The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-06 00:00:00

IS ITALY TO BE FREE?

The Italian question is one from which the ad-
herents of Austria in the English press seek to lead
us away by conjuring up fears and apprehensions
of French aggrandisement and Russian ambition.
They would condemn 20 millions of people inhabit-
ing the fairest portion of Europe to present slavery
and continuous misery, lest that artificial balance
of power which rests insecurely on the maintenance
of the worst of all human despotisms—that of Aus-
tria—should be disturbed. Independence and free-
dom must be denied the Italians, and the measures
necessary to attain them must be averted by Eng-
land, because it suits the personal objects of a set
of worn-out soulless politicians on this side of the
Channel to propagate old jealousies of France and
old hostilities of Russia, when there is reason to be-
lieve a better knowledge of the state of Europe and
a more accurate perception of the inevitable tenden-
cies of events have brought the Governments of those
countries to see that,in the interest of general peace
and permanent prosperity, something ought to be
done to relieve Italy from the oppression of Austria.
France and Russia, it is now apparent, have a
policy as to Italy in which there is hope and life
for the Italians ; and any danger to England out of
the prospects of such a policy can only arise from
England having as to Italy no policy at all, or,
worse still, throwing all her immense influence into
the scale of Austria, and so becoming associated
with—nay, responsible for—the enslavement of
Italy.
Is England going to support Austria, and by
that support to prolong the slavery, the misrule,
and the woes of Italy ; or will she unite with the
Governments of France and Russia to liberate Italy
from a domination to which nothing on earth or in
heaven can reconcile the Italians, which it is a duty
and a virtue in them to overthrow, and which is a
standing and constant danger to Europe ? That is
really the question now raised.
There are people who try to persuade themselves
and others that this question has not arisen, because
Italy, has not broken out into revolt against
Austria. They require bloodshed and massacre to
excite them to thought and action. But it is a
fact beyond all controversy or denial, that the
peace of Italy is at present preserved not by the
90,000 troops which Austria has quartered on its
inhabitants, not by the immense fortresses which
Austria has in the very heart of Italy, but by the
restraints which the Governments of Piedmont and
of France place on the people of the northern
Duchies, of the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom, and
of the Papal States. Either of those Govern-
ments has but to loosen the leash, to hold up a
finger, and Italy is in revolt. What then would
follow ? Why this, that the 120,000 brave men
composing the Piedmontese army would march to
the succour and support of the cause of Italian
Liberation. War between Austria and Piedmont
would of course ensue • but Piedmont has in France
an ally, it may, be in Russia also, who would not
desert her. It is a mere matter of time, how long the
Government of Piedmont (to leave that of France
out of the question) can or will defend Austria from
insurrection ; and it is because that period cannot
be much further prolonged, that we advocate the
adoption of a policy by England on behalf of Italy
that will save Europe from so dreadful a catastrophe
as war.

If anything maybe accomplished by pacific means
for Italian independence (and nothing short of that
can be accepted, because that only affords the least
hope of freedom to Europe from this otherwise con-
stant Italian danger), now is the proper time.
France is desirous, and Russia not indisposed to act ;
it remains for England to direct their action into a
right channel; but to do so, the English Govern-
ment mast adopt a fair, generous, and magnani-
mous policy, and instead of supporting Austria fol-
low the precedent which Mr. Canning applied to
Greece in 1829. England, France, and Russia then
united for a great European object, the establish-
ment of the independence of some four millions of
Greeks. Why should they not now join in a still
nobler aim—the independence of Italy and of 20
millions of Italians, far better prepared to enjoy the
blessings of freedom by being released from the do-
mination of Austria, than the Greeks were 30 years
ago for emancipation from the tyranny. of Turkey ?
Or, if such a league be not now within the capa-
city or the courage of English statesmen, let us at
least preserve neutrality so far as Italy is concerned.
If our Ministers have not the spirit and the sense
to avail themselves of the present opportunity for
European concert on the affairs of Italy, in the
name of all that is decent and reasonable let us not
object to other States trying to do something for
Italy. Let us not play the part of the dog in the
manger, and, refusing to move ourselves with the
object of bringing about a pacific settlement of the
question, remonstrate against and resist all better
aspirations and intentions in other Governments. If
we cannot assist the Italians, don't let us oppress
them. If we won't earn their gratitude and esteem,
don't let us merit their hatred and contempt,
That, it is to be feared, Lord Derby's Cabinet is
doing. We said the other day, and the remark
was then very true, that no, one knew what their
policy towards Italy was. We now hear that it
consists in urging Prussia to support Austria, and
so diverting the French Government from the im-
provement of Italy, by attracting its attention to
the German frontier. It would, however, be a fatal
mistake if Prussia, placed as she now is in the van
of German freedom, should humiliate Germany,
disgust Europe, and abnegate her own mission in
the world, to maintain Austria in Italy against the
unanimous wishes of its own population, in opposi-
tion to the wishes of France, and in violation and
disregard of every principle by which Prussia her-
self exists as an independent State. If the wishes
of the intelligent and intellectual people of North
Germany, who take as deep an interest in the cause
of Italian freedom as we do in England, can prevail,
no such mistake will be committed by:Prussia ; that
Power will not co-operate for the degradation of
Italy with the monarch who has disgraced Southern
Germany by a concordat with the Pope, which to
the end of all time will be a scandal and disgrace to
the 19th century. But at present the question is
not so much what the Germans will do, as what
Englishmen will say to their Government seeking to
stir up the Court of Berlin to join Austria in op-
pressing Italy.
If England have a policy, be it good or bad, it
ought not to percolate into the European system
through the Court of Berlin ; or manifest itself in a
great crisis and a noble cause, to a faithful Ally,
through a personal andprivate correspondence even
of the Prime Minister. These are wretched shifts
and miserable expedients. Happily, however, the
opening of Parliament cannot now be much longer
delayed, and then, let us hope, there will be states-
men wise enough to insist that England and Europe
shall know authoritatively what course the Cabinet
mean to adopt towards Italy.—Daily News.

PROPORTION OF FATAL CASES OF
ANESTHESIA.

There are in London 15 hospitals where surgical
operations are being frequently performed. Some
of these are small ; we will, therefore, confine our
attention to the 10 largest metropolitan hospitals.
St. Bartholomew's is immensely large ; at the
lesser Hospital of University College 4,440, and at
Charing-ross Hospital 1,600 operations have been
performed under chloroform during the last ten
years. St. George's, though larger than University
College, is probably of medium size, and may there-
fore be fairly taken as representing the average
number of operations which are performed in each
of the other nine. In this hospital 3,000 operations
are said to have been performed within the period
just mentioned. If we multiply this number by 10,
which is the number of the principal hospitals in
London, it appears that at least 30,000 operations
have been performed in the metropolis during the
10 years in which chloroform has been used. We
are aware that according to the statistical state-
ments respecting the surgical operations performed
in London, which have been published in the
Medical Times and Gazette during the last four
years, and which we have carefully examined.
not more than 10,000 operations have been per-
formed in London during the last 10 years. But
those statements only comprise the principal opera-
tions, and must exclude, as we know they do, and, as
is proved by the data obtained from St. George's,
University College, and Charing - cross, an
immense number of cases in which chloroform is
given. Now if, without considering the upper
classes, who do not resort to hospitals, we regard
the hospitals of London as affording surgical aid to
all who require it out of a population of, say
3,000,000 ; if we suppose that the rest of the popu-
lation of the United Kingdom, and the population
of France, Germany, and the United States demand
surgical aid in the same numerical proportion as the
people in and around London seem to do; and if we
estimate the total population of these countries at
120,000,000, we arrive at the conclusion that during
the last ten years the number of surgical operations
which have been performed in the United Kingdom,
the United States, France, and Germany collectively
is 1,200,000. 'We have confined ourselves to these
countries because it is from them mainly, though
not exclusively, that the reports of deaths from
anaesthetic agents have been collected. Among the
deaths ascribed to chloroform there are seven, the
cause of which is uncertain ; assuming four of these
to be due to chloroform, the following is a state-
ment of all the deaths which we have been able to
learn as having occurred either in Europe or
America from the inhalation of =esthetic vapours
—Deaths from chloroform, 68; from wther, 2; from
mixture of chloroform and anther, 1; from mixture
of chloroform and alcohol, 1; from amylene, 2--
total, 74. Westminster Review for January.