A correspondent, who writes from Vienna on the 11th instant,
supplies an interesting review of the actual state of the international questions in the North-
. " The complication of difficulties which have gathered around the settlement of Cracow is likely to modify the original plan proposed for regulating that city's destination. The concession demanded by Prussia, to which the Austrian Cabinet WAS not opposed, is likely to fall before the vehement opposition of Russia. No commercial considerations ever influence the Russian Cabinet when political difficulties seem to clash with them. Here the assembling of the troops under Rudiger, on the frontier of Cracow, is thought to have a double import. It serves as an indirect menace: thus, if Austria should be inclined to yield to the remon- strances of the Western Powers, and to promise the eventual recognition of the
• independence of this free city, Russia will then take care of herself in her own fashion, and occupy what has been evacuated. Russia is opposed to encouraging the trade of the city, whose extinction alone affords a hope that the Poles will relinquish their efforts to restore their nation to its place in Europe: should the demands of Russia be rejected, and Cracow be allowed to trade freely, the military .cordon is intended to seal the Russian frontier hermetically, and to throw all in- ducement to smuggle on the side of Austria. "The menacing position of the despotic powers towards the constitutional states of Europe is the more extraordinary, that the financial difficulties under which they labour totally precludes all possibility of their encountering a war, without sub- jecting themselves to domestic revolutions, the results of which cannot be calcu- lated. Of this circumstance France cannot perhaps avail herself; but it must 'lend great weight to the opinion expressed by England, who is now the arbiter of Europe. "The protestations of Sweden and Turkey are considered here to be timely confessions of the temporary suspension of that international law which was es- tablished at the treaty of Vienna. Holland will perhaps allow her regret at the loss of Belgium to get the better of the usual Dutch prudence, and may not unite with the other maritime powers.
• "The difficult position of Denmark, menaced by the German Confederation on the one side, and forced to look only to Russia on the other for a doubtful sup- port in case of emergency, has, doubtless, forced the Court of Copenhagen to si- lence.
"But the terror of the neutral powers is not small at the open proclamation of the law of the strongest at so critical a moment. These political complica- tions have a great effect in diminishing confidence everywhere; and the state of the money-market is a good index of men's fears. One of the largest Vienna houses was tottering last week, but was saved by the energy of M. de Kfibeck, the Minister of the Finances. By this Minister's desire, a decree was issued placing a sum of ten millions of dollars at the disposal of the Commissioners of the National Debt, for the purchase of the shares of private railway companies. Ajudicious investment made in this way had so good an effect upon the market, that few sales became necessary. The prices rose, and the house was saved."
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