NEWS OF THE WEEK.
G'AiTA has fallen. A lucky shell blew up one of the reserve maga- zines, and with it an entire bastion. The defence consequently became hopeles.s, and on February the 13th the .garrison capitulated to General Cialdini. The King embarked on board the French steamer Muette, and the soldiery remain prisoners of war until the surrender of Messina. The destination of the ex-King is not known, but it is most probable that he will reside at Madrid, where alone in Europe he possesses, as Prince of the Blood, a high and defined rank. It is difficult to sympathize with a Bourbon, but Englishmen cannot forget that Francis de Bourbon is the only member of his House who has fought bravely for a throne. Personal courage may be common enough, but in the his. tory of a family like that which for a century has demoralized Southern Italy, it is pleasant to find even one quality, however re- motely allied to virtue. The precise effect of this event in Italy is not yet reported, but it can scarcely fail to accelerate the pro- gress towards unity. Hitherto the Neapolitans have lived in con- stant terror of the return of the old dynasty. Every priest has hoped, and every good man feared, that some European con- tingency might once more place arms in the hands of Francis the Second. The King of Italy himself has been fettered by the presence of his cousin, and has been unwilling to put down reaction with the severity his Government has always displayed to treason. With the flight of the ex-King, real Government begins in Naples, and the Parliament which meets on Monday will be, in theory as well as fact, supreme in the peninsula. We have sketched out elsewhere the policy the Parliamentary majority have decided to adopt, and which may be briefly thus described. Absolute and complete autho- rity, unchecked by formulas, must reside in the Parliament and King of Italy, but local self-government in regions, provinces, towns, and communes is to be carefully preserved. Englishmen of course sympa- thize with a theory of government identical with their own, but we may remark that it is in full accord with the history and circumstances of the peninsula. There are municipalities in Italy which have been unbroken for three thousand years, and the people know instinctively how to manage their affairs without collision with a single central and national authority. In Rome the populace are expecting their deliverance, and abstaining, by order of the National Committee, from the Carnival. This annual festa has therefore been dull and gloomy in the extreme, the foreigners present being exposed to the sullen anger of the citizens, who have agreed, it is said, to appear joyous once only, on the news of the fall of Gaeta. The Papal Government continues to assist the brigands in the Abruzzi, but General Goyon has formally announced his disapproval of these expeditions.
Politics throughout Italy are almost suspended until the meeting of Parliament, which assembles at Turin on the 18th inst. The members of the royal family are traversing Northern Italy, every- where hailed by the population with delight; and the Prince de Carignan appears most successful at Naples. His Ministry have ordered that Beneventum, the Papal estate in Naples, shall be planted with tobacco, and are collecting complete returns of eccle- siastical property. It is not supposed that this property will be secularised so completely as in Northern Italy and the States of the Church. (It is curious that the English policy of giving these lands to the aristocracy, and so converting them into the irreconcilable
foes of the dynasty which would restore them, has never struck the Italians.) Orders have been issued for the construction of a system of roads, but their execution has not yet commenced. Naples, in fact, like the rest. of Italy, waits for Parliament.
The debate on Italian unity in the Prussian Chamber_ promises to influence the action of Germany in a high degree. M. Von Vineke,
it will be remembered, moved a resolution affirming that "it is not the interest of Germany to place obstacles in the way of the conso- lidation of Italy," and carried it by 159 to 146. The speech of the Foreign Minister against the vote has now been reported, and is fall of admissions of importance. M. Vincke declared—and the Chamber by its vote endorsed the idea—that the only true interest of Germany was a strict alliance with Great Britain. He believed the 'alliance possible beeause England had need of Prussia as an ally to balance the military power of France on the Continent, and of Italy to coun- terpoise the naval power of France in the Mediterranean. M. de Sehleinitz, in his reply, made a most important admission. " Eng- land," he said, "might not attach the same importance to an alliance with Prussia, unless extended to the whole of Germany, and unless the dualism between the two great German powers should cease to neutralize completely the influence of Germany in Europe." The vote of the Chamber appears to have seriously affected' the policy of the King. His Ministers immediately offered their resignations, and though they were not accepted, any idea of active assistance to Austria has been abandoned. The Viennese papers declare that the vote was dictated by the- desire of the Prussians to assume the leadership of Germany, which is probably true. The Italian journals, on the other band, represent the vote as an offer of amity, a pledge that the internecine conflict between Germany and Italy will one day come to an end. In.,Eng- land the proceedings are regarded by politicians as highly favourable to peace, Austria, unsupported by Germany, being unable to ad- vance. The quarrel with Denmark has assumed a new phase. The Diet has finally decreed that, unless the demands of Germany are con- ceded, the Federation must in six weeks occupy Holstein; but the ques- tion will be settled rather by diplomacy than Diets. The Holsteiners, we perceive, assert that their grievances arc real, that the provincial offices are filled by strangers, that their constitution is not operative because conceded only on condition of separation from Schleswig, that the liberty of the Press has ceased to exist, and that the police are above the laws. These grievances differ widely from those ad- mitted by the Danes, viz, an effort to denationalize the Duchy by Danish education and Danish books. According to the latest ac- counts the Prussian Cabinet is disposed, on the mediation of Great Britain, to postpone a resort to force, but this report requires stronger confirmation than it has yet received.
The Austrian Government continues its contest with Hungary, In addition to the constitution of 1818, the Hungarians now demand the reannexation of their ancient provinces, Croatia, Servia, and Illyria. The people of Fiume, the port of Croatia, have petitioned the Emperor for reannexation, and we reported last week a similar resolution of the Croat counties. The petition is not favourably re- ceived at Vienna, for the Austrian Government appears influenced by the idea that Istria will be claimed by the Italians. Their military writers have always affirmed that the loss of Venice would cost them. the Adriatic, as Italy would claim the territory of the old republic • on the mainland. This view receives support from a long article in Le Nord, a journal which on Italian subjects is supposed to be inspired by Count Cavour. We extract one or two of the most striking sentences :—
" Istria, 5th February.
"Austria, knowing better than anybody that Istria is in all respects an Italian province, which we consider as inseparable from Venetia, does not shrink from any expedient for dragging Germany into the lists.
"After the publication of the official pamphlet, The Austrian Navy, the Trieste Gazette (German), in dealing with the same subject, strives to demon- strate that the interest of Germany could not tolerate the expulsion of Austria from the Adriatic.' The Gazette demands that the port of Pula be placed under the protection of Germany, and that the frontiers of the Confederation be advanced from Pisino, where they now stop, to the southern extremity of the peninsula of Istria.' The Gazette adds, that the Em- peror Napoleon having respected Trieste in 1859, solely because that city
was under the safeguard of the Confederation, it is indispensable to erect in Istria a potent barrier against the encroaching anihition of Sardinia.' It strongly urges Germany to create a fleet which would find a secure anchorage in the German (de) port of Dols, whenever the German nation shall have to pronounce its decision in the Eastern question, and whenthe combined armies of Germany shall prove to the enemy that they know how to defend both the Adriatic and the Rhine againt invasion.' •
"Decidedly Austria sees nothing but enemies, wars, and usurpations ; in proportion as danger increases or diminishes her pride sinks and swells, she supplicates and threatens, becomes clerical, German or Slave according to the need of the day.
‘, What, in the name of conscience, have the East and the Rhine to do with Italian Istria ? The discussion is not about the Emperor Napoleon, nor about Sardinia, but about Italy, which is resuming in the world the legi- timate place assigned to her by God. Italy desires to become again a nation, but she will attain that object only in so far as she shall be rein- stated in possession of her natural frontiers, the Alps, from the Ligurian sea to St. Gotbard, to Tricorno, to Nevoso, to Caldero, and Quarnaro. This is a frontier so definitely traced by nature, and so necessary to Italy, that no power could contest her possession of it, without postponing for a long time the era of peace."
Fiume is not in Istria, but it is at Fiume the Government expect Garibaldi to land, and rouse at once Istria, Dalmatia, and Hungary. Accordingly, a telegram received on Thursday, announces that Fiume has been placed in a state of siege.
Troubles of a very serious character are expected in Gallicia. The peasants are under the impression that the nobles have asked for the restoration of serfdom, and threaten a Jacquerie ; so urgent is the danger that the priests and all local authorities have been authorized to explain the facts carefully to the peasants.
The Turkish Government, just extricated for a moment from bank- ruptcy, has been plunged into a new sea of difficulties. The Em- peror of the French demands the continued occupation of Syria, and it is said expects the support of Russia to the demand, the French diplomatists having collected positive evidence of the intention of the Mahommedan to massacre all the Christians in the country. At the same time Prince Labanoff, the Russian ambassador at Constantinople, has presented a note denying; the accuracy of the Grand Vinees report on Roumelia. The Russian Government reasserts that Christians in Roumelia are oppressed, and denies that the Greek bishops are worthy of blame. The note has been answered by the Grand Vizier, who repeats his original statements, and Prince Labanoff demands that the matter Shall be submitted to Confer- ence. The reports as to the scheme of the commissioners for the future administration of Syria have been confirmed. They have really recommended the creation of a semi-independent pashalie, and the legal "protection" of Christians by the European Powers. The Porte refuses assent to this plan, but offers to divide Syria into the two pashalics of Damascus and Beyrout, to place a governor- general with ample powers in each, to give them consultative councils elected by the different civil and religious bodies, to main- tain an army of 25,000 men, and to devote the entire revenues of the province to its internal improvement. This last plan, it is surmised, may be satisfactory to the Powers, provided foreign occupation comes to an end.
The intelligence of the week from France is exceedingly scanty, the most important fact, perhaps, being the publication of M. Casimir Perier's attack on imperial finance, analyzed in another column. A pamphlet, however, is immediately promised, to be called La France, Ifoine, et Pltalie, which, written bylq. La Guerroniere, will explain to Europe the Italian policy of the Emperor. The debates in the it Senate do not commence until the 18th inst., when it is expected that the Marquis de la Rochejacqueleiu will attack the policy of the Emperor in Rome. The discussion will last a week, and is looked forward to with some interest, as a test of the promised freedom of parliamentary speech.
The case of Paterson v. Bonaparte has advanced a step. The Imperial Attorney, in summing up, admitted all points save one. He allowed the legality of the marriage, even if informally published in France, and denied the power of the First Emperor to annul such a contract. He relied exclusively on the deerees of the council of the Imperial family, which he said had definitively judged the claim. The decision is fixed for the 16th of February, but it seems understood that the Emperor is favourable to the legitimacy of the American Bonapartes, and that some compromise will be effected saving the honour and status of Madame Patterson and her children, but reserving the legitimacy and inheritance of Prince Napoleon. India is politically quiet, but the aceounts received by no means bear out Sir Charles Wood's glowing pictures of Indian finance. The actual deficit of the year ending the 30th of April, 1861, will be little.less than ten millions sterling, but the revenue-tax is expected to produce 3,500,0001., and cither resources may be found in the re- duction of expenditure, and the stricter levy of existing taxes to the ateut of 5,000,0001. more. It will be observed, however, that all these resources are of a class which may, or may not, be realized. Lord Canning has recently severely censured the laxity of the administration in collecting the income-tax in Lucknow. The col- lection was entrusted to natives, complaints were treated with in- difference, and no effort was made to explain to the people the object and incidence of the tax. This laxity extends, however, only to Lucknow, the collection of the tax throughout Oude having been admirably managed. Lord Canning, it is understood, will remain another year. Six regiments of infantry, the 5th, 6th, 24th, 37th, 64th, and 37th, and the 2nd and 6th Dragoon Guards, are ordered back to England, but no reduction of native levies has yet been sanctioned. The news from China is, generally; unimportant. The first two instalments of the indemnity money, amounting to 500,000 tads (166,6661. 13s. 4d.), have been paid, and the genera' of both armies have quitted China. The garrison at Tient-sin arcreported healthy, and the people of the neighbakirhood pleasantly-tliSposed. The 14th Regiment has arrived in New Zealand after a passage of only eighty-two days, and its presence has excited some sensation among the natives. They are alarmed also at the reports of the arrival of Armstrong guns, and seem disposed in places to remain tranquil. Reports are rife, however, of an intention among the sa- vages either to commence a general war against the English on North Island, or to concentrate their attack againtt the settlers of Taranaki and the troops employed to defend them. For the present the Wailcatos are "quiet," the Upper Wicikatos "restless," and the King movement in abeyance. A new Ministry has been called to power in New South Wales. Its first principle is "free selection before survey " in other words, no squatter is to retain the right either of holding land without purchase or of pre-emption. Any man who wants land may choose any unsurveyed rand, and buy it whether it is occupied or not. The squatters complain that under this law they must emigrate, and are anxious to detach the pastoral country north of the Murray from the colony. The new Parliament is exceedingly democratic ; three working men have been returned among its members, and a law is expected to assign salaries to the representatives:
