FOREIGN EXTRACTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 2 July 1853, Page 5

FOREIGN EXTRACTS.

ITALY. The agitation that prevails throughout Italy and Hungary, points, at no distant day, to more extensive consequences there can be inferred from the ill-arranged emeute in Milan. It is now known that a simultaneous movement was prepared in several places,—Milan, Rome, Naples, and Florence. The failure of the first outbreak has, for the present, superseded all the rest; but the fire still smoulders, and the flame will inevitably burst out sooner or later. Several days before the insurrection at Milan, it was known in Genoa, and a plan of operations was decided upon by which the movement was to take a certain direction, with a view to prevent any combined action on the part of the Government. But spies are more active than conspirators, and the information which had been previously received by the police frustrated the whole design. In the meanwhile Radetzky is taking the utmost precautions to suppress the revolutionary spirit in the north, by sequestrating the property of all persons who are out of the country, and who cannot satisfactorily disprove their connection with the emeute. The march of troops on the frontiers, the rigorous proclamations by which people are prevented from talking or whistling in the streets, and the state of quasi siege in which Milan is still held, notwithstanding that some of its gates have been thrown open to persons who have authentic passports, show the determination of the imperial power to crush, not merely every attempt at revolution, but every manifestation of personal liberty. It will be remembered that the proclamations which bore the signature of Kossuth, and were posted up in Milan and other places, calling upon the Hungarian soldiers in the service of Austria to aid the Italian struggle, were disowned on the part of Kossuth by an authorised friend of his. To that disclaimer Mazzini has since replied, declaring that the proclamation was written by Kossuth when he was in Turkey, and that it was placed in his hands to be made use of when occasioned required. Believing that the time had arrived when it might be used with advantage, the Revolutionary Committee, changing its date, and, as it subsequently appears, making other alterations in it, issued the proclamation side by side with that of Mazzini. The apparent contradictions in these statements are to a great extent removed by a subsequent explanation from Kossuth himself. He states that the proclamation wa3 written by him, but long ago, and in very different circumstances; that he was then a prisoner at Katahia, and not free to judge, and that he entrusted the document to those who were ; that the proclamation has since been greatly altered to adapt it to present circumstances ; that seven essential paragraphs have been omitted ; and that in effect instead of calling on the Hongarians to be ready and wait for further orders, it was made to say to them— "The moment is at hand! rise and fight!" Kossuth believes that both Mazzini and himself have been abused by somebody, and concludes a very generous and frank appeal, by asserting the close amity and mutual confidence that exist between him and the Italian Chief. His words are striking upon this material point: " Mazzini and I, Italy and Hungary, are and will be united for ever. That is not only a necessity of the community of our interests, but also the choice of our mutual affection, which we both sincerely entertain, and will, I hope, continue to entertain throughout our lives." CHINA. We have received advices to the llth of April. From them we learn that the rebels had advanced upon the Yang tse Kiang, the great artery of the Empire, and rumours were rife in Shanghae, on the 28th March, that Nankin had been taken, but nothing certain wasknown. It is stated that tea had advanced 25 per cent. Sir S. G. Bonham had visited Shanghae, and while there he received a very pressing application from the Chinese authorities, copies of which were sent to each of the European and American Consuls, requesting that the war-steamers of the mighty English nation might extinguish " the banditti, the vile enemies of the Chinese Empire." The mandarins had circulated reports to the effect that the Tartar troops had [ defeated the rebels in several battles, and had

saved Nankin, but no reliance was placed on their statements. The Manchu Tartars have now ruled China for 208 years, being 35 years longer than the average duration of a dynasty. The young Emperor is 22 years of age, and is of more than average ability. He has lately crowned his Empress: and it is remarked that the praises of the Empress in the addresses are very similar to those used by the French to their Empress. But notwithstanding all the adulation bestowed, it appears certain that the mass of the Chinese are thoroughly tired of the Manchu dynasty. A most shocking fire had occurred at Whampoa. A Chinese theatre, containing 3,000 people, had been destroyed by fire, and sixty women were burnt to death in the course of half an hour. CUBA. From the New York papers we extract the following item respecting the slave trade. We cannot believe that there is one particle of truth in the story. For the honor of the British Navy, we trust that we shall see an official contradiction of a statement which, if true, would be most disgraceful:—" It was a humiliating spectacle for Spanish pride when the Spanish brig " Arogante Amelio" was brought into the port of Havannah in tow of a British war steamer, as a private prize, with the Spanish banner flying at her main peak, and kept there until sunset, when it was lowered away. It seemed almost insulting, but it was not so intended by the gallant captors. The effect, however, was degrading. At any rate, the English officer on duty at the time of the occurrence of what I have to relate has been arrested to account for his negligence. I have not previously alluded to this for the reason that I had the palace version, which I fear might be exaggerated; but it proves true, from the acknowledgments of the officers of the British corvette Vestal. A lieutenant of the Spanish Navy, selected' with twelve picked men, boarded the brig "Arogante Amelio," while lying in this harbour, in range of the Vestal's guns, at au early hour of the morning, and drove from her decks the officers and prize crew, who made no resistance. They took possession of the brig, and retained it without any effort to retain or regain it being made by the British lieutenant. Two objects seem to have impelled this attack and capture, the primary being, of course, by partial stratagem and sudden display of a superior force, under cover of the naval and military strength of Havannah, to redeem the flag that had been scandalized by display on board of the slaver subsequent to the capture by the British cruizer; and the other, of less consequence, to defeat the purposes of justice by destroying the evidence on board the vessel which condemned her as a slaver. The thing was well done—was a surprize that should not have been accomplished over good soldiery, on responsible watch and ward, notwithstanding the formidable protection had by the boarders, under cover of the guns of Canabas and several Spanish war steamers, frigates, brigs, &c.; and it has been the cause of much mortification to the gallant Captain Hamilton and other officers of his ship. The result has been, so far, that every vestige of the illicit character of the vessel has been removed from it, the slave deck destroyed, and all the felonious implements and materials removed, which, added to clean papers prepared and furnished her by superior authority since her capture, will be likely to- clear her from the charge before the " Mixed Court of Justice," especially as the voices-will be divided as to her guilt, and the Spanish judge is interested iv the prosecution of the slave coast trade by the character of his own property and production. It is alleged that the Spaniards should have asked for possession of the brig by application to the British commander: but it i's responded, that it would have been idle to ask for what would have been denied, and which they had the power to take. The time of remedy was when the vessel was boarded, when defence should have been made, if with life. In relation to this forcible disposition of the prize under trial for adjudication, Captain Hamilton has addressed a strong remonstrance to Captain-General Canedo: but he has taken the plunge for love or money, and he may as well go over as return, while " nine points of the law" are on his side. A commission of investigation was called after the seizure from the English prizemaster and crew, and after all evidence had been removed from the vessel that.

would implicate her—consisting of several old shipmasters-on which were placed one American shipmaster and one French, who decided, on examination, that she had nothing in her finding or equipments that would indicate that she was intending any unlawful trade or that should cause her to be suspected as a slaver. Captain Gallagher, of the barque " Japonisa," of Philadelphia, was, I believe, one of the members of this survey. Captain Hamilton, who is the commander of the British squadron cruising in this quarter, has determined to bring no more prizes to this port for adjudication, but, as he may make captures, to order them to Jamaica for trial, where they, will not be cut out with so much facility or be liable to protection." •