EUROPEAN NEWS

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 341, 25 January 1861, Page 3

EUROPEAN NEWS

TO NOVEMBER 27.

{From the Sydney Morning Herald.)

London, Saturday, November 3,18G0. We have been gratified this week by the receipt of China news to the effect that the Allies have taken the Taku forts on the Peiho, and that the ambassadors are promised an honorable reception at Pelcin. Neverthelers all who know the Chinese character disbelieve the latter portion of the news.

The Warsaw Conference has proved a signal failure. Austria failing to obtain any promise of support. Count Richberg in his explanation to the diplomatic corps regarding the Conference, says, that Austria put three questions to Russia and Prussia. Ist. Will Russia and Prussia recognise the facts which have been, or may be, accomplished in Italy ? 2nd. Should Austria be attacked by Sardinia, and the latter be supported by another great Power, what would be their attitude ?

3rd. la the event of another war, and of its teiog transferee^ to another part of the

territory of the Germanic Confederation, what would Prussia do?

Russia and Prussia replied that they would observe strict non-intervention, and declared a congress for the settlement of the Italian question. Upon this the conference broke up suddenly, and the crowned heads separated.

Now this, it will be seen, is important, inasmuch as Austria must stand alone in the coming attack from Sardinia, while the latter power derives a moral support in her movement lor Italian independence. Austria's finances are frightfully low to begin a war with, but she looks as if she means fighting. As nothing doubtless will be done against Venelia until the spring, it is possible and probable that endeavors will be made to induce Austria to sell this part of Italy, and so avoid acontest. £12,000,000 of money is said to be the figure. Should she refuse, the question arises, may not Hungary take advantage of the war to rise and assert her independence ? The probability is that she will. While from one complication or another, the danger is that all the great Powers of Europe may become involved through some action on the part of France. This feeling checks everything, and imparts a depressing influence over every one and every thing.

The Sardinian army, commanded by King Victor Emmanuel in person, gave battle, on the 26th ultimo, to the Neapolitan Royal army 4 and gained a decided victory, between Teano and Sessa. Both armies have since crossed the Garigliano, and the news of a decided battle is hourly expected.

At the commencement of the above action Garibaldi arrived in the King's camp, and has since commenced the bombardment of Capua.

The official return of the voting in the kingdom of Naples for the annexation gives, less the numbers from two provinces, 1,102,499 ayes, and 9371 noes. After receiving the official return, Victor Emmanuel will enter Naples.

The Sardinian fleet, under Admiral Parsano, cononaded the Royalists near Gaeta on the 27th ultimo, whereupon the French Admiral despatched a frigate to stop the firing, and the former ceased, and retired to Naples, protesting against such an interference, and expressing his regret at the conduct of the French.

The Government of Sicily has decreed that, as a mark of veneration due to Garibaldi, as the hero of the 19th century, the bedroom occupied by him at Palermo, in the Pavilion adjoining the Royal Palace, shall be perpetually preserved in its present state; and that the decree authorising the same be engraved on a marble tablet, and placed at the entrance of the chamber.

The Pope has created General Lamoriciere a Roman Noble, and ordered a medal to be struck in his honor.

Count Rechberg has sent instructions to Prince Metternich, at Paris, who has explained to M. Thouvenel the policy of Austria.

The Emperor of the French, on Saturday last, gave an audience to Baron Hubner, the late Austrian Ambassador, and on Monday to Prince Metternich, the present ambassador; and it is affirmed that both were so well pleased with their reception, that the inference is deduced that the prospect of affairs in Italy is more pacific.

Spain has announced her intention to maintain strict neutrality in the affairs of Italy, but protests against the attack by Piedmont on the Pontifical states and the Kingdom of Naples, and has recalled her minister at Turin.

The Dowager Empress of Russia died at St. Petersburg, on Thursday. Turkey is about to proceed to concert measures to improve her finances by means of a loan on Paris of £8,000,000.

The Earl of Dundonald, Lord Cochrane that was, died on Wednesday, at the age of eighty-five.

London, Saturday, November 10. King Victor Emmanuel entered the City of Naples on Wednesday morning last, in company with Garibaldi, and immediately issued a proclamation accepting the sovereignty of the Two Sicilies transferred to him by universal suffrage.

His Majesty had previously gained another victory over the Neapolitan Army on Saturday last, on the north side of the Garigliano, the latter were completely routed, and lost a large number of men and materials. The Sardinian army now commands Gaeta on the land side, and the King of Naples will, it is now thought, very soon leave under the advice of the commanders of the foreign fleets—more especially as his troops outside the fortress have sent a proposal to surrender to General Fanti. Capua capitulated to Garibaldi on Friday, the 2nd instant, and the garrison numbering 11,000 men, left the fort with military honors, and left for Naples. A decree by Garibaldi's Minister of Justice, dismisses from the Bench the Judges who tried and condemned with false witnesses, the political prisoners of 1848.

Garibaldi, it is understood, will now that the King of Sardinia has assumed the sovereignty of the Two Sicilies, retire at once into private life, but of course only for a time, and for the purpose of letting matters settle down. In the spring he will no doubt reappear.

The Papal army is to be disbanded, but the Pope will retain a body guard of 3000 men.

The returns of the voting on the Umbria and Marches are almost unanimous in favor of annexation to Sardinia.

Count Rechberg. the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has addressed a note to all the Austrian representatives at Foreign Courts acquainting them with the object and result of the Warsaw Conference.

The object, he says, was " to bind more closely the personal relations of the three Princes, and to concert principles upon which, they wou,ld a,ct on, certain eventu-

alities." The result was, "a perfect understanding upon those points," and intimates that " nou-intervention in the affairs of Italy was agreed upon," and that the three Northern Powers will do nothing to provoke a war.

The convention annexed to the AngloFrench Commercial Treaty came into operation on the Ist instant.

Don Juan de Bourbon has issued another manifesto in the form of a letter to Victor Emmanuel, in which he renounces, on the part of the elder branch of the family, any claim to the throne of Naples. The Empress of Austria, on account of ill-health is about to proceed to Madeira, and will be accompanied by her sister the Queen of Naples.

The accounts from China confirm the taking of the Taku forts, and it appears that the Armstrong guns on this, their first trial in the field, performed all that was expected of them, and fearfully surprised the Chinese by their precision and destructive powers.

The new American President is expected to be Mr. Lincoln, the Republican and anti-slavery candidate, notwithstanding the efforts of the Southern states to secede if he be successful. Alabama and Georgia declare an intention to rebel in forty days after his election. For the moment, there is great agitation throughout America on the subject, but it will probably subside when the election is over.

Prince Alfred has arrived from the Cape, and we are hourly expecting to hear of the arrival of the Prince of Wales; but the prevalence of easterly winds detains his vessel, the Hero. He completed his 19th year yesterday, the 9th November.

The despatch from Lord John Russell to her Majesty's Minister at Turin has just been made public, and has produced a profouud sensation and much gratification.

A very stupid proposition has been made for an excursion party of British Rifle Volunteers to proceed to Paris. The Emperor, of course, has offered them a warm reception, but the project will doubtless fall to the ground as a piece of bad taste.

Mr. Gladstone on Monday last attended the dinner given to the successful oompetitors at the first annual contest of the Chester Artillery and Rifles, when he made allusion to the Volunteer movement, and the state of Southern Europe.

The funeral of Lord Dundonald takes place at Westminster Abbey, on the 14th November.

We have lost another naval hero in old Charlie Napier, who died last Tuesday of dysentry.

There is a drain upon the Bank for bullion, and the directors have risen the rate of discount. There is likely to be great pressure, and if the bank does not act prudently a crisis, but there is nothing whatever in the state of trade or commercial credit to call for any stringency.

London, Saturday, November 17. The Chinese appear, from despatches just received, to be pursuing their old game of duplicity, but Lord Elgin seems now thoroughly to understand their character, and to be resolved to strike a blow at Pekin.

The day after Victor Emmanuel entered the city of Naples the Dictatorship was formally resigned, and the Government placed in the hands of his Majesty. The Deed of Annexation was drawn up. The Ministry resigned, and on the succeeding day Garibaldi, no longer the Dictator, retired from public life and left Naples for the island of Caprera. Of course such a course was marked by demonstrations of regard and gratitude from the King, chief officers of State, the army, and the people. In a valedictory address to his companions in arms, he tells them to be ready to follow him again, as it is likely that a fresh CONFLICT AVILL ARISE IN MARCH NEXT, when a million of men and arms will be wanted.

Allusion is of course made here to Venetia, which, if Austria cannot be persuaded to sell, will be wrested from her by force of arms.

The news from Gaeta is that Francis the Second is resolved to hold out to the very last extremity. General Bosco has taken the command of the troops in the fortress who number about 10,000 men. The Sardinians are pressing forward the seige works.

The result of the voting in the Marches and Umbria lor annexation is returned as follows by the secret committee:—ln the Marches, out of 135,255 votes, 133,783 were for annexation; in Umbria, out of 97,625 votes, 97,040 were for annexation : together making 230,828 in its favor. The publication of this result was celebrated at Ancona and Perugia with great national rejoicings.

General Lamoriciere has published the history of his campaign, in which he says that he expected to meet only the levies of Garibaldi, not the Sardinian army, and shows that his troops were starving, without pay or anything. The Nord of Russia declares that Russia entered into no engagement with Austria at Warsaw, and that, on the contrary, to any engagements of the kind imputed by Austria, Russia distinctly refused the overtures of Austria.

Russia, in a note to her ambassadors abroad explaining her reasons for recalling her Minister from Turin, " denies a desire to uphold the principles of legitimacy at all hazards, without regard to the requirements of the age." Desiring to reconcile these requirments with ancient rights of legitimacy, as they are necessary, it is expedient to assemble a " Congress to establish a new basis of public law and of international law."

Prince Gortschakoff in making this declaration, you will perceive, admits the new principle propounded on the Italian question*

Sweden has just granted to subjects of the Jewish faith the right of acquiring landed property. The French troops in Syria have taken up winter quarters at Beyrout, and it, therefore, appears as if the French Government has no intention of withdrawing her troops from Syria.

The return of Mr. Lincoln, the AntiSlavery candidate for the President's chair, is considered certain, and the Slave States declare their intention to dissolve their union with the North if such prove a lact. In South Carolina, both blacks and whites are arming.

The Empress of the French arrived in London last Wednesday evening, in strict incognito. She crossed over in an ordinary packet-boat, came up by an ordinary train to London-bridge, took a common streetcab, and drove to Claridge's Hotel, in Brook-street, and went out on foot the following morning to make some small purchases in the neighborhood. She has arrived for the purpose of proceeding to Scotland for the good of her health, and will reside with her relative the Duchess of Hamilton. The death of her sister is said to have affected her very much, but every one believes that there is some greater cause than this—namely, political reasons. The Hero, with H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, safely arrived at Plymouth on Thursday morning after a passage of twenty-seven days. The Royal Squadron left Portland, October 20, in an easterly gale, and with very rough weather. The Hero is a frigate with only an auxiliary screw, with fuel for only twelve days, and hence her long passage. She had only one week's provisions on board, and were run out of their sea stock. The Royal party were obliged for the last few days to put up with salt and preserved provisions—no great hardship after all, because it was good and cooked. The Prince at once proceeded by special train to London, and on to Windsor, where he arrived at twenty minutes past seven.

The state of monetary affairs has assumed a serious character. The is a heavy drain upon the Bank of France, which results in its draining the Bank of England to make up the deficiency, and behold the former raises its rate of discount on Monday, from 3|- to 4£ per cent. There was a withdrawal of £300,000 of gold from the Bank of England on Tuesday afternoon, and on the same evening, Mr. Marshall, the chief cashier, announced to the Press, that the minimum rate of discount was raised from 4J to 5 per cent, greatly to the surprise of the business public when they came to town the next morning. On Wednesday, a further parcel of £335,000 of gold was taken out, and on Thursday the directors raised the rate to 6 per cent. Out of doors great stringency prevailed. The discount houses refuse to meet any one's bills, and seven per cent, is the current carge for three months. If this continues there must be a commercial crisis, because second and third rate houses will not be able to obtain assistance, except from their private bankers; there is great uneasiness. A contract has been taken to supply the Bank of France with £2,000,000 of gold.

At the Lord Mayor's dinner last week (Friday, 9th November) Count Persigny made a speech, to which great attention was paid, and has this week been the subject of considerable comment. I add the report of the same, as also that of Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell.

Count Persigny, you will see, declares that the French Government desires to live in friendship with our own, and attributes the disquietude", suspicion, and mistrust that prevails to the rivalries and struggles of centuries.

London, Saturday, November 24. The most important matter I have to communicate is this—That the Bank of England and the Bank of France, in order to prevent a panic and a crash, by reason of the drain for bullion, have come to an understanding, and have arranged for an interchange of bullion to the extent of £2,000,000 of goid from London for £2,000,000 of silver from Paris. It appears that the bank there has £17,000,000 of silver, and only 4,000,000 of gold, and because the former is at a considerable premium it is compelled to pay in gold, and hence its want of this metal and purchase of it in this market. If it paid its silver there would, on account of the premium upon it, at once be a run upon it for the sake of the profit.

This arrangement for a transfer of tho precious metals has at once caused apprehensions of a crash to subside. Money is at once much more plentiful. There is a great decrease in the demand, and the rates are lower. Three months' bills are freely done at 5£ per cent, and six months' bills are sought after at 6 per cent. Very short bills are done at 5 per cent.

There is, however, in consequence of the large deficiency in the grass crops of France and England, and the prospect of a drain for gold.

The accounts from America look rather serious. Mr. Lincoln, the Republican, and anti-slavery candidate, had been elected President by a large majority. All the New England States contributed to the victory with the view to check the extension of slavery and the further increase of its political power. The Southern States are furious, and the succession movement is rapidly gaining strength in all the slave States. At Charlestown, there have been mass meetings and resolutions adopted demanding immediate secession. The press are endeavoring to fan the flame, and the Cabinet at Washington has met in Council to consider the present and future state of affairs.

The King of Naples has burst a blood vessel, and physicians have been obtained from Naples.

The siege operations against Gaeta continue§» an 4 large guns of long range have

been obtained from Genoa for the Sardinian army. The garrison is well supplied with ammunition and provisions for several months. The soldiers keep firm and true to the King, but there is a most serious defection amongst his officers, great and small. Four generals have resigned, and others have been dismissed.

There has been a leactionary movement in Naples and in many important districts. The lazzaroni in the city assembled in large bodies, and shouted "Long live Garibaldi," "The Dictatorship for ever," "'Down with Farini." The cause of this reaction there and in the provinces arises because the people think that Garibaldi has not been well treated. The King Victor Emmanuel has been obliged to delay his departure fi ora Naples, in consequence of the commotion ; and fears are entertained that the reaction may become very serious, unless Garibaldi, the idol of Italy, reappears, and is politically made much of, or personally calms the storm.

Garibaldi has arrived at his home, in the Island of Caprera. The King of Naples has addressed his representatives abroad, protesting against the decree of Victor Emmanuel accepting the sovereignty of the Two Sicilies.

The Piedmontese have occupied Terracina, and are marching upon the territory of Pontecorve, and Cardinal Antonelli has protested against this fresh invasion of the Roman States.

Negociations are said to be pending between Count Cavour and Cardinal Antonelli for the formal renunciation of the temporal power of the Pope, his Holiness to receive as compensation 1,000,000 Roman crowns. The Cardinals to be admitted to the dignity of Senators of the Realm, with an annual stipend of 10,000 crowns each.

There is a reactionary movement at Vienna in favor of Italy to this extent, that the question of Venetia should be arranged amicably.

The portion of the Sardinia debt to be apportioned to Savoy and Nice is four and a half millions of rentes, which France will remit to Sardinia.

The Anglo-French commercial treaty has been finally completed. A most conciliatory spirit was manifested on both sides, and it is arranged that if any defects are found in its working they shall be remedied.

An important pamphlet has jest appeared in Paris by M. Dentu, the official publisher under the title of " Pope and Emperor," which is in favor of a plan setting aside the Pope and installing the Emperor of the French as supreme head of the Galilean Church in his place, and cites the instance of England, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greece, &c. There the respective sovereigns are at the nead of their church, and that what is good and useful for other countries must be good for France.

Monsieur Mores, of Paris, has signed the contract for a new Turkish loan of £16,000,000 in a 6 per cent, stock at 55.

It is intended to erect a monument in Nibbley Knoll, Gloucestershire, in memory of William Tyndall, the martyr, and first translator ol the Bible into English. The Prince of Wales has returnad to Oxford,

The Empress of the French has left London for Scotland, and is now looking at all the sights in Edinburgh. Her Majesty, who is expected to return to France on the 10th December, is meeting with a most warm reception wherever she goes.

The Empress of Austria embarked on Wednesday, at Antwerp on board of the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert," en route for Madeira.

Lord Bloomfield has been appointed British Ambassador at Vienna; and Lord A. Loftus replaces him at Berlin.