DEATH OF KING VICTOR EMMANUEL.

West Coast Times, Issue 2740, 12 January 1878, Page 2

DEATH OF KING VICTOR EMMANUEL.

A cablegram published to-day announces the death of the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel, after, evidently, a sudden illness. The Pope appears to have become at the last moment reconciled to the dying monarch, for v/c learn that his Holiness was only prevented by severe illness from visiting him. Prince Humbert will be the successor to his powers, but not, we are told, in the meagre telegram, to bis policy. What effect the death of the King of Italy will have on European politics at this juncture, it is hard to say. We extract the following sketch from " Men of the Time":—

The King of Italy, better known by his name of Victor Emmanuel, heretofore king of Sardinia, U the son of King Charles Albert and Queen Theresa, daughter of the Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany. He was born March 14, 1820, and received at his baptism the names Marie- Albert-Eugene-Ferdinand-Thomas. He was educated in science and military tactics, and was married in 1842 to the Archduchess Adelaide of Austria. Having been carefully educated by his father, he took an active part, as the Duke of Savoy, in the- events of 1848, accompanying his father to the field of battle, and behaving with great bravery at the battles of Goto and Novoro. On the evening after the latter battle (24th March, 1849), Charles Albert signed his abdication in the Bellini Palace. Little was known of Victor Emmanuel 11. at this time, except that he was a dashing hunter, haughty in his manners, and reputed an opponent of Liberalism. He succeeded in obtaining a treaty of peace w'th Austria, oa terms less humiliating than those imposed on his father, but it was not signed till August 6th, 1849. As king he set himself to re-organise the finances, the army, and the system of public instruction, concluded with England several treaties of commerce, established railways, and promoted free trade. When Austria promised him the cession of Parma, provided he abolished the constitution, he indignantly refused ; when Genoa revolted from him, and expelled his garrison, he sent General Delia Marmora against it, and recovered his sovereign rights. His efforts for the prosperity of his kingdom have been crowned with great success, and with the exception of an impotent attempt in Genoa, in 1857, to seize a fort, hi 9 dominions have been entirely tranquil. His great struggle has been with the court and clergy of Rome by whom he has been excommunicated. Guided by Cavour, he has relieved the

clergy of the monopoly of public instruction, sold much church property, and taken away many clerical privileges. He concluded, in January, 1855, a convention with France and England, and dispatched a noble army of 17,000 men, under General Delia Marmora, which distinguished itself on the bauks of the Tchernaya. Sardinia took part in tbe Conference of Paris, where her ambassador read before the representatives an able paper on the state of Italy. In 1855, he lost his mother, his wife, and his brother, and was near dying of 'fever himself. On his recovery in November, 1855, he visited England and France] and was received witli great enthusiasm. He was created a Knight of the Garter and Grand Cross of Legion of Honor. In the early part of 1859, the king, whose relations with Austria had been for a long time none of the best, announced in the chamber that the horizon was not entirely serene. Subsequently Count Cavour published tbe grievances again9t Austria in a diplomatic circular. Lord Derby's government used its best endeavors to avert a war which seemed imminent ; but in vain. Austria summoned Sardinia to disarm ; but in vain ; and the Austrian army then crossed the Ticino. The French army joined the Sardinian and defeated the Austrian at Mon'ebello, Paleatro, Magenta, and Solferino, the emperor and fhe king being present in person. The subsequent events, the expulsion of the Austrians from Lombardy, and the smaller princes from Naples, Tuscany, Parma, and Modena, are matters of history and need not be repeated here.