The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-22 00:00:00

NAPLES.

A letter from Naples of the 16th in the Debats
says:—" If you desire to know the most remark-
able event in this city during the last two or
three days, I will tell it you in four words—People
are running away. The news that the conquest of
the kingdom by Garibaldi was about to begin has
filled the reactionists and the timid with alarm,
and they are all departing. The King is causing
the fortress of San Elmo and the new fort to be
filled with bombs and other incendiary projectiles.
Three
ihis
days age preparations for a bombardment
by
Sicilian Majesty would have been useless,
but since then it appears that Admiral Mundy
English fleet have received instructions
those first given, which were to the
modifyingaand
the
effect that a renewal at Naples of the successes
at Palermo should be prevented. The modifica-
tion of the instructions is certain, but I cannot
tell you to what limit the King is authorised to
defend himself ; nor can I explain this change in
the attitude of England. In the meantime the
Court is spreading the rumour that his Majesty
will embark without striking a blow, but will
make an appeal to Europe and his people, and con-
fide the preservation of his inheritance to diplomacy
and the army. This report has produced the effect
of slackening the activity of the revolutionary
party ; but the truth is that the King will defend
himself to the last, and as long as he has a single
cartridge or a man. The sole precaution he has
taken is to embark 30,000,000 ducats in the Arthur,
a small war schooner anchored in the military
port beneath the windows of the palace. This
vessel is to sail in two days for Trieste, passing
by the Faro and going round Sicily." The same
letter says :—" The Treasury is empty—literally
empty. And note this fact, that, in addition to the
ordinary revenue of the kingdom, the Court has
within seven months spent 10,000,000 ducats
raised by the issue of bonds for 500,000 ducats
of rente. The issue took place in virtue of three
decrees of the King—one for 200,000 ducats on the
13th October last, another for 100,000 on the Ist
:‘lay, and the third for 200,000 on the 6th rune.
This will explain why M. Manna has not yet re-
turned, and will not yet return from his mission to
Turin, notwithstanding the alliance he went to nego-
tiate has completely failed. He is Minister of
Finance, and if lie were hero be would have to sign
orders for payments on the Treasury, and perhaps
endeavour to cheek the desperate operations of the
Court; whereas in his absenco the King disposes of

ve6ir 22,

1860,

the public money, and payments are made on
orders signed by his Majesty's secretary. Thus
Francis 11. remains absolute master of the two
principal forces of the State—the army and the
finances."

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

-

By extraordinary express,i n anticipation of the
Overland Mail, we have received our correspondence
and letters from Bombay to the 23d ult.
The following is from the summary of the Born •
bay Gazette of July 23 :
" The Indian public having recovered from its
brief fit of political excitement, has ceased to discuss
general principles of taxation; and in this exhausting
climate few persons have the courage to take an in-
terest in, or even to read, the apparently intermin-
able discussions on the clauses of the Income Tax
Bill, with which the Calcutta papers are filled. So
the bill progresses through committee, not so fast
as might be, for Mr. Wilson has been ill, and the
absence of Sir Jas. Outram and the necessity of one
of the judge legislators deserting the council to
attend to the sessions have caused several postpone.
ments.

" The rather awkward discovery has been made
that the assessment and levying of new direct
taxes in 0 ude, before the Income Tax Bill has
passed the Legislative Council, must be regarded
as illegal acts ; and the energetic officials who
were so highly praised for the skill and fairness
they had shown in introducing a scheme of taxation
so strange to Asiatic ideas, will require a bill of in-
demnity to relieve them of the pains and penalties
which are the legal reward of their zeal. The over-
sight is unpardonable ; it is worse than a crime—an
error. In the first place, it tends to make the tax
more odious than before to the people; in the se-
cond place—for the Supreme Government were con-
senting and applauding parties to the illegality—it
reveals the appalling fact that our rulers are igno-
rant of the first principles of the government they
administer. There are ugly rumours, too—happily
so far they are only rumours—that oppression and
corruption in the worst forms have been practised
by the native servants of Government in collecting
this illegal tax.
" But the Disarming Act—which raises the old
antagonism of white and black—is more fiercely
criticised than all the financial measures put to-
gether After long and lively debates—in which
there occurred some sharp passages of arms between
Sir Mordaunt Wells, Mr. Harrington, Sir B. Pea-
cock, and Mr. Wilson—the bill passed, but in a very
different shape from that in which it was originally
presented to the council. The Government carried
their point of not specially exempting Europeans :
but permission is given by the act to magistrates to
exempt whomsoever they please, be he native or
European. The independent Europeans are more
indignant than ever that such large powers should
be placed in the hands of civil servants who are in
many cases notoriously eager to insult them in
every possible way. But, as power is given to the
Governor-General and subordinate governors to ex-
empt whole districts, it is likely that the act will,
in most parts of the country, become a dead letter.
" Mr. Wilson has explained in the Legislative
Council, to quiet some disagreeable reports, that
India will have to bear no share of the expenses of
the Chinese war• All that has been done is to grant
permission to the Commissary General of the expe-
dition to draw not more than £50,000 a month for
eight months on account of the war, his drafts being
fowarded to London and placed to the credit of the
Indian Government.

COMMERCIAL.

BOMBAY, JULY 23.

Since the date of our last report wo have received advices
from Europe to the 18th ult., by the mail steamer which
arrived here on the 10th inst., but no later news by tele-
graph has reached us. There has been an abundant fall
of rain on the island during the fortnight. Sowing operations
are in fair progress in almost all parts of the presidency, but
the weather reports of the districts in the southern collecto-
ratesare more favourable than those of the northern collec-
torates. The markets have generally continued inactive,
with . very ...aerate business doing. Imports haveremained
quiet, with the exception of piece goods, for which a better
inquiry has been manifested, and a larger business done, but
prices are not always maintained. Of exports, seeds are the
only commodity in demand. The money market remains
unaltered.