The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-01 00:00:00

THE CONGRESS AND THE CRISIS.

Although the eyes of Europe are at the
present moment directed with prospective anxiety
to the congress which is about to be assem-
bled for discussion of the difficulties that
are agitating it, it seems to be doubtful,
so strained is the situation, whether some sudden
outburst of popular feeling may not precipitate
events before the meeting of the diplomatists. The
Florence correspondent of the Debuts, for example,
writing on the 29th of May says :

There are military, political, and financial considerations
for not wasting time. The last, as everyone knows, are
becoming more serious every day. The 250 millions bor-
rowed from the bank are being rapidly exhausted. A new
issue will be required next month, and if the present
state of things continues, war will have to be commenced
with a paper circulation enormously depreciated. In a
military point of view, it is dangerous to maintain an
army concentrated and inactive during the hot season,
and politically it is extremely difficult to keep a country
in which the national movement has been so decided as in
Italy without division and distrust breaking out
and destroying the unanimity which has hitherto
existed. In times like these action is the essential
condition of concord. The government is well aware of
this state of things, and will not be inveigled into a pro-
tracted negotiation, at the end of which is certain ruin.
Whether the conference meets or not, be assureil that
the prolongation which is anticipated at Paris will not take
place. Yesterday a notice appeared in the Official Gazette
ordering the volunteer officers to join their corps in 24
hours. This imperative order induces people to look for
the speedy arrival of Garibaldi, whose appearance will be
the war signal. The government is doing all that the
party of action ask for, and between both there is
now entire harmony. There are 20,000 volunteers in the
depots waiting to be equipped. 50,000 have inscribed
their names, and there is little doubt that when once
Garibaldi appears on the continent the number of volun-
teers will reach near 100,000. Nobody anticipated such a
general and continued movement. In Naples likewise the
war feeling is spreading. A sou of Prince dAngri, a son
of Duke Cinelli, and a son of Signor Spinelli, the last pre-
sident of the council under Francis 11., and other members
of the aristocracy, have entered the cavalry as simple sol-

diem. The brat batch of the Garibaldi volunteers left on

the 4th ; the Venetian and Roman emigrants have also left
for the army ; the students are under drill and deserters
front the Papal army are constantly arriving.

" Italy, Austria, and Prussia," says the Anenir
Sat weal, "have consented to a congress, but they
are at the same time continuing their war prepara-
tions with redoubled energy."
The King of Italy has replied to the forced loan
of 30,000,000 on Venetia by calling under arms 22
new battalions of volunteers. 80,000 men have
already enrolled themselves, and before the end of
the week it is calculated that 130,000 men will have
inscribed their names.

(REI TER'S TELEGRAMS.)
AUSTRIA AND THE CONFERENCE.
VENICE, MAT 31.

The official Gazette of Venice confirms the intel-
ligence that Austria has positively refused to enter-
tain any project for the cession of Venetia; that
she proposes the solution of the Schleswig-Holstein
question to be brought about by the convocation
of the Estates of those Duchies, and maintains the
incompetence of the Conference to discuss the
affairs of the Germanic Confederation.