The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-26 00:00:00

Every house where the Nationals were dislodged was pion
dered, in some cues even by the military and always by the
mob. One moldier was seen to throw away his cartridges and
fill his box with dollars. I have already told you of
the maw of spoil I myself saw carried away. Some of it was
offered to me for sale.
The individual heart rending scene which were of course
witnessed were numerous and consequent on such acts. An
officer of the King's army_alid tome, I never imagined that
the Swiss were so ferocious. On :breaking open • house
they fired up the staircases en which it often happened the
inhabitants were assembkd for escape, and thus many men,
women, and children fell. On getting up stairs and break-
ing open the room, they bayoneted as they advanced, and
hence carnage upon carnage. It was in these circumstances
that an officer of the Porcupine war placed, when holding
up his hand to save himself, he received a slight wound
from a bayonet. In a house in Santa Brie:Rids, some of the
National Guard concealed themselves till midnight, and
then putting their muskets through some holes, fired
upon the soldiers, who they exasperated, went round, and
got in and backed them to pieces.
The amount of loss of life I dare not affirm, farther than
that it was considerable—thirteen dead bodies, I know, were
taken out of one house ; and as we were In the Toledo this
afternoon, from another house ten were brought down. who,
from their dress, French polished boots, &c., appeardd to be
of a certain rank in society.
At eleven o'clock officers of artillery passed my house,
sentinels were placed at every twenty yards through the
city, and the whole available force bivoueled in the streets.
It was 'mad about that the French were about to land
some 1,600 men for the protection of French property.
By many, I have been informed, that a deputation
of residents waited on the French Admiral, in the
course of the day, requesting his intervention; alleging
that they had been plundered to a ruinous extent—
that the Admiral replied that he had &mended satisfection
and compensation, and that he had sent for a portion of
his fleet to Castel Mare. A sharp correspondence, it is
affirmed, insued between the Admiral and the Govern-
ment, and that a bombardment was threatened. It is a
fact, however, not to be paned by, that this morning,
Wednesday, two French vessels sailed over for Castellamare,
and remained till this afternoon. As far as it goes, this
looks like a corroboration of one of the stories I send you.
The soldiers are still in occupation of the railways. A strong
force of artillery has been sent down in that direction, to be
ready for every occurrence, should any of the provincials
come up, of which there is great talk. I don't expect them,
however,—the king has struck too decisive a blow. Fresh
troops came in this morning from Necerd ; sod it is re-
' ported that the king has sent off to Lombardy for that por-
I non of his mot s—this wants confirmation. Our shops are
still closed, but they are beginning to repair the streets and
' glans some of the windows. I saw his majesty this afternoon,
accompanied by his two brothers and • general officer ; they
' walked from the palace to Centel None°, followed by a
carriage. His visit was to the sick, and he reviewed the
soldiers in the Largo. His reception was most enthusiastic
, on the part of the military and the Isuaroni.
This morning the Journal has the following document :
" Having ascertained, from authentic documents, that on the
disastrous 15th May, those who had been elected to form a
port of the chamber of deputies invested themselves with the
character of the ' One only representative assembly of the
nations chose a president and proceeded to deliberating and
creating a committee of Public Security, under whose abso-
lute dependance was to be placed the National guard. con-
sidering that as they had net yet taken the oath required by
the laws of astumpton of such power was arbitrary,
mate and subversion of civil order, considering that
such turbulent conduct could have been suggested
only his bad intentions since, very men,' honest
deputies did not heti:ate to blame it as absurd and illegal
Bc. We decree:-
Ist. The Chamber of Deputies, assembled for the 15th of
May, is dissolved.
Art. 2. Our Minister for the Interior, in as short a time as
possible, will present for approval a decree, according to
which, wills Le asamblcd the corresponding colleges, to
proceed to new elections." Another decree is as follows :
"Considering that the state of siege in which Naples is
placed, Bc., requires extraordinary provisions to restore
peace and order in WI short a time as possible, we ordain—
Art. 1. A temporary Commission of Public Security is
formed, composed oft the Director, of the Minister of the
Interior; Abatemarco, who will be President ; of the Advo-
cate-General in the Chief Court of Justice; Stanislaus
Falcone; of the Anion. y-General of the Grand Civil Court;
Ferdinando Peragallo ; and Commissaries of Police, Farina
and Silvestri.
Art. 2. The Commission shall have power to examine all
offences against the national security of the state which have
I been committed since May, 1848, and which may be, com-
mitted ao long as the siege exists.
Art. I.—After the inauiry, the commission shall transmit
the processes to ordinary authorities, competent to act under
the hands of penal procedure.
Art. 4.—The commission shall have the power of impri-
soning persons as • preventive measure far nut longer than
I fifteen days, after which they shall be placed in the hands of
competent authorities.
This morning are gazetted the names of public
functionaries alto have renounced their salaries at
present, in order, if possible, to relieve the public
burthens. This may be regarded as a mark of adhesion to
Government." I have seen a list of killed and wounded,
which perhaps approaches nearer to truth than any that has
been as 'Jet published. Soldiers, 400 killed (Swiss suffered
principally, and particularly the officers, who were aimed
at) ; National Guard, 200 killed (in fighting in the streets,
sheltered therefore behind the windows); wounded on each
side 200; 500 prisoners. The plunder seems to have been,
considerable. A friend, La Carta, who was nominated to
the Neapolitan embassy in England, hot his house sacked
of everything therein, and his brother being placed on his
knees, soldiers holding pistols at their heeds, whilst others
plundered ; they were not, however, implicated in the
affair. There are many who think that the whole
thing was urged on by the royalist party to produce
• reaction. On Saturday a well-informed man told me
that he feared there was something brewing to produce a
counter revolution. I see no sufficient grounds, however, as
yet, to subscribe to this opinion. It is remarkable, certainly,
that the troops looked on, whilst the barricades were being
made, but then said a soldier to me, we were to united
with the National Guard to maintain the Constitution,
that we did not believe that they would proceed to the
extremity of firing upon us.
Consequently the soldiers were ferocious throughout the
engagement, on account of marching egainq them and the
King. The fighting continued fifteen hours.
Key 16th, TIMES O'Chocx.
P.S.—I have just been through the town. Every shop is
shut. In the Toledo aid Santa Bridgida the houses are all
occupied by the troops. The streets and squares are full of
troops and artillery. In the lower port of the town, fighting
is still going on, they say. All the " Tortoni " of the houses
have been broken into, and the shops during the night,
and we met with people laden with spoil of every kind.
The palate of Prince Correlli, next door to Santerdinando,
has suffered much from cannon and muequetry. The prince
h .d one cannon planted on the top of his house, and another
in the Primo Piano, which he fired upon the Royal Palace,
which has suffered, hut not severely. All the windows have
been broken partially. The gendarmes were in the palace.
Crowds are going through the streets, of fiends in the shape
of women as well as men, shouting " Viva it re," and
bearing the image of the Madonna.
Staten' Henry is wounded. Prince Cirelli is killed, and
his two brothers, with their families, taken prisoners.