The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-18 00:00:00

SICILY.

CAPTURE OP CATAN lA.-ATROCITIES
COMMITTED BY THE NEAPOLITANS
AND SWISS.

The Malta papers of the 10th of April publish the
following account of the destruction of Catania by
the troops of King Bostne, and of the capture of the
ruins of that unfortunate city after an heroic resist-
ance of three days :
" The Neapolitan steamer, Duca di Calabria, arrived
on Saturday night las', from Messina, with a dispatch
for the Neapolitan consul in this island, stating that the
royal troops had taken possession of all the coast from
Messina to Catania, and particularly of Jaci, with the
view to make a simultaneous attack upon Catania by sea
and land. On the morning of the sth, three Neapolitan
steamers took up a beautiful position at a abort distance
from the city, and opened their fire; the castle and the
small forts of the city immediately replied to the fire
with much energy and skill, which injured two of the
steamers. On that evening the Neapolitans retired; the
next day seven steamers appeared, and again
opened a terrible fire on the city. The garrison
and the inhabitants returned the fire, like the day
previous, in such a manner that General Filangieri snw
that he must make a simultaneous attack on the city by
sea and land; he therefore ordered the troops at Jed to
advance upon Catania. The Swiss were the advanced
troops, supported by 700 Lancers; the main army, of
16,000 foot, and 32 pieces of cannon, followed. These
attacked the city at a weak point, which was ill guarded
by the Catanians, and got in, notwithstanding the obsti-
nate resistance of the defenders. The city then became
a real field of battle. As the troops advanced, the re-
sistance became more obstinate: the assailants, who were
fired on from all the houses, and from barricades, became
more ferocitown, ous, and the assailed the more tenacious to
defend the which superior force only could ta_ke_.
The city, bombarded by sea and land, was acompelled
to surrender, and on the morning of the 7th
por-
tion of the garrison and a great number of the inhabit-
ants retired to the mountains in perfect order, abandon-
ing the city to fire and plunder. The greater part of the
houses were sacked and destroyed. The public library,
the palace of the Marquis San Giuliano, that of the
Prince of Careaci, and many other edifices, were burnt.
About 1,700 Neapolitans were killed, and a great number
more of Sicilians. Such has been the fate of this fine
city and its inhabitants. General Filangieri immediately
published a proclamation, in which he ordered, that
within twenty-four hours all the inhabitants should give

up their arms to the Neapolitan authorities. Sy:acuse
was to be attacked on Sunday lasi..

" Her Majesty's steamer bulldog arrived last nig,ht
from Syracuse with an account of the surrender of that
city. General Werenski, Governor of Syracuse, and
his staff came in the Bulldog."

The conduct of the Neapolitan troops is represented
to have been atrocious in the extreme. They massa-
cred thousands of the peaceful inhabitants after the
troops had retired from the city. Neither age nor
' sex was spared, nor was the neutrality of foreigners
respected. Lieut. HOBART, of her Majesty's steamer
Bulldog, who was sent on shore on duty, in remon-
strating with a Neapolitan dragging out a poor woman
to death by the hair, narrowly escaped being put to
death by the assassin's bayonet.
An eye-witness of events in Catania says :
" The Sicilians fought bravely and well all the night
of Good Friday, till nine o'clock on Saturday morning.
After the battle, we landed, and such a scene of carnage
and cruelty I never witnessed. The dead and the dying
were crowded on each other.
" The Neapolitans had buried their own dead, but in
rushing through the streets seemed to find a demoniac
pleasure in mutilating the senseless clay around them.
" I saw three soldiers strike their bayonets into a poor
fellow breathing his last, and numberless were they who
lay headless in the streets, the victims of more than canine
ferocity.
" Catania is in ashes! The streets are incumbered
with half-burned rafters, immense logs of charred wood
occupy, with broken guns and overturned carriages,
the place lately teeming with enthusiasm and health.
" The Sicilian dead lie unburied—the Neapolitans
even kick them as they pass, plunge into the midst of
the nearly deserted town, rob, plunder, and destroy, and
commit every possible atrocity on helpless innocence or
decrepid old age."
Another letter says, the details of the operations
of the forces of the King of NAPLES, under FILAN-
GIERI, are of the most revolting description, marked
as they are with the horrors of war in their blackest
dye. Wrecked villages and smoking houses marked
the route of Neapolitans and Swiss for miles along
the line of march on the coast. On discovering that
• ILANGIERI was approaching the town from behind
the hills, where it was not so well defended as on the
coast side, the Catanians commenced destroying the
approaches, barricading the passages, transferring
ordnance to forts commanding the points threatened,
and raising temporary batteries, until they had got
18 or 20 guns in a very tolerable position. They
then determined to meet the KING'S troops as far
from their homes and hearths as they could, and
with this view a few of their regular troops,
with a large body of the inhabitants, marched
about five or six miles from the town, and
at this distance, on the morning of the 6th inst.,
they first came into collision with their foe.
They were, however, borne down by numbers (the
garrison of Catania consisted only of three regiments),
but they disputed every inch of ground. The troops
of FILANGIERI continued to push forward, firing the
houses as they advanced, burning those within and kill-
ing those without, until the insurgents, rallying at an
elevation under cover of some ruins, checked the
enemy for some time. Reinforcements, however,
enabled them to make good their approaches to the
town, and thus they fought their way, hand to hand,
and step by step, overturning the barricades and
bayonetting the defenders, until about four lex ,
when they reached the main street, which runs
through the town. Up this street, which is more
than a mile long, they advanced, sweeping it
with their field pieces, and pouring in vollies of mus-
ketry at the windows and doorways, the inhabitants
resisting fiercely at first, fighting with all the energy
of despair as they found no chance of escape. Still
the Royalists continued the burning, until at length
the whole of the principal street was on fire, and at
half-past seven, when all further resistance had
ceased, the cathedral, the university, the hospital, and
most of the palaces and public buildings, and in fact,
the city of Catania, was in flames.
The night of the 6th closed on the horrors of a
bloody day, the conflagration continuing with some
dropping shots of musketry during the night.
The next day broke ominously upon the devoted
place, now in complete possession of the Neapoli-
tans and Swiss, excited by drink and infuriated
by the severe loss they had sustained from the
handful of troops (only three regiments), and
the united resistance of the population. The ill-
fated survivors of the once noble city were given
over to the tender mercies of the conquerors, and
a general pillage ensued, which lasted from the
dawn of the 7th instant until the afternoon of the
Bth, during which time burning and destruction of
life and property were carried to the most fearful
and wanton excess, especially on the 7th, when the
most: atrocious massacres were committed, and nei-
ther age nor sex was spared by the unbridled
soldiery. An attempt was made on the second day to
put an end to this bloody work on the intercession of
the British Vice-Consul and the commander of her

Alajesty's steam-sloop Bulldog; and their remon-
strances, it would appear, bad some effect in saving
life, but the town had been utterly wrecked, and
scarcely a score pf houses remained standing in the
principal street.
Whilst this was going on ashore the Neapolitan
fleet, composed of three frigates and ten steamers,
bombarded and shelled the forts; but little damage
was done frc m the sea, nor did the ships suffer from
the fire of the batteries.
The French steam-frigate Descartes, and her Bri-
tannic Majesty's steam-frigate Bulldog, were lying
off Catania during the whole of the time, and their
presence caused the lives and property of the subjects
of their respective countries to be respected ; they
also received as many as chose to avail themselves of
their neutral character for protection, and left Catania
with the Neapolitan squadron for Syracuse, on the
night of the Bth instant.

Neither the destruction of Catania nor the surren-
der of Syracuse has at all daunted the Palermitans,
and it is before Palermo that the wrongs of Sicily
will be avenged. The latest accounts from that city
state that the courage of the Palermitans rises in pro-
portion to the desperate character of their cause. It
is a confirmed fact that ladies of all classes, including
Princesses, Countesses, and other women of rank,
have been working in the trenches and on the fortifi-
cations. The enthusiasm was of th• most exalted
nature, and each man and woman bore themselves
.as
if the success of their cause depended upon a single
arm. Palermo was well supplied with efficient
ordnance and excellent ammunition, and nil desperan-
dent was their motto.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, TUZSDAY.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert left Windsor
Castle this morning, at seven o'clock, attended by the
Marquis of Abercorn, Groom of the Stole to his Royal
Highness; Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps,
his Royal Highness's private secretary; and Colonel F.
H. Seymour, Equerry in Waiting.
His Royal Highness and suite left in a carriage and
four, preceded by outriders, proceeding through Ux-
bridge to the Watford station of the North-Western
Railway, and thence, by a special train, to Rugby and
Lincoln.

Her Majesty walked this morning in the pleasure-
grounds of the Castle.

The Royal Family also walked and rode in the Castle
grounds.

- Lord Byron is expected at the Castle this afternoon,
to relie'e the Earl of Morton in his duties as Lord in
Waiting to the Queen.
Major-General Sir Frederic Stovin, Groom in Wait-
ing, left the Castle this morning for town.
The Royal dinner party at the Castle this evening will
include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her
Serene Highness the Princess Amelie of Hobenlohe
Schillingsturst, Lady Augusta Brace, Baroness de Speth,
the Earl of Morton, and Sir George Couper.

The Queen's private band was in attendance yester•
day evening in the Castle, and performed the following
pieces:—
Overture and Entr' Actes Lindpaintner.
Chesur et Danse E'Armida ... Gluck.

Selections—" La Fille du Regiment" DonizettL
Trot des Chevaliers Gardes
Feldbleamlu Walser ..

Her Majesty's private band attend this evening is the
Castle.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary honoured the performance of
the Royal Italian Opera with their presence yesterday
evening.
A Cabinet Council was held at twelve o'clock yester-
day at the Foreign office. Lord John Russell, the Lord
Chancellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir George
Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, Sir John Hobhouse, Lord Campbell,
the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, and the Marquis of
Clanricarde, attended.
The Council sat two hours and a half.
Commodore Sir C. Hothana had an interview with
Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office.
• of the National
the Commissioners for the R,duelt
Mr. Highan, Secretary and Comptroller-General to
bad
Baronetals o
atan hisi
Debt, had an interview with. the any had
of the Ex-
chequer yesterday. Mr. %Villein
terview yesterday with the g
official residence in Donning
Right

cEaAsrion,FthAar hSis.—LloYrde-
remember the papers AND
eColci
, !way, because the fare was fixed too high per
LORD YARBORosl7taatiring,AZ
ship, when
.Lord Worsley, travelled by second class on the
first class. -.talAt that time the Grimsby and Sheffield Ike was
n-or-t-c-ornpsleted. Wednesday, the 18th, is the laying of the
firzt atone of the Grimsby Docks, which belong to this rail-
way company, and which Prince Albert is to lay. The
railway company having advertised " return tickets" to
Grimsby, we applied at the office, when double fare was de-
manded—we presume the fare there and the fare back. Now,
having always understood return tickets to mean one fare, or
at most fare and half fare, we turned on our heel, feeling.
like my Lord Worsley, highly indignant at the demand. We
presume, however, his Lordship finds that railways are not
the bright golden things he once imagined, or be would have
used his influence to prevent the company charging so much
as to prevent many loyal, though poor, men showing per-
sonally their attachment to royalty.
RAILWAY Compannox.—The Londoa and North
Western and the East Lancashire Railways are rival
lines. The North Union, used to charge 6s. first-class,
4s. second-class, as. 3d. third-class. The present hires
are Is., 9d, and 6d,

to think
THE SECRETARY OF THE
METROPOLITAN REFORM ASSOCIATION.
Sir,—The termination of what
,legislators call the
holidays, brings me back to my wonted communications.
After being adjourned on the 4th of the month, the
Llousectii,hknmmrtniulevypeetodcionion: Monday the 16th, and plunged into an
interminable
eessisun.ubaljtbel;l
subject,
at
wasad
wde 3 a.enetnoteti
tio:
ini
ski
likely
ilh3m,es
eot
hsrpeuirrbacjieensychettorbuyo}
everybody
td
ttdhb
be
first necessity of life for the country we inhabit, is
the bridging of the sea to all the unoccupied por-
tions of the globe where our population can be quartered.
The country is beginning to be like Noah's ark; it may
be very painful to think of leaving it, or the nook on
Ararat near which it went agrourni, and Noah and his
sous and his sons' sons may severally cling as long as
they are able to the spot in which they find themselves.
But go somebody. must, and did; as the existing world
can logically testify.
was not among the lost arts, rulers
council hoo them The
w wouldelrfe st
havettee sbleelus nab
b,ibpreofo,
dr e, now,but
whattoctil calculate tteon
beet
afterwards, and what were to be the future relation: be-
twe, n the new sociwties and the old. Instead of which,

nobody seems to have gut much further, than a vague
impression that a colonial rebellion must some time or
other break up any connexion that is left. A conclu-
sion about as sensible, as if every man were to specu-
late upon a bout of pugilism with his first-bi.rn, and
view in this the winding-up of the family connexion.
Indeed it is not clear, that. in some rare state of bar-
barism or other, sometbing like this does not actually
take place. An example, and a measure, of the progress
made in the economy of political associations, which
are nations.

On Tuesday Mr. Sadleir brought on his motion for
calling attention to the legal circumstances which im-
pede the sale of landed property in Ireland. And this
is another of the questions which dismay by opening
the prospect of an interminable abyss, and which still
press on all minds with the conseiousness that the thing
must be looked into to-morrow or the day after, or at all
events some day not far off if not to-day.
There is a fashion in despondency, as in everything
else; and so it becomes the fashion to be despondent
about Ireland, which in truth is only another name for
procrastinating and evading putting the shoulder to the
wheel. No man doubts that two or three" Whistlers at
the Plough," with two or three intelligent and feistiest;
Quakers, and a Lord to take the credit, would go to Ire-
land and bring back something very like a reason-
able plan, for an effectual beginning of what
cannot be begun too soon. If there was
no other reason, there is reason in this ;
that the rebellion of pots de chambre which has
been just had in Ireland, has been one of the mainstays,
one of the grand props and instruments, of the succesful
suppression, for the present at least, of resistance to the
despotisms of Europe. It has clearly cut off all or the
greater part of the aid to have been expected from the un-
deniable feeling of the great majority of the British people
Swordin favour odfo
nc
eo!if
ot irn e n
Sicily,t a by. l liberty. c
Rome, Mr Meagher
an.
d Genoa;
go h
of
far,
at least, as that can be effected by maiming the arm of
British co-operation. Why should Italy be tree, and Mr.
Meagher not be First Consul? Wretched as is the syllo-
gism conveyed, it is enough for Englishmen, with their
eyes and ears stuffed by the vulgar agents of our Tory
newspapers.
For this reason among others, Ireland must be put to
rest. And as the means to it, when the time comes, the
Repealers in the House must be adjured to silence by all
the persuasives the captain of a steam-boat throws before
his passengers in a moment of crisis. They have bad
their time for talking, and may have it again; but, for a
brief moment, the has " conversation with the man at
the wheel" the better.

One light was struck out by the Member for Carlow,
which should be followed up. When stock is sold, no
flaws in the seller's title hold against the purchaser;
such at least is the assertion. If so, why should not
the same be done with land? It does not follow that
the identity must be absolutely allowed. But it makes
out a strong case of guidance, for a search atter the rea-
sons why.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
AN OLD REFORMER.

London, April 18, 1849.

SPORTING IN TELLIGENCE.
BATII RACES.—TUESDAY.
The Lansdowu Trial Stakes of 15 sous. each, 10 ft, and
50 added. One mile. (10 subs.)
Mr. Harrison's Pyrrhus the First, 6 yrs, 9st 31b
Air. Godwin's lion-pur, 3 yrs, 751 . (Pearl) 2
Sir J. Hawley's Sponge, 4 yrs, Bst 71b (Flatman) 3
Mr. E. N. Fox's Cambric, 3 yrs, 7st (Kitchener) 4
Mr. Dixon's Philippa, 3 yrs, Est I llb (H. Goater) 5
Betting-5 to 4 ugst P) rrhus, and sto 2 agst Sponge.
Won by half a length. Bun in 1 min. 59 arc.
The Weston Stakes of 10 soya. each, sad 50 added, for
two yrs old. T.Y.C. (21 subs.)
Duke of Richmond's Officious, Bst 414 (Flatman) I
Captain Arehdall's Rose Pompon, Bst 41b (Wakefield) 2
Mr. Jenkin's Miss Larkaway, Bst 41b ...(Donaldson) 3
The following also ran:—Mr. Drinkald's Remnant,
Sst 91b (Ford)—Mr. J. Goodwin's Wansdyke, Bst 91b
(Dixon)—Lord Palmerston's Dactyle, Bst 61b (A. Day)
—Mr. Stevens's Knight of Gwynne, Bst 61b (S. Rogers)
—and Mr. Commerill's St. Ursula, Sat 41b (Maton).
Betting-5 to 4on Officious, and 4to 1 agst Knight
of Gwynne. Won by two lengths. Run in 53 sec.
The Sumersetshire Stakes of 25 80113. each, 15 ft, and 5
only if declared, with 100 soya, added. Two miles
end a distance. (79 subs., 52 of whom declared.)
Sir R. Pigott's Esidarius, 3 3 ra, 4st I Ilb
Mr. Gregory's Loupgarou, 3 yrs, Sat ...(Treen, jun.) 2
Lord W. Powlett's Brandyface, 5 yrs, 7st 71b
The following also started but were not placed:—
Mr. J. B. Day's The Tartar, 5 yrs, 7st 81b (A. Day)—
Mr. T. Parr's Lethargy, 5 yrs, 6st 1 llb (Butler)—Mr.
Isaac Day's Subduer, aged, Est 71b (Wakefield, jun.)—
Mr. Brown's Bacchanalian, 4 yrs, Est 41b (W. litharp)—
Hon. S. Herbert's c by Sir llercules, out of Empress.
3 yrs, sst 41b (White)—Mr. Whielden's Cashier, 3 yrs,
4st 101 b (carried 4st 131 b), bolted (S. Mann, jun.)
Betting-6 to 4 agst Loupgarou-4 to 1 agst Esidarius
—6 to 1 agst Brandyface—and 10 to 1 agst Lethargy.
Won by a length. Run in 4 min. 16 sec.
Sweepstakes of 10 soya. each, and 50 added. Heats,
once round. (8 subs.)
Mr. Harrison's Miss Burns, aged, Bst 41b (A. Day) 1 1
Mr. Isaac Day's Milliner, 6 yrs, Bat...(Wakefield) 0 2
Mr. Stevens's Old English Gentleman, sst 121 b... 2 0
Mr. T. Parr's Baronet, 6 yrs, Bst 41b
Mr. Treen's Landrail, 4 yrs, 7st 21b 0 dr
Both heats won in a canter.
It is scarcely possible that the weather sould have
been more unfavourable; the cold was intense, and the
snow fell almost without intermission from twel►e o'clock
until near the close of the races. The company, it will
be readily imagined, was very select.
THE METROPOLITAN LIANDICAP.—Offers to take 2
to 1 about Peep•o'-day Boy.
BETTING AT MANCHESTER —TUESDAY.
THE METROPOLITAN MANDICAP.-7 to 2 eget Peep.
o'Day-Boy (taken)-5 to 1 agst Flatcatcher (taken)-
5 to 1 agst Lugar (taken)-13 to 2 agst Fernhill (taken)
15 10 1 agst Maid of Lyme (taken)-200 to 8 agat
Dacia (taken).
Two THOUSAND GUINEAS STARER.-6 to 5 apt
Nunnykirk (offers to take).
CHESTER CUP.-12 to 1 agst Joc•o'-Sot (taken)-
100 to 6 agst Blucher (taken)— 100 to 6 agst Halo
(taken)— 100 to 6 agst Chanticleer-1,000 to 10 agst
Lord Salkun (taken).

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

DECEASE OF THE DOWNING PROFESSOR OF LAWS.

C AIIIBRIDGE, APRIL 17.—Professor Thomas Starkie,
Downing Professor of the Laws of England, expired at
his lodge in Downing College, on Sunday evening last.
at the age of sixty eight. Professor Starkie graduated
at St. John's College, and went out in 1803, when he
was senior wrangler. He migrated to and was appointed
fellow and tutor of Catherine Hall, and subsequently
(in 1823) Downing Professor of Laws. He was ap-
pointed University Counsel in 1825, and lately by the
Whig Government to the Judgeship, of the Clerkenwell
Small Debts Court. All the above preferments are ren-
dered vacant by the lamented decease of the Professor,
who was respected among all ranks. Professor Starkie,
in the year 1840, contested the representation of the bo•
rough of Cambridge in the Liberal interest, but was
beaten by his Conservative antagonist (Sir Alexander
Grant) by a majority of 726 to 647. As an author, the
name of the subject of this notice will go down to pos-
terity in connexion with " Starkie on Evidence," and
several works of high and standard reputation. Pro-
fessor Starkie's death is to be attributed rather to a ge•
neral decay of nature than to any specifio disease. U•
has, left a family to mourn his loss.

THE CASE OF CAPTAIN DOUGLAS.--Wil have thus
bstain from
Captain D uglas, and it is our intention atlll to sisal how-
far abstained from making any observations on the affairs of
so doing so long as the case is :rib . y P
sinfultPhattoousirtukanltOo°VinleiYitigelriltr.
afintetrhtehe court had been closed for
nau,ngsadiss that he felt perfectly indifferent ass
ts the
ever, towards that officer
he is placed, induces us to state . _
i gr he
st u
lexpresstaan d
ttheir a deci-
sion.
moatc a'
Warren, as soon as the defence of Captain Douglas bad beer!
hßefahrutitalonme
than
Ye than one occasion to the frinds of
Captain delivered.
era
honourable acquittal of all the charges;
termssio n. in
1i
as for the first,
ewshaicdhtlithe er
there Court
could
it was ridiculous to have to contend against an
more than once said, in a very s' . it. Mr. Warren
was not Captain Douglas who h igniticant manner, that it
issue of these proceedings. We
had cause to apprehend the
authority that the Learned G e have it also on the best
a moralist every one must Gentleman, to whose opinions as
declared before quitting :the island,
weight, emphatically
take upon himselfth.t. e island, that he was prepared to
entire responsibility of justifying •
Captain Douglas's conducte throughout the transaction, as
perfectly consistent • with the strictest principles of ethics, and
the dictat
es of honour. The Court Martial concluded its
deliberations cn Thursday afternoon, and Lieut.-Colonel
lu 'orrens, the president, and Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. A.
ordon, the Deputy Judge-Advocate, left Guernsey for
London yesterday morning with the minutes of the pro-
ceedings to lay before the Commander-in-lCbief. The other
members of the Court w ill remain
r 1 in Guernsey till further
orders. Mr. Warren also left for England yesterday.--
Guernsey Star.
HULL, TUESDAY.—Rumours of the intended doings of
the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, inconsequence of the
visit of Prince Albert to Lincolnshire, are multifarious. W*
have heard something of about half that august body in-
tending to proceed to New Holland at eight o'clock to
morrow, from thence by omnibuses to 13rockelsby, to pre-
sent a loyal and dutiful address to his Royal Highness ; but
for the credit of Hull we hope this is incorrect—we mean, of
course, the mode of conveyance—as the mace bearer, w
the sword of justice, would cut an awkward figure comity
out of an omnibus.
ROYAL NAVAL SCHOOL, NEW CROSS.—Sir Francis
Baring, the First Lord of the Admiralty, has handsomely
expressed his intention of continuing to give annually,
for competition amongst the pupils of this institution, t be
naval and marine cadetships which were granted by his
predecessor in office.