The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-04-19
Europe on the Eve of War.

HE news from Europe continues to
be Of very warlike character Both /
Austria and Prussia are fastening their 1
military preparations with great energy. /
and COLLISION, 1t was expected, might /
take place at any moment We no long /
er hear of efforts for the preservation of /
peace, but only of ornaments. of mutu-
al charges, and of endeayors to deyolve
tie responsibility for the disturbance of
the peace of Europe upon the opponent.
The signs of the times. at present,
not only point to q war, but to q war
which may at once assume fearful di-
mension and be fraught with far reach
ing consequences Count Bismark shows
that he fully appreciates the prize which
is at stake II war really does break
ont, Austria will find him merciless
enemy. who. in order to settle forever
the struggle between Austria and Prus-
STA for the supremacy of Germany, Is
determined to aim at the utter annihila
ton of Austria Bismark undoubtedly
knows the weakness of Austria as well
as any European statesman, and no one
can doubt that he means to avail himself
of all the advantages which it offers
The Asia. which Yesterday arrived at
Halifax, brings a report, that Prussia
has already concluded with Italy n for
NAL treaty of alliance. and that consider
cradle ornaments are in course of pre-
paration in Italy. This IS fact of ON.
inous Importance for Austria. The 1tal-
ism subjects of Austria (about 3,ooo,
000) are unanimous in their desire TO be
disconnected from Austria and be united
with Italy. They will not hesitate a
moment TO rise in insurrection if they
have reason to expect aid from Italy
The Italian Government has always
frankly declared that it has not abandon
/ ed and never will the hope of effecting the
annexation of Nenetia. No more favor
able occasion for achieving this end can
ever present itself than a joint war of
| Prussia and Italy against Austria. Com
bined. the forces of the two Govern
ments are vastly superior to those of
Austria. The latter has population of
IS, 600 900, but deducting the italian
population. which would show themselves
at once openly hostile and swell the
Italian army with volunteers, the num-
Der would be reduced to $4,000, 600
Should it be possible to call forth an
other insurrection in Hungary, the pow
err of Austria would be still more weak
ened. On the other hand, Italy and
Prussia together represent population
of more than $1,000, 900, or if we add the
Italian subjects of Austria. of more than
43, 900. which is fully l,o00,0 600
more than Austria in the most favorable
case can rely upon.
The only help that Austria can pos
sibly find in this alarming complication
is the Federal Diet of Germany, which,
leaving out of account Austria, Prussia,
and the Dutch Provinces of Luxembourg
and Limburg, represent population of
about lS,00O,00o. At present, the ma
ijority of the Diet are friendly to Aus
tria, which has generally treated the au-
thority of the Diet with respect, and
tried to concert with the minor powers a
reorganization of the Federal Constitu-
ton. The majority of the Diet NAV,
therefore, be inclined to declare Fed
eral war against Prussia, which in antici-
patton of such an event, has threaten
ingly called upon the minor States to de-
fine their position. Some of the States,
however, sympathize with Prussia, and
others may be sufficiently inundated
to refuse to join in war against her,
and both classes together would, to a
large extent. neutralize the effect of
declaration of war.
1t is generally expected that in war
in which Austria, Prussia, Italy and Ger
many should be engaged, France would
not remain neutral The present inten-
tons Of France are not known. The
latest advices from Europe state that the
Emperor has sent Prince Napoleon to
Italy on a secret mission too important
to be trusted to anybody else. The
Emperor has never formally renounced
the design of charging the frontier of
France to the Rhine, and a war between
Austria and Prussia would undoubtedly
be n strong temptation to crafty what is
still the favorite wish of large portion
of Frenchmen~~
1t will be seen, from the above facts,
that whether the prevailing anticipation
of a great war may be realized or not,
the present complication of European
politics is certainly of fearful charac-
ter New York Tribune.