The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-20 00:00:00

ITALY.

A correspondent who has just returned from a
tour through a great part of the Italian peninsula,
sends the following communication The state

of Italy may be thus described :—At Venice the
troops continue to arrive at the rate of three and
four thousand a day. The Government con-
tracted with the Lloyd's Company, at the rate
of a florin a head, to bring over any number of
troops ; and, besides, two large government
steamers arrive every morning crowded with sol-
diers. Fortifications have been erected on the Lido
commanding the entrances to Venice, and various
other works have been constructed on the small
islands to the north of the city to prevent any sur-
prise by gunboats, as in the event of a war an
attack on Venice is considered by the Austrians as
a certainty. Four large vessels were hired on the
15th to take artillery stores, ammunition, &c., to
Ancona. Contracts were entered into to construct
log houses at Mantua for the troops, and no less
than 500 masts were contracted for to furnish the
arsenal at Venice. The empty palaces at Venice
are taken for barracks ; even the Raggonica, which
belonged to the Infanta of Spain, is now crowded
to its highest window with troops, and the houses
belonging to the Count de Chambord in the Place
San Vidal are being altered to accommodate sol-
diers. From Venice to Milan the whole country is
covered with troops, and the greatest activity is
visible in Verona, Mantua, and Peschiera. At
Milan, the troops are billeted on the Italians, and
the number of the Austrian soldiery now in Italy
cannot be computed at less than 220,000 men. The
Emperor, with Baron Hess, was expected at Venice
on the 17th inst. His Majesty's yacht left Venice
on Saturday last for Trieste, to convey his Majesty.
At Turin continual deserters from the Lombardo-
Venetian States arrive, and on Sunday last up-
wards of 20'0 young Florentine volunteers made
their way to Turin. The preparations for war on
both sides, and the certainty of a revolution, should
no war occur, place all the efforts of the Congress
in a very peculiar point of view ; for with the
vicinity of the various troops to• each other, the
hatred which is mutual on each side, and the en-
thusiasm in Turin, there can be little hope of avoid-
ing a collision which would instantly light up into
a war."

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

LAMBETH.

Mr. W. Williams, the senior representative of
this borough, has reconsidered his determination to
retire into private life, and intends once more to
solicit the suffrages of his constituents. Mr. Wil-
liams explains his change of purpose thus :
" I have received pressing invitations from all parts of the
borough, and to-day a requisition. numerously signed has
been presented to me to allow myself to be put in nomina-
tion as a candidate for my re• election. Having consulted
my medical adviser, who has informed me, that by taking
great care of myself he has no apprehension that my health
will disable me from giving the attention I have hitherto
done to Parliamentary duties, I have therefore reluctantly
complied with the urgent request of my numerous friends
to give you an opportunity of choosing those whom you
think will most efficiently represent you in the next Par-
liament, which will be most eventful."

KIDDERMINSTER.
It was expected at one time that, in consequence
of the retirement of the Right Hon. R. Lowe, there
would be no contest, and that the field would be
left open to Mr. Huddleston, Q.C. However, it
seems the electors are to have a choice of two can-
didates, and that Mr. Montagu Chambers is to be
brought forward in the Liberal interest, and it is
understood that he will receive the undivided sup-
port of that party.

KNARESBOROUGH.
After all there is to be a contest for this borough.
Mr. H. S. Thompson, the chairman of the North-
Eastern Railway Company, after declining to com-
ply with a requisition from some of the Liberal
electors to stand, was induced to reconsider the
matter, and on Saturday he declared himself a can-
didate. Mr. Thompson, at a public meeting of the
electors, expressed himself favourable to any mea-
sure which would have for its object the right of
giving the franchise to persons who by their per-
severance and industry had acquired a certain
amount of property. He declared himself a decided
opponent of the ballot, a staunch Churchman, but
in favour of the total abolition of church rates. A
hard contest is expected. The Conservative candi-
dates are Mr. Collins and Mr. B. T. Woodd, the
present members.

LINCOLNSHIRE (NORTH.)
There will be no opposition to the return of the
two present representatives, Mr. J. B. Stanhope,
Conservative, and Sir M. J. Cholmeley, Liberal.