The Express.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

ITALY.

CONDITION OF SICILY.
Oar correspondent writes:
PALERMO, DEC. 11.
I am now able to give you some information on the
state of Sicily; which it is impossible to do whilst at
Naples. The Neapolitan official journal rarely men-
tions the island dominions, and by any chance
records what is taking place here. Sicilians gene-
rally are not allowed to visit Naples, nor are the
Neapolitans permitted to go to Sicily. Post-office
communications are narrowly watched, and every
difficulty is thrown in the way of intercommu-

nication.
You have not been half an hour in Palermo before
you are aware that the government of Sicily is essen-
tially military. Round about the Vice-Royal Palace
cannon are placed ready pointed on the town. A
strong military guard is always ready, the town is
full of soldiers, many of which are Swiss. Your arrival
is of course known to the police ; you are
therefore honoured with spies, who are sometimes,
i however, pointed out to you by those who have a
sympathy for England and the English, which forms
the majority of the people. News from the East is
now eagerly demanded. I was surprised to find so
teeny persons quite " up" in the Russian question ;
and knowing everything that has taken place,
although not a newspaper is allowed by law to come
into the island—that is for Sicilians. Indeed, lam
told if a Sicilian were to subscribe only to a foreign
journal, it would immediately cause him to be sus-
pected by the police. There is an appearance of
poverty and discontent in all classes. The guaran-
i tine has added greatly to the existing misery.
Those who have money spend as little as possible,
and it is generally believed that large sums
are hidden away. The Sicilian public funds are not
in favour, and beyond what the government trades
with, and tries to put in circulation, there is little
doing in public securities, particularly the loan,
which is illegal, and was created by a decree of the

King.
The Lord-Lieutenant, Prince Satriano, stands in
higher favour with the public than I had expected to
find him. All agree in saying they are sure the
King could send them a better governor,
although he might favour them with a worse. A
great number (some say hundreds) have been shot
since 1849 for concealing arms. Some of the un-
happy men were, no doubt, perfectly innocent of
revolutionary intentions, but it appears to be
the policy of the governor to intimidate by
making every now and then a public example. I have
heard some very cruel stories about these executions.
Men have been arrested in the streets at night, and
shot the next morning, on very slight grounds. One
poor man died from fright who was to have been shot ,
a few hours after his arrest.
Beyond this unpardonable exercise of force Prince'
Satriano appears to be really anxious to improve the
condition of the island. But his Excellency meets
with no encouragement from Naples; on the
contrary, he is continually thwarted whenever he pro-1
poses material improvements, such as the con-
struction of new roads, 8:c. On a late occur-
rence he threatened to retire from the difficulties
he met with at Naples. On such occasions the King
comes in and patches Pp the affair; bat I suspect his
Sicilian Majesty does not want the prince to become
too popular, who is inspired to be more severe than
he really is. There is a Sicilian minister in Naples
who is supposed to be a sort of ambassador to the
governor ; but, in fact, Prince Satriano communicates
with the King directly. He has suggested, on several
occasions, I am assured, agricultural improve-
ments and public works, calculated to advance
the prosperity of the island, but with no
effect. The present government 'of Naples is
a government of priests and policemen, alike
opposed to reason and humanity. The Sicilians
' are highly taxed; as far as lean learn each man pays
labout 20 per cent. of his income to the state. There
are from 12,000 to 15,000 soldiers in the island, in-
, chiding two regiments of Swiss. The police machi-
nery is very extensive ; there are spies for all classes.
Many of the most important and intelligent Sicilians
are still in exile ; nor do they desire to return under
the present system of rule. Many of the nobles,
from prudence, hold some trifling office under go-
vernment.
The King is detested by all classes. I have not
heard one Sicilian speak favourably of his Majesty.
On the other hand I do not trace any sympathy for
republicanism. The Sicilians appear to me to un-
derstand the blessings of constitutional government,
and speak with an intelligence about the same not
to be met with in Naples. Nor is this perhaps re-
markable. Their history is identified with represen-
tative rule, and no one will deny the modera-
tion and progress which characterised the par-
liament of 1848. A Sicilian said the other
day, "We want an open government, because
we know that under the present system we cannot
work the endless natural riches of our country. To
this day we have no good roads even to connect the
capital. of Palermo, Messina, and Catania. We
cannot work oar mines from government difficulties.
The resources of taxation are spent on an idle army
—we are a weight rather than a benefit to the conti-
nental dominions."
Five years of the present government system,
dating from the triumph of the royal troops in 1848-9,
In Sicily, find the people as discontented as they
were before the revolution of 1848. The
King is more unpopular than ever the
country is poorer ; the desire for change
the same. An European movement would again
light up revolution in Sicily, and the army would
spin run away no doubt. But no one hopes for a
timely antication of such evils whilst Ferdinand
IL reigns. It seems to be the fate of the Bourbons
to sleep on their thrones until they fall to pieces.
Those who approach his Sicilian Majesty with
wholesome advice are ill received—those who whis-
per falsehoods with the tongue of hypocrisy are lis-
tened to with an approving smile.

The Cologne Gazette contains &letter from Berlin,
which says :
The Russian government has the project of developing
the commerce of Siberia, particularly on the frontier of
China. A commercial company is to be formed consisting
of the Cossacks of Siberia, and composed of 200 members,
with power to add to their number, should the minister of
war approve of such augmentation. Every Cossack on en-
tering the company is to pay 67 silver roubles and 50 ko-
pecks (about 26010 to forma capital for the troops of the
line in Siberia, but he is himself to bee exempt from service.
The Cossacks are to remota thirty yars in the company,
and each one is to pay 80 roubles and 60 kopecks (about
3501 r.) every year. When that period has elapsed, they
will not have to pay any further sum. The company is to
be administered militarily, and will have the same attribu-
tions as the commercial courts of the Cossacks of the Don.
There are already among the Cossacks of the Don commer-
cial companies, organised on the same principles. Itis
known that the commission for Siberia is charged with the
task of paying attention to the commerce of Asia, and par-
ticularly to that of Chios.

COALS.—• There were only nine cargoes for sale at
Wednesday's market, and as the few loaded ships which
have escaped wreck, are either locked in the harbours or
driven to Leith Roads, still higher prices were obtained.
Best coals were 38c, at which price a large gas company
bought. Steam and manufacturing sorts were 30s. As
every ton of coal, large and small, that could be raised in
1853 has been got rid of, and nowhere are there any stocks
ea hand, we do not see how the produce can be increased
till more pitmen are formed and more collieries won.—
Newcastle Chronicle. Jan. 13.