CONTINENTAL WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 893, 24 September 1866, Page 6

CONTINENTAL WAR.

, Dn. Russf.ll, tho correspondent of the. London Times, furnishos an account that ranks with his best descriptive efforts, and should be read overy lino of it. From Lis watch-tower at Koniggrati', he witnessed the awful agony of battle, until obliged to evacuate his position. " !For some hours," says he, '* the Austrians not only held their owu, but were ' manifestly making progress, especially on the loft, , so that at two o'clock (the Conflict commenced at 7,30 a.m.) on tho left and centre there could be no hesitation in saying that the Prussians were all but beaten." While the Austrian centre was pressing upon tho retreating Prussians, a gap was left in their line. This being detected by the Prussians, no time was lost, under cover of the rain and smoke, to acquire a position in rear qi the spot where the 1 Austrian centre should have been. Thence fire was opened on the flank of tho Austrian gunners, every- ' thing was thrown into confusion, and the battlo lost. ' Had tho 40,000 sabres been well led the day might ! have been Austria's even then; but a loader such as i headed the Light Cavalry charge at Balaklava was 3 wanting, and nothing put a decent cover to the re- [• treat was effected. The Austrian right is driven j down in a helpless mass towards lAoniggratz, quivorf ing and palpitating as the shot and shell passed through it. Mon were drowned in hundreds as they , crowded over pontoon bridges, hastily laid, and \ sunk, or burnt, ere the columns could cross over ; luggage trains, reserve ammunition, guns, prisoners, the spoils of that enormous host, fell into the hands * of the victors, who remained masters of that hard ' fought field, covered for niho miles lVith myriads of 1 the slain. ■• Tho course of events is strikingly displayed by the * telegrams forwarded to the I]mpi?ror by iienedek. i The first ran : " 8 in the morning. The battle is commencing. Pray to God." The Sacond : "Noon. i The battalions are wavering. Pray to God." Tho third : 2 in the afternoon, " The Prussians are beaten. r Return thanks to God." Dr. Russell reports that at a later hour the Marshal left the field, exclaiming, ' " All is lost but my life-;! Would to Ood I had lost ' that too !" To hitu had been entrusted every arrangement for the whole conduct of the war. The supreme j command now devolves, upon the Archduke Albrecht, 1 who returns with the prestige of .success from con- * flict with Italy. It would seem that there was something* more , than an oversight on the part of the A ustrians to account for the Prussian success. The Prussian in--1 fantry appears to possess an arm that multiplies its power to a prodigious extent. A battalion furnished with the celebrated iieedle-gun is eaid to be able to firo ten rounds to one of its opponents. A Paris correspondent of one °f the London journals says that tho Vi-inoß Imperial, desiring to have this weapon explained tc him, the "Kmperor took him into the garden and commanded a sen-* | tinel to lo*d and hro as quickly as he could for his amusement. The man obeyed, but before ho could discharge his piece once, the Emperor, who had carried a needle-gun from his study, loaded and fired five times. " Hoin," said the Emperor, " it's quicker work with this gun than with yours ; > would you like to have one?" " Certainly, sire," i " Then so you shall," answered, the Emperor, I Rumour says tli:it the offer of this invention was rejected by F.ngland and by France, probably byAustria too, and now those who refused the proffered , weapon appear wild tb become possessed of it. From j tho detailed account of its mechanism, which vou will see, tharo is nothing in the gUn itself that cannot be copied. The secret lies iri the charge. This . is insorted in the breech, the charge, tho bill, and the explosive substance being in one "cage: When this is placed in the breech the trigger is drawn, wljieh, instead of discharging a hammer upon a capped nipple, sets free a needle, which darts through the powder and forcibly strikes against the rear of the bullet, upon which is lodged some explosive material that immediately responds to the appeal. Now it fa the nature of this osplosive powder which, is unknown, save to the Prussian Government, and the two inventors who, if wo are to trust repprt> enjoy all they wißh for at the hands of the Prussians, except liberty. Evory demaud is gratified, but day and-liight tiie Prussian eye of a Prussian, staff officer unwinkingly ; regards their motions!! Happy jfelloWs, Austria, however, is manufacturing needle guns at tjie raite of 2,000 a day. France is supposed to be at work in the same direetiou, an ordjer having been;'given for one million guns to be ready in a month, and an ordor has been issued from our own Horse Guards to make 40,000 Enfield rifles.breech-loading, and to provide 1-10,000 new weapons before the close of the year; while the Government, has directed expertmenls to be made with Mr. .Snyder's and Mr. 1 Gale's breech-loaders, both of. which.are said to. [ excel the Prussian, arm as far as that excels the I 1 Axutrian, '

After the defeat of Sadovrttj as tlie Battle pf iohomia is sometimes styled, the telegraphs t> v he work with tremendous rapidity between Paris md Yienna, and the result, was.'a diplomatic victory hat made Paris d&lirious for several days and nights, md sent her into flags and coloured lamps. M. Orouyn de Jjhuys, remained closeted 1 with the Em|>Ciror throughout one day, July 4, till a quarter :o 8 in the evening. Prince Metternieh. was suddenly ushered into the Emperor's cabinet, and landed to the Emperor, in presence of his Minister, I message he had jiirt received from, his Sovereign, iuthorizing him to announce the cession of Venico ;o Rranco, and to negotiate with the Emperor for an irraistice. This was the " diplomatic victory." While her husband was so engaged, the Empress ivas heriocally infusing courage into cholera patien.ts it Amiens, and, returning late, was received by Louis Napoleon, at the railway station, with the following words, which, if not true, should bo = — ' 2£ugenie, this has been a good day for Franco ; jrou at Amiens, I, iii Paris, have done a good day's ivork," Good hi flio day's work looked at the time both to :he Emperor and to the excited people wh6 thronged lie Boulevards of Paris exclaiming, " Quel hommc pan •xC Empereu? ! Qttcl genie ! En voila tin diplomate " —the expression of joy was found to.be a little premature. An elephant is not always a seasonable gift to a man ; nor half paid-up shares of a company just ibout to go to uriof —and so the Emperor found. It waß a clever though not a, magnanimous liit pi Austria so to gain the good offices of France by Battering her vanity, and., bo at least to embrogle Italy with France, if she could not be severed froni Prussia. Italy was furious. Thoindignation of tht nation flamed out on the hare suggestion that Venetia jhould be received from France and not acquired bj irms. Such language wounded the pride of tht French people, who replied " You were glad enough to get LombarJy by means of our arms, wlij bo too proud to receive Yenetia by means o: our negotiation ? At all events the cqss.ior is jnado to ivs." The Emperor's Commissioner ia now in possession, and the tricolour flies with the yellow and black flag of Austria throughoul tho fortified coast of Yenetia. Austria having implied that Italy might now withdraw from the con' test, her claims being satisfied. Italy announced hei resolution to continue Offensive operations against the Austrian Empire, in common with Prussia, wh< would not agree to an armistice, engagements having been, mutually entered into by both powers not tt relax their efforts until Austria should grant satisfac tory terms for the conclusion of peace. "While th< Italians and Prussians Were pushing on to take advantage of their victory—Cialdiui having the temo ritv to cross the Po —the telegraph wires betweer Paris, Berlin, Florence, Vienna, London, and St, Petersburg were flashing messages to and fro, and before the army of 100,000 men which Austria hat placed across tho Danube to defend its capital hac been attacked by the Prussians, an armistice of fiv< days, from the 22nd, was agreed upon, to diseusi the arrangement of conflicting claims upon certaii bases. Without saying more on tho question a present I will just add that Austria agrees to retire from the G-ermanic Confederation, and to recognise i reconstruction of that body in which she Will take nc part. The upshot of tho affair will, now be tha two confederations will exist in place of one, and tha a United Italy will take a place by their side. Ii this'case there is some chance of a peace, which ii impossible so long as each of the two rival powers ii seeking to bo dux: in the same Bund. Opinion hai much changed with respect to Prussia. People jwh( were captivated with Austrian promises now begin t( feel that Prussia is alone equal to the position hei arms havo acquired—ill fact, that unlesi Pruesit leads there can be no Germany, and that as tin Prussians are more liberal than .the Government al will go well. Thus Bismark will have attained whul lie has worked for incessant!'.' these thrfo years past As to Austria we have little to regret. Her past has been so oppressive, 'so subversive 'of that true ordc-i which procc-da from a just recognition of tho righti of mail, that oven though she were to fail in her at tempt to settle those provinces as head ofaT*anubiai Confederation, which she overiiwed by her positior as a great German Power, Europe would not bt soriouslv disturbed. Minus Italy and Germany, she will Still have 30,000,000 of pooplo, whose welldirected energies may achievc for bi?r a .higher plaoi amongst the great Powers than she now holds.— Sydney Htirald.