THE STATE OF THE CONTINENT. [From the Times, November 8.] AUSTRIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 378, 17 March 1849, Page 3

THE STATE OF THE CONTINENT. [From the Times, November B.] AUSTRIA.

We have received atelegrahic despatch from oar correspondent in Paris, announcing that on the Ist itist., at 12 o'clock, all resistance ceased in Vienna, and that the Imperial forces were in possession ofavery quarter of the city.

'This intelligence is confirmed by the Co* logne Gazette, which gives it an official authority. The following letter of our Vienna correspondent, however, dated from Floresdorf, 8. p.m., of the 31st October, and which appeared in part only of our first impression, throws some doubt on the probability of a total cessation of hostilities :—: — . " The seige has now lasted eight days, and so has the cannonade, and the result of all the blood and money spent on it is the taking of two suburbs and of about 30 prisoners. The city of Vienna and half a dozen suburbs and dependencies are still holding out against tbe united forces of the Austrian army ; and though yesterday some overtures towards a surrender were made, they have but furnished* another proof of the impossibility of recon- v * ciling the contending factions. The^shor^ truce of yesterday morning was followed by a heavier cannonade than it has as yet been our fate to witness, and one which har continued throughout the night and up. to this moment (7 p.m.y without any interruption. Yet there are no creditable reports of any success. We have had fresh arrivals of artillery and rifles. The latter, indeed r were much wanted, for the corps that had served on the lines since Tuesday, last are dreadfully cut up. Tbe poor fellows have been a 'forlorn hope ' in the fullest sense of the word, opposed as they are to the sharpshooters from Steyermark, who have proved themselves dead shots." Letters received in Paris - state it was on the 31st the Imperial troops penetrated into the interior oi Vienna, after having gained possession of all the faubourgs. White flags had been hoisted on the bastions, and the troops advanced, but they were received with a discharge of grape shot. The bombardment was then recommenced, and it is said that the Imperial library and a portion of the Palace were set on fire. Other reports state that those buildings were burnt by the populace. After the bombardment the city surrendered on the 31st, and the troops occupied the Palace, the Kartner Strasse, and the square of St. Stephen. The troops forced the gates of the Burgthor and the Kartner thor, and carried the Palace by assault. It is said that the only portion of the Palace which suffered is the Gallery of Natural History. On the Ist., the fire in the Imperial library was extinguished, and it was expected to save the manuscripts and the valuable books. The students defended themselves to the last in the neighbourhood of the University. On the Ist inst., they were still in possessioriiSf the Salzgrier barracks. The University was occupied by the Imperial troops ; and it is added that' the barrack was carried by assault, and that a g. eat number of prisoners were captured with arms in their hands. It is stated that. General Bern had fled, carrying with him a large sum abstracted from the Treasury. Before the bombardment Prince Windischgratz had offered the insurgents the_ following terms : — 1. A large Austrian flag shall be raised on the tower of S. Stephen, and white flags are to be raised at the city gates as a sign of pacific submission. 2. The General of Artillery, Baron Reisey, and all tbe other prisoners, are to be conduct* ed to Hetzendorf with all the honours. 3. All the cannon in the possession of the insurgents is to be transported to the artillery barracks of the Palace of Schonbron. All the other arms are to be deposited in the Arsenal. 4. All the money in the possession of the National Guards and of the armed corps is to be banded over without delay to the Municipal Council. 5. Those of the National Guards whom the Municipal Council shall propose as guards' over the public buildings are to remain armed. 6. All these stipulations are to be carried into effect before 8 o'clock on the afternoon of tbe 30th, otherwise the military operations shall be resumed. ' "-; On the 31st ult. the Municipal Council announced that it accepted the terms offered by Prince Windischgratz, and that the preliminary measures for disarming the population had been adopted. M. Hang, the MajorGeneral of the National Guard, published a notice, in which he stated that he bad recommended a capitulation with Prince Windischgratz, in consequence of their ammunition being exhausted and their provisions being , consumed. He likewise informed the population, that the privileges granted by the Emperor to the citizens should not be withdrawn. To those reasons he added his desire to put an end to the horrors of civil war. We have since received intelligence from Vienna to the 2nd instant. The Preustische Staats Anzeiger of the sth inst. has a letter under date of the 2d inst. from Vienna, which says, — " The conflagration in the Castle has been extinguished, and is said to have occa-, sioned but little damage. The books in the library are saved, as well as the fine monument of Canova in the Church of the Augus-

tin's, and even the Museum of Natural Histdry has not suffered much. " T o-day the houses in the city are being searched. We learn that the German troops are to remain here, and the non-German divisions of the army have been" ordered "to observe and pursue the Hungarians; 5 Sclmtte is said to have been arrested in KlosteT Neuburg; Kuster in Liaz. The aide-de-camp of Bern has also been seized, but the General himself has hitherto escaped." It was on the evening of the 31st of October that, the Imperial troops entered 'the inner city, after they had taken all the suburbs. The white standards, according to the conditions, has been placed on all the bastions. The • troops approached them, and were received by a sharp fire of grape and canister, which they immediately relumed with shells and rockets. At the same moment the Imperial library and the Castle were observed to be on fire. It is asserted that this was done in consequence of a preconcerted plan of the people, which had been publicly discussed. The bombardment was continued for some time, when the city was compelled to surrender on the night of the 31st. The troops immediately occupied the Caslle, the Karnthern Strasse, and the Stephansplazt, where the people continued firing upon them from the windows. The Burgthor-and the Karnthor Thor were forced, and the Castle stormed by the soldiers. It does not appear to have suffered, with the exception of the cabinet of curiosities. The cupola was enveloped in flames. On the Ist inst. they were still extinguishing the flames, and great apprehensions were entertained that some of the valuable and irreplaceable treasures would be lost, among which are the valuable archives that were carried off from Belgium in 1794 by the Austrian Government. The Aula held out longest. The students and a portion of the inhabitants of their part of the city seemed invincible. On the Ist, however, the Aula was in the possession of the Imperial troops. At noon the barracks were stormed, -and the number of persons seized with weapons in their hands was considerable. It is asserted that the Communal Council vainly endeavoured to prevail upon the Field- Marshal, on the night of the 31st, to grant a respite of three days, in order that 2^000,000 florins might be taken out of the bank, and the arms purchased from the people. ; According to telegraphic despatches received/at Olnnitz, the disarmament of the Viennese had begun on the Ist inst. Baron VonWessemberg has sent the following circular to all Austrian Ambassadors at the German Courts :—: — " The late events at Vienna have in Germany been partly viewed in a wrong light. In order to form a more correct judgment on the subject, attention ought to be directed to the following points : — "The military operations which at the present moment take place under the walls of Vienna have but one subject — namely, the suppression of anarchy and the re-establish-ment of legal order. It has never entered the thoughts of the Emperor or of his Government to retract the guaranteed liberties, or to realize the chimera put forward under the name of reaction by the anarchical party, much less to conquer for one. of the Austrian nationalities supremacy over the rest. There is no strife of nationalities — no change of the monarchy, into a Sclavonian Austria, as the German press believes or pretends to believe, but a combat of order against anarchy, of legal authority, without w s hich no Government can exist, against terrorism, of preservation against; destruction. We cannot but denominate it a confusion of ideas, a misconception of facts, if another meaning be given to this combat. "The revolution has put on a German dress. The German colours have become the colours of the anarchical party. The liberty, the greatness, and the welfare of Germany, the protection of which the Emperor of Austria consider his special duty, are not to be opposed by force of arms, but the measures of His Majesty's Government and army are solely directed against that faction which uses those colours and those objects for its own pernicious designs. " His Majesty the Emperor and his Government are firmly resolved to carry on this combat with all the means at their disposal. These means have been more accurately designated by the manifestos of the 16th and 19th inst. The military measures have already been carried into execution. An army of nearly 60,000 men, commanded by Prince Windischgratz, who has taken his head-quar-ters to Hetzendoif, is blockading-the capital, and I have reason to entertain the hope that the more immediate object of those operations will be shortly attained. *>'-At the same time his Majesty has thought fit to -transfer the Diet from Vienna, and to convoke it to meet at Kremsier on the 15th df November. " Baron Yon Wessemberg." " Olmutz, Oct. 26, 1848."