Italy. 7 August 1848
Italy.
[...] * Turin, 30 July. The new ministry consists of: Casati, President of the Council; Collegno, War and Marine; Moffa di Lisio, Minister at Headquarters (a species hitherto unknown) without portfolio; Plezza, Interior; Ricci, Finances; Pareto, Foreign Affairs; Paleocapa, Public Works; Ratazzi, Education; Gioja, Justice; Durini, Trade and Agriculture. Among these ministers are 4 Piedmontese; Pareto and Ricci are from Liguria; Casati and Durini, Lombards; Paleocapa, Venetian, and Gioja from Piacenza. Moffa di Lisio, a member of the Carbonaria in 1821, fought the Austrians very bravely at that time, and now, as a deputy, has always pressed for speedy and energetic armaments before all others. Collegno, one of the most able artillery officers and one of the most ardent patriots in 1821, later fought for the independence of Greece. Still later Collegno fought in Spain against the Carlists. One can easily imagine the impression produced by the war reports arriving one after another. “La Concordia” proposes the following as measures to be taken immediately: 1. Immediate calling-up of all reservists; 2. rapid mobilisation of the 5 battalions of the National Guard; as many more are to be mobilised soon after; 3. mobilisation of all soldiers left behind to guard fortresses; 4. regular publication of the whole truth, by means of two bulletins daily, and rapid dissemination of these bulletins in all provinces. This would defeat the machinations of the alarmists. 5. Declaration, that the state owes maintenance to all needy families of the fighters for the fatherland.
The sittings of the deputies are growing ever stormier. The day before yesterday the galleries were so overcrowded and so uproarious that the president (Merlo) threatened to clear them four times. The energetic petitions in circulation concerning the conduct of the war provide ample material for excitement. The new ministry read out its programme, which promises vigorous measures for the war as well as for internal affairs. The new Finance Minister (Ricci) requests assent to a loan of 100 million. He makes a cabinet and confidence question of the vote.
Today, in secret session, the Chamber resolved, in consideration of the popular mood that became known yesterday: “In the present critical circumstances, the king is invested with all legislative and executive power for the duration of the current war of independence; he may therefore, by simple decrees but under the responsibility of the ministers, order all measures required for the defence of the fatherland and our institutions.” The new Minister of War (Collegno) has given orders to put the fortresses of Alessandria, Casale, and Piacenza into a state of defence. The reserve battalions are advancing from the eastern part to the west. At the same time a permanent War Committee has been appointed by the ministry.
At present Italy has the following forces available against the Austrians: the Piedmontese army, directly under the command of Charles Albert, numbering 45,000 men (right wing). 15,000 Lombards and Tuscans (centre). The left wing is 10,000 men strong; altogether 70,000 men. Of course, the troops in Parma, Modena, Venice, Pavia, and Piacenza are included in this figure. Radetzky has at present little more than 60,000 men available. In Piedmont the latest levies amount to 21,000 men.
Turin, 31 July. An Austrian corps in the vicinity of Cremona has been defeated by the Piedmontese and driven back with the loss of 2,000 prisoners.
(Indépendance.)
* Rome, 26 July. The ministerial crisis is not yet over. All that is certain is that Rossi, the friend of Guizot and of ex-King Louis Philippe, who is infamous not only in France and Italy but in half of Europe for his shameful intrigues against the freedom of the peoples, has withdrawn from forming a ministry.
Chiasso, 1 August. I hasten to inform you that, according to news just received, the Austrians have already advanced beyond Cremona as far as Codogno and that barricades are now beginning to be raised again in Milan. A dictator with two consuls has taken the place of the provisional government in Milan. Charles Albert is said to have withdrawn across the Po in order to proceed to Alessandria.
(Zürcher Z.)