The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-02 00:00:00

STATE OF NAPLES.

A letter from Naples, dated Oct. 27, says :
There is a report, which has occupied all minds for
the last two days, to the effect that a British ves-
sel of war was to be placed at the disposal of

Francis 11. It was added that instructions would

be given to it to take the ex-Royal family to any

place they might desire beyond the limits of the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. This report seemed

,o receive confirmation from the fact that her Bri.

tannic Majesty's ship Renown left Naples for
Gaeta yesterday morning ; the public voice de-
cided the case directly, and, indeed, it is difficult
to conceive for what other purpose it could have

been sent, as, had any diplomatic arrangements
been on the tapir, I am inclined to think that Ad-
miral Mundy would have gone up. Another im-
portant movement is that of Admiral Persano, who
left last night with a squadron of some strength
for Gaeta, to make some kind of demonstration. I
hear the probability is that the catastrophe is now
near at hand, and that the last of the Bourbons,
after an ineffectual resistance at Capua, is now

about to yield his dominions to his successor. At
the same time, Victor Emmanuel is drawing nearer
and nearer to the capital, and has already passed
beyond Venafro. Fresh troops are continually
arriving, and—that which is a surer indication of
an established order of things under the new
dynasty—Piedmontese gendarmes have made their
appearance in our streets during the last two days.
All are loud in their praises of the conduct of the
Piedmontese troops as compared with that of the
Neapolitans, who, taken in the first place from a half-
civilised peasantry, brutalised by the priests and
corrupted by the Government, committed every kind
of excess with impunity. I have heard interesting
reports of the reception of a deputation by their new
Sovereign, which was rather friendly than regal.
As they were standing before the King, he said,
" Gentlemen, I am little accustomed to observe
forms, pray be seated." The conversation then turned
upon Naples, about which the King asked a variety
of questions, and wished to know what kind of a
place it was. " Your Majesty," it was answered,
" will find a number of beautiful palaces, with
plenty of hunting and fishing," at which the King
expressed surprise. After remaining in friendly con-
versation for an hour the members of the deputa-

. _
tion rose, saying they would relieve his Majesty of
the trouble of their company, and begged the honour

of kissing his hand. " No, I will not permit it," said
Victor Emmanuel; " they will make me a King—
not that I wish it. I will shake you by the hand,
and I hope to shake hands with all the Neapolitans on
my arrival." By this frank and un-Royal manner the
" Be Ualantuomo " won the hearts of all who ap-
proached him, and the nation loves him by anticipa-
tion, for few have seen him. At present it is doubtful
when he will enter Naples, though on the grounds of
delicacy there can be no possible hesitation, nor
could there be after he had passed the frontier.
The scrutiny is completed, but is not to be pro-
claimed until the 6th of November ; and the ques-
tion is, will he enter before that fact ? Many seem
to think that his presence is so necessary here that
he may be expected on Monday or Tuesday, after
which he may retire to Caserta for a day or two
before the proclamation is made. Great prepara-
tions are being made for the event ; the Savoy arms
over the Royal palace are in course of execution, a
scaffolding being erected, and a large canvas curtain
concealing the workmen from the view of the people.
Beginning from the Albergo dei Poveri, and so ex-
tending down to the Royal Palace, there are gigan-
tic structures of wood at various intervals, on which
the most remarkable incidents in the history of
modern Italy are to be represented, beginning with
the consignment of his kingdom by Charles Albert
to his son. As to the mode in which this is to be
done I cannot speak, but the ornaments are to be an
historical representation of the life and reign of
Victor Emmanuel. The King will enter Naples by
the wide street in which the Albergo dei Poveri
stands, commonly known as the Foria ; turning off
to the left, a little before arriving at the Museum,
the procession will pass through the Strada Constan-
tinopoli, then go to the Duomo, and after having
heard the Te Deum, which will be chanted in full
choir, will enter the Toledo by the Largo Merestello.
The road then leads straight to the Royal Palace,
near which is erected the skeleton of a
gigantic arch.
These will be glorious times for tailors and milliners,
and we were rather surprised at a slight emeute
having been got up during the last two days by
chosen to
some of the former gentry, who have
me of the peop
appear to hold peculiar views
here
strike for wages. Indeed, so
of the consequences of
ect that it is
a new system of government, and exp
wore famishing after
rk ; while the better
to give plenty without
am
classes, not less unreasonable,
t and are looking after appoint-
ments as the just rewards of suffering or of opinion.
Indeed, the num
astonished at the crowds
who day
ber of these persons is legion,
and, accustomed as I am to wander through the
Ministerial offices,
I
public employmeet
a
after day throng the galleries and the
n
te-chambers of Ministers. The evil is so great
thata all public business is paralysed, and I think it
has in some measure been produced by admitting a
very false principle—that past suffering entitles
men to official appointments. It cannot, therefore,
be enforced too strongly that capacity and cha-
racter form the sole grounds on which these candi-
dates for employment can be promoted. If, possess-
ing thesc, they have also been the objects of
persecution, oQ course that fact would entitle them
to a preference. At present, any man who has been
in the galleys, or in prison, or in exile, considers
that he has a claim to be a Minister of State. This
is not patriotism, but egotism ; and the sooner the
Neapolitans learn this, the better it will be for the
interests of their t coun ry.
I have been making the round of the principal
hospitals of the city to-day—that is to say, of the SS.
Apostoli, the Incurabili, the Trinita, and the S. Se-
bastiano, and wherever I made the inquiry I found
the same complaints made of theft, wholesale and.
retail. I have already referred to this befor*, iii!!l
though every effort hot boon made to put a stop IN