Austria continues to augment the number of regiments in the
provinces of Lombardy and Venice : the reason assigned is the re- establishment of " order" in Germany, and the claims of the Ger- man populations to be relieved from the quartering of regiments moved thither from Italy. This would be more plausible if it did not happen too that Austrian troops are concentrated en the Ticino, military hospitals and magazines established at Pavia, while the official newspaper at Vienna denounces the " revolutionary " pro- ceedings of the Sardinian Government as amounting to a cases
In the direction of Switzerland a still more unequivocal demon- stration is about to be made. Austria and Prussia propose to abrogate all the recent changes in the constitution of the Helvetic Confederation, and to reestablish Prussia in the possession of the principality of Neufchatel. These measures are to be effected by a federal army of occupation, to which Austria and Prussia will furnish contingents of 35,000 men each, Bavaria and Wurtemberg one of 20,000, and the other German states one of 10,000.
Of some importance as connected with these movements is an intimation in the Austrian Correspondence, that Austria and Prussia contemplate the establishment of a military line extend- ing from Rastadt to Dusseldorf, of which Frankfort and Mayence are to be the central points. The Sardinian frontier is menaced; the occupation of Switzerland is decreed ; and a military cordon is to be drawn along the Rhine from the Danube to the North Sea, to mark the line of demarcation between the Monarchical countries of Europe and those which their princes abandon to Popular forms of government. The resuscitated Holy Alliance will tolerate no popular encroachments East of the Gulf of Genoa and the mouth of the Ems.
The Constitutional States have at last taken the alarm. Sar- dinia and Switzerland can do little more than express their fear. The French Government have protested against the adin; • the Hungarian;Solivonio, and Italianposaessions of '- the Germanic Confederation, on the ground that the Confederation was established in 1E115 by the peat European Powers in Oon- gress, and can only be abrogated or slanged by their jabot consent. Considerable reinforcements are rasa said to have been sent by die Toulon steamers to Rome, with a view to put the French away there again on a war footing. Lord Palmerston too has taken the field with a protest. The financial condition of Austria continues, however, to give no signs of amendment. The annual accounts of revenue and expenditure presented to the Prussian Chambers exhibit a deficit of more than thirty-two millions of dollars ; of which no less than eighteen millions are attributed to the mobilization of the army decreed in February last. In France, the organs of the Assembly in the press seek to oppose and discredit the attitude assumed by the Executive towards the Monarchical Powers. None of the parties appear to make any account of England's interference. The domestic occurrences in France may be briefly enumerated. In addition to the stoppage of his "receptions," Louis Napoleon has put up the greater part of his horses for sale. He is under- stood to be quietly breaking up the great commands in the army, and placing personal adherents at the head of the smaller divi- sions. In the mean time, he affects great and exclusive zeal for the promotion of industrial improvements ; such as clearing the mouths of the Rhone, encouraging private institutions to improve the breed of silk-worms, and the like. The majority in the As- sembly, on the other hand, is understood to be marshalling its forces to oppose any revision of the constitution that may be pro- posedin May ; the object beingtokeep Louis Napoleon excluded from the number of candidates for the Presidency in 1852. Ministers have decided to prepare an amnesty for all political offenders, not convicted of other crimes, since the 24th of February 1848 ; and the Republicans and Conservatives of the Assembly are expected to acquiesce in the proposal, lest they should lose popularity by op- posing it.
A misunderstanding between the Porte and the Viceroy of Egypt has led to an interchange of diplomatic notes between Vienna and Paris, and a fall in the Austrian funds.
