The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-19 00:00:00

_ENGLAND AND _ITALY.

The following is the original text of the despatch
from Lord John Russell to Sir James Hudson, a
version of which we published some days since, as
taken from the Cologne Gazette
" Foreign-office, Aug. 31.
" Sir,—Although the note of Count Cavour, of
the 30th of May, written in answer to one which

you were instructed to present to him, did not give
so definite and precise a declaration of intentions as
her Majesty's Government hoped and expected,
they have not thought it necessary to continue the
discussion ; for they conceived that in substance
that note disavowed any intention of attacking the
domains of the Emperor of Austria or the King of
Naples, and bound the King of Sardinia not to cede
to France any Italian territory, including of course
the Island of Sardinia itself, in that public engage-
ment. I say public engagement, because Count
Cavour referred you in his note to the speech he
made in the Chamber of Deputies on the 26th of
May, in the name of the King's Government.
" But although Austria, France, and Great Britain
have abstained from any interference in Sicily or
Naples, there exists at Paris, as well as at Vienna,
an apprehension that the union of the Neapolitan and
Roman States under the kingdom of Sardinia would
be followed by an attack by Italian forces on the
Venetian provinces of the Emperor of Austria. It
is obvious that no such attack could be made by an
army without the consent of the King of Sardinia.
It is also clear that in point of right the King of
Sardinia has no excuse for breaking the Treaty of
Zurich so recently signed and ratified: The King
'of Sardinia Wan free to refuse the preliminaries of
Villafranca and the peace of Zurich, but, having
declined to continue the war, and having given his
Royal word to maintain peace and friendship with
Austria, he is not at liberty to set his obligations at
defiance and to make a wanton aggression on a
neighbouring Sovereign. It is evident also that
motives of interest coincide in this case with dic-
tates of duty. An attack on the !Austrian army
posted in strong fortresses is not an enterprise in
which success could reasonably be expected, but
such an attack, if unsuccessful, would give Austria
an opportunity, of which perhaps she would not be
sorry to avail herself, of restoring Romagna to the
Pepe and Tuscany to the Grand Duke. It is be-
lieved, on good grounds, that France would not
consider either of those acts inconsistent with the
Treaty of Zurich. But they would obviously ex-
pose the independence of Italy and its future peace
to the greatest hazards. Nor would the King of
Sardinia, having acquired Lombardy, Parma, and
Modena, but having lost Savoy, Nice, Tuscany, and
Romagna, find himself in a situation to cope with
Austria, fighting in a just cause to maintain her
violated territory, and restore her military honour.
The only chance which Sardinia could have in such
a contest would be the hope of bringing France into
the field and kindling a general war in Europe.
But let not Count Cavour indulge in so pernicious
a delusion. The Great Powers of Europe are bent
on maintaining peace, and Great Britain has in-
terest in the Adriatic which her Majesty's Govern.
ment must watch with careful attention.
"From such dangers the Ministers of the King
of Sardinia may preserve Europe by a strict ad-
herence to the policy intimated in Count Cavour's
note of May 30. Her Majesty's Government desire
no more than a faithful adherence to its promises.
They are willing to make allowance for those feel-
ings and demonstrations to which Count Cavour
alludes as transgressing the law of nations and
evading the restraining powers of municipal autho-
rity. Incl'eed, this indulgence on the part of Great
Britain has, in the opinion of many of the Courts
of Europe, been already carried too far. But, what-
ever may be the case as to expeditions by.sea set-
ting out often at night, and supplied by boats from
villages on the coast, it is abundantly clear that no
army can violate the Austrian frontier without the
express order of the King.
"These considerations appear to us to merit the
serious attention of the Sardinian Cabinet. You
are instructed to read and give a copy of this de-
spatch to Count Cavour.—l am, &c.,
"J. RUSSELL."

METROPOLITAN STREET TRAMWAYS.—Mr. Train
having written to the Hackney Board of Works, the
letter was referred to the General Purposes Committee,
who proposed that he should attend before the committee.
At a meeting of the Board of Works at the Town-hall,
Hackney, yesterday, it was unanimously resolved—" That
Mr. Train be requested to attend before a full board, and
give explanations."