New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-05-08
PRUSSIA AND FRANCE PREPARING FOR

VAR
The Peace Conference of the representa-
tiyes of Prussia, France, England, Austria,
Russia, Italy, Holland, and Belgium, which will
attempt to dispense the war cloud impending
over Europe by pacific solution of the Lux
emburg question, assembled in London yester-
day. Very little is known about the real dis
positions of France and Prussia. Count Bis
marck a few days ago officially declared
that Prussia would accept the naturalization of
Luxembourg, and Count Mouster on the same
day assured the foreign diplomatists in Paris
that basis had been agreed upon which would
secure the peace of Europe. Other reports are
less assuring. Thus, Earl Derby stated in the
British Parliament that he hoped that peace
would be preserved, but that to his knowledge
no basis had yet been definitely adopted
Whether the report that France had consented
TO the abandonment of her claims to Luxembourg,
and that the Conference may oppose any en-
largement of tie French frontier, has any ohi-
cial foundation, is doubtful.
In tbe meanwhile, both countries are reported
TO continue their ornaments A few days ago
the French Moniteur officially announced that
France had put stop to all military prepare
tons but to-day the reports that both Powers
are armng is repeated. The charge is likely
enough to be true The recent war between
Prussia, Italy, and Austria is warning as to
the indispensable necessity of not being too
tardy in completing all the necessary prepare
tions, which neither France nor Prussia can
afford to overlook. Then both parties were Sc
cretly arming several armies before the out
break of hostilties; both denied the charge
but when the opening of the war occurred
Prussia alone Was fully F6bafed, and Austria
had to pay dearly for her usual hardness. In
stead of assuming the offensive, and carrying
the war from the start into Saxony and Silesla,
and thus closing the important mountain passes
south of Saxony and Silesia, she had to await
and meet the hostile forces after they invaded
Bohemia. A similar mistake on the part OF
Prussia or France might cost the negligent
power another Bohemian compaign.
The necessity of speedy and thorough prepare
tons for war is all the greater, as, sooner or
later, great, decisive war between the two
countries is inevitable. The consolidation of
all the German States would build up ma
ton much superior to France in population
and power. This the French Government,
and large portion of the French people, con-
slider themselves bound to prevent. The de-
mand made last year by France for some Ger
man towns was the first step toward bring
ing on this issue the attempt to purchase
Luxembourg is the second. The first was
failure, and second seems to have failed
equally. But the object of this policy has not
yet been abandoned and new attempts to carry
| it through must follow There can be no true
peace between the two Governments. but at
| most an arnistice an armed peace and if, at
a particular point of time, one people should
deem itself more prepared for war than its
neighbor, new pretext for war can easily be
| found.
| France has special reasons for hasteuing
| and peIfecting her armaments for thus far, ac-
cording to all reports, Prussia can bring into
the field much larger force than France.
Nominally, the French army on the war footing
amounts TO about $4,000 while that of Prussia
and her German vassals and allies numbers up
ward OF 100000. If instead of the whole
army on the war footing we compare the forces
which both countries can actually bring into the
field, the superiority of Prussia is no less appa
rent. According to trustworthy calculations,
France altogether has 100000 men 100000 of
whom are Ieserves) ready to march into Ger
many. Germany, on the other hand, has
$4,000 men ready to march without delay
into France, and in addition to these she
would have at least 100000 men In garrtsopS
and 100000 in depot on whom she could draw
at any time for reGnforcements. Both armies
are believed to have excellent arms but,
while only one-third of the French army is at
present armed with the new Chassepot rifles,
the whole Prussian army is armed with the
needegun.
We st1 adhere to the opinion that an i'm
mediate war between France and Prussia is
not probable. But, on the other hand, it is
even more probable that the London Confer
ence will be entirely unable to dispose of the
Luxembourg question in a manner satisfactory
to both Prussia and France, and to remove the
cnnnn of conflict hetwnen these two PoWerS