The latest news as regards neutral Powers may be summed
up in a very short paragraph. Russia remains nominally neutral, but her troops are concentrating in Poland, where there is grow- ing agitation, and the Imperial Guard, 60,000 strong, draws towards the frontier of Posen, where the centre of any new Polish movement would be found. Austria is neutral, but slowly beginning to arm, without the consent of her German subjects. Denmark is still quiescent. Italy has made some sort of arrange- ment with Napoleon, obtaining Rome in return for some service not specified, which may be only quiescence ; and Holland is agitated by words which she considers, or chooses to consider, threats from Berlin. Belgium is completely under arms, but will apparently only try to protect Antwerp, where the Royal family, the national treasure, and a large body of troops are already gathered.
Germany has gone far on its way to mitigate the evils of naval warfare by the following decree, dated July 18, and signed by the King and Bismarck :—" French merchant vessels shall not be subject to be captured or seized as prizes of war by vessels of the Royal Navy of the Confederation. This rule does not of course apply to those vessels which would be subject to capture or seizure if they were neutral vessels." It will be observed that no reciprocity is asked for, but it is probable that France will adopt the same policy, and the fleet on its way to the Baltic has cap- tured nothing.
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