The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-26 00:00:00

ME SUN, LONDON, rUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 26, 1866.

PAVIA.

Once more the lion-hearted king made a tremendous
charge against the Spanish cavalry, led on by Pescara.
For a moment it seemed as if this charge would turn the
tide of victory, so groat was the havoc it occasioned.
Pescara himself was wounded by a sword-cut in the cheek,
stricken from his steed, and trampled under foot by the
enemy. With difficulty ho was rescued by his men and
dragged out of the way. Lannoy again brought on his
Neapolitans, and was repulsed with heavy loss.
The battle now raged furiously, and the din of arms was
as if a thousand smiths were at work, mingled with the
rattle of arquebusses, the shrieks of wounded horses, and
the shouts, curses, and groans of tho combatants. Ter-
rible was the carnage. On all sides could be seen the
bravest and noblest of the French chivalry flocking
towards the king's standard, resolved to win the day or
perish with him, for his actions showed that he would
never retire.

But the decisive moment had come. Pescara was down,
and severely wounded, as we have seen, and his squadron
shattered by the last charge of the king. Lannoy, who
had advanced to sustain him, was likewise repulsed. For
a brief space the heroic king persuaded himself that he
could retrieve his losses, but his exultation was speedily
quelled. He saw a dense dark mass gathering in front
that threatened to overwhelm him.

Bourbon was there with his lanz-knechts, his German
miters, and his Burgundian lances. At his right and loft
wing were Von Frundsberg and Sittich. Fierce and ter-
rible was the joy that lighted up the duke's haughty fea-
tures at that moment. He saw the king, who had so
deeply wronged him. He saw him surrounded with his
peerless knights and nobles. Chaumont was there, the
Marshal de Foix, Lambesc, Lavedan, the Grand Master
of France, and a hundred other noble knights. There
also was the hated Bonnivet. He could crush them all.

After gazing at them as the eagle gazes ere swooping
upon its prey, Bourbon gave word to charge. The
trumpets sounded, and the Burgundian lances and
tho German reiters dashed on, shouting loudly, " Vivo
Bourbon !"

Clearing tho ground between them and the foe, they
burst like a thunder-cloud upon the French men-at-arms
and knights. Tremendous was the splintering of lances
—loud the rattle of musketry—sharp the clash of swords.
But the squadron gathered round the king was broken in
eix places, and could not rally. lh the terrific WIN that

ensued half the gallant knights whom Bourbon had soen
were slain. Chaumont was transfixed in the charge—
Lavedan cut down—the Grand Master buried beneath a
heap of dead.
Vainly the king and those near him essayed to rally the
men. They were panic-stricken, and could not be got to-
gether again.
If the strife was not yet over, the victory was won, and
the decisive blow had been given by Bourbon.

The King, who on leaving the field a pri-
soner, wrote those memorable words to his mother,
"All is lost save honour," lost even that priceless
possession by his after treachery in the matter of
the treaty, by which an end was put to his long and
cruel imprisonment. Gratified in his revenge, Bour-
bon gained little by the victory, and so demoralising
was the effect of his rebellions, that he, the royal
prince and Christian knight that had been, consented
to lead the mercenary troops against Rome, with the
understanding that the doomed city and its inhabi-
tants should be given up to the savage passions of a
reckless soldiery. As the dark curtain falls upon
the close of a tragedy, so the historian of the Con-
stable, at the close of the third volume, " drops a
veil over the horrors of the sack of Rome. Never
in the history of the world," he adds, " was a
city abandoned to such frightful licence—never
were such atrocities committed." Bourbon,
who had consented to them as a bribe to the
fierce marauders he commanded, did not live to
witness their perpetration. To the hand of Ben-
venuto Cellini, the artist and artificer, whose 'won-
derful productions were the admiration of his own
time and of all succeeding ages—to that hand which
hal achieved miracles of art—was reserved the
honour of striking the first blow in the defence of
Rome, and right well that hand performed its
task, dealing destruction to the recreant knight
who was the first to attempt to scale the walls of
the city. " Fearfully," says the author of this
chronicle of his fortunes, " fearfully was Bourbon
avenged, and if his spirit hovered over Rome at
that dread hour it must have bewailed those fright-
ful excesses." So entirely is the Constable the hero
of this Romance that the loves and sorrows of the
minor characters, who have nevertheless a little ro-
mance of their own, are of very secondary import-
ance. The Constable do Bourbon is the chief
character throughout, and very vividly and effec-
tively aro his career and character portrayed.

The Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada. By
Major W. Ross KING. One vol. pp. 326. Hurst

and Blackett.

A gorgeous volume is this, beautifully-bound and
decorated, and adorned with coloured plates and
numerous illustrations, depicting the wonders of the
animal kingdom in that land where Nature is so
prodigal of her riches. Major King spent three
years " with rod in hand or roaming the woods
with dog and gun," amid the picturesque
scenery of British North America ; he describes the
scene of his adventures and the character of his
sport with an enthusiasm which is enough to tempt
many a sporting traveller to follow in his footsteps.
Speaking of the advantages of the locality, he ex-
claims, " Whether to the sportsman, the naturalist,
or the traveller, nothing can be more alluring than
its vast tracts of primeval forest inhabited by moose
and caribou ; its game-stocked prairies of bound-
less extent ; and its broad rivers, filled with silver
salmon and spotted trout, flowing through pic-
turesque solitudes little known and less frequented."
The attractive descriptions of the scenes and the
sporting given by Major King are enough to remedy
the one evil, and to tend somewhat towards the
diminution of the other.

Ferns, British and Foreign. By. John Smith,
A.L.S., ex-Curator of the Royal Botanic Gar-
dens, Kew. One Vol., pp. 371. Robert Hard-
wicke.
A most complete and comprehensive history and
dictionary of ferns, British and foreign, is comprised
in this little work, which will be invaluable to the
amateur and cultivator of these graceful and popu-
lar plants.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FRO3I OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.

The general deduction to be drawn from the news
in the Paris papers to-day is that nothing " really
important has taken place in Germany." This is
the statement which they make themselves. The
Italian army, with King Victor Emmanuel at their
head, had crossed the Mincio.
A letter from Bologna, dated June 21, says that
the news announced in the two Chambers that Italy
had declared war against Austria was received with
immense enthusiasm. Flags were hung out of the
windows, and the city resounded with cries of
" Long live the King. The War for ever (Eoviva
la Guerra)." The train which left with the King
was saluted with frantic cries of sympathy and joy.
Men and women joined in the manifestations. The
writer describes the manifestation as a resemblance
to the representation of a tragedy of Sophocles,
played beneath an unclouded sky by a whole people.
The route from Florence to Cremona was lined
with flags and various symptoms of rejoicing, and
on the whole route Victor Emmanuel was accom-
panied by the same demonstrations. •
It appears by accounts from Naples that Mount
Vesuvius is under the influence of another volcano.
Like the political horizon, the astronomical horizon
is clouded and in agitation. Columns of fire and
ashes are precipitated from the crater of Mount Ve-
suvius, " and the flames illuminate the whole terri-
tory of Italy."
The only news in the bulletin of the Moniteur of
to-day is the confirmation of the account that the
Italian army had passed the Mincio. It states,
however, that its information leads to the belief that
the Prussians had entered Bohemia by Rumbourg
and Zittau, without encountering any obstacle.
The following is the result of the races at Porche-
fontaine, near Versailles, yesterday :
Handicap 3,000 f., for entire horses and mares, 3 yrs
old and upwards.

Ultima
Novateur
Damiette
The betting was 7 to 1 agst Ultima.

Prix a Reclamer, 1,500 f.
Rabat Jose 1
La Menagerq

Gaul=
Total amount of prize, 2,300 f.
Course de Haies (Handicap).

Milton

2
Salvola
3
Jarnicoton

Amount of prize, 3,700 f:
horsb.

500 f. to the second

Steeplechase (Handicap), 2,000 f. for all horses
Valentino
Harriet Watts

2

The English mare won easily by three lengths,
Amount of prize, 2,850 f. Double the price of en.
trance to the second horse.

Writing at the latest hour, and after hearing the
most extraordinary reports at the Bourse, I can
only impress upon English readers the advice of the
Journal des Debats.' "The public should only accept
with reserve the statements in the correspondence
which arrives from the theatre of war." As another
illustration of the caution which is requested, I
may mention that the Gazette de Vienne says that
the version of the famous order of the day issued
by General Benedek contains many inaccuracies.

The extraordinary reports at the Bourse have
ceased to excite alarm, and a better feeling has pre-
vailed to-day. Business, however, was very
limited.

GLASGOW, June 23.—Cotton.—The cotton mar-
ket was dull during the greater part of the week,
and prices had a downward tendency ; towards the close,
however, the tone improved, the market became very strong
and active, and prices were a halfpenny dearer. Goods
and Yarns.—The market fir goods and yarns has been
quiet during the week, and business has been very much
restricted. Prices aro irregular and in favour of buyers.
fron.—T he pig-iron market has been rather brisk during
the week, and a fair amount of business has been trans-
acted. Towards the close the rumours that the makers
would blow out a number of their furnaces, caused a brisk-
ness in the market, and warrants improved, a fair business
having been done at 565. cash, and 565. 9d. one month.
Gartsherrie, 625. 6d. ex store ; No. 1 Coltness, 58s. 6d. to
6/e, ; No. 1 g. m. 1;.., 570. ; No, 3 g. 56d. 6d.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

GREAT BATTLE NEAR VERONA.
HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE ITALIAN ARMY,
June 25, 4.10 p.m.

"The left wing and centre of the Royal troops had
crossed the Mincio and were marching in the direc-
tion of Kaleggio and Villafranca when they were
vigorously attacked by the Austrians with their full
and combined forces. The Italian positions were
captured and recaptured, the Royal troops display-
ing great valour in the presence of the overwhelming
forces of Austria.

" In the evening the Royal troops still occupied
Goito, Volta, Cavriana, and Solferino.
" During yesterday the Italians sustained great
losses. Prince Amadeus and General Cevale and
others were more or less seriously wounded, and
General Villarey was killed. Prince Humbert per-
formed prodigies of valour. The news respecting
Prince Amadeus is reassuring.

" General Cialdini with his whole army continues
to occupy positions on the Po.
" Six hundred Austrian prisoners, officers and
soldiers, have been sent to Milan."

PARIS, June 26.

The Itloniteur of this morning in its bulletin con-
firms the intelligence that the Italian army under
King Victor Emmanuel has been forced to recross
the Miucio. It adds that General Cialdini has not
yet crossed the Po.

DEFEAT OF THE AUSTRIANS BY THE
GARIBALDIANS.

BRESCIA, June 25 (Evening).

To-day an engagement took place between the
Italian Volunteers and the Austrians, between the
bridge of Caffary and Londzone.
The Austrians were repulsed, leaving several
killed and wounded.
Tne Volunteers had no losses.

PARIS, June 25.
The Moniteur du Soir publishes the following
summary of military affairs in Germany :
On the frontier of Saxony and Bohemia, the
Prussian troops, strongly massed, who seemed to
await, during the past few days, a movement of
General Benedek into Silesia, have decidedly re-as-
sumed the offensive, and have re-occupied in force
the positions they had just quitted. The Bohemian
territory projects into that of Saxony at two cul-
minating points.
It is upon these two portions of Austrian territory
thatthe Prussian army is carrying on a simultaneous
attack. Detachments appear to be in movement
via Stolpen Neustadland, Rumbourg, while others
are marching via Zittau and Friedland, in the direc-
tion of Reichenberg. This part of Bohemia ap-
pears to be the least garrisoned with troops, for it is
situated between the position of Bodenbach and
Toplitz, where part of the Austrian army has joined
the Saxons, and the positions occupied towards
Upper Silesia by the bulk of Benedek's army.

The Prussia attack will have the effect of pre-
venting the Austrian general from making an irrrup-
tion with all his forces into Prussian Silesia as he
appeared to intend. He will have in fact to provide
before all for the security of his rear, which would
be menaced by the enemy's invasion of Bohemia. An
encounter between the Austrians and the advancing
Prussian troops appears to be inevitable very
shortly. A skirmish took place on the 22d between
an Austrian cavalry corps and the Prussians be-
tween Breitenfuhrt and Sundhebel. The Prussians
gained the advantage and were able to continue
their march, which tends to prove that they are
entering Bohemiawith a force of some consequence.
The intelligience respecting the fate of the
Hanoverian corps retreating from Gottingen is
still contradictory. From Eisenach this corps pro-
ceeded to the south over the territory of the Duke
of Meiningen, hoping to make a passage by that
route to Bavaria. Some accounts rapresent this
movement to have succeeded, while other despatches
announce, on the contrary, that the Prussian troops
have surrounded the Hanoverians, that the Duke of
Meiningen has quitted his states and taken refuge
in Bavaria, and that a Hanoverian officer has arrived
at Gotha to negotiate a capitulation.
On the line of the Main the Bavarian army ap-
pears ready to make an advance. Part of the troops
are said to have crossed the Saxon frontier and oc-
cupied Planen and Hof, where a Prussian force is
reported to have appeared a few days since. The
corps of Prince Alexander of Hesse (Bth Federal
Army Corps, concentrated round Frankfort) is
also said to be about to move with the object of
cutting off the Prussians from their possessions on
the right bank of the Rhine, by advancing towards
the north through Nassau.