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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 67, 20 March 1868, Page 2

The Florence correspondent of the Times would almost seem to anticipate a breaking up cf the Italiau kingdom. He says: The Italian Parliament must assemble withm the next three weeks, but the coming event does not give mnch joy to the public. Great discontent, huge arrears of taxes, bankruptcy daily more probable* a humiliating pressure from the foreigner, painful consciousness of faults committed —all theae form no flattering picture, but certainly a true one, of the present condition of Italy. Some time ago the crisis might have been tided over by the imposition of some £4,000,000 sterling in taxes, which would have allowed time for the development of the country's resources. All these hopes are now at an end. There is a financial chaos which it is difficult to believe that the new Minister of Finance can fill. He has been a skilful administrator of the finances of Florence ; but between directing them and managing the affairs of Italy there is as great difference as between steeriug a pleasure-boat on the Arno and guiding a heavily-laden ship in a tempest off Capa Horn. The army is in & wretched plight, quite unfit to do battle with snch a power as France, and there is no money to render it efficient. Altogether there never was so melancholy a contrast as that between Itally of 1861, with its bright prospects and brilliant future, and Italy of 1867, with impending bankruptcy and disruption, and the Power that aided to establish her cow doing its feeft |o ruia her.