Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-06-29 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, Monday Evening.—About eight o'clock last night
a supplement to the Moniteur was published, containing a
despatch from the Emperor to the Empress, dated Cavriana,
'26th, 11.55 a.m. It was published with avidity ; all the
world expected to find in it the confirmation of the first
telegram announcing the victory. When, however, it was
found that the French army had not crossed the Mincio ;

that the

" numerous standards" captured amounted only to

and that the only details given of a pitched battle
which had lasted sixteen hours was that General Auger,
who commanded the artillery, had had his arm shOt off, the
enthusiasm of the previous day was suddenly checked. Bat

three;

it was presumed that the Moniteur this morning would set
all right again. The official print, however, has no further
news. It only contains the not important information that
the battle is to be called the " Battle of Solferino." One

cannot be surprised at there being some disappointment at
this want of information, and, in fact, but for the dispatch
from Vienna, which admits that the Austrians have been
defeated, the issue of the battle would be open to consider-
able doubt. The inference which is drawn from the official
telegram is that the French army suffered so severely that
two days after the battle it was still unable to resume the
offensive. Mean While a few `details are b .;inning to ooze

out. The Piedmontese, who were at the extreme left,
suffered very severely. The Pattie publishes the subjoined
paragraph, which has all the appearance of having been

communicated by Government

24th, 7 p.m —This morning a
trifling outpost engagement took place, but the enemy
advanced with immense forces, and off.3red battle. On
here at seven this morning .the Emperor heard the
cannonade going on on:every. side. His Majesty, accom-
panied by his staff, immediately proceeded to the scene of
action. The enemy defended their positions with the
greatest energy ;_ but our troops, electrified by the courage,
amounting even to rashness, displayed by the Emperor, soon
drove them back. While lam writing (seven p.m.) we are
victorious on all the line. The Emperor exposed himself
throughout the battle; and the soldiers were divided
between the apprehensions with which this noble boldness
inspired them, and the admiration they felt for their chief."
On this I will make only the remark that such pre-
posterous. absurdity could only emanate from official
quarters. When a battle lasts 10 hours, the enemy cannot
be said to be soon driven'back. • In fact, it appears beyond
question: that the Austrian soldiers fought at least quite as
well as the French, but that the Austrian generals are not
fit to .hold a candle to the Niels, 111‘Mahons, and Canroberts,
and the less known but equally efficient staff that second
efforts, and intelligently carry out skilfully-devised
The "'aerie, in a second communicated article,
states that the Emperor was personally in the thick of the
fight, that M. Larrey, the head surgeon, who was riding
close to the Emperor, had a horse shot under him, and
that two horses of the Imperial escort of Cent Gardes were
killed. Matters are looking very gloomy here. The
'indecisive character of the battle holds out :no hope of a
speedy termination 'of the war, and there are vague rumours
of " very bad news from Prussia." People contrast these
hardly fought fields with the victories of the first Empire,
and the official papers with characteristic indiscretion
record the anniversaries of that glorious era : thus, in
to-day's, Patrie, I find the following
"28th June, 1797. -- General Senurier arrives rho s
with twenty-one colours taken from the enemy by the army
of Italy."

CASTIGLIONS, 'June

arriving

Marengo had been fought on the 14th. There is
some difference between the three colours of Solferino
and the twenty-seven of Marengo ; yet, if report be
correct, the loss of life was quite as great, not to say
more, on the 24th of June, 1859; than on the 14th of June,
1797

The Gazette de France states, that preparations are
twain; at the War Office to bring together within two
months from this a force of 450,000. I have heard from a
eertain source that great naval preparations are making at
Cherbourg. None, however, are more significant than the
accumulation of coal that is taking place there. At the
beginning of last month there were 18,000 tons in store.
Since thea 17,000 tons have been imported-12PN from

England, 6,000 from other quarters. At Rochefort great
quantities of coal have also been collected, the coal mines
of Descazevillc, in the department of Gironde have, I am
told, furnished the greater part. The Patrie gives it to be
understood that the atrocities committed by the Swiss
troops in the service of the Pope, at Perugia, have excited
so much indignation in Tuscany that Swiss subjects residing
there are threatened and insulted. The Federal Council
announce through their official organ that they are taking
steps to protect them. What steps ? Considerable rein-
forcements are ordered to Italy. Besides the two divisions
from the camp at Chalons, which I mentioned last week as
being under orders, another division from Paris has
received the route. In addition to this, a force of 40,000
men is to be sent to the Adriatic dit on. They may, how-
ever, be wanted on the banks of the Mincio before they
can reach the Adriatic.