SUMMARY OF FO11KIGN EVE-NTS. 237 



more firmly those chains they vainly strive to burst asunder. The Austrian 

 army of occupation has been reinforced, and camps of observation are form- 

 ing along the Piedmontese and Swiss frontiers. The views of Austria upon 

 Italy are well known. She reigns by herself, by her alliances, by her mili- 

 tary preponderance, by her political influence from the Alps to the southern 

 extremity of the peninsula. But this dominion, looked upon every where 

 with equal detestation, is not established with equal solidity ; the Austrian 

 troops are not posted by right every where, but so soon as a symptom of in- 

 surrection manifests itself, they are immediately there to repress it, so much 

 does Metternich fear the contagion of example. In fact, the Austrian police 

 occupies the whole country, and we should not be astonished if its agents 

 had not something to do with the late conspiracies both in Piedmont and in 

 Naples ; for so badly conceived were they, so destitute of every thing like 

 organization, that they certainly resemble more a sudden inspiration, than 

 projects that had been long meditated and prudently ripened. 



In the East, the dark clouds that had gathered on the political horizon are 

 dispersed. The Egyptian army has passed the Taurus. The Russian 

 auxiliary force Were soon expected at Odessa. A momentary respite has been 

 granted to the tottering empire of Mahomet. Mehemet Ali is disarming his 

 fleet, but in all his arsenals the greatest activity in the building department 

 exists, and he does not conceal his intentions of increasing his naval force by 

 all the means in his power. He is making new levies, organizing new regi- 

 ments, and intends to carry the effective strength of his army to 100,000 

 regular troops. The objects of all these preparations are but too evident, 

 in spite of the real mystery with which he seeks to envelope his projects. On 

 the first favourable opportunity he will repass the Taurus, and make a dash 

 at Constantinople before the Sultan has time to look aroundhim. This is his 

 plan, and sooner or later he will execute it. 



Russia, on the other hand, has made an experiment that has been crowned 

 with complete success. She has felt her way, and studied the ground she 

 has filled the Bosphorus with her fleets lined its shores with her soldiers 

 without exciting a revolt among the Osmanlis. This was all she wanted 

 she will now recall her expedition, well assured that in future she may send 

 one much stronger. All those who have any idea of the policy of the Cabinet 

 of St. Petersburg will feel, that absolute master of Constantinople where the 

 majority of the Divan has, since the treaty of Adrinople, been in its pay it 

 would see with no favourable eye an alliance with Egypt. The force of 

 Mehemet Ali united to the wreck of the Ottoman army, would be too power- 

 ful an object to the ulterior views of Russia ; we shall therefore see the Rus- 

 sians doing every thing to prevent the alliance, and to keep the Sultan 

 Mahomet in a state of dependence upon them they will never permit him 

 to recover from the abject feebleness to which they have reduced him. Now 

 that all the evil is done, our fleet has at last reached Malta, on its way to 

 the scene of action, where its arrival will provoke the gravity even of the 

 Turks. 



While these things have been passing in the East, the West has been the 

 scene of great events the constitutional cause of Portugal has been saved 

 when its most ardent adherents began to despair of success. Admiral Napier 

 has captured the whole of the Miguelite squadron. The constitutional division 

 landed in the Algarves is pushing on by forced marches for the capital. On 

 the other hand, Bourmont has reached the head-quarters of Don Miguel, and 

 has been appointed commander-in-chief with extraordinary powers. Prepa- 

 rations were making for a formidable attack on Oporto, which, if successful, 

 will neutralize the success of the constitutional party in the south, and divide 

 the game against them. Bourmont's military skill is of the first order, but 

 his success with a demoralized army is problematical ; but he sees the neces- 

 sity " dc brusquer F affaire." The long-pending Portuguese drama, we think, 



