New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-21
ITALY.
THE SLOWNESS OF TIE AUSTRIANS.
Erora The London Ttnki. May6.

if she was precpitate in her diplomacy she will make
amends for such unaccustOmed promptude by being
very deliberate in her strategy. When she astcnshed
Europe and shocked grave, innocent and trusting
statesmen by decisive action, at moment when she
thought to be waiting patiently the peaceful solu-
tnn Of all her difficulties when she appeared with that
sudden menace that three days pause and that prompt
act Of war all beved that she had resolved to seize
quickly passing opportunity for striking decisive
blow. She had 1900 men in LOmbardy and Venice,
whereof 100 600 were drawn up almost the banks of
the frontier river Ticino The General Of that army
as he looked the little river, could almost survey
the OF his future operations On his night, roll
ing away in the distance rise the peaks of the Graian
and Pennne Alps on the left the lesser attitudes OF
Montferrat and the supmits of Mont Apennine mark
the highland character of the country into which he
was about to advance. But between these two north
and southern uneven districts, stretching straight
before him, Ike irregular bay which spreads ITS mp
ping surface deep into rocky region, extends long
vista Of fat cOontry. Through the middle of 1t winds
the PO, so renowned i'll song and history; and from
north and from south from the Alps on the right hand
and from the Apenninc range on the left hand, ana
from thoe distant Coan Alps that close the vista and
shut out France descend little rivers, each bringing
is tribute from its own mountain--tte shining
ribs that articulse to the backbone OF Piedmont In
tbose mountainous districts 10 the left lie the Businesses
Of the Sardinians The great fortress of Aessandra
stands almost at the entrance to the Montferrat
country and over the high bills and on the margin Of
the sea lies Genoa. The hills to the right-those
uplands which swell away toward the frontier
mountains Of the SimplOn Mount Rosa and the Grand
st. Bernard-are for the mOst part undeiended by
art and straight away before Tin, up that Hat
ulluyial plain Aus,rau Genera! car see no place
capsble cf an hour defense. The great rver winds
about: the tributaries stream down into it from
night and from left. There are little lndefensible
towns ike Novara, MortaIa, aud Nercclb, the three
points OF triangle; but there IS nothing serious be-
tween linn and Turin, which lies away up at the top
Of this deep owand level. All Europe thought that
this was Austrias object; that bold in her great pre-
pondcrance of force, she would with strong army
mask the fortresscs OF Acssandra and Casale and all
that southern mountain district which they command,
and that she would with the remainder OF the force,
rush straight forward, never stopping TIL she reached
the ruva palace at Turn. There would be some
prestige OF arms in occupying the enemys capital
at the outset of the war, and there would be
obviously some strategic advantage in being III po-
sition to destroy that network Qf railways which now
puts the French who land at Genoa IN direct and M
mediate railway communication WIN the frehCh VINO
crnS. Mont Gems and attain the Pedmoncse side OF
tle Alps at Susa Master of Turin and Of the rail.
ways that center at Turin, the Austrian General would
have vided the two French armies, and would have
been in secure possession of all Sardinia except only
that mountainous Montferrat region which we have
supposed him to survey, as lying on his left, while
mtdtating his advance across the Tcino.
This raid upon Turin was thought TO be an object
ca material 10 the successful opening Of the game be-
fore her that Austria believed To have acted wise
ly even in ncurring moral odum while securing
50 imporaIt hysca advantage. But, Tor some rea'
son or other which is probably a very good military
bu which lessons our idea of the necessity of
her Diplomatic precip,ancy, Austria has taken no ad-
,aLtage Of her priority IN point oi ume OF oi her
superiority in point of feIce. She moved her
army forward IN two main divisions. One OF
them stepped cautiously over the nver, and
set foot upon that olluyial pain, that HAT bay OF
land which lay before them. Gradually, ana win
uuch delberatiop, this division occupied the TWO
,,ie towns of Novara and Mortara-One on the right
ning and the other on the left-and then advanced
few miles further to Verce, where they halted, sur
veved and reconncered, while every honrwas bring;
ipg laden transports luto the haioor vi "e'o"' nuu
ioSy Inns Of French infentry were swarning over
lie Gems Perhaps the rains that fel swelled
the tributaries and damaged the ROADS per,
bsps tie revolutions in Parma, Modena ana
Tuscany counseled caution or crea'eu l1eso,
linton perhaps the Austrians were impressed
with the conviction that would be less troublesome
to t the French come the sea and over the Ap'
and assemble in their full strength; tha w"uio De
easier to meet them all ON this hither si0e a. III
c,ckpit from which there was no escape we are noi
in condition to divine motives or TO crclse strategy,
"a the telegrams are not very explanatory, ana the
knmsledee youchsated to Us By the military authorities
is not very perfect; but we can see tha'' ater pelug
seX en- DAYS the Sandman soil, the invaherS nave
not Il advanced more than thirty-h'e miles from tue
az the Division which crossed the TicinO, and which
appearcd to be nte nded to march up the level upon
TnIin we can trace the movements with some GER
tauty They have diverged rather southwark oi
their direct route that is to say, they are ehuhg To-
ward tho foot of the MOnfcrra range rather thah Il"
ward tle OF the Alpine Nllls. III TINS lA'H4,V
,by find one of the windings Of the Po In their pain,
and on Wednesday evening they crossed the rlVer al
Cnmbio The point chosen for this passage was near
the town Of Sala aud perhaps indicates an attack on
Alessardria. Higher up the river. at trassinet"'
cose to Cassalc fortress capable of some resistance
another body of AuS;rians seems TO have attempted
t. cross the stream, after cannonade wIich ias'eu
fifteen hours, but were repu!sed with some losS'
What can be the object of these operations IL the
Austrian had kept the ncrthern bank OF the nver II
ND nave taken him 10 Turn. But to proceed by
This ru;e the Austrian must cross the Dora-a ht.!e
rver which cones down from the Alps, anu no"'us
through the level untry IN front o i9Iu' iai' So
the Po The bar Ks of this rve' are SAID TO nave oeeh
terrified and il was thought that these lines had Deeh
chose,i as the bat le-fed on which France ana oar
dina profting by the sluggishness of the AIs'riah
had determined 10 draw together ana nSnt
bs,tle fo- Turin By crossing the PO the lnva1lng
| division whose advance we are now Tracing mas
turned tina. position altogether for they are no" V 'e
| south bank and the Dora comes down INTO the 10
from the nCrth. The object OF attack, however II
quite doubtful They may be either proceeding To-
ward Turin by the uot drec; route, or they may De
about by the simple maneuyer of right shouleT ios-
ward, To turn to the left and advance upon Assssh-
dria. Ii it be true that al Austrian cannonade Was
| commenced at NalenZs, il would sppear, perhaps,
more probable that the forreSses the object OF at
tack: for NaenZa Is within few miles OF Alessandra
and the Austrian reserves which are said to be IN ea,
force al Pavia and Paceuza, well placed for taxing
nsrt in concerted attack upon Ale;sandra, or even
| fcr descending upon Genoa
Thus have We traced the progress Of one Division
which took the plain country, aud was at the last
! sdyjces crossing the Po at a pon, not above ten
miles distant from lie great fortress OF Ale.sandna.
! Tbrs is However another Division Of the invading
ann. which, instead of crossing the Tieino, went
w, ,.,,tb ,n the lake whence the Tcino flows, and,
crossing that lake, penetrated into the northern
| md Aninr districts Of the kingdom they invaded.
| D;s.ar. from railways and telegraph wins
| the movements of this force are as yet obscure
| We expected 10 find them coming down into
I l,i,a ln.,.1
| - ,be Dora. and forming Junction there with
49,. S,,cs advancing directly through the plain