, 1876-06-10

~ $3.50 49, 1855
Malesty's present adYi.ers is strengthened
in a high degree. The National Liberals
have been beaten not only on their own
merits, but Notwithstanding the tortuitous
but powerful aid which they derived from
being entitled, at least according to APP
pearances, to denounce their political oppo.
nents as ~factious obstacles to the increased
security Of the country, 1t is difficult,
and would be probably Improbable, to
determine the reasons which led or forced
the Opposition to take their final stand
on the question Of the proposed Anna
ments and Fortidcations Bill. They had
taken a stand on so many questions. in
the endeavour to reduce the Ministry
to some decisive alternative, that we are
authorized to conclude that it was with
q full knowledge OF the consequence Of a
rejection of the Armaments and Fortifca-
tions Bill that they did not shrink from
such q step. Their conduct, however,
which certainly was as detensibIe as the
familiar Parliamentary expedient Of refus-
ing the supplies, gave the Cabinet an I'M
wonted opportunity. From one end Of
Denmark to the other, people of oil shades
OF politics are agreed that, ia its present
state, the country could be oyerrun by q
Prussian army in time so short as en-
tireIy to preclude the arrival Of foreign
succour. A couple Of years ago, the
hopes of the Danes went so far as
to lay some stress on the posi-
bility OF a general defence Of the kingdom;
but, with few exceptions, it is now recog.
Missed that Danish efforts are not equal to
much more than the defence OF Copenha-
gen. 1t seems hard for the Danes to have
to contemplate the probability of having
to retire within the very walls OF the capt.
tai, and abandon the shrunken remnant
OF the Danish provinces to the tender
mercies of a German General. Unques-
tionably, however, the more modest is
also the wiser scheme yet, modest as it
IS, the expenses which it involves are an
inordinately heavy tax on the resources
Of so small d State. To increase the Ar
my, to build o number of ironcIads and
guuboats, as wei. as a fortified harbour
on the Zealand coast, for refuge against o
superior fleet, and to make Copenhagen
the centre Of a system OF outlying forts,
capable of sheItering the concentrated
military forces of the kingdom, requires a
great outlay. Though, however, that
outlay might be somewhat diminished In
details, the general voice appears to be
unanimous upon the necessity Of the adop-
ton Of the plan in all its essential features,
and the fact that the Royal Message was
able to throw on the Opposition the blame
OF hindering the execution oil such cur
gently indispensable measures, was an
immense help to the Ministerialists IN
their electoral campaign.
In spite of all this, the Ministerial
defeat has been universal throughout the
country, with the single exception OF
Copenhagen. In every province indltter-
emily there have been four or five Oppo-
sitionists elected to each Ministerialist'
There is thus the curious spectacle pre-
sented once more, and in still stronger
relief, of a rural and semi-rural population
voting in mass for the propositions OF an
extreme Liberalism, while q policy OF Con-
servatism is found to recommend itself to
the voters of the capital city. Part OF the
explanation as regards the Danish country
parts is undoubtedly to be found in the
antagonism between the schoolmaster
body and the clerical and squlrearchical
classes. The Danish sc~hoolmasters are
Radical, and even ssmi-Socialist, to the
backbone. Elevated bv their culture far