The Express.
London, England, 1864-06-03 00:00:00

NOM WATICIL AT LONDON BRIDGE.,

Tan DAT —.Mimeos. le. Wm.
T0.11061101f Monde', lb. Sl= .. . lm.

BONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 3.

At the meeting of the Conference yesterday one
of the most pressing subjects of discussion natu-
rally was the further extension of the period
assigned for the cessation of hostilities. In ten
days the month originally agreed upon for the
suspension of actual warfare will expire, and as no
basis of peace has yet been accepted it may be
fairly assumed, judging from the very deliberate,
not to say tardy pace at which the Conference has
moved, that there is no prospect of any final deci-
sion being arrived at within that time. The foreign
official j ournals aooordingly announced some days ago
that in the interest of the negotiations in progress the
plenipotentiaries of the belligerents had been in-
vited by the neutral Powers to solicit without
delay from their respective Governments instruc-
tions for extending the suspension of hostilities.
This question was discussed at the sitting yester-
day, but no decision was arrived at, and there is
too much reason to fear, from the wide divergence
of views still existing on the main question, that
the chances of any early agreement on this preli-
minary point are extremely slight. The only
ground on • which a prolongation of the
truce can reasonably be asked for is the
prospect of some satisfactory settlement
being arrived at, and this of course
depends on the acceptance by the Conference of
some definite basis of peace. If there is no pro-
spect of this—if the German Powers are deter
mined to refuse every practical and reasonable
proposal—if they persist in exacting at the Con-
ference demands that could only be made from an
utterly vanquished foe, the continuance of the
Conference is simply a mischievous delusion, and
there is no reason why the war should not
go on. This is the feeling that strongly
prevails at this moment at Copenhagen, and
throughout the whole of Denmark. The Danes
already begin to feel that the Conference will do
nothing for them, and in this case their interest ob-
viously lies in the prompt resumption of hostilities.
It is impossible for them to suffer more on the
mainland than they Save suffered already, and the
present season is especially favourable to their
operations at sea. Notwithstanding the enormous
sacrifices they have already made, the Danes are
accordingly eager for the resumption of the block-
ade and the energetic prosecution of the war. Feel-
ing that every effort ought to be made, every nerve
strained for the preservation of their national exis-
tence, they are determined to prolong the unequal
war at any coat rather than submit to
ignominious and fatal terms of peace. If
they are to be treated as a conquered nation and
their independence virtually destroyed, they are
resolved, as every free and high-spirited people
would be in the like emergency, that this shall
be the result of force and not of their voluntary
consent.

It is perhaps quite as well that the ill-fated
Danes, on whose behalf the Conference was no-
minally assembled, have not relied so confidently
on its deliberation; as the prospect of their lead-
ing to any satisfactory result seems further off than
ever. No basis of peace has yet been accepted,
and yesterday's meeting, insteadof dimiuishingonly
increased the difficulties in the way of an agree-
ment. The original proposition of the neutral
Powers, though undoubtedly harsh towards Den-
mark, inasmuch as it deprived her of two provinces,
one of which is anxious to remain in connexion
with the monarchy, as well as part of a third, in-
cluding it 3 chief fortress and harbour, was still one
that might have afforded the basis of a settlement,
had it been accepted in its integrity by the belli-
gerents, and many very naturally supposed that
before assuming the responsibility of bringing for-
ward such a proposal the neutral Powers had
taken measures to secure the contingent adhesion
of, at all events, the more powerful belli-
gerents, the Germans. This proves, however, to
have been a complete mistake. The German
Powers, instead of accepting a proposals° greatly in
their own favour, have virtually rejected it. They
insist on having not only the portion of Sleswig
that is undoubtedly German, but the whole of the
mixed district, and a portion of the purely Danish
district as well. Apart from the extravagance and
injustice of this claim, even from the German
point of view—that of supreme and sensitive re-
spect for nationalities—it is open to the fatal
objection of depriving Denmark of her only frontier,
and thus effectually destroying the independence
and integrity of the Danish state. It may be all
very well for statesmen who are responsible for the
assembling of the Conference to pretend that the
difference between the two proposals is small one,
that a few miles of territory on one side or the
other cannot be very material, and that all diffi-
culties will be removed by a slight modification of
their original plan. Language of this sort is
natural enough in the mouth of those who, having
deserted Denmark in her hour of need, are only
anxious to huddle up a temporary peace on any
terms, however disastrous. But the Danes have
to look to the future, and the consideration of an
available frontier, however trivial in the eyes of
easy-going neutrals, is naturally a vital one with
them, and, should there be any wavering on this
point, their representative* may be expected to

leave the Conference rather than cement oe '
the only chance of preserving the in IPP
diminished State.
THE CONEERZIECH..—TINI plerupan
dited to the London Confere.noe met yesterday at
the official residence of the First Lord of the Trea-
sury in Downing-street, at one o'clock, and sat till
a qeitillibr Fret- All thernetabeettif the Confer-
ence were present. The Coefiew?,will meet again
on Monday next, • •

lbe Caen.

BALMORAL. MAT 31.

The Queen went out in the morning with the
?rhos* Lodge, sod is the dreams drove with the
Primo= Leiniogea.

MS Priem sad Pea.Nß a/ Wales, attended by the
ConnMu of Merles, Lisettseset-Geestal BooHys, LW-
temest-Oolcael Hempel, sad Yr. Fisher, left Marlborough
House soon after 11 o'clock yesterday morning on a risit to
Cambridge.
The Prince sad Priam Louis of Ham took a carriage
drive yesterday afternoon.
In the arming:their royal higkeesses west to the Lyceum
Theatre, accompanied by Prince Heiman, of Bohm-Lich,
and Count Schoenberg, and attended by HMIs de Grapey
and Captain von Westermeller.

A deputation comistivg of Lord Whine, Dr. W. Holt
Yates. Mr. T. C. Smith, sad Mr. R. W. Thomas, had an
interview with the Right Han. Sir George Grey, at the
Home -office, yegerday, upon the subject of the proposed
Public and Refreshment Howes

A &palletise on the subject of the tall for amending the
law relating to gaols bad an interview with the Bight Hoe.
Sir George Grey, at the Home-offiee. yesterday.
A deputation from the Salt Chamber et Coleman, had
an interview yesterday with the Bight Hoe. T. Milner
Gibson, at the office of the Board of This, respecting the
admission of Emilia:4 rat into Priam

The Princes of Wales yesterday, before entering
the Senate-home at Oambridge, changed her travelling oor
tame, which wan sothely of black, and though the robe and
bonnet were of that sombre oolonr, wore a light-yellowed
mantle.

The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland are
expected to leave Northumberland House to-morrow for
Sion House, [Haworth. It is understood that daring their
stay in the south the noble duke end duchess will reside
during the greater part of the time at Sion.

The Duke of Argyll it expected to arrive in town
on the 10th inst., from, as • member of the eabilet, ►ttend-
ieg on her Majesty in Scotland.

The Countess Cowper gave her brat ball thin
season last night, at the family measles in St. James's.
square. Above 300 leading members of the fashionable
world attended. Crete and Taint'''s band was engaged for
the dews. The several room• thrown open were tastefully
arranged by a protasis" of the choicest Bowers. Dancing
commenced shortly altar 11 o'clock, and an elegant supper
wee ansounoed at 1 o'clock, after which dancing wee re-
sumed.

The marriage of Lady Adele Hare, daughter of
the °caritas of Listowel, with Mr. Cuthbert Lurking, late
of the 15th Human, took place yesterday, at St. George's,
Hasoversquare.

The Prince of Wale', President of the Society of
Arts, has appointed Friday, the 24th, at 3 o'clock, to pre.
sent the medals and piece awarded during the present
session. The presentation will take place at Willie's Room.

The Council of the Society of Arta have arranged
for a tonversaliont at tha South Boaaingtou Museum on
Monday evening, the 16th Joao, cards tor which are now
boiog lamed.

The thirteenth annual conference between the
Council of the Society of Arta and the represtatatires of
the iostitutions in union sod local boards will be held on
Thursday, the 16th, at noon. William HAWS. Fag.,
chairman of the council, will preside.

A correspondent of the Watchman 81,VS that the
following circular has been Phonily distributed among the
Wesleyan ministers " Any Wesleyan minister wishing to
become a clergyman of the church of England can be ad-
mitted to St. Aidaa's College without the preparatory ex-
aminatioa, and on adinuitageous terms. The partici:thus
may be known on application to the principal, St. Asclan's
College, Birkenhead.•

On an early day Sir Frederic Smith will move
that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, pray-
ing that she will be graciously pleased to appoint • royal
commission to consider the various systems now existing of
constructing ships of war for the British nary, as well as
for the navies of other runtime powers, and to report what,
is the opinion of such royal commission, should be the
system to be now adopted for the British navy.
Mr. Sinclair Aytoun on Monday will ask the
Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the Mies-
Mon of her Majesty's government to ask parliament for its
reaction of a guarantee of interest for • loan for New
Zealand ; sad, if so, what h the amount of the loan for
which • guarantee is to be asked, and whether Mariann:Aso
will be applied for during the present union ; and, if so,
at what period of the session.

Mr. Lyall will ask the Secretary of State for
the Colonies on Monday what arrangement has been made
between the Ceylon and the English government, for re-
ducing the charge on the imperial exchequer for the military
expenditure in that colony ; and whether, in eoweequeses
of the peat ptosperity of the Wand, there is an early pro-
spect of releasing this country altogether from that charge,
end planing Ceylon in that respect on the same footing as
India.

DVATH OF SIR JOHN WATSON GORDON, A..
AND B.A.—The anoor,osment of the death of Sir John
Watson Gordon, which took plans at Edinburgh on Wed-
nesday, will be universely received s• that of a far more
than lowo of • Italy maker, loss. President of the
Royal Stitt'vls Acs teeny, and member of the Royal
Academy, the boson• due to his LID, :valled emineace Ida
especial department of hie art was not less freely, nor
with lees pride in his Repine, paid in Emboli than is WI
native country, to which he. daring his whole life, so
lovingly and so beneficently clang. John Watson Gordon
wee born in Salmi:web some 74 years ago. He studied at
the Academy of Trustees for the Eneonragement of Mlnti.
facture in Edinburgh. He early turned his attention to
that branch of his art in which he has &oiliest d so high •
reputation. He first exhibited in the Royal Academy in
1827, continobig to do so up to the present ezhibitior.
In 1841 he was elected associate, sod in 1851 menthol-
of the Royal Academy. He has filled the chair of President
of the Royal Scottish Academy, which owes to 11,,n so
much of its vitality and its position, since the death of
Sir W. Allan, in 1850. In that year, a'vo, he wry
appointed limier to her Majesty, for Scotliusd, oa which
occasion he received the hamar of knighthood. Sir John
was unmarried.—Scorniaan.

NORTH LONDON C;;LL 110IATII SCHOOL. —Tartar-
day afternoons the annual distribritioa of prime to paps'' of
the North Loudon Oollegiate School took place at the
Music-hall, Store-street The Rev. Cason Champways,
vicar of St. Panora, presided, and was supported by the
Bishop of Rochester, Lord and Lady Feimoy, Mr. Heresy
Lewis, M. P., the Prebend of Oaatelowes, the Rev. Dr.
Randolph, the Rev. John Jenkins, tln Rev. J. Andrews,
the Rev. Charles Phillips, the Rev. Mr. Hodges, the Rev.
Mr. Nolan, the Rev. Charles W. Williams' the principal of
the school, Meyers J. E. Lawford and W. Robson, the
churchwardens of Se. Pancras, Mr. Joseph Payne, and
others. The rev. Chairman, re opening the briainen, referred
to the extraordinary advances the school had made, and
to the fact that the meeting had this year been held in that
hall. the vestry hall of St. Pancras being no longer suffi-
ciently capacious. Indeed, so deep was the interest felt
that he believed their next aunivereary would have to be
held in Exeter-hall. The Rev. C. W. Williams. the prie-
eipal, read letter from the Marquis of Camden, the Earl of
Dartmouth, the Rev. Thomas Dale, and other. apologising
for their unavoidable alence. The wheal oontioned, he said,
in a most flourishing condition, the present number of pupils
bola' 473 as against 44:21ert year. A nominee/ the senior pupils
had obtained MOS of the highest immure at Oxford and
Cambridge, sad seversl were of the first clams is the Oxford
middle-clam examination. Lord Portnoy, M. P., in present.
log the Camden silver medal for stathemettn, in the almesei
of the Marquis Camden, expressed the high grata:Min
be felt that there were such schools as rthe North Un-
do° Collegiate School, and his determination to support it,
whether he ceased to be a rpremsntatave of the borough is
which it was situate in parlament or not. Mr. Haney
Lewis, M.P., presented the borough members' medal, gives
for the greatest proficiency in modem languages, French and
Comma. He referred to the sorry firm Englishmen cut on
the Continent, sad the evils to which they were exposed, is
frequently being unable to ask for the common ameseariee
of if, for the want of this knowledge. He contended that
it was a usemeary element is the educating of the present
day, and exposed his satisfaction that it was so well
attended to in this school. The Bishop of Rochester and
other gentlemen addressed the meeting se the advantages
which these middle-clam masons Worded to the meanie ity ;
and after the presentation of the prises, which wen very
Romero= and costly, thanks were voted to the rev. chair-
nth, and the proceedings dam&

aalriDaT. OM Noma= 110111 AT.
Variable, maturate to ODAIIIII. N. to W. amd S.W.,
N. W. to 8.W., fresh, strews to saaderate,
with some rain.with showers.
As above. wasrmix. As above.
&K to A.W. sad N. W.. tiontwitur. N.W. to N.E. and
moderate to strong, bark, fresh to mode-
rain In plum. rate.
I. to A and Et.W . mo. iliMill. S. W. to N. and hack,
decal, to Irish, some fresh_
rata.
Northerowlkothuid. Western= Ireland. Wales, and ad-
*nodes. tiouthwm:lnglish Chennea and Biscay By. dukes
teladward Zogland sad Ilarch Sea

Advisee from Alexandria state that favourable
anticipatioes aro eatertaised regarding the next Baptism
cotton crop. Althoegh the scarcity of cattle hes been
much felt, more ironed is even thus early cultivated with
cotton than was applied to that purpose throughout the
whole of last season, and mom will still be planted. This
fact has created loth surprise and hopefulness, and is cited
as an illuatration of the reunite of the recent drone of the
government to stimulate agriculture. Sales of the next
crop have already commenced, several thousand quintals
having bean disposed of for delivery in October at 150 dole.
. _ _ .

-
A letter from Tahiti to the sth March says :
"Queen Poniard ball reburied to Papsti frees a visit to her
daughter Tercissensraa, Quells et Borchers Imbed. She
has brought beck wllh her several primes and prinealess of
her family. The Quin was mewed with all homier by
the Fnisek sod Tahitian authorities on baths& sad was
Witted with 21 guno The frigate Sibylle lett Tahiti os
the 19th February for Rio Janeiro as her return to From&
Before her depsrta» the Queen visited the ship and dined
oa boarL"