NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE crisis in Prussia seems to be becoming imminent. On 30th March the Committee of the Chamber, in spite of the threat implied in Herr von Boon's sentence "the struggle is now for existence," rejected the military estimates. The general committee on the budget have also reported that the military budget must be reduced, and that the salaries of schoolmasters and all subordinate civil officers must be increased. Most of these offices are filled by retired soldiers, and Herr von Boon denounces the project as in- tended to conciliate the non-commissioned officers of the army, who nevertheless, he says, are loyal. So intense is the feeling in the Chamber that Herr Virchow was cheered when he declared that Prussia sooner than lose her liberty would prefer to cease to be a great Power, and Dr. Simson, an old judge of appeal, defied the Government after a coup d'dtat to raise 21,500,000/. from a nation like the Prussian by the Royal will alone. The Minister of War was so impressed by this speech that he declared his words implied no menace, but the Court must now decide whether it will or will not govern without a Parliament.
