The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-18 00:00:00

length to the release of the latter from his
perillous captivity—Mr. LOCH himself has most
earnestly and touchingly commemorated. With
a reference to that generous devotion of her MA-
JESTY'S Consul to his cosipanion in misfortune, Wri
gladly close our allusions to a narrative the perus: A
of which is like a glimpse into the dungeon of
UGOLINO.

Information from several sources confirms the
probability of an early termination of the affair at
Gaeta. The well-known correspondent of the
Daily New, who has generallybeen one of our most
trustworthy informants on Italian matters, says :
"I had scarcely posted my letter of Saturday when
I was informed that a French man-of-war had
arrived with important despatches for Admiral
BARBIER DE TINAN. I hastened to CI ALDINI'S
head-quarters, where I heard that a truce of fifteen
days had been negotiated by the Emperor NAPO-
LEON, and that in all probability the French
steamer referred to was the bearer of the official
intimation of the French Cabinet. It seems that
it is especially due to the influence of the English
Government that Louis NAPOLEON was induced
to change his line of policy towards FRANCIS II."
This was written on the 10th, and therefore the
armistice will expire in less than a week. At the
end of that time if the KING persists in his defence,
the French fleet will withdraw and leave the
dreaded Admiral PERSANO to co-operate with
CIALDINI, as he did so successfully at Ancona.
Sardinia, it seems, was unwilling to accede to the.
truce principally because of the difficulty of con-
structing trenches and siege works increasing with
the advance of the winter. That point was, how-
ever, given up on the other side. The siege ope-
rations will continue, and if, on the 26th of Decem-
ber, FRANCIS 11. has not given way, the whole of
the batteries are to open fire at once on the
fortress. Under these circumstances it is thought
that the accounts we hear of a little firing on
both sides are not to be taken as conclusive
against the fact of a truce or an understanding.

That our Government should interest itself in
hastening the certain termination of the drama is
more than probable. Indeed, the ex-King has
told us already that the English Government
" bitterly reproached" the French EMPEROR for
his intervention by sea. The fact doubtless is,
that our Cabinet would remonstrate, or ask expla-
nations, and that the French EMPEROR would
reply, that he merely intended to afford the poor
KING an easy and less degrading mode of retirement
than one effected by stealth through the Sardinian
lines or fleet. But ample time has elapsed for the
KING to have taken twenty voyages ; and though
the EMPEROR'S real wish might be to cause trouble
in Italy, yet that was not the ground he could
maintain with our Government. Hence, when we
began to press him again with the uselessness, nay,
the positive inhumanity of encouraging the KING
to prolong a perfectly hopeless conflict, our ally
could have no other expedient than to give the
KING another week or two to pack up, and if he
had not done so at the end of that time, why he
must settle it with PERSANO and CIALDINI as he
best could. Whether the armistice, therefore, be
accepted substantially or not, we may hope that
the EMPEROR has listened thus far to common-
sense counsels, and that if FRANCIS 11. sees fit to
keep his Christmas at Gaeta, he must expect to
see -Admiral BARBIER DE TINAN quit the station
immediately after.
The reactionary movements in the Abruzzi,
chiefly due to the disbanded soldiers of the late
King, are suppressed, and the partial risings of
those who profited by the BOURBON regime seem
to be more or less quieted down generally. What-
ever the Emperor of the FRENCH may wish, in his
vexation at Italian indifference or aversion to the
overtures of members of the NAPOLEON family
kindly to undertake the work of governing them,
we can have but one wish, to see Italy quietly
taking her place amongst the nations of Europe as
speedily as possible. Nothing witl probably more
conduce to quelling these petty brigand rebellions
than the King's finally quitting Gaeta. His
residence there gives a kind of decent colour
to the disturbances, created merely for pur-
poses of plunder. When he is gone, and
his return will, of coarse, be utterly hopeless,
nothing of seeming loyalty can be connected with
any of these petty insurrections, The Royalist
game will be up, and brigands will meet only a
brigand's fate. We may hope now that the friend-
ship of England for Italy will hasten this desirable
conclusion by her inducing the EMPEROR to follow
her own example, and to abstain bona fide from any
kind of intervention. Then, He of Gaeta gone—.
who or what goes next—will the PoPE quit Rome,
or will his temporal rule quit him while remaining
in his Bishopric ? The last account of all tells us
that the French who so recently extended their
occupation to Viterbo are quitting the province.
Who can solve the EMPEROR'S riddles ?

Yet another pamphlet—not perhaps directly
from the Imperial pen, but understood to have
passed favourably an Imperial review. Indeed we
know not why it should not. " The Emperor
FRANCIS JOSEPH and Europe" is its subject, and
the object is to show that all Europe has an inte-
rest in the sale of Venetia by Austria, at
about £20,000,000 of our money. The theme
is an easy one, indeed, to reason about ;
the real difficulty lies in the question —is
Imperial pride, especially the pride of HAPSBURG
Imperialism, amenable to reason ? We must, of
course, include honour in the policy to be proved
reasonable; since without that, we ourselves could
hardly fail to respect the Monarch who declined
to make his honour a subject of sale and purchase.
But surely it cannot be very difficult to show
Austria that, as things now stand, Europe would
honour her for discerning the signs of the times,
and for regarding the true interests of all Europe
and Germany, as well as her own necessities, as
deciding considerations.

As to Austria herself, the writer of the pam-
phlet referred to shews by figures that Venetia does
not pay its expenses—that it is a heavy charge on
the Austrian Exchequer, 'and that, too, while the
Government is driven to its wits' end to avoid open
and confessed bankruptcy—that, indeed, it would
be a great gain to Austria to surrender Venetia
without pecuniary compensation, merely through
the saving effected. The Italians, however, would on
their part be able so largely to reduce their army
that Italy would not be unwilling to offer a liberal
compensation, as they in their turn would be
gainers by saving military expences. A fairer case
for compromise, therefore, from the pecuniary
point of view, could hardly exist.
Looking at it politically, Austria as well as
Italy would seem to be equal gainers. Venetia is
now of no political value to Austria; the com-
merce is destroyed, the population discontented,
and an embarrassment to her. The object for
which Venetia was of use—to overawe the people of
Italy, and to uphold despotism from the north to
the south—is now vanished from her hopes as well
•
as her grasp. She is simply left with all the
enormous cost of four vast fortresses, while the
oountry
they were constructed to rule has
undertaken to rule itself, and will do so, we
doubt not, for evermore. Then, again, Voiotia

is an emtar'rassment to Austria more than ever

at the present moment. All her older provinces
and domains are more or less in commotion, and
some of them, Hungary especially, in danger ofgoing
so far as to proclaim their independence. It is
quite certain that war in Venetia means
insurrection in Hungary, and insurrection
in Hungary might be followed by troublesome
movements in almost all the provinces of this sin-
gularly composite Empire. The Emperor of AUS-
TRIA would have as much as ever he could do to
keep all together, even without the burden of
Venetia to impede his action, but it would
certainly surprise no observer to see the whole
empire fall to pieces at the first shock of another
Italian war. Yet that war must come unless
averted by concession. Austria is armed to the
teeth in the little territory ; Italy is arming
also, and GARIBALDI is at the service of Italy, ready
for any feat at home, or, by way of diversion, to
lead the Austrians in Hungary such a dance as he
taught them at the foot of the Alps.
But would France look quietly on. Austria has
not fulfilled in Venetia the engagements of Villa-
franca ; and France could truthfully assert that she
was warranted in completing her programme of
" liberation from the Alps to the Adriatic" when
the tenants on the Adriatic did not fulfil
their duty. Then would not other Powers in-
terfere ? Would not Russia and Prussia begin
to quake for their Polish dominions, and wish
to intervene ? Would not England firmly say,
that where her fleets could speak with effect
there should be no intervention—in short, would not
all Europe be unsettled if once war recomenced in the
north-west corner of Italy ? On the whole, if ever
there was a case in which all the Powers of Europe
were interested, it would seem to be in advising
Austria to yield to necessity. She came badly by
Venetia, by a disgraceful transaction between her
and the first NAPOLEON. It has never done her any
good—it has been ruin to her exchequer, and
paralyses per power over her other territories ;
while all the free States in the world, and all the
despots, too, would agree in advising her to accept
thankfully a fair offer—otherwise she might gain
the loss of all.

THE CITY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

The approaching wardmotes, to be held on Friday
next (St. Thomas's Day), for the election of common
councilmen and other ward officers for the ensuing
year, are looked forward to with considerable in-
terest, not only on account of the several contests
which are expected to take place, but also
from the variety of subjects of public im-
portance which it is understood will undergo dis-
cussion. Of the latter at present known are the
railways in progress, as well as those proposed in
connection with the City; as also the wholesale
dead meat market, the long-talked of Corporation
Reform, as well as the Parliamentary Reform Bill
for 1861 ; and, it may be added, several questions
of local importance, though probably not possessing
great public interest. There are eight wards in
which changes are expected, comprising Bassishaw,
Bread-street, Cheap, Farringdon Without, Lime-
street, Tower, Vintry, and Walbrook.
BASSISFIAW.-A precinct meeting was held in
this ward yesterday afternoon, at which it was
announced that Mr. Deputy Britten, after a faith-
ful service of 22 years, has, through declining
health, signified his intention of retiring. The
remaining three old members—Messrs. W. Lister,
C. E. Fuller, and A. Locke, were returned by the
precinct; and Mr. A. Bradbury (firm of Davidson,
Bradbury, and Hardwicke, of Basinghall-street)
and Mr. Oldie, were nominated for the vacancy
caused by Mr. Britten's, retirement. A poll ex-
pected.

BREAD-STREET.--NO vacancy ; but Mr. A. Pill,
of Cheapside, will, it is understood, be again pro-
posed.
CHEAP.-Mr. R. G. Pead resigns. The candidates
for the vacancy are—Mr. Gibbins, a Manchester
warehouseman of long standing iq the ward; and
Mr. J. Bennett, the well-known watchmaker of
Cheapside. Mr. Bennett comes forward in conse-
quence of a handsome requisition signed (as under-
stood) by a majority of the electors, and from this
circumstance, combined with his active business
habits, he appears likely to be the successful candi-
date. A sharp contest is, however, anticipated, as
his opponent, Mr. Gibbins, is highly respected in
the ward.

FARRINGDON WITIIOUT.—In the room of Mr.
Sarridge, Messrs. Stanborough and Harvey are
candidates. Poll expected.
LIME-STREET.--NO vacancy; but Mr. E. W.
Wheatley, of the Globe Parcels Express, Leaden-
hall-street, who was proposed last year, will again
come forward as a candidate.

TOWER.—No vacancy; but it is understood new
candidates will be proposed, though their names
are not at present announced.

VINTRY.—Mr. Deputy Archer expected to retire,
and Mr. John Bennett to be nominated for the
vacancy. _ _ _

WAinßooK.—Mr. Ford Hale retires, and Mr.
Thomas Rowley, a late member, and who was last
St. Thomas's Day defeated by Mr. Bunn, will be
again nominated. No other candidate at present
announced.

No changes are expected in any of the other
wards.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and
Prince Alfred, attended by Captain Cowell and Lieutenant-
Colonel Keppel, arrived from Windsor Castle on Sunday to
luncheon with their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary, at Cambridge Cottage, Kew.
The Prince of Wales will leave Windsor Castle to-day for
Oxford for a few days, before returning to pass the approach-
ing festive season with the royal circle at Windsor.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
left Gloucester House yesterday on a visit to her Majesty
at Windsor Castle.

His Excellency the Prussian Minister and the
Countess Bernstorff have returned to Prussia House from
visiting Mr. and Lady Elizabeth Drummond, at Cadlands,
Hants.

The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough will
receive a select circle at Blenheim Palace during the
Christmas.

. The Duke and Duchess of Manchester have left
town for Hinehingbrook, Hurts, on a visit to the Earl of
Saudwich, before going to Kimbolton Castle for the
Christmas.

Count de Persigny has arrived, at Albert Gate
House from Paris for a short period.
• The Earl and Countess of Lanesborough have
arrived at Swithland Hall, Leicestershire, from Ireland.
The Countess of Fife and family have arrived in
town from Scotland. His lordship, who is expected in town
on Friday, has taken a house in Wilton•crescent for a few
months.

The Countess of Mountoharles was safely deli-
verl of a daughter yesterday at her residence in Rutland-
gate. Her ladyship and infant are progressing'favourably.
Lord and Lady Nigel Kennedy have left the
Queen's Hotel, Upper Norwood, for Paris.

The Right Hon. W. F. Cowper, M.P., and Mrs.
Cowper have left town on a visit to Lord and Lady Ebury
at Moor-park.
The Nationalites of Turin announces that bat-
talions of National Guards are being mobilised at Naples
for service in Upper Italy.
THE CONDEMNED PRISONERS IN DURHAM GAOL.
—The execution of Thomas Smith and Milner Lockey, for
the murders at Winlaton and Urpeth, has been fixed to take
place on Thursday, the 27th instant, at nine o'clock in the
morning, in front of the Durham County Courts. This is
an alteration of the ordinary time, which is gtnerally the
second Monday after conviction, but it has been postponed
till Thursday in consequence of Monday being Christmas-
eve. Since their condemnation the demeanour of the two
men has undergone very little change. The conduct of
Smith, the Winlaton murderer, is much the same as that
which he has exhibited ever since his. committal to prison.
He is quiet, respetful, and subdued, and the fearful posi-
tion in which he stands has evidently acted severely
upon his nervous system. Lockey's conduct since his
committal has presented a marked contrast to that
of Smith. His conversation and manner have
been characterised by great levity and recklessness.
He manifests great proneness to jocularity, and though he
pays marked respect to the exhortations of the chaplain,
the religious impressions made upon him appear to be of the
most transient nature. At the meeting of the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, held in the
Town-hall at Durham on Wednesday evening last, the
Bishop of Durham, in his speech, feelingly alluded to the
position of the uuhap py men ; and it is stated that previ-
ous to the execution, his Lordship intends to preach in the
chapel of the prisr,n. Considering that the calendar for the
recent assizes at Durham curtained the names of only 21
prisoners, and 18 cases, it is many years such a fearful
amount of heinfius crime has been exhibited in that county;
two prisoners have been left for execution, two have sen-
tence of death recorded against them, and seven have been
em,
sentenced to penal servitude for periods varying from three
to 15 years.

L:11 EST NEWS.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.
ROME, DEC. 16.

The death of Cardinal Gaude is announced.

A consistory will be held on Monday next, when
the Pope willaddress an allocution to the cardinals.
Several bishops, three of whom are Suburban,
have been appointed.

Benevento is lost to the Holy See.
:Reactionary movements have taken place at seve•
ral places in the March provinces and in Umbria.

The Pontifical Zouaves have re-entered Rome.

General Latour has left for Paris on a special
mission from Francis 11. to the Emperor Napoleon,

PARIS, TUESDAY.

The Moniteur contains a decree reducing the
number of officials in the Imperial Courts of Rennes
and Poitieri, augmenting the number of Tribunal
Judges in some towns and diminishing them in
others.

The Moniteur also publishes a decree suppress-
ing the prohibition against the export from Algeria
of barks for tanning purposes.

VIENNA, DEC. 17.

According to advices received here from Hun-
gary, other comitats are following the example set
by the Comitat of Pesth in reference to the pro-
posals to be submitted to the Chancellor.

The Cardinal Primate of Hungary arrived in
Vienna a few days ago. After having had a long
conference with Baron Vay he was received by the
Emperor. He returned yesterday to Gran.
According to the lithographed correspondence
published in Vienna, the revision of the Concordat
will, for the present, be limited to the re-establish-
ment of the religious privileges of the Primate of
Hungary.

VIENNA, DEC. 17.

It is asserted that the Chancellor of Hungary has
resolved upon replying negatively to the demands
of the Corcitat of Pesth, on account of the proceed-
ings connected with the address having transgressed
constitutional limits.
The Wanderer of this evening publishes tele-
grams from Zara, dated the 16th and 17th inst.,
according to which strong and universal agitation
prevailed in that city and in the provincial towns
of Dalmatia against the administrative incorpora-
tion of Dalmatia with Croatia, without that pro-
ject being first submitted for the approval of the
Dalmatian Diet.

MUNICH, DEC. 17.

Baron Verger, Bavarian Minister Plenipotentiary
at Turin, having been recalled, the Sardinian Mi-
nister has in consequence received orders to quit
his post at the Bavarian Court.

BERNE, DEC. 17.

Count Cavour has addressed another note to the
Federal Council, stating that he withdraws, under
certain conditions, the demand contained in his
note of 10th Nov. last for the removal of the se-
questration placed upon the income of the Bishop-
ric of Como in the Canton of Tessin.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.
MALTA, DEC. 15.
The Bombay mail of the 25th arrived here this
morning, and left at 2 p.m. for Marseilles.

FRANCE.

A Paris letter, in the Nord, says :—" It is ru-
moured, relative to the pamphlet Franci. Topoph
L et l'Europe'—which faithfully expresses the
disquietude felt in the financial world—that if
Austria obstinately persists in declining to sell
Venetia, all the great bankers of Europe will come
to an understanding to refuse her the support of
their credit. It is certain that if such an agree-
ment were to take place, which however I think
scarcely possible, the Austrian Government would
be placed in a state of great embarrassment."
M. Farini has addressed a report to tha King on
the establishment for the poor at Naples, exposing
several very serious abuses in its administration.
The report has been sent to the Consulta of State.
BOURSE, Dec. 17.—The market shows a slight
improvement on the quotations of Saturday, but
the amount of business continues limited. For the
Account, Threes are now at 68f 922 c; Mobilier,
775 f; Orleans, 1,385 f; Northern, 992 f 50c; Medi-
terranean, 910 f ; Austrian, 511 f 25c ; Lombard,
483 f 75c. The following were the last quotations :-
41 per per Cents ... 96 65 Credit F ancier
Do end —i Belgian 4t 9B 25
3 per Cents
Do. end month 6B 85 Roman
Bank Shares 2935 —1 Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... 771 251 Spanish Threes 5O 25
Do. Account 772 50 Home Debt

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans 1385 .. 1386 25
__ _ __ _

Northern 991 25 .. 991 25
New ditto

Lyons and Mediterranean 911 25 .. 915
Geneva 375 .. 377 50
Southern 522 50 .. 523 75
Western

Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard , 483 75 .. 485

THE SIEGE OF GAETA.

There is a report pretty generally believed that
an armistice, at the intervention of the French
Government, has been completed between the Bour-
bonites and the Sardinians for 15 days, during
which time the preparations are not to be sus-
pended. In this interval of time the Emperor will
use his good offices to induce Francis 11. to evacuate
Gaeta ; but, should he refuse to do so, then the
French fleet will be withdrawn. Some are of
opinion that the Bourbon will still resist. There
are at present 15,000 men in Gaeta, with provisions
for six months for perhaps 6,000 men, and a great
quantity of ammunition. Now, it may be the
policy of Francis IL to drive off some 10,000 of his
forces, as he has already done; Cialdini, however,
will not take prisoners, and it is just possible that
Francis 11. may be compelled to yield by his own
men.

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

CORFU, DEC. 6.

The magnificent fleet under the command of
Vice Admiral Martin, is anchored off Corfu. It is
composed of the following ships :—The flagship
Marlborough, 131 guns, 800-horse power, Admiral
Martin ; the Orion, 91 guns, 600-horse power,
Captain FrerG ; the Exmouth, 90 guns, 400-horse
power, Captain Paynter ; the Neptune, 90 guns,
500-horse power, Captain Campbell ; the Mars, 80
guns, 400-horse power, Captain Strange ; the
James Watt, 91 guns, 600-horse power, Captain
Codd ; the London, 90 guns, 500-horse power,
Captain Chads. The screw steam sloops Assurance,
4 guns, 200-horse power, Captain Aynslcy, and the
Alacrity, 4 guns, 200-horse power, Captain Baird,
are in attendance, and plying alternately between
this and Malta.

The first 2 volume of a singular work, entitled,
" The History of Shoemaking and Illustrious Cordonniers,"
has just appeared in Paris.
A BADGER FOUND.—The workmen of Mr. John
Pearce, yeoman, of Nourdrioth, were exceedingly surprised
on Monday morning last by the strange appearance of a
badger. It was first observed by one of the men, who im-
mediately acquainted the others of the fact, and directed
them to the spot where the animal was seen in a hole in the
hedge. The men, each armed with a pike and different
implements of husbandry, surrounded the hole, and after
a long and tedious lapse of time succeeded in getting the
animal out, which was then severely wounded, and after a
while died. This badger remarkable for size, it being as
large as a common sheep dog. We suppose this must be
the very last of the badgers. Will any of our correspon-
dents inform us when before this a badger was seen wild
iA Ccriawall or Devonshire ? Western Morning Artifte