The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-09 00:00:00

EXPRESS FItOM PARIS.

(11.01 t 0171 OWN

PARIS. FRIDAY BUYING.

There IS such a remarkable discrepancy between
the explanatory paragraph appended to the news of
the suspension of arms in the Ifuniteur and a com-
municated note which appears in the Siede snd the
Petrie, that I think it desirable to place the two
statements in jaxta-position. The Monileur says:
" It is necessary that the public should not mis-
understand the extent of the armistice; it is limited
merely to a relaxation of hostilities between the
belligerent armies, which, though leaving the field
open for negotiations, does not enable us for the
present to foresee how the war may be terminated."
The communique alluded to is in the following
words :

" It would be premature to attach too great im-
portance to this news. It is at present only a mili-
tary fact, and not a diplomatic arrangement."

The difference between the two communications
consists in this—that the one gives it to be under-
stood that the existence of diplomatic negotiatiors
is the moving cause of the truce, while the other re-
presents it as resulting exclusively from military
exigencies. No one reading the note in the
Moniteur, without further explanation, could fail
to carry away the impression that a suspension of
arms had been agreed to on account of proposals for
peace, but that the French government desired to
warn the public against entertaining sanguine hopes
as to the issue of the negotiations. It seems to me,
however, that the communique, which evidently
emanates from the same source of inspiration as the
note in the official journal, is not absolutely and
necessarily inoonsistont with it. The Moniteur,
although it leads the reader to infer that the truce
flows from the fact of negotiations being on foot,
does not literally say so. Its words ere that
" the truce leaves the field open to negotiations."
This, although not the most apt and straightforward
manner of stating the fact, is strictly compatible
with the assertion of the communique that the sus-
pension of hostilities is a mere marry measure.
I should observe that, in the French language, the
expressions trice and suspension d'arnies, which are
nearly synonymous, have nothing like the force of
the word armistice. An armistice means that hcs-
Widen are suspended because there are grounds to
hope that peace will be made; a truce merely signi-
fies that both the belligerents find their account in
suspending hostilities for a while. Trire, it must be
observed, is the word used in the Moniteur. Neither
of the official communications state from which side
the demand for a truce proceeded. The Patric
says, incidentally, and probably on mere conjecture,
that it was asked for by the Emperor of Austria.
I have, however, reason to know that the telegram
from the Emperor to the Empress contained the
words "on my demand." Reasons for a truce, on
purely military grounds, are but too cogent. The
theatre of war is at tb;s moment a frightful charnel
house. The dead are not buried deep enough, and
the wounded are dying off at a frightful rate,
under the influence of the intensely hot weather.
It is, however, certain, that in spite of the guarded
language of the 1111miteur, and the positively dis-
couraging tone of the communique, the public ,n
Paris are folly persuaded that the war is over.
It is worthy of remark that the latest letters
from Vienna speak of something of great import-
ance as being on the Gilds, and although military
preparations were go;ng on with increased vigour,
end Austria apparently was determined to raise
her last recruit to cel cy on the wer, the Vienna
Bourse was under a vet/ strong impression that
peace was likely to be made. Prince Wintlischgratz's
re4ssion to Berlin doubtless had reference to 'regalia-
tons between Austria and Prussia as to conditions to
be proposed. It is very probable that very large
astonishingly largo—concessions will shortly be
made by Austria through the mediem of Prussia end,
perhaps, other powers; bat I fear that they will
not be large enough.
I hear that Marshal Vaillont and General Hess
have been respectively appointed French and Aus-
trian commissioners for settling the terms of the
suspension of antis.
The Bourse, remembering that the news from St.
Petersburg which announced a congress wb'le the
Crimesn war was raging resulted in a speedy peace,
took a moat sanguine view of the suspension of hosti-
lities. The Rente rose 2fr. 40c. for cash and 2fr. 60c.
for account, closing at 661 r. 40c. and 66fr. 60c.—the
highest prices of the day. Mobilier rose 80fr. The
Orleans Railway rose 70fr.; Northern, 32k. 60c. ;
Eastern, 20fr. ; Lyon., 22fr. 60c. ; Southern, 26fr.;
and Western, 17fr. 60c.

The ( ourrier de Marseilles announces the arrival
in that city of General Goyon, but it seems so un-
likely that the commander of the French army of
occupation should leave Rums under the present
critical circumstances that the news is considered t 9
requiring confirmation.

ITALY.

--.-
SOLFERINO.

(PROSE 01:17. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

PIEDMONTESE HEADQUARTERS, MON Z AMBANO
(iIIILEE MILES FROM i'LIiCHIERA). Jett 2.

Yon must not wonder at my protracted silecoe
for since I wrote from Solferino our camp hie has
been more wandering than panel. Toe headquarters
of the King have changed so often that it has been
difficult to follow them. After the great battle
of Solferino, the Piedmontese headquarters were
successively established at Desenzanu, ltivoltells,
and Pozzolengo, till, early this morning, we left for
Moor emlorno, where we are likely to remain some daps.
The Piedmontese, who now hold the positions
forming the left wing of the allied armies, have been
entrusted with the operations of the siege of Pea-
chier', and are thawing nearer and nearer to the ap-
proaches of that fortress. The Au.triaos try to
check the advance of our working parties, but
although their fire is not discontinued, even during
the night, the work of our pioneers proceeds favour-
ably enough. Ou their side the French are busy at
work at Deeenzano, in order to get ready their small
fleet of gun-boats, which are to attack Peschiera
from the side of the lake, the weakest portion of the
place. The day before yesterday I raw some of the
boats already fitted up, and I can assure yon that
they are really wortuy of Woolwich or Chatham.
Even Sir Charles Napier would have nothing to
say against that splendid materiel.
Captain Dupuis, of the Frecch Imperial Navy, has
been entrusted with the management and command
of the fleet of gunboats, and he has told me that he
does not think the bastions of the furtrces could re-
sist more than two or three day,. The firing at
Peachier', which the Austriaus keep up with more
than German obstinacy, is now especially directed
against the small vilisge of Punti, where the lot
Piedmontme division is encamped. This morning,
as I was passing through the village, the Austrian
round shot and 'tells Caine thick aud fast, and I saw
a captain cf the Guards killed 100 yards from the
road by which I Lad come.
Some shells which had fallen upon a cluster of
house, of the village had caused a conflagration
of rather serious character; but happily help
was near at hand, and the fire was soon put down.
I doubt, however, very much whether Pouti could
be saved, for when our batteries shall open the fire,
those of the Austrians will burn it to the ground.
Its unhappy population seem to know already that

such will be the result, for they are making prepara-
tions to leave the village, and seek an asylum in the
neighbouring hills. The people of Pozzolengo,
Solferino, and Cacriana, have already given them a
generous hospitality, offering to divide the scanty
loaf of bread which war has left them. You cannot
form an idea of the poverty prevailing at present in
this country. Were it not for the kindness of a
venerable lady, the Countess Capolini, of Porzolengo,
whom I knew in Lombardy some years ago, I should
yesterday have been in a fair way of starvation. I
could not find even a small piece of bread, which is
here called " panetto," though I was willing to give
five francs for it. The devastating blot of war
has travelled over this country, and food of every
sort and description has been completely swallowed
up by the two conquering armies. I have now
visited almost all the positions which formed
both our and the enemy's line during the fierce
struggle of the 24th ult., and I can insure
you that I never witnessed a more distressing
scene in my life. After a careful inspection of the
position the Austrians held on that now famous
Friday, I cannot conceive how they could manage
to get the worst of the fray. They had for theirim-
mediate base of operation that formidable line of the
Mincio which, from its brevity and its being con-
nected on one side with the stronghold of Mantua,
and on the other with Peschiera and the Lake of
Garda, is the strongest in Italy. The ground they
had chosen offered them the moot favourable posi-
tions. Opposite Peschiers, on the southern bank of
the lake, a formidable line of hills develops itself
west and south. No place that I know of
could afford a more advantageous position for an army
fighting against an enemy who proceeded from the
plain.
In my former letter I told you how the ground of
the Rocca and surrounding hills was still covered
with heaps of dead bodies, three days after the
great battle. Oa the capture of Solferino, the Ans-
trine began to fly towards Volta, and did not stop
till they had crossed the Mincio either at Goito or
at Monzambano. The Austrian centre hav-
ing been thus entirely routed, and Cavriana
carried at three o'clock, all the activity and exertions
of the enemy were then tuned towards the plain,
where they hoped to succeed in defeating General
Niel. This able leader was then still holding a po-
sition in the Campsgns, which, from Medole, ex-
tended itself as far as San Cession°, where, as I said
before, the chain of the hills begins. It was there
that the Austrians with powerful forces tried to
rout the French corps d'armte, sending against it
every horseman they had collected on the plain. A
brilliant charge, however, of the French cavalry,
and a bold assault of their infantry, soon cooled the
ardour of the Austrian legions, which in an hour
were also here completely routed and compelled to
bend in disorder on Gaidizzuolo and Cerlonga towards
the Miacio. The charge of the French cavalry was
one of the most brilliant of our time'', after the
famous charge of Balnklava, for the Hungarian
hussars were completely overthrown by the Chas-
seers d'Afrique, Lancers, and Dragoons of the Impe-
rial Guard.
The attack on the line of battle which had been
entrusted to the Piedmontese began at about 3
o'clock in the morning. While some regiments of
the line were sent to reconnoitre, they fell in with an
enormous Austrian column, which was en its march
towards our camp. The regiment of the Guard,
which had started from Lonato before day-
break, after having halted at Castel Verzago,
found itself in front of the enemy, posted on the
right flank of Solferino and on the hills of the Ma-
donna Scoperts. In spite of the difficulty opposed
by the ground—for the Guards had to go through
the marshes which separate the plain from the hills
—in spite of the fatigue of this march, they rushed
with an ardour seldom witnessed before against the
position of the enemy. The Austrian artillery were
awaiting them. The shock was tremendous. After
a deadly engagement, which I described in my
former letter, they were obliged to retire till the
brigade of Savoy and a portion of General Fanti's
division were sent to support them. The positions
were then carried, although at a vast sa-
crifice; and the Austrians were compelled to re-
treat. At San Martino the same deeds of vetoer
were achieved by Mollard's, Cucchiari's, and Fanti's
divisions. Although the Austrians, with the rail-
road at their disposal, could bring every hour fresh
troops. disencumbered of their knapsaks, into the
field, those positions were heroicaly disputed by our
soldiers. The assaults with the bayonet and the
charges of cavalry were repeated again and again,
with an ardour worthy of the times of ancient
Greece and Rome. The Piedmontese artil-
lery was also equal to its wide-spread fame.
At the end of the battle some of our
guns wire manned by the officers, for not
one gunner had been spared by the Tyrolean bullets.
In my last letter I sent you the number of our brave
soldiers who fell in this battle, your readers are,
therefore, in a position to judge the heroic deeds
of our army. The King, Generals La Marmon, La
Rocca, Moused, Fanti, Durando, Colonels Casanova,
Pettiti, Beretta, and Uriffini did wonders, and they
deserve the admiration of the world. At night,
after the position of San Martino had been airri
by our troops, the fires of their bivouacs illuminated
the gardens and palace of Count Treccani, where the
Austrians had strongly entrenched themselves two
or three days before.