Much curiosity has been raised as to the course which
the German Governments would adopt, particularly Prussia, We have already ex- pressed our opinion that Prussia could not join in the headlong course to which Austria has committed herself. This opinion is confirmed by intelligence which we have from Paris and the North. Moreover a cor- respondent at Berlin, who is in no degree disposed to favour anti-German views, supplies some very interesting intelligence bearing strongly on this point. Berlin, Wednesday, 20th April 1859. "The Princes seem to be on a perpetual journey to and fro. At the end of last week the Grand Duke of Oldenburg and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha were here to meet the Austrian Archduke ; today the arrival of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin is announced. The Duke of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha returned to Gotha in order to proceed directly to London, where he will be witness of the confirmation as it is said, but of course his interview with the Austrian Archduke and what they have talked over will form the principal business at the English Court, as the Duke is considered the royal mediator between Germany and England. The Grand Duke of Oldenburg left for Hanover, where he will be on a short visit, and whew the young Prince Albrecht of Prussia has been a few days. You well know that Hanover has always taken a particular position in German affairs, which has never been considered very patriotic, in particular the feelings between this and the Hanoverian Court seldom are very cordial." "What causes so much uneasiness to Austria is not exactly the open hostility of France and a campaign in Italy, but the doubtful attitude of Russia. United Germany under the leadership of Prussia keeps watch on the Rhine, and will prevent an attack on her German provinces, but Aus- tria's weakness lies in Galicia and Hungary. If the Emperor Joseph is not blinded by 171tramontaniem and political bigotry, he will now see what his policy has lead him to. Though the nobility of Bohemia and Moravia have assured him of their enthusiastic support, from Hungary and Gallieia we heard of no such address. It is said, on the contrary, that the Polish and Hungarian propagandists are very active, and that General Klapka is near to be ready for any hostile opportunity. We suspect that Prussia is called upon to send her troops to Hungary in case of an outbreak there. I depot think Prussia is very much inclined to do so, as she too will have to watch her Polish province of Posen, where revolutionary addresses have lately been discovered again, which were issued from the Polish Revolu- tionary Committee in London.
" In Wfirtemberg the estates will be summoned to meet the Tuesday after Easter ; their principal business will be to grant six millions for military preparations and to expropriate horses, which the Government should want for war-purposes. A military contract is reported to have been concluded these last few days between Prussia, Baden Wiirtemberg, and (perhaps) Bavaria. This contract grants, it is expected, to Preen* the lead in the defensive system of the whole Rhine."
" The long stay of an Austrian Prince at our capital is something extra- ordinary, and it is rumoured that he will postpone his departure till he has heard, through the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Goths, from London. "In the meantime the price of the shares in the Austrian loan sinks daily, and many Prussian subjects will be great losers, as upwards of three mil- lions of guilders are taken here in Prussia. The local papers here bring daily an anonymous warning for people not to purchase them."
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