The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-05-03 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY. MAY 3. 11359.

HO NESTE A UDA X.

ITHE three days' grace allowed to Sardinia for
deliberation expired on Tuesday, and on that
evening Count CAVOUR delivered to the Austrian
Minister the answer of Sardinia rejecting the
ultimatum. In the course of the same night,
according to the accounts received from Benie,
the Austrian army, consisting of 120,000 men,
crossed the Ticino in three divisions, under the
command in chief of General GYULAI, 30,000
being commanded by General GYULAI in person,
60,000 by General BENRDEIC, and 30,000 by
General ZOBRL. The bridge of Buffslora, by
which they crossed, was afterwards, as was con-
fidently believed, blown up. The Sardinian army
immediately abandoned the province of Novara,
and fell back upon Alessandria, while the troops
which had been stationed on the Lago Maggiore
retired from Pallanza to the western bank of the
river Semis, the object in both cases being to
avoid a battle until the arrival of the French.
Another account, which is in some measure con-
firmed by the news from Turin, states that the
Austrian army has not crossed the frontier, but
that a few pickets only were sent across the river
to survey the ground. On the news of the inva-
sion of Sardinian territory reaching London, a
telegraphic message was sent by England to Aus-
tria, offering her direct mediation on the basis of
Lord COWLEY'B proposals. This offer was imme-
diately accepted by Austria, and at the request
of England the declaration of war was suspended,
and the Austrian army was directed to make no
advance pending the negotiations. On the other
hand, the French Government, which had previ-
ously despatched about 200,000 men to Italy by
way of the Mont Cenis and Genoa, refused to
entertain the mediation of England, but has since
expressed its reaiiness to take the offer into con-
sideration. There is therefore a chance, how-
ever slight, that peace may yet be preserved, and
that the Austrians will not advance beyond the
line of the Ticino. Meanwhile it is announced
that a treaty, offensive and defensive, has been
conclude,' between France and Russia, by which
Russia binds herself to mobilise at once four
corps d'orrn4e, two of which will be sent to the
Austrian frontier, and the others towards the
frontier of Prussia. The report that Russia had
also bound herself to assist France by the co-
operation of her fleets in the Baltic and Mediter-
ranean, and to declare war against Austria with-
in fifteen days after she enters Piedmont, has
not been confirmed, and is said by the French
journals to be without foundation. There
appears however to be no doubt that Denmark,
like Russia, has entered into a treaty offensive
and defensive with France. The latest news
states that large bodies of French troops have
landed at Genoa, where they have been received
with great enthusiasm ; and that the arniy which
had been sent to Turin by the Alps has expe-
rienced such great difficulties in creasing the
Mont Canis, that 4,000 men are engaged in clear.
ing the pass of snow. The GRAND Duks of
foicaise, having been called upon by his new
Ministry to join Sardinia or abdicate, has lied to
Elba with his family, and the leading members
of the Government and army have proclaimed
the KINO of SARDINIA Dictator of Tuscany. At
the meeting of the French Corps L4gislatif on
Tuesday, M. Ilaitocits, on the part of the
Government, demanded 140,000 men, instead of
100,000 being an 13Z00411 of 40,000 for the present
year. Ho also asked authority for a loan of boo
millions of francs-20 millions sterling—on
account of the war expenditure.

WAR it would seem, by the latest telegrams from
Vienna and Turin, has actually broken out ; at
all events hostilities have commenced by the
entry of Austrian troops into the Piedmontese
territory. This is positively declared in a tele-
gram despatched from Turin on Saturday night.
The TIMES correspondent, writing from Vienna,
on Friday night, reports the probability of
engagements ; but the air of probability only
which hangs about this despatch is remarkable.
It runs thus—" In all probability there was a
sharp action at tha Tete-de-Pont of litiffalora
yestenlay. It is reported that the Austrians,
after a considerable loss, took it at the point of
the bAyonet. It is said that Mortara has been
taken to-day." This, then, which at first sight
looks very like actual hard fighting, is really, in
itself, nothing but rumour. It may or may not
be confirmed ; and these reports must be read
with caution, all the more so when the glaring
misstatements of the Times which have recently
appeared respecting the war are borne in mind.
It is certain that French troops are pouring into
Genoa and Turin, and Generals CANRORRItT and
NEIL have arrived. Everything wears the most
warlike appearance, and while we write armed
hosts may be engaged in mortal strife.