The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-02-19 00:00:00

HONESTE AUDAX.

BIIIIMARY OF LATE NEWS. •

Tan bombardment of Gaeta, which oontinned
.ip to Wednesday last, has resulted in the capita-
-01 that forgives. It reflects little credit CO
the Illutpseor of the French that by the presence
1 his Beet before Gaeta, the =Leiria.
n so so
o continued, mush blood shed,
and young big* up with lbw of
/pis* his posiseriens a 4 poweo Tito

struggle was soon over when the Sardinians lad
a a Tsar field and no favour," or rather, no
hindrance; magazines exploded daily, and the
very mine intended to destroy the Sardinians
When the assault was made, blew up, causing
great destruction, and thus snatching from the
besieged their last hope of defence On Thurs-
day General Cialdini occupied Mont Orlando
and all the other fortifications, and the Sardinian
troops now occupy the town, the garrison of
Gaeta remaining prisoners of war until the
surrender of Messina and Civitella del Trento.
The King and Queen, with their suite, have
embarked on beard the French ship Mouette.
We may well ask, what will be the next scene in
this eventful drama 1 It is rumoured that
Victor Emmanuel will offer the protection of
the Sardinian troops to protect the Pope, upon
the condition that the French forces are with-
drawn and he is proclaimed King of Italy.
Other accounts state that money to provide arms
and other materiill for war are being raised
throughout Italy, and that Garibaldi will again
take the field to relieve Rome and Venice form
their oppreseora There appears, however, •
probability that the horrors of another war may
be averted, as by • pamphlet published in France,
which bears the signature of M. de Laguer-
ronniere, the ideas of the Emperor of the French
may be considered as in accordance with the
former rumour. The Patric, in • notice of this
pamphlet, says :—" It will complete the insight
into the negotiations between France and Rome
given by the publication of documents, and
I will make France and Europe judges of the
Imperial policy. It also proposes to give the
Pope all the honours of • temporal Sovereign,
with a civil list, voted by Italy, transferring to
Victor Emmanuel the vicariate over the ancient
possessions of the Holy See, and the right of
holding his Court and assembling the Italian
Parliament at Rome." Hungary still continues
in an unsettled state, and there is little doubt
but that the Hu are watching with
intense solicitude th. events taking place in
Italy, and look forward with increasea desire
for the time when they shall be relieved from
Auetriaa thraldom. The assemblage of the
Coniitat of Pee* in an &dikes to the King,
after stating that the Royal rescript had de-
stroyedthe confidence which had been created
e lmperial Diploma of October last, con-
cludes with the following important statement:
"Au unreserved return to Constititional life
alone can save the King and the country."
There appears to be very little change in the
aspect of affairs in America. On the whole
a more favourable view may be taken, as efforts
were being made to arrange • compromise.
Kansas had been admitted as • Free State.
From China we learn that the second instal-
ment of the indemnity had been paid. Lord
Elgin was at Shanghai; the rebels were quiet.
The British troops, though frozen in at rim-
tain, were in excellent health.

Tea unanimity with which the present Session
opened still continues, and one begins to wonder
whether indeed that. are two opposing parties in
the House. But probably this seeming concord
is, like the oppressing calm of • sultry summer's
eve, but the prelude which warns us of the own-
ing storm. Be this as it may, our readers will
be pleased to find that thou brave men who
were engaged in the China war have had their ser-
vices acknowledged with that heartiness of feeling
and language, which is only to be met with laths
houses of the British Legislature; Liberals and
Conservatives joining in their praises, not only
of the valour of the troops and task commanders,
but also commending in the highest terms the
manner in which the expedition was fitted out,
and expressing their gratification at the success-
ful termination of the war. It was a very
grace-
ful act on the part of the newly-created peer
(Lord Herbert of Lea), thus to inaugurate his
accession, and move, on Thursday last, the thanks
of the House to the forces engaged in the China
expedition. The motion was seconded by the
Earl of Derby, supported by the Duke of Cam-
bridge, and unanimously agreed to. In the
House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. Collier ob-
tained leave to bring in a Bill to prohibit the
payment of the expenses of conveying voters to
the poll in boroughs; Sir J. Trelavrny also ob-
tained leave to bring in • Bill to establish county
financial boards for the aasessment of county
rates, and for the administration of county ex-
penditure in England and Wales. A motion
made by Mr. White, for a return of offices and
pensions held by members of the House, was
opposed by Sir G. Lewis, and negatived on a
division by 112 to 63. The thanks of the House
to the army and navy engaged in the recent
operations in China, was On Thllliglay moved
by
Lord Palmerston, and seconded by Mr. Disnir
in an eloquent speech,
and after a few remarks
by Lord Grey, who, lliough not dissenting from
the motion, expressed his disapproval of the
policy of the Government in engaging in the
war, the motion was agreed to. Our readers
will be glad to find that the termination of the
Chinese war has enabled our legislators to reduce
the national expenditure, as the follow-
ing figures will shew :—On Friday last the
Navy Estimates for the year 1861-2 were issued
to the members of the letrislature. They show
a net decrease of £806,620. The grand total is
£12,022,475. Lest year's estimates included •
Tote for the marine forces in China, amounting
to £33,000, which is not repeated this year.
The number of seamen, boys in trainino_ships,
and coastguarchnen voted last year WM 86,100;
this year the number is wan The number of
marines is the same, namely, 18,000. Ths
civilians for coastguard service are 1,200, which
is 200 lees than the number last year. The
total force in the fleet and coastguard service for
the year 1861-2 will be 78,200, against 86,500
last year. The rate of discount has been raised
by the Bank of England to 8 per cent., which
upon being known in Paris caused quite a panic
on the Bows.; and received with much dia-
satisfaction by the commercial classes in this
country. From all parts of the North and Irish
coasts most distressing accounts ass given of the
devastation caused by the late pie. It is greatly
to be hosed that subscriptions will be com-
menced to assist the families of those bereaved
and reduced to starvation by thins distressing
events.