The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-18 00:00:00

ITALY.

(From the Correspondent of the Morning Post)
ROME, DEC. 9.

The threatening aspect of the political horizon,
especially in Germany, having reminded King
Maximilian 11. of his duties at home, his Majesty
took leave of the Sovereign Pontiff on Saturday
morning at the Vatican, and started yesterday for
Munich, abandoning his quiet artistical retirement
at the Vi, la di Malta much sooner than he originally
contemplated.
The pamphlet, " Napoleon 111. et le Corgres" has
produced a strong sensation here, as in other parts
of Europe, with,its cry of " Guerre pour guerre!"
but the Pontifical Government will hardly be re-
luctant to witness any appeal to the fortune of
war, from which there might possibly result a
restoration of its lost provinces. Monsignore de
Merode, his Holiness's indefatigable Minister of
War, is at work night and day increasing and
improving the contents of the Papal arsenals, no
doubt with a view to contributing a contingent to
the Catholic army of a new holy alliance at the
moment of need. Nine complete batteries of artillery
and 24,000 rifles are stored up already, and military
equipments of all kinds are perpetually being fur-
nished, to the consternation of the Finance Minister,
Monsignore Ferrari, whose remonstrances, how-
ever, on the expense of such proceedings are soon
stopped by Monsignore de. Merode's reply that the"
money he lays out is not derived from the Papal
treasury, but from the Catholic contributions of
all Europe. From the same source men will be
forthcoming to use all these weapons at the fitting
mcment, it is to be inferred, for otherwise the
armament is out of proportion to the military ne-
cessities of a State barely numbering 600,000 souls,
and garrisoned by foreign troops.
The festival of St. Barbara, revered as the
patroness of artillerymen, was celebrated on Friday
last at the Pretorian camp, where the corps of artil-
lery offered a banquet to the generals and superior
officers of the Pontifical army at the new barracks
erected within tnat ancient area.
The following remarks on the event are made by
the Corresponclance de Rome ;-- One thing must
be well observed, which is that the Pontifical
army, representing at the present day the Catholic
element in all the height and energy of devotion,
bears in itself the germs of a complete restoration
of the Pontifical power. At Rome, as well as at
Castelfidardo and Ancona, it affirms in the sight of
the world the existence of the royalty of the Vicar
of Jesus Christ, and it has a right to the love of the
universal Church, and to the respect of its enemies."
From these expressions it is evident that Pius IX.;
as a King, is attached to the ultima ratio regum,
and that he still trusts to the valour of his own bat-
talions for the ultimate recovery of the lost pro-
vinces.

I had the honour of seeing his Holiness to-day,
looking well and happy. He was going to pay a
visit to the occupants of the Nazarine College, an
establishment situated at an awkward turn in a
narrow street, with a door which I should not have
supposed capable of admitting the ponderous Pon-
tifical equipage; but his Holiness's coachman, an
imposing personage of the Daniel Lambert stamp,
achieved the awkward tarn, entered the narrow
door with his six horses and vast vehicle, without
the eighth of an inch to spare on either side, set
down the Pope at the grand staircase, and went on
to turn in the courtyard beyond with a dexterity
which showed him to be quite worthy of the exalted
position he occupies.
On Thursday last two members of the Cochin-
Chinese Embassy to Paris, Messrs. Tri-Cong-Ding-
lip and Pe-Ho-Ang, returning home on board a
Spanish steamer, touched at Civita Vecchia, came
up to Rome, and were received by the Pope, to
whom they announced that the free exercise of the
Catholic religion had been granted in the Annamite
empire, and that Pontifical subjects would hence-
forward enjoy there the same rights and privileges
as French and Spanish subjects. The Pope received
these F,nvoye, themselves Catholics, very affec-
tionately. They were accompanied by Commandant
Montejer and five other Spanish offiee.rs.
On Saturday, the sth instant, Count de Sartiges
had the honour of presenting to the Pope, in a pri-
vate.audience, the letters accrediting him as French
Ambassador to the Holy see. His Excellency after-
wards paid a visit to Cardinal Antoselli.
Mr. Ode Russell has telegraped from Turin for
his laseia passare to be sent to Civita Vecchia, and
is hourly expected in Rome.

PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
—Names of Candidates who passed the Major Examination
as Pharmaceutical Chemists—William Gowland, Sunder-
land ; William Ileathorn, Maidstone ; B ichard Hopgood,
Chipping Norton; Jacqucst Olivier, Mauritius; Montague
5. it. Hoskin, Southampton ; and Frederick C. M.
Millar, Beaminster.