ITALY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 8, Issue 456, 26 November 1864, Page 4

ITALY.

It is officially.announced that a convention is being signed between the French Emperor and the King of Italy, by which the Roman question will be finally solved. The Convention provides that King Yictor Emmanuel shall undertake to respect the present territory of the Church, and prevent by force any attack ; that tne Pontifical army may be raised to sufficient strength to . maintain the authority of the Pope, botn in the interior ' and on the frontier of his States ; that the. French force be gradually .'withdrawn, so that French occupation shall entirely cease within two years ; that the King of Italy undertakes the liquidation, in part, of the Roman debt, proportioned to the extent of-those States of the Church now annexed to bis dominions ; finally-, that the ’capital of Italy be removed from Turin to Florence. _ . A Royal decree was issued at Turin, on Wednesdav, convoking the Italian Parlia- . inent for the sth October. When the Convention meets the ultimate results will form subjects of discussion. Meanwhile, the people of Turin, irritated at the intended abandonment of their "Capital in favor of Florence, manifested -their dissatisfaction by riotous demonstra-

tions. They attacked the military \yno terfered to prevent their forcing their way to the ministerial residences. The military fired upon the mob, and- several persons on both sides were killed and wounded. A large body of troops has since arrived at Turin. '• The National Guard was called out, and tranquility only then restored. In consequence of these events, the King summoned General della Marmora to form a Ministry, and the General has succeeded.

RUSSIA AND POLAND.

The Russian Emperor had issued a rescript accompanied by five decrees, containing a series of liberal measures relative to public instruction in Poland, the creation of a University at Warsaw, and the establishment of inferior, middle, and primary free schools for women ; the Poles to preserve their national language, and, lor other Nationalities in the Kingdom, special schools to be established, in which the respective idioms will be used. The sixth decree modifies the penal code, by mitigating penalties hitherto indicted, and abolishes corporal punishment.

GREECE.

The National Assembly at Athens has passed a resolution by a large majority, abolishing the Senate. The Greek Parliament is in future to consist of one Chamber only. The betrothal of King Geoi’ge to the Grand Duchess Alexandria of Russia is announced.

MEXICO

The blockade of Mexico has been raised, and it was reported that the French troops were about to be withdrawn.

THE WAR IN AMERICA.

~ Latest date 3 are to the evening of the loth September. Tne events of the month had been less favorable than before to the Confederates.

The Federals have at last succeeded in occupying. Atlanta., Sherman, finding that the city was unassailable on the North, swept round to Jonesburgh, situated on tbe Maldon railway, where the confederates held some works, from which they where dislodged after sharp engagements, with losses on both sides. The result of this battle enabled Sherman to place his force between Macon and Atlanta, and thus cut offthe Confederate’ General Hood from part of his army, and from liis only road for supplies. Hood, therefore, blew up the magazines and evacuated the town, which the Federals occupied on the 2nd inst. After the battle of Jonesburgh, Sherman advanced to Lovejoy’s station, where he found Hood in force, so strongly posted that it was deemed imprudent to attack him. The last accounts state that Sliermaii had concentrated his forces upon the city, and had issued orders for all citizens to "leave with their moveable property — proceeding North or South. Hood obtained ten days’ truce. They propose protesting against the cruelty of the order. • Farr atm t is reported to be making progress to attack Mobile. After the Federal successes in talcing all the outer forts, the Confederates sunk a ram acrossthe entrance of the inner harbor. Farragut is now occupied in blowing up this obs tacle. - Deserters even report that the city had since surrendered. This is is not confirmed, but the 4 New York Herald’ states that larraguts vessels are within shelling distance of Mobile. Hostilities between Grant and Lee, before Richmond, continue with varying success. After the severe repulses of the Federals before Petersburg, Grant succeeded in taking up a position on the Weldon Railroad, where ho was repeatedly and severely attacked by the Confederates without being dislodged. Great preparations are reported for a general engagement between Grant and Lee.

(TERRIFIC' STORM AT CALCUTTA. A ternffic cyclone passed over Calcutta on the sth October, spreading in a few ]lours such destruction over life and property as is unparalleled. Scarcely a house or public building escaped injury. Tv 7 hole villages were swept away; the botanical gardens were totally destroyed ; out of two hundred ships in the river not over escaped ; twelve sunk and numbers were dismasted ; the Bentinck,' Hindostan, and six tugs were lost ; no docks are left, and no convenience for repairing the damages done. Many months uunt elapse before all the ships can clear out. The loss to the insurance companies and the steam tug companies, in all directions, will tell seriously on future monetary arrangements. The papers say that ships able to leave will command almost any freights, and prospects for those who arrive will be far beyond their hopes. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's boats have suffered severely. The mails are detained. The v Eastwards and Souclerburgs entirely destroyed. It is feared that the people at the grants on the Saugor Island have all been swept away by, the storm wave. Scarcely a tree is anj 7 where to be found standing in Calcutta, except the cocoa nut and other palms. The avenues at Port ‘William are entirely destroyed, aptl even guldens turned into a wilderness. Iron railings were torn up and overthrown;

trees, four or five feet in circumference, snapped in two. Telegraphs interrupted in all directions Bat on tbe river the storm has doue its worst ; all is confusion there. It is scarcely known what ships are lost or safe ; but the .last are fevv in number, not more than half a dozen fit to go to sea without repairing. The Nubia is dismasted and the Nemesis adrift.

The foundered'ships, as far as can be ascertained, are the Lady Franklyii, Gonihor (query, Kohinoor), Assuita, - Anne Royden, Loochor, Vespasian, Yille Dost Denis, and Merrie England. 300 sailors are believed to be lost; all the police hulks except one foundered. At least 100 ships are ashore—all huddled together, entangled in masses in inextricable confusion. The inland river steamers have not escaped. At Berhampore the gale is reported equally furious. Latest advices from Calcutta show that the loss of life on shore during the storm amounted to one thousand, and the destruction of property in and around Calcutta is calculated at two millions sterling. Grain and all other provisions had gone up in pi'ice. The Hurkaru of the loth October states :—The fact is, that the public are not now in possession of a tenth of the awful truth as to the real extent of the disaster ; that not having themselves yet recovered from the universality and severity of the catastrophe, they are naturally gazing only at that which is immediately before them at their veiy doors, and have not yet roused themselves to the necessity of contemplating and guarding against the terrible' calamity which looms heavily in the distance. It is not food and water, and clothing and houses alone that are required, though these of course present themselves most obtrusively on our attention. There are fever, and cholera, and death, shaking their grim fingers at us from the far oil horizon. Bad food, impure water, exposure to the inclemency of the weather, intense mental anxiety'- and physical labour, a crushing sense of helplessness, the severe grief caused by the sudden and violent rending asunder of social and domestic ties, all these fearfully predispose the feeble frame of tbe Bengallee to epidemic disease and death. There is an evil time coming (and it will not be long on its way) for which w T e do not think Calcutta is preparing itself. The area over which the hurricane lias swept is ejecting at every pore the deadliest malaria ; vegetable matter is rotting in every drain, every tank, and every creek ; grain of*all sorts is similarly nutrifying in the liver and along its banks, whilst the carcases of men and cattle are rapidly decomposing under the fierce rays of the sun. The Buuneohs in the market are vending grain which has been damaged by the storm and rendered unwholesome, the effluvium thrown out is intolerable, and numbers of the poor are eagerly purchasing this poisonous matter for the purpose of using it as food. The low tides which are seen at this time of the year in the llooglily when the putrid bodies of those who perished in the waters on the day of the gale will impregnate the atmosphere all ai'ound us, sending their deadly effluences far and wide among the palaces of the rich and the hovels of the poor alike.

THE MURDER ON THE LONDON NORTH RAILWAY. Francis Muller was arrested at New York, on the 26th August, on the arrival there of the Victoria. What his chances of escape might have been had he sailed from Liverpool and met with favorable winds it is needless to discuss. Both his port of departure, the sluggishness of the vessel in which he sailed, and the constant succession of head winds which she encountered, made his capture certain. But no shadow of suspicion seems to have fallen upon his mind that the officers of justice had passed him upon his way and were waiting for him at his place of debarkation. Upon the voyage out he was generally sociable and agreeable, though sometimes disposed to be overbearing, to the verge of insolence. Indeed ou one occasion he was knocked down for calling one of his fellow-passengers a “ liar "and a robber.” Curiously enough, it seems to have been commonly remarked by the passengers during the voyage —in consequence of the Dad weather and tedious passage—that the man who committed the murder on the railway was on board the Victoria ; and the rcmai-k was made to Muller by his “room-mate,” he assenting laughingly, as if ridiculing the superstition. Before reaching Is ew York an excursion boat, crowded with a pleasure party, from the city, met and passed the Victoria. Muller was standing with others watching the boat from the ship’s quarter-deck ; but when some of the excursionists, seeing the name ox the vessel, called out, “ "Flow are you, Muller ]” he either did not understand the allusion, or took no notice of it. By this time, however, Capb. Champion bad been apprised that lie bad a suspected murderer * on board, and had put Muller under the strictest surveillance, without the knowledge of the other passengers. When the officers came ou board the passengers were ranged in line in the cabin. Mr. Death the jeweller, and Matthews the cabman, at once identified Muller, and officer Tiernan, of New York, took him into custody. Muller at once denied that he was guilty of the murder; said he was not there, and that lie could prove it. From this moment ho became taciturn and gloomy. But upon his trunk being opened and searched, the watch said to have been taken from . Mr. Briggs, and the liab supposed to’havebeen taken from him, were found. Muller is described by the reporter of the ‘New York World’ as of small stature and ' slightly built. “ He wore a dark tweed

shooting jacket a dark waistcoat buttoned high up and a white neck-tie and has somewhat the appearance of an English ostler. His eyes are small and so deeply set, that at a few yards distance from him one can only see thesbadows of the brows. The face is a narrow oval and has neither whiskers nor inoustaohe. The hair is quite light, and is carefully combed. There is nothing about his appearance indicating any murderous propensity ; or the contrary, he would pass anywhere for a quiet inoffensive person. He keeps his lj’ps closely compressed, and betrays no signs of emotion.” In the afternoon of August 25tli, Muller was taken to the office of the United States Marshall, Murray, and was formally delivered over to fthe United States authorities. He was then arraigned under the provisions of the Ex tradition Treaty, and handed over to the custody of the British officers.

The Etna arrived in the, Mersey on the night of September 13, with Muller board, whence lie was conveyed to Scotland vard.

The first examination of Franz Muller, which took place' at Bow-street police court, on Monday, September 19th, has nob elicited any evidence that was not already before the public. Step by step the old ground was carefully gone over. The watch and chain' and walking stick of the late Mr. Briggs were identified beyond all question, nob only by his son but by other witnesses, but some slight doubt appears to exist about the identity of the two hats —the hat supposed to have been left in the carriage by the prisoner, and the hat supposed to have belonged to Mr. Briggs, which was found in Muller’s possession. Mr. Briggs, jun. (we call him junior for the sake of distinction) appeared to think that liis late father’s hat was much higher from rim to crown than the one brought from America, though he appeared to think from certain signs inside that it had been altered by a hatter. The evidence of the cabman tending to identify the hat of the prisoner led to much cross examination by Mr. Beard, the solicitor retained by the German societies for the defence. The cabman’s evidence was somewhat complicated, as he stated that he purchased several hats within short periods of eacli other, and though his memory is very sharp and defined relative to the signs of the hat which he identified as the prisoner’it was exceedingly vague with regard to the other hats. Only one novel fact was elicited in the course of the examination that seems to hear at all directly on the elucidation of this mysterious inquiry* On the evening of the fatal attack Muller left the company of a friend named Haifa, giving him to understand that he was about to visit a woman of the town, with whom he had formed a connection. It appears that this very obvious clue has not yec been followed up ; but the name and address of the woman have now been obtained, and her attendance at tha next examination of the prisoner may be confidently expected.