7 OCTOBER 1899, Page 2

The Austrian crisis drags on. Count Thun has resigned, to

the grief of the Clerical party, and the Emperor, alter several attempts to induce leading politicians to accept the Premiership, has appointed a Ministry of Affairs," with Count Clary as its head, and a Cabinet of permanent officials. They intend, it is said, to repeal the language ordinances, thus replacing German as the recognised official tongue, but promising to introduce a Bill which will contain an acceptable compromise. It is difficult to see how a com- promise can be acceptable while each party regards the language as its flag of battle, and we expect the Parliamentary anarchy to continue for some time. Indeed, according to the correspondent of the Times, who is a most careful observer, the true combatants are the ClericaN and the Liberals, who use the pretensions of Slays and Germans as their weapons. That is not a contest which ends quickly, and the Emperor seems to have lost some of his diplomatic skill. At all

events, he has as yet failed in inducing the parties to accept any modus vivendi. The best suggestion we have heard is that all the men in Austria should talk German and all the women Czech, but it is not enthusiastically received.