The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-16 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND AND NORTH SAVOY.

GENEVA, Area 12.
We are under the very painful impression pro-
duced by all that is going on in Savoy. Only yes-
terday Count Cavour was promising to Switzerland
that France would not take posse lion of Savoy until
after the parliament of Turin has spoken. Never.
theless, Senator Laity, the intimate friend of Napo.
leon, has been travelling through most of the pro-
vinces to kindle up French enthusiasm' before the
annexation vote, which is to take place by univenwl
suffrage on the 22nd inst. This proceeding is really
a sort of moral taking of possession. Notwith-
standing the official intimations given everywhere
M. Laity's reception in the northern provinces
appears to have been cold and unenthusiastic. You
may form some opinion of the feelings of the people
from this fact, that at St. Julien it was found ne-
cessary to disarm the National Guard, which reined
to mount guard under the French flag that had
been publicly displayed.
. .

Will all that;the energeti*fforts of the clew
in favour of France, the private interests of the
numerous employis, who, having just been appointed
as adherents to France, are anxious to keep their
places, and all sorts of underhand manteuvres
brought to bear upon the people, will necessarily
influence a great number of votes in favour of
France. In presence of this pressure, what will
the numerous Savoyard partisans of Switzerland
decide upon doing ? It seems likely that they will
abstain from voting. A negative vote would ex-
pose them uselessly to disagreeable personal eons&
quences, whilst it would not clearly show their
Swiss sympathies; for the question will be put in
somewhat the following shape, " Will yob be
French or will you not " so that a negative vote
might mean, we wish to remain Sardinian subjects;
and many Swiss annexationists are now unwilling
to return to a government that has so unfeelingly
abandoned them.

Whilst France is thus gradually but really in-
vading Savoy, we keep up our spirits with the hope
that the conferences of the greet Powers demanded
by Switzerland may soon meet. We do not hear
that the time, nor the place where they are to meet,
is yet fixed, but we trust that they will not be long
delayed. The French newspapers state that France
is willing to grant some kind of guarantee to Swit-
zerland ; that Switzerland is on her side ready- to
treat directly with France ; that there will be no
conferences, and that England is relvising Switzer-
land to give way. You must not believe a word
of all this. These articles are probably written for
the purpose of preparing public opinion, and to in-
duce us to throw ourselves entirely on the mercy
of Napoleon. Let us hope that they also fore-
shadow more favourable dispositions towirds
Switzerland ; but be sure of this, that Switzerland
having called upon the great Powers to support
her, she will not go back from her present position
and ruu the risk of losing her best and most effi-
cacious means of protection. Switzerland will
steadily persevere in her appeal to the Powers who
signed the treaties of 1815.
It is not true that the British government his
sent anybody to dissuade Switzerland from insisting
on the Conferences. We know, on the contrary,
that England is actively urging their being called
together, and the German powers are giving us all
their support with the same view. But time
presses, and as long as these diplomatic proceedings
have no positive result, it is difficult to restrain
our more impatient spirits and to keep down the
desires of a numerous party to proceed to energetic
military measures.
Sir Robert Peel has been Pted here yesterday
and the day before, each party, radicals and con-
servatives, vying with each other to do him honour.
Our only pre-occupation, before width all pohtiod
differences have disappeared, is ti uphold the gui.
rantees of our independence. We slo nil be happy
to find some means to show our gratitude to all
thew who have so loudly and generously come for-
ward for the defence of our rights and our liberties.

SUDDEN ur CAPTAIN LEICESTER

VILILVON, M.P.

It with great regret that we record the ,leath
of thia gentlenum, which took place soddenly out Saturday,
at hi. malt/two, 51, Great Cumberland-street, Hyde Park.

c..14...a Vernon left the Mitre Club at about four o'clock
in the %Heron in hisser' health sad spirit", accompried
by a friend. le &Meg up St James'ostreet his boron ,
become restive, and the deceased gramme got out of his
carriage to ascertain the care. In endeavoring to make the
bores proceed he fell, but immediately recovered remelt
and proceeded calmly to give directions as to the dipmg
the bore sad carri.cge, shieb he followed to the livery
stables in the t0441.b.urh,..L He then, stating tbet be
felt perfectly compared, walked to the top of 84.
Jamseerreet, and (.4 into a cab to be driven to kin rest.
deer. At that time be complained of a alight pain in
his ciw.e. On ~hiss the middle of Regent.atrem he
made further complaints of being earn, and requested to
be drives homy. On reaching his bore undid advise
eras ilase•Jmely summorl, but before it could wive Cap-
lan Versus bed breathed his last. Tbe erre el death I
ascertained I. have bees intents] besearrbege, preiseeei by
the rapture of a bleed well.

Ca pun' Verses repeetwited the county o Berke, tad was
an r t,re awl able .ember et the Howe el Gamma& 87
• lame waualier ef frieeds, both perwasl and poli•
t,:...1. hare sweleised a some ler, while the attest of the
•ufferieg whi.h hie nee* Insadlete circle nadergo ran be
..tiobated by like aloha arlimew at the admit, iteelf.

TM It NANUIPICTOIII OP ANCEOIII IND CHAIN
CABLES ?O 2112 MEACHAM' iiiitries.

IMPORT 0/ THZ CoMiIIiTZIL

The earl osaittee appointed to Mesa Me Qs mew
facia of ahem and anis ease he as membent is,.
ewe, and who was —rued to repooltheir ebserragaa
together with the tattoo d tb. mama Wee bane
that, have conaJored the station to then stioned, and
have agreed to the follow* repaet :
I. fins at UN 011141111 a. tam umay, it WIN estoolohati
evidasas. that the loss of chain ambles by peetrae. sad of
when by bnakiag, is of we oararreste is her Majesty's
grey ; sail that this aware to arias from their hanag heels
sajeenal to a snakiest bee Ware they are riaresvod from
the resgaters, and alms ha their being thoroughly ea•
sarall, sad ia assay eases mated whet rata:sal lab
are, or bola they as .pia Mad for service.

2. That s variety of vitae's... chatheakers. shipowsew.
awl persons serwerreat nth thippieir. examined
the easiaitlees once: a the rpm.° that it is
lushly .upsalsus that alas cables sad whom for the
merriest weir maenad ha rebiected to as saiwioate tent
More they me wed. w h ww•M ko OM INN= of raving
mach We red petroerty.
3. That a emu iderakk portico d &ilea sow suede for the
%weber' wrier rwe of Infamy me sad ilefeetiee work.
_

4 nit the emponslimi el Liverpool and Harbour Trust
of that part hams lbw loamy years employed • tenting las-
thaw .4 limited power, which is kept ie employment ;
and that ware tab ampairy was ordered by the Home (4
commons, it appears that the Harbour Trust, to meet the
ikwiand. ed OM port, pars decided Oa the erection .4
mochas, d prenber mpaerty and powers That it is also in
eritleue• that, &wins a period a 6.• years, or cables Rid to
the Liverpool testing useitine, f 2 per mat. are imperfect

:is That is finadarland two testing machines ham been
for lame tiros is mention, which, although private pro-
perty, ars acomeible to aD, sod that the superior character
.4 .Lain cables made in that district ie in a great measure
slat to the results of these testing machines.
ii. That from the evidence of all the witnesses examined.
your cmonittee has fanned the opinion that nothing but
the use of proper testing machines can afford any guarantee
foe the somilseas of cable* or anchor., as defects may
mud, either from bedlam of material or imperfect welding,
which sio Impacts's tau detect and so dimly can the
tenacious quality. of Om he calculated. that chains did, be
murk t.. bear a green strain, which woubl break if the least
cameo( it were applied.
7. That though instances have been adduced by some wit.
perm to support the opinion that the application of a
severe strain sac testing has an injurious elect ma a cable,
this idea seems to the outionittee to be completely refuted
by the evidence of Idr. Willcocks, and by the results of ex•
periseeste made at Woolwich, and referred to in his
evidence.

M. That all the witnesses examined agree in the utility of
a t..t, and anus of them, including all the manufacturers
ch.ou cables saamintal„ desire that its use should be coin.
pub..es, as many cables are now sold with false certificates.
9. That good grounds having been established in this in-
for n•wmcmen.bug the adoption of public testa, the
ottly questions which remain are, the authorities into whose
this duty should be confided, anti the regulations that
sh..ohl f e enforeeth

That pnar committee are of opitti.ti that bodies en-
mg the r.aithlen.......f the mercantile and shipping tote-
n-4, anl whore kool residence will ensure an adequate
supertntrisleuce (such as dock tnistees), are the proper
perwm. uielyrtoke this duty ; and that the reguicea
ulehr which they act should be approved of by the Board
11 Trwle.

II That in ord•r to suit the coovenienceof manufacturers
of chain. awl anchors who have testing machines on their
eau wrung., the Hoard of Trade, on receiving a requisi•
taw frona any stfrh manufacturer, should appoint inspectors
to att.•tal the testing .1 any chains or anchors, and give ear
tin ate., asw•onhny to printed regulations to be framed
f•r that purpose, of the strain applied to them, which
a1e.111.1 Is• th.• test •pplicable to their size.
12. That although the committee cannot overrate the
adianta,:e of having the chains of every were' subjected to
they are unwilling to recommend that the test
ehould lie made compulsory, but as they have recommended
the general use of testing machines, they consider that ell
ships lauu.•hal alter the let January, Dell, which come
unler the proviaion.“4 the Pemeeger Act, or are employed
by any department of her Yajerty's government, either in
16.• conveyance entirtaeta i.e troops, should be required
to priablee ecrtithatca that their cables have been properly
tested,