The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-05-01 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN

ment, which occurred on the 25th April, and in
which, sa)s the account (dated Denant, 2tlih), the
latter had four killed and lost fifteen prisoners. After
this affair the French are said to have roomed to
Givut. The rencontre is believed to have originated
in mistake. Though we are unable to say wbether
it was accidental or otherwise, or whether hostilities
have commenced at all, we have to observe that
every account which we receive from the Ne-
therlands, prepares us to expect some dreadful
explosion. The thread on which has depended
peace or war along the embattled line of the northern
frontier, has long been of the slenderest texture.—
That it will be speedily broken, if it has not already
been so, we see too much reason to believe. The
affair at Falmignoul, is likely to have important
consequences. That it will accelerate those move-
ments on w hick the fate of
:Europe depends, it
is reasonable to suppose. The activity, how-
ever, which is manifested on both sides to give
effect and energy to the war does not seem
capable of being much increased—so eager are
the parties, about to be opposed to each other, to
strengthen their means of offence and defence. On
the side of the Allies oll'ensive warfare is already
begun, by placing all the French fortresses, from
Thionville to Dunkirk in a state of siege, and by
lining all the points d'appui with men and artillery.
The Prussians and English are the most forward and

Brunswick, which marches towards Mons, hu re-
ceived orders to accelerate its march; several corps
of troops of the empire, are now -also athanclog
along the Meese. The Prussian General Von.,
Ziethen, who commands a Prussian corps on the
left bank of the Maese, has his head-quartere.o
Jemappe ; those of General Borstel are at Binche.l
From the Muse to Molts our frontiers are covered
by Prussian troops. There will he a communicationl
between all the Armies, that they may act in union ,
with each other. We expect here Russian, Austrian,
and Prussian Commissioners, who are to inform
their Sovereigns of the proceedingi of 'the.armies.—
Prince Bernard, of Saxe-Weimar, commands a re-
giment of Saxons at Nunn-.
BRUSSELS, Amt. 26.—Yesterday morning his Ma-
jesty, our Sovereign, accompanied by the Duke of
Wellington and several Officers of rank, went to
view, the Netherland troops at Nivelles. Our army,
which is already very strong, must receive within a
week a reinforcement of 25,000 men. It is so
posted that in 24 hours a very large force can be
collected ; the positions, in general, are as follow :
From Charleroi to Nieuport, the extreme frontiers,
are guarded by an uninterrupted chain of strong
corps of cavalry and infantry, which are cantoned
along the frontiers and connected with each other.

The towns, which lie behind them are in a good state
of defence, and have numerous garrisons; betweeti
eager for the fray. On the other side, the French these places and those which form the second line
are not idle. NA POLEON had not, at the date of the several divisions are cantoned en echellons, while the
last accounts from Paris, set out on his visit to the army of reserve forms the third line. Gen. Alten,
frontier, but orders had been given to provision Lisle General in Chief of the Ilanoverians, haS still his
for three months, and fur a g.►rrison of Iti,ooo me►►. head-quarters at Leuze ; General Ilill has his at
The Dutch accounts say, the French distrust the Grammont ; at Mons they expect the head-quarters
people of Lisle, and that desertions take place from , of a Prussian division ; the grand head-quarters are
the French armies, to the amount of 50 and GO; still at Brussels, but is expected soon to be removed.
a-day. Out of these deserters the Duke of BERRI is The Emperor of Russia has appointed his Aid-
forming a corps of cavalry and artillery, which he de-Camp, Count I'ozzo di Brgo, to be his Cotnmis-
himself is to command. What trust he can repose in sinner with the Amy of Lord Wellington.

such runaways, after the desertions whii:h•he hss All the French fortresses, of the first line, from
seen from his own cause, the Duke himself must by , Thionville to Dunkirk, are put in a state of. siege.
this time be competent to judge. Louts x %mi. is 0 ders have been given to provision Lille for three
to remain at Ghent, and Commissioners from the re• months, for a gar►ison of 18,000 men. For, this
spective Sovereigns are to follow the armies to keep purpose enormous requisitions aie made in the de-
up the correspondence more closely between theta. partments of the North and the Pas de Calais ; the
Meantime, in the interior of France, and, its fact, iirtAisions are diligently collected to be oonvejed
along the whole line of the French frontier, armies into the tnagazin'•s. However, it w►ll take at least a
are forming v►ith the gientest acti►ity. These wortilr before this cbject can be attained. The
active measures on the part of the French Go. 17rencli Government distrusts the spirit of the people
vernment are attributed by the Dutch and Gu•r- of Lille, which has caused our communication vsitl►
man writers to fear. " The conduct of Box trasay.," that city to become very difficult.

they say, in letters which they give out as coming
ftom Paris, " discloses more and more his tents aid
the uncertainty that agitates him. 11.. tient a few
days since with CARNOT to visit the heights of Mow.-
martrt, and gave orders about the erection of some
%err; ks for the defence of Paris, upon which several
thousand labourers are to work 'kith ad possible
activity. Three armies of oh:ervation are going to
b.' formed ; one near Befort, of 25,000 Inc:1, under
Ceti. Lecourbe; one at Chambe:i, of •10,000 men,
under the new ',liarshal Grouchy ; and one of 30,000
near Antibes, under Marshal 13rutte. These tw•o last
are destined to act against Pa ; the first against the
Sardinian and Austrian troops, the second against
the Sardinians, the English, nod the Sicilians."
This leads us to the latest intelligence, by other
channels, from that scene of i:derest which has been
opened to us in Italy.
The Paris Papers reached us yesterday to the 28th,
bringing some articles of considerable interest, which
we insert relative to the state of Italy, and the'
events passing there. The occurrence which we are
first called upon to notice, is the retreat of King
Joacnist, or of a part of his army. It is admitted in i
the French Papers that the Neapolitan Army had It
retrograded, in consequence of the disastrous result
to thorn of a new engagement with the troops of the

The desertion among the• French troops does not
diminish ; 50 or GO men come is a day to A!ost to
join the Royal troops. 'filesP troops are to oonsist
of a corps of cavalry, a division of artillery, and
some battalions of infantry ; the number of which
will depend on circumstances. The Duke of Berri,
with several Officers of high tank, under his com-
mand, is constantly employed in organizing this.
corps. The King of France, who, it seems, in-
temkd to reside at Malines, has determined to re-
main at Ghent, which is Letter situated for keeping
up a communication with the Royal party in France.
NistEcutm, Arum 21.—The last detachment of
the Hanoverian troops left us this morning; in the
beginning of May we expect 10,000 troops of 01-
denburgh and Brunswick, and 15,000 Swedes and
Danes; part of which will pass the night here, and
part at Arnhelm. Numerous labourers are employed
upon our fortifications.
BOIS-LE-DUC, APRIL 24.—The passage of troops
of all arms, and that by forced marches, has greatly
increased within these few days, and all shows that
the invasion of France is not distant. The strength.'
ening of the fortifications is prosecuted with great
activity ; to which end a number of carpenters have
been put in requisition, while the arrival of artillery
and ammunition is uninterrupted.

Austrian General, NUGENT, tusnr Pistoja, and we
are told that Miniiters yesterday received dispatches
from Lord Qnxnurßs►t and Lord W. BF:MUNCIE, of
the 15th and 16th, announcing that MURAT had
sustained a serious check on the side of Florence, and
bad bt en under the necessity of evacuating that city.
It was immediately given out.that it was all up with
AI[MAT in Italy, and that he himself had been
wounded; and we perceive the enemies of truth are

l'Aats, APRIL 23.—Some days ago it was stated
that there would be a change in the Ministry, that
Lucien would be named Minister of the Interior, and
Carnot of the War Department, but this rumour is
not confirmed ; on the contrary, it is affirmed that
Lucien and Napoleon are not reconciled, and that
they had not yet seen each other last Saturday, but
that great efforts were made to effect this reconcilia-
tion.

still inclined to continue this impression. We un-
derstand, however, the fact to be, that a column;
of 4000 Neapolitans who were advancing to join
the main army had received a check, and that in con-
sequence of this the King had fallen back with his
main body, from fear that his communication should
be cut off with his own capital; bnt no serious action!
hod taken placo, nor was there any symptoms of his!
returnicg to Naples. The Paris Papers state, that .
r I
the pet pie in the departments of the Rubicon, tae
Reno, and the Lower Po, hare risen en musse, to
establish the independence of Italy. The Austrian.
do not venture to fight but in a body. It was also
said that a body of troops had landed from Sicily on
the Neapolitan coast, but without any foundation;
Sicily is not in a condition to permit of any consider-
able body of troops being removed from it.
The report of the Proclamation of War against
Naples by Lord W. RE,crtses., on the part of Eug-1
,
land, has the appearance of being premature. ;
Bitusier.s, Aram 24.—At the request of the
Duke of Wellington, the English Government has

All the officers on half-pay now at Paris are to re-
tom nto their respective departments. The payment
of their pay, as on active service, which has been
promised them, becomes every day more difficult, and
it is even to be presumed, that it will soon cease en-
tirely; these men, in fact, display their dissatisfac-
tioft from day to day more openly, and frequently
commit excesses which the Government cannot re-
press, so much does it fear to displease the army.
Already revolutionary Pieces have been called for,
and performed in the Theatres of the capital, after
the cry of Fire la Empereur is beard ; but some-
times it is replaced by Vie la Nation! Vive la Li-
bel tZ• ! In one of the coffee-housis of the Palais
Royal, which is ftequentetl only by milit,voy, and
where several disorders have taken place, they lately
ornamented the bust of Ronaparte with a red cap.

The family and friends of his Grace the Duke of
BEneutto were greatly alarmed yesterday at an un-
founded report, industriously, if mot maliciously,
circulated in a Second Edition of the Englishman,
stating the assassination of. his GiaCe near [tome.
This report was founded opus' a paragraph taken
from ,the Journal de Paris,, which we received yes-
terday morning, containing an account rtf the Duke
having been robbed of abnost all his effects; by bri-

given flesh orders fur the sending of a numerous

corps of cavalry to this country. The lfanoverians,l
who march by Way of Antwerp, must be by the
30th instant, in the cantonments assigned them be-
tweed Ath and Tournay. The column of troops of

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