The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-08-06
The War in Europe.

The papers by the last steamer disclosed a
speck of war upon the European horizon which,
by later advices, per Comet, has developed into a
large and portentous cloud, threatening the length
and breadth of the continent.
AS we interpret the news, the nomination of
Prince Leopold Hohenzollern to the Cortes of
Spain, as a candidate for its empty throne, has
caused an immense sensation at the French Court,
and Napoleon has declared that his coronation
will be a cause of war. Believing Prussia, under
the dictation of Bismarck, to be the cause Of the
nomination of Prince Leopold, the French Minis
ter at Berlin has Intercepted the Prussian Gov
eminent in a most peremptory manner, and has
been answered in a most dignifed tone, to the
effect that Prince Leopold was at liberty to do as
he pleased in regard to the acceptance of the
Spanish throne that the Spanish Cortes was also
at liberty to do as it pleased, at the same time
intimating that if Leopold accepts and the Cortes
elects, Prussia will sustain Spain. The action of
Spain IN selecting q ruler, and by the will of the
people placing him upon the throne, is precisely
what France has done in more than one instance,
and the wars of the First Napoleon against
Europe were to sustain this principle.
By the tone of the British and American
papers, we infer that the sympathy of both
countries is with Prussia. 1t is boldly declared
that the candidature of Prince Leopold is not the
exciting cause that France needs a foreign war
to turn the eyes of her subjects from Paris that
the Rhenish Provinces, embracing eleven thou
sand square miles, densely peopled, largely
French in language, chiefly Catholic in religion,
is what Napoleon covets, and for which he is
willing to plunge Europe into a devastating war.
The Sacramento Union on this subject says:
The Rhenish Provinces lie on both banks of the
Rhine, touching Holland and Belgium on the west,
France on the south, and Nassau and Baden on the
east. They are separated from the main body of the
Prussian Kingdom by Hanover and Nassau and,
therefore, from geographical position, more naturally
a part of France than of Prussia. But if Prussia
can ever manage to consolidate and absorb South
Germany as she has North, then the Hohenzollerns
would have a Kingdom, including Bavaria, Wurtem-
burg and Baden, larger than France, richer and
more populous and it would be Protestant. But if
in addition to this, a Hohenzollern reigned in Spain,
then France would be held in perpetual check and
have to content herself with her present boundaries,
and cease to be the periodical disturber of the peace
of Europe. 1t is well known that, notwithstanding
the treaty of Prague, Prussia has been endeavoring
to form alliances with Baden and Bavaria, looking
TO such q union, under the military leadership of
Prussia, as has already been nsumma with
Hanover, the Hesses and North Germany generally.
This action is what gives umbrage to Napoleon. He
cannot fail to see in its onsummati the end of
French hopes and designs upon the Rhine.
A defeat for France would be fatal to the hopes
of the Emperor and his son, while the defeat of
Prussia would disturb the equilibrium of all
Germany and of Europe, menace Switzerland,
Baden, Bavaria, all South Germany and be a loss
of prestige to Prussia, and of all North Germany
which they will not submit to without a great
and exhausting struggle.
The next arrival from San Francisco is looked
forward to with interest by all classes, but more
particularly by those of European birth One
worthy Teuton was heard to say, that during a
residence here of twenty one years he had never
been so anxious to hear news from 8 faderland "
as now. When two such powers as France and
Prussia stand pitted against each other, with her.
editary grievances of long standing to wipe out or
perchance to perpetuate, the rest of the world
may we'll look on in suspense.