The New York herald., 1870-07-26

l TrubS'a wants TOO mucn IL seems, anu
that is the real cause of the war. 1t is not a
question Of the Prussian maueuvre in Madrid
nor of Benedetti's dignity that has set France
and Prussia face to face on the Rhine, but
simply the old and respectable discussion ol
the division of Europe. So 1t appears by the
documents that the London newspapers arc
producing In the "wait" that now precedes
the actual commencement Of hostilities. One
of these is a conversation with Napoleon ;
another, produced by the London Times
assumes to be treaty submitted by France to
Prussia, the authenticity of which Is ''guaran-
teed" by the Times. BY the first article Of this
treaty the Emperor NAPOLEON recognizes the
late acquisitions of Prussia from Austria" BY
the second the Prussian King is to assist
France to gain Luxemburg. BY the third Ma
poeon assents to the addition to Prussia of the
South German Provinces, and by the fourth
Prussia Is to help France to take up Belgium
whenever France may deem that absorption
necessary for her well being. 1t is
| pity that date Is not given or that we
are not helped to hint at the time and
the circumstances on which the Emperor
submitted this treaty. If it was in 1866 the
world has knowledge of many facts not
inconsistent with that programme; but If it
Is pretended that this has been presented
to Prussia as French statement Of the condi-
tions consistent with the prosecution of peace
in the present differences, it is calculated to
give new character 10 the contest, and also
90 tbn of u, ia
confident of stronger game than be seems
to the mass of men to have before him.
Here then, we have again-and in shape
little more definite than any in which it has
before appeared-the proposition that France
should have all the counties west of the
aggrandizement of Prussia by the absorption
of all the States Of Germany except Austria |
proper. Was this treaty the draft Of the COM
pact OF Biarritz? Substantially 1t is the same. |
But this proposed division Of Europe is older
yet, and has still another point. 1t takes in |
also the question of the East There are three |
main terms in the division of Europe held by
the three. great Continental Powers that do |
most in that way. That Russia should have |
Constantinople was the first term; the second |
was that Prussia should have such prepon-
derance in Europe that the possible opposition
of Austria 10 Russian advance might be of no
avail, through the crippled condition of Aus
tria. But what price should France have for
asserting not only to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of |
Turkey, against which she had once gone to
war, but for asserting also to the great aggran-
dzement of her neighbor and to the centraliza- |
tion Of Germany, against which she had strug-
gled with all the arts of diplomacy and war for |
ccnturies2 She should have such an acces-
sion Of territory and population as would |
enable her to look with complacency on the |
growth Of her neighbor, and a natural frontier
that it would be dangerous for an enemy to
pass-that is to say, she should have the
Rhenish provinces of Germany, the duchy Of
Luxemburg and the kingdom of Belgium.
This speculative division Of Europe dates as
far back at least as 1860, and originated in
Paris, and the parts Of it that more directly
concern Prussia and France were certainly
considered in the conference between Napo-
leon and Bismarck at Biarritz. In 1866 Prus-
France then assented to the dismemberment
of Austria Unless France saw special gain
in that inactivity it was blunder for it was
better for her that Austria and Prussia should
divide the force Of Germany between them.
Moreover, with ali Germany under one crown
provinces. 1t Is not permissible therefore, to
believe that she had not an understanding then
with regard TO the Rhine frontier, but the
game fell short somewhere? Did the question
of Holland arise then? 1t Is not unlikely,
and the ambition of Prussia to become naval
Power gives probability to this idea Hol-
land was the ''too much" that Prussia de-
manded before she could assent to give the
Rhine to France. In this view, then, the pre-
sent war is simply the smouldering fire of four
years breaking out again, and Europe is not
to take the shape that It may keep for
centuries without the voice Of France
being heard to very bloody purpose
in the dispute. If France has to fight for her
part of the bargain she is of course not under
any obligation to respect the acquisitions
OF Prussia and therefore Austria Is not alto
gether out of the case, and may yet see her
way clear to reopening of the issue once
| settled at Sadowa. Neither Is France under
any obligation to assent to what Russia may
dol but it Is not impossible that Russia, observ-
ing how each Of these Powers takes up its
own case, may adopt an equally unceremoni-
Gus style of giving employment to the large
force that Turkey now has concentrated on the
northern slope Of the Balkan. All the indica-
tions are that 1t will be a hot summer for some
body in Europe.
Tho Sunmer Vacation of Our Public
Schools.