FRANCE AND AUSTRIA.

The statements of Ministers in Parliament have deprived much of the news accruing from the continent and based on rumours and speculations of what little value it had. The ltfoniteurhas published the I. rench ver- sion of the situation at the beginning of the week, and its article will probably prove acceptable to our readers -

" After having adhered to the proposition of the Court of Russia to refer the settlement of the Italian question to a Congress, the five Powers thought it advisable to come to an understanding upon the bases of the future de- liberations, and they agreed upon the four following points, proposed by the Government of her Britannic Majesty-

" I. To state precisely the means by which peace may be maintained between Austria and Sardinia.

"2. To establish how the evacuation of the Roman States by the French and Austrian troops can be best effected. "3. To examine whether it is advisable to introduce reforms into the internal ad- ministration of those States, and of the other States of Italy the administration of which may show defects of a nature evidently calculated to create a permanent and dangerous state of discontent, and what should such reforms be.

"4. To substitute for the treaties between Austria and the Duchies a con- federation of the States of Italy between themselves for their mutual protection at home as well as abroad.

"Subsequently, the Vienna Cabinet demanded the previous disarming. of Sardinia, declaring that that measure was an absolute condition for its join- ing the Congress. This condition having given rise to objections on the part

of all the other Powers, the Austrian Government substituted instead one for a general disarming before the meeting of the Congress. The Govern- ment of her Britruiniz Majesty is of opinion that it would suffice to admit at once the principle of a general disarming, reserving to regulate its being carried out until the opening of the deliberations by the Plenipotentiaries. The Government of the Emperor, guided by the same sentiments of con- ciliation which determined it to adhere to the meeting of a Congress and to the bases of the negotiation, has not hesitated to give its assent to this com- bination. A difference has nevertheless since manifested itself upon the question as to whether the official adhesion of Sardinia to the principle thus admitted was or was not previously indispensable. The Government of the Emperor thought that it was impossible, logically and equitably, to invite Piedmont to adhere to this principle, if at the same time the Powers did not ask it to be represented at the Congress. The English Cabinet having laid great stress upon France consenting to induce the Turin Cabinet to acquiesce, as a preliminary step, in the principle of a general disarming, the Govern- ment of the Emperor has not refused to give a new proof of his conciliatory views, and he has promised compliance with this request, provided it shall be agreed that Sardinia and all the other Italian States shall be invited to Bend a representative to the Congress. ." In a perfectly analogous circumstance, at the Conferences of Troppau, in 1820, the Court of Austria itself took the initiative in a similar proposal. Its first representative, Prince Metternich, declared that it was just, as well as useful, to invite the different Italian States to send plenipotentiaries to the Congress, which it had been decided to hold at Laybach, to take the ,affairs of Italy into consideration, and that advice was shared by all the ,Powers. " We find in this precedent a reason to hope that the condition we have just indicated—so conformable, moreover, to the principles of equity and to the interests of all the Courts of the peninsula—will receive a unanimous assent. Moreover, as regards disarming, the Government of the Emperor having admitted the principle, it could not raise an objection as to what might be thought the most opportune moment to carry it into execution, and if the Powers were of the opinion to proceed thereto even before the meeting of the Congress, it would, on its part, see no reason for not con- forming to that wish.

" Everything, therefore, leads to the presumption, that if all the difficul- • ties are not yet smoothed down, the definitive agreement will not fail to be- established, and nothing more will be opposed to the meeting of the Con- gress." So far matters had gone on Monday. On Tuesday, at a Council of Ministers held early in the morning, at which the King was present, it was resolved,

" That in order to give to Europe a proof of the desire of Sardinia to re- move the difficulties which delay the meeting of a congress, Sardinia yields to the demand of England and France, and accepts the principle of disarma- ment, the details of which she will leave to be discussed in the Congress." On Wednesday it was stated in Paris that the reply of the Austrian Government to the last proposal repecting the representation of Piedmont in the Congress had arrived that day, and that it was to the effect that Austria does not object to the admission of Piedmont.

On Thursday the Moniteur published the following statement of the then latest phase of the question. "England has made to the four other great Powers the following. propo- sitions-1. To effectuate previous to the Congress a general and simulta- neous disarmament. 3. The disarmament to be regulated by a military or civil commission independently of the Congress. This commission to be composed of six commissioners, one of whom to be a Sardinian. 3. As soon as the commission shall have commenced operations the Congress should assemble and proceed to the discussion of political questions. 4. That the representatives of the Italian States should be invited by the Congress, im- mediately after its assembling, to take their seats with the representa- tives of the great Powers absolutely, as at the Congress of 1821.

" France Russia, and Prussia have given in their adhesion to the propo- sals of England."

The Memorial Diplomatique insists that Carlsrhue has been definitive- ly chosen for the approaching meeting of the Congress, which is posi- tively to unite on the 30th of April. From Germany belligerent rumours arrive. The Archduke Albert had been sent to Berlin, it was said, to negotiate a military convention pro- viding for an alliance against France under certain contingencies. On Thursday the _Daily News published a letter from Berlin containing 10100 very startling statements. " One more and last attempt is now being made to maintain the peace of Europe. Prussia now offers,. if possible, in conjunction with Bngliind, to conclude a treaty with Austria, to the following effect-

Austria either to terminate her special treaties with the Italian States or-to convert them into simply defensive alliances, but under all circum- stances to renounce and give up the right of active interference in the inter- nelaffairs of the Italian States, which she now claims in virtue of these treaties.

" 2. Austria to recognize as the future guide of her Italian policy the principle of non-intervention. " 3. To reduce her pretensions to the occupation of Piacenza.to the simple right, stipulated by the treaty, of maintaining a military garrison there. -" 4. To evacuate the Roman Legations at the same tune that the French withdraw their troops from the city of Rome and Civita Vecchia. "5. To guarantee that no attack shall be made on the territorial posses- sions of Sardinia, if that power give a similar guarantee not to disturb the Italian possessions of Austna. And finally,

"6. To consent to a general European Congress, in order to come to a mutual and pacific understanding for a durable settlement of the States of Italy, based upon the territorial and sovereign rights guaranteed by the ex- isting treaties.

" On the other hand, if Austria will accede to these conditions, Prussia, eventually supported by England, binds herself- " 1. As a set-off against these concessions to induce France and Sardinia to keep the peace ; "2. To oppose any armed intervention in Italy on the part of France, if needful by adequate military assistance ; and

"3. As the ally of Austna, to declare war against France as soon as the French trope begin to cross the Alps."

This, it has been remarked, looks like either a canard, or the prema- ture disclosure of proceedings of a most menacing kind. In a postscript to his letter the purveyor of this intelligence positively states that the Archduke Albert had "signed a military convention with Russia by which the latter engages to send to the Rhine an army of 280,000 men under the personal command of the Prince Regent, if the present nego- tiationsfor maintaining peace should fail. This imposing force will be further increased by the contingent of Bavaria (69,000 men) and the eighth federal army corps (Wurtemberg, Baden, and Hesse-Darmstadt, together 60,000 men), whilst the other contingents will receive orders to hold themselves in readiness to march, but they will remain for the first at home, and be considered in the light of reserves." The same intelli- gence also comes from Hamburgb, with the additional statement that the Dube of Saxe Coburg Gotha, the brother of Prince Albert, is to command the federal army. The South German Princes have met at Darmstadt, and the commanders of the 8th Army Corps at Heidelberg. In short, all the news from Germany is warlike.