The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MO AY EVENING, APRIL 14, 1862.1

tion in England, it has been copied into the journal
called the Popolo dltalia.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) EDW. WALTER BONHAU.

No. S.—CONSUL BONHAM TO EARL RUSSELL.
(RECEIVED MARCH 13.)
Naples, March 7, 1862.
My Loid,—l have the honour to inform your
lordship that the Vice-Consul at Brindisi reports
the reappearance of brigands in that neighbour..
hood. Bands of marauders are also spoken of as
having made their appearance in other districts.

I asked General La Marmora, yesterday, what
truth there was in these reports,

His excellency stated that bands had appeared
in some places, but in small numbers. He added
that brigandage in this country is an affair of old
date, and it is useless to flatter ourselves that it can
be suppressed all at once. Until we improve our
internal communications by the construction of
railroads and of common roads, and have an effi-
cient and properly organised force of carabinieri
in the country we cannot hope wholly to eradicate
it. But these brigands are mere marauders, and not
in any way formidable or important as to numbers.
His excellency also stated that there had as yet
been no disembarkation of adventurers from abroad.
—I have, &c.,
(Signed) EDW. WALTER BONHAM.

NO. 9.—CONSUL BONHAM TO EARL RUSSELL.—
(RECEIVED MARCH 25.)
Naples, March 19, 1862.
My Lord,—l have the honour to report to your
lordship that I this day received a letter from Co-
senza, signed Baron Antonio Valerio, containing
what purports to be copy of a proclamation issued
by Major Fumel in that neighbourhood, I enclose
copy and translation of that document.
Immediately I received it I called on his Excel-
lency General La Marmora, and showed it to him.
His excellency told me he had not previously seen
seen it, and had only heard of its existence by the
mention of the subject in the House of Commons.
He read it, as every one must do, with indignation
and disgust. He said that Major Fumel is not in
or belonging to the army, and he (the general) has
nothing to do with him, and does not understand
by what authority he is acting. He asked me to
let him have a copy of the proclamation, which I of
course gave him, and he called Col. Farriola, chief
of the staff, and desired him to send off a telegram
at once to the Prefect of Calabria to know on whose
authority this proclamation, which has excited the
natural indignation of foreign nations, had been is-
sued. His excellency promised to send me copy of the
prefect's reply, which, as soon as I receive it, I will
transmit to your lordship.
I also enclose copy and translation of Baron Va-
lerio's letter. lam not acquainted with the writer,
and cannot doubt his statements are exaggerated.
That men may have been shot at the places named
is possible, but I do not believe that any Northern
Italian would be guilty of shooting a woman under
the circumstances stated.
It is, I trust, needless for me to add that the rea-
son I did not sooner send a copy of the document
to your lordship is that I did not possess it, nor
was any one in this city cognisant of its existence.
The copy that I received is the first that had come
to Naples.
Doubtless the utmost exasperation exists on the
part of the troops towards the brigands ; it cannot
be otherwise. The latter put to death with exces-
sive cruelty any one of the troops who has the mis-
fortune to fall into their power—cut off the musta-
chios and chin-tufts of their victims, and wear them
as ornaments in their hats. Having such trophies
it is not possible to suppose they can expect or re-
ceive quarter when they on their parts, fall into the
hands of the troops.
General La Marmora further stated to me that a
captain and 19 men of a company of infantry at
Lucera, near Foggia, having separated from the rest
of the company when marching in that neighbour-
hood yesterday, were overpowered, and all massa-
cred by brigands. Their bodies were subsequently
found by their companions stripped and horribly
mutilated.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) EDW. WALTER BONHAM.
Enclosure 1 in No. 9.
Notice to the Public.
(Translation.)
The undersigned, charged with the destruction
of brigandage, promises a reward of 100 f. for every
brigand, alive or dead, who may be brought to him.
This reward shall be given to any brigand who
shall kill his companion ; moreover, his own life will
be spared. In defiance of this, those who may
give shelter or any means of subsistence or support
to brigands, or seeing them Gr knowing the place
where they have taken refuge, do not give informa-
tion to the force and to the civil and military au-
thorities, will be immediately shot.
For the custody of animals, it will be well that
they should be brought into several central spots,
with a sufficient armed force, because it will not be
of use without a considerable force. All straw huts
must be burnt ; the towers and country houses
which are not inhabited and guarded by a force
must be, within the space of the three days, unroofed
and their entrances bricked up. After the expira-
tion of that time they will, without fail, be burnt,
as also all animals which are not in proper custody
will be killed. It is prohibited to carry bread or any
kind of provisions beyond the habitations of the
communes, and whoever contravenes this will be
considered an accomplice of the brigands.
Provisionally, and for this circumstance, the syn-
dics are authorised to grant permission to carry
arms under the strict responsibility of the proprietor
who shall make the request.
Shooting as sport is also provisionally forbidden,
and therefore no one may fire off a gun expect to
give notice"to the armed posts of the presence of
brigands, or else of their flight.
The national guard is responsible for the terri-
tory of their own commune.
The undersigned does not mean to recognise,
I under present circumstances, but two parties—bri-
gands and anti-brigands; therefore he will class
amongst the first those who are indifferent, and
against these he will take energetic measures, for
when the general necessity demands it is a crime
to refuse.
The disbanded soldiers who do not present them-
selves within the space of four days will be consi-
dered brigands.
(Signed)
Celico, March 1, 1862.

The Major, S. FUIktEL.

Incloeure 2 in No. 9.
BARON VALERIO TO CONSUL BONHAM.
;Lranslation.)

Casenza,larch 12, 1862.
Sir,—Lord Derby asked explanations from the
English Government respecting the manifesto pub-
lished in the unfortunate Capitanata by the Pied-
montese Fantoni, and received the assurance that
the Government of Turin would act with humanity.
Let the English Government know that Piedmont,
not to allow to escape through her fingers the prey
which, by treasons and infamies, she has seized, adds
to cruelty insult, and whilst she gives the assurance
that she will act with humanity, permits that in
Calabria an adventurer, a certain Fumel, comes here
as organiser of the National Guards, which he has
not organised, because no one would know him,
having abandoned that mission, has taken upon him-
self to pass through these districts, subjecting them
to sack, fire, and ruin.

And that all may be convinced of this cruelty let
them read the following proclamation.
Neither is Fumel a man nit to keep his word, in-
asmuch as at Bisignano he shot nine persons, after
they had voluntarily presented themselves ; in Acri,
two others; in Corigliano an old woman, because she
did not produce her daughter, who had gone off with
a brigand; in Longobucco four others; in Crucoli
six, and so on in other places—burning and de-
stroying all the country houses, huts, and shelters
for man and animals, and imprisoning as manv
people as fell into his hands. Murat did not do in
France that which is now being done by the " Go.
vernment redressor of grievances, come at the cries
of suffering." But let them beware that the mea-
sure is not filled, let them reflect that here "are the
descendants of those who destroyed 40,000 French-
men to the first Napoleon. Woe if they are again
aroused.

Is it possible for Europe, Which has interfered for

the massacres of Syria, of Turkey, and Mexico, bar-
barous and very distant provinces, to stand by in
silence and permit such horrors amongst populations
Which belong to her by customs, by religion, and by
love P

(Signed) BARONE ANTONIO VALERIO. ••

No. 19.—CONSUL BONHAM TO EARL RUSSELL.
(Received March 25.)
Naples, March 20, 1862.
My Lord,—With reference to my despatch of
yesterday's date, I have the honour to inclose copy
of a note I received last night from Gen. La Mar-
mora, transmitting translation of the reply his
excellency had received from the Prefect of Cala-
bria.—l have, &c.
(Signed) EDW. WALTER BONHAM.
Inclosure 1 in No. 10.
GENERAL LA MARMORA TO CONSUL BONHAM.
Naples, 19 Mars, 1862.
M. le Consul-General,—Voici la repcnse que je
viens de recevoir du Prefet de Calabre.
Je ne pourvais vous envoyer la depeche elle-
meme, parce qu'elle est en chiffre, et puisqu'il fal-
lait la copier je l'ai traduite textuellement en Fran-
cais.

(Signe) ALPHO. LA MARMORA.
Inelosure 2 in No. 10.

THE PREFECT OF CALABRIA TO GEN. LA MARMORA.
(Traduction.) Cosenza, le 19 Mars, 1862, 6h. 20m.
J'aurais empeche la Proclamation Fumel si je
l'avais connn a temps. Du reste, elle n'a jamais ete
imprimee, et le major I'a laissee divulguer par les
syndics plutot pour inspirer de la crainte, mais it a
toujours use une louable moderation et justice, et
rendu d'eminents services.

Depuis quelque tons j'en avais averti le Minis.
tere, craignant ce qui effectivement est arrive.

(Signe)

Le Prefet, E. GUICCIARDI.

No. 11.—CorrsuL BONHAM to EARL RUSSELL,—
(RECEIVED MARCH 29.)
Naples, March 21, 1862.
My Lord,—l have the honour to report to your
lordship that, having seen in the Times of the 15th
March a report of an inquiry made in the House of
Commons by Sir George Bowyer to the First Lord
of the Treasury as to whether her Majesty's Go-
vernment had received information that, whilst
the body of the deceased Archbishop of Amalfi
was lying in state in the cathedral of that
town, and whilst the funeral service was being
chanted by the clergy, a party of revolutionists
rushed into the church with drawn daggers,
and repeatedly stabbed the corpse of the prelate, I
lost no time in making inquiries on the subject. I
can inform your lordship, with entire confidence,
that no such atrocious occurrence took place. What
did occur was as follows :
Domenico Ventura, Archbishop of Amalfi, died,
in Naples, on or about the 11th of February. The
body was taken to Amalfi for interment. The
usual religious ceremonies having been duly per-
formed, the authorities required that, according to
the existing law, which prohibits interment in
churches, the body shall be deposited in the Campo
Santo, instead of in a vault in the cathedral, where
heretofore it had been the custom to deposit the
bodies of deceased bishops. Upon this a commo-
tion took place amongst the population of Amalfi,
especially amongst the women, who, carrying their
wooden slippers, assembled in great numbers at the
cathedral and insisted on the old custom being ad-
hered to. No regular troops are stationed at
Amalfi. The national guard, amongst whom lam
told there are but twelve muskets, could not quell
the disturbance. The authorities yielded, and the
corpse was placed in a vault in a cathedral.
A day or two after the occurrence, Signor Zoppi,
Prefect of Principatro Citra, hearing what had
taken place, sent a company of regulars from
Salerno, and in their presence the coffin containing
the corpse of the Archbishop was removed from the
vault in the cathedral and deposited in the Campo
Santo without any further disturbance.
Such are the real facts of the case.
As I have taken this account principally from
letters which have been shown me, written by per-
sons having strong reactionary tendencies, I am
quite sure that nothing that could be stated against
the present Government has been omitted. I have
written to the Vice-Consul at Salerno for a report
of the case, but being satisfied of the correctness of
the above particulars, I do not delay sending them.
As to the further report, that an expectation
existed in Naples that the tombs of the former royal
family in the church of Santa Chiara were likely to
be violated, I am unable to trace any foundation
whatever for that report. I have, unfortunately,
not been able to-day to find the Brazilian Consul-
General, but I have spoken to several of my col-
leagues, no one of whom had heard of such an
unexpected occurrence any more than I had. I have
seen the Civil Prefect, M. Visone, and the Secretary
of the Questor of the Police; they assure me that
they have never heard one word on the subject ;
that no communication has been received by them
from the Brazilian Consul or Minister relative to
the protection of the tombs of the children of the
Princess of Aquila; that there has never been the
slightest reason to suppose there was danger of their
being violated, and that they are utterly unable to
devise how such a report can have originated.—l
have, &c.,

(Signed) EDW. WALTER BONHAM.

No. 12.—50. J. HUDSON TO EARL RUSSELL.--
(RECEIVED APRIL 1.)
(Extract.) Turin, March 29, 1862.
I have the honour to inform your lordship that
I have been told on good authority that Prince
Petrulla, who for some time past has been organis-
ing an expedition at Trieste to land in the Neapoli-
tan provinces, has now ordered a quantity of red
Garibaldi shirts and other equipments in imitation
of Garibaldi's volunteers, for the purpose of dressing
his recruits in them, and so mystifying the popula-
tion -wherever they may land.

No. 13.—CONSUL BONHAM TO EARL Russ ELL.—
(RECEIVED APRIL 2.)
(Extract.) - Naples, March 27, 1862,
I have the honour to report to your lordship that
Colonel Brianza of the Bth regiment infantry sta-
tioned in the Capitanata, at whose suggestion it
would appear the proclamation recently issued by
Major Fantoni at Lucera, in that province, was
drawn up, has been placed en dieponibtlite. I here-
with enclose copy and translation of the order of
the day issued by him on leaving his command. This
dismissal is bitterly commented on in some of the
journals, and it is assumed that many persons in
England view the system of brigandage with a
favourableeye. It is also alleged that active assist-
ance is being afforded by the British flag in the
transport of adventurers to land on these shores.
The Gazzettino di Napoli, of 25th istant, says .
" As it is well known, reaction is trying a last effort
and again raises its head. At Rome hands are being
organised militarily, which, embarked in ships
under the British flag, are trying to effect a disem-
barkation on the coasts of Puglia and Bari, It
would appear that communications exist with the
brigands in the interior, as those under the orders
of Crocco are approaching the shores of the Adri-
atic, committing the usual excesses."
It is probable this assertion as to English ships is
not true, but it produces an unpleasant feeling. As
to the character of these excesses committed in the
Capitanata, they are atrocious. The following de-
tail I learn from the statement of a gentleman who
returned to Naples a few days since, having been
plundered by the band of the said Croceo, near
no reason to doubt the truth of his
sFteagtegmi a.
statement,
know no
is as follows ;—" I left Bari; the
road being considered unsafe, two diligence,
having together fourteen passengers, travelled
in company. On 14th March we were stopped by a
large body in the Valley of Bovino. Amongst the
passangers were a lady, an old sergeant of vete-
rans, a police officer, and a monk ; the others were
private travellers. We were taken some miles into
the forest, where the large body of brigands were
assembled—these numbered about 100, all young
men, dressed as peasants, not at all as soldiers;
two appeared to act as chiefs, one of whom was
Schiavone, a man about 35 or 36 years old,
the other Crocco
; a man of about 22 or 23. We
calledwere
were
stripped
of our money and clothes, the
lady's earrings were also taken, the sergeant was
then shot, the policeman was bound and thrown

amongst a heap of faggots, which were set on fire,
and he was burnt; the rest of us remained for some
time in extreme terror, knot knowing what would
be our fate—finally, one of the chiefs ordered that
we should be let go, and we were released accord-
ingly, found our way to Ariano, and thence to
Naples. I have to-day seen a telegram reporting
the burning alive of a priest by the same band of
Croceo, near Ascoli, which is also in the neigh-
bourhood of Bovino."

Another General is appointed• to command in
place of General Dedda. . t--
Inclosure in No. 13.
Order of the Day by Colonel Brianza.
Officers, Non commissioned Officers, an(FSol-
diers !—ln accordance with the political authori-
ties, I gave orders to my Lieutenant-Colonel, the
Cavalier Fantoni, to proclaim rigorous measures,
so as to obtain, if not the total destruction of bri-
gandage, at least to diminish the devastation and
bloodshed caused by it in these fair and unhappy
countries.

I The Government of the King has found this my
proclamation, perhaps, not altogether opportune
under actual contingencies, and, consequently, has
decided on my dismissal.
This sovereign decision, as regards me, has deeply
grieved my heart, as it obliges me separate myself
from you, who, during the two years I have been
your commander, have given me no doubtful proofs
of discipline and courage ; it suffices to call to mind
the death which has just now befallen eighteen of
your comrades commanded by the brave Cap-
tain Richard, who, rather than lay down their
arms to these assassins, about 140 in number,
preferred to defend Italian honour to the last drop
of their blood. Four of these unfortunates were
Neapolitans, and on this day, in taking leave of
you, I am happy to be able to offer a tribute of
praise also to you, soldiers of Southern Italy, oho
in good conduct observed,"and valour shown, have
rendered yourselves worthy to fight by the size of
your fellow-soldiers of Palestro and San Martino.
At the moment of leaving you, I consider myself
again obliged to recommend to your ardent and
constant discipline, such as I know you have
hitherto maintained. It rejoices my heart to know
you severed from thy old feeling of municipalism
(provincialism), and that you hold it an honour to
be an Italian. I have no doubt whatever that
when the occasion shall present itself for you to
measure yourselves with the enemy you will know
how to add fresh laurels to those already gained,
thus rewarding the care of,the new commander who
may be chosen to lead you, and of the Government
of the King, who expects from the army the accom-
plishment of the grand work—unification of Italy.
Viva it Re I Viva l'ltalia
Foggia, March 22,1862.

The Colonel
(Signed) E. BRIANZI.