The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-05 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 5, 1867.

The news of GARIBALDI'S defeat will in all pro-
bability excite little surprise, and it may also be
inferred that it will be received for the most part
with satisfaction. The end was certain so soon as
the French troops bad arrived, and any one who
was at all versed in the matter must have known
that, be it short or long, a sad fate awaited the
Italian hero. According to advices received from
Florence an encounter took place on Sunday be-
tween a large body of Pontifical troops and the
Garibaldians. The former made the attack upon
the insurgents between Tivoli and Monte Rotondo.
A " long and obstinate " engagement is reported to
have taken place, and finally GARIBALDI was forced
to retreat, carrying away the wounded with him.
Upon reaching Italian territory GARIBALDI was
arrested. If the latter part of this intelligence be
true we may consider that the war in Italy is
virtually over, which is, indeed, a most satisfactory
result. The Pontifical troops appear to have shown
great intrepidity and zeal, and indeed to have fully
surpassed expectation by their exploits. It will be
a grand thing for them if they have been able to
bear the brunt of the affair, without having recourse
to the assistance of foreign troops, or even to the
aid of the King of ITALY. All the recent details
that reach us tend to confirm the more remarkable
news. Volunteers from the Pontifical States are,
it is said, daily returning to Florence, and this is a
very significant sign on all accounts. It was not
likely that the revolutionary movement would hold
out longer when the troops from various quarters had
arrived upon the scene of action, but it was
hardly expected that the aid would come so speedily
as it seems to have done. The Presse of Paris
asserts that the French Charge d'Affaires at
Florence has received instructions from his Govern-
ment to present an ultimatum, demanding that the
Italian troops should evacuate the Roman territory
before Thursday next. We should hardly believe
this statement to be correct, fyrr it would be most
ill-judged on the part of the French Government,
and could not possibly do them any good.
One of the chief reasons why the news of GARI-
BALDI'S defeat and possible capture will be received
with gratification will be that it seems very pro-
bable any prolongation of the present confused
state of things may lead to a collision between
France and Italy. The interventionists and the
non-interventionists are waging war, so far as words
and paper will allow them, and all tends to show the
very unsafe attitude of affairs. The whole course
of events of late has shown the bad understanding
that exists between the two countries, supposed to
be on good terms with each other. An illusion has
been dispelled, that which led us to think that the
Emperor NAPOLEON and VICTOR E3I3IANUEL were
capable of appreciating the importance of appearing
friends to the world, even if in their hearts there did
not exist much sympathy and mutual regard. We
are free to confess that there have been faults on
both sides. The Italian Government ought to have
made a better stand at the outset of the affair, and
not to have allowed the Garibaldians to got on so
fast and so far. Boldness and promptness then
would have spared them and Italy much mortifica-
tion now, and they would have avoided present and
future losses and troubles. When the change of
Ministry was effected they were perhaps too much
in the other direction, and not considering what.the
French might approve of they took the decisive step
of dispatching troops across the Pontifical frontiers,
which has furnished the text to so many disputes'
and altercations. On the other hand, the French
have acted hastily, and, what is more, without much
courtesy. They have exliibitiA an impatience and
an irritation hardly suitable to the occasion, and the
despatch of M. DE MOUSTII:R SUMS to show that it
is a matter of perfect indifference to France whether
the troops which have started for the avowed pur-
pose of protecting the POPE should direct their
attack upon those of VICTOR EMMANUEL or not 1 A
good deal must doubtless be allowed for the very
awkward position of affairs; but it is very certain
that it will not tend to mend matters to give way .to
vexatious impulses and angry feelings. As things
are, with the faults of one side and the folly of
another, it is difficult to see how these rival coun-
tries can extricate themselves from the dilemma in
which they are placed, except it be by a speedy
termination of the dispute which is the primary ,