THE WAR IN SCHLESWIG.

Press, Volume IV, Issue 487, 21 May 1864, Page 4

THE WAR IN SCHLESWIG.

The demolition of tlie Dannewerke, as well as of

the defences of Friedriekstadr, is being carried on /with great energy, more than a thousand civilians being employed on the work, in addition to fatigue parties drafted alternately from the different corps and as they get paid for their labor at the rate of a dollar a day, it is quite a godsend for the peasants and - farm laborers, whoso ""usual [agricultural employmenthas been almost totally interrupted and their resources exhausted, first by the requisitions of the Danes, and "now to t» mnch greater extent by the allies. . The campaign in Jutland opened with a victory* f|he Austrians baring come in colliskn with the Danish

ouiposts and repulsed them. At six o'clock on the morning of March Bth, the Austrian army crossed the Koldingau in two columns, and, after a march of about seven English miles, encountered' a small force of Danish cavalry, which it compelled to retreat northwards towards Voile. At this town, however, or, as it would appear, on the north bank of a small river which takes its name from the town, the Danes mack-- a stand. Their force only consisted of three infantry regiments, three batteries of artillery, and two regiments of cavalry ; and after a gallant resistance it was compelled to give way before the Austrian columns, and to retire northwards towards Horsens. Whilst the Austrians were advancing in a northerly direction, the Prussians proceeded towards Fredericia and succeeded in driving in the Danish outposts at Gudsal. In this" affair the Danish general and the chief of his staff were wounded. The allies then advanced *on Fredericia in great force. The Prussians before Duppel are said to rely much on their siege artillery. Letters speak of 21-pounders carrying 5000 paces, and throwing projectiles of 601b. With those guns they hope to dismount the Danish arlillcrv, and that then their columns of assault can be immediately sent forward. A squadron of Prussian gunboats will also come, it is said, into the Strait of Alsen, to keep oil' any Danish vessels. The movements o r thc Austro-Prussian army, however, appear to indicate a change in the original plan. 4. part of the troops which besiege Duppel are, rumour says, to be employed against Fredericia, and the rest to remain in observation before the place. Marshal Wrangcl is himself to conduct the siege of Fredericia, and all the efforts of the army are first to be directed against that place. Contrary to a custom adopted by the other Powers of Europe, Denmark ha 3no light troops ; she has only infantry of the line to oppose to the German ritlemen. Six Danish steamers have made their appearance to tlie north of the Island of Rugen. The largest of them mounts 40 guns. The two ends of the Strela Strait are covered with ice, and vessels cannot yet pass, but as the definitive thaw will soon take place, the probability is that the Danish vessels will not confine themselves to acting as simple cruisers. An important note from the two great Powers of Germany has been published. This note explains the grounds on which Austria and Prussia now justify the invasion of Jutland, and states, as a proof that this act has not changed the character of their original policy, that they are even still willing to assent to a Conference and an armistice. The basis of the armistice should be either the evacuation of Alsen and Duppel by the Danes, and Jutland by the allies, or ebe each to keep what he has got at the moment when the truce is arranged. But Austria and Prussia stipulate that there should be a cessation of hostilities at sea, and that prizes already captured should be reciprocally restored, and embargoes removed. This document is dated March 7, nnd is addressed to all the signers of the treaty of Loudon. The acceptance of the Conference by Prussia and Austria lias since been officially announced. The final answer of Denmark has not yet been received ; but her assent is exnected.

In the sitting of the Federal Diet on March 12, tlie motion of Bavaria for the recognition of the Duke of Augustenburg had been postponed at the request of Austria and Prussia. The motion of Saxony and Wurtemburg to convoke the Holstein Diet, and that of Hanover to summon Denmark to surrender the captured German shipping, was referred to a committee.

The use of the Danish stamped paper with the king's initials has been prohibited in Schleswig, as has also been the use of the prayer for the King of Denmark in the churches, The salaries of dismissed officials have not been paid. Danish coinage has been abolished in Schleswig, and that of Germany introduced in its stead. A German office for the supervision of the Schleswig postal arrangements has been established in Flensburg, at the head of which is an official from the Prussian Po3t-ofEce.

Intelligence from Schleswig states that the allies in Jutland are in terrible consternation about a supposed determination on the part of the inhabitants to poison them. They have, therefore, it is alleged, adopted the prudent plan of eating and drinking nothing furnished by a native without compelling the native in question to perform the part of taster.

All tlie superior officials and mayors of that portion of Jutland now occupied by the allied troops have been taken to the headquarters of the cnemv. This measure, it seems, is connected with the delivery of tho requisitions for supplies intended to be~-en-forced npon the inhabitants. A rumour cam« by telegraph from Hamburg that the Prince Fredsfiik of Augustenburg was found dead in his hei at Kiel on the morning of March 16. This rumo'efi —as contradicted by another telograKi f.-oui Ke\i, which stated that his Royal _ ; .g'a.iess wss in yevfect health. Under the head Latest Intelligence, dated March 26, the Home News has the following:— The fire of the Russian troops on Duppel appears to have gone on regularly for some time. In military circles at Berlin some importance begins to be felt at the delay in the operations. More than a month, it is observed, has elapsed since the allied troops have been before Duppel, and yet the cannonade against the fortifications has only just commenced. In the opinion of many Prussian officers one week at most was required to invest the fortress; consequently three have been lost, and the delay has had no other result than to allow-the Danes to complete their works, which were before sufficiently formidable. What tends still more to increase the bad humour of the Prussians is the fact that the Austrian army alone has hitherto distinguished itself, and that the Prussian troops have had nothing to boast of. On March 17 a severe engagement took place along the whole line of the Duppel forts. Towards noon the Prussians made a determined attack on the Danish centre and right wing, while their batteries poured a devastating fire on the enemy's left wing. The Prussians seem to have captured tlie village of Duppel, but at the close of the day the Danes, who fought with great spirit, held possession of all their forts. On the 18th the bombardment of the Duppel fortifications was renewed with gre.it fury, the cannonade being heard at Flensburg. Preparations were also made for an attack upon Fredericia, in Jutland. A reconnoissance was made on the 19th, in which the Crown Prince of Prussia took part. The Danish outposts were driven in, and the allies selected sites for j the erection of batteries. The fortress and the Danish gunboats kept up a sharp fire, and iuflicteel some losses on the Austro-Prussians. The Prussian cannonade continues daily, without results.

The bombardment of Fredericia began on the morning of the 20th of March and was kept up during the day. The shots, it is said, told very well, and the town was set on fire in several places. The Crown Prince of Prussia was in the field during the day. The Commandant was summoned to surrender, but refused. The Germans, after the attack, had withdrawn and abandoned their position before the town. It is reported that the Hamburg Senate is arming and fitting at its own expense a steam flotilla, which is to be placed under the command of tha Austrian Rear-Admiral Wullersdorf. A Copenhagen journal states that Denmark had accepted the proposol for a Conference on the basis of the negotiations of 1851-2, without an armistice. Intelligence from Vienua of March 23 states that the Conference proposed by England, without detailed bases or armistice, has been accepted by Austria and Prussia. The territorial integrity of the Danish monarchy under the present dynasty will be maintained. The Conference is to meet at once. The " Constitutionnel," remarking on the present state of the negotiations on the Danish question, observes that one fact appears positive —the acceptance by Denmark of the Conference proposed, provided it be according to the treaties of 1851-52, and provided the question of armistice be set aside. At the first glance some astonishment may be felt, our contemporary says, that it is the less powerful of the belligerent parties which assumes such an attitude in the matter. A telegram just received from Berlin confirms the news of Prussia and Austria having accepted the Conference without basis and without an armistice. It is added that the Conference will shortly assemble.