The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1859-07-16

prise, and nothing but great and de-
cisivc victory will allow them to get
forward any further The last accounts
gay that the allies have laid scigc TO
Mantua, and that u decisive battle il
soon expected But it il evidently not
the Austrian policy 10 tight general
battle while they can hold their position,
Of which Mantua is q key Two hun
dred thousand men are now within that
area, which the Great Napoleon, who,
entering Lombardy from the east, oc-
cupied the territory which the Austrians
now hold, pronounced it TO be an iinprcg
nablc position for military defence. The
allies will not he able to force gcncr-
al action while Mantua il in possession
Of the Austrians, and the capture of
Mantua is no easy task. Ii took the
first Bonapartc eight months of scigc TO
get the city-and il was not then forti-
fled with the great care, which has been
bestowed upon it since On the other
hand the force which the allies can bring
against the city il four times M great
~ that of 1896 and the improvements
in artillery Is,s. military science within
u few years have been enormous. The
scigc trains of the present day are many
times more powerful than those of the
last century, and the means of attack
are NJ least AS much increased ms those
of defence could be The allies are
stopped until they take Mantua, and the
Austrians in the interim can choose po-
si'ons within reach Of the whole re-.
sources of the empire, by the numerous
railroads and other roads connecting
their rear at Verona with Vienna and
the mountains in their flank The great,
est struggle yet will I've for the possess
ion Of Mantua, and the forcing Of the
line on which it rests and ii Is no easy
work the French have undertaken.
Mantua has been frequently dcscribed
since the war commenced 1t lies with
in lake formed by the spreading Of
the river Mcncio, which is partly natural
and partly artificial, caused by the dam
ming Of the river. |, is connected with
the main land by long causcways, which
are protected by walled ciiadcls Of great
strength. On the north the approaches
are covcre! 10y reeds, and on the west
aud south by marshes. which may be
put under water at pleasure IL has u
population of about thirty Thousand, cX-
elusive of the garrison. We have not
heard what Austrian troops are IN the
city, but they must be- numerous and
we'll supplied Austria has had plenty
Of time 10 supply Mantua for any length
of scige.
The celebrated square within which
the Austrans are now ontrenchcd, has
about the following dimensions From
Pcschicra, at the outlet of Lake Garda,
along the Mincio to Manlua is twenty.
one miles; from pcschiera Ia Verona,
the northern boundary, at the foot of the
mountains, is fourteen miles. Verona is
position of extraordinary strength, and
is fortified in the most powerful manner
From Verona to Lcgnano is twcnty-tUar
miles, and from Legnano to Manina
,hou, eighteen or twenty miles Lake
Garda and the mountains proven, IT from
being turned from the north and the
marshes uf the Pc from being turned
from the South. The only practical.
ole passage is along the line of twenty
one miles. guarded hy two hundred
thousand men, and with such immense
furlrcsscs as MAMMA and Pcschicta, and
when these shall hc passed, there are
Verona aud Legnano.
=. ","y w ."''. Va "' n ',.,c'r
us o"', ''' ~ wa Wv j.. .n,h
-. 49, - esans,r,;, Austri, I, sub.
'"."'''' H.. .,,',~,. -, La.,
IN. I" ''r ''SS W Wv
not been api' I" Keep o"' II WIZ w"
because Austria has been tinaiiy onn IT
rccoverahly defeated IN the field. More
and bloodlcr. and more successful bat,
40. than N,g,n,a nust bc f,urh, be.
e., H., Ero,tcb can div, Austria ont of
Italy. or spare her armies the costly
task Of waiting to prevent her return
Italy will not be pacilicated, and certain
~ her independence will not be secured,
40 long AS French army of hundred
thousand men is needed to pu, the Aus
TRANS ont. or TO keep them out
In the meantime, the Emperor Napo-
leon has ISSUED proclamation. and the
Emperor Of Russia has caused diplo-
matte circular to be addressed to the
Cont. of Enropc. which are documents
which have a very significant bearing
upon the character Of the war, and may
have very formidable cilcc, ON its CON
ilnuancc.
The French proclamation is u protest