, 1866-04-24

former alternative and were Mr.. Glad
stone at the helm in Great Britain, in the
latter. But the King believes in his w
~prerogative, and Earl Russell belongs to
the school of statesmen which will not
on any condition submit the Eastern
question to a Congress, aud without such
submission no Congress can produce, or
even pave the way tor, permanent peace.
The chances OF war are heavy, and it is
worth while to consider for a moment
what that war will in any case be, and
what it may become. 1t will be first of
all a war between two of the four great
military monarchies, each armed to the
teeth, each as it were drilled for fifty
years for some anticipated battle. 1t is
the custom in this country, owing to an
inaccurate view OF the Hungarian cam
paign, TO disparage the military power Of
Austria, but it is really exceeded only by
that of France. The Kaiser controls half
a million of efficient soldiers, supported
by an unresiSted conscription, carefully
organized, particularly since the expert
cnce of 1859, and fall of high military
pride. That dangerous conflict of races
which goes on in the Empire is soothed
away in the army, and there is no reason
TO doubt that the ~IIungarians when the
enemy is a PruSsian viii fight hard. The
Austrian army has rarely won battles,
but it has ALWAYS been so formidable an
opponent that the victor has been too
glad to accept a compromise IN the very
hour Of triumph. Magenta was lost be-
fore it was won, and had the Austrians
only been fed, the day might have ended
in Il defeat of the French. Political feel
ing is carefully suppressed, and the En-
peror can IN the last resort rely on I'M
mensc lcyies of races who. Ike tue
Croats, are alike ignorant and careless Of
the merits Of any contest. The immense
number on the rolls must, however, I've
reduced by at least 100, 600 men TO be
left in Vene,ia, 100000 in Galicia and
Hungary, and $4,000 more engaged in the
fortreszcS aud regular garrison duty. On
the other hand, the King Of Prussia has
the immediate control OF only 100000
men, bat he need not garrison any part OF
his domjuionS except the DuchieS, aud
the armies are therefore numerically al
most equal. He has besides the support
of a very swift and effective coDscjiptjOn
the Organization under which every man
in Prussia is not only liable to serve, but
trained to do it well. His army is better
armed than the Austrian, comprises a
magnificent artillery, honestly believes
that the Danish war raised its military
reputation as highly as Waterloo, and
has an advantage which lis rival does not,
we believe, possess-the help of a sys-
tenn of laws framed by Frederick the
Great, and by no means dormant, under
which every horse, every cart, and indeed
all supplies throughout the kingdom,
may be made instantly available for the
service of the State. In finance the Prus-
sian Governmet has slightly the advan-
tage, as she possesses besides her reve-
nue. a reserve treasure of some ten mil
lions, which would las. till a won battle
enabled her Government to raise a loan,
or a lost one called out the patriotism Of
the Chamber, which IN extremity dare
not leave an army based on the whole
population without supplies. The war
once commenced, the nation will think
only of victory. In position the Prus-
slams have one advantage and one draw
back. They can stand on the defensive.
Holstein must be evacuated by Austrians
at the beginning of the war, and then