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additional force from the refusal of Austria to dis
cuss before acting. We do not wish at anv nrico
to hnd ourselves face to face with an accomplished
TACT, and it is such fact which the government of
the Emperor is resolved to prevent. 1t is not
therefore, an offensive attitude it is measure OF
defence which we adopting.
, Ancient remem brances, community of origin a
recent alliance of the sovereign houses unite us to
Sardinia. These are serious reasons for sympathy,
which we fully appreciate, but which, perhaps,
would not suffice to decide us. What distinctly
points out our path is the permanent and heredita-
ry interest of France the absolute mpOssibility for
the EmperOr's government to allow a blow to be
struck which would establish at the foot of the
Alps, contrary to the wishes of a friendly nation
and to the wish of its sovereign state of things
which would subject the whole of Italy to foreign
influence.
His Imperial Majesty, strictly faithful to the
words which he pronounced when the French peO-
pie recalled him to the throne of the chief of his
dynasty, is not animated by any personal ambition
or desire OF conquest. 1t is not long since the
emperor gave proof, in European crisis, that
moderation was the soul of his policy. That mode
ration still presides over his designs, and while
shielding the interests which Providence has en-
trusted to him, his Majesty has no idea, you may
most positively assert it, of separating his views
from those OF his allies. Far from it, his govern
! ment, referring to the incidents which have marked
! the negotiations of the preceding weeks entertains
the firm hope that the government of Her Britannia
Majesty will continue to persevere in attitude
which, by uniting by moral bond the policy of the
two countries, will allow the Cabinets of Paris and of
London to give mutual explanations without reserve
and to combine, according to eventuaties, an en-
tente destined to preserve the Continent from the
effects of struggle which may arise at one of
| its extremities.
Russia, we are perfectly convinced of it, will be
always ready to direct her efforts to the same end
AS regards Prussia the impartial and, at the same
time conclllatng spirit of which she has given
| proof since the commencement of the crisis is
sure guarantee of her inclination to neglect moth
| ing to circumscribe the explosion.
We sincerely hope that the other Powers which
form the German Confederation will not allow
themselves to be led astray by the remembrances of
different epoch. France can only behold with sor-
sow the excitement which has seized upon some
States OF Germany. She does not understand how
that great country, ordinarily so calm and so pa
trioticaly imbued with the knowledge of its
strength should fancy its safety menaced by events
the theatre of which must remain far from its ter
rtory.
The Emperor's government is therefore prone to
believe that the statesmen of Germany will soon ad-
NIT that it depends great deal upon themselves to
contribute to limit the extent and the duration of
| war which France, if she has to take part in it.
has at least the consciousness of not having pro-
| voked
request you, sir, to point out the considerations
developed in this despatch, in your next interview
| with NJ, and to leave him copy. The clear
language in which now express myselfby the En-
perors orders, and which implies his Maiestys wish
10 give TO tne other cabinets every possible guar
antee to bring them to true appreciation of the
| situation, and reassure them, in so much as they
are concerned as to the consequences, that it is diff
hcuIt for me to suppose that the government Of
VIII not receive these explanations with confidence
equal to that which dictated them. l am, &C.,
| April q, 1859. WAIEwsRt
THE SEAT OF WAR AND SCENE OF THE
GREAT STRUGGLE.
From the London Times May3l
The kingdom of Sardinia, composed of Piedmont
Its principal mass-in the centre, the ancient
province of Savoy in the northwest and the mari
time territory of Genoa in the southeast, is not
ahOyn no hnOlra6 6Y,ila IN, hrao
ern to its eastern frontier On the former of these
frontiers it is conterminous along its entire length
with France, its ally; but the latter it is only
partly cOnterminOus with Austria, its enemy, In
the north portion of the Swiss territory and in
the south the Duchy Of Parma, supply the border
line, leaving only a central portion-perhaps about
hall the entire length, to be formed by the terri
tories of Austrian Lombardy. The line is question
as everybody is aware is constituted by the
river Ticino and by the Lago Maggiore through
which that river flows, the Rhone does through
the Lake of Geneva. On the French side the bor-
der is formed by the Alps, that the seat of war
may be regarded in general aspect as a broad
piece of territory between a chain of mountains
and river. The French had to cross the noun
tains, the Austrians the stream, and the distance
between them, as we have said, was about one hun
dred miles.
The features of Piedmont itself, However. de-
serve particular attention, as they are regulating
the present distribution of the contending armies
Piedmont Is traversed in its breadth by the wind
ngs of the river Po, and the division of the coun-
try thus effected corresponds very nearly with the
division of the Eastern frontier between Lombardv
and Parma; so that to the south of the stream
PIEDMONT borders on Parma and to its north only
on the hostile territory of Lombardy. These two
divisions of the Sandman kingdom differ totally
in their natural characters. To the north of the
rlver-the district Immediately exposed to the
Austrlansall is level plain up to the foot of the
Swiss Alps whereas on the southern side all is
mountainous and the whole space is filled with the
shoots or spurs of the Lgurian Apennines slopinp
/ frpr
| lie the strong places of the Sardinians-Alessan-
dria, Casale and Tortona--and on its western edge
stands Turin itself, the capital of the State With
In or around these tortresses the Sardinians have
collected the bulk OF their army, perhaps some 75-
! 600 men, leaving the plains of the north compare
| lively open to the incursions of the enemy
| Before the actual commencement of hostilities
the Austrians at Milan stood Just about as far from
the river as the French at Briancon did from the
mountains, and a line drawn from one of these
points to the other would pass through the common
marx marx OF both armies-the royal city of Turin.-
Turin, however, is about as far again from Buffa-
ora, where the Austrans crossed the river as II ia
from Susa, where the French halt on crossing tba
Alps, the distance being about seventy miles in the
former case against thirty three in the latter Rnt
this inequality was more than compensated bv the
relative difficulties ot the two roads, for whereas
the Austrians have plain country to traverse, the
French can only reach Susa by passing the Alps
In reality the advantage of ground so far was on
the side of the Ausrians, but their operations have
been influenced by further considerations arising
! from the position of the Sandman army before
described. The French, as they descend upon Susa
and push forward to Turin, directly confront
ing the Austrians on their march towards the same
point from Milan, and ftbis was ALL and there were
no Sardinlans except in the capital, the shock of
battle could be anticipated with great facility.-
Sooner or later-in fact, very soon indeed-thebel
ligerents would meet, and an engagement on n
large scale would ensue.
1t will be observed, however, from what we have
sald, that the Austrians, in their advance across
IN h,,,. II
left flank the whole concentrated strength of tbe
Sandman army, resting its finest fortresses
What the chain OF the TyrO indeed, is to Austria
in the plains of Lombardy, the chain of the Lion
rlan Apennnes is to Sardinia in the plains of Pied
mont, and the parallel be carried still further
for exactly as Germany lies in reserve behind the
Tyrol, so does second French force gather in
strength behind the Apennines. On the seaboard
OF these mountains stands Genoa, which, as France
commands the sea, can be reached from TOulon |
with the greatest facility. The Sardinians there
fore, while they cluster in force about their citade
to the south of the Pc, have in their rear the sup
port of the powerful French army within fifty |
miles distance.
The Austrians are thus opposed by two bodies of
the enemy-one directly facing them at Turin, and
drawing daily reintorcements from the passes of
the Alps; and another at Casae and Alessaudria
tanking their march, and receiving succors from a
distinct base of operations at Genoa. By crossing
their frontier at its northern extremity as tbeV
have done, they might occupy the Northern dis |
ricts of Sardinia or, if they descended thence up
on the Po they might get the Sandman army in |
front OF them, but they would then have the ar |
my of the Alps upon their right. They must, in
short, advance in any against two lines of foes
posted at right angles to each other; and for sim
pllcitys sake, we may consider these lines to be
represented by the river Dora Batea running from
north to south by lvrea and the Pc, running from
west to east by Casae-Turin being pretty nearly
at the angle.
All the places named, be it understood lie with |
IN comparatively small compass. From Aroma |
the point occupied by the Austrians in the north
to Genoa the seaboard of the SOUTH the distance
is about ITO miles, very nearly the same as from
Susa to Bufalora. From Genoa to Alessandria il
IS only 46 miles, and from Alessandra to Turin less
than 60. From Susa to Turin, again, the distance
is but 80 miles; that in their two principal po-
stiOns of Turin and Alessandria the Sardnians are
so miles of their powerful allies. The Austrians
is about miles, Mortara about 10 miles and
Vercelli but some 20 miles from the Lombard from
tier, and these the points at which the first col
lisOn may be anticipated.
The great feature, however, of the campaign
far as it can be comprehended at present is the
double base of operations from which the Sardin-
ians and their allies are proceeding and if the Aus
trians find themselves in strength sufficient for such
plan, it is not improbable that they also NAV d
vide their forces that the troops now said to be
at Mortara may advance towards the SOUTH and
those at Novara towards the west. 1t will not have
escaped notice that the Austrians are said to be
particularly strong at MOrtara while the Imperial
Guard, the select corps of the French army, is at
Genoa. These dispositions would seem to indicate
that the hardest struggle is expected on the line to