FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 739, 7 December 1859, Page 3

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[From the ' European Times,' Sept. 19.] THE ANGLO-FRENCH EXPEDITION AGAINST THE

CHINESE,

It is stated that the French have already 3000 or 4000 men engaged in the Cochin-China expedition, and these will be available for coming operations in China. Besides the 10,000 or 12,000 troops that will be despatched to China from France, there is little doubt that a corresponding French naval force wilPbe sent out.

The Paris journals of yesterday all express their satisfaction at the official announcement of a joint French and English expedition. Several of them add a hope that the union of the two flags against a common enemy will strengthen the alliance, and dissipate recent rumours of a rupture.

THE EMPEROR OF THE ERENCH AND THE ITALIAN

QUESTION.

The' Moniteur' has given great prominence to an address to the Emperor signed by upwards of:10,000 inhabitants of Bergamo. They state that, although profoundedly,afflicted at the failure of the projected deliverance of Venetia, they respect the grave political reasons which caused the Emperor to leave his magnanimous enterprise incomplete, and express a firm belief that the final treaty of peace will be of a nature to lessen the sufferings which menace unfdrtunate Venice.:

THE FRENCH PRESS.

Paris, Sept. 19. —The 'Moniteur'of to-day contains the following:—"Several newspapers have alluded to a decree which it was supposed would appear to modify the laws of the press. This view is without foundation. In France the press is free to discuss all; the acts of the Government, and by so doing enlighten the public mind. Certain papers, in becoming, without their knowledge, the organs of the hostile parties, claim a larger amount of freedom, whichwould ha ye no other object than facilitating their attacks against the constitution and the fundamental laws of social order. The Government of the Emperor will not deviate from the established system, which, in allowing a field sufficiently large for discussion, controversy," and analysis, will prevent, on the other hand, the disastrous effects of falsehood, calumny, and error."

SPAIN.

The Spanish forces intended to act against the Moors of the Riff will consists, of 12,000 men. A large number of men-of-war has been assembled at Algesiras, sufficient to transport in one day the whole corps d' armed, with its necessary materiel of war. All the artillery is to be composed of rifled cannon.

AUSTRIA.

It is said that the state of siege in Venetia will very soon be abolished. The ' Vienna Gazette' con~ tains an official article written with a view of dissipating apprehensions of the stock-jobbers, who profess to consider the recent' Moniteur,'-announce-ment an alarming rather than a peaceful document, i Vienna, Sept. 15.—The 'Imperial Law Gazette' of to-day announces that the premium on the interest of the national loan, falling Sue in the months of October, November, and December, 1859, has been fixed at 15 per cent.

VENETIA,

■ The great landowners and others have signed an Address to the Emperor Erancis Joseph, praying him to take off the additional war taxes, as the annual revenue from the land cannot support such heavy burdens. . ; -

PARMA,

; Parma, Sept. 15.—The National Assembly, in its, sitting to-day, unanimously voted the confirmation of Signar Earini as Dictator. The assembly further resolved to. take into consideration a proposal to authorise the Dictator to contract a loan, the amount of which remains to be fixed.

SARDINIA.

Turin, Sept. 15.—The Council of the different districts of Turin yesterday gave their approval to the erection of monuments to the King of Sardinia and'the Emperor of the Trench. The deputations from Parma and Modena arrived here to-day,; at twelve o'clock. The members of the Municipality and the Parliament went to meet them at the railway terminus; and they met with an enthusiastic reception from the population.,, The city is en fete. The deputations will be received by the, King at three o'clock.

TURKEY.

Advices have been received from Constantinople to the 7th instant. <

The Sultan nearly lost his life last Saturday. An lonian captain commanding an English steam tug drove his vessel twice against the imperial caique, and the Sultan was saved with great difficulty. The captain has been arrested, and Sir Henry Bulwer has assured the government that the most searching inquiry shall be made in this affair. The Governor of Candia has sent in his resignation. The smuggling of arms continues there, and the seizure of a vessel, charged with powder, has been made. The political agitation in Servia is on the increase. The National Assembly (Skouptschina) has been convoked.

Reinforcements for China.—ln consequence of the serious intelligence justTe.ceived.frpm China and the recommencement, of hostilities in that country, the government have,decided on despatching several additional steani-frigates and corvettes, together •with a sufficient number of sailing frigates, to aug-

™*"""''*"'"<'***iTiniiimi»mrr»TiiiiiiiT in n v hi mi mm mm „„,„ ment the squadron now in t!i%Cliiueso waters.. It is also expected that a forcel. o't' )l 000 additional marines will be despatched to China, the divisions ut Chatham, Portsmouth, an<l*VVbohvich,- being üble to give that number of men.. t The names of the ships that-are to be ordered to China from the .several stations are expected to be announced in v fow days. ' '".'■' : •

AstEKicA, Russia, and CxnifAi-^-It appears that the Emperor of China hud given instructions to his high officers to receive and escort the American suite to the capital for the exchange of tho ratified copies of the treaty. The Russian treaty had already been exchanged. Such intitnations^show that the American and Russian agents liiive.conducted their diplomacy in a different inannefll-from tho French, and English. . ■ .. ■.:>■.,„•