The Press.
London, England, 1856-10-11 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

these means does not alter the inward intolerance of
Rome. That still remains unchanged and un-
changeable; fierce, deadly, and uncompromising.
Every exertion is preparing for resistance in the
kingdom of Naples. The loyalty of the 12,000 Swiss
may be relied upon as long as their pay is punctual;
but the other regiments, at any rate, are not unanimous
in their loyalty. The marine force consists of three
sail of the line, five frigates, two sloops, five brig-
antines, a brig, twelve steam-frigates, and twelve
smaller steamers. MM. Mazza and Campana—
Ministers in reality—have organised the Lazzaroni.
It must be remembered that this is not the first
time that a Neapolitan monarch has resorted to that
plan of defence. C. A. H.

B UTIGOS, SPAIN, OCt. 4.
A FEW years since and nobody who knew well the
Peninsula would have believed the time could ever
arrive for a railway mania therein. Yet so it is—
what the year 1845 was to England, 1856 is to Spain,
which is really great progress, considering that as
regards everything else the Peninsula is nearer to
eleven centuries than eleven years behind " los In-
gleses." Certain it is that various lines have been
conceded to various companies; but if anybody fan-
cies that in consequence thereof those lines are
likely to be made within the moderate compass of
his or her life, then is that sanguine individual de-
plorably mistaken. As an old Frenchman expressed
himself to me the other day on this subject, " When
that day arrives, Monsieur, je u'aurai plus des
dents," and he certainly had none to spare then.
The O'Donnell Ministry is, as you know, fast totter-
ing to decay ; every one mistrusts, nobody confides
either in its measures or its duration. In fact,
matters are (as I told you some time since they soon
would) hourly ripening for the accession of a strong
hand to the helm ; but whose is the strong hand,
where is it to be found is the questian. Narvaez is
supposed to have passed his " beaux jours," and to
be more suited for retirement than for public life,
like a certain British plenipotentiary at the Vienna
Congress, now laid by ; but my own idea is, that
when the occasion comes both the one and the other
will turn up and the Spaniard will succeed, although,
for the credit of England, it is to be hoped his British
confrere may not. The arrest of M. de Mora has
made little ferment here : nothing does in Spain ex-
cept a bull-fight or a revolution, and even the
latter usually passes off in this province with a
few assassinations of persons who have taken upon
themselves to live unreasonably long. Be it ob-
served, however, that Senor de Mora's arrest was by
order of a Liberal, almost Radical Government—a
creditable specimen of that consistent and enlight-
ened party in power !* Such is a specimen of Spanish
justice at the present day. You may expect another
revolution (proriunciamiento) ere long; it is brew-
ing in the neighbourhood of Pampeluna this time,
but will probably be general—indeed, it is the only
thing that travels fast in Spain. France and the
French are not beloved here, although you hear
more of Spanish than almost any other foreign lan-
guage, excepting English, on the boulevards of
Paris. The Empress's recent appearance in a man-
tilla, &c., at the St. Esprit bull-fight flattered the
Spanish vanity not a little, and the Emperor with his
usual excellent tact turned it to good account.
The Spanish delegate to Brussels came out so
strong about free trade an the late occasion that his
countrymen knew not what to think of him, and it
is well if he be not cited beforo the Tribunal of
Faith, too, for holding such heterodox doctrines.
No country would gain more than Spain by free
trade, and after every other nation has enjoyed it for
some three or four hundred years, it is quite possible
people may begin to think about it here. The Queen
is said to be turning devotee already—premature in
itself, as being usually the last and recognised
epoch of a French courtesan's life. However, as few
Parisian lorettes can boast of anything to match the
royal "jeunesse orageuse " of Spain, it is possible
the period of penance, &c., is anticipated propor-
tionally thereto. I do not much credit the rumour,
but it is prevalent.
As tolthe dispute alleged to have taken place be-
tween the English Charge d'Affaires and Senor Pastor
Diaz, it is doubtful at best, and harmless at worst.
The Madrid Government have a great idea that
they would send a fleet to help King Bombs at
thisjuncture before Naples, but the main impedi-
ment lies in the fact that they have not a single
ship that could get so far without imminent risk of
foundering. In truth they have quite enough to do
already in trying to keep the Yankees out of Cuba
and Minorca. L. E. W.

•
[lntelligence has beenreceiveti of M. Mora'a liberation. klo
is at, this inoniamt, en mite to Englato.l.—ED. Pintos.]

SATURDAY,

foreign anb Colonial 3nttliigtut.