The Express.
London, England, 1848-09-09 00:00:00

ITALY.

LANDING OF FRENCH TROOPS AT VENICE.
VENICE.—As was stated in the Express of
last evening, we have received information from
Frankfort, where it was officially intimated that in-
telligence had been received, to the effect that 4,000
French troops had landed at Venice. The source
from which this news is derived is entitled to high
credit. We would, however, draw attention to the
words of General Cavaignac (published by us on Mon-
day) on the Ist Sept., when, in answer to questions
put to him, he stated that no troops had as yet been
expedited, but that the French and English squad-
rons in the Adriatic had ordi ra to protect Venice
from any hostile enterprise on the part of Austria.
We have advices from Genoa to the 3rd,to say that
tranquillity had been re-established.
Intelligence of the same date from Piacenza an-
nounces a destructive epidemic among the Austrian
troops.
- - - -

NAPLES.—We have received the despatches of our
Naples ccrrespoodent to the evening of the 31st.
The following is our correspondent's letter, which
will be read with much interest:

Nas'Lu, Ana. 31.
The. Sicilian expedition has actually aken place.
Naples this morning eviiisited every sign of warfare.
The gates leuling into the sraeoal were crowded by
a curious multitude, and soldiers seers peering and re-
pining in all directions. The fleet was to have left on
the night of the 29th, but for some risen or other it was
put off till this evening. It was expected that the frigates
ALnialit and Pertenope with all the disposable steamers,
having on board two regiments of Swiss, a regiment of the
gnard,various field hatteries,ard moveable military hospitals,'
would leave in the dir. ction of Reggio. The expedition is
commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Prince Satriano. Procla-
mations will be distributed through Sicily inviting the
people to enter into friendly negotiations with the govern.
meat. The basis of the treaty would be the tame that
was offered by the Neapolitan government in March last.
11,000 man are to land at Messina, and 12,000 at another
point. The fleet (Neapolitan) is now under sail. Soldiers
have bee, embarking all day ; those whom I saw seemed to
he very far from being in good spit its. If there is a struggle,
sad struegle there will be now unless negotiation should be
1111111•1.thil at the list hour, it will be molt desperate.
The Siceians, on their part, seem disposed to make
every resistance. I am informed, on credible mitteo•
rhy, that the Mesainese have cut away . the stairs of
their houses, and that Palermo and Messina have been
undermined for a considerible distance around each
city, a number of pinions declaring that they will
blow all up on the landing of Neapolitan troops. In every
commune, too, of Sicily, by a parliamentary act, a munici-
pal guard has been established independently of the national
guard and the regular army. They are to be under the
command of Capitani Giustineri; they are to wear a military'
uniform, and are to be instructed in military exereisse
Thu the whole population, under one name or another,
have been transformed into soldiers. With all these prepa-
ration', however, the event is only too clear, should they
ever come to an engagement wits the King's troops. The
Porcupine left in such a hurry in the night of the 29th for
Palermo that some of the officers were in society at Naples,
perfectly ignorant that they were to leave that night. Why
has it left 1 Conjecture is active. She may have
gone to warn the Sicilians of the coming event, or to
suggest an anticah'e arrangement. I undentaul
that several of the King's grub rata which were off
have been captured by the Sicilians. A royal steam:lt
the Guiseard, having bsen taken by a whirlpool, was thrown
on shore near Memina, and was immediately fired upon most
severely by the Messiness. Pronio, however, threw in some
bombs from the citadel, when the firing ceased. Many of
the ciusenawere killed. The Guisaud is now at Csatells,
mare under repair, having been most seriously injured.
Capt. Romp' of the Porcupine, offered assistance Mahe
Guiscard to get her off from her perilous situation, beet
was declined—so at lust is the on di*. She
was ultimately got off by. the Gladiator. It is
said that a few days sines a merchant vessel
laden with ammunition was seineet, as she was entering Mes-
sina, by a King's steamer, but on showing British colours,
she was permitted to peas. In Palermo some ministerial
changes have lately been mule. Mariano Stabile, Prince of
Butira, Michele Amari, Francesco de Luca and Emmanuel
Viola sent in their resigoetions to the president. Viola wig,
however, induced to remain in office, taking the portfolio of
the Interior and Public Security inseed of that of Worship
and Justice ; the Marquis of Torrearsa, President of the
Chamber of Commerce, taking the portfolio of Foreign
Affairs and Commerce ' • Filippo Cordova that of Finance ;
Guiseppe Farina that of Public Instruction and Public
Works. . _ _

During the last few days I regret deeply to say that we
have been most painfully agitated and distressed by the as-
ressination of an Englishman end the stabbing of another
who was in company with him. The unfortunate gentleman
who has fallen a victim to the savage ferocity of a Neapolitan
is Mr. Robert Wbitelock Nicholl, who has passed some time
in Italy pluming the study of the fine art.. Possessing
almost every endowment calculated t o make life happy he
was greatly endeared to a laege circle of friends by manors
eminently amiable and gentlemsnUy, and by a warmth of
heart that ever led him to forget himeelf in his desire to
promote the happiness of others. Indeed, apart from
the ferocious nature of the circumstance, we all
lament his ceeth as infliction no common lass on
sa, and very long will it be before we shell cease to
lament one who to great knowledge of and taste for art, and
to great urbanity of manner, united a generosity of disposi-
tion which gave so great a charm to, his friendship. The
circumstances of the sad event were u follows. It appeus
that in company with several friends, to the number of eight
or ten, he had been spending the evening at the Café
Europa, whence a portion of them adjourned about half-past
one o'clock in the morning to St. Laois, accompanying
several officers of the fleet. It so happened that a few oysters
were eaten, and on leaving and payilif the expenses a tarp r
sum than was just wee demanded, winch was, after some ob-
jections, satisfied to a certain extent. Still a far-
ther demand was made, and inoults followed upon
demands. The party had not proceeded many steps before
they were assaulted by a shower of jam, used for holding the
sulphur water, which are sold in Santa Lucia. One re-
ceived a severe cut in the head, which nearly stunned him,
another was wounded in the back, and poor Nicholl, too, it
seems, had his head laid open by a jar. The oysterman
still continuing to throw the jars, as the party wen an.
armed, it was but too evident that resistance was =availing.
One of the party ran forward, therefore, to Chinamen*, to
call the guard, and on retumiag with a soldier, they met the
others king. Mr. —, who wagons of the party, exthdmied,
as the guard passed, " I em stabbed !"—the wound probably
having been inflicted as he fell; but as he had risen and still
continued his course, not so much importance was attached
to his wound. More anxiety was felt for poor Nicholl, whet
was no wuere visible, and, in fact, on (pin further back, he
was found weltering in his blood, perfectly dead. A mutual
friend, who lied brought up the enard, tells us that he ob-
served one lag fall over as he came up, but that the eyes
were fixed. It is supposed that in relining he must have
received a blow from a jar which stunned him, and that in
falling be received his wound, or indeed, as he lay upon the
emend. The knife, which in the language of the country
is called a " 'Janine," and is carried °nee up the sleeve for
muelerous purpose', must have entered his body es the
left side about two and a half inches from the beck bate,
and taking en upward direction it divided the spleen.
Immediate death must have ensued. The body was taken
immediately to a hospital, when it underwent spool swim
examination, the result of which I have communicated to
you. My lamented friend was buried on Monday evening,
28th il.fit., in the English burial ground, most of his friends
who were in Naples accompanying him to the grave, and
no..ny who were at a distance regretting deeply that they
could not offer him this last sad tribute of their respect.
Sleee that time considerable anxiety has been felt for Mr.
whose wound appears to have been a most serious
one. The knife entered his body in front to the depth of 8
inche3, about 21 inches above the crest of the ilium, and