The Week.

little is known of the movements of General Benedek . Apparently he is opening his campaign in Silesia , ancl may intend striking a * series [ of heavy blows there preparatory , if he be successful , to a march in the direction of Berlin , and a consequent flanking of the Prussians in Saxony . That , however , is a movement ivhich implies a heavy disposable force available for severe actions in the field , and for keeping open his lines of

communication . Nofc improbably one wing of his army , with AA'hich the Saxon army has effected a junction near Prague , may be able to give a good account of the Prussians should they attempt to enter Bohemia from Saxony . The Prussians clo not seem inclined , however , to await attack . On Thursday night thry crossed into Austrian Silesia , at Oderberg , a short distance

west of Troppau , ancl they are reported further to have crossed the frontier in other places . One telegram asserts that as the inhabitants of Zittau refused to contribute to the maintenance of the troops which occupied ifc , the Prussians set fire to the place and evacuated ib . This may be true , but it must he borne in mind that a clay or two ago ive were assured by a

telegram that the Prussians had not occupied Zittau . Tho first stirring news of battle comes from Italy . If we may credit a telegram from Verona a great battle was fought before that place yesterday morning in ivhich , according to the news to hand at the time we write , the Italians had the worst of it . So far as we can make out from the telegram the main body of the Italian

army , under the King , left Cremona on Thursday ancl Friday ; and arrived on the Mincio on Friday night . On Saturday the main body crossed at Goito without opposition . Goito is a town of some importance on the high road from Mantua , on the southeast , to Brescia on the north-west . A parfc of the force , probably not numerically large , appeals to have marched along the right bank in the direction of Peschiera , one ol the fortresses

of the Quadrilateral , at the point where the Mincio leaves the Lake Gai'da . The l-nalii body having reached the left bank early on Saturday , marched to Roverbella , a place at the junction of the high roads leading from Peschiera and Verona to Mantua . Here another small body was detached northward towards Peschiera , and reached that fortress on Saturday evening . They seem to have made some demonstration against the fort ,

in conjunction with the body on tbe right bank , but , if we may credit an Austrian telegram , wereeasily repulsed by the guns of some of the outworks . In all probability the affair was rather in the character of a reconnaissance than of any serious effort against the stronghold . Meanwhile the main body appears to have kept along the road from Roverbella to A erona , a strong

body . of cavalry being sent in advance . The distance from Roverbella to Verona is between ten ancl fifteen miles . There is a good military road which leads through Villafranca * It seems that the only obstacle that the Italians encountered was the Pnlz brigade , which retired on Verona as the Italian cavalry appeared—arriving in front of that place

about two o ' clock in the afternoon of Saturday . Grouped round Verona there seems to have'Jbeen a strong force of Austrians—probably the main body of their army in A enetia . King Victor Emmanuel and his army must have arrived in front of them on Saturday night , for yesterday morning ifc is said a battle began . The only news we have of it at this time is by a

telegram from Verona , dated yesterday , afc two in the afternoon . At that time , says the message , both the Italian wings bad been repulsed . From this it is clear that the Italians were tho assailants . But it is added that the battle was still continuing Now it must be borne in mind that this news is wholly from Austrian sources ; and it may be as well not to receive what it says with implicit confidence . Its wording shows that no serious disaster bad happened to the Italians at the time it was sent .

Had their repulse been a very serious affair they would scarcel y bave continued the battle . The telegrams to hand leave no doubt that the Italians have sustained a reverse in the Quadrilateral . Ifc seems that parfc of the army under fche King crossed the Mincio on Saturday at Veleggio or more northerly still afc Salionze . The other two divisions of the army under the King in person no doubt crossed afc Goito . The first division

seems to have lost no time in advancing towards Sornmacompagna , no doubt with the intention of striking the railway between A econa ancl Peschiera . The other two divisions hacl a longer distance to travel , and were necessarily separated from the first by some hours' march . Meantime the Austrians , having learnt that that the Mincio had been crossed , debouched

from Verona in strength , and finding themselves shortly in face of the first Italian division set upon it and fairly overwhelmed it by force of numbers . The Ifcaliams , ivho seem to have fought with great bravery , fell back to Cusfcozza , a small place not far north of Alllafranca . Here , in all probability , a part of the second and third divisions of the Italian army came

up . The Austrians , however , attacked Custozza at the point of ths bayonet , and carried it after a desperate fight , taking several prisoners and some cannon . The Italians then fell back . Au Austrian despatch says they recrossed the Mincio . The Monitettr of last evening , however , says—on what authority we know not—that the Italian army is still on the left bank of

the Mincio . Most likely the remains of the first division of their army did recross the Mincio , while ifc is equally probable that the other two divisions remain on the left bank . General Cialdiui crossed ehe Po below Polesella on Saturday , and marched towards Rovigo . He has with him 70 , 000 men and nearly one hundred guns , bufc the country he has to travel is a very difficult one . A portion of the Ifcal . an army seems

to have taken possession of Curtatone , a place on the laguue in front of Mantua . An Austrian despatch says that the garrison of Mantua made a so tie against this body , and drove it out of Curtatone . The ivhereabouts of Garibaldi is not certain . It Avas said that he hacl occupied the Stelvio Pass , but it is nofc probable that the Austrians would willingly allow so easily defended a path to be occupied by an assailant . Indeed , it is

stated with much more probability that the Austrians themselves have passessiou of the pass , and have descended upon Bormio , in Lombardy . The Moniteitr speaks of this as threatening the Italians in the rear ; bufc ifc is pretty certain thafc fche volunteers in the neighbourhood could give a good account of all the Austrians who are likely to come into Lombardy by that

road . The official despatch from the head quarters of the Italian army confirms the previous reports that the King had sustained a disastrous , although not irremediable defeat . The substantial agreement between the various accounts reflects great credit on the veracity of both parties . It is admitted that the Italians sustained ' great losses . " The King has recrossed tbe Mincio

and occupies his former positions . General Cialdiui has nofc crossed the Po . AVe get an insight into the position of Garibaldi by an announcement from Milan . It is stated that fche Austrians made an attack on the volunteers at Lodron , and were driven back with loss . Lodron is on the Lake Idro , afc the head of a pass into the Tyrol , by Avhich is the nearest road to Trent .

This would seem to indicate that Garibaldi , as we at first sup posed , intends to make a comparatively short detour round the head of Lake Garcia and descend into Venetia in the rear of the Quadrilateral , an d on the line of the Austrian communications . From Italy we have the cheerful news that the Italian army is is in good spirits and anxious to be again led against the foe . The King says he is concentrating his army for a resumption of the campaign .