The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-21 00:00:00

ITALY.

A letter from SICILY.
Naples of the 11th gives the follow-
ing description of the bombardment of Messina :
" The Neapolitan squadron, which is composed of
twenty steamers, two frigates, and several gun-boats,
was moored to the south of Messina, under protection of
the batteries of the citadel, from the Ist, and did not
commence a serious attack until the 3d. To the well-
sustained fire from the citadel, the forts commanding the
town, which were in the hands of the besieged, answered
but feebly. Until the 6th nothing very decisive took
place, the Neapolitan steamers cruising about, and the
cannon roaring. About 500 Swiss, landed on the beach,
gained possession of a small redoubt at the entrance of
the town; but they were driven out of it with a loss
of sixty of their men killed. Tho small column,
nevertheless, retired in good order. At this mo-
ment the enthusiasm of the Messinese became unre-
strained, and their shouts of victory reached the ships
in the roadstead. Several of their chiefs went on board
the French ship Hercule, and their exultation was so
great that nothing less than a terrible conflict could
be expected. During the 6th the cannonade became
hotter and hotter. The citadel kept up
an incessant
shower of shells upon the city, making great ravages,
and the least exasperated among the Messinese began to
be discouraged, and the same evening a
great number
took refuge on board the French and English ships of

I war. In the morning of the 7th all order and confidnee
i were at an end; doubt and uncertainty prevailed, and
the cause of independence sunk. A capitulation was
proposed. Captain Nonay, of the Hercule, and Cap-
tain Robb, of the English steam-frigate Bulldog, has-
tened to offer their mediation, but were unable to bring
General Filangieri, Cominander-in-Chief of the Neapo-
litans, and the delegates from the Messinese, to an un-
derstanding. The cannonade, which had for the mo-
ment been suspended, was resumed, and became more
tremendous than on the preceding day. The army was
landed, and the steamers ran into the port to support
its operations. In a few more minutes the Neapolitans
were in the town, and took possession of all the forts
without having to fire a shot. On the Bth the firing
ceased, and all was calm. The country around pre-
sented the aspect of desolation, and several quar-
ters of the town were on fire. A very large portion of
the population—more than 10,000 persons of all ages
and both stxes—sought refuge on board the Hercule,
Panama, 'and Bulldog. Numerous families went into
the country. The pen refuses to trace the horrors com-
mitted on both sides. There were actually acts of can-
nibalism; bodies were seen cut up into pieces, roasted,
and eaten! Thus were about sixty prisoners, both
Neapolitans and Swiss, treated by the Sicilians at the
date of these accounts. All the Neapolitan army had
landed and taken possession of Messina, which naturally
becomes the basis of operations. We learn that the
greater number of persons who had taken refuge on
board the French and English ships at the moment of
the taking of Messina have returned. Those who are
most compromised, about 200 in number, will be con-
veyed to other parts of Sicily. A telegraphic dispatch
from Messina, of the 9th, states that the fires, which
had broken out in different parts of the town, have been
extinguished, that order has been restored, and property
respected. Meluzza is stated to have given in its sub-
mission."