The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-18 00:00:00

TILE FRENCH INTERVENTION 42

GAETA.

The Noniteur of yesterday contains the follow-
ing remarkable piece of special pleading, apropos
of the recent remarkable interference of the French
fleet in behalf of the ex-King of Naples :
"The object in sending the squadron of evolu-
tion to Gaeta was with the object of preventing
King Francis 11. from finding himself suddenly
invested by land and by sea in the place to which
he had retreated. The Emperor desired to give a
proof of his sympathy to a Prince cruelly tried by
fortune ; but his Majesty, faithful to the principle
of non-intervention, which has entirely directed
his conduct in regard to Italy since the peace of
Villafranca, did not pretend to take an active part
in a political struggle. In further prolonging this
demonstration be would change its character. The
presence of our flag, intended merely to cover the
retreat of his Sicilian Majesty. in a manner con-
formable to his position and rank, would be inter-
preted as an encouragement to resistance, and
would become a material support. Incidents soon
occurred which compelled the Commander-in-Chief
of the squadron to remind not only the Neapolitans,
but the Piedmontese, of the position of strict neu-
trality which was prescribed to him and which it
was nearly impossible for him to maintain. It yet
more concerned the Government of the Emperor
not to accept the responsibility of such a situation,
and that candid and repeated declarations should
not give rise to any mistake as to the nature of in-
tentions. From the end of October, indeed, Vice-
Admiral de Tinan did not fail to inform King
Francis 11. that our ships could not remain for
an indefinite time at Gaeta, idle spectators of a
conflict which could only result in a yet greater
effusion of blood. The same warnings were repeated
many times to his Sicilian Majesty, whose courage
had so completely vindicated his honour. Mean-
time, the circumstances we have indicated became
more serious, and desirous of reconciling the de-
mands of a neutral policy with the first idea of con-
triving a means of free departure to King Francis
11., the Government of the Emperor made itself the
medium of a proposal for an armistice, which
has been accepted by the two belligerent parties.
Operations ceasing from the Bth of this month,
hostilities will be suspended until the 19th, and
upon that day Admiral de Tinan will depart from
Gaeta."

The following are the documents establishing
.he Armistice :

General Cialdini, commanding the besieging
army before Gaeta, to Admiral Le Barbier de
Tin an.

" CASTELLONE, lan. 11, 1861.

" Admiral, —I have the honour to assure you that
before the close of the day of the 19th inst. there
shall be on my part no act of hostility towards the
place, nor any work of approach, nor any increase
of the number of guns in battery, unless the place
provokes me by its fire or its works. In that case
I shall consider myself free from all engagements,
and the cessation of hostilities will cease, also, on
my part.

" However, Admiral, I shall not open fire 'with-
out giving you previous notice of it. You will then
be judge, and will inform his Majesty the Emperor
which side has been wrong.
" Be pleased to accept, &c.,
" CIALDINI,

;' General commanding the siege before Gaeta."
General Ritucci, Governor of the Fortress of
Gaeta, to Vice-Admiral Le Barbier de Tinan,
" GAETA, Jan. 12, 1861.

" Admiral,—Having received the orders of his
Majesty the King, my august master, I have the
honour to announce to you that before the close of
the day of the 19th inst. no construction of new
batteries, or augmentation of those already existing,
shall be proceeded with in this place, and only
works of reparation demanded by circumstances
shall be executed.

" If, however, the besiegers should provoke us,
either by increasing their batteries or by construe-
ing new ones, it is obvious that we should remain
free from all engagements.

"In order to remove any false interpretation in
he event of the re-opening of the fire of the place,

I shall bog of you to send me, when the moment
has come, one of your officers to judge upon which
side is the wrong.
" Be good enough, Admiral, to believe in the
assurance of my high consideration.
" RITUCCI,
" Lieutenant-General commanding the fortress of
Gaeta."

CHURCH MISSION TO ITALIANS IN LONDON.—A
Church of England mission to Italians resident in the me-
tropolis has been opened with the sanction and approval of
the Bishop of London, who has nominated the Rev. P.
Leonini to conduct it. It is said that there are 20,000
Italians resident in the metropolis. An effort will be made
to secure one of the City churches for the use of the mis-
sion) but tio PsrutAgemeuto l3l<yB 345 t bow; completed,