, 1866-08-21
From tie London Times, -4ugast ~
FRANCE.
From the Times Correspondent.


With the best intentions in the world
and a sincere wish to do only what was
just it is to be feared that the Imperial
mediation has not attained it's object in
giving that complete satisfaction which,
were all the parties actuated by the same
spirit as the mediator, should have re-
suited from it. When people come to
reflect on the consequences of a general
war in Europe they will do justice to the
Sovereign whose influence has thus far
been SO beneficial, but for the present
ome are unjust, if not positively migrate
iul. The astonishing success of Prussia
only increased her appetite for aggression,
and she seemed to aim at nothing less
than the total dismemberment Of the
Austrian Empire. In this she has been
disappointed by the interposition of the
Emperor Napoleon, for, as I stated in a
previous letter. this sudden conversion
was owing TO the determined tone and
language of the French representative,
and it is just possible that a hint was Civ
en- TO the PrusSian Vizier that formida-
BILE as his needle-gun is, France NAV
have one quite as formidable, if not more
SO. Prussia would have completed the
financial ruin of Austria by the attempt
to extort the ransom, by way of wal in
demnity, of 200, 900, O0Of, and she is
forced to be content with rs, 900, OOOf.
The letters from Vienna published in
the Paris press describe the feeling pro-
duced by the conditions Of peace accept
ed by France as one of 'grief and indig-
nation" If these letters faithfully express
the sentiments OF the Austrian people and
the Austrian army, that grief and indig-
nation are indeed most violent. They
say
eve are 10 have peace-peace in spite
of The feeling of the army and of the i'm
mense majority Of the population, in spite
of the naval victory Of LISA, and the de-
cided attitude of the Tyrol and Dalmatia
in spite of the protests of the press and
the patriotic Indignation Of the municipal
tiles. We shall have an ignominious
peace, a peace imposed upon us, a peace
at the cost of our own abasement, and of
the abandonment of our allies but we
shall not have liberty"
The firm tone assumed at the last and
most critical moment towards Prussia
must have been almost stern when direct
ed to Italy. The French Mediterranean
fleet was under orders for, it was said
Gan unknown destinations" That des-
t~ination was undoubtedly Venice. AS
Italy has acceded TO the armistice its de-
parture has been countermanded, and it
is probable that the Italians are still less
satisfied than either the Prussians or Aus
TRANS. This feeling is aggravated by the
defeat~of LISA, which the Italians seem
nov to attribute entirely to Admiral Per-
sano, whom the Press loads with oppro-
brium. Bound by their engagements to
the Prussian Government, they could not
or would not, owe Venetia to the bounty
of France; and we now hear that the
Venetians will be allowed to decide fol
themselves whether they are to form an
independent State or TO belong to Italy.
In their present temper the Italian people
are not likely to be soothed by the sar.
casm of a certain portion of the French
press. La Presse says -
sLet the Italians act with prudence.
Let them have throughout Venetia agents
who are early ~risers, and let them the