The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-13 00:00:00

THE SIEGE oF GAETA.

The following letter has been received from
Gaeta, dated the 4th of December :—" The war is
becoming more active, and the siege is entering
into a more interesting phase. The Piedmontese
were reinforced on Saturday by 3,000 men from
Naples,
.and they are now placing their Cavell!
guns in position. I believe, from information
which I have received from Naples, that Cialdini
will have 80 of the Cavalli guns. The enemy
began to throw shells from one rifled gun on Satur-
day night. The shells, however, did not come
nearer than the glacis. The guns of the fortress
returned the fire, and shells were at the same time
thrown into Bourg, because it is known that the
Piedmontese are quartered there at night. The
Piedmontese then advanced to the extreme limits of
Bourg and opened a smart fire on our advanced
posts, but nobody was hit. The Queen's and the
Philipstad Batteries then threw shells on Bourg,
and the Piedmontese ceased firing. On Sunday
the Piedmontese began to fire on Gaeta from their
rifled cannon. Some very large hollow shot passed
over our batteries, and one of them fel: beyond the
Orlandi Tower and wounded four soldiers. We
replied with remarkable precision. The night of
Sunday passed over without much noise, and each
party remained tolerably quiet the entire of yester-
day. The Princes pass many nights in visiting
the batteries. As for the King, his resolution is
by no means shaken. Thirty men were sent out
from Gaeta last night to burn the houses of Bourg
nearest to us, but the Piedmontese were there in
force, and received thevisitors with a volley of shot.
The Neapolitans returned without having accom-
plished their purpose. It is now becoming indis-
pensable to the security of Gaeta to burn Bourg,
though the King hesitates to do so through an
exaggerated feeling of compassion for the pro-
prietors of the houses. A report coming from
Naples informs us that the Piedmontese intend to
demand a truce for four months, inasmuch as they
are not pleased at the idea of passing the winter in
the mud outside Gaeta. I do not know whether this

report is well founded, or if it be, what answer Francis
11. will make to it. Bands of armed men are rising
in insurrection in every direction. The Calabrias
are on fire. The sovereignty of the people has been
proclaimed at Cosenza, and more than 3,000 men
there shouted Down with Victor Emmanuel!' A
strong movement was made at Palmi in favour of
King Francis 11. The theatres in Naples resound
with cries in favour of Garibaldi in the very teeth
of Piedmontese officers. The hymn:in favour of Vic-
tor Emmanuel is hooted and hissed. Even the
women in the Abruzzi attack the Piedlinontese.
The Piedmontese troops sent to Palermo met the
very worst reception. They encamped outsi3e the
walls, and eight of the officers were poniarded. It
is now that the difficulties of Victor Emmanuel are
commencing. The Neapolitan General, Palmieri,
who was at Velletri, in the Papal States, has deserted
with 20 officers, who have gone to Naples to make
their submission to Victor Emmanuel. 1,100 more
men have been shipped at Gaeta for the Papal
States on board the steamers Dahomet and Protis."

FRENCH FISHING BOATS ON THE ENGLISH
COAST.—The .3foniteur publishes the following note :
" Contrary to Ai t. 5 of the Treaty of 1826 between England
and France, French fishing-boats of more than 60 tons
measurement, when compelled by stress of weather to pu
into Lowestoft, were subjected when coming froth ports
southward of Boulogne to pilot dues calculated according
to their draft of water, and which amounted for the road-
stead to 4s. per foot on entering, and 2s. 6d. on leaving ; and
for the port to Is. 6d. per foot in winter and ls. 3d. in sum-
mer, both on entering and leaving. On the remonstrances
of the French Consular agent ate owestoft, the Corpora-
tion of the Trinity House has gi the necessary orders
to the pilots of that port for the boats in question to be
henceforth exempted frem the above charges."