The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-04 00:00:00

BAROMETER-30.25.

WIND, Northerly ; light, with fine weather.
There was another storm last night, but nothing like
that on Saturday. The lightning was vivid, but the thun-
der must have been distant ; the rain was also more mode-
rate,

THE SUN.
MONDAY, JULY 4, 1859.

We are to-day favoured with the French official
accouit of the great Battle of Solferino. Indeed
we cannot sufficiently admire the frankness so
clearly displayed throughout the description of that
momentous day. Though the Allies suffered very
severely in the conflict, yet they are not ashamed
to tell the truth and. stand on their merits. It
now, seems evident that the Austrians had re-
treited, with the intention of falling back on
their forces, scattered abroad in the ,various
fortresses, not only in Lombardy but throughout
the country generally. With these reinforcements
swollen to about from 250,000 to 270,000 men or
more, they resolved upon taking the offensiive, and
so pounce upon the Allies by surprize, while yet
unaware of the combined movement. For this pur-
pose the Austrians recrossed the Mincio and re-
occupied the fortified places they had but recently
evacuated. They did this with good generalship,
and confidence worthy of a better fate.

But although the allies were spread here and
there over a vast surface they were not caught
napping. So far from it, indeed, that the Austrians
seem to have been more taken by surprise of
the two. For although the Austrians had been
marching all the night to take up their several
positions, they yet found that the French were up
also. pursuing their march to the Mincio. Thus both
armies had by accident stolen a march on the other !
The Austrians had divided their immense numbers
into two-armies—one to take the French by surprise
on the Austrian right, while the other was to proceed
by the centre and left by way of Montechiaro. In
fact, the Austrians hoped or thought that the
whole of the Allied armies had not yet crossed the
Chiese, and they therefore made sure of an easy
and speedy conquest. But they reckoned without
their host. Not only had the French crossed that
river, but they were marching directly for the
Mincio. True, their forces were a good deal
divided by reason of the various roads, and the
necessity of bringing up their cumbersome
materiel.

The several divisions were thus at some distance
from each other ; but when the sound of cannon
caught their ear, the divisions urged on and gra-
dually closed by break of Day to the sudden sur-
prise, if not
consternation of the Austrians. Then
the fight
began—a fight !as remarkable for daring
and obstinacy of
Indeed, the Purpose as any recorded in history.
combatants were fighting under" the
immediate eye of t •
heir several Emperors and King ;
and nothing could have given a greater stimulus to
their valour than the hope of
coming off victorious
And in that heroic conflict. each did his best—but
the Allies triumphed and the Austrians left the
the honours of that, field, like those of the others,
to the soldiers of valour, as well as of fortune.

We see by the Gelman papers that the Austrian
Cabinet is in a panic. Their boasted preparations
were all based upon the certainty of victory ; in_
deed so much so that they trealed all advice with
supercilious contempt. Not only were the rernon-
strance of England, and the persuasions of King
LEOPOLD of Belgium received with cold indifference,
but:actually with haughty insolence. What they may
have reckoned on is best known to themselves ; but
so far as rumour goes—and probable rumour too—
their trust in Coburg promises have at length failed,
them, and will now fail them in their hour of need.
They have, therefore, appealed to the Prince Regent
of PRussiA, who, if he will forget his duty to his
own country and Also to the " misty fatherland,"
he may yet _no the day of enlisting in a
quarrel which dues not, in fact, concern the
interests
of Gen away one artier. He ought to re-
member the Pas t, and not build too hastily nor yet
too surely on ti Le assistance of England. England
has quite cue
ugh on her hands without enter-
ing upon ancj wild-goose chace for perpetuating
Austrian Idomi 'nation in Italy. No, if the Prus-
sians be wise I hey will not risk another Jena by
rashly ad,veritul ring into a crusade against the
French under th, plea of saving the integrity of the
Fatherland—whit .h integrity has not yet even

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