The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-19 00:00:00

THE ZOUAVES.

The correspondent of the Siecle writes as follows
from Genoa, under date of the 14th :
" The 3d regiment of Zouaves starts for Bobbio,
and will probably arrive there in the evening of
the day after to-morrow, after halting the first
night at Toriglia and the second at Ottona. Bobbio,
on the frontier of the Duchy of Parma, is occupied
at present by the Austrians, and the Zouaves are
sent to give them notice to quit. The latter are
delighted with their mission, and hope to be the
first French soldiers having a shot at the enemy.
The colonel said this morning in my presence :
If the Austrians do us :the honour to wait, we
hope to be masters of the position the day after
our arrival.' The colonel's only fear is that he
shall not be able to restrain the ardour of his men,
and you must know that all the officers entertain
the same apprehension. At seven o'clock, Prince
Napoleon, followed by his staff, arrived at the Pila
gate, received the regiment in question, which
forms part of his division, and at half-past seven
the column began its march to the sound of the
bugle and the soldiers' songs. All the reports
confirm the news that the Austrians are retreating,
but preparations are being made to attack them,
and the general opinion is that an important en-
gagement will take place in a few days. As to the
soldiers, they are firmly convinced that they shall
lodge in Milan before the end of the month." A
letter in the Debals, referring to the same corps,
says :

" One fact will give an idea of the incomparable
African troops, with whom the Austrians are not
yet acquainted. For six months the 3d Regiment
of Zouaves has been on campaign; since the 15th
October the men have not slept fifteen nights in
barracks ; three or four weeks ago they were at
Tuggurt ; they were embarked at almost a moment's
notice, and since their arrival in Piedmont have
been encamped in the midst of rain ; and yet the
regiment has not 10 men sick."
The hopes of this fine corps to meet the Austrians
at Bobbio must have been disappointed, as•the ac-
counts received state that these latter abandoned
the town the very day the Zouaves set out to drive
them from it. The same letter in the Debats
says :

"If a battle should take place, it will probably
be somewhere in the neighbourhood of Pavia, for
it does not appear at all likely that the Austrians
would await an attack in the square formed by
the Sesia, the Po, and the Ticino. In the event of
defeat they would have to effect their retreat by
crossing the last named river, an operation of a
very difficult character, and one which would
expose them to serious loss. Although they now
occupy that ground, and are throwing up fortified
field works, it is probably ,only for the purpose of
rendering more difficult any aggressive movement
on the part of the Franco-Sardinian army."
A letter from Turin in the Independance of
Brussels says :

" The damage already caused by the Austrians
is estimated at more than 100 'millions. They
have not only made enormous requisitions, but
have cut down trees, principally mulberries, burnt
and blown up bridges, destroyed railways, and
sacked country houses and farm-buildings. Count
de Cavour, who has a great part of his property in
the provinces where those ravages have been com-
mitted, will be a severe sufferer. The Piedmontese
people have conducted themselves with much dig-
nity and firmness, not excepting the clergy, to-
wards whom the Liberal party felt a certain degree
of mistrust. The Austrians could neither find a
spy-, assistance, nor information among the Pied-
montese."

The Genoa Gazette mentions an engagement
which took place on the 12th at Carrara, between
the Modenese troops and the National Guards. The
latter, aided by a few regular Piedmontese troops,
were stationed in an advantageous position outside
the town, under the orders of Commandant Ribotti.
After a brisk attack, which was successfully re-
pulsed, the Modenese retired, but it was believed
they had sent for reinforcements.

The commandant of Alessandria, Count Giannotti,
has issued a notification, ordering all strangers who
have not a special permission, or do not belong to
the allied armies, to quit the town within 24 hours.
The Messuggere of Modena contains a ducal
decree, ordering the arrest under the police regula-
tions of all persons inventing or spreading false
news.

THE AUSTRIAN ARMY IN
PIEDMONT.
(From the Seeond Edition of the Times)
AUSTRIAN HEAD-QUARTERS,
MORTARA, MAY 13.

f i The Paris papers of tbe Bth arrived here to-day.
They contain some criticisms on the Austrian mili-
tary movements here. One writer blames them for
not marching on Novi; another for not walking
over the prepared defences on the Dora Baltea
straight to Turin. Now Novi is within a few hours
of both Turin and Genoa by railroad, and at all
events six days' march from Pavia for an army of
80,000 men, even supposing these to have three or
four bridges and roads to move by. As the French
had five days' start in entering Sardinia, they had,
reaching
therefore, fully 10 days' start in Novi.
The original plan of the Austrians was to attack
there; but it was definitely given up when they
agreed to postpone the.r advance at England's re-

quest. When they did cross the frontier it was too
late also to march on Turin, and all thoughts of an
offensive movement was abandoned. The massing
of the troops here, with corps of observation north,
west, and south, was entirely a defensive mea•

sure. This should be borne in mind in England.
Austria did not attack Piedmont. She threatened
to do so, but at one word from England she totally
gave up the project. France began the war by
sending her troops to Genoa. Can any person
really argue that the Austrians should after that
have waited behind the Ticino, allowed the allies to
mass their troops here at Novara, and choose their
own time for attacking ? Had they acted so, a
single battle might have decided the fate of all the
north-west of Lombardy, whereas, by taking up
this position, they prevent the allies from advancing
by the northern route, unless they can first draw
off the Austrians by a feint towards Stradella and
Piacenza. Clearly the Austrians could not act
otherwise, in self-defence, than cross the Ticino
when they did. It would have been better, per-
haps, had they not before threatened to do so as an
offensive movement.

Some French were seen from Vercelli yesterday,
at least some brick-coloured inexpressibles were ob-
served, but at the Dora Baltea some Piedmontese
clothed their nether halves in that colour to mis-
lead the opposite party, and the same trick may
have been repeated. To-day and yesterday there
seems to have been an eastward movement on the
part of the allies south of the Po. They can hardly
be serious in an intention to penetrate Lombardy
in that direction. The Po above Piacenza is very
difficult to cross, and they cannot leave that
fortress in their rear. They may wish either to
raise the Parmesans again, or to effect a junction
with the Tuscans, or the whole may be a feint.
Were they quite sure of England's neutrality, a
corps d'arnzee, landing at Spezzia and marching by
Parma on Mantua, would be very troublesome, or
they might leave just troops enough in Piedmont
to keep the Austrians in check, and land the
rest at Chioggia, near Venice. I need hardly
say, therefore, that every expression of Minis-
terial or public opinion in England is received with
extreme interest here. I cannot help thinking that
public opinion is mistaken in respect to Austrian
dominion in Italy. When I hear a statesman like
Lord Palmerston express a hope that this war may
result in the Germans being entirely driven out of
the country, I naturally hesitate in forming an op-
posite opinion, and re-examine the evidence which
has been gradually convincing me. I confess, how-
ever, that the more I consider the question, and the
more I compare statements with facts, the more
settled does my opinion become. Under the French,
Piedmont, Lombardy, Parma, Modena, and part of
the States of the Church, formed one province. In
ISIS these all had a fair start under different Go-
vernments. Look at them now. Lombardy is the
richest province under the sun, but the upper one
thousand are discontented; in the others the
material prosperity is certainly less, and the upper
one thousand of Piedmont are contented, all the
rest are discontented ; all wish for change of some
sort, from the Pope's legate downwards. This
magnificent plain of Piedmont, which I now see
before me, is inferior in no physical respect to
Lombardy, yet no man would hesitate if allowed
to choose between one acre of land east of the Ticino
and two west. Surely the English must have
prejudged this case, deceived by the name of " con
stitutional" given to the Piedmontese Government.
Is a Constitution a blessing or a curse to a Latin
nation ? How has it proved in France, how in
Mexico, how in S pain ?
In Sardinia, 20 years ago, the revenue derived

from ordinary taxes exceeded the expenditure. The
people was happy, though some few ambitious
lawyers and others were anxious for change. Now
the national debt is increased year by year in spite
of taxation of the most oppressive kind, and the
people is ripe for Red Republicanism. The fact
seems to be that absolutism and constitutional forms
are equally capable of being used for bad purposes.
If discontent exist in Lombardy, as alleged, we can
easily account for it by considering the conduct of
Sardinia towards Parma and Tuscany. It is not
denied that in these provinces the late revolutions
were effected by Piedmontcse agents. Now, in
Lombardy, I can state from personal observation,
that the further from Piedmont the less is the dis

content. The claptrap phrases, so often used by

persons who do not know their meaning, are just
the same in Milan and in Turin, and in both places
are the same false statements made. The Lombards
are said to be subject to a more exacting conscrip-
tion than the other nations composing the Austrian
empire. What is the fact ? Until 1848, the Lom-
bard only served eight years, the others 14 ! Now
this has been equalised, but who is to blame ? Who
is to blame—l beg pardon, I mean to say, to whose
disinterested friendship does Lombardy owe the
heavy conscription of this year ?

As to Venice, France reduced it to absolute ruin.
In 1815 it was given to Austria as a possession
without importance, its trade having disappeared,
and its population diminished. Austria made it a
free port, gave it a railway, bridged the Lagune,
which separated it from the main land, and 15 days
ago it was a happy, prosperous town, with every
prospect of a still further and morn rapid advance.
Yet, because there once lived at this place a great
Italian nation, there are people in England who
think that Sardinia has a right to ruin the present
inhabitants, not one-third of whom are of Venetian
origin, and annex the territory. This is what they
wish to do ; whether France will lightly give up her
hold on Italy if she can obtain one, is another ques-
tion, and must evidently depend on, the permission
of Russia, for Italy, France, and Austria crippled,
England and Germany dare not interfere. Poor
Venice ! You cannot coneeivA how desolate she
looks. Venice in May, without 10 visitors. , The
state of stagnation is complete, all the military pre-
parations being already made. These are of a most
formidable nature, and, considering the difficulty of
access to vessels of any size, I do not hesitate to
state that a merely naval attack on that place would
have no chance of success. Every channel has
either already been quite blockaded up by sunken
ships, and vessels laden with stones are moored close
by, ready to close the small remaining passage at a
few minutes' notice, and guns of large calibro
(mostly 91 inch shell guns, but longer than the
English 10-inch guns) command all these obstacles.
The natives certainly looked to me happier in
1850, when the Austrians had just returned, than
they do now. I suppose some few are ready to
make great sacrifices to get rid of the Tedeschi,bun
the shopkeepers think much more of the tots
stoppage of trade than of anything else,

Trieste presented an equally utelancholy appear-
ance, more so, perhaps, for the ruin is greater.
There, at all events, there is but one feeling, that
of the most intense hatred of the French and Sar-
dinians, or rather of the Emperor Napoleon and
Count Cavour.

A strong force is out to-day to reconnoitre
beyond the Sesia, and the Austrian left has been
reinforced to watch the French on that side.
Should anything be discovered to cause a general
movement I will write to-morrow, but I think this
unlikely. They cannot be prepared yet for an ad-
vance in force.

AUSTRIA.
The Austrian governor of Venice hasublished a
notification that from the firing p
of the evenig gun
-grail the firing of the morning, no vesseln of any
kind shall be allowed to enter or leave that port;
and that persons' violating the regulation shall be
arrested and punished according to military law.
A Vienna letter says :--
"We are only just at the beginning of a war of
which the misfortunes and the end cannot even be
foreseen, and already the financial abyss threatens
toswallow up not only all the present resources of
the State, but, frightful to relate, all those of
which it can dispose in the future. The Vienneso
public, scarcely recovered from the astonishment
(not to use a stronger word) occasioned by the Im-
perial decree of the 30th April last, ordering the
issue under form of a loan of a new series of bonds
to the amount of 200,000 O florins, with interest
of 5 per cent., of which the National Bank was
forced, in return for the right to issue 150,000,000
florins of new notes of five florins each, to take

three parts ; the public, I say, hoped that with
this sum, which in normal times would have been
equal to 500,000,0001, the Minister of Finance
would have been able to provide for all the ex-
penses which the war in Italy occasions. But this
has unfortunately not been the case. Persons
in a position to know the state of the Treasury
affirm that so far back as the 10th it was
completely empty, and that the 200,000,000
florins of the loan decreed on the 30th April are
Completely disbursed in the enormous purchases of
military stores and war material indispensable for
the army in Italy. It has been announced to-day
at the Bourse, that, on the proposition of the
Minister of Finance, the Emperor has decreed!'
new loan of 75,000,000 florins, to be payable in
specie—a condition which will, on account of the
ruinous depreciation of paper-money in Austria/
double the amount of it. These 75,000,000 florins,
which make 150,000,000 fr., are to be placed to the
charge of the Lombardo-Venetian provinces ; that
is to say, those provinces are to pay the amount in
gold and silver coin in the same way as the Go-
vernment has thought right to make them do 011
previous occasions. The Minister of Finance at
Vienna will be charged after the war to pay off the
bonds to be created for this loan ; the payment to
be effected by annual instalments of sums taken
from the direct and indirect taxes levied in the said
provinces. The whole system is a ruinous one for
all the parties concerned."

FRANCE.
PARIS, WEDNESDAY.
BOURSE, May 18.—An escoinpte of 307,500 f. of
Three per Cent. Rente and of 9,000 f. of 41 per
Cents. was posted up, but it has had no great effect
on the market, speculators feeling uneasiness rela-
tive to the attitude of Germany. Threes varied
from 60f. 70e. to 60f. 85e.; Mobilier, 550 f. to
567 f. 50e. ; Austrian, 348 f. 75e. to 351 f. 25c. ;
Orleans, 1,140 f. to 1,150 f. ; Lyons, 762 f. 50e. to
767 f. 50c. ; Northern, 862 f. 50e. to 872 f. 50c.

The following were the closing quotations :---
41 per Cents. 89 Credit Foncier 635 Do. end end month 89 I Belgian 41
,Ipt
3 per Cents. Bl 15 I Piedmonteso (5) - 50
Do. end month.... 61 Roman BO
Bank Shares 2750 Austrian
Credit Mobilier .. 572 50 Spanish Threes 5O
Do. Account 572 50 Home Debt 35

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Ace"rit"
Orleans - ..
1156 *".
Northern B7O .. 870 ---
New ditto 745 .. -- 50
Lyons and. Mediterranean 767 50 .. 767
Geneva 442 50 .. 435 "....
Southern
Western 487 50 .. /2`, 0
Eastern
Sardinian 340 .. 3.3'. 26
Austrian
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 71c, i "1"40..
25f. 21c.; three_months, paper, 24f. 90c. ; money, 24f. "'