The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-07 00:00:00

THE WAR IN ITALY.

CREMONA, JULY 29.—1 do not go to head-quarters,
as head-quarters come to me. Several officers of the
sr lf? have already arrived, and the King is expected
with the Princes late in the afternoon. His Majesty
was yesterday at Bozzolo, a small town between the
Oglio and the Pc, and the remains of the late grand
army were encamped in the same direction. At three
o'clock this morning Charles Albert left that place,
mei, after making a short circuit of the different posts,
he has decided on going to Cremona. It is said that
the Austrian hussars have passed the Oglio ; but I
crossed that river yesterday at Pontevico, where there is
a substantial bridge, and saw nothing of them, and, in
try opinion, the Oglio will not be rescued except by
large masses of the enemy. The river is unusually low.
in consequence of the late dry weather ; though
large as the Mincio, it is not so rapid, and I am quite
sure that, in addition to the bridges and abundant
supply of boats, it can now be forded in several places.
From all I can learn of the army, which lately num-
bered 80,000 men, there are not 20,000 now together
available for any duty. The others have been disposed
of, on a rough calculation, in the following manner :
In hospital, previous to the late affair, 15,000 ; killed,
wounded, and prisoners, since this day week, 10,000 ;
dispersed in regiments or in half regiments, some at
Brescia, some at Lonato, others at Cremona, 20.000 ;
deserters, principally Lombardians and Modenese 5,000;
stragglers that have crossed the Po, and returned to-
. wards Piedmont, 10,000 men. The army is broken up,
and can no longer be united, though pains are taken to
collect all those who retired on Brescia or Cremona, and
again unite them with the division which is still under
the orders of the King, consisting of the remains of
the brigade of Aosta, of Guardo, of Savoy, and Corry,
the major pert of the artillery, and ab iut 2,200 Lan-
cers. It is in vain for the King to attempt with such a
force making head against a victorious army, high in
spirits, supplied with everthing, and handled with con-
summate skill. The sooner he retires to Piedmont the
better, and then accept the peace which I have no doubt
the enemy will give him on terms more favourable than
he who was the aggressor is entitled to expect. We
have always reasoned on the basis that Lombardy was
not desired by Austria, and that she was ready to
treat for the frontier of the Adige or the Mincio.
Radetzky's retreat from Milan was made in accord-
ance with principle, as Lombardy is not defensible
anywhere ; and why should not Austria now profit
by her great success to establish on favourable terms
a suitable frontier, such as the Adige will give with
the Tyrol, Venetia, and the Friuli ? I have hopes
that an accomodation will grow out of the present un-
happy position of affairs, and the pacification of this pat t
of Europe be accomplished more rapidly than it would
have been if Charles Albert had conquered. If the King
were strong enough to cross the Po, march on Ferrara.
and enter the Venetia, in the rear of the Austrian army,
a diversion might be made, and the actual defeat lead to
a glorious success; but such projects are quite out of the
question; the officers and soldiers are so disgusted by
having been abandoned three days without rations, that
they have resolved to fight no more fur the Milanese;
aunt if an order to advance were given, one-half of the
men faithful to their colours would desert and return
to Piedmont. Now I hear the free opinions of men
Led officers without disguise or exaggeration, and I
ten certain of the truth of what I now advance. It
is said that the King has sent prOposals for an
armistice to Radetzky, and that the latter has ex-
eressed his willingness to grant it, provided the Pied•
montese recross at once the Tessin, and submit to a me-
diation fur a definitive peace. I am likewise told that
the King refused the Tessin, but accepts the latter con-
dition; and I presume that Radetzky will prescrihe
some other limits less humiliating to a beaten but brave
adversary.' You see, it is said, on the one hand, that the
hiug loss asked for the aid of 60,000 Frenchmen; and,
on tee other, that he accepts a mediation for a definitive
peace. Which story is trne, is not yet in my power to
say, though the moment I am able to communicate with
bead-quaff term I shalt have no difficulty in doing so. I
think more probable that the Provisional Government of
Milan has asked for French assistance, nut the King;
and that as he has, in his secret thoughts, been for some
time of opinion that peace on the basis of the Adige was
a boon not to be rejected, he is not likely to compromise
One demarche by the other.
Though I write that the Piedwontese army is thus
scattered to the winds, I cam scarcely persuade myself of
the truth of what I say. No one is to be blamed but
Charles Albert—l say so with regret. He has always
shown undue preference to Generals and other persons
high in station, who-neither had the confidence of the
troops, nor deserved to have it. Is it to be believed—
will history credit the fact—that a week since we were
superior iu moral and physical force to the enemy, and
that we are at this hour reduced as low as the depth of
adversity can place us? We have been victorious in every
fight; even in all the late affairs we have killed and
wounded 15,000 of the enemy, and made 3,000 prisoners;
and we have been compelled to give way, because we had
no reserve, and no precaution had been taken to supply
the exhausted men with provisions—even for three whole
days. The success of the enemy is owing solely to the
fact that he had a reserve of fresh men to fall on our
flank, after we had defeated his host in front, posted in
the most advantageous manner. Is it not heartbreaking
to say, that after having taken and retaken Somme Cam-
pagna, driven the Austrians from Sono twice, and car-
ried the steep hill—l might say mountain—of Cutoza, at
the point of the bayonet, we were obliged to fall back on
Villa Franca, the men absolutely dropping from hunger
on the road, because fresh troops were not issued at the
proper moment from Verona, and because we were left
to starve, and on many points to fight without ammuni-
tion? I believe that bread and wine were sent at in-
tervals to the men, but that the waggoners took flight,
cut their traces, escaped with the horses, and left the
provisions in the road. lam told the ammunition carts
were deserted in the same manner; but these things are
not accidents but crimes, because sufficient escorts were
not sent to control the drivers, or take their place in
case of need.

The great fault utrnmitted by Charles Albert was his
removal of the Duke of Genoa and Colonel La Murmora
from itivoli, and the entrusting that important point at
the extreme of the left wing to a force not exceeding
BUO men. He was next wrong in depriving the position
touching on the Adige and running to Vallegit) on the
Mincio, of all but 5,000 men; and he was more than
crimi.tal in collecdng 40,000 men on the extreme right,
round Mantua; in such a manner that they were unable
to assist each other, or r,_•inforc in time any part of the
line. Of all these blun lers ltadetzky has taken full
advantage. He contrived, at the expense of a few men,
to occupy the King's attention at Governolo, and at
Ostiglio, until his plans were ripe, and he had prepared
the torrent with which he has since overwhelmed our
brave but inferior numbers at ltivoli, and at Sandra.
in Tike manner, evinced great skill in not fol.
I"ing the King to Villa Franca and Guito, but in
crossing the Almelo in the centre of the line, winning
race
to the heights of Volta, and thus turning
the
position of_Goito, which had been strengthened with
fio much pains-against an attack in front from Mantua.
We, have thus-been driven into the low
grounds,and kept
Lore, whilst the enemy commands all the heights,
and ex-
tends his lines nilw without any risk between the Mincio
and the Oglio, so as to force us to the Po, whilst he
crosses the o,lio when and where he pleases. The Aus-
trian loss would have been comparatively slight if our
men had not deterrnitiPd_to capture all the heights which
bad been abandoned-oh Saturday and Sunday. On these
points they lust at least 10,000 men with 2,000 prisoners.
In my opinion the Kitin4.cia,uitvoance •to Villa Franca, and
subsequent retreat to great. errors. • He
should, in the first instance, are
eye carried the whole
army on the Mire Ari Kt
master of the
beigl is of V,i!te„ driven the eneat Pin4yeebiacukd,
z ,nbario an I Silienze. He4roulit have thag:f° from
Mae-
fatal flank a:tack of the eneray from Verona, and
he sustained in taking, at the point of the s
Prow it ins, 42. face of an bayonet,oet Volta,
and then retiring
force. The rapidity of ur &Cat was caused it:vs:Mimi:ll—
gree by an uncooked for carcom.tatice. Alt the new levies
have been draughted into Sardinian second battalions in
Vie proportion of two and three to one, in. the expecta-
tion that the good example of one-third old soldiers
would f,,rtify the courage of two-thirds young. But
what was the consequence? Why that the two.thirds
ran like sheep, and that the one-third who remained
were slaughteted on the spot. A position, said to be
defended by 1,500, was in reality defended only by 500,
and thus points were given up which ought to have been
preserved.

July 22

Aberdeen ..

Amiens and Boulogne .....
Belfast and Ballymena •• •• • • •• • • • ••
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire
Caledonian. ........... •• • •

584
1,394

933
4,497
1,460

Chester and Holyhead..• .. • • • • • •
Cockermouth and Workington.... • • . •
Dublin and Drogheda • •• • • •..
Dublin and Kingstown .• •• • • • • •• •
Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen •• • • • • • •
East Anglian—. ..
Edinburgh and Glasgow . • •••• • • •
Edinburgh and Northern— . ........
Eastern Counties and North Eastern..
East Lancashire - • ....
23 Eastern Union. ..... ................

Aug. 1
July 29

775
1,172
1,323

633
3,767
1,912
16,479
1,358
1,393
2,t; o 3
1,438
4,045
21,25'.4

112

792

Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr • • • • • •
Glasgow arid Greenock• • •• • • •• • • • ••

Great Southern and West
Great Western, &c....

Kendal and Windermere .... •• • ••
Lancashire and Yorkshire..•• •• •• • ••
Lancaster and Carlisle• • •• •• • • •• •• ••
Leeds and Thirsk....... • • •• •• •• .

Londonderry and nniskillen........
London and North Western, &c.... •.
London and 81ackwa11.....••• .• •.••
London and Brighton .

London and South Western ........
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
Maryport and Carlisle • • • • • • •
Midland, Bristol, and Birmingham.—
Midland Great Western (Irish) • .
Newmarket... •• • • ...... .... ••.. • •

203
11,926
2,501

Newcastle and Carlisle • . • ... • . .

North British .... •• • • ..

Paris and Rouen . • • . • .. • • • •

Rouen and Havra .. • • .• • . • • • •

Scottish Central

Shrewsbury and Chester •..••..•....
South Eastern and Branches •• •• ••
South Dev0n........ . •• • •

Taff Vale ....

Mater . ........

Water;ord and Limerick.............
Whitehaven Junction
Wiskaw and Coltnesa.....

York and Newcastle . •. .

York and North Midland . ... ...... .

162
43,914
1,243
14,934
10,963
3,200

655
J 3,07
860

2,910
4,735
1,952

651
191,089
1,815
1,969
7tB
251
176

1,024
1,601
1,160

4,259

15,585
1,257
1,177
3,090
1,424
1,695
24,001

10,938

159
43,027
1,502
13,501
11,m92
2,355

677
22,829
788

2,533

13,335
9,420

2,806
11,317
3,174

509
11,668
1,172
1,560
755

:273

11,3FG
4,731

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
MALTON AND DRIFFIELD JUNCTION.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Monday at the offices, Halton; Hr. W. C . Copperthwsite
in the chair.
The report stated that since the last meeting the
directors had principally directed their attention to
getting in the arrears of calls, and limiting the expendi-
ture upon the works so as to enable them to redeem their
promise of not calling up more than 5/. per share during
the present year. Since that meeting they had received,
without any recourse to harsh measures, 5,3811. of the
arrears, and of the call of 11. per share due April 22,
7,5901.; so that of 90,0001. called up, there only remained
the suns of 10.3194 upaid, and of this a further sum
of 4,000/. was expected to be speedily paid, leaving
arrears of about 6,0001., or little more than six per
cent, of the capital called up. To enable the works
to procure 1 the contractor had allowed 20.0001. to stand
over for the present. A call of 1/. 10s. per share is to
be payable on the Bth of August, and another of 11., pay-
able in November. Those two calls will amount to
30,0001., of which 5,0001. has been paid in advance by the
York and North Midland Company. The directors ex-
press a hope that the shareholders will Ee punctual in
the payment of the calls so as to enable them to continue

the works. The engineer's report stated that the opera-
tions of the contractor have been confined principally to
the tunnel at Burdale, and to the part of the line between
Burdale and Driffield, on which one side of the perma-
nent way was laid and ballasted, and the second line was
partially ballasted. That the whole of the line laid was
in excellent order, and could be used for public traffic in
the course of a fortnight. The acc ,unts showed that
87,3041. had been received, and 86,3261. expended, leav-
ing s balance of I,OOS/. at the bankers.
The report was adopted, anti thanks were voted to the
directors for their goed management, after which the
meeting separated.
MA NCLIESTEU, SIiEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN-
SHIRE.
It is with no small degree of pleasure that we notice
the progress of the works on the Mancheitei, Sheffield,
and Liucolushire Railway. in the neighbOurhuod of Ret-
tord. Already the tunnel of 550 yards in length through
the Clarborough Hills is fast approaching towards com-
pletion, and as double sets of hands are engaged night
and day, it is presumed that this great undertaking will
be completed early in the mouth of October—although
we believe (on the authority of the contractors) that
the whole could be finished in about eleven weeks from
the present time. What has tended materially to further
the making of this, the lengthiest tunnel on the line, is
the capital beds of clay formed both east and west of the
undertaking, which has enabled the contractors (Messrs.
Waring and Sons) to make their own briiks, awl by a
temporary side line to,convey them to the spot with the
least possible delay and at the least possible expense.
The approach to this tunnel has furnished an abundance of
material for making the embankment near Welham,
which crosses the Retford and Gainsborough turnpike-
road twice, and which at its principal is 33 feet high.
Coming to the south-east of Betford, it enters a cutting
26 feet 6 inches at its greatest depth, passing under the
great North Road, and over the Chesterfield Canal
feeder, and then on an embankment 21 feet high it
crosses the river Idle and Ordeall Lows, whence it again
encounters high ground and enters a cutting. Ilere for
a considerab:e distance the line is ballasted and one line
of rails permanently laid, and it is from hence that all the
ballast for the line to Bolefit.ld, near the River Trent, will
have to be taken. Crossing;through Whisker Hill,.it passes
over the lion. J. B. Simpson's property by a bridge and
culvert, both of which are already completed. In
a short distance further the permanent lines are again
laid, and so continue part of the . way to Worksop.—
.Nuttingham Journal.

THE GREAT NORTEIERN—DONCASTER
DISTRICT.
Within particularly the last few days much energy
and activity have been evinced in the completion of the
portion of the line from Doncaster to Stockbridge, pre-
paratory tuthe public opening. In the evening of yes-
terday week the filling
up of the Cheswold, near which
Was Crinipsall-gate, was commenced, and the work was
Carried on Awing the whole of the night by fire light,
. ,