The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-27 00:00:00

THE DEFEAT OF THE ITALIANS NEAR

VERONA.

The Temps of yesterday comments as follows
upon the dates/ of the Italian troops near Verona :
The news which reaches us to-day from the seat of war
In Italy is serious ; it will produce a deep impression in
Imam A desperate battle has been fought between
.Pseshirra and Verona, within the famous Quadrilateral.
The Italians have encountered in their first offensive move-
meat a formidable resistance it was impossible for them to
overman ; they have suffered losses which, according to the
early despatches, Sr. very considershie. Victor Emmanuel's
army crossed the Mimi* the morning before last at Ooito,
above Meatus, without meeting with any resistance. It
lad no sooner reached the left bank of the river than it
advaneed northwards towards Peschiers, with the view of
attacking the positions which connect that fortress with
th4entrenched camp of Verona. At the same time its
mesh, dashed on in the direction of the latter city, push-
ing before it an Austrian detachment, which it compelled
to take refuge in the outer forts of the place. It was
the Ist corps which was charged with the attack
between Peachiera and Verona • its movements were
to be sustained by the iad and 3rd corps.
A diversion seems to have been simultaneously attempted
belagran the outer forts of Peschiera by the left bank as
era se-bylaw troops that remained on likellgier bank of
the Minch). The lit corps led off, but is found itself
before superior forces, and was unable to overcome !them ;
at see time it must have been almost surrounded by the
enemy, for the despatches state that the second and third
corps advanced in order to try and release it, and were
unable to succeed. We shall no doubt receive circum-
stantial details respecting this sanguinary struggle to-
Illortoll or the day after. At present, however, it may
apparently be concluded, from the little we know,
that though the Italians have been very roughly bandied,
they may regard this day as one very honourable to their
army. The Ist corps must have terribly suffered, espe-
cially the Cerale division, the heed of which was wounded.
The Austrians announce that they have taken several guns
and 2,000 prisoners. They have done themselves the
honour of christening for themselves this battle, and call
it by the name of Customs, a name which recalls to the
Italians melancholy recollections of the campaign of
1848.

The Dada of yesterday has the following re-
marks :
The news of an engagement between the Italian army
and the Austrians is confirmed, and we regret to learn
that it was not to the advantage of the Italians. Two
despatches, one from Florence the other from Brescia,
announce in fact that the Ist army oorps attacked the
Austrian positions near Peachier*, and was repulsed after
• desperate struggle, which lasted nearly all yesterday.
The Cerale division, which appears to have led off the
attack, has sustained serious lows ; the general was
wounded, as well as Prince Amadeus. For the moment we
have no other details of this affair, the issue of which can-
not but sadden the friends of the Italian
cause, among which we esteem it an honour to be
counted, especially at this moment, when fate seems to be
so adverse to it. We think, however, it would be an
exaggeration of the consequences of this first repulse to
see in it a mournful presage for the rest of the campaign.
We are not superstitious ; we do not deplore beyond mea-
sure an unfortunate event, which perhaps will soon be
counterbalanced; we tknow that the fortune of war is
fickle, and we do not yet feel disposed to abandon any of
our hopes.