The illness of the Emperor Frederick, of course, inter- rupts
European negotiations ; but it should be noted that Austrian and Hungarian papers are bursting with anger against Prince Bismarck. Their theory, evidently, is that he is selling Austrian interests for a modus vivendi with Russia, and they are passionately angry, and ask if this is to be the end of the Austro-German alliance. They are, of course, strongly in favour of the Battenberg marriage, and roundly accuse the German Chancellor of disloyalty to his master. We would advise our readers to pause before taking all this in. That Prince Bismarck is sacrificing the interests, real or supposed, of the ruling classes in Austria-Hungary in order to avert an alliance between France and Russia, we think nearly certain ; but we doubt his throwing over the alliance, which is with the Hapsburgs, not their people. We conceive Prince Bismarck to be ripening the old project of a partition of the Balkans, and to be chiefly puzzled by the Italian dislike to see Russia at Constantinople. He does not want to lose Italy, and does not see exactly what compensation to offer. He will find one yet, for a French Dictator will need the priests, and cannot, therefore, be a cordial ally of Italy.
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