The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-18 00:00:00

ITALY.

- 4.-
SAItDINIA.

(ssox ous ows oosassroirezrr.)
TURIN, Jerez 13.
Last year we witnessed extraordinary patriotic
zeal on the part of the young men of Ita—rich
and poor vied with each other in setting at defiance
persecutions and dangers, and flocking to the
standard of the Italian King. This was not a mere
momentary excitement, or a paseiug fashion. It
was a genuine manifestation of renascent national
sentiment, and subsequent events have brought out
'this fact more clearly. Were there forty or fifty
ships ready to sail from Genoa, and were oppor-
I tunity given to the youths of all parts of.the
Icountry to go and fight against the Bourbon
or the Pope, they would be filled in a
few days. Many students who were reading
bard for their degree, many who held lucrative ap-
pointments, or were making large incomes in com-
mercial pursuits, many men of independent means
have left, and many more of all these claeses are
about to leave. Of course, many are kept back by
the love and the fears of their parents, and nume-
rous are the stratagems employed on the one side
to effect, and on the other to prevent, a start.
Last year some of these contests ended tragically.
At Verona, for instance, a young man belonging to
a wealthy family, who was shut up in his father's
house to prevent his going to the war of indepen-
dence, attempted to let himself down from the win-
dow one night by a rope ; the rope broke and he was
found next morning lying dead on the ground. An
equally distressing thing has happened on this
occasion. A lad of good family wished to join
the expedition to Sicily. His father and mother
were opposed to his doing so, but being hopeless
of dissuading him feigned compliance with his
wishes, intending, however, by some means or other,
to keep him at home till the expedition, which
they felt sure was a desperate one, had sailed. The
evening before its departure they put a quantity of
opium in the son's wine. The dose was so effectual
that the brave boy never woke again.
To-morrow Savoy and Nice are to be formally
handed over to France. Our government has de-
puted Count. Bianchi di Caatagni to perform this
office for Savoy, and Comnatore Pirinoli for
Nice ; so to-morrow the sacrifice will be complete.
At seven o'clock yesterday evening the Minister
Carafe sent off from Naples a telegram in cipher to
Signor Canofari, the resident minister here, who
received it at half-past eight. If it had contained
any great news it would not have been in cipher,
we may feel sure. Probably it contained some in-
structions respecting the plausible and concessionary
policy which the Neapolitan government is con-
strained to adopt just at present, while looking
forward to better times, when Lamoriciere shall
have got together his army, and Austria shall
have made up her mind openly to aban-
don the policy of non-intervention. You may,
perhaps, be aware that the Neapolitan govern-
ment has freighted five large transports at
Marseilles. Is this done, I wonder, to prevent their
getting into the bands of the Sicilians, or with a
view to effecting a landing of its own in Sicily one
of these fine days 1 Some colour is given to the
latter supposition by letters which I have received
from Naples stating that it was decided in council
to blockade Sicily, destroy her commerce, and then
make a bold attempt at re-conquest. It is hoped
that the Neapolitans will be reconciled by a con-
stitution to the pro)ects of their Bourbon King.
Meanwhile money will be spent to foster a repub-
lican party in Sicily, and the centre of this and
similiar operations will be Syracuse, the least libe-
ral of Sicilian cities. I have reason to believe
that information to this effect will be sent to Lord
Palmerston by one who has good evidence of the
intentions of the Neapolitan government.
Marshal Vaillant is hourly expected at Turin,
where he willstay over to-morrow, to take leave of
the King on his return to France. At Milan he
has been much feted—the object being to do
honour to the Emperor his master. On his own
account he has not been over-much liked, and
he has shown himself deficient in sympathy for the
cause of Italy in general and Piedmont in parti-
cular. Had he been sovereign of France we should
have had no battles of Solferino and Magenta, no
annexation of Tuscany, still less of the Romagna.
I have informed you that the new expedi-
tion for Sicily was commanded by Colonels
Medici and Coseuz, and so it would have been had
there been transport ships enough ; unfortunately
there was only room for Medici and his division of
something less than 3,000 men. Cosenz will follow
him, but I know neither how, nor where, nor
when.

In a private sitting of the Senate to-day, General
Fanti, Minister of War, was questioned as to the
condition of the army. His replies were more
reassuring than could have been anticipated front
the distrust occasioned by the disorders which have
occurred in some of the new regiments. In two
months the army will be entirely reorganised, and
many deficiencies supplied. Even as it is, it could
take the field in pretty good condition if necessary.
Signor Giuseppe Lft Farms, a Sicilian, who was at
the head of the "National Society," and who has
been of great service to the national cause during
the last two years, has gene to Sicily, where he was
warmly welcomed. The extreme and republican
party, while thwarting him, tries to sepa-
rate him from Garibaldi ; but these two
loyal men will find no difficulty in acting to-
gether ; whatever differences there may have been
between them hitherto have been differences as to
expediency, not differences of principle. Like
Garibaldi, Signor La Farina is much esteemed by
Count Cavour, and this will increase his power of
serving the cause of Sicily, and indeed of all Italy.
I believe that before his departure be went to pay
his respects to Victor Emmanuel, to whom he is in-
debted for a !generous hospitality during several
years—a hospitality which he, at au) rate, has ap-
preciated and not abused. Signor La Farina is a
historical writer of considerable merit, and a re-
markably good speaker.