The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-03-08 00:00:00

/grew anti Colonial Ent(thgcnce.

FRANCE.

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While the Emperor of France is still pushing on his
preparations for war, his subjects generally are praying
for peace, if we may judge from the reports from the
rural districts especially. Already trade is suffering to •
great extent from the mere apprehension of hostilities.
The Pope's communication requesting the evacsation of
his dominions by the French and Austrian troops has
not added to the hopes of the French public, i seems,
although Napoleon, contrary to all expectation, has re-
solved to withdraw his men. There is a rumour that
an Army of the Alps has been resolved on, and that
General M'Mahon is appointed to the couimand.
M. Alessandri, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Mol-
davia, has been received by the Emperor-
An increased donation to the Imperial Family hut
been voted—only two members opposing the appropria-
tion. Of the original sum of 1,500,0001 r. a year, the
Emperor allotted 1,005,080 fr. to his uncle Jerome,
2110,000(r. to the Princess Slathilde (who, as the wife of
Prince l)emidoff, was already rich), and 300,011/fr. to his
cousin Prince Napoleon. The additional 700,000 fr. •
year now taken, though voted pursuant to the original
system as an augmentation of the revenue of the princes
and princesses of the Imperial Family, is in fact all
wanted for the Prince Napoleon. and will bring up his
income from the country, besides house-room, ke., to
1,000,000 fr., or Eft/AM/sterling • year. The Prince is
represented as bolding the most turbulent opinions, and
to be extremely anxious to reverse the Treaty of 1815
by the sword.
Cabinet squabbles and Ministerial changes are talked
of, as well as that the dignity of Grand Admiral is to
be re-established in the person of the Prince Napoleon.
Will this appointment carry a salary also?

ANOTHER FRENCH PLOT.— All the French newspa-
pers state that the Princess Mathilde, " accompanied by
several members of her household," paid a visit to the
Prefect of Police • day or two since to inspect some old
records which are kept at the Prefecture. I have reason
to think that the object of her visit was very different
from the one alleged. About ten days ago, as lam in-
formed on good authority, a person who appeared to be
a domestic servant, and was clad in the Imperial livery,
presented himself at one —I do not know which—of the
railway stations, and asked for three boxes which the
Princess expected by a train that hod just come in, and
which would be directed " To be left till called for."
Ile was told that two boxes only had arrived, and, after
repeating that he had expected three, he took the two
away. The next day the missing box bearing the same
direction, arrived. The railway clerks at once sent it
off to the Princess Mathilde's residence in the Rue de
Courcelles. The hall porter, on being told the story of
the other two boxes, said lie knew nothing about them.
The Princess being informed of the message from the
railway came down herself into the hall ; the box was
opened in her presence, and was found to contain • quan-
tity of bombs, rather smaller than those used by Orsini,
but of preetiely the same character. The utmost alarm
was naturally felt at the reflection that the other two
boxes, containing similar murderous materials, must be
concealed in Paris, and in the hands of daring conspira-
tors. lam not sure whether it was on that evening or
the next that the Emperor went to the Opera Couiique.
It was observed by a correspondent of one of your con-
temporaries that most extraordinary precautions were
taken on this occasion. I now hear that two squadrons
of cavalry, a force quite unprecedented as a guard of
honour for an ordinary visit to a theatre, were stationed
on the Boulevards, and that all the approaches to the
theatre were kept clear to an extent altogether unusual.
The reasons for these precautions is now evident. There
esti scarcely be a doubt that the Princess Mathilde went
to the police-office for reasons connected with the alarm-
ing discovery above alluded to. It is to be hoped, though
I have no information as to this, that she and" her
household" may have been called upon to identify the
two miming boxes, which it is possible may have been
seized. An imperfect vers of the above narrative,
cited by soma English journals from the Upinunte of Tu-
rin. speaks of • box of explosive shell. having been sent
to the Princess Clotilde. I hare scarcely any doubt
that the cornet story is the one which I have just told.
—Express.
Experiments are being made at Paris to explode
mines by electricity. The Imperial Guard is to be
sup-
j,hiesl in the mune of next iiimith with four batteries
of the new ride cannon. The Emperor will, it is said,
be present at the trial of the guns at Veniailles.
The new boundaries of l'aris are now the fortifications.
This raises the population of the inetropolis to 1,525,505.
Pori* was before the most populous town on the conti-
nent ; it now approaches more nearly to the population
of London, which is upwards of 2,606,000.