Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-07-06
War.

Negotiations are at end and war is
begun. Long as it was postponed, it
comes at last so suddenly that the
actual outbreak Of hostiIities seems to
take Europe by surprise. 1t is i'm
possible not to admire the rapidity
and decision which Prussia displays
at the crisis, and which have given her
a signal advantage in the first mill
tary movements. The vote of the
Federal Diet to arm its forces remov-
ed the last inducement for delay on
the part Of Prussia, and as there was
nothing more to be gained by diplo-
macy, Bismark instantly drew the
sword. The Diet voted on the l4th.
On the 18th, the Prussian armies had
entered Saxony and Hanover The
latter State will be instantly overrun
and possessed, and unless its Austrian
vote in the Diet is disavowed, Prussia
will henceforth treat Hanover as a
conquered province, whose resources
of men and money and supplies are
to be absolutely at her disposal. Ill
will be the same with the other Ger
man States in the North. They fall
to Prussia by their geographical stu
alton, and such of them as rejected
the opportunity to become her allies
can have no hope of escaping the ut
most rigor of hostile military occu.
patton. L #e
But the chief military interest of
this news centers in Saxony. The po-
oitiuno of neither the PrusSian nor
Austrian corps darmie are SO clearly
known as to enable US to say certain
ly to which side Dresden is to fall.
The kilograms which we reprint i'll
our foreign news are confused and
cannot be taken as guide. They as
sumo that Benedek, the Austrian
commander. has seize Dresden, but the
two armies are about equldlstant from
that city, and if there be chance for
the Prussians to get possession of the
Saxon capital, they will try hard for
it. Saxony itself is all for Austria,
andwill put her railways at Benedek's
disposal while the PrusSians must
trust TO their own resources; but as
Prussia has u clear days start OF her
enemy, it is not certain she may not
reach Dresden first The possession
of Dresden, to whichever side it may
fall, will be a most important advan.
tage. just south of the city lies the
ground which the wars of Frederick
made famous. and which ever since
has been reckoned an impregnable
position. An army once established
in it could not be diSlodged without
"a long campaign. If Prussia gets it,
She will have her grasp on the neck OF
SaXOny, and that ill-lated Kingdom
may once more have cause to repent
its suicidal proclivity toward Austrian
alliances. 1t must be admitted, how
ever, that all probabilities point to
the seizure and permanent occupa-
ton of this region by the Austrian
= forces.
From Italy we have the news that
f Cialdini was expected to cross the Pc
on the 18th with 10000 men, and We
presume there is no doubt that mill
t tary plans had been perfectly agreed
on between Italy and Prussia, so that
: the first shot on the Saxon or Silesiau
; frontier was echoed back from Nene
f tia. Austria is not less alarmed by {
| reported movement Cf an Italian dc
t tachment into Hungary. MasSing the
1 strength Of her army to meet her an
t tagonist on the North Austria is
| numerically weak against Italy, aud
i. plans for nothing more than deiens-
a i've campaign in Venetia at present
= How much defensive tactics will avail
e against the enthusiasm and impetuou,
e courage and overwhelming number,
+ OF the Italian army, We shall be likely
+ to learn very soon. 1t is scarcely
# worth while to speculate on the few
e hints we get OF the opening campaign
}, The one thing certain is that grea
European war is to be fought, an,
II that its results lie beyond all fore
u sight. Already the German Coined
IS Grafton disappears from the political
+ map, dissolved by the stern decree 0
t. Prussia, and left dependent on tn
fortune of war for the ultimate dispc
sition of its component States. Rccb
oning Italy and Prussia against Aus
tria and such OF the minor German
States as she may be able to contro
y the balance of forces is so even tina
d the future OF Europe may be said t.
Il lie in the genius of the generals VIII,
e command the composing armieS.-N
l. Y. Tribune.