POLITICAL PANORAMA.

AT the commencement of a war which at present actively engages only the powers on the extreme West and the extreme East of Europe North and South, but which will most likely involve the whole

Europe, it is not uninteresting to survey the field, as a means of calculating the probable leaning of the intermediate powers.

Turkey. Now the centre of action around which the great Eu- ropean states are fighting. Variously represented to be decayed, and reviving ; certainly exhibiting a degree of energy unexpected; the tribes of the scattered provinces rally to the standard of the Sultan with unexpected fidelity; • and the statesmen of the Porte exhibit a capacity for international cooperation greater than that of their adversary ; while in the recent completion of a loan of 2,200,0001. Turkey has established herself as amongst the states with credit for solvency. At war with Russia ; in offensive and defensive alliance with France and England ; teased by Greece ; observed by Austria; comforted by the sympathies of Italy.

Russia. At war with Turkey, and by consequence with France and England ; striving, hitherto in vain, to obtain the subservient neutrality of Austria, and apparently making some progress in that direction with Prussia ; recently compelled to recognize the neutrality of Sweden and even of Denmark, whose Government had attempted to elle; the succession in favour of the Russian heirship. The internal condition of Russia is concealed by the systematic mystery which her Government keeps up, aided by the ignorance of a population of 66,000,000, scattered over the largest empire in the world. Although the Autocrat boasts of being able to bring three millions of soldiers into the field, several shifting& of orders for Poland and other frontier provinces appear to indi- cate that already he has some difficulty in keeping guard all round. His fleet in the Euxine does not appear able to maintain itself against the combined French and English fleet ; his fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line in the Baltic, divided at the three stations of Revel, Helsingfors, and Cronstadt, awaits the approach of Sir Charles Napier. The Government boasts of having a stare of bullion in the citadel of St. Petersburg ; but the declining credit of its paper throws doubt upon the assertion.

Austria. The Government at Vienna has recorded its approval of the principles sustained by the Western Powers, but claims to exercise its discretion in pursuing for the present a more passive policy; promising, however, to occupy the Turkish provinces against Russian invasion ; has a great army of observation on the Turkish frontier; is suspected of ultimately reverting, by sympa- thy or necessity, to the Russian alliance. Embarrassed by the doubtful allegiance of her dependencies, Hungary and Northern Italy. Still more embarrassed in finance ; the recent relinquish- ments of right -to issue state paper money in favour of the bank, with mortgage of the customs-receipts, not having sufficed to re- store Austrian credit, or to prevent the enormous distrust which exhibits itself in the premium upon bullion—silver 37 per cent, gold 41.

Prussia. Endeavouring to trim between the West and Russia; refusing alliance, and standing upon neutrality. Has recently sent a special envoy to St. Petersburg to persuade the Emperor to with- draw from the Principalities, as a means of avoiding war ! Is offering for the lead of Germany, on local grounds; and is wavering under the administration of a vacillating King, who knocked his head against a tree in a garden-walk the other night, of a liberal go- vernment growing mistrusted and unpopular, and of a reactionary heir-presumptive.

The Minor German Powers have not at present declared them- selves. Their conduct might be guessed by what it was in 1848; save that the "German" legitimacy of Prussia appears to have made a greater impression than her "German unity did. Thus, Saxony has not, like the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha, actively re- sponded to the friendly overtures of France.

Greece. Looking for support to its German relations ; con- fessing itself unable to restrain its subjects from invading Turkey in the face of the approaching armies of France and England ; honeycombed by agents from Russia; bankrupt in exchequer and authority.

Denmark. The Government, sympathizing with Russia, foiled in its attempts upon its own succession; stopping at home when Sir Charles Napier lands • but compelled by popular feeling to as- sert an independent neutrality, in lieu of obeying the Russian order to war upon England ; whose Admiral delights the Danes by taking off his hat when he lands at Copenhagen.

Sweden. The Government said to be Russianized in feeling,— a feet of great doubtfulness ; though the Government is naturally

perplexed between immediate dangers from Russian hostility and hopes of recovering Finland, conquered by Russia.

Holland. Neutral, and thus far unpronounced ; wealthy, dis- creet, essentially allied with order, and likelyto go on the winning side.

Belgium. A province of the time of Waterloo, Belgium is now, on the opening of war, a kingdom. She possesses a King whose discretion experience has cultivated, while his actual position and his English alliance incline him to promote constitutional freedom. Recently connected by his son's marriage with Austria, he appears to be active in furthering the objects of the Western Powers. Belgium is one of the states that can scarcely fail to gain some- thing on a reconstruction of Europe—position at least.

Naples. Tranquil and expectant. The King, over-conscious of some thousands of political prisoners still confined, is "doing the popular,"—inviting Liberals to dinner, and joking about projects to set him aside. The Government takes its cue from Austria, whose army replaced the Bourbon dynasty on the throne. A. Mu- ralist party is growing very strong.

Rome. Occupied by a French army; and the Italians so used to that irritating foreign body, that the irritation has in part sub- sided. The Mazzinian party much broken up by the inconsiderate conspiracy of a few young men, and the coincident and accidental discovery of more accredited agents. The Government of the Pope quite effete ; and the finance, which was the first object of his re- forming solicitude on succeeding to the chair of St. Peter, now newly making felt its hopeless condition.

Tuscany. Hanging between Rome and Austria. The Duke of Parma, that "Tiberius in 18mo," as Giusti calls him, dead under the stroke of the assassin ; the Prime Minister banished, and the people hoping release from a five-years "state of siege," through a dowager regency.

Sardinia. The Government sustained by the people, proceed- ing with Church reforms, in spite of Rome, and sustaining the de- velopment of constitutional government in the face alike of im- patient Republicans and of Austrian hate at so invidiously liberal and successful a neighbour.

Spain. Broken to pieces, socially, politically, and commercially; the people totally severed from the Government; the army and the official administrations at the mercy of the Court ; the Court given to luxury and amusement; the Queen so openly the object of contumely that the more independent journals refused to regis- ter the birth of her child, as a circumstance unimportant to the Spanish succession. A project on foot to federate Spain and Por- tugal under the present Sovereign of the latter kingdom. While the officials in Cuba, unable to keep discreet, are irritating the Go- vernment of the American -United States by fresh seizures of mer- chant-ships.

Prance. Develops a rule summary and peremptory in its ad- ministration ; seizing the opportunities for exercising the prowess of France on the field of battle, this time in friendly alliance with England; and evoking signs of a national spirit that France has not known for generations. The people on the whole well emlprlioyed ;

Government actively interfering to promote that object. de in a doubtful condition ; but the general subscription for the new loan, not taken by contract but open to the public at large, per- fectly suecessfuL In position towards the rest of Europe, France is identical with

England. Just declaring war against Russia; and possessing fleets in the Black Sea and the Baltic, with an army in Turkey sent forth to encounter the Russians crossing the Danube. Strong in the alliance of France, with the sympathy of Belgium, and offers of assistance hinted with inconvenient promptitude by more than one community in Europe lying under absolute govern- ment. England is distinguished from all the other states engaged in war by needing no loan, direct or indirect, but meeting the ,x- penses of the day with money down. The occasion for action abroad draws forth the old national spirit. In her natural place upon the sea, nothing appears too great for her to undertake to- wards the East—no danger in the North superior to her own powers—none anywhere should it not cross the waters from the West.

America, however, has sympathies with constitutional freedom too great for small considerations to mar the confederacy of states which venerate law, against that power which has endeavoured to substitute an autocracy of Europe for the comity of nations.