Lord Granville's reply to Count Bismarck's Luxemburg circular has not
yet been published, but the account of it given in last Sunday's Observer, and the account of it given in yesterday's "Lombard" telegram from Berlin, appear to agree that it is very mild,—mild to benignity. The Observer says that the Note admitted that if the violation of neutrality by Luxemburg turned out to be true, it would justify the Germans in violating the neutrality in their turn for war purposes, but would not justify them in any attack on the inde- pendence of Luxemburg when the war is over, for which Lord Granville considers that the Prussian guarantee still holds good. The Berlin telegram does not appear to regard the Note as going quite so far. It expresses regret, says the sender of the message, that the Grand Ducal Government should have given cause for the complaints made by Count Bismarck, if it has given such cause, as to which, of course, it reserves Lord Gran- ville's opinion, and expresses a hope that even if it be so, Count Bismarck has not renounced the Treaty of 1867, and will be prepared to negotiate before taking any further steps. If these accounts. are true, there seems to be no trace of any stand taken by England as to her own position and intentions in the matter, and nothing,. in short, beyond feeble amiability. Englishmen, too, of course,. must reserve their opinion till they see the Note ; but if it was- anything but soothing to Count Bismarck, Lord Granville has- hed very uusensational reporters.
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