FOREIGN NEWS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 101, 18 July 1843, Page 4

FOREIGN NEWS.

France. Fortifications of Parts. — “ That which has just occurred at Barcelona,” observes the Commerce, “ reminds us naturally of the fortifications of Paris. We call the attention of our readers to the following particulars relative to the fortress of Ivry, situate almost at the gates of Paris:—The fort of Ivry, situated at the south-west, of the village of that name, occupies a space of more than 300 acres. It is composed of five enormous bastions, which are now completely fitted for military purposes.The casemates are -37 in number. The drawbridge is defended at each side by two immense casemates, and the rampart commanding the entrance is prepared to receive several pieces of cannon. To give an idea of the manner in which this prodigious establishment can be armed, it is sufficient to -observe that each bastion is prepared to receive 16 pieces of artillery. Besides the powder magazines and the loop-holed barracks which are about to be erected in the centre of this fort, several cellars are constructed bomb proof, capable of containing 80 magazines of provisions. Wells for the*supply of water have been cut through-the solid rock to the depth of 250 feet. The cost of this immense construction is estimated -at 12,000,000 f. The completion of the works relating to the detached forts round Paris has been so rapidly executed, that at this moment should a necessity arise, four of the citadels which surround Paris might be armed and occupied.” The Paris tribunal has nonsuited the sufferers in the terrible accident cf the Versailles left bank railroad, in May lust. They have been awarded no damages against the company, and are even condemned to pay the costs. Mr. Rothschild is said to have declared that he would not embark one franc in railroad enterprises till this trial was over, for if damages were given in proportion to such disasters, the most colossal fortune might be awarded away by a jury.

Louis Phillipe and the royal family continue to reside in the strictest seclusion, their reception being confined to the ministers, the ambassadors, or other official personages. Paris, however, is very gay- Hundreds, thousands in in fact, of English people are here, and daily, almost hourly, are arriving. There are likewise crowdsof Russians, Spaniards, and Germans; and as to the Yankees, their name is Legion. Despite, however, of the number of visitors, the shopkeepers and merchants are in a state of the greatest distress. Distress, nevertheless, it may be mentioned, is a very different thing in Paris to what it is in London ; and far different, oh ! how different, to the dire misery that prevails in the manufacturing districts of England and Scotland. ' You see here no crowds of famished wretches frightening by their gaunt appearance the passengers in the streets. You hear no cries for bread —no entreaties for assistance. Every one is well clothed, and seems well fed, and able indeed to command some of the luxuries of life. I have been in several countries, and I think it may with safety be said that in none do the working classes appear so prosperous or so contented as in France. Many causes may be assigned for this, but perhaps one of the chief is their economy and sobriety.

Spain.—Bombardment of Barcelona;— Surrender of the Town, and Entrance iof the Queen’s Troops. —We have following letters from Barcelona to the sth inst. The following is a summary of their contents : “ The bombardments began on the SdLat eleven, a,m., and continued without interruption until midnight, 117 bombs having been thrown into the city, causing the greatest damage, and setting fire to several places. The quarter where the municipal or town-house is situated was particularly affected by the fire. General Van Halen signified on the 4th that he would give six hours to the authorities and inhabitants to disarm the .corposfrancos, who still held- out, and if the place did not surrender at the expiration of that period, he wpuld resume, the bombardment. The authorities, after having convoked the principal citizens, and assisted by a great portion of the pppulation, immediately commenced to disarm the insurgents*, and succeeded. The town has suffered, much, and it is impossible to estimate the damage that lias jbepn done or the number of victims whohave fallen.. On the sth the fire was still raging in some quarters. The French consul, whose zeal, energy, wisdom, and humanity, cannot be too highly praised, obtained from the commanders of the French ships of war in the roads the, assistance of '-the crews, who afforded every

assistance with their:!known activity. Before the bombardments the insurgent militia went en masse to the ship where their officers had takeh fefuge; demanding with fury that they , should be given up, and the commander had tO repulse them with force. Several houses belongs ing to; the . French, and even- that of the consul,| were, more or less damaged. A forced tax of two millions of piasters was about,to be imposed on the town. The regent had not yet made his entrance into Barcelona. As soon as the town was surrendered and Van Halen and the troops had made their,entrance at five p.m., on the 4th, the general issued the following proclamation:— “Don. Antonio Van Halen Sarti, Murphey, Castaneda, Count of Pefacamps„&c., Captain General of the 2d military district, commandant general of the first corps d’Armbe, &c. The town of Barcelona having submited to the empire of the laws, violated by the most scandalous sedition; my first duty is to prescribe the measures which at the first moment I consider most conducive to order, by destroying every germ of anarchy; to chastise the crimes that have been committed, and to protect honourable Spaniards, the faithful defenders of the legitimate throne of our young Queen, of the constitution that has been sworn tb, and of the regency, with which the nation has invested the Duke of Victory, by investing him with a shield of a nature to preserve their persons and their property, menaced by the ambition and efforts of the partisans of despotism. Conseqently, making use of the powers which have been conferred on me, and are ascribed tome by decree, as commander in chief of the army in campaign, I decree the following bando : —Art. 1. ' Barcelona is declared in an exceptional state from the first shot fired at the troops of which the brave, faithful, and well-deserving army is composed. The state of siege will continue so long as circumstances shall require it.—2. The national guards of all arms is dissolved in Barcelona, until its reorganization has been determined according to the rigorous terms of the law. 3. All the arms and war material belonging to the said militia, as well as the arms extracted from the national magazines, with all the articles and effects appertaining to the state, shall be delivered up within 24 hours, without fail, after the date of this proclamation, to the fort of the Atarazanes. 4. At the expiration of the 24 hours any one infracting this order shall be shot. 5. Any denouncer of the existence of arms in any house, or in the possession of any individual, shall receive as a reward 10,000 reals. This sum shall be paid by the person or master of the house or locality where the -said arms shall be seized. In the event of the incompetency of the party to pay the fine it shall be levied on the quarter where he or they live. '6. Within two days all arms and weapons of every kind, including those of hunting, shall be given up by the inhabitants of Barcelona, and no person shall be allowed to retain any except by virtue of a license to that effect. 7. 10,000 reals fine for the infraction of the preceding article. 8. Everything valuable, whether in horses furniture, &c., taken from the individuals forming, the garrison, to be restored, or the value thereof. 9.. Any one committing a robbery, or any other crime against public order, to be shot, whether he belong to the population or to the army. 10, The legally constituted authorities will see that all crimes are duly prosecuted in the interest of the public justice, and any one who, by words or otherwise, commits an outrage, is to be severely punished. The troops as well as the inhabitants are to forget the past, and are to embrace each other like brothers* The authorities are and will remain .responsible for the execution of the present decree, their mission being only to prove the offences and to punish them. The Barcelona Insurrection.—Barcelona, Dec. B.—Van Halen has extended the delay for the giving up of arms and ammunition of the insurgents, twenty-four hours not having sufficed for the purpose. The disarmament will be complete, not even a fowling-piece or a pistol is to be left in the possession of an inhabitant. The number of troops is daily on the increase. More than 12,000 men are now here; and the soldiers are quartered in the houses of the citizens. It is believed that the English treaty! of commerce will be signed, and this force will be sufficient to ensure the submission of Catalonia. I have been informed by an officer of engineers, who was in the fort of Monjuich, that the firing only ceased after the bombs had been exhausted, 1,600 shot having been fired, altogether into the town. The population will insist on the English intervention. They now say that the ships would have fired on the town if there had been a continuation of hostilities; and, an aide-de-camp of the captain-general has asserted that the British vessels were quite ready. The arrests amount to more than four hundred. The prisoners have been conducted to the.citadel, where there is a permanent military commission sitting. Great indignation exists at this arbitary act, after such a terrible bombardment. The regent still remains , at Sarrina, one league, from the city. Every-, body thinks he will not enter here, to find the. contrast with his reception in 1840. The. English squadron consists of three ships of the line,, two frigates, and. one steamer. — Weekly . Chronicle.