The Sun. — London, England, 1859-07-02 00:00:00

C No . A EK 0 1., price 3d. London : Bradbury and Evans, 11, Bouverie-street. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the management of Mr. Charles Kean. Tins E VENING will be presented Shakspeare's historical play of KING HENRY V. Bing H en ry V., Mr. C. Kean, Chorus, Mrs. C. Kean. After which, IF THE CAP FI rs. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Ditnee, Mr. J. B. Bnckstone. T HIS EVE NIN tI G CONTESTED ELECTION, in Which Mr. and Mrs. C. Mathews will appear, After which, NOTHING TO WEAR. To conclude with THE WATER WITCHES. Commence at 7. W THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPHI. ISTESoIe Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, GOOD FOR NOTHING. Mr. J. L. Toole, Miss Woolgar. Followed by THE HOUE ? or THE HOME ? K. A. Wigan, C, Selby,' Billington S ; Mrs . Alfred Wigan, Mi s s H. Simms. Miss Laidlaw. After which, THE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS. Messrs. C. Selby and Moreland ; Misses Woolgar and K. Kelly. Followed by ICI ON PARLE FRANCAIS. Messrs. J. L. Toole, Chas Selby, Billington ; Misses Keeley, Arden, and Laidlaw. and Km Billington. Acting Manager—Mr. win. Smith. Doors open at a quarter-past six—Commence at seven. Box Office open from 10 to 5 -no charge for booking. No fees to servants permitted. A registry kept of all articles found. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborongh THIS EVENING, 'VANDYKE BROWN. Mr. J. Clark, Miss A. Burditt. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE — Thi s Evenin g LOUIS XL Messrs. Hermann Vezin, B. Potter, C. Calvert, Mrs. C. Calvert. Alter which, the new comedy, entitled THE VISCOUNT LETORIERES. Mrs. Hermann Vezin. ro conclude with OUR RIFLE VOLUNTEERS. CCANTERBURY HALL AND FINE ARTS GALLERY. Westminster-road. —Open at Seven. EVERY EVENING during the week will appear THE DELEPIERRE FAMILY, Consisting of three Juvenile Violinists, viz., Jules, Juliette, a nd Julia Delepierre, aged, respectively, FOUR, SIX, and EIGHT years. The perfect execution by these Lilliputian Artistes of some Of the most difficult and brilliant Solos, Duets, and Trios eves written for the violin, has excited mingled wond and admi hu ration in Continental Mu sical Circles, and drawnf o rth o f France ent s i as tic tributes of praise from the Public Journals and Belgium. They will perform EVERY EVENING, at NINE and ELEVEN o'clock, in addition to the usual Entertainments. THE WEATHEIL—Strx OFFICE, JVIN 2. THEnualworns., IN THE SHADE. 68—highest since noon yesterday. 58--lowest this morning and during the night. 69 this day at noon. __ EtuomETER--30.20. WIND, Easterly; rather fresh, with fine weather. The deadly particulars of the great battle of Solferino gradually ooze out in all their stern reality. It was indeed a battle very dearly won ; but if we set the loss of life against the certain advantages that are now ensuing, and must eventu ally ensue, perhaps the immediate sacrifice may prove a vast gain ultimately ; for in petty skir mishes between outposts, and harassing marches and countermarches, thousands of lives are daily squandered, without taking into account the never ceasing casualties incident to sieges and assaults in the " imminent deadly breach," whereof little or no reckoning is ever made. It all goes to swell " The pomp and circumstance of glorious war I' _ _ and so passes unheeded, because unknown to kin and kindred. Indeed it is not considered game to let out the secrets of the charnel-house in military matters, as such disasters are considered inevitable in the daily wear and strife of an army in the field. So we must take matters as they come, and hope for better. Now, we must do the Emperor NAPOLEON the justice to admit that he tempers victory with a wise discretion, by not shocking the public sym pathy with immediate particulars of a hecatomb of slain. No; he admits that the battle was sangui- nary—aye, sanguinary on both sides ; but then he mercifully withholds the numbers, possibly from their enormity, and the difficulty of acquiring even a proximate knowledge of the too sad disaster. Still, he contrives to alleviate the calamity by ap pealing to the national spirit to participate in the glory of victory. In this consists the true secret of generalship, and so he enlists the patriotic en thusiasm of the people in the triumph which, they are proud to feel, sheds its lustre even on them. The graphic account from a correspondent of the Tines, which we copy, will be found to give a better description of that long-extended field, and the many vicissitudes of that mortal day, than any that have yet appeared. It is written by a corre spondent from the Austrian side, but it may be relied on so far as it goes, for it bears all the grand similitude of truth. The writer was perched on a hill-top, from which he could contemplate the boiling tumult below, extending far and far away, until vision grew dim in the very chaos of its indistinctness. t , By Heaven ! it was a splendid sight to see, For one who had no friend, no brother there ; Their rival scarfs of mixed embroidery, Their various arms that glitter in the air I" to the Presidency of the Board of Trade, to the dignity of a Privy Councillor, he has nobly declined each and all of these radiant temptations. An in cident like this is really refreshing in the midst of the general scramble for place observable in almost every other direction. Here at any rate is one brilliant instance of a man who really prefers poli tical consistency to social advancement. He has but to stretch forth his hand to grasp the triple baubles of power placed within his reach, but like ROBERT BURNS he prefers beyond all things 4, The glorious privilege of beingindependent." Honour to RICHARD COBDEN for his decision! Again we say it is worthy of him—it is worthy of his high position—it is worthy of his more than European , , .". ..„ THE SUN. SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1859. P-IVIE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 2, 1859: But who can picture the breathless agony of sus pence wringing the very souls of those who had been looking ou while ‘‘ Red battle stamped his foot, and nations felt the shock." Since writing the above we have received another account from another correspondent of the Times. g ivi ng a vivid picture from the French and Sardi nian side, so that our readers may judge for them selves, and render justice to both. His description of the early Part , of the conflict is admirable. The morning had scarcely dawned when the conflict began, for preparations had begun on the Austrian side the night before that dreadful morn which ushered in " Battle's magnificently stern array !" " Three hosts combine to offer sacrifice ; Three tongues prefer strange orison s on high Throe gaudy standards flout the pale blue sky Their shouts are France, Sardinia—Victory And Austria proves—the victim— And so we trust it will ever be with those who oppress their fellow-men—for the harsh, the brutal conduct of Austria-for upwards of forty long y ears of tyranny in Italy was enough to sink the heart of the hitherto most favoured nation on the face of the earth. The-French admit the loss of 720 officers put hors de combat, 120 of whom were killed, and 12,000 privates killed and wounded. Among the killed are seven colonels and six lieutenant-colonels, and among the wounded are five generals. This proves how gallantly the officers led on their men. Now, mark how stingily the Austrians admit their loss as compared with the frankness of their conquerors. The Austrians say—" the loss at the battle of the 24th, as yet ascertained, is 1,900 killed and 8,100 wounded." Had they admitted their loss at three times the amount it would be much r. earer, and, perhaps, even then, fall far short of the truth. The French are now under the walls of Verona. The arrival of Prince NAPOLEON with 35,000 men has enabled the Emperor NAPOLEON to leave a corps d'armee at Goito to watch Mantua, while an other army is assembling at Brescia to watch the passessof the Tyrpl. Before another week is I yell over we may hear of the fall of Pesclieira„ as well as Venice and Verona to boot. Mr. Co: EDEN has decided in a manner worthy of his great , reputation. Returning to this country to find him self nominated to a seat in the Cabinet, reputation. The refusal of Mr. COBDEN to accept office is the first embarrassment of the Coalition Government. It is mitigated in some measure, it is true, by the triumph won down at the University of Oxford, almost simultaneously by the Right Hon. Gentle man the Chancellor of her MAJESTY'S Exchequer. A clear majority only nine short of 200, out of 1,909 voters, considerably more than compensates Mr. GLADSTONE for the week's annoyance of the contest between himself and the heir to the Dukedom of Buckingham. That contest, more over. has helped at once to simplify his rather dubious position between. the Liberals and the Conservatives. Hesitating long between the two, lured at the same time to each by every imaginable blandishment to the influence of which a statesman could be subjected, short only of aPar liamentary Dictatorship—Mr. GLADSTONE now finds the path he is to follow pretty clearly marked out before him. The Conservatives, irritated by his prolonged vacillation, have broken with him at length in a moment of petulance. Scandalised by the somewhat bewildering inconsistency with which his vote in favour of Lord DERBY was fol lowed up instantaneously by his adhesion to the cause of Lord PALMERSTON, the sympathisers with the former, not unnaturally, we cannot but think, under the circumstances, indicated their dis pleasure, or rather their profound indignation, by bringing forward the Marquis of CHANDOS as a rival candidate for the University of Oxford. At the commencement of the contest there was appa rently some danger of the right hon. gentleman's rejection by his old constituency. That danger has now, however, been signally dissipated. The Coalition Ministry has at least been spared the additional embarrassment of having to look else where than to the first of the Peelites, and one of the most gifted intellects of our time, for their financial Administrator. There is simply now to be taken at once into account by the Government the one great embarrassment resulting to them by the refusal of the member for Rochdale to assume his proffered place in the Administration. Now that Mr. COBDEN has thus decided, what course, let us ask, will be taken by Mr. GIBSON ? Will he continue to occupy upon the treasury bench, in reference to the Manchester School, the forlorn and ludicrous position defined as that of the late Mr. WALTER by the irresistible vie comics of the great Irish Liberator. Will he, too, continue there— " Like the last rose of summer left blooming alone, All its lovely companions being faded and g one? " Or will the glaring anomaly of his position lead to the withdrawal once more, among his associates of the back benches, of the right hon. member for Ashton-under-Lyne ? Certainly there are reasons which do not render this -withdrawal by any mean incumbent upon Mr. MILNER GIBSON. For ex ample, his very enrolment so long since among the ranks of her Majesty's Privy Councillors, when Lord JOHN induced him thirteen years ago (in the July of 1846), to become Vice-President of the Board of Trade, indicates clearly enough, his readi ness to work in harness, without companionship, even under aWhig Premier. Let it be remembered, moreover, in illustration of the member for Ash ton's aptitude otherwise "to turn and turn and yet go on and turn again," that when he started in public life and took his seat for the first time in the House of Commons twenty-two years ago, namely in 1837, as M.P., for Ipswich, he did so— as a Conservative ! Mr. GIBSON'S course need not therefore be expected to tally with the clearer, simpler, and far more consistent course pursued throughout the whole of the public career of Mr. COBDEN, as member for Stockport, as member for the West Riding of Yorkshire, or as member for Rochdale—in fact during the whole of the eighteen years which have elapsed since the date of his first entrance (July, 1841) into the Commons House of Parliament. There remains, however, for the Premier now to decide, as speedily as may be, the question—Who shall be nominated to the post in the Administration still left vacant by the self abnegation of the Great Free Trade Leader of the political school of Manchester. And here we can not but recall to mind one name strangely enough passed over altogether in the formation of this singular Coalition Government. Who could more appropriately be inducted to the post of the Presidency of the Board of Trade, or to that of the Poor Law Board (supposing the latter to be vacated by Mr. GIBSON'S acceptance of the former), than the eminent precursor in the House of Commons of the great apostle of Free Frade principles, the Right Hon. CHARLES PELHAM VILLIERS—(in age, two years Mr. COBDEN'S senior—six or eight in Parliamentary experience)—who, we ask, could more fittingly be inducted to the vacant seat than the Right Hon. CHARLES PELHAM VILLIERS, for now very nearly one quarter of a century the distinguished Liberal representative of Wolverhampton ? If Mr. GLADSTONE perpetuate the iniquities of Schedule D beyond 1860, much more, if he increase them—and any augmentation of the duty is an in crease of the iniquity—he will overthrow the Go vernment of which he forms a part. One thing, indeed, may save him—that justice to those who toil and spin can be done only by removing the un just exemptions of those who neither toil nor spin. We are told that there is a very heavy deficiency in our annual income to be made good—from four Or five to, as some have said, seven millions ; and that Mr. GLADSTONE, the author of the act by which the income tax should cease in 1860, is to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer who shall restore it to life agai n . When a Cabinet Minister openly tells his Halifax constituents that the deficiency is nearer five than four millions, we are, of course , bound to believe him; and we have litt le doubt the worst will prove true. We have alr ead y adverted to the object of thus m agn if y i ng th e deficiency to the uttermost : it is, no doubt pre pare the public for the re , done in order to newed perpetration of income-tax injustice. Again the pretext is to be that it will be needed but for a short time, and that, however unjust it may be it will not be worth while to alter it for a year or two. This trick can no longer be tolerate 3. If Mr. GLADSTONE cannot make a just income-tax—one which the country as well as his own ingenious brain can t just—he must let it undergo the sentence under which it now lies. He can no longer solicit a reprieve for a conflicted rogue; and all his sophistry has failed to convince the country that Scheciule D, and perhaps others in their measure, can be personified by any other name. Mr. GLADSTONE may not like even a small loan - geiency of regular income; and though to meet de— t. growing at a rate' ha. t the income of the country is we think it plain which would soon repay it , we may sympathise NNitill his reluctance while we think he ought to overc, ,n 1 it ;—but there is a better alternative, one whi, .;:li woldSl completely meet the difficulty—EqualisatOn of the Probate as well as the Legacy duties. Wt' know - ale very mention of such a thing is treason. , or ludicrous folly, accord ing to the degree of seecarity felt by the class who thus set themselves against other classes more than JOHN BRIGHT can set ether classeS against them. Viscount WILLIAMS wLU be jeered, and JOHN BRIGHT frowned upon, but the fact remains, that the class which claims e xemption from tolls and the horse duty claims also exemption from the yet more important probate disty. The farm horse is untaxed ; if sold to a tradesman or manufacturer the next day it pays duty. The horse draws a load of guano, or oilcake, or other manure through a toll-gate, it pays no toll ; but if it takes coal to the manufact ur er's engine, toll must be paid. This may not, however unjust an exemp tion for the manufacturers of food, throw on the manufacturers of all other articles any very heavy additional burden. Not so, however, the probate duty. If paid on landed property, as it is on all other property, it would not amount to less than two millions per annum—probably to much more ; and, as a million a-year means just one penny in the pound income tax, it is easy to see how much the public gene rally must pay to make good the taxes from which our landlord-legislators so unjustly relieve them selves. Will the country consent to have the income-tax doubled, or even to have any new tax inflicted, when by merely equalising the taxation of all classes—by not suffering taxation to be any longer a battle-field between class and class—the wants of the State can be fairly met ? The landed-gentry are favoured also in the legacy duty which they do pay. If all inequalities were thoroughly removed, we think it likely that we might get through the year without additional taxes at all. There seems no reason to fear that the increased revenue of next year will not be as great as that of the present one ; indeed, were we disposed to prophesy, we should predict from the sound character of our trade that it would be greater ; and though the equalised probate duties would not take full effect at once, they would begin immediatbly to yield something, and be a foundation on which any small advances might be accepted, without causing the slightest fluctuation in the public securities. We warn Mr. GLADSTONE, therefore, and all his colleagues—including Mr. GIBBON not less than the others—that if a renewed Income-tax, or any new tax is talked of at all, we shall commence war to the knife in favour of fiscal equality for all classes. Landed property is now exempt from a charge borne by all other property. Mr. GLAD STONE, we acknowledge, did to his credit abolish a part of this exemption—we only demand that he perfect his work. He mitigated the amount of in justice inflicted by the Income-tax by gradually lowering its rate, and sentencing it to extinction next year. He lessened, also, the amount of unjust exemption of landlords' property by his succession duty—he must now remove all injustice by Fatting the Income-tax die its appointed death, and re moving the unrighteous exemption of real pro perty from probate duty. LATEST NEWS. THE WAR IN ITALY. The following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : PARIS, July 2. The 3loniteur of this day contains the following :elegram VALLEGGIO, JULY 1. THE EMPEROR TO THE EMPRESS. The whole army has passed the Mincio. The Sardinians have invested Peschiera. The reinforce ments which I have received by the arrival of 35,000 men led by Prince Napoleon, have enabled me to approach Verona without compromising my self in any way, as I have left a corps d'armee at Goito to watch Mantua, and am about to assemble another at Brescia to watch the passes of the Tyrol. The Moniteur also contains the following official bulletin of the battle of Solferino. The force of the enemy amounted from 250,000 to 270,000. The new artillery produced terrible effect. Its dis charges reached the enemy at a distance whence the heaviest guns could not reply, and covered the plain with dead. The loss of the French is 720 officers put hors de combat, 120 of which are killed, and 12,000 pri vates killed and wounded. Among the killed are seven colonels and six lieutenant-colonels and among the wounded are five generals. VIENNA, JULY 1. The Austrian Correspondence says :—The loss at he battle of the 24th ult. as yet ascertained, is 1,900 killed and 8,100 wounded. Further informa tion will be published. VERONA, JULY 1 (Via Vienna.) The Emperor is in perfect health since 24th June. There have merely been unimportant skirmishes between the outposts. VIENNA, FRIDAY EVENING. The Emperor will probably stay in Italy. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has just le. for Verona. VOLTA, JUNE 30, The Emperor left this morning to establish his head-quarters at Valleggio. His Majesty is in perfect health. The sanitary condition of the army is excellent. Prince Napoleon was expected to arrive at Valleggio in the course of the day. BERNE, JULY The Federal Council has made animadversions ;$3 the . Sardinian Government on the subject of the 11-treatment suffered by the Swiss at Milan. The Federal Council has also instructed the Swiss diplomatic agents in England to enlighten public opinion as to the nationality of the foreign regiments in the service of the Pope and the King of Naples. THE BATTLE OF SOLFERINO. The following is the Sardinian account of the battle of SoVerino from the Opinione of June 29 : "In combination with the movements of the French, his Majesty the King of Sardinia ordered General Fanti, who was with his division in re serve on the hills to the south of Lonato, to proceed _ _ along a ravine between Castiglione and Solferino, and issue into the plains to support the French. His Majesty also sent word to General Durando that, at the moment when he had repulsed the enemy in his front, he should bear to the right also. General Durando directed his right to wards La Madonna della Scoperta, sustained by artillery, and his left in the direction of Sojeta, Molina, and Podone, in this way drawing on towards the French positions. General Fanti was preparing to accomplish his movement when intelligence arrived to the King of what was happening on our left—the reconnoitring parties of the 3d and sth divisions having had to contend with far superior force, and having been forced to retire by the rail Way track, and, at a short distance from Rivotella, having been in danger of being cut off from Desenzano, when the arrival of several bat talions had for the moment opened the way to Desenzano. In order to oppose the enemy to the extent of our powers, the King recalled General Fanti, who was on the point of issuing into the plain of Castiglione by a very narrow road, which was consequently ill-adapted for a countermarch. His Majesty then ordered the 2d brigade of that division (the Aosta brigade) to return as quickly as possible, and directed it on San Mar- tino. General Fanti, by a narrow road, corn menced a retrograde movement, and towards two o'clock found himself on a line and to the right of General Durando, with the Piedmontese brigade, which remained with him. At this moment Mar shal Baraguay d'Hilliers took possession of Solfe rino, and proceeded towards Cavriana. The Aus trian troops, pressed by the Fiench, retreated from those hills, but seemed to meditate a fresh attack in the front and on the left of General Durando, so that it was judged fit that General Fanti, with the Piedmontese brigade, should wait, in order that if needful he could come up when desired. His Majesty, informed that in spite of the prodigies of valour of the 3d and sth divisions, it was impossible for them to force the position of San Martino, which was defended by superior numbers, ordered, towards four o'clock, that in an hour and a half a general attack should be made on San Martino. The 3d and sth divisions, with the Aosta brigade, were to operate in the direction 'of Rivotella, whilst the Ist division, with the Pied montese brigade, under General La Marmora, at tacked on the opposite side. This order was given at four p.m., when a violent storm broke over that part of the country. Wind, hail, and torrents of rain intermingled, rendered an advance impossible, It was difficult to maintain even one's footing. The roads were little known, the peasants had hid from fear, and guides were not to be found. Notwith standing this Gc‘neral La Marmora proceeded with the Piedmontese brigade towards Pozzolengo, whilst he ordered General Durando to make the shortest cut possible to San Martino. The Pied montese brigade, when it arrived in front of Feni letto, and was preparing to descend on San Martino, found itself attacked on the side of Pozzolengo. The 4th Regiment charged the enemy in the front, whilst the 9th Bersaglieri, turning to the left of the village, beat the foo back. On account of the advanced hour and the smallness of our force it was not thought prudent to occupy Pozzolengo; but some cannon which were run up to the heights played upon the enemy, and molested them consi derably in their retreat. General Durando, in con sequence of the storm and absence of a guide, had great difficulty in joining ,them, but did so just at sunset. He announced his approach by two cannon ades, but . at the same moment the Aosta brigade and the 3d and sth divisions had succeeded in dis lodging the enemy from their most formidable positions, and thus ended this splendid victory, after a battle of 15 hours. Our losses are heavy, owing to the force and number of the enemy's artillery, and their numerical superiority as regard:- men ; but the bravery of our troops and their ener getic valour was irresistible, and they carried everything before them. In the 3d division General of Brigade Arnaldi was wounded. Out of four colonels three were killed—Caminati, Beretta, and Balegno. The sth division had also to deplore the death of some most distinguished o fficers, amongst others Major Poma. General Cerale of the Aosta brigade was also slightly wounded. It is not yet possible to state the amount of our losses, but they must be near 5,000 between killed and wounded." The King of Sardinia has issued the following order of the day to his troops : Soldiers !—in the space of two months of war fare you have had an uninterrupted course of vic tory from the Sesia and the Po to the banks of the Garda and the Mincio. In that glorious itinerary which you have performed in company with our gene rous and powerful ally, you have everywhere given the most brilliant proofs of discipline and heroism. The nation is proud of you; all Italy, which sees with pride her best sons in your ranks, applauds your bravery and your exploits, which inspire her with joyous,hopes and confidence in her future des tinies. To-day a new and great victory has been gained. You have again shed your blood, triumphing over a numerous enemy protected by the strongest positions. On the now celebrated day of Solferino and San Martino, you, fighting from break of day until night, and headed by your intrepid chiefs, repelled the repeated assaults of the enemy, and forced them to recross the Mincio, leaving in your hands and on the field of battle, men, arms, and cannon. On their side, the French efforts have been crowned with equal success and an equal glory, furnishing proof of,that incompar able valour which, for ages past, has elicited the admiration of the whole world. The victory has cost serious sacrifices ; but by that noble blood un sparingly spilt for the most sacred of causes, Europe will learn that Italy is worthy of taking her place among nations. Soldiers !in former battles I have often had occasion to mention the names of many among you in the order of the day ; this time I put toe whole army on the order of the day. " From my head-quarters at Rivoltella, June 25, 1859. " VICTOR EMMANUEL." (From a Special Correspondent of the Times) AUSTRIAN HEAD-QUARTERS, VERONA, JUNE 25. A great battle was fought yesterday, as I ex pected, on the plain of Medole and the heights of Solferino and Cavriana. On the side of the Aus tiians seven army corps, or about 140,000 men, were engaged. The battle lasted from 6 in the morning till 7 o'clock in the evening. The Austrians have retired behind the line of the Mincio. I was present during the whole of the action, and From a commanding position in front of the village of Cavriana witnessed the greater part of it. My narrative is founded on what I saw and what I have since gathered from competent authorities, and al though it is impossible to obtain as perfect an out line as I should wish, yet I believe that my relation will be in the main tolerably correct. On the 23d the Austrians moved their whole army from the direction of Mantua, Verona, and Peschicra, and on the evening of that day it was concentrated in the following positions : vv Of the Ist army, under Wimpffen, the 3d and 9th corps, commanded severally by Prince Edmond Schwarzenberg and Gen. Schaffgotsch, bivouacked in the village of Guiddizzolo, and in the plain be tween it and Volta; the 2d corps, under Prince Edward Lichstentein, in their rear; the 10th, under General Wernhardt, and 11th, still further behind in the direction of Goito. Of the 2d army, under Count Schlick, the Bth corps, under Benedek, formed the extreme right of the Austrian line, resting on Pozzolengo. The sth corps, under Count Stadion, occupied the village of Sol ferino. The Ist corps, under Count Clam, held Cavriana, while the 7th corps, under Zobel, bi vouacked on the road from San Cassiano to Volta. The French head-quarters were at Castiglione delle Stiviere ; large divisions, as it appeared to me, lying on the road to San Vigilio and Medole, as well as on that which leads to Solferino. You will perceive by reference to a map that the Austrian position formed a curve, the general di rection of which was from north to south ; that Sol ferino was the protruding part of the curve, and the centre of the movements of the day. It was a position the upper, or northernmost, portion of which was high and commanding, resting, as it does, on the hills overhanging the Minch), while the lower, or more southern half, was on the great plain stretch- ing from the heights of Castiglione southwards to an immense distance. The position of the Allies was similarly divided, their right being in the plain between Medole and Castiglione, and their left on the long spurs which stretch out all the way from Lonato to Solferino. At the latter point, however, the chain is cut at right angles by a valley, so that Solferino stands out at the head of a triangle of hills of which the sides trend south-west towards Volta, north-west towards Pozzolengo. On the summit of the pit stands the old square tower of Solferino, " the traitor" or "spy" of Italy, because from its battlements the country for miles is visible. The hill on which the tower stands is, however, com manded by higher ground on the opposite side of the vale. To the south and east of Solferino, and separated from it by a vale of slight depth, is the village of Cavriana, covered with stone houses and old ruins, while a little to the south and west, in the plain, lies San Cassiano. An excellent road runs through Solferino to Castiglione, another equally good from Castiglione to Guiddizzolo. The highway from Solferino to Cavriana is through San Cassiano, but there is a second road, over the hills, in perfect order and repair. The plain between Guiddizzolo, Medole, San Cassiano, and Castiglione, generally called in military maps Campo di Medole, is completely flat, interspersed with trees, but ad mirably fitted for the evolutions of the celebrated Austria cavalry. It is cut in the centre by a road almost due east and west, intersecting at right angles that which runs between Guiddizzolo and Castiglione. The Austrians, having occupied the positions I have mentioned, resolved to take the offensive at 9 o'clock on the morning of the 24th, but they were forestalled by the Allies, who began the attack at 6 in the morning along the whole line from the front of Pozzolengo to Medole. The action had therefore commenced at the very moment when the Emperor with his Staff, accom panied by the Archdukes, the Grand Dukes of Tus cany and Modena, took their departures from Valeg gio. The road by which we proceeded was a mere cart-track leading direct from Borghetto or Cavri ana. It lay through the hills, and ran mostly over a rough and stony ground, in which grew sparse crops of maize and rye divided by rows of plane or mulberry trees. As we advanced, leaving Volta to bur left, we could hear distinctly the roar of the guns on the battle-field, from which we were only separated by the heights of Cavriana. By half-past 7 o'clock we entered the stony streets of the village, where already the first batches of wounded men were under the care of the medical department. A large field hospital had been formed in a syacious house near the gates, from which the Staff had just emerged. Without delay we passed these melan choly accompaniments of every battle-field, and, trotting through the streets, halted just outside the village, and, leaving our horses to the orderlies, proceeded to some high ground on the western face of the hills, where one of the grandest sights I have ever witnessed lay open to view. Looking to the north,the tower of Solferino stood out in the boldest relief, overlooking the vale in front of it and the hills on the opposite side, where a battery of French ctrtillery stood in position shelling the Austrians in advance of the tower. In rear of the battery columns of infantry were advancing in sections to the front, while in the vale itself we could hear the rattle of musketry. The air was filled with French shells thrown to a great elevation, and exploding as they descended. Not only was the action engaged in front of Solferino, but to its in San Cassiano, and to its right along the ridges in the direction of Pozzolengo. Looking to the west we could see the plain stretching to the horizon covered with low trees, from the midst of which rose the roofs and steeples of countless villages.. Stronglodies of troops were moving in the open, and alre,ady the smoke of the batteries in the hostile positions, and the dust raised by the advance of tens of thousands of men, were spreading a baleful cloud over the combatants. In the level ground just outside Guiddizzolo stood an Austrian battery facing towards Castiglione and ex changing shots with a crescent of French batteries, presenting its two horns to the Austrian front, and placing the latter consequently under a cross fire. A large body of Austrian cavalry was manoeuvring in the right front of its own battery, and diverting STEAM FIRE ENGINE. Some interesting experiments were made yester day at the Waterloo-bridge - wharf , wit h a view of testing the efficiency of a new steam fire-engine which has just been completed by Messrs Shand and Mason. This engine is the second of the kind that has been made, but in the construction of the present such a considerable reduction of weight has been effected as to materially extend its sphere of use fulness, while it is anticipated that others of still lighter proportions maybe built. The whole machine is mounted on high wheels, with a fore-locking car riage, and is, of course, intended for rapid transit by means of horses. The box contains the hose and implements, with a driving seat and space for fire men. Its extreme dimensions are 121 feet long by 6 feet 5 inches wide, and 8 feet high without chim ney. The total weight, including firemen and im plements, is nearly three tons, or almost double the weight of the ordinary Brigade engine. This in crease of weight is apparently the,only disadvan tage which it possesses when compared with the common Brigade engine ; in all the other and more important qualities the superiority of the steam fire engine is so great as to leave no room for compari son with any other. Like the common fire engine, this one by steam can be worked either with a suc tion pipe, or water may be drawn from the cistern. which forms part of the engine itself. The steam cylinder and pumps are made entirely of gun metal; the valves of indiarubber, as in the floating steam fire-engine ; and the whole machinery is of the simplest and strongest construction, and not liable to be damaged by any amount of jolting over rough roads. The boiler is of the upright tubular construction, affording ample means for superheat ing the steam ; there are 199 brass tubes, 11 inch outside diameter, and 15 inches long. The firebox is of copper, 3 feet 4 inches diameter ' • the cylinder is 81 inches diameter , with 6-inch stroke ; one water cylinder is 6 inches diameter, with 6 inches stroke, the other 71 inches diameter, with a 4-inch stroke, the two being equal in cubic contents. In designing this engine other important circumstances .besides obtaining the best theoretical steam pump have had to be taken into consideration, such as weight, bulk, means of transit, and accommodation for hose, implements, &c. The London Brigade engines have pumps consisting of two single act ing cylinders, 7 inches diameter and 8-inch stroke. The average rate of working at fires is not more than 40 strokes per minute, and, as the cylinder contains 616 cubic inches, it follows that a London Brigade engine delivers at its average rate of work ing 88 gallons per minute. The water cylinder of the steam fire engine contain 340 cubic inches, and, as it can be readily worked at no less than 218 strokes per minute, it will thus be equal to three Brigade engines at their ordinary rate of working. The rapidity with which steam can be generated is, of course, an important point in the construction of a machine required for duty on the most sudden emergencies, and this point had been satisfac torily ascertained before the trials of yesterday. Neverdieless, in the course of the experiments it was demonstrated that a pressure of 101 b. steam could be generated in s;x minutes from the moment of lighting the fires; a high pressure was obtained in 10-!- ; minutes, and the engine was immediately in full work. Of course, in the case of an engine of such description being generally adopted, as there is no doubt that eventually it will be, the fires would always be kept laid, and lighted while the bcrses were being : harnessed ; So that the whole machine would be in full motion on its way to a fire. Yesterday, while working easily, the engine threw a I- 8 -inch jet of water in a perpendicular column 130 feet into the air, while a column of one inch diameter was thrown in the same manner up wards of 90 feet. When it is recollected that a Brigade engine cannot throw al-inch column more than 40 feet high, the immense advantage of the steam fire-engine may be seen at a glance. The most striking evidence of its superiority was, how ever, shown when it supplied two hose and threw two 1 -inch columns 60 feet high, and three columns of the same dimension more than 40 feet. This was not throwing more water than three of the common Brigade engines, but throwing it to a height which the whole of them united could never maintain. When tried horizontally the immense superiority of the steam engine was equally appa rent, the 1-inch column of water was thrown over the ground to nearly 140 feet, and the 1 -inch jets went to a greater distance, and more steadily. The whole experiments were in the highest degree suc cessful, and we trust ere long to see this most admi rable and important invention entirely supersede the established" engine , which in point of effici ency is about 50 years behind the age. nk His .Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited the Exhibition of Me Society of Painters in Water Colours yesterday. It is probable (says the Scotsman) that the Edinburgh banquet to Lord Brougham will take place about the third week in October. It is not unlikely that Lord Chancellor Campbell will be present. Mr. Lindsay intends to move for a committee of the whole house to consider Pr removinc, all burdens and re strictions especially affecting meickdshipping. from it part of the fire of the allies. In the north front of GuiddizzoTO a furious combat was proceed- ing, the Austrians fighting to enter Medole, the allies to enter Guiddizzolo. In the rear of the French guns two heavy lines of dust, covering as with a pall the trees which concealed the roads, in dicated the advance of heavy masses of troops, while south of Guiddizzolo similar lines of dust gave ,okens of similar preparations on the part of the Austrians. Far up to the north rose the hills on the side of which stands the town of Castiglione, he domes of which were visible to the naked eye. The sun alternately shone out in overpowering bril- Liancy, anon concealed itself behind clouds over the field of battle. Lists so vast, so enormous a congre- gation of men engaged in a deadly struggle, I had never seen. The small puffs of the muskets explod ing were lost in the immensity of the landscape. It was only when volleys of artillery followed each other in rapid succession that the smoke took a dis tinct form. It was soon lost, however, in the gene ral haze, and only broken again by the white para bola of rockets, of which the Austrians were making considerable use. The forms of the men were lost to the eye in the vast proportions of the fight, and it was only when heavy masses lay together, and assumed an aggregate shape, that any conception could be ob- tained of their presence. With a telescope one could see, as it were, myriads of men on each side fighting at all points ; dead bodies of men and horses strewn on the ground, with the wreck of uniforms and arms ; but to the naked eye it seemed as if a vast anthill were in motion—men becoming pigmies, as they doubtless are in encounters o: such magnitude. Themovements of the contending armies hadbeen as follows :—At 6 o'clock in the morning the Pied montese, who occupied the left of the allied posi tion, advanced against the Bth corps under Benedek, while the French attacked the sth under Stadion on the heights of Sofferino. These movements were no sooner commenced on the French left than the Aus trians moved on their left also, the 3d corps, under Schwarzenberg, advancing on the road to Cas tiglione through Guiddizzolo ; the 9th, under Schaffgotsch, on the parallel road to Medole. The latter had hardly moved a mile from its bivouack when it met the enemy in front of Medole. Schwarzenberg sent two batteries forward on the Campo di Medole, where the French, as I before observed, had placed three batteries in a crescent, the two extremes or horns of which placed the Austrians under a cross fire. On the heights of Solferino, and to the Austrian right, the attack of the French and Piedmontese was repulsed with severe loss, several prisoners falling into the hands of the Austrians. The corps Shaffgotsch success fully advanced, and fought its way in the direction of Medole, but Schwarzenberg's batteries had got 'into a position in which they were incurring serious losses, and it was found necessary to withdraw them. In order to do this, Mensdorff's'brigade of cavalry moved out to the right of Schwarzenberg into the plain, advanced fearlessly on towards the French batteries, thus drawing upon itself part of the fire which was then pressing so heavily upon the Austrian guns. While the latter retired the cavalry charged a party of French cavalry, which it is said to have terribly cut up, and finally fell upon a square of French infantry. It was well and splendidly done, but at the price of heavy losses. Scores of men and horses fell, and two squadrons of Hussars I saw returning reduced to 30 men. The Austrian guns, having now assumed a position in rear of that which they had previously occupied, reopened fire, and in spite of all obstacles the 3d corps endeavoured to advance on the plain and take the French artillery with the bayonet. This they failed, however, to accomplish, and ultimately they had to fall back. From that moment, however, till late in the day the cannonade on that point continued fast and furious. As for the Austrian cavalry, it appeared no more on the field, as far as I could see. It was now past 9 o'clock, and though the first attack of the Allies on the Austrian right had failed, from the gallantry with which the Bth and sth corps had repelled it, the French • and Pied montese were but too well aware that Solferino was the key of the Austrian position to spare efforts for carrying it. They seem, as far as I can judge, to have commenced at a very early period to con centrate their best troops and largest efforts against it. The French Grenadiers several times made their way to the very top of the rock on which stands " the spy tower," but were repeatedly repulsed by the Ist corps, which had been thrown forward from Cavriana to Solferino to strengthen the sth, then beginning to show symptoms of fatigue. The French however, continued their efforts, and pressed Sol ferino not only in front but on both flanks. Under cover of the tremendous artillery fire which they kept up in the plain of Medole—a fire which had already forced Schwarzenberg to fall back, and while Shaffgotseh was merely, as it seemed, kept in play on the Medole-road, the French advanced two heavy divisions from their front to San Cassiano. These were soon lost sight of in the open, and doubt less acted as a column of assault in flank upon Sol ferino. 'Till about half-past 1 o'clock the Austrians had repelled every assault except one. They held firmly at Solferino, at Medole, and on the extreme right of the position, but it soon became obvious that they were being rapidly outnumbered. The whole Piedmontese army attacked Benedek's corps on the Austrian extreme right, and was forced to retire, still fighting, on the road to Monzambano. The sth corps, now fighting beside the Ist, which should have been its support, was driven slowly into the hills to the eastward in the direction of Castel laro Lagusello. The Ist corps, hard pressed, could no longer maintain itself against attacks made at once in front and flank, and retired through Cav riana. It is true the 7th corps, Zobel's, which held the road between San Cassiano and Volta, endea• voured to assist in the defence of Solferino, but, not withstanding all their efforts, the French in over powering numbers forced the position, and crowned file heights of Solferino, from which they rapidly prepared to storm Cavriana. The Emperor, after paying a flying visit to Volta, was now standing with all his staff on the hill in front of the last-named village. There seemed to be no news of the 10th and 11th corps, which had been sent a long way to the left or west of Medole, in order to turn the flank of the French army in that direction. These two corps, indeed, never reached the scene of action, and are now intact. Though the 9th corps had made good progress towards Medole, and kept up r sharp discharge of rockets and artillery on the French guns, the artillery fire of the latter seemed to increase in intensity every minute, and whole volleys were discharged at once, making the air resound again. It became necessary, therefore, to give the order for a retreat,.which was accordingly done at three o'clock in the afternoon. It was just at this moment that the position of Cavriana was assailed. The French from Solferino began shell ing it at short range, and it was no longer a fit place for the Emperor and his staff. They retired, and as I passed through the streets and saw them encumbered with the sick in hospital and in ambu lances, I thought what a terrible fate might await those poor men who had already been wounded in the field, and who must remain passive spectators of a new combat. The Emperor went not far to the rear. Leaving his Staff at a farmyard on the road to Volta, he turned back with a chosen few, and looked on while a last effort was made to fight for the possession of Cavriana. The last effort was made, but to no pur pose. Nearer and nearer fell the French shells, till one actually cracked over the head of the Emperor and another burst in the middle of the Staff. The order for a general retreat had in the meantime been carried out, and while the Emperor and the Archduke retired by a cross-road to Valleggio the Ist army began to withdraw towards Mantua. Its retreat was made with little difficult y , as the 9th corps still held Guiddi zzolo, which stopped the pur suit. r _ pro gress of the enemy a nd p revented a dangerous suit. The 2d army, howeyer, had to submit to serious losses. The centre of the Austrian positions having been forced by the occupation of Cavriana at half past five o'clock, the 2d army had to repel attacks which became every instant mare dangerous, and the Allies followed their success with great rapi dity, cutting off the Valleggio road and forcing the theirits o h properllte l ;vr t ft v e laagte o z amhan o candorp s o t o h n eo of the Mincio. The materiel of the Austrian army was, however saved by the speedy destruction of flying bridges on the river below Volta, and as night fell the Austrians remained in possession of Monzambano, Valleggio, and Guiddizzolo. I can give you no adequate idea of the losses sus tained on the field of Solferino. These will not be known for some days. This morning as I left Villa franca there was heavy firing in the direction of Monzambano. The Emperor and all his Staff are now in Verona. The cause of the loss of this great battle by the Austrians is not difficult, I think, to fathom. The troops are not less brave nor less forward in action than others. The Croats I observed shrank from the field, and Count Nugent, who, notwithstanding his great age, did duty as a volunteer, might have been heard at a great distance as he abused them in the streets of Cavriana ; but as for the other troops, I never saw any that fought better. The cavalry was really splendid, and the artillery as cool and collected under fire as possible. But " pluck" is of no use unless the greatest care is taken in the dis p.osition of an army. _ _ When Solferino was to be saved from an over whelming attack the last man was doing his duty. There was no reserve or covering corps of any kind, so that when the French broke through at last they did so like the waters of a sluice, which spread. themselves at once over the surrounding. country. I am forced here to close my letter, which I shall continue to-morrow. (Fi om another Correspondent.) The following account of the Battle of Solferino is from the pen of the same correspondent who has described the previous operations of the French and Sardinian armies : " CAVRIANA, JUNE 25, 4 A.M. " Another name has been added to the number of those places in this little hilly triangle which have been illustrated in the military history of Italy by a battle. Solferino —a name yesterday un-. known to most but antiquaries and local curiosity huntets—has to-day an historical signification. It .epresents one of the the greatest battles of modern days. It was the first meeting, with full force, of the two great armies which are fighting for the fate of Italy. In all the battles and engagements hitherto fought, each side had only part of its forces on the field, or, at any rate, engaged : yesterday, both brought up what they could. TA was, then, the first occasion to judge of their respective power and ability. Both Emperors were at the head of their armies, surrounded by all their most expe- rieneed advisers. " What the immediate result of this gigantic duel was you will know long before this letter reaches you ; what its real influence will be on the warfare we cannot yet judge ourselves. Except in those few cases where an army is completely broken up by defeat, the result of the greatest battle becomes only clear some time after. Although a great and . decisive victory, the battle of Solferino does not belong to those of the former class. The Austrians were beaten, driven from position to position, but whether they are able or not to make another stand in the open field, we have as yet to learn. " There is some element in the Austrian councils of war which we don't understand, but which gives to their operations in this second phase of the cam paign just as uncertain and vacillating a character as they possessed in the first part of it. On Monday they are in full retreat over the Mincio, and on Thursday they are back again with all their forces, have taken up their position, fortified it, and are waiting to receive us. It may have been a feint for aught we know, but it is rather too much to sup po'se of the credulity of his adversary to be taken in by an attempt to play at hide and seek with an army estimated at 180,000 or 200,000 men. Although, therefore, everything rather indicated that the Aus trians intended to withdraw behind the Muncio, not accepting a battle on this side of it, but preparing to defend the passage of it with all their forces, the advance was as careful as if every moment they had expected to meet the enemy. From point to point the different corps were pushed forward, one taking the place of the other, and feeling to the right and left for the enemy. " When the Chiese was crossed, and the allied armies approached the ground where, if anywhere, the enemy had to make his stand, their attitude became quite that of an army advancing to the battle-field. Each body took up the position which it was to occupy in the battle. You could see this plainly if you went along the line occupied by the Allies the day before the battle, as during the whole advance the left somewhat overlapped the right, while on the extreme right itself was a detached corps far enough to the rear to protect that flank, and yet clOse enough to enter into line in the hour of battle. " The day before the battle the position extended from the shores of the lake of Garda at Desenzano all along the western edge of the hilly country from Lonato down to Castiglione, and bending back to wards Carpenedolo, touched there the Chiese ; the Emperor himself, with the Guards, as a reserve, at Montechiaro, and the Ring, with his Staff, at Lonato. " The reconnaissance, as you will remember, was sent that day in the direction of Solferino, and fell in with some Austrian posts ; this proved that the place was occupied, but gave no key as to whether it was only a detachment left to observe the advance of the Allies, or whether it was the avant garde of tha Austrian army. It looked very suspi cious. There was that kind of silence all about the neighbourhood which you remark almost always under similar circumstances ; the only sign of life and movement being clouds of dust in the direction of the Mincio passage towards Goito and Mantua. In the afternoon M. Goddard was to have made another ascent on a larger scale with his balloon, from one of the high hills which rise close behind Castiglione. I had to descend before the ascent took place, so I cannot tell if it came off, and whether it threw any additional light on the position of the enemy. At any rate, there was no stir in the even ing at Montechiaro, where the Guards remained still encamped, and the Emperor himself had his head-quarters. " Yesterday morning, at 5 a.m., the sound of cannon showed that at last the enemy had turned at bey; it was a strong reconnaissance which had rushed forward and made him show his teeth. Before an hour had passed the Emperor was at Castiglione and the Guard on the way there. Be fore another hour had passed the dispositions had been made for the attack. Whether these disposi tions were made on the inspirations of the moment, suggested by tne position of the enemy, or whether his Majesty knew before that the Austrians had taken up their position, and were ready to dispute the passage of the Mincio, I cannot presume to say, but there is no doubt that the whole had the ap pearance of a plan improvised on the spot, and the orders were given out at the last moment. " Before I speak of these dispositions I will attempt to give you an idea of the position of the Austrians. The Mincio, coming out of the Lake of Garda, runs due south, while the direction of the hills on both banks runs at right angles almost to wards it, Those on the right bank, with which alone we have to deal, here come down from the north-west in a southerly direction as far as Cas tiglione, and then making a bend strike the Mincio in a south-easterly direction. The hilly country forms thus a tolerably regular parallelogram from north-east to south-west, the four angles of which are Lonato, Peschiera, Volta, and Castiglione. This parallelogram of hills is about 12 miles in length and nine miles in width, and is divided almost in its middle by a little stream, which runs into the Mincio. The hills rise gently from the shores of the lake, and attain their highest elevation about the source of this stream, falling off again towards the Mincio. This is just about the centre of the parallelogram, at Itondoletto and Pozzolengo on the left, and at Solferino, Monte Oliveto, and Cav riana on the right banks of the stream. These points were ohosen by the Austrians as the pivot of their line. The line itself extended from Peschiera, on which they leant their extreme right, through thikt pivot, down into the plain of the Mincio, in tersecting the great road to Goito. The whole line was not less than twelve miles in length. Cavriana was the centre o it, which the Emperor of Austria had cllosen for his head-quarters, while Solferino we ba; bu. tec tio po th 4 wi if or po rec tho tho ru . till pr till pi.' Wa att