EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE TO THE 18th APRIL, 1859.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1343, 1 July 1859, Page 3

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE TO THE 18th APRIL, 1859.

■New Zealand Items.—Sir Charles and Lady. Clifford arrived at Southampton on the 31st March, and Mr. Stafford on the 9th April.. ' Major and Mrs. Coote, reached- England, per Roxburgh Castle, about a week later.. 4 , : ■, >.' : Dr. Snell was presented to the Queen " on his return from New Zealand." Thcjiew General, Henry Bartlett,; Esq., sailed Ist April, in the Whirlwind, '.tojoin bead quartet's of the 65th Regt., at Auckland. : ! ; rCaptain l 'Luring,' of the• frit, is appointed Commodore ofthe second class bn the Australian Station:: ■.■.-'f-•!.-' : .; , . '''Mr. Weld, M.G.A., has been dangerously ill ofthe typhus fever but Was recovering ."; Notice was given in the House of Commons .byrSir ( Jdhn Trelawney for. the production of the letter sent by the Wellington Members to the Secretary of Slate, but the House wap counted,.out" before the turn for Sir John's motions arrived. . ; > Tho New Provinces' Act was,still under consideration. The .General, Election putting a a stop to almost every kind of official bnsiuess. ■The Illust-aU-d News of 9t'u April, has a view of Te Aro Flat, from Mr. Swan's excellent photograph, but' it' fails to give the populous character of the Flat so well shown-in tho original. ' , ; The Home News. has. the following particu-

I lars relative to tbe extension ofthe White Star Line, of Liverpool, to New Zealand. " These reinatrkable colonies now absorb a large share 'of public attention. The well-known fertility nf tbo soil, the mildness of tlie climate, und the pains taken by. the G.i.'iTiimtirit...to encourage emigration of suitable parties by free grunts of land and. otherwise,"till'point to a future of greatness and prosperity. We notice that Messrs, 11. T. Wilson and Chambers, ofi Liverpool, the owners of the "White Star" line of Australian ex-royal mail clippers, have decided to send a monthly line of packets for the loading ports of New Zealand. We hail this circumstance as a great boon to intending emigrants. The excellence of their ships, their rapid and uniform passages, the punctuality with which they are sailed, together with the great experience this firm has had in the conveyance of emigrants, are -material guarantees for the' efficient .manner in which this service will be carried out. Liverpool is par excellence the port for emigration ; and tve have no doubt that this new enterprise will be thoroughly successful." :-■'■'■•■'■ "' " "■'■ . The latest dates from New Zealand received in London were the 2nd February. ■

LONDON WOOL REPORT, 16th APRIL.

The. next colonial sales will' commence on the 28th April, the arrivals tordate consisting of —2,600. bales,.Australian; 25,098 bales Port Phillip, 3,100 bales Van Diemen's Land, 10,718 bales Adeldide,'4,o.96 tiales cape;' total,-47,112j bales ;'aitd which may probably lie augmented to 75,000 bales.' ' '■ -.' ■■- '■ ...

. The dtihicss observable since the close of last sales has coutintted, and scarcely any coiiIract.i have been made in our market. The few wools held in second hands could have been quitted at last sale rates, but,except for certain descriptions much .required for imaiediate consumption, buyers are indisposed to give any advance. '.. 4

The -dissolution of Parliament and serious aspect of political affairs abroad have thrown a gloom over our market, tlie effect of which will no doubt be felt at' the ensuing sales. Buyers will be very cautious in all operations; 4 and dealers will not purchase except at such a decline as will leave a margin for contingencies. Holders must not expect that the rates of February March will be obtained in the face of some 150,000 bales being submitted in the course of the next four months; and although discretion may be exercised by some, and the market relieved to a certain extent, still the probability of war.—dertr money and b.td trade may be productive of such results that mer-chants-will meet the market at the-'quotations —the aspect ofthe political horizon being such that with' the present high rates for wool of all 'descriptions there is a wide margin' for a fall, and it behoves operators on the other side to he excessively cautions in their purchases. This remark, we regret, is much needed; tlie high prices paid in the colony will this year entail serious loss on many should only the present distrust continue ; if.it is aggravated by war, serious, indeed, will be the losses on the pan of those who hnve been paying the same rates at Sydney and Port Philip us actually ranged at our. July-August- sales' last year—if to this ; s added the charges, how can it be expected tbat there is liny margin for profit °

j [FROM TUB CITY COURESPONDENT OF SviINEY " Heba'ld."] London, Saturday, March 20, 1859. lAs the events of tbe next month will, I firmly believe, be most important—indeed,. I may suy decisive, perhaps—"of the question of peace or war, I shall endeavour to abstain as much as possible iii my despatch of,this and the next succeeding two weeks, from any extended comment, or expression of opinion on tlie probable course of events, merely-recording tbe facts as they arise, with such brief notice as may tend to elucidate them more clearly—mure especially to persons at a great distance. In my despatch of the past month I was enabled, at the hour of closing the same, to send you the very important intelligence which the Tamest even with all its wealth, power, influence and intelligence, ■&&, did not receive until some days afterwards. This is very gratifyine tome personally, I can assure you,, for many reasons, not the least of which is that appertaining to the interests of the Sydney Morning Herald and the colonists of New South Wales in particular, and of Australia in general. The information to which I refer is that of the intended convocation of a Congress of European Powers, to settle, if possible, the difficulty between France and Piedmont on the one side, and Austria on the other, respecting the vexatious and daugerous Italian question. The Congress is expected to meet about the end of April, aud will comprise representatives of all the States interested in- the maintenance of peace or settlement of the Italian question. There are, however, it will be appnreut, on ii minute consideration, many difficulties-and obstacles to the meeting of the Congress, such as not who or what States are to be represented but in.what character or position or status they are to be considered. For this reason, I fear, there may arise some unforseen "hitch " which may keep Europe in a state of suspense for some tine to come. Again also arises'''the question of the-practicability of reaohcilin" so many and great interests, aiid briiiging°tUe entire subject into a very compressive form, r Now I have said in my former despatches that war would not break out yet awhile, aud I have entertained'a''strong feeling' that diplo-' macy would be able to delay the crisis. To that opinion I still hold, but we' have now arrived at another phase in this, great question. As a C ougress is to be held—for I doubt not all the States of Europe will give their adhesion to such a course—the first step ought to be that all warlike preparations be at once suspended by the three great powers involved. Here! anticipate great difficulty.' It will prove as ex peusive'to delay tbe arrangements'for complete warlike, preparations as to .carry them out at once. - Now, should either 'one or other doubt the puciriic result of. the deliberations ofthe Congress, it is easy, to'perceive how: reluctant tbeylwillbe to abaud'oii 'such a course of precautionary action. ■' Hence, I now fear that war may uot bo long put off—something may precipitate matters. The nrogress of events during the past week' may be summarised as follows :'— Russia'has suggested that a.Congress of European Powers beheld for the purpose'of taking into consideration the state of Italy, with the view of avoiding war in the present instance, and of preventing future complications'likely to disturb tho peace of Europe. Franco immediately acceded to the proposal, and the -English Prussian, and Austrian Cabinets' have since agreed to it. France has proposed that Sardinia and tbe other Italian States shall bo represented.

The French Monilcur of Tuesday last-con-laius the fallowing notice:— *■■-:» ':. " Russia has proposed the assembling of a ; Congress, with a view to prevent the complications to which tbo condition of Italy might give rise, aud which would naturally disturb the peace of Europe. Tho Congress is proposed to

be constituted of the Plenipotentaries from I"ranee,-England, Austria, Prussia and.Russia, and to be summoned to meet in some neutral town. 'Ibe French Cabinet has given its con- I sent to the proposal of the Russian Cabinet. this is the first official account of the very important intelliprenoe r despatched to you in I my last budget of news. Count Cavour, the , Sardinian Prime Minister, is now in Paris, with the object of obtaining the consent of the Emperor, that Sardinia and' the other Italian btates shall be represented at the Conference, and France will propose this arrangement. Herein, I fesr, will prove a hitch in the course of peace. The pretensions of Sardinia and the other Italian States tire reasonable enough, but the, demand atonce dignifies Sardinia as one of the great Powers of Europe; and though undoubtedly she is apprdacbing that enviable or unenviable state, as the case may be, Austriawill look upon it as an. act of'presumption' and arrogance, which she! is* likely to resent and refuse to lecognise'.': ;: "'' From Austria the accounts read very favour, ably for the..prospect'"for peace, auil for the present every thing wears, an appearance of peace, whetber,faithfu|jy so, or not, God only knows. Great relief;'u'ridoubtedly, has been, felt in the prospect.pf war being averted. Aus--tria, however,- is not asleep; she, as well as Fiance and Sardinia, continues her preparations for war. "•>" A.Congress haviDg -been resolved upon, I feel I have been ju'stified'jh assuring you that war would not break' out as apprehended some .time back.. A;n'ew'phase has now been entered upon,'aiid I feel myself qualified aiid authorised to re-assert or modify' my previous comments on the subject. While everything was looking warlike, I averred that there would be-no war —that some means would be found to avert it. Now that a Congress is! to be held, and peace looks as if it were morally certain, I now have tny uiisgirings, ami fear that the very means adopted, or, rather, proposed to be adopted, will complicate the difficulties of a settlement. Austria will haVe,by the Ist of April, a force of-200,000 in Loinbardy. The Sardinian Government is buying up all the horses it can iii; Switzerland, Russia has prohibited the exportation of horses from that country. -.■-.'' In a debate in' the Spanish. Chamber of Deputies, on tlie-subject of Cuba, the Minister fur Foreig-t Affairs' said that the Government felt secure in its own strength,-- and had--no' thought of appealing to any foreign succour. The Minister of the United States had been received by the Queen, when Mr. Preston, on the part of the President, assured her. Majesty tlie President desired to maintain the most friendly relations with Spain, The Indian advices continue very favourable. The Oneida, with the Australian' mails, arrived at Suez on the 15th instant. .. The Marriage Law Amendment Bill has been lust,' the second reading having been negatived by a majority of ten,! tbe numbers being 4!) against 39. The adjourned debate on tbe Reform Bill was resumed on -Monday last, when Lord John Russell moved as an amendment, " That it is neither just nor politic to interfere in the manner proposed in this bill, with tbe freehold franchise as hitherto exercised in the counties i(f England and Wales, and that no readjustment of the franchise will satisfy this House or the country which does not provide for a greater extension of the suffrage in cities and boroughs than.is contemplated in the present measure." The debate has been adjourned to next week. Last Sunday a large, but not a monster, meeting of the wi.rkiug classes of the metropolis was held in Hyde.Kirk, for the purpose of opposing the Government Reform Bill. ' Mr. | Bright's measure has received the signature of 53,000 supporters. A public subscription has been opened on behalf of the Neapolitan refugees, with the view of supporting them iv frugality until they hive somewhat recovered from the effects pf the loilg sufferings to which they have been exposed ; and to enable each member to start in life afresh. The general committee held a meeting last Saturday, the Earl of Shaftesbury jn the chair, when it was resolved, ou the motion of Lord Palineiston, seconded by Lord John Russell, " That a brief statement of the circumstances in which tbe exiles are placed shall be published." . The trials in Ireland ofthe parties implicated in the conspiracy clubs have.so far, been attended with slight success.. The Government is not anxious to punish the men, their only object being to vindicate the supremacy of the Crown, &c., and by a moral iuflueuce maintain its dig uity. Therefore, some have been abandoned from inform.iliij, and tbe rest will follow. In time it will be impossible for States to go to war, for assuredly both naval and military firces on both sides will be annihilated by unproved'implements of war. For just for one moment take heed of the following:—A 32----ppumler Of Sir VVillia n Armstrong's construction will, when charged with fire lbs. of powder, carry a ball uioie than five miles aud a quarter. At 3000 yards, nearly two miles, its precision is as great as that »f tbe common gun at 1000 yards ; while at 1000 yards it hits every time in 57 an object which a common gun in that number of discharges would hit only orice. It is, moreover',,uninjured by 1300 discharges. Mr. Warry the armourer to the third battalion at Chatl-am, has invented a new breaching loading percussion guv, 16 inches over all in length, aud 14 inches from .the breach to the muzzle, and its weight 11 lbs. It .is made of brass and wbeu loaded with one of Captain Norton'suowly-iuvented" liquid tire," rifle shells (one of the most extraordinary projectiles ever introduced into the art of warfare) does extraordinary execution..; This gun will throw shot .201)0 yards, at which distance Captain Norton states be'lis prepared to set fire to any Hue of battle ship in the navy, or any combustible matter. 'Eheguirwill :fire''2s rounds a minute. The iurcnUon'can be applied to any guv now in uso at tbcrcost of one-fourth Sir William Armstrongs rifled cannon. Mr. Warry is now manufacturing a breach-loading rifled gun on. his priuciplejof much-larger dimensions, which he calculates .will throw a ball a distance of five miles. Captain Norton's "liquid,fire' sets wood, kc, on fire in a few seconds. : Th'p size of the shell in whichrit is contained, is : only three or four times-that of an ordinary conical rifle bullet:" ; '■■"'■ ; Saturday, April 2, , The great ovent of, this week is the defeat of the Ministry on the Reform Bill by a majority aguiust tliem of 39, in a House composed of 021 whom 291 voted for the second reading, and 330 for Lord Johu-Kussell's resolution. This* beiiig tantamount to a loteof want of confidence, the House instantly adjourned, at übont two o'clock yesterday (Friday) morning. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at noon, and the Earl of Dcrliyauiiouii'ced in the House of Lords, last night, that ho had hud an audience of the Queen, but wasnnto t permitted to make any communication - to Par liamoiit, and' would postpone his statement o* i the course the Cabinet intended to pursu tf . . -' : o

Monday next. There are three courses whicli Government can adopt—dissolve and appeal lo the country, withdraw ther bill, or retire; but the more likely course: I have placed first. This it is generally anticiptted, will be Lord Derby's plan.

The event proves tbo correctness of my judgment, .namely, that any '.Government bringing forward a Reform' Bill would be defeated, the fact simply being that scarcely two persons think alike on the subject, and, further, that [ what many men advocate they will not themselves bring forward. The whole matter resolves itself into a question of Wealth and Intelligence o. Poverty and Ignorance—which'shall be the dominant power ? Common sense would dictate the most desirable of the two, without the aid of factious powers. Reform is a good horse for the hustings and popular meetings, but it is a dangerous thing to give it unbridled license, for it will assuredly throw, if it do not destroy, the very life ofitsrid.>r; . •■' The Italian question! Goodness knows how long this is to keep Europe in warm water. On Monday,.the;Esirl of.Malmesbury said that the result of Lord Cowley's mission to Vienna had beeu such that a pacific solution of all the questions in dispute might shortly he anticipated. this is very satisfactory enough, but nevertheless it does nut suffice, for war still looms in the future ma threatening manner. France and Austria both their armaments, and the attitude of Austria is particularly firm and bold. She professes her willingness to participate in the Congress, and if possible, peacefully settle the Italian question, but on condition that Sardinia discontinue ther extraordinary armaments she is no« making, and that no discussion shall take place which can lead to a modification cif the Treaties of 1815, or raise the question of her relinquishing any part of the territory she now possesses in Italy, or her rights of reversion in Tuscany and Modena. There is, I fear, a stumbling block to a peaceful settlement of the whole question, and it begins to be very clear that neither France and Sardinia nor Austria look for a peaceful settlement Until Sardinia discontinues her armaments, Austria will not cease, her preparations, and France seems equally reluctant'to defer her Itis, I fear, but too evident that Europe is fast approaching a warthat frightful alternative of political disagreea-ment-s between Governments. Austria is most energetic in her preparations, the movements of troops in Italy on her part, and the strengthening of fortifications. At Venice and Mantua everything shows as if war was to be declared almost immediately; and at numerous other places the like scene is enacted. With regard to the Congress, it is expected to meet for the first time on the 30th instant. The representatives, it is said, will be: France—Count Waleski and M. Drouyn de L'Huys. '■■'■- England—Lord Malmesbury and Lord Cowley. Russia—Prince, GortscTiaioff. Austria—Count Buol. Prussia—BaronSehlenitz. Sardinia—Count Cavour. The place of meeting has not been definitely fixed. Several place?, have been proposed, one rejectedby one or other,but France leaves it to Austaia to decide, merely reserving the condition that it be in communication with Paris by rail and telegraph. The German States are making their preliminary arrangements in the event of war. The Paris Conference on the affairs of the principalities of Wallachia'and Moldavia, will hold only two sittings, the election of Piince Couza having been recognised. From India we learn that tranquility continues to prevail in Oude. Up to the l?th February, 378 cannon, and 975,000 arms of all kinds have been collected. The Nana arid the Begum are in Nepaul. In Central India, tbe rebels under Tantia Topee are making for Pertabghur. The financial position of India is very disheartening. The attempts to raise money in India have proved a signal failure, and another loan is to be raised here for £5,000,000. The revenue returns for the quarter ending the 31st March, 1859, show a decrease in the year of £2,404,229, and a decrease in the quarter of £819,712, both being caused by the (eduction on the income tax. The Australian Association' have formed a committee for tbe purpose of introducing all kinds of useful animals, birds, and fishes to the Australian Colonies and New Zealand. A large quantity of the ova of salmon is to be first despatched. The Globe of the 30th March says—" Considerable surprise has been felt amongst the many wealthy and influential gentlemen connected with the Australian Colonies, that no mark of Royal favour has been conferred on Mr. Haines, the late and for many years the Prime Minister of Victoria; nor on Mr. Baker, who held tbe same position in South Australia." At this moment I cannot give any intimation of what may be the intention of Her Majesty's Gorernmeut on this point, nor may I offer an opinion nor hazard a conjecture on the subject, merely remarking that the above is nothing more nor less than a feeler. The Post Office authorities have just issued a notification that book packets can be registered, oo payment of the book postage in addition to the registration fee of 6d., namely, New South. Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia, via both Marseilles and Southampton, but not at present to Victoria, Tasmania, and New Zealand.

DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT,

"'•';" ■''•''■""■ Saturday, April 9. The decision of Ministers to dissolve Parliament and appeal to the country, was made known in both Houses on Monday; and, as theremarks of Lord Derby and Disraeli are of censiderablc interest, I shall give the pith of them. Lord Derby referred.to the " restless energy" of Lord John Russell, in overthrowing the Government both of his opponents and friends, that hardly a year now passed without a ministerial crisis. Iv the present distracted state of parties in the House of Commons, it was impossible to administer the affairs of the country, and, therefore, the' Ministry had resolved -apou a dissolution as carinas was consistent with the public service. ' ' , " Lord Derby said that,-with regard to .the Reform Bill, the Ministry bad redeemed their promise ; and, as the House of. Commons had rejected it, they now.held themselves absolved from all obligations on the subject Mr. Disraeli said it was not thei intention of the Ministers to proceed with the Reform Bill, or to propose any other of a like character.' It was ofthe utmost importance in the ; present state of affairs, that Alinisters should be backed by Parliament.'.,'.."'■'.,'. '": 'f\.'.,".- ■■.■■■".■

This is really'a niasterpiece. of diplomacy, for it entirely gets rid of the entile question for the future, during the period: of the Derby party being in power.--. ;Lord Derby has thus completely turned the tables upon the faotious opposition. — . •

Parliament is expected to be dissolved'next weok. ~.-•■. - i ■■ : .-

Thri Eail of Derby has announced tbat a vote of thanks will be passed on the Governor-Gen-eral, the co:nmwder-in chief, and the other ollicer* and civilians engaged in effecting 1 the pacification of India, audi form of thanksgiving will be prepared, to bc"ifsed 'on days "to be specified. ■ . The Indian Loan Bill has received the Boya.l assent, the Abolition of Church Rates Bill .lias been withdrawn for the session, as also the Roman Catholic Oaths Bill. ...'...'

The Conference.at Paris on the affairs of the Danubian Principalities opeued on Thursday last, and there will be only . one more. The election of Prince Couza is to be acknowledged by all the Powers. . - b

THE ITALIAN QUESTION

The Powers trlat be are still apparently a sixes and sevens on this subject. : They have not been able to come to any fixed agreement as to the conditions. Austria and Russia protest against Piedmont being admitted on any other terras than those of the other Italian states ; and, further, that she is not' to he admitted at the commencement of the sitting. France and Piedmont have both "fired up" at this, and there is nOw the difficulty. Austria' also demands that Sardinia shall first disarm, observing tbat, from her threatening preparations,' Austria is, in self defence.conipelled to-enter up- -. on gigantic preparations.'. Piedmont refuses to disarm unless Austria dues so likewise. In the" meanwhile all Europe is in a state of frightful suspense. f , Every one seems to he making up their minds J that war will and must take place, while'day after day telegrams and other advices come in, alternately peaceful and warlike in .character. For myself, I must conclude, after'carefully studying the matter, thereseems' little, if any chance, of peace being preserved. The attitude , of both France aud Sardinia is sol very warlike - and provocative of hostilities at any moment, that it is by no means unlikely Austria: 5 will be compelled to strike the first decisive blow, 1 and'""; it would be a good thing if it were. "■ ALABMING ACCOUNTS FBOM VIENNA, and' TtJBW. I had written thus farwhen a telegram came in announcing that Austria has declared war against 4 Sardinia, and the evening papers of this : day have issued a second edition, that although ; T no official notice has been received by Government, there was every reason to believe that i Austria positively has declared war. This intelligence has quite startled all London, but T think the news is premature, and that itvbas been fabricated in consequence of the alarming '•' tenor of a telegram from the Times' correspen- ■ dent at Vienna, who sends the following:— "Vienna Friday Evening.—The crisis is at hand. A corps of 50,000 men goes from this city to Italy to-morrow, and on following days another corps of 60,000 is to be assembled here. A reserve corps of 70,000 men will be placed in Bohemia and Moravia. The, reserve of. the army in Italy and ofthe army corps about to leave this city have been called in. This, to rjiymind, looks like the mere details of Austrian preparations, and denotes nothing more than that sbeisawarethatin afew days the question of Peace or War must be settledj and there fore she acts promptly and with energy, to strike the first blow ; but that she has declared war, or that these movements confirm' such a measure, I cannot myself admit: That things are in a most critical state is undoubtedly true, but the last vestige of hope has. not departed. I have delayed a continuation of this week's despatch,for the parpose of making diligent enquiries, and from a friend who has been to the Austrian Ambassador's residence, and who has knowledge of information received by our Go vernment, I have learned that neither the one or the o.herfs in possession-of any such information—but that such is not unlikely to be true and that if she has not she may be momentarily expected to deslare' war, or else strike a blow at once wUhout a dtclaruti in. Tl • Austrain Embassy deem it probable tbat a telegram may at any moment arrive announcing the commencement of hostilities. The news above referred to sent Consols down J per cent, long after business hours, and it is said that if it piore true Government will not dissolve Parliament. This would he only a natural result, as it would be the height of imprudence for us to be in tho tmmoil of a general election at so serious a period. Another alarming telegram is from Turin that the British Envoy, Sir James Hudson, had hastily left that capital for London last night. '".'.'.: Count Cavour, the Sardinian Prime Minis ter, is said to be most dissatisfied wiih the little sympathy shown in France to Italian independence. Public subscriptions are being got up in the Italian States, ia order to afford pecuniary aid to Sardinia, and a great number of Italian volunteers have arrived in Piedmont. • At the same time Austria is pouring more troops into Italy, and an immense amount of war material has been sent from Vienna. Of course, all these movements denote that neither Austria nor Sardinia look for anything else than war. The Duke of Nassau has proclaimed his sympathy with Austria with offers of defending her to the last man. > The Imperial ukase for the Russian £12,000, 000 loan has been published. The Salsette and the Royal Charter have arrived from Australia. There have been fearful inundations in certain parts of Canada West, several railways being submerged for miles and trade eutirely suspended. News from Mexico state tbetGeueral or President Moi'amin left Mexico loth February, with 5000 men, to attack Vera Cruz. The first ai rival fr mi Japan under the new - treaty has taken place. Tbe Florence American vessel, lias come in with a cargo of vegetable wax, &c. The Bishop of London has been preaching in an ouiinibus yard r to the men—about. 600 of the : " Favorite," "HollowaV," busses. This denotes most forcibly the prog toss,'of the times. ..The trials in,''lreland'of persons implicated in the Phoenix clubs, prove very unsatisfactory. Tbe juries aie unable to agree on their verdicts, and; trials have to be recommenced, or else the counsel for the prisoners abandon the defence by request of the: prisoners, on the ground that the jury is composed of Protestants. Daniel Sullivan has been sentenced to ten years penal servitude. There has been a panic to-day on the Exchange at Paris, Vienna, . Frankfort and Berlin; &c." The Austrian Government at tbis crisis is acting with extraordinary vigour, from whence it may be mleired she anticipates the efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement will prove futile. She has ordered the foimatiou of new battalions of grenadiers to be attached to the army in Italy, and the stieiigth of existing'battalions to be increased by calling in all conscripts. The goods traffic on tho Vienna and Trieste Railway has been suspended from the

13th to the 28th instant, in line free for military purposes. - '• •* ■-'• •' : '•- Austria has been obliged in consequence of the failure''of"the' loan' tb 'seize tho ■ metallic reserve'deposited in the Bank of Vienna, 1 and in addition a forced'loan is rumoured. ' ■ - ; Austria requires that the.Congress shall enter upon the'means of bringing back. Sardinia -to the fulfilment of her international ""'duties,' and shall, consider the: measures/to be.taken, to avoid the'.'.'re'turii of the'present complication. -4,'.".'!,..'"..,'..' ' • ■.',";"'"..'' '"'. ~ She insists that the validity of treaties 'must not be questioned,-but is willing to a'revision. Existing territorial engagements, nor the treaties of 1815, nor those concluded in execution of those acts, shall be touched. An older.of the day has" been "posted up; in : the barracks of Milan, calling upon ■ tbe Austrian soldiers '! to. beat down for the tiiird time ' the pride of Piedmont," and the railway has been ordered to hold itself in readiness for the transportation of a fresh corps d'armee bf 25,000 while the roads are encumbered with materials of.war and array stores. '"' f ' ; - 10,000 volunteers for the Piedmorite'se service have arrived at Turin. Sardinia has despatched the Marquis d'Asegho on a special mission to the Governments of France and England. ■■■,'■>, ; : ■ ■ •■ For any further observations regarding the Italian question, I must refer you 'to the close of this despatch on Monday. 1 Saturday, April 16, 1859 THE ITALIAN QUESTION. - -'■•';".'. The reported declaration of war against Sardinia turns out to be untrue. During the whole of this week great and uninterrupted agitation has prevailed, the news to hand and the reports flying about day by day being of the most contradictory character possible. At one time all warlike, at another nothing but- peaceful thus keeping up a delightful state of doubt, hope, and fear causing a cessation of trade, raising and depressing the funds, - and making the people perform a series pf acrobatic evolutions on the great moraentuous question of the aa y* The week opened with the most gloomy forebodings. In reply to questions, Government promised to make a statemEut in Parliament on the real state of affairs on last Tuesday, afterwards deferred until Friday, and now put- off until Monday next. This of course, showing that the endeavours to bring the Congress to meet has so far been attended with difficulties and non-success. The progress of those endeavours has been slow, on account of the many and great difficulties to be overcome England has proposed a general disarmament. This Austria in the first place refused to.accede to tuntil Sardinia had disarmed. This Franco and England refused to ask Piedmont to do. Then Austria waives the objection, and consents to a general disarmament—all the Powers accede, as it were, to this, but none commence the necessary work — each waiting for the other to begin. Next France says she cannot disarm, because she his never armed! Now, the real truth appears to be that the policy of France is to delay hostilities, in order that Austria may be financially ruined ere they begin while at the same time he:'s completing his own arrangements for taking the field. The position of Austria is certainly most unenviable, forshe is compelled to enter upon gigantic operations, which are undermining her resources: At the present stage of affairs Austria positively refuses to join the Congress, unless it be preceeded by a general and simultaneous disarming. This is really a common sense view of affairs, and a reasonable stipulation. France, as I have, said, deolaresthat she cannot disarm, because she never has armed. For a time, then war appeared iaevitable; but such an outcry has been raised (that she is obliged to give way to some extent, andat this moment matters have entered upon another phase. The Moniteur of last Sunday contained advice, ordering the apportioning among the departments of the 100,000 concripts of this year of the class of 1858, thus calling out. such, not apart as in ordinary times, but the whole con-1 tingent. This seems ominous. The Moniteur of the same day, contained also an article on Germany, which has not been received favour-, ably. It is rendered in three different ways, for the style is most ambiguous; first, as evidence of the existence of a feeling in Germany hostile to France ;~ secondly, as indicating a hostile spirit toward Austria; and thirdly, as a menace to the German' Governments. The " Official Prussian Gazette," lias had a eading article on the affairs af Italy, with reference to the assembling of a Congress being doubtful. It observes, " The anticipations of a near and dangerous crisis, which that news announces, has increased public fears. Without wishing to maintain the groundlessness of the intelligence, we nevertheless believe ourselves permitted to.assume that in spite of the serious turn affairs have taken, the efforts ofthe mediatory powers are not yet to be regarded as terminuted, and indeed a step of a mediatorial nature has just been taken by the Prussian Government."