864 but Prussia refused 10 sus.
Pena operations during its sittiDga. After
" ,o!'n'shts wrangling it accomplished
noth'ng' and it had hardly broken up when