The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-18 00:00:00

" ORDER OF THE DAY.

"Faro, Aug. 12.
" Officers and Soldiers of the Land and Sea
Forces.—The General Dictator having for a short
time quitted headquarters, left me the following
Order :

" General Sirtori,—l leave to you the command of the
land and sea forces, being obliged to leave for a few days.
G. GARIBALDI.

" Officers and Soldiers,—My greatest title to
your confidence is the confidence which the man
reposes in me who represents your noblest aspira-
tions. I trust that you will obey me as you would
obey General Garibaldi.
" G. SIRTORI, Chief of the Staff."
What is the exact meaning of this is as yet a
mystery which has to be cleared up. Some cir-
cumstances which occurred this morning may help
to throw some light on the-mystery. A Sardinian
frigate was at the Faro this morning. Dr. Ber-
tani has arrived from Genoa, and has brought, it is
said, important news. These two circumstances
would lead one to suppose that the mystery has a
peaceful meaning. On the other hand, Garibaldi
is just the man to wish to see and promote the in-
surrection in Calabria in person. I dare say by
to-morrow's mail to Naples I shall be able to give
you the true key to the mystery.

(From the Special Correspondent of thee Daily News.)
FIRST PASSAGE OF THE STRAITS.
FARO (NEAR MESSINA), AUG. 8.
You will undoubtedly, before this reaches you,
have heard by the telegraph of the masterly and
wonderful preparation made by Garibaldi to cross
the famous strait, and also, I hope, of the successful
landing of his troops on its right shore. If I mistake
not, it will be this evening that the first battalions
of the national army will cross over to Calabria.
Some people thought at first that this bold attempt
would have been made at night, but as the moon
was shining in all its glorious splendour it would
have been unwise to set out. For the same reason
Garibaldi was obliged to countermand the order he
had sent to Captain Irwin, of Colonel Dunne's bri-
gade, to attack and capture, with a party of about
40 English volunteers, almost all seamen, a Neapo-
litan frigate which was at anchor a little further
down at Fort Cavallo on the Calabrian side. The
blue jackets were rather disappointed, for, in spite
of the shining moon, they swore they would have
captured the Neapolitan man-of-war. The bustle
of warlike preparation which comes to my ear from
every side of this camp is such that now and then
I cannot help thinking that what passes before my
eyes is but a dream. Three months have scarcely
elapsed since a great general landed at Melazzo
with 1,000 men, and now that very man is at the
head of a gallant army which numbers more than
20,000. You will not have forgotten that Garibaldi
divided this army into four divisions. One of these
divisions is encamped here and occupies the ground
which skirts the sea from Pace to Capo di Faro and
Faro Superiore.
Two other divisions, that of Medici and Cosenz,
are still at Messina, but the last-named one will
arrive here either in the course of the day or early
to-morrow morning. It is a pity that brave General
Bixio should not be here, but some disturbances
and terrible political assassinations having occurred
at Bronte, in the province of Catania, Garibaldi has
sent Bixio to put things to rights. It seems that
the exasperations of the Brontese were so great that
almost every sorcio—as the adherents of the former
regime are called—whom they could get hold of was
roughly handled by them. Bourbon officials and
their minions thus reap what they have sown—
hatred and bloody revenge. It is a severe retri-
bution, which I shall not endeavour to justify, but
which I can fully understand. To revert, however,
to military subjects, there are four batteries of heavy
guns which have been constructed all along this
shore. At its extreme point, where the ancient
poets placed Charybdis, the most powerful of these
batteries—six 32-pounders and two 65—has been
erected, and it is intended to bear upon the opposite
fort of Scylla, which, however, some say the Nea-
politans have neglected to mount with guns. The
other batteries, of four guns each, have been placed
at a pi upvi LiollAte from each other cdous-
the Faro shore. All the engineering arrangements
are under the directions of Colonels Bordone and
De Flotte, but it may be said that Garibaldi is in
fact the man who has advised them, for General
Orsini, the chief commander of the artillery, does
not stir without the orders of the dictator. The
distance from Faro Point to the Castle of Scylla
opposite is not more than 6,017 English yards. The
heavy guns of Garibaldi will, therefore, at the same
time keep in check the Neapolitan men-of-war, the
batteries of Torre del Cavallo, and the floating and
standing ones the enemy has erected at Villa S.
Giovanni, Gallico, and on other points of the oppo-
site coast.
Whilst I am writing I can see Garibaldi, who
arrived here this morning at 4 o'clock, walking up
and down the deck of the City of Aberdeen, one
of the Sicilian steamers lying in this harbour, fol-
lowing through his glass the movements of the
enemy. There is an amusing story current here,
which I give you without, however, vouching for
its correctness. You are perhaps aware that
the great fishery of the pesce-spada, or sword-
fish, affords occupation to the fishermen who live
in the villages and hamlets scattered about along
the coast from Messina to Faro Point, as well
as on the opposite one of Calabria. This fishery is
performed in the most ingenious manner. A man
ascends a long pole which rises in the centre of the
boat, and when he sees the sword-fish passing
through the current he makes the rowers row in
that direction, and the man at the stern, who is
armed with a long and sharp pike, if fortunate
enough, spikes the fish. Well, one day Garibaldi
disappeared for two hours, and it is stated that
having disguised himself as a fisherman, he went so
near to the opposite shore that from the pole he was
able to reconnoitre all the fortified points of the
Neapolitan coast. True or not, this story forms the
subject of all conversations in the camp, and causes
a great deal of merriment amongst the noble fellows
encamped under a scorching sun on the sandy beach
yonder. lam the more convinced that Garibaldi's
intention is to attempt a landing during the forth-
coming night from seeing the number of field-pieces
scattered about on this shore, and the number of
battalions ready to embark. Besides the steamer
anchored in this small harbour, or rather jetty,
there are about 250 fishing-boats of different sizes,
which complete the adventurous armada. They
lie anchored in two lakes behind the lighthouse of
Faro, and are therefore screened by it, so that Gari-
baldi's naval preparations cannot be seen by the
Neapolitans on the other side of the strait. These
two lakes in ancient times communicated both with
the gulf and the open sea, by way of two canals,
which from some cause or other had been choked
up. Garibaldi had the two canals opened, so that
he can now sail with his fleet from the lakes with-
out the enemy's knowing it. The boats which com-
prise Garibaldi's flotilla have been collected from
different points of the Sicilian coast, and can very
easily ship from 20 to 30 men each. Garibaldi will
thus be able to land a force of more than 7,000 men
where he pleases at once.
It is now five o'clock, and the greatest activity
prevails in the camp. Major Caldesi, the brother
of the well-known London photographer, is just
leaving the City of Aberdeen, apparently bearing
orders from headquarters. In the meanwhile, Nea-
politan frigates are steaming up and down the
strait, some in the direction of Reggio, some to-
wards Fort Scylla. Through my glass I can dis-
tinctly see the officers on the deck looking at what
is going on in our camp. Surely they must be by
this time convinced that the hour of the landing is
near at hand. One of those vessels is laden with a
battalion of Neapolitan sharpshooters, wbo come
from the citadel of Messina, and are bound for
some point or other of Calabria.
As nobody in Messina is ignorant that the land-
ing of the Sicilian troops will take place this even-
the
cannot ing, I hear that the alarm of the townsmen is great,
for they fear that General Clary
bryedone will bombard
city. This, however,without its

being officially communicated to the foreign con-
suls. Your able vice-consul, Mr. Rickards, has
positively and peremptorily intimated to the com-
mander of the citadel that such a communication
must be made to him according to the rules of war.
Her Majesty's ship Scylla is in the harbour to back
the just intimation of yoar consular agent. There
is no fear for the safety of your countrymen ; they
are in good hands, for nothing can exceed the
activity of Mr. Rickards when the interests of Eng-
land and the lives of _Englishmen are in danger.
AUGUST 9.
There they are on Neapolitan soil ! After 11 long
years of sorrow and despair, the national flag is
hoisted again upon the misty tops of the Calabrian
mountains. Yesterday, as the sun was setting, a
S.W. wind was driving dense clouds towards the
Calabrian coasts. A dark night was, therefore,
announced---a night favourable to the bold enter-
prise so long meditated by the Italian hero of our
times. The rays of the rising moan were not able
to pierce the dense vapours of the atmosphere, and
the whole tract of land which skirts the Sicilian gulf
was wrapped in a dense veil of fog. At 8 o'clock
the general, who was still on board the City of
Aberdeen, gave his last orders to Major Missori—
the noble fellow to whom Garibaldi is indebted for
his life, which without Missori's courage would
perhaps have been lost at Melazzo. Ten men were
asked to volunteer out of each company of one of
the encamped brigades. Fifty Carabinieri of
Genoa, twenty guides, and twenty of the engineer
battalion and of the artillery were besides asked to
join the select party, together with some English
and French volunteers. The party on which thus
devolved the honour of crossing the Faro and show-
ing the way to Naples did not number more than
350 men. Major Missori was the officer in com-
mand, and had under his orders Majors Salomone
and Nulla, of the general staff. At half-past eight
o'clock all the men were on board of fishing boats
and ready to sail. But here an unanimous com-
plaint was heard amongst the ranks of the brigade-
Those soldiers who were not of the envied number
made most urgent requests to their officers to be
allowed to share the fate of their comrades. It was
indeed a moving sight to witness the grief of those
who had been left behind, and to hear their ap-
pealing supplications. Order was, however, soon
restored, for the sentiment of duty was uppermost
in their hearts. Half-past nine was pealing from
the bell tower of the Faro church, when the little
expedition of the Italian patriots sailed amidst the
surrounding darkness of the night. The moment
was really an imposing one. Three hundred and
fifty young men—the flower of Italy—were start-
ing on the most audacious and dangerous enterprise
of this wonderful campaign. I say the most dan-
gerous, for the coasts of Calabria are manned with
hundreds of guns, and its narrow sea is swarming
with Neapolitan men-of-war. The party had
scarcely reached the middle of the gulf when it
was known here that it had been directed by Gari-
baldi to surprise or storm the Fort of Cavallo, which
nearly faces Faro Point, and stands upon a rocky
hillock which skirts the coast. A signal had been
agreed upon to inform Garibaldi of the safe land-
ing of the expedition. I will not attempt to de-
scribe the anxious expectation of that long, long
hour. Ten thousand men were waiting there to knout
the fate which was in store for their noble com-
panions. At last a faint light appeared along the
opposite shore. God be praised, the expedition had
landed in Calabria! But half an hour had scarcely
elapsed when the rattle of musketry was brought
to this shore throught the fresh breath of the sea.
4- few more musket shots, and then all was
silence and mystery again. In less than an hour,
however, a messenger arrived from Major Missori,
confirmed the successful landing of our friends, and
explained the cause of the firing. The expedition
was nearly touching the opposite shore, when one
of its boats, either drifting with the current or in-
tentionally separated from it, and went towards
Villa San Giovanni. In that boat were the fey(
Frenchmen and Englishmen who had joined the
expedition. As they did not know the coast, and
had not been made acquainted with Garibaldi's
orders to Missori, they landed close to a Neapolitan
battery. Although the night was dark the sentries
of the battery saw the boat approach and gave the
alarm, speedily followed by a discharge of mus•
ketry and a cannon shot. Two men were
cvvrnicu dons but this was
lin not the
quicklyworst,
as fur
possible.t
By the time this unfortunate accident happened
Major Missori had proceeded with his men on the
road towards Forte del Cavallo. But suddenly ,
hearing the report of a gun and the rattling of
musketry, and not being able to explain it, he
thought that the surprise of the garrison of Forte
del Cavallo had become a matter of total impossi-
bility. Major Missori, therefore, took the path of
the mountains. Nothing has been heard of them
since, but we hope they are safe, and making their
way through the districts of Calabria, which are
waiting the moment to begin the revolution. By
this time the Neapolitan generals must be fully
aware of the first landing of Garibaldi's forces; but
no important movement that we know of has yet
taken place on the other side of the Straits. To-day
General Clary was suddenly summoned to Naples
by telegraph, and he left the command of the citadel
of Messina to General Fergola, one of the most de-
voted adherents of the King, and therefore a most
ardent adversary of liberal institutions. Two days
ago we had at Messina an alarm caused by some Nea-
politan soldiers who tried to desert. The poor fellows
were shot at by their comrades of the outpost, and
two were severely wounded, and two others made pri•
sonars. The Gatribeair muskets, but
to cover their tohneeirNeesacappoe.
by discharging h
litan was lucky enough to reach the national
camp. News has just come from Bronte that Gen.
Bixio has shown the greatest firmness in restoring
order and in putting down the outrages committed
there by a band of ruffians who wanted to disgrace
the spotless banner of Garibaldi. The ringleaders,
about 30 in number, were shot in the square of the
town. Martial law was besides proclaimed at
Bronte, and disarmament ordered under penalty of
death. A war tax has also been imposed by Bixio
on the city. Those who are always calling Gari-
baldi and his officers revolutionists of the most
dangerous character, will, I hope, agree with your
correspondent that they know how to maintain
order and make law and life respected.
While Garibaldi is thus busy preparing to in-
vade Calabria with an army of 20,000 men, the
Neapolitan cruisers are steaming up and down the
strait, as if they had resigned themselves to play
the part of passive lookers on. What is still more
strange is that they do not even intercept one of
the numerous boats which are continually taking
arms and ammunition to the other side of the
strait. Members of the national committees of
Calabrian towns and villages arrive here every
hour of the day in the teeth of the Neapolitan fleet.
I have just spoken with one of these gentlemen,
and he told me that as soon as Garibaldi himself

has set a foot on the Neapolitan continent the whole
of the countrl will rise at the cry of " Long live
l
the Dictator ! Long live Victor
-Emmanuel
Down with the Bourbons !"

AUGUST 10.
Garibaldi's head-quarters have been established
here since yesterday, or, to speak more correctly',
have been established at the Lighthouse of the
goes on board the City of Aberdeen.
Strait. But now and then, especially during the
night, he
Last night the Neapolitan men-of-war which are
cruising in these waters were continually exchang-
iug signals by means of coloured rockets. If lam
rightly informed, this did not prevent the sailing
of fresh expeditions. lam told that, in spite
of a bright moon, a party of 80 men was safely
landed between the villages of Azzerello and Villa
San Giovanni. A second landed at Cannemiele.
A third, of about 150 men, were equally successful
in reaching the opposite coast at Fiumara Zacche-
rella, between Alta Fiumara and Cannetello. All
these expeditions, if this really occurred, had no
fight to sustain with the Neapolitans. Judging
from these small draughts of men, Garibaldi's plan
is to collect an army little by little, rouse Calabria,
and then proceed to Naples. I say it seems, for it
is very difficult to know what Garibaldi's plans
really are. I have been told that even Generals
Sirtori and Hebert—the first the chief of his staff,
the second a most able adviser in military matters—,

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