The Express.
London, England, 1859-05-26 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(WZON 0011 OWN 001LOWSPOIDINT.)

PARIS, WEDNESDAY ETENLYO,

There have been rumours all day that a peat
deal of fighting is going on near the Po, and the
Bourse has been affected by the reports, but nothing
like authentic confirmation of them has oome for
hand. Another disquieting rumour is that both Prussia
and England have protested against the French
occupation of Tuscany. I dare say it will turn oat
that " protest" is not the right technical word, but I
believe it to be certain that both Lord Cowley and
the Prussian Chargé d'Affaires have made " obser-
vations" on the subject, which have not been very
well received.

We are without any farther particulars of interest
touching the battle of Montebello.
It is reported that Colonel de Bellefond has died
of his wounds received at Montebello. Madame
Guyot de Levert, the wife of one of the other
colonels wounded at the same place, has left Paris
to me her husband.

The Boars/ was rather agitated by various ru-
moan. One was that the English Cabinet had
sent a note about the occupation of the Tuscan
territory by the French troops; and another, that a
serious engagement had begun yesterday between
Stradella and Pavia, and had continued this morn-
ing. The Rente fell 30c. for cash and 40c. foe
mount, closing at 61fr. 30c. and 20c. Mobi-
lise, fell 20fr. The Orleans railway fell 16fr.;
Northern, Bfr. 75e., and the other lines about bfr.
The Pays says it " believes it can contradict" the
rumours of the day. Up to this day, the 23th, the
Emperor was still at Alexandria. It is false that
Generale Niel and *Mahon have attempted the
passage of the Po.
Signs of the transition from peace to war strike
the fo•eur at every step he takes in Paris. Passing
along the Boulevard des Capucines to-day, I ob-
served an extraordinary crowd in the portico of
Legray's photographic establishment. On drawing
nearer, I found that all the portraits of smug citizens
and burgesses, elegant ladies, and pretty children;
which form the ordinary staple of that gratis
exhibition, had been removed to make way
for a complete series of portraits of the officers be-
longing to the Emperor's personal staff. There
they were—the Prince de la Moskowa, M. Teacher
de la Pagerie, the Marquis de Cadore, Generals
Fleury, Lepic, Mellinet, Morris, Tourlangeon, the
Count de Montebello, &c.,&c.; the physician Con-
note, the surgeon Larrey, and the chaplain Leine—
familiar names to those who know the Emperor's
household, and names now likely to become familiar
as household words throughout Europe—all depicted
by M. Legray "in their habits as they live," and u
they are now to be seen around the Emperor in
Italy. It was at the desire of the Empress that
they all sat, or, to speak more accurately, stood for
their portraits to M. Legray, before they left
Paris. In the windows of every print-shop may
be seen, enshrined in one frame, portraits of the
three sovereigns engaged in the war, the Emperor
Napoleon, the King of Sardinia, and the Emperor
of Austria. The French government, which has so
often treated as a crime the mere possession of the
portrait of an obnoxious individual, certainly
deserves some credit for its exceptional liberality in
allowing the likeness of the Emperor of Austria to
be exhibited in inch company. And moreover, the
artist has not done the slightest injustice to the
Kaiser, who appears, as he is in fact, the handsomest
and youngest man of the three. Maps of the theatre
of war, of all prices andof alldimensions, are hung out
by thousands, and the number of peripatetical
students of strategy who stand in the streets to pore
over them is marvellous. An immense trade is
driven by the hawkers, who clamorously
offer for one sous a full, true, and parti-
cular account of the " great victory " gained
by the French army over the Austrians. Military
caricatures, which have been unsaleable for half a
century, and stowed away, heaven knows where,
again see the light of day, and attract admirers, if
not purchasers. Swords, guns, and drunter are the
only toys for boys of four years old, and the minor
theatres find no spectacle so attractive as a represen-
tation of Austrians in white coats running away.
In the Univers, M. Louis Veuillot, presuming
upon the general disinclination to ran counter to the
maxim de mortals nil nisi bonus), writes an obituary
article upon the late King of Naples, in which he
represents him as the" wisest, virtuousest, discreet-
set, best " sovereign of this century, upholds his
system of government as one worthy of the imitation
of all sovereigns, and applies to him t►e
hyperbolic expression, used by one of Louis XlV.'s
posthumous flatterers, "Le roi est mort." Accord-
ing to the Unicers and the ultramontauista, whose
opinions it represents, Ferdinand the Second was
the model king of his age, The Pope alone, in his
capacity as a temporal sovereign, was worthy to be
compared with him. M. Veuillot indulges in some
bitter insinuations against Napoleon 111., who
. takes good care to check the license of the press as
against himself," but has tolerated the grossest
calumnies against his brother of Naples. It is in-
sinuated that the French monarch may one day bit-
terly repent his forgetfulness of the " solidarity " of
sovereigns, and will have to pay dearly for the part
he has taken for bringing the monarchical principle
into contempt. M. Veuillot says that the sole rea-
son why this excellent king—universally beloved by
the devoted subjects of a prosperous country—ao-
quired a bad name in Europe is that about ten years
ago an English hypocrite (coford), named Gladstone,
took the lead in a war of pamphlets against him.
The innocence and martyrdom of Pcerio and his
companions is treated as • pure invention which
Mr. Gladstone succeeded in palming off upon the
world.

We learn by the Megnatio Telegraph that the
City of Washington cleared out of Queenstown Harbour this
moraing. The wind and weather very fine.
The Count de Chambord has arrived at Rot-
terdam.

M. Kossuth last night leetared to an immense
assembly at Bradford. The illustrious exile is about to
edam's a Glasgow audience.

ITALY.

---.,.-
SARDINIA.

(raON Ora OWN COMJIMPONDIXt.)
TURIN, BAT 22.
We have received but few details of the brilliant
action of Montebello. I sent all I could pick up in
my yesterday's letter, and I can only add that the
positions of Geneatrello and Montebello were carried
at the point of the bayonet, and the cry of " Long
live the Emperor! Long live the King!" The
enemy was pursued by the cavalry as far as Cu.
teggio, and I can state on good authority that yes-
terday morning the Austrian corps d'armee was in
full retreat towards Stradella. The French bulletin
published yesterday at Aleasandria, under the date
of Friday last, tells us that only 4,000 men of
Forey's division were actually engaged during the
day. They assaulted the strong position of Gene-
strello Cemetery, which was defended by 6,000
Croat', and carried it at the point of the bayonet.
The Sardinian cavalry did wonders, and a body of
18,000 Austrians was routed by a small band of
4,900 allies. Another brilliant exploit was
achieved on our left by General Cialdini,
the day before yesterday. This general having been
ordered to occupy the left aide of the bridge of Ver-
celli, which bad been broken by the enemy, and pro-
tect the erection of a new one, waded with two
columns the river Sesia at Albano and at the Cap-
pucini. The first column was strongly resisted by
the Austrians at Villetta, but after a hard fight suc-
ceeded in carrying the position and maintaining it.
The second was fortunate enough to surprise two
companies of a Bohemian regiment, and a great part
of them were taken prisoners. The 10th Regiment
of the line, together with the Bersaglieri, Caval-
leggieri Aleesandria, and Piemonte Reale Cavalry
distinguished themselves very much.
To-day we have received news from Carrara. The
diminutive army of the Duke has left the position
of Anus, retiring to Fivizzatio, a small town on
the Appenines. From head-quarters no news.
The Emperor is gone to Voghera, and King
Victor Emmanuel hu left the head-quarters for
Valenta with his staff. Prince Napoleon has sailed
from Genoa on a military mission to Leghorn. I
fancy the voyage of his imperial highness has no
other object than to inspect the volunteers which
General Uloa is organising. No doubt the excur-
sion of the Prinos will be differently viewed in
Downing-street. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe has
just left Turin on his way home. Yesterday morn-
ing his lordship had a long interview with Count
Cavour at the Foreign-office. He was accompanied
by our minister at this court. Everybody here hopes
that the noble lord will succeed in persuading Lord
Malmeebnry to be a little less adverse to the Pied-
monts* policy. As you may easily imagine, our
Secretary for Foreign Affairs is not very popular in
Italy. The news of the arrival of the Emperor of
Austria at Garlasco wu premature. To-day I have
been assured on good authority that the young Kaiser
has not yet left Vienna.