, 1866-05-18
From tie London Times, Mag 81
FRANCE.
from the Times Correspondent.
PARIS, Tuesday, May l, 7 an

The assertion, so often repeated, that
Austria intends attackingthe powerful ally
of France without provocation or any JUS
tiiable cause, is believed by very few per-
sons. The circulars that General La
Marmora may write to his agents abroad,
denouncing the ornaments going on IN
Venetla, will not convince people that
Austria is on the point of committing a
most wanton aggression on Italy. 1t is
ominous that this charge is insisted on by
one or two of the Paris Government jour.
nails with as much confidence and peril
nacity as if the public were utterly igno-
rant Of all that has taken place in Ger
many. The Austrian ambassador in Paris
has more than once repudiated, in the
name of his Government, all such aggres-
sion on Prussia and as for Italy, no later
than Friday or Saturday he declared in
the most formal terms to the Minister OF
Foreign Affairs, Nj. Drouyn de Lhuys,
that there was no intention and no wish
to attack that Power, and, moreover,
That Austria was willing and ready to
stop even now her ornaments in Venetia
on condition that the French Government
which is not without influence in Italy
would not attack her in that quarter.
No answer was given, as the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, seldom prone to take the
initiative, could from himself give no such
assurance; and it is said the Emperor
had not enabled his Minister TO do so.
The fact, however, was allowed to APP
pear in La PresSe, but the MOniteur Of
yesterday morning contains no alluslon to
1t. In the meantime, tie Austrian off
GERS who have been for some months, or
weeks, or days in Paris received kilograms
on Saturday at noon to return at once
and join their respective corps. No pre-
text for delay was allowed. They had
not even time TO send cards to their
friends they were not to wait for a late
train, but to take their departure by the
first that left after the telegram reached
them; and | hear that they have strictly
obeyed the order.
Whether Austria would best serve her
own interests by adopting the advice, so
often pressed upon her, of giving up We
META altogether, and thus get rid of a
charge which brings her little glory and
no profit, which is a cause of embarrass-
ment and a source of weakness rather
than Of strength, is q question that has
OICen Deou aSNeu, anu ans Wclcu dSdlLoI
her. She should, no doubt, do so. Yet
what is required of her constitutes one of
those sacrifices which it is much easier
to recommend than to carry into execu-
ton and ever her worst adversaries can
hardly refuse to admit that, so long as
Venetia is under her domination, she has
the right to take precautions against its
being forcibly taken from her. The obi
CATION imposed upon her of defending is
her penalty for holding it. 1t is absurd,
however, to suppose that she menaces
Italy rather than defends herself by these
precautions, or that Italy believes she has
any real cause for alarm and no decla-
ration of the Italian Government or of
the Government press of France will con-
vince us that it is the Cabinet Of Vienna,
and not the Cabinet Of Berlin, that is the
wanton disturber of the peace of Europe.
That Venetia should be freed from the
domination of Austria may be desirable
both for the Venetians themselves and