CHAPTER IX. 



STATISTICS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 



^ HE j^olitical situation of the twin empire of the Danube is altogether 

 unstable. Vienna and Pest are geographical centres, no doubt, but 

 the incompatibility of the races inhabiting the empire has caused 

 its boundaries to fluctuate in accordance with the fortunes of war, 

 and with the success of diplomatic intrigues or matrimonial alliances. 

 There was a time when the house of Habsburg was the most powerful in the 

 world. The boastful inscription of A E I U {Austriœ est irnperare orbi tini- 

 verso), still to be seen on some public buildings, recalls that time. Then, again, 

 the empire found itself at the mercy of a ruthless conqueror. For fifty years 

 Austria swayed the decisions of the German Diet, and her orders were obeyed in 

 Italy ; but the thunders of Sadowa for ever deprived her of the lead in Central 

 Europe, and only the East appears able to give her compensation for the losses 

 suffered in the "West. 



It might be supposed that Austria's exjDulsion from Germany consolidated 

 her strength. Fur from it. German Austria aspires to union with the 

 German fatherland. If the empire were to be broken up, the German Austrians 

 would certainly not combine with the Austrians of other nationalities, but they 

 would join their kinsmen in the west and north, for Vienna is German above 

 all. The non-German nationalities, on the other hand, have taken advantage 

 of the feebleness of the central Government to secure their political autonomy. 

 Vienna has been compelled to make concessions. "Austrian patriotism " has 

 given place to national aspirations tending to the formation of a group of inde- 

 pendent states. If it were not for the esprit de corps which animates the army 

 and the functionaries, and the power of habit, Austria would long ago have 

 gone to pieces. 



Every great political event shakes the empire to its foundations. Austria has 

 occupied Bosnia and the Herzegovina, but may not this annexation accelerate its 

 final dismemberment ? The Slav element has gained greatly in consequence, and 

 the Slavs, forming a vast majority in the empire, will claim, in course of time, 

 political advantages equal to those enjoyed by Germans and Magyars. 



The Germans, no doubt, would console themselves by a union with Germanj', 



