ITALY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1378, 26 February 1861, Page 3

ITALY.

Frauds the II still keeps the Piedmontese at bay at Gaeta. Hitherto he has been virtually protected by Napoleon's determination not to allow Gaeta to be bombarded from the sea, the only vulnerable side, but the French squadron has received orders to retire, and leave the exKing to his fate at Gaeta. The new Government under Fornier pling with tremendous difficulties and discouragements,, and reactionary risings in all parts of the Province. The elections for the new parliament will shortly take place. Victor Emmanuel, during his recent visit to Sicily, was received with immense enthusiasm. At Naples neither he nor his Ministers are popular, chiefly owing to their shameful treatment of Garibaldi and his volunteers. The liberal army has almost ceased to exist. The British legion too is disbanded. Garibaldi it still at Capria, whence he has { issued a proclamation, reiterating his previous programme, and demanding that the Ist of March shall find Victor Emmanuel at the head of 500,000 men for the liberation of Venetia To avert this impending struggle the European governments are using their good offices with Austria to induce her to cede Venetia to Italy for a pecuniary compensation. An impoitant pamphlet, advocating this coui&e, and believed to foreshadow the Emperor Napoleon's policy, has created a great sensation. The semi-official press of Paris too, are using menacing language towaids Austria, If Francis Joseph continues inflexible, a great war in the spring is inevitable. Hungary has been conciliated by the surrender of most of her alienated rights. Important Ministerial changes, favourable to refoim, have taken place et Vienna. The Pope continues at Rome. Bills in favour of annexation to Sardinia have been posted up in the city, and occasioned great excitement. A widely ramified reactionary conspiracy, concocted at Rome and Gaeta, has been discovered. The assassination of Victor Emmanuel was one of its objects. England, Russia, and Prussia are reported to have proposed at Constantinople the reopening of the Confeience with reference to the state of the Christians in Turkey. In India there has been a general resistance to the Income Tax. A European regiment has been disbanded for mutiny.