NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Tam aspect of affairs in connexion with the war has undergone an entire change : Russia, who was moving backwards from the Danube, has again made a movement to the South ; Austria, who was marehing forward into the Principalities, stands still, pauses, and listens to the Powers behind; Prussia, who was following the lead of our German ally, is now falling back and importuning for fresh negotiations in reply to the new offers that Russia is making; and the fleet, which we last week reported to be advancing in the Baltic, has advanced still closer to Cronstadt, but draws back. Nevertheless, it appears to us that these are changes only in the aspect, temporary, and not substantially affecting the relations of the parties or the sequel of the action. For the day, the movement turns upon Prussia; whose course is as intelligible as it has been consistent with itself, however incon- sistent with her professions. So long ago as the commencement of April, the King of Prussia was sending to St. Petersburg repre- sentations of his own, beseeching for new propositions which could serve as the pretext for patching up the quarrel and save Prussia the necessity of taking sides—perhaps from becoming involved in a war. Although still without a reply, the King succeeded in em- bodying in the treaty with Austria his " hopes " of a favourable answer from Russia, and in keeping open a reception for that an- swer; and if subsequently he agreed to participate in the demand for the evacuation of the Principalities, he sent his claim separately, and has separately received an answer. His reluctance to unite in any action hostile to Russia does not appear ever to have been disavowed ; his eager anxiety to avoid war has continued; and now, while restraining Austria from the prosecution of her own course, it is the King of Prussia who labours at overcoming the oppo- sition to the renewal of negotiations. Entering the conferences in the interest of Russia, King Frederick William has employed the opportunities of his position in the alliance to serve the pur- poses of his brother-in-law ; and while in form the ally of one party to the war, it is evident that in practice he is the working ally of the opposite party.
The occurrences which we have just recapitulated quite suffice to explain the position of Austria in the news of the week, with- out any suspicion that she has forfeited the recent confidence of our Government. Receiving something like a response to her demand, and at the same time receiving from Prussia the importunate en- treaty to give that answer a full and favourable consideration, Austria has for the moment arrested the march of the army un- der General Hess ; but her rejoinder to Russia is understood to be a more peremptory form of the original demand, and we have as yet no evidence that she will give undue time to the considers- tam of Prussia's dilatory plea, or actually participate in the eva- sive retroactions of that Power.
The action which has been going on at the three Northern capi- tals, and especially the position of Austria, explain the new for- ward movement of Russia in the Principalities. In her convention 'with the Porte, Austrishad agreed to advance into the Principali- ties and wimpy the ground as it might be vacated by Russia under the pressure exercised by Omar Pasha and his allies. The advance of General Hess gave reality to that convention. Through Prussia, Russia has succeeded for the time in arresting that advance of the Austrian troops which would progressively have closed the ground against the return of the Russian forces; has to some extent re- voked her evacuation, and in doing so has strengthened her position against the compulsion to retreat yet further. The Russian ad- vance, however, has not been attended by any corresponding re- tirement of the Turks : on the contrary, if we may trust the last reports, Omar Pasha is advancing still further than he had yet done, and is again laying upon the body of the Russian forces the blood-red mark of his own victorious energy. Sonic writers in our own capital, we perceive besides magnify- [LZ.Tior EnrrioN.]
ing beyond any reason the appearance of hesitation on the part of Austria, are insinuating inculpatory "hopes" that our Govern- ment will not submit to the dilatory plea of Prussia, or suspend action in order to the renewal of "negotiations." The acts both of the French and English Governments are an answer to these fears, as well as to the importunities of Prussia. The London Ga- zette proclaims a strict blockade of the Russian Baltic, and the Emperor of the French goes to Calais to review his Baltic army. In a speech which no spice of French dramatism can spoil, and no turgid panegyric of English .journalism can enfeeble, but which derives its eloquence from the plain statement of a striking fact, the Emperor Napoleon reminds those soldiers that they are about to embark in English ships in pursuit of a common vietory,—a fact "unique in history." It is a fact which might alone be an answer to the hesitating German Powers, or for that presumptuous Power which is now endeavouring to substitute negotiation for military advance. So long as England and France are one, the other " Powers " have no strength to countervail them.
The actual position of affairs, therefore, not materially altered even under the changed aspect of the week, appears to be this. Without recovering the entire amount of her lost ground, Russia is regaining as much as she can, and is strengthening herself against further back-driving. The Turks are still pressing for- ward; Austria, arresting her march for the moment to hear what Russia has to say, still stands ready to advance ; Prussia is exhi- biting the weakness of her " hopes " by the desperation of her endeavours to secure a hearing and a delay; and the Western Powers are continuing steadily that advance which threatens Russia at the two extremities of her empire. The destination of the French Baltic army has not been announced; the specific field for land operations has perhaps not yet been officially determined ; and it will be for Prussia to reflect whether it will be politic for her to risk her territory in a common cause with Russia, and to force upon the Western Powers the necessity of squaring her possessions while they persevere in rendering Russia incapable of future ag- gression.
