FOREIGN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 126, 4 June 1853, Page 5

FOREIGN NEWS.

FRANCE.

With regard to the political state of affairs in France, it may be said that matters are unsatisfactory. Both within and without the palace, dissatisfaction prevails. There is a split amongst the cabinet members, and between them and the Emperor. M. de Morney, it is understood, is anxious that the Emperor should deliver another speech like the one at Bordeaux ; but Louis Napoleon thinks he has done enough in this way to pacify the Eupopean powers, and will see M. de Moray further first, before he will do any such thing. Whatever the general character of his speeches delivered might be, there can be no doubt that like all other diplomatic affairs, it would leave the speaker a hole to creep out of when occasion required a departure from the spirit of the production. M. de Morny and Louis Napoleon are also at loggerheads about Algeria. The former wishes the administration of that colony to be left as hitherto to 'the Minister of War, whilst Louis wishes to have it under his own personal control.

There are rumours of plots having been discovered in Paris against the Emperor, and a number of arrests have taken place, chiefly ji/iTnongst the foreign press, particularly those of \jsrmany and Belgium. The object of the Emperor is of course to gag the press of all countries —if he can —certainly of all those of European States. About thirty-six persons have been seized, composed chiefly of men connected with the Legitimist party. The effect of this measure had been to create a want of confidence

on the Bourse, as it is observed an act of this kind implies weakness on the part of the Government. .

The fashionable world of Paris has been kept in a state of constant excitement since the public marriage of the Emperor. Balls and fetes have followed each other day after day and night after night, it may be fairly assumed to even the heart's content of a Parisian belle. All these parties have been held, of course in honour of the royal marriage, and, it need scarcely be added, by the cabinet ministers of Louis Napoleon. The expenditure must have been enormous. The crowning ball took place at the Luxembourg, given by £the Senate to the Emperor and Empress. The palace was transformed from its habitual austerity of appearance into a vast series of salons de fete, brilliant with lights, flowers, hangings, gilding, and decorations. A vast gallery, formed by the old Salle dv Trone, the former Chamber of Peers, and another large room, was made into a vast ball room, fitted up with consummate taste. Huge mirrors were placed in the recesses of each window, whilst other glasses, encompassed with garlands of flowers, were placed along the walls at both sides. In the centre of this ball-room was erected a fountain decorated with flowers. During the whole night the waters, springing up from innumerable jets, sparkled in the blaze of light and added a most pleasing variety to the scene. Magnificent lustres were suspended from the ceiling. At the end of the gallery was raised an estrade, on which were placed two chairs of state for their Majesties. In the picture gallery was laid out the supper room for the Emperor and the Empress, andwhich could accommodate upwards of two hundred persons. For the first time, all the male portion of the guests were attired only in court dresses, uniforms, or official costumes. At ten o'clock, the Emperor and Empress, after having had a reception of the diplomatic corps, left the Tuilleries, escorted by a detachment of cavalry. On the arrival of the cortege at the Luxembourg, their Majesties were received at the grand entrance by the President of the Senate, the vice-presidents, the members of the bureau, and the grand referendary, whilst behind, along the hall and up the stairs, were ranged the senators.. The Empress was dressed in white satin, trimmed with fringed ribbons. She wore a magnificent pearl necklace, and had violets in her hair. The eagerness of the ladies to behold her was extraordinary, and amidst so many women remarkable for beauty she undoubtedly shone forth pre-eminently. She seemed in excellent spirits, and her cheek in place of being pale, as was observed at the ceremony of her marriage at Notre Dame, had the clear bright colour of perfect health. In a few minutes after the entrance of the Imperial pair, the Emperor descended from the estrade to open the ball. It was not without difficulty that space could be procured to allow the quadrille to be formed. The Emperor danced with Madame Troplong, the Empress dancing with Count Regnaud de St. Jean d'Angely, VicePresident of the Senate. Their Majesties then went arm in arm through the rooms, and at half-past eleven proceeded to the imperial sup-per-room, where their majesties presided at a table set out for 200 ladies, all admitted by special tickets. During the night other ladies were likewise admitted to sup in this room, other supper rooms being disposed on the ground floor for the guests not so specially favoured. At nearly half-past twelve the Emperor and Empress withdrew, and soon after a considerable portion of the guests followed their example. ITALY. INSURRECTION AT MILAN. [From the "Times," February 14.] Letters from Turin of the 9th instant, state that a Cabinet Council was held the day before under the presidency of the King, in consequence of the agitation occasioned by the events of Milan and in the provinces adjoining Lombardy. The emigrants, however, had not moved, and the Lombard chiefs residing at Turin treated the whole affair with the utmost contempt. It appears that Messrs. Saffi and Pistrucci, formerly members of the Republican Government at Rome, came from London to the Canton of Ticino, to be near the scene of action. They took up their quarters at Bellinzona until a telegraphic order arrived from the authorities of Berne to send them out of the canton. The anuiversary of the battle of

No vara had at first been chosen for the explosion of the conspiracy. The chiefs were anxious to give the rising the appearance of a reparation of that disaster, and thus to induce the Piedmontese army to join in the movement, but many of the conspirators declared that it would be dangerous to wait until March, as the Austrian police was extremely vigilant, and would discover the plot. They accordingly resolved to raise the standard on the Sunday of the Cavnival. On that day mobs collected on three different points of the capital of Lombardy, at the gates of Ticino, Roma, and Tosa, and having marched into the city, surprised a few military posts, and erected barricades at the corners of several streets with every article they found. But the object of the conspirators was to^gain possession of the citadel, which is situated near the triumphal arch, at the extremity of the city. Insurgent bands advanced in that direction by the streets of San Paolo and Orso. They succeeded in entering the first tower of the Gastello, where they murdered some officers, but the gate leading to the inner court, containing the artillery and ammunition, having been closed in time, the attempt failed. They were immediately surrounded by the troops and all taken prisoners. The number of killed and wounded was about fifty. The insurgents had no other arms than stilettoes, the disarmament having been rigorously accomplished throughout the Lomdardo-Venetian kingdom.

The following is the postscript of one of those letters, dated 3 o'clock, p.m.: —

"We have just heard that the insurrectionary movement has extended from Milan to Monza, a town 6 leagnes distant from that capital. The conflict was there more sanguinary than at Milan. Independently of the coup-de-main, directed gainst the garrison of the Castello in Milan by the rebels, a detachment advanced to the square of the Duamo to attack the Viceregal Palace. The assailants being received by a brisk fusilade, retired in disorder. The authorities were so well aware that Bellinzona, the capital of Ticino, was the seat of the conspiracy, that they immediately intercepted all communication by rail between Milan and Como. Only one Austrian officer, the bearer of despatches, reached this last town by a special train. Switzerland, on her side, has called out her batallions of militia, and marched them towards the frontier of Lombardy. The four batallions of the canton of Ticino are also under arms. This concentration of troops has a double object—the suppression of the insurrection and the defence of the Swiss territory against Austrian invasion."

The Milan Gazette of the 7th, after publishing the proclamation of Count Strassoldo,

says:—■

" Public tranquillity was disturbed yesterday. The subversive party, which cannot permit peaceable citizens to indulge in the innocent pleasures of the Carnival, wished to immolate fresh victoms to their revolutionary designs. Yesterday, at 6 o'clock p.m., some soldiers were attacked in the streets. The authorities immediately ordered repressive measures. Strong patrols traversed the city, and arrested a number of persons armed with long stilettoes, who will be tried by court martial during the state of siege. At S o'clock tranquillity was nearly restored, and the theatres were opened as usual. We have to deplore lives lost on both sides, and many wounded. Endeavours were made to seduce the people with money, and other inducements ; but the good sense of the citizens rejected those provocations, and the people not only remained calm, but actually deplored that attempt as an act of impiety and madness. Public tranquility has not been disturbed iv the provinces."

The walls of Milan were placarded with inflammatory manifestos from Mazzini and Kossuth ; the former addressed to the Italians, and tlie latter appealing to the sympathies of the Hungarian soldiery in the Austrian service. Neither of these patriots were preseut to share in the dangers they scrupled not to involve their unfortunate followers in.

MONTENEGRO.

Grave events are occurring on the frontiers of Austria and Turkey. The latter power is attempting to subdue Mentenegro, a mountainpus country which has always more or less been independent of foreign controul. The Turks have attacked it in force, and the Austrians are concentrating large forces on the frontier nomi-

nally to protect it, but in reality, it is supposed, to aid the mountaineers. , , : .