THE NEAPOLITAN QUESTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 442, 28 January 1857, Page 7

THE NEAPOLITAN QUESTION.

The following is from the Vienna correspondent of the ' Times,' who writes under date of the 13th October. In financial circles it is stated that the British and French. Missions have already been recalled from Naples, but the assurance has been given me that no official news to that effect has yet been received here.

According to private letters, the King is assembling an. army of 40,000 " trustworthy" troops around him at Gaeta, and the AustroNeapolitan correspondents express their conviction that his Majesty will not make the concession demanded of him unless literally forced' to do so. There is reason to believe that this government will send a couple of vessels to the Bay of Naples, "for the protection of Austrian subjects and property," as soon as it has received official notice that the Anglo-French squadron is on its way to Naples. In more than one of my recent letters it has been hinted that the relations between Austria and France are not so satisfactory as they were, and it is now in my power to speak more plainly on the subject. This Government strongly suspects that there is something passing, between France and Russia, or rather between Count Walewski and Prince Gortschakoff, which is kept from the. knowledge of Austria and The foregoing intelligence is from an excellent source, but still undue importance must riot be attached to it, as it was somewhat difficult to believe that the Emperor of the French can be such a short-sighted politician as to think of playing England false. That the French Government is getting somewhat tired of its alliance with a power which can never be induced to act with decision appears probable enough, but my common sense tells me that the maintenance of the alliance with England must be of the very highest im~ portance to Napoleon. While writing, it occurs ■ to me that Austria is a power which is not overscrupulous in respect to the Jnleans which she employs to attain her ends, and it is just possible that she affects to distrust France in order to shake the confidence of England in that power. Before this subject is quitted, it must be stated that more than one foreign diplomatist is inclined to believe that a project for a future alliance between France and Russia (or rather between Napoleon 111. and Alexander II.) has already been brought forward. If Russia proposed to place the young Duke of Leuchtefiberg (now known in Russia as Prince Romanoffski) on the throne of the united provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia, would the Emperor of the French have any great objection to the plan?

The Neapolitan correspondent of the same journal gives the following additional information :

His Majesty is still at Gaeta, and apparentlystill bent on resistance. Great quantities of ammunition have teen taken to St. Elmo, and not a day passes in which we do not witness signs of military preparation. The public works at Ischia have been suspended, and a few days since 200 prisoners were transferred from Procida to Portica as a precautionary measure. Gaeta has been cleared of many of its useless hands; among others a band of military cadets. While preparations are thus. being made for resistance to imaginary dangers, his Majesty affects to laugh at the Western Powers, and to treat them with the utmost contempt. The royalists adopt the same tone, and thus scarcely a day has passed this week in which, printed bills, of the same import as the written one of which I spoke, have not been posted on. the walls. " Lost, two Fleets in the Mediter-! ranean. Whosever shall bring any notice pf them to the Palazzi Serra-Caprioli and Palicastro (the French and British Legation) shall be rewarded." Bonbons, too, wrapped up in the same bills, have been thrown about the streets. To political agitation has been added considerable alarm, created by two violent shocks, of earthquake early yesterday morning, at two o'clock. The shocks were horizontal, and extended all along the coast. Bells rang, doors opened and shut, crockery rattled, and so great was the alarm that many persons, and among them his Royal Highness the Count Syracuse, passed the night in their carriages, or in the. streets. So also did the inhabitants of Sorrento. In the afternoon there was a religious, procession, in which Madonna was carried in state along the Magellina, in order to secure her assistance against the dangers of another shock. From Paris, the ' Times' is informed — The answer of the Neapolitan Government to, the last note presented by Baron Brenier is expepted. here from one 'moment to another. It is npt anticipated that it will be satisfactory. As soon as it is received, the ' Moniteur' will publish an article on the Neapolitan question, giving, it is said, full information —at least as full information as it is the practice of the Government}

to do. .The recall of M. Brenier is certain, but as. to the fleets, teansay nothing more than I have already mentioned. I.believe that the Government will be glad, to get, out of -the affair as soon, and of course as. well, as possible,, and that a very moderate [concession tviU satisfy it. King Ferdinand, of course, knows his ad-, vantage, and . forbearance shown towards him willno doubt he interpreted to unwillingness to brave the consequences of a revolution-, ary movement. , A diplomatic dinner was given yesterday at. the Hotel of the Foreign Minister. Among the guests was the Neapolitan Ambassador, M. Antonini, who, to all appearance, was as tranquil and as much at his ease as if Naples and the allies were the best friends in-,, the world. Another Neapolitan of rank, the Prince of San, Giacomo, was also present. . The journals in the Austrian interest redouble their energy in decrying what they term the ".violence exercised on the King of Naples. They denounce this " intervention in the internal affairs of a nation " as a scandalous violation of one .of the essential principles of the international law of Europe. , . A letter from Genoa of the 10th, in the * Independance Beige' says— . " The accounts from Naples .brought by the la_st packet are important. It not true that King Ferdinand proposed to the Emperor of the French and to the Queen of England, to submit to the Paris Congress the solution of the Neapolitan.question. Ferdinand does not admit the right of the other sovereigns of Europe, or -of their representatives assembled in Council, to" interfere with the internal affairs of his government. The King lately held a council of war, composed of the chiefs of the different corps of the army, and at. which measures were adopted for the defence of the kingdom in the event of an attack from abroad or the interior. There has been ever since a great -movement of troops in the country, and considerable agitation among .the population. If my information be correct, as I have reason to believe, - England and France are-determined to make a serious - naval demonstration before Naples. In the hope that King Ferdinand will ultimately yield, they will, begin by recalling their ambassadors. If the withdrawal of the English Charge d'Affaires apd of M y. -Brenier" does not bring him "to his senses, the French squadron will leave Toulon, and join the English squadron now lying at Ajaccio.. Finally, should the. King persist in his resistance, tne allied squadrons will go to Naples, and, if necessary, blockade the capital and the principal ports of the. kingdom. This intelligence naturally creates a great excitement in all Centi'al Italy, and the Governments of Rome and Tuscany will soon be unable to contain the ,people. It is still believed that the French garrison will be shortly augmented."