The Express.
London, England, 1848-07-31 00:00:00

war; they rushed into the chamber ea occurred in
Paris on the 15th May. The president having sus-
pended the sitting remonstrated with the
populace, and prevailed on them to withdraw. This
scene determined the ministry to demand a declara-
tion of war, and led to the proceeding we have just
mentioned relating to Count Pasolini.
Since the reception of this intelligence an extraor-
dinary express has arrived with letters of the 220,
which announce that no ministry being found to ac-
cept office on the conditions imposed by the Pope of
maintaining a neutrality with regard to the war in
Lombardy, and the state being without a government,
the Chamber of Deputies and the people had ap.
pointed a provisional government. No further de.
tails, however, are given.
PAPAL STATES.—Letters from 'Florence of the
21st inst. explain the origin of the report already
given of the appointment of a provisional govern-
ment at Bologna. It is not a provisional government
which has been appointed, but a committee of war,
who are charged to take such measures as they may
think necessary, without reference to the central
government at Rome. The principle adopted as the
basis of action with this committee, is not only the
defence of the pontifical states, but the total expulsion
of the Austrians beyond the Alps. It disavows, how-
ever, any intention of separating from the Roman
government, and professes to have been constitu'ed
with the authorisation of the ministry at Rome. The
members who compose it are 'elected from the
most prominent advocates of Italian indepen-
denee. They are MM. Bianchetti, Antonini
Canuti, Morandi, Zsmbecorri,Pizzandi and Ranuzzi.
It was hoped that the appointment of this committee,
its avowed objects, and the protest of the Pupc, would
have the effect of tranquillising the uneasiness which
had arisen, and preventing so great a calamity as the
unpopularity of the Pontiff would be ; nevertheless it
is evident that the population of the Roman sates is
sericuSy divided, and that the refusal of the Pope to
give his explicit personal sanction to the war against
Austria has excited great irritation.
Cuatemporaneo of the 19th publishes a report
of the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies at Rome
of the 18th, in which an address was proposed and
prepared on the instant to the Pope, requesting him
to order an immediate declaration of war against
Austria.
The Flowire Gazette of the 21st states, that at the
moment of going to press news had been received,
that on the 19th the people of Rome made an im-
portant demonstration, in order to induce the Pope
to declare war against Austria. An immense crowd
went to the palace where the deputies hold their
sittings, to present the petition in favour of war;
the chamber was invaded, and the sitting conse-
quently suspended. The president harat,gued the
people, and succeeded in persuading them to dis-
perse quietly.
LOMBARDY.—The Italian mails bring details
of the affair of the 23rd and 241 h, and have added the
intelligence that the Austrians had received a counter-
check. It appears that on the night of the 22nd two
attacks were made simultaneou-ly on the Piedmontese
line, between Somma Campagna and Villafranca,
one on the heights at Itivoli, and the other
at Borca. The Austrians stole upon the Sar-
dinian army in the utmost silence, and protected
by the darkness of night. At the first point, the
numerical force of the Austrians being very superior,
the Italians gave way after three hours' fighting. At
Boma the enemy was repulsed. The King being
informed of these facts, leaving the Lombards and
some Piedmontese to blockade Mantua, marched
immediately to Villafranca, near which 25,000
Austrians were concentiated. A bulletin, dated from
the head-quarters of that place, at 11 o'clock at night,
of the 24th, and addressed to the Minister of War at
Turin, announces that a battle had taken place be-
tween Costoza and Somma Campagna. The king had
detached General Bava, with a view to cut off the
retreat of the Austrians on Verona; meanwhile the
Austrians were attacked with complete success, and
compelled to abandon the strong po-itions they
had assumed on the heights of ltivoli. 600
prisoners and a standard were captured. The
Austrians had succeeded in throwing a bridge
across the Mincio, and passing that river at Sahanze.
They were then, therefore, advancing in the direction
of Milan.

The Italia announces that, on the night of
the 22nd inst., when a frightful storm was raging,
the Austrians showed themselves under Villafranca,
Somma-Campagna, and Sena. They came from
Verona, were 8,000 in number, and had their horses'
hoofs and the wheels of their car:iagcs covered with
cloth, to prevent noise. Two hours before daylight
the Italian army perceived them. The line from
Villafranca to Sena was protected by the regiment of
Savona and 1,200 Tuscans. The Austrians captured
Villafranca, and attempted to burn it dour, ; they
drove back all the line of the Italians, and killed 100
Tuscans, a general, and several officers. They then
pillaged and devastated the place. All the troops who
were at Castelnuovo, Monzambano, and the environs
received orders to retire to l'eschiera. The Austrians
advanced under that place, where they killed a great
many people and devastated some villages. They
afterwards withdrew on learning that a body of l'ied-
montese troops was advancing against them.
The Ventidue Marv, of Milan, of the 23rd, states
officially from the camp, that on the 22nd the I'ied-
montese had occupied Bonferraro, and thus completed
the blockade of Mantua.