The Continental papers are greatly exercised about some reve- lations
made by the Due de Gramont, Foreign Minister of Napoleon when the war broke out, as to the attitude of Austria with regard to the war. The Duke had informed the Commission of Inquiry that Austria promoted the war, and in a letter to the President, Comte Daru, he quotes a despatch from Count Beust of July 20, 1870, directing the Austrian Ambassador to assure the French Government that "we consider the cease of France our own, and will contribute to the success of her armies as far as we possibly can." Another despatch dated the same day, however, affirmed the principle of the neutrality of Austria. The Duke deduces from these despatches that Austria was at heart friendly to his master's designs, and had previously approved them. As we have argued elsewhere, the truth probably is that Austria desired the war, though not then ; that when Napoleon was committed, but not defeated, she promised aid ; that the Emperor Francis Joseph hesitated to act rashly, and that the opportunity passed away with Gravelotte. The Berlin Press is very bitter on Count Bengt, but the German Government knew the facts before, and its organs only tell the Austrians that they must in future be better boys.
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