(The Champion. April 26th, 1840)

The following from Naples appears in the Augsburgh Gazette:-” The final answer of the Neapolitan Government, on the sulphur question, given to Mr. Temple, stated that his Majesty the King of the Two Sicilies could not comply with the demands of England, which were injurious to the independence of the kingdom, and founded upon a false interpretation of anterior treaties; but that, in order not to be a judge in his own cause, his Majesty proposed to England to refer the decision of the question to one of the three great powers, viz., France, Austria, or Russia, amongst which England may choose. The Government has already come to an understanding with the French company as to the suppression of the sulphur monopoly, and the amount of the indemnity to be granted to it. This obstacle is therefore removed.” The Quotidienne of Friday has the annexed remarks on this subject:– ” England covets Sicily, and is endeavouring by means of revolution to attain her object. Such is the progress of civilisation in 1840 ! Conquests are no longer obtained by war, but by revolt, which is more economical and less dangerous. Armies are no longer paid, but conspirators. Intrigue is resorted to instead of open warfare; arms are given to a population which has first been misled, and under the favour of civil discord countries are obtained through folly and treason. It is thus that humanity marches under the inspiration of the genius of industrialism and contraband. Aid was given to the revolution in Spain for the purpose of snatching the Peninsula from French influence; and in order to check the development of our power in the Mediterranean a revolution is to be effected in Sicily. We regard this as a policy of barbarians. Savages are more humane and generous; for they threaten before they strike; and war is much less injurious to nations than the infernal diplomacy which attacks them by corruption, and vanquishes them by immorality.” The French Charge d’Affaires at Naples, as a Leghorn letter asserts, has protested against any infringement of the rights of the Sulphur Company, and has demanded that the contract entered into by the Government be scrupulously fulfilled. The Morning Post says, ” We are enabled to state positively that the King of the French, at the instance of the King of Naples, has made an offer to England of his mediation upon the sulphur question; that the mediation of the King of the French has been accepted by the British Government; and that in the actual position of the affair, Lord Palmerston has thought it his duty to despatch to the commander of the British naval force in the Mediterranean, an order to suspend for the present all hostile proceedings against Naples.” The Paris papers subsequently received confirm the above intelligence of the Post, and further state that “a steamer with the intelligence, and to offer to King Ferdinand the mediation of France, had left Toulon for Naples.”