The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-05 00:00:00

VISIT OF THE SING OF ITALY TO

NAPLES.

(From the Times' Correspondent.)

APRIL 29.
I am at a loss for terms to despribe the enthusias-
tic reception which was warded yesterday to Victor
Emmanuel, the King of Italy: It infinitely sur-
passed, both in fervour, and universality, his first re-
ception, and far exceeded all expectations. For a
week or more the fever has been rising ; yesterday
from dawn of the day the excitement was intense,
and when the first cannon boomed which announced
the approach of his Majesty there was a burst of
feeling which it was impossible to mistake. As
soon as I had despatched my letter I went out to
make my observations and passed over the line of
route which his Majesty was to take from the
landing-place to the Palace. The balconies were
all covered with rich tapestries and shaded by
thousands of tricoloured flags, so that through
whatever street the eye glanced a fairy forest pre-
sented itself of gorgeous colour. Even at that early
hour ladies were assembling in the balconies, and
the streets were thronged with passengers, all busi-
ness suspended, shops closed or closing, every one
appaarently absorbed in the expectation of the
Sovereign of this beautiful country. At 1 o'clock
it was put about that his Majesty would arrive
earlier than was expected, and people began to take
up their positions. There were parts of the city which
were literally abandoned, the dense population
pressing on eagerly to such points as would
present a good view of the King, and streets were
crowded and housetops were filled with several
hundred thousand persons, as if Naples had been
turned inside out. For myself I took my place in
Santa Lucia, and never saw the bay, which lay under
my windows, more beautiful than it was on this
occasion. On the left was a forest of shipping, the
masts of which just peered over the walls of the
fortifications, and every now and then there glanced
across the water, like a gay and flaunting gadfly,
the launch as green as Dan O'Connell could have
desired, and covered with green silk awnings, which
was to bear the King to land. Round this gaudy
launch sported hundreds of little barks, like insects
of smaller pretensions, full of bustle and excitement,
glancing here, there, and everywhere, and giving
indications of wonderful vitality. Her Majesty's
ship Algiers stood outside the Mole, further on, in
a central position, lay the Neptune, and not far
from the Castello d'Ovo, the James Watt, the first
in rank, all three prepared to receive the Sovereign
of constitutional and united Italy. It was a proud
becoming position which England assumed through
her representatives on her native element, for if any
country should sympathise with and aid the Italians
in this their hour of difficulty, it is the country
which is the cradle of liberty, and which has won
her present high place among the nations through
much suffering and long struggles.
In the background lay Vesuvius, apparently dis-
posed to get up a demonstration on its own
account, for, whereas it has been for some
time perfectly tranquil, in the afternoon it began
to send forth volleys of smoke, but it all
terminated in smoke, for there ho is this morning
looking as imperturbable as a sulky and dangerous
mastiff, At 3 o'clock our ships dressed, and every
masts in the bay was covered in a moment, with tri-
coloured flags; then our bluejackets, conventionally
so called, though now they were all as white as
snow, were seen running up the rigging and cluster-
ing about the masts like gulls. "Il Re Galant-
uomo viene" was the universal shout, and the
masses:were heaving backwards and forwards with
impatient expectation ; but yet another hour of
anxious endurance ensued. At last a shot from the
Castello d'Ovo announced that the Royal vessel was
turning the point of classic and lovely Pausilippo ;
the buzz of voices, and the clapping of hands even
in the distant parts of the city were universal and
unceasing. The thin mists which had covered the
sun for two or three hours, protecting the vast
crowds from its burning rays, now cleared up, and
sea and mountain dressed themselves in their most
gorgeous colours for their Kings; our ships fired
salvoes which were repeated by the ships in har-
bour and the forts, and amid the rejoicings of na-
ture, for the sun burst out at this moment, and the
universal rejoicing of hundreds of thousands of ex-
pectant free men, their King rounded the Castello,
and came in view of the city. It was as beautiful
a sight as I ever witnessed. Very slowly the Royal
vessel moved on, and with becoming dignity. The
Maria Adelaide was followed by another frigate,
and then by the Costituzione, which left at mid-
night on Sunday to meet the King at Gaeta. Soon
after the Royal squadron the French squadron hove
in view, consisting of four vessels, a first-rate and
three frigates. They are respectively the Bretagne,
the Algesiras, the Redoubtable, and the Imperiale.
By this time we had in the Bay three British
ships of four, four French, and the Italian squadron,
consisting of the three which accompanied his Ma-
jesty, and several others in the Royal port. You may
judge what a brilliant coup d'ceil it was, all decorated
as they were, and with their yards manned- I have
not spoken of excursion steamers which went out to
meet the Royal vessel, nor of several others 'which
left in the afternoon, giving evidence of the increas-
ing commerce of Southern Italy, and making a pro-
test, as it were, against a return to the old state of
things, by which all individual and national efforts
were crippled or crushed. As soon as the Maria
Adelaide anchored the State barge received the
King, and attempted to make its way to the land—
attempted I say advisedly, for such a multitude of
boats crowded around it, filled with enthusiastic per-
sons desirous of welcoming their Sovereign, that it
was difficult to land.
It was calculated that 500 of
these boats hovered round the Royal barge. On his
Majesty disembarking, and entering the pavilion
which had been erected expressly for the occasion and
fitted up with exquisite taste, he was received with
a hurricane of applause. I can give you no idea
of the ardour, the waving of handkerchiefs, clapping
of hands, and shouts of "Viva Vittorio Emmanuele,
it Re Galantuomo, it Re d'ltalia Unita!" Bouquets
were showered thicker than May showers could do
it. Every possible spot Wu occupied, and the very

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PRICE..... ...4d.
STAMPED

masts of the vessels had their clusters. The King
was evidently moved by the enthusiasm of the
people, and that is saying much for a man of iron
nerves. The demonstration must have been a mighty
one which could so far have affected him. In the
pavilion there were in attendance the civil and
military authorities and. Ministers of State, and
members of the diplomatic body and other persons
of distinction who had received invitations. As soon
as the official greetings were completed the Ring
entered the Royal carriage, which was in attendance,
and, preceded by a picket of Carabineers, commencedwever,
the truly Royal procession. Before all, however,
went a host, of gamins, who, in all countries, it
would appear, are the exponents of public joy; the
various associations of students, operatt, " Italia
Una," and several others followed, bearing flags and
boughs of trees. I saw several priests in the proces-
sion, and au old friar sinking under the weight of
a banner. The first carriage bore the officers of the
household; then came the Royal carriage drawn by
six horses, and seated with the King were the Pre-
fect, General Della Marmora, and the Syndic, Cava-
lier Colonna. A squadron of the mounted National
Guard surrounded the King, and a brilliant spectacle
they presented with their costly uniforms and fine
horses. Indeed, the entire service was done by the
National Guard, who lined the road of the proves-
. sion, and a finer body of men it would be difficult
to find.
' A few presentations took place, and the first who
was received by the King was our senior captain,
Captain Codd. An hour's repose, and the rejoic-
ings of the night began. I first walked through
the city—if a man could be said to walk who was
borne along bodily—and marked the universality,
of the illuminations ; there was no sparing of
oil; people did not light up merely to save their
windows, their demonstration was as spontane-
ous as it was general and enthusiastic, and not
even the police of the Bourbons by threats or per-
suasions ever managed to get up such an illumi-
nation. Every quarter had its band, and Bengal
lights to amuse and divide the masses. The Church
of Carminie *is a thing ToflightPand its, pietY
rekdertoiwer gloWed and glittered from afar ; but
when I entered the Palace-yard I thought I had
never witneased such a fairy scene. The church and
cupola, and the colonnades of San Francisco Paolo
were lighted np as is St. Peter's on Easter Monday.
The three Royal palaces were crowded with the
elite of the country ; the King was in the centre of
the balcony, and a regular storm of congratulations
greeted his appearance. Below was an amphitheatre
of seats in which were seated 450 musicians, and
the serenade was about to begin. "How are we
to get to the Foresteria ?" said my friend, for the
people were packed like anchovies, and a dense
mass of carriages was beneath the Royal salon ; but
a strong will and courage overcome any difficulties,
and so, ploughing through the crowd, we shortly
found ourselves in our desired places. The Piazza
was now almost in darkness, and the serenade
began, and one after another, with brief intervals
of repose, the following pieces were performed,
under the able direction of Maestro Troisi :-
1. Marcia Reale.
2. Sinfonia—Assedio di Corinto.
3. Marcia di Troisi, su' motivi popolazi—." Fenesta Vas-
Or," " Festa di Piedigrotta," both composed by Guglielmo
Cotrace.
4. Valzer--" Il Re Galantuomo del Maestro Savoja."
5. Marcia de Palatio del Maestro Caecavaio.
6. "Intro di Garibaldi."
Immediately after the first piece it was evident
that the temporary darkness had been arranged for
the sake of contrast, for directly after its conclusion
there was a burst of light from the top of the colon-
nades of the Church of San Francisco which was
almost blinding. Fountains of fireworks played all
over the roof, tricoloured rockets shot into the air,
studding the Heavens with brighter constellations
than already glittered there, and then comparative
darkness closed around us again, and the soft music
from below stole upon our ears. The effect was
magical. As every piece of music wakened up the
memories or touched the affections of the people,
there were bursts of applause, and so these inter.
changes of music and light, gorgeous and charac-
teristic light, continued until half-past 10 o'clock.
I must notice particularly the late part of the spec-
tacle, which was peculiarly brilliant ; round the
summit of the colonnades were suspended festoons
of evergreen by day, with circular garlands on each
point of the festoons, while in the centre of the
cupola with an immense garland, with a gigantic
V.E. in the middle. In a moment these decorations
were a blaze of tricoloured lights, changing from
time to time, the form exquisitely preserved, and
every leaf and flower being accurately defined. A
shower of rockets shot up again in all directions

and then darkness fell upon the delighted and loyal
masses, who will long remember the splendours of
this right royal reception of the King of Italy. I
fear to have been tedious in my details; but I do
assure you that I feel utterly incapable of commu-
nicating to you the most distant idea of the joy and
enthusiasm of the Neapolitans. It was after the
King had been safely landed in the Palace that I
went through the crowd yesterday, and witnessed
the immense satisfaction and gratification. The
captain of one of the battalions seized me and said,
" Did you ever see anything like it ; I was on guard
at the Pavilion ; we could all have wept like children:
Bello! bella! magnifica! Bun Angelo ! " speaking
of the King.
And now one word as to my impressions of this
wonderful pageant and demonstration. First, the
Southern Italians are eminently monarchical in
their ideas and tendencies. Republicanism will
never find any root here. Such theories may be
started, and associations in their favour may be

found, but nothing but monarchy will go down here.
And who is that monarch to be P Not a foreign
prince ; the very stones would rise up and protest
against him, and much less a Bourbon.
eSaome may
n
have been discontented, impatient, exig
ts
Europe
their Sovereign but Vietnr Frareinnuel
they will not have a Bourbon. Who tflien is
And' but
toyle3se.
theyte r d a
will
i theyl l h
- avdeclared
andinntohneo bfauctehio'nfi. that
YOU know
that I expressed myself dolefully on occasion of
the first plebiscite, as I would and do of all such
State machinations;, but yesterday's demonstration
was the true piebisrcite, the only one in which I
have any faith--spontsneous, heartfelt, and univer-
sal. I cannot help observing that when Royalty
is so welcome, its presence so great a necessity, its
seat must be nearer the South, and every true friend
of Italy must clamour for Rome as the capital.
There lies the Italian question, and the enemies and
soi-diearat friends of Italy know it right well. Let
Victor Emmanuel be enthroned at the a i 1 c pta , and
let his Neapolitan subjects see a little more of him,
and there will not be a more loyal or a more de-
lighed people in all Europe. You well know that
I always endeavour to be impartial at the risk of
much misrepresentation and personal hostility under
every r egime. I am never an advocate, but an histo-
rian ; receive, therefore, my statement and opinion
as faithful, that the demonstration of yesterday was
a protest against foreign princes and combinations
and snares; against the whole race of the Bourbons
and their allies, the priesthood, and a prayer, an
earnest, an agonised prayer, to civilised Europe to
assist in placing Victor Emmanuel, the King of
United Italy, in his only legitimate capital, the
Eternal City.
I have only to add that though several hundred
thousand persons were on foot yesterday there was
not one instance of disorder and not one arrest made,

I had it on the authority of the Qurestor. I mingled
in the densest crowd I ever was in in my life, an
anchovy myself packed with thousands of others,

and found myself moved along with well-dressed
women in the crowd, fearlessly and without the
slightest pushing or rudeness. A people so gentle
may surely be easily
governed, but let the King
come among them more frequently, and that he may
be enabled to do so let the Emperor of the French
wipe off a deep stain from bis Government) and from,

the generous people over whom lie rake, by Yeaueik
ing the only obstacles which now exist to Italian
unity, nationality, and progress.
The list of the French fleet is the Bretagne, Capt.
Mequet ; the Donawerth, Cart Levasseur ; the Al-
gesiras, Capt. Rolle ; the Imperial, Capt. Martin ;
the Itedoutable, Captain Garnault ; the Alexandre,
Capt. Excelmans ; the St. Lonis, Capt. Saisset ; the
Castiglione, Capt. Lescure ; tLad'aton, Capt.Saulieu
Dusentre. Part of this fleet Lame in late, so that I
had no opportunity of noticing them. Those which
came in first were only just in time, meeting the
Royal vessel off Ischia, and coming in half an hour
after. There are three Freneh Admirals here.
Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief M. Rigault
de Genouilly, Rear-Admiral M. La Capelle (in the
Donawerth), La Brouse (in the Algesiras). Our
Admiral has left Malta for Corfu, and the James
Watt leaves to-morrow morning. I send you an
authentic account of the French fleet.

On the arrival of his Majesty at the Palace the
captains and commanders of our vessels ranged
themselves on the staircase, and afterwards by in-
vitation went upstairs. Immediately on the King
hearing of the presence of our officers, Admiral
Persano came by Royal command to summon them
to the King's presence, and his Majesty was pleased
to receive them in the most cordial manner. To-
day the captain and commander of the James Watt,
and the captains of the Algiers and the Neptune,
will have the honour of dining with his Majesty.
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