In the midst of the proposals for Congress the preparations
for war continue. The call of the Kaiser for men has at once been answered, and it is stated that he has 700,000 men enrolled, and the means of calling out 300,000 more. In Prussia the summons to the landwehr has almost emptied the cities, and interferes with every department of business, even professors, editors, bank clerks, railway officials, and artists being swept up to serve as private soldiers. The consequent discontent is very great, and the recruits in some instances very mutinous. Still they have all arrived. In Italy 3045,000 men are collected on the frontier, the national guard has been mobilized, and twenty regiments of volun- teers have been enrolled amid universal rejoicing. France, too, is said to be silently arming, and though there is little evidence of this, still the Emperor is in a much better position for a campaign than he was before the Italian war, having at least 200,000 mov- able troops at disposal. It is stated in Paris that if war breaks out it will begin on the 1st of June, but these prophecies with a circumstance are very untrustworthy.
