The Express. — London, England, 1867-11-19 00:00:00

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) TILE SUBMERSION OF TIM ISLAND OF TORTOLA. NEW YORK, Nor. IS. The intelligence received here in reference to the submersion of the island of Tortola was received from l'orto Rico rid Havana, and was as follows : •• Tortola disappeared during a gale, and was sub merged for eight hours; all living things perished." According to the same intelligence it was rumoured that San Domingo City had been destroyed. ROME. ROME, Nov. 16, flvextxo. The engineers attached to the French expedi fionary corps are actively engaged in completing the fortifications of Rome, and placing Mount Pillion and the other heights near the city in a state of defence. The Pontifical government have pro vided 170,000 crowns for the execution of the works. The police hare effected fresh seizures of arms, and arrests continue to be made. FLORENCE, Nor. 14. This morning's papers announce that the Papal police have made a domiciliary visit at the house of Mr. Odu Russell, the English diplomatic agent at Rome. THE EASTERN QUESTION. VIENNA. Nor. 18. The official evening Post contains a note from the Turkish Embassy in this capital which de clares that the statement recently published by the Memorial Diplomatipte of Paris, that Ilayder- Effendi, the Turkish ambassador, had remitted to the Austrian government a despatch agreeing to submit the Cretan question to a conference of the powers, is utterly devoid of foundation. PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Nov. IR, Errmxo. Saxony has referred the invitation to the Conference which she bad received from France to the President of the North German Confederation, so that he should reply to it. Hesse-Darmstadt has not punned the same course. Coire.pundencc confirms the news that Baron Rothschild, of Frankfort, has been called by the King to the Upper House of the Prussian Diet. RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 18. The commission appointed last year to draw up a plan to prevent a deficit in the budget has made its report. It proposes a reduction of the number of officials and the introduction of a system of control over the expenditure based upon different principles to those hitherto acted upon. BAVARIA. lIITNICH. Nov. 18. To-day the Chamber of Deputies finally adopted the bill respecting trade. It is announced that the invitation to the pro posed conference upon the Roman question has not been unconditionally refused by Bavaria, and that the Bavarian government has taken up an attitude of reserve towards all parties in this question. INDIA. CALCUTTA, Ocr. 24, VTA TB' Elm. The Abyssinian expedition continues to excite public attention. The government have chartered 18 ships and steamers at Calcutta for the expedi tion. A geologist is to accompany the expedition, with instructions to search for coal. The Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal has re turned from his tour in Assam. He received a deputation from the planters of Detrooghur (?), and promised them an extension of the telegraph lines and the improvement of the roads. Colonel Strackey has published a minute sum marizing the conclusions of local committees upon Indian weights and measures, and advocating a reform based upon the French system. The control of the Post-office has been trans ferred to the Financial Department, and the con trol of the Telegraph-office to the Foreign Depart ment, the Home Department being overwhelmed with work. The Viceroy has sanctioned an expedition for the purpose of again openings trade route to Burmah, and via Bhamo to China. The Maharajah of Scinde has confided the edu cation of his son to a native, declining the services of Lieutenant Roard, whom the Viceroy had placed at his disposal. It is rumoured that Sir William Muir will be the next lieutenant-governor of the north-west provinces, on the retirement of Lieutenant-Governor DI ummond. The inundation of the Ganges is fast subsiding. The Government Commissioner of Nuddea hopes that the peasants, aided by employment on some public works, will be able to meet the distress which has been occasioned by the inundation. The damage done to the Eastern Bengal Railway is not serious. The harvest prospects are considered good. (Via Trieste.) BOMBAY, Ocr. 29. The Abyssinian expedition is still the chief topic of conversation, and preparations for the despatch of the remainder of the forces are being actively continued. The news from the scene of operations relates to the landing of the pioneer force in Annesley Bay, where there is good anchorage, but little drinking water, and also to the arrival of the advanced bri gade at Aden. Special correspondents for Abyssinia from four London papers are now in this city awaiting the despatch of the main body of the forces. The Bombay Bengal Company's steamer Jannud has been totally lost in the Red Sea. The only details received state that the captain, passengers, and 19 of the crew were saved. In reply to the memorial of the Bombay share holders of the old Bank of Bombay, the government refuses to admit any liability on account of the past losses of the bank. The state of the public health is very satis factory. CHINA. HONG KONG, Ocr. Grey shirtings, ci catty, 3.25 dole. Water twist, 175 dole. Tea very quiet. Exchange on Loudon, 4.4 f. SHANGHAI. Ocr. 20. Grey shirting., Git catty, 2.00. Tea—Congou good inquiry. Silk lower. Settlements in fort night, 2,100 bales. Exchange on London, 6.1 i. We read in the Nord of yesterday :—" The Patric maintains that no power has positively refused to take part in a conference on the Roman question. The Pattie plays upon words. It has nowhere been said that any power hes rejected the principle, even of a conference ; bat it has been announced, and it is very probable, that the majority make thedr definitive adhesion to the project of the Tuileries cabinet depend upon certain conditions, which doubtless it will be very difficult to fulfsL" THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19, 1867. went and to dangerous impulses, but to render them powerless I count at the same time upon the good sense of the country, the progress of public morality, the firmness of repression when required, and the energy and authority of the ruling power. Let us, then, fol low up the work which we have undertaken together; for fifteen years we have shared the same idea, to uphold above controversies and hos tile passions our fundamental laws which the popular voice has sanctioned ; but at the same time to develops our liberal institutions without weakening the principle of authority. Let us not cease to spread around us the comforts of life by the prompt completion of our means of communication, to multiply the means of in struction, to render access to justice lees ex pensive by simplifying our mode of proce dure, to adopt every measure of a nature to render prosperous the social condition of the great masses. If with me you become convinced that this path is that of real progress and of civilisation, let us continue to ad vance in that a3reement of views and sen timent& which is a precious guarantee of the public welfare. You will, I trust, vote the law, which will be submitted to you. They will contribute to the greatness; and to the wealth of the country. For my part, you may rest assured that I will uphold firmly and strongly the power which has been conferred upon me, for neither obstacles nor unjust opposition will shake either my courage or my faith in the future." THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDI3I.) ADEN, OCT. 30. Her Majesty's ship Highflyer, Captain Pasley, arrived here on the 28th, having in tow four dhows with slaves on board. The Highflyer left Ran Haffoon, which is 70 miles south of Cape Guardafui, on the :2nd, and shortly after captured the dhows, which were bound for Ma culla, in Arabia, where the demand for slaves is now active. This m ekes the twelfth capture made by the Highflyer during the present year. The slaves, twenty in number, will in all probability be employed here under the direction of the acting resident. The whole business of catching and freeing these slaves is a perfect farce and disgrace, two-thirds, if nut three-fourths of them being kid napped and returned to slavery within twelve months after their liberation, under the present absurd system. Nothing of importance has transpired since my last. The shipment of camels to Abyssinia still goes on quite actively. The Lord Elphinstone took up 200 horses to Zoola on Saturday last. The Punjaub left yesterday, and the Malabar, troop ship, left on Saturday, the 27th, for Portsmouth, with 1,200 invalids (Indian troops) from Bombay. The weather is beginning to cool. Colonel Merewether is looked for from Zoola daily. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. (room con owx col PARIS. MONDAY Evsagixa._ The Emperor's speech, although it may be fairly described as pacific, inasmuch as there is in it nothing indicating the probability of immediate war, contains, in my judgment, no symptoms of a change for the better in the political situation. It holds out no hope of a departure from that oscillating policy (politilon de Monde) which has already done so much harm and which French writers continually say inflicts upon France most of the evils of war (slaughter only excepted) without its glory and possible advantages, and without that great re deeming feature of most modern wars—the prospect of a speedy termination. As to Italy, the Emperor shortly alludes to his victory over Garibaldi, and says that, order having been " almost " restored in the Papal (dominions, it is possible to " calculate " the near ap proach of the recall of the expeditionary army. There is nothing precise in the use of this Yankee term " calculate;' and the rest of the speech, construed by the aid of notorious facts, which it conceals, leads to the " calculation" that the second occupation of Rome, with all its recognised embarrassments, is likely to be indefinite in its duration. His Majesty does not venture to say there is the least hope of a conference for the settlement of the Roman question ever meeting. He knows better, and confines himself to the barren announcement that he has convoked one. The statement that he considers the convention of Sept. 15 still in existence until it shall be re placed by another international act is a defiance of the national views of Italy. It means that France will hold Rome unless a congress, which it is known will never assemble, relieves her of the duty. Construing the speech on this head in the moat favourable manner possible, it means that France has wilfully resumed the responsibility of the indefinite occupation of Rome and the support of the incorrigible temporal power, the burden of which her best statesmen for years complained of as intolerable, and which, two years ago, was thought to have been shaken off. The short allusion to the Eastern question signi fies nothing. That all the powers are agreed in the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the Ottoman empire as well as in ameliorating the position of the Christians is a great straining of the truth—even of diplomatic truth. The last note by the four powers sent to Turkey is understood to have been con curred in by France only for the purpose of completing an outstanding engagement with Russia, and the Ottoman Porto was privately in formed that as far as France was concerned the note did not mean what it said. One of the com binations on the political cards, especiallyfif the Austrian alliance can be matured, is to support Turkey out and out against Greece, and conse quently to be at variance with Russia, which most assuredly does not see the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the Ottoman empire. There follows in the speech a great talk of " cross roads " and public worlui, which language smells of an excuse for a loan, although the statement that the "estimates" will not be modified, notwith standing &falling off in the receipts, is construed by some as meaning that there is to be no loan. The admissions that the harvest has been bad and provisions are dear—rare as such confessions are in imperial speeches—infer very serious distress in the country. The hope expressed that free trade may assure abundance of provisions tends to nega tive the report that M. Magne comes into office as a protectionist. The Corps Legislatif is exhorted to vote the liberal laws promised on January 19, but it yet remains to be seen what ingenious restrictions may be called from the many conservative amend ments, and the Emperor himself dwells upon the corrective of " firm repression," the " energy of power," and his courage, which ever increases with unjust resistance. At the Bourse the speech was well received, but the rise, considering the depressed state of the market for a long time, was insignificant. Rente rose 224 c. cash and 20c. for account, closing at GBfr. 443. and 68fr. 40c. ; Credit Fonder rose 15c. ; Mobilier, 2fr. 50c. ; and Italian, sc. GARIBALDI IN PRISON. TO THZ 'limos Or TEI EXPELS& SlR,—Having received from an authentic source of information at Florence a statement of the treat mentof General Garibaldi at Vnano, I trust you will permit your valuable journal to be the me dium of giving it publicity. The General is not allowed to write or receive letters, nor to receive visitors. Moreover, the pleasure of seeing him two sons, Menotti and Ricciotti, is denied to him, although he entertains for them both, as I have witnessed, the most tender affection. Fresh air is not denied to him, provided that he do not walk un attended. To this indignant condition he would not submit, and therefore this disinterested hero, who has done the state some service, is doomed to solitary confinement in the convict prison at Varignano. Last week Colonel Chambers, a gentleman who combines English independence of spirit with Sa maritan benevolence of heart, wished to send the prisoner a box containing shirts, towels, English books, and English newspapers. At first the Italian government interposed to prevent the transmission of these luxuries ; but the American ambassador, not at all dreading the ruler of a na tion where conscripts are numerous and free men scarce, interfered in a manner so peremptory as to ensure the delivery of the English present to General Garibaldi. May I now venture to ask, through your widely circulated paper, whether the illustrious prisoner at Varignano is not entitled to the same indulgence there as is granted to the lowest criminals in the prisons of free, independent, and Christian England —I am, &c., C. B. M. Hyde.psrk•street, London, Nov. 18. Qusszorrown, Nov. 19.—The Guion steamship Minnesota, from New York, arrived here at midnight with 102 paiwenpra. After landing some of them she proceeded for Liverpool immediately.—Renter's Telegram. DESPATCH OF WEST INDIA MAII.S.--SOUTHAMP- Tole, Nov. 18.—The Royal Mail Company's steamship Tasmanian, Captain Leeds, sailed this afternoon with mails for the British and Foreign West Indies, the Pacific, California, Central America, &c. Bhe took out 75 passen gers and a general cargo, including silver coin, 2001. ; gold coin, 301. ; jeweller;, 1,2081. ; and French jewel lery, 2,9321. THE LATE LORD DUDLEY STUART.—Saturday, the 16th instant, being the 13th anniversary of the death of Lord Dudley Stuart, a meeting of the Polish Historical Society was held yesterday, at Sussex Chambers, Duke street, St. James's, in commemoration of the ead event, which deprived the Poles of their best friend in this country. A supplement to the London Gazette, published last evening 0011W111 Orders in Oonnellrevoking such parts of previous orders as prohibited the importatsen of cattle, bides, Sic., into this country from the States of the Netherlands, except so fax as South Holland is concerned. Her Majesty has graciously forwarded to Dr. Barrett, of 75, Blackfriars-road, the medical practitionea in attendance, the sum of 31. for Mrs. Sarah Martin, of 3, Bear-eourt, Bear-lane, Southwark, who was delivered of Shies living male children on the 4th inst. Both parents are blind. OPENING OF THE FRENCH CHAMBERS THE EMPEROR'S SPEECH. EII:MEW/I TELEGRAM.) [The following appeared in our late edition of last evening] : - - PARIS, Nov.lB. The French Chambers were opened to-day by the Emperor in person, who delivered the following speech : " MESSIEURS LES SENATZURS, " MESSIEURS LES DEPUTES, " The necessity of resuming the uninterrupted discussion of important laws has obliged me to call you together earlier than usual. Recent events have further caused me to experience the wish of availing myself of your sagacity and your assistance. " Since you separated, vague disquietudes have arisen to affect the public mind in Europe, and to restrict the movements of industry and commercial transactions in all quarters. Not withstanding the declarations of my government, which has never varied in its pacific attitude, the belief has been spread that any modification in the internal system of Germany must become a Mlle of conflict. This state of uncertainty could not endure longer. It is necessary to accept frankly the changes that have taken place upon the other aide of the Rhine, to proclaim that so long as our interests and our dignity shall not be threatened, we will not interfere in the transformations effected by the wish of the population. The disquiet that has been displayed is difficult of explanation at a period in which France has offered to the world the most imposing spectacle of conciliation and of peace. " The Universal Exhibition, which nearly all the Sovereigns of Europe have attended, and in which the representatives of the labouring classes of all countries have met, has drawn closer the ties of fraternity between the nations. It has dis appeared, but its traces will leave a deep impres sion upon our age ; for if, after having majestically risen, the Exhibition has only shone with momen tary brilliance, it has destroyed for ever a past of prejudices and of errors. The shackles of labour and of intelligence, the barriers between the different peoples, as well as the different classes, international hatreds—these are what the Exhibition has cast behind it. These in contestible pledges tof concord do not allow us to dispense with improving the !military institutions of France. It is the imperious duty of every go vernment to follow progress, independently of cir cumstances, in all the elements which constitute the strength of a country, and it is for us a neces sity to bring to perfection our military organisation as our weapons and our navy. The project of law presented to the legislative body divided equally be tween all citizens the charges of recruitment. That system has appeared too absolute, and arrangements have been come to for mitigating its application. Since then I have thought it advisable to submit this important question to further consideration. In fact this difficult problem cannot be too care fully investigated, as it touches upon such great and often contradictory interests. My government will propose new arrangements to you, which are only simple modifications of the law of 1832, but which achieve the object I have always had in view—the reduction of the effective strength of the army during peace, and its increase during the time of war. You will examine them, as also the organisation of the National Guard Mobile, under the impression of that patriotic idea that the stronger we are the more certain will be the assurance of peace. That peace which it is the wish of us all to preserve seemed I for a moment in danger. Revolutionary agitations prepared in the broad daylight threatened the Pontifical States. The Convention of the 15th September not having been carried out, I have been compelled once again to send our troops to Rome, and to protect the power of the Holy See by repelling the in vaders. Our conduct could not partake of any thing hostile to the unity and independence of Italy ; and that nation, for a moment surprised, has not been long in understanding the dangers which these revolutionary manifestations caused to the monarchical principle and to European order. Calm is now almost entirely re-established in the states of the Pope;and we may calculate the proxi mate time when our troops will be recalled home. " For us, the Convention of September 15 exists so long as it is not replaced by a new international act. The relations of Italy to the Holy See interest the whole of Europe, and we have proposed to' the Powers to settle these relations at a conference, and thus to prevent new complications. " Attention has been turned to the Eastern question, from which, nevertheless, the conciliatory spirit of the Powers removes every irritating character. If some differences of opinion have existed between them as to the means of bringing about the pacification of Crete, I am happy to announce that they are all agreed upon two principal points, viz., the maintenance of the integrity of the Ottoman Empire and the ameliora tion of the condition of the Christians. "Foreign politics permit us, therefore, to devote all our efforts to domestic improvements. Since your last session universal suffrage has been called upon to elect a third of the members of the Conseils Gdn4raux. These elections, carried out with calm and independence, have everywhere de monstrated the good feeling of the population. The journey I have made with the Empress in the east and north of France has afforded the oppor tunity for manifestations of sympathy, which have touchedme profoundly. I have been able to ascertain once more that nothing has been able to shake the confidence the people have placed in me, and the attachment they entertain towards my dynasty. For my part I labour incessantly to anticipate their wishes. " The completion of connecting roads was re quired by those agricultural classes of whom you are the enlightened representatives. It was for us an act of justice—l should almost say of gratitude— to satisfy this want, and an inquiry upon a large scale is preparing its solution. It will be easy for you, in concert with my government, to assure the success of this great measure. "The situation is undoubtedlynot free from some embarrassments. Industrial and commercial so- tivity has slackened. This uneasiness is general in Europe, and is in great part due to apprehen sions which the good understanding prevailing between the powers will cause to disappear. The har vest has not been good, and dearness was inevitable, but free trade can alone secure supplies and lower prima. if these various causes prevent the revenue completely balancing the estimates of the budget, the provisions of the laws of finance will not be modi fied, and we may be allowed to foresee the period when a reduction of taxation may betaken into con sideration. This session will be chiefly devoted to the examination of the laws, of which I took the initiative in the month of January last. The time that has elapsed since then has not altered my con victions respecting the utility of those re forms. Doubtless the introduction of these new liberties exposes the public mind to excite- THE WAR IN LA PLATA. The A nglo- B razilian Times of Oct. 23 gives the following account of the progress of the war in Paraguay : The news from the seat of war in Paraguay tollsof 1.01110 heavy fighting upon the 24th of September and the 3rd of October. On the morning of the former day a force of 800 Paraguayan cavalry, supported by a large force of infantry, appeared at the Estero Rojas; with the evident intention of crossing it and falling upon the great convoy proceeding on that day to Turk-Cut. This, however, the movements of • Brazilian brigade posted in cover to protect the convoy disconcerted, and the convoy having passed beyond danger all the Brazilian troops, except the corps of cavalry stationed to maintain the o-dinary communications between the camps, recrossed the eaten" and were in march for their camp when en attack made upon the force left behind obliged them to return. A successful charge was made upon the enemy's cavalry, which was broken and driven upon his infantry, but heavy reinforcements from his entrenchments changed the aspect of the day, end the Brazilians, over powered by numbers, were driven across the ester°, over which the Paraguayans did not rttempt to pass. The loss of the Brazilians was 418 men and officers, in killed, wounded, and missing. That of the Paraguayans was unknown, as they remained with the field of battle. For this unfortunate affair the Brazilian arms received araplo compensation upon the 3rel of October. Al early murn upon that day a body of 1,500 Paraguayan cavalry Muted from Humaita with the intent of making a coup de stain sgainst the Brasilia's' stationed at fit. Bolan at the extreme right of the allied positions. Such a move having, however, been anticipated, the Brazi lians were on the alert, and t he Marquis of Caxiss himself proceeded to the threatened point, setting in motion the various corps detailed to aid the defence. On the arrival of these the Paraguayans were found maintaining a smart skirmishing fire with the Brazilian cavalry in occupation of the post, and were evidently trying to draw these within range of the cannon of the Paraguayan works. At • few shots from two Brazilian field pieces brought into range the Paraguayansdrew back a portion of their force to the shelter of s wood, apparently declining battle, the Brazilian general equally objecting to attack them within reach of their fortifications. At this point the Marquis de Caxias entered the retiral of various bodies of his troops, and the enemy, tempted by the opportunity, suddenly leaned from the wood, and fell on the left of the retiring 6th division of cavalry. This resisted bravely, and was strengthened with a brigade from the Ist division, while the 2nd, returning, charged on the enemy's rear. A severe fight ensued, but the Paraguayan cavalry, charged in rear and front, and decimated by the heavy fire of the 150th corps of infantry, was routed with greats laughter, losing more than half its number, 535 of their dead having been counted on the field of conflict, and 200 prisoners remaining in the victors' hands. Four standards, • quantity of arms, and moat of the homes were likewise captured. The Brazilian loss in killed and wounded is officially reported at 94 men and officers out of the force of 2,000 which was brought upon the groun d. On the same morning an Argentine cavalry picket of 45 men took • superior force of Paraguayan cavalry at a di/- advantage, and succeeded in putting twenty hors de combat with the loss of only one Argentine wounded. Pilo was not permanently occupied, as was stated in previous accounts, but it is said that nye (or 'Wye), • place three miles below, which was reconnoitred when Pilar was taken, was to be, the river being there very narrow, and the bluffs commanding the mouth of the Vermelho flowing from the Chaco. Cholera, in a milder form than before, was threatening the allied forces, and deserters from Humaita represent it as being very destructive in the Paraguayan encamp ments. The fleet continued in the same positions, maintaining its fire on Humaita and Curupaity, with considerable effect on the former, it is said. The state of matters in the western provinces bad not changed. Varela was ravaging Salto, in whose capital forces were gathering to attack him, while in Mendoza Penner° was watching the threatened inroad of Videla from Chile. In Santa Fe the • g of the law establishing cleric civil marriage had disturbances fomented by the al party. In Buenos Ayres the general government had announced that it would continue iu that city until the question of the capital be definitely settled, but without any local jurisdiction. The Congress was closed on the sth. Mar tines bad resigned, and Moreno refused the portfolio of war. BOTAL ASIATIC SOCISTY. —The first ordinary meeting of this society for the present session was held yesterday afternoon at the rooms, New Bur li ngton-street. Viscount Btrsngford, president of the society, wee in the chair, and in opening the prooeedinp . paid a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Francis whom be described as one of the greatest scholars t ever lived, and who, he mentioned, was the last of the first batch of honorary members of thlesociarty who were elected at its first constitution in the year 18E3. Dr. loot, the hoooraryeecretary, read a which bad been prepared by Dr. Johns Oppert upon ' A • and Aster John." In this paper the learned doctor discussed the ideas which existed in mediaeval times as to the monarch who combined in his own person both civil and ecclesiastical dominion, and who warn known by the name of Preeter John ; and referred, at length, to the information which bad in more recent days been obtained as to the locality of his sove reignty. In the result he cams to the conclusion that the reel Prestey John was a ormerelern of Omani Asia ; but the paper threw no light whatever upon the el under which this potentate bad become eentenaded with the Degrees of Abyssinia, , Z hi ts 01,401111 asmspliaa that the term Ethiopia was te • pere es Asia as well as to a portico of Tlie preessiliep eessel with a few remarks from the elisizsee, 11119 did ROI ha to entice this &edam. THE BUSINESS OF P, (From the Daily Ireirs.) Pastrami:yr meets to-day to consider the Abys sinian question. Not that Government has power to limit the range of the subjects which either Howse may choose to discuss, or that other topics are not likely to engage the attention of the Legislature during the next three weeks. Members will not fail to exercise their right to ask ques tions, and will give notices of bills and motions. Our relations with France and Italy, our position with respect to the Roman question, the intention of the Government towards the condemned Fenians, the recent disturbances of the public peace, and other matters, are sure to be mooted. Further, the sittings before Christmas will not, it is understood, form a separate extra ordinary session, intercalated between those of 1867 and 1868, but will be the commencement of a session which, unfore seen eventualities apart, will continue until next summer, the Christmas recess being provided for, not by prorogation, but by adjourn ment. But all this being understood, the business of the next three weeks is distinctly marked out by the necessities of the Government coinciding with the convenience of the Legislature. As the Qt ars's Speech must be delivered to-day, some statement must be made of the intentions of the Government as to the session at large : but neither are Ministers ready with a developed programme of legislation, nor can Parliament wish to antici pate the ordinary course of business beyond the special requirements of the hour. The first duty of the House of Commons will be to receive from the Government an explanation of the reasons which, in its opinion, have ' made the Abyssinian expedition necessary, and the next to obtain assurances as to its scope and limit. As a matter of course, the House will no'. grant a farthing of the public money until it has satisfied itself on both these points. Parliament will approach the subject unembarrassed by its own previous action. The last time the subject was discussed her MAJESTY'S SECRETARY of STATE for FORMS AFFAIRS spoke of a military expedition to Abyssinia as a dcult and doubtful project. It will be for the Government to show that the reasons of its hesitation are removed. It is even of more importance, however, that the country should be distinctly informed as to the objects con templated by the Government. This is not one of those matters on which Parliament or the country should submit to be " educated" by clever leaders. Now, while there is time to fix the character of our national action, the House of Commons ought to be plainly told what we are going to Abyssinia for, and by what token we shall know that the end of our hostilities has been attained. There are good reasons why the House should be scrupulous and exacting on this point. Appeals, sometimes insidious and sometimes audacious, are continually made to public opinion in order to familiarize it with objects which imply a wasteful, immoral, and dangerous perversion of the resources of the country. Cabinet Ministers may accustom them selves to speak in public of this as a " miserable " war," but active minds are at work to persuade England that it is a war to be thankful for—the very thing which we wanted to elevate our thoughts, brace our energies, and ennoble our na tional life. It is natural that those who thus think should be averse fromallauggestionof defining the limits of the war beforehand. They would like ns to go to Abyssinia withouta plan, get well intothe country, hold its chief towns, command its roads, accumulate valuable stores and munitions, and by that time they would be prepared with a hundred plausible reasons why we should never give up what had cost us so much. Already we are asked whether, if Abyssinian society went to pieces in consequence of our intervention, we should not be bound to stay and put it together again. Others argue from our duty, not to a conquered enemy, but to ourselves. A weekly contemporary, with his wonted skill, has put the case in a nutshell. According to this authority, it does not at all matter whether we are actually bound to prosecute this war ; whether we are ao bound or are not we ought to do so if only to break away from that narrow commercial prudence which condemns every wild goose chase. It is worth the nation's while to encourage its members in a little wholesome imprudence and to cultivate the virtue of rashness. A wild goose chase, it is maintained, is a good thing in itself, and the present oppor tunity should be seized to allow that England can look with sympathy on wild goose chases. We fear there is but poor chance that justice will be done to this ingenious view in Parliament, where a sentimental weakness is too apt to fetter the expression of opinions which find ready utterance elsewhere. The Government must be asked to state clearly and fully what aims and intentions it asks Parlia ment to unction with respect to this war. Does the administration adopt the wild-goose theory, and feel bound to enter upon a war of conquest, to give a satisfaction to our enterprising Indian officers who, since the return of Lord DAL nouns and the abandonment of his annexa tion policy, have languished in discouragement I Or are we going to Abyssinia as social regenerators, as Louis NAPOLEON went to Mexico I Or is it the lost key of the Eastern Question, which Sir ROBERT NAPIER is to look for among the mountains of Abyssinia' Or have our abounding prosperity, the success of joint-stock enterprise, the magnitude of railway dividends, the activity of our great industries, and the tranquillity and harmony of our populations, engendered a super abundance of joyous animal spirits which we must expend in some great enterprise at any cost ? These are questions which ought not to be left to the talk of dinner tables or the gossip of evening meetings. It is for the House of Commons to come to an understanding about them with the Government and to do so now. DAMMING OUT. —The somewhat rare procedure of " drumming out" a soldier from her Majesty's army was witnessed at Chatham gams on yesterday at a full parade of the whole of the officers and men of the 2nd depot bat talion, under the command of Col. W. Rickman. The prisoner, private William Taylor, of the lit battalion of the Rth Regiment, was recently tried by district court martial on a charge of desertion and breaking oat of con finement at barracks. Although the prisoner has been several years in the Ist battalion of the Bth Regi ment, into which corps he fraudulently enlisted after being discharged from the Royal Marines Light Infantry for bad conduct, he has paned nearly the whole period of his service in prison, the records of his regiment showing that he has been tried by court-martial no fewer than six times, while he ban per formed only about 100 days' duty as a soldier. The court before which be was tried on the last occasion sentenced him to be branded with the letters " D." and " B. C.," to be dismissed from her Majesty', service with ignominy, and to undergo two years' im ment, with bard labour. After the thatenoe had been promulgated the prisoner was 'tripped of his buttons and facings end marched to the boundary of the barracks to the tune of the " Rogue's March," when he was conducted to the prison by en escort. HEALTH saeroup BY Do BAltly's FOOD TO THZ &MACS, seem Moe, and liver of old sad Fosse, eta=da petals inefigeutionhemstleatioe, diardicea, belicrh‘lombillatim. ds•Plimmilck d•BDlfl Ann aar i l l a k wldeb batr eg radited a ft l . l=ati toclutairtiat of hie me ow the him —Me, ea rale&lld. Ida ; 40s—Da Barry mod : longeot-qoadraat, Loudon : also at 61, Orthechurch4Areet ;4, ChscalZl: ea mad Word. eked; sad ingrowth and dbeadsb.—tectveribeemaij the Court. WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 18. The Queen went out in the grounds this morning accompanied by Princess Beatrice. Her Majesty held a council to-day at 1 o'clock, at which were present the Duke of Marlborough, President of the Council: the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Privy Seal; the ..ord Chamberlain ; the Earl of Derby, Irearurt; the Earliof Mayo, Chief Secre tary of State for Itelanti ; and the Right Hon. H. T. L. Oorry, First Lord of the Admiralty. Previous to the Council the Earl of Derby, the Duke of Marlborough, and the Earl of Mayo, had audiences of the Queen. ut Bradford, First Lord of the Lord Buret and the Hon. Mortimer Sackville West, the Lord and Croons in Waiting, were in attendance. Mr. Helps was clerk of the Council. Prince Arthur, attended by Major Elphinstonedeft the Castle this morning for Greenwich Park. er The Count and Countess of Flanders, attended by the ltarooes• of Snoy d'Oppuers and Colonel Burnell, arrived at the Castle tide afternoon on a visit to the Queen. Prince and Princess Christian, attendee by Lady Susan Melville and Colonel G. Gordon, met the count and countess at the railway station in IVindsor, and seem. panted them to the Castle. Her Majeatt, aceeeipwroed by Princess Louise, Prince Beatrice, Gentlemen in Wetting, reoeired their royal Widmer= at the entrance and conducted them to their varsinsais. Lord John Manners arrived at the Castle besteeley, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the royal family. The Rev. Stopford Brooke had also the honour of keing invited. Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. and Mrs. Henry Byng arrived at Frogmore on Saturday on a visit to the Primes and Prince's Christian, and left yesterday. The Earl of Derby, First Lord of the Treasury, gave • parliamentary dinner at his official residence in Downing street last evening.‘ The company included the Duke of Cambridge, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Marlboro igh, the Earl of Ilalmesbury, the Dukes of Richmond, Beak. fort, Rutland, Montrose. Manchester, Wellington, and Buckingham ; the Marquises of Waterford, Drogheda, and Exeter : the Earls of 'Tanker-rill., Bradford, Cardigan, pas imouth, Hardwick., Denbigh, Stanhope, Vane, Powis, Lucan, Darnley, Wilton, Lonadale, Beauchamp, Longford, Brownlow, Amherst, Stradbroke, and Cadogan ; Viscount Hawarden ; the Lords Clinton, Redesdale, Colville, Bate man, Ravensworth, Fevenham, Hylton, and Strathnalrn. The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave a parliamentary dinner at the Clarendon Hotel last evening. There were present :—The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr. Dyke (mover of the address), Colonel Hogg (seconder of the address), the Earl of Mayo, Lord Henry Lennox, Lord John Mennen, Lord Robert Mon tag; Viscount Royston, Lord Claud Hamilton, the Right Hon. Sir Stafford Nortbcote, the Right Hon. Sir John Paklngton, the Right Hon. Oathorne Hardy, the Right Hon. H. T. L. Corm the Right Hon. Colonel Herbert, the Hon. G. Noel, the Right Hon. Colonel Wile= Patten, the Hight on. (=Ariderley, the 'Right Hon. J. R.,Mow way,. tee Right Hon. tissoMen Cave, Sir John Hay, Sir Graham Montgomery, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor. General, Admiral Seymour, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Hunt, Colo nel Taylor, Mr. Du Cane, Mr. Henry Whitmore, Mr„ SclaterJlooth, Mr. C. Riven Wilson, and Mr. Montagu Corry, Private Secretary. The Chancellor of the Exche quer was unable to be present, owing to the serious Wis• position of Mn. DLeaali. In his absence Lord Stanley iseepat..l.ce were received yesterday as th4Colonial office from the Governors ofathe settlements cn the West Coast of Africa, Natal, and the Ifaaritias. Her !Royal Highness the Princess Christian visited the Sabo Bursar on Saturday. _ Earl Russell gave a grand parliamentary dinner last evening at his residence in Chatham-place, when among his political friends present were the Marquis of Ailesbury, the Earl of Clarendon, the Earl Granville, the Earl of Strafford, the Earl Spencer, the Earl de Grey and Ripon, Viscount Halifax, Viscount Sydney, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Lord Taunton, Lord Foley, Lord Dufferin. Lord Lyveden, and Lord Romilly. THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY ON RITUALISM. The . following further reply has been returned to an address from a large number of clergymen and churchwardens in the diocese of Salisbury by the Arch bishop of Canterbury : "Addington-park, Oct., 1867. " Rev. and Dear Sir,—ln the short answer I gave to the address you forwarded me some time since, I informed you that there were legal as well as theological questions in volved in my compliance with its prayer in the sense in Atka I understood it, and that these would require niu u er k y i careful consideration. You seemed to expect that I s take some public notice of the late charge of your diocesan in the way of censure or approval, in consequence of the representations you made to me of some pasagea in that charge. But your addrees proceeds upon an erroneous view of the duties of an archbishop. As bishop of his own die. moo he is precisely on the same footing with each of his episcopal brethren in the provinces. Although be be prisms ipter pares for certain purposes, yet that primacy gives him no more right to interfere with the conduct of such bishops in their diocese than they have with his, until his action as metropolitan be invoked, for the purpose of ad monishing or coercing one of his suffragans, through his court, on appeal in regard to an injury inflicted on some party by that suffragan in the exercise of hie administrative authority in his diocese. Ido not, however, gather from the tenour of the address, that you make any such appeal to my jurisdiction in the Court of Arches in the matter of the charge ; so that it would be impertinent in me as a brother bishop to sit in judgment on the charge of the Bishop of Salisbury without such appeal, and premature were /to pan any opinion with respect to it, when my action as metropolitan might possibly be invoked to peas a judicial mutant* upon it. The subscribers say that they feel solemnly bound to resist the in troduction into their churches of the practices of the ritualists ; but they do not allege that the bishop has insisted in his chug. upon the introduction into all or sny of the churches of his diocese of these novel practices, which they assert they would feel bound to resist ; there is a.cordinzly so far no ground for the intervention of the metropolitan's authority. In conclusion, I 'oust express a Isope that the novel variations from the established usage of our church, which you intimate have caused the alienation of many of its attached members in the diocese of Salisbury, will not be continued after the report of her Majesty's Commissioners ; that the restraint of all such variations is expedient with a view to promote the peace of the church.—l am, rev, and dear air, your faithful friend and brother, "C. T. CANTAIT. " Rev. Henry Moule, Fordington Vicarage, Dorchester." The following reply has been addressed to the Arch bishop " Bingham/ Melcombe, Dorchester, Nov. ]5. " My Lord Archbishop,—ln the absence of my friend Mr. Moule from home on business, he has requested me to ac knowledge in the name of ourselves and our co-signatories the receipt of your courteous reply to an address for warded to you some time since from a large num ber of clergy and churchwardens in the diocese of Salisbury. 11 bile submitting, as we needs must, to the conclusions to which your grace has come, we can scarcely fail to consider it somewhat hard that there seems to be no possible Soye of shielding the church in this diocese from the authoritative promulgation of such erroneous doctrines as we believe our bishop to have set forth in hie late charge, except by embarking in what experience tells us is likely to be an almost interminable and ruinous lawsuit in the Eeelesiutical Courts. I trust I have been guilty of no impropriety in forwarding your grace's letter for publi cation in the Tines ne , and I have the honour to be, your graces faithful and obedient servant, " C. W. BIEGRA3I." A deputation from the Home Cattle Defence Association bad an interview with the Lord President at the Council-office, Downing.etreet, on Saturday, on the subject of the importation of foreign cattle into the port of London. The interview was granted at the request of Meters. Clayden (chairman), Blewitt, Maahiter, Sturgeon, Eve, Burrell, Wolton, Keeton, Robertson, Westwood, Joslin, Bunter, Spiffy, Jackson, and Boyland. Mr. %Yeller, secretary to the association, was also present. The deputation was introdeced by Lord nuance Cecil, M.P., and accompanied by Mr. Selwin Ibbetion, M.P., Mr. Charles Du Cane, M.P., and Sir Thomas B. Western, Bart., M.P. Mr. W. P. Andrew had an interview on Satur day with Sir Stafford Northoote at the India-office, on the subject of the Euphrates Sallow. Mr. Thomas Barley, Messrs. C. C. Raw- Bas Imeldemt Uverpool Chamber of Commerce, P. W. , member of council of the Climber, and Mr. W. Barney, from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, had an interview with the Secretary of State for India at the India.office on Saturday, the Nth blatant, on the sub tlest of the government 'army of the mete from Rangoon Wotan Chins.