The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-26 00:00:00

SICILY.

_ - -
Intelligence has been received from Palermo to the
15th of March.

The squadrons of the mediating Powers arrived
there on the 6th with the ultimatum, which way
transmitted by the two Admirals to the Provisional
Government. The following is the official letter of
Admiral BAUDIN

" On Board the French Republican Ship Friedland,
Paler►no, March 7.
" The undersigned Vice. Admiral, commanding in chief
the naval force of the French Republic in the Mediter-
ranean, has the honour to transmit to his Excellency the
Minister for Foreign Affairs in Sicily the following
documents :

" 1. A certified copy of a letter addressed by M. de
Rayneval, Minister Plenipotentiary from the French
Republic to his Majesty the King of the Two Sicilies, to
the Vice-Admiral Baudin, dated Naples, 3d March.
" 2. A certified copy of a note of the date of the 28th
of February last, addressed by the Prince De Satriuo
to M. De Rayneval.
" 3. Two printed copies of a proclamation of his Ma-
jesty King Ferdinand 11., dated Gaeta, 28th Feb. last.
" In nine days, six months will have elapsed since the
Vice• Admirals commanding in chief the naval forces of
France and England in the Mediterranean, moved by a
feeling of Christian compassion for the calamities
of every kind which decimated the town of
Messina, and which at that time threatened
to extend rapidly throughout the whole of Si-
cily, undertook upon their personal responsibility to
oppose the continuation of hostilities by the Neapolitan
army. During this time the Governments of France and
Great Britain, approving the conduct of their respective
admirals, and animated with a common feeling of good-
will towards Sicily, have interposed to procure between
this country and the kingdom of Naples a reconciliation
advantageous to the two nations, and which might ensure
to Sicily a free constitution, such as she anxiously wished
for for many years. The efforts of the two mediating
powers have been crowned with success. They have ob-
tained from his Majesty King Ferdinand 11. an act
which guarantees to Sicily the basis of the constitution
of 1812, with a separate parliament, a separate govern-
ment, of which all the posts shall be exclusively filled by
Sicilians. Theso advantages are accompanied with a
formal promise to forget all the faults and all the poli-
tical errors committed in the last Sicilian revolution. It
appears, then, that the Governments of France and
Great Britain consider that from this time
no serious obstacle presents itself to the
renewal of those ties between Sicily and the king-
dom of Naples, which for a long period of time
have united the two countries under one and the same
monarchy. The undersigned Vice-Admiral has, there-
fore, been charged, conjointly with Vice-Admiral Sir
William Parker, Commander-in-Chief of the force of
her Britannic Majesty in the Mediterranean, to transmit
to the Sicilian Government the conditions of a project
of reconciliation, and of a new union between the two
countries. He forms the hope that these conditions,
which he considers as perfectly reasonable and honour-
able, will be accepted; and that instead of again having
recourse to arms and engaging in an unequal and uncer-
tain contest with the Neapolitan forces, Sicily will has-
ten to accept with joy the benefit of the institutions
which are offered to her, without the cost henceforward
of a single drop of blood or a single tear.
" The undersigned entreats the Sicilian Minister for
Foreign Affairs to accept the assurance of his high
consideration.

(Signed) " C. BAUDIN.
" To his Excellency the Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Sicily, at Palermo."
The terms, as might have been expected, were re-
fused. The occupation of the fortresses by Neapolitan
troops is particularly objected to ; besides, from the
well-known faithlessness of the character of FERDI-
NAND, no one will trust either his word or his oath.
The Sicilians say he is acting in concert with Russia,
and whatever terms they might accept, he would
violate the instant he got quiet possession of the
island.

On the 13th notices were posted up all over Palermo,
announcing alevy enmasse, decreed by the Parliament;
all men, from 18 to 30, are included, but excepting
".,4 sons," marrivi men, and widowers with
families. All are to be requested to serve, but these
last may decline. Volunteers are promised prefer-
ment.

The Sicilians are well prepared for the contest. In
Palermo alone they have 16,000 regular
troops, besides the National Guard, and
as the National Guard have been constantly
drilled and disciplined for the last twelve months,
they are now become effective soldiers. They have,
moreover, a large force of French recruits, and a Ger-
man Legion of 7,000 men to be called the Republican
German Guard has, according to the German Gazette,
been organized by the Society of "Aide-toi," for the
defence of the liberties of Sicily. The Island is per-
fectly tranquil, and all the merchants agree in de-
claring that the trade of the island has never been so
prosperous as it has during the twelve months that
the Provisional Government has had the direction of
affairs.

Three spies were taken on the morning of the 12th
—one dressed as a priest, had a letter concealed under
the collar of his coat, giving directions for marching
a Neapolitan army from Messina to Palermo. They
are to be shot.

The Ministry has undergone a modification :—DI
MARCO takes the Portfolio of Public Works and
Instruction, and he will take the Finances ad interim,
CALVI, Public Worship and Justice; STABILE, War
and Marine ; TORREARSA and KART!, who ought to
have accepted the Finances, have successively retired.
A foundry for casting cannon has been established.
A quarter of the National Guard will be mobilised
during the war. Every Sicilian, from 18 to 30 years
is a soldier.

MANSION •MOUSE.—On Saturday evening the Lord
Mayor and the Lady Mayoress entertained at dinner a
party of about 40 Members of the House of Commons,
and the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex.
The Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel preached yester-
day forenoon (for the first time since his secession), in
the National Scotch Church, Regent-square, in place of
the pastor, Rev. James Hamilton, who was too unwell to
officiate.

THE DX-ROYAL FAMILY OP FRANCE.—The Count
and Countess de Neuilly are about to leave Claremont
for a short period, and proceed to St. Leonards-on-Sea,
the sir of that watering place having been recommended
for the ex-Queen, whose health, although much better
than it has been for some time past, is still very delicate.
The Queen of the Belgians is still on a visit to her illus-
trious parents; but her Majesty is expected to return to
the Continent early in the present week. The Prince
de Joinville, the Duke de Nemours, and the Duke
d'Aumale, with their consorts and youthful families, are
all staying at Claremont. The Royal exiles take fre-
quent exercise, but confine themselves chiefly to the
Claremont domain and its immediate neighbourhood.
The ex-King and Queen occasionally receive visits from
distinguished French Noblemen, and the calls of our
own aristocracy at Claremont are frequent. The suite
of the ex-Royal Family at present consists of General
Dumas, General Count Friant, the Count d'Houdot, and
the Marquise de Dolomieux. The Count de Jarnac is
ix frequent attendance on the illustrious exiles.
INDISPOSITION OF LORD J. RUSSELL.—We regret
to learn that the absence of Lord J. Russell in the House
of Commons on Friday last arose from a severe cold,
from which ho is at the present time suffering. - Yester-
day his Lordship was somewhat better, but at the request
of his medical attendants he will for a few days remain
confined to his residence. The Cabinet Council sum-
moned for this day at noon will take place at his Lord
ship's private residence in Chesham-place, instead of at
Downing-street, owing to the indisposition of the
Premier.

THE BOMBAY AT BLACICIVALL.—The steamer
Bombay, at Blackwall, has not the Sicilian flag flying,
nor, as we are informed, had she ever the colours of that
country hoisted on board. She was lying off Blackwall
on Saturday evening, with the flag of the Oricntal Steam
Navigation Company at the fore-top gallant-mast head.
The Duke and Duchess of Somerset received a
select circle to dinner on Saturday, at their residence in
Park-lane.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury had a
grand dinner on Saturday, at the family residence in
Arlington-street.

His Excellency Admiral de Cecille gave a sump-
tuous entertainment on Saturday at the French embassy,
in Manchester-square.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston received a
select party to dinner on Saturday last, at their residence
in Carlton-gardens. Her Ladyship subsequently opened
her salons for the reception of a fashionable circle. Her
Royal Highness the Hereditary Princess of Parma, at-
tended by the Countess Lopez, the Duke of Wellington,
his Excellency the Austrian Minister and the Countess
Colloredo, his Excellency the Swedi.h
.Minister and
BaroLess Rehausen, his Excellency the Danish Minister
and the Countess Reventlow and the Countess Hilda
Reventlow, Count Rosen, and many of the corps diploma-
tique were present, and among the general company were
many of the most distinguished of our nobility.
The family of Mr. Jerdan, the editor of the Literary
Gazette, have been thrown into much distress by thu
death, on Tuesday last, of Mr. John Eggar, of Bentley
(the father of Mrs. Jerdan), at the advanced ago of 94
of mortification resulting from the bite of a dow Mrs.'
Jerdan was with her venerable parent at the time. of the
accident, and remained in attendance upon
.him until his
death.