Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1859-05-27
The War In ItnIy--The Opposition Of
the Aus1rians in Sardinia.


NAG -
The London Haes Of the Oh instant thus
sums up The position o. he Austrian Invaders:
Austria appears wiling 10 let the world be
lieve thatif she was precipitate IN diplomacy
she will make amends for such an accustomed
promptitude by being very deliberate In her
strategy. When she astonished Europe and
shocked grave, innocent and trusting states
men BY decisive action, at a moment when she
was thought 70 be waiting patiently the peace
fuI solution Of al her d.ficultirs; when she ap-
peared with hat sudden menace, that three
days pause, and that prompt act Of war, We
ali believed that she bad resolved 20 seize a
quickly passing oppornni'y for striking de-
/ cisiye BLOW. Shehsd 10000 men in LombardY
and Venice, whereof 10000 were drawn up
almost or tie banks Of the frontier river
Tcino. The General Of the srnT, as be
. looked across the little river, could almost sur
vey the scene Of lis future operations.
On bis right, rolling away in the distance,
rise the peaks Of the Graianand Peanine Alps;
on he left the lesser attitudes OF MontterTat
and the submits of Mont Apeunine mark the
| hlghland character Of the country into which
be was about 10 adraBre- But between these
two northern and sOuihefn uneven districts,
stretching Straight before him, ike an irregu-
lar bav which spreads its dppling surface deep
into a rocky region. extends a long vista Of
fat country. Through The middle Of Il winds
the Po, So renowned IN Bons and history and
from norsh and from s0u-h, from the Alps on
tie right hand All from the Apennln'ran on
he left hshA, and from thosA distan Co'tiau
Alps that close tie VISA and shut out France,
I descend 1ttlr rivers, each bringing is tribute
Z from its own moun.aia-littie shining RIBS hat
articulatr 10 the backbone Of Piedmut.
n hose mountainous districts to the left lie
the businesses OF The sardinians. The great
I fortress of Aleasandria stands almost al the
D nr#wnmrr IN Hhn MmmHFaHHmH NrurfTW md OVER
the high hills and on the margin Of the sea hes
Genoa. The hills 70 The Hght-h0se uplands
which swell away towards the frontier noun
tsins Of the Simplon, Mount Rosa, and the
grand 81. Bernard-are for the mos part un-
defended by art, and straight away before bin,
up that fat ~slluvisl plain, our Austrian general
can see no place capable Of an hours defense.
Tie great river winds about the tributaries
stream down into IL from the right and from
the left. There are little indefensible towns
like N0vara, Mouara. and Nercilli, the three
points q a triangle but there is nothing Sc
nous between him and Turin, which lies away
up at the top Of this deep loWland level. Al
Europe thought that thls was Anstris's Object F;
hat bold In ber great preponderance az fore,
she w0nld, VIII a strong army mask the tor-
rssses OF Alessandia and Cassle, AMI an the
southern mountain district which they com
maud, and hat size would, with the remain
der Of he force, rush straight forward, never
stopping tll she reached the ROYAL Palace al
Turin.
There would be some prestige Of. arms in
occupying the enemv's capital at the outset Of
the war, and there would be obviously some
strategic advantage IN being in q position to
destroy the net work Of railways which now
puts the French who land at Genoa in direct
and immediate railway communication with
the Montese side Of the Alps at Susa. Master
Of Tuin, the Austrian general, would have
divided the two French armies, and would
have been in secure possession Of all Sardinia,
except only that mountainous Mon0errat re-
gion which we have supposed him 20 survey,
as lying on his left, while meditating his ad-
vance across the Tieino.
This rain upon Turin was thought b be an
object so material 10 the successful opening Of
the game before her, that Austria was beliered
10 have acted wisely even Ia incurrinC 50 in
portant a physical advantage. But, for some
reason or other, which Is probably a very good
military reason, but which LESSONS our idea Of
the necessity Of her diplomatic pTeoipitsncy,
Austria has taken DO advantage q Der priority
N point oftime, or Of Der superiority 10 peiht
Of force. She moved her army forward In
two main divisions. One Of then step can
tionsly over The river, and set foot upon That
siiuyial plain, that fat bay Of land, Which
lay before them. Gradually, and with much
elaboration, this division occupied the two ii :
az 10 "a HAHAA eau aANAAMAA-Na| WA NAN
right wing, aud the other o. the lsft-andthsn
advanced q few miles fur;h her 20 NeTcsili,
where they halted, surveyed and ~reconnoitred,
while every hour was bringing laden trans
ports into the haTbor Of Genoa, and long lines
Of French lnfsntg were swarminE over The
Cents.
Perbaps the rains that zen swelled tie
tributaries and damaged The roads perhaps
The revolutions IN Parma, Modena and Tusca-
MS, counselled caution or created iresolution F;
4 perhaps the Austrians were impressed with
The conviction that II would be less trouble
soms 10 let The French tome over the sea and
over The Alps, and assemble in their fun
strength that It would be easier 70 meet them
an or this hither side, as in a ccckpit from
which there is no escape. We are not In a
condition to deyine motives OF TO cridcise STRAIT
/ egy, FOR the telegrams are not very sEPisnsto-
1 ~. and the knowledge vouchsaftd 70 us bv the
| military suthoriies is not VeTy perfect; but
We can see that sfter being seven days on TIE
Sandman soil, the Invaders have not yet Id
vauced mere than IS miles faom TIE fron.isr
river.
OF the division which crossed The Ucino,
and which appeared 10 be intended 10 march
I'D the ieve upon Turin, We can trace the
movements with some certainty. They have
divorced rather F~outhwards OF their direct
route; that is 20 say, they are tcnding to
wards the foot Of ne Alpine hills. In Ais A.
vance they hrd ole Of tie w~indingE q the 20
In their piih, and on Wednesday evening ihey
crossed be river a. Canbio. The point chosen
for their passage was near The town Of Sala,
and perhsps indicates an attack On Aiessan-
drls. Hi-Aer Up the river, at FTassinetto,
clos 20 Cassale, a fortress capabla e some
res stance, anoiher body Of Austians seen q
have attempted 70 cross the sreau, after A
ca-notade which la-trd fifteen hours but were
repulsed with some loss.
"a - A. ~ nj 49, A~MHMHHMmn
II the Austrian had kept the northern bank
Of the river, il wosld have taken hin 70 Turin
But 10 proceed BIZ this route the Austrian must
cross tie Doraz1 little river which comes
down from the Alps, and flowing through The
level country in front ct Turin, falls into th'
Pc. Tie banks Of his river are said 20 havs
been fortified, and Il was thought hat these
lines had been chosen as the battlefield on
which France and Sardinia, profting By ne
sluEgishness II The Austrian, had determined
10 draw together and fight a battle for Turin
By crossing thc Pc, Tie invading division
whose advance We are Tow tracing, has turned
that position altogether FOR they are now on
the south bank, and tie Dora comes down into
the Pc from the north.
he object Of attack, however, is gate
doubtful. They may b. either proceeding &c
ward Tdrin hv the mos direct routf, OF they
NAV BE- about, hy the simple maneuver Of
right shoulder forward, 70 t-Tn 10 the lff,
and advance upon Alessantria. ~ Il BE- true
that an Austrian eannonade was commenced
a. h~alenza, Il would appear, perhaps. mose
probable that the foriuFsses are TIE ohiec. Of
attack; FIR Nalen1a is within a few miles q
Alessard ia, and the Austrian reserve, which
are said 10 b IN z eat force a. Psria and PA
cenza, are well placed for taking pat 10 a
concerted attack upen Alessaadria. or even
fos descending np0a Genoa.
=. Thus have Er traced ihe froeresq Of ore
} division, which took The plain country, and