The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

the erprtos.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Ilsoal Skidoo et ..Tho Uprose." sestalniag th• same (maize.
"Chootete is polling every Tuesday sad Friday night, fa Woe
kr pod.
deorlimouttolalmild ter a les• Ispeere." Load= Events' papa,
taut be at the 011ee. 10. Booverirotroot, by Two deb& oa the
bp of pobiloolioa.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Ths D..—llorning, E►. Et. Animism, EL 41k.
Tamansow—llonlas. 4h. 9m..... Aitaraooe. th. 13m.

LONDON. SATURDAY. JANUARY 20.

LATEST
NEWS FROM ABROAD

1 Amounts from the Crimea to the 10th state that
nothing remarkable had conned sines the sortie on
the Stk.—Daily News.

PARIS BOURSE.
PARIS, Fall)* y.
Closing prices:—Three per Cent. Renter, for money,
68.65 ; for amount, 68.65; ditto Four-and-a-Half
per Cents., for money, 94.75. Bank Shares, 2,930.
The French funds show an unfavourable reaction,
closing Ito f, per cent. lower than yesterday.—Daily
News.

OUR PRIME MINISTER.

TH3 first requisite in a Prime Minister is a de-
termination to be obeyed. If, when he gives order.
to a subordinate, he allows himself to be put off with
arguments 'bowing that they are impossible or diffi-
cult of performance, and withdraws them for the
sake of a quiet life, he is unfit for his office. An
easy, good.natured man, who allows those under him
to take their own way—to obey only when it snits
their inclination or preconceived notions—never can
asoomplish anything. This is a position which can-
set be disputed. Now, what is the meaning of
all the attempts that are being made to shift the
blame of the inefficient management of the war
from the Cabinet on to the shoulders of their gene-
eels, admirals, and other agents ? These attempts
are, if well founded, neither more nor less than a
ondission that Ministers allow their subordinates
to take their os n way, to criticise the instruc-
tions they receive, and to carry them into effect or
leave them unexecuted, as suits their humour. This
is to confess that the head of the Government lacks
the instinct of command.
An opportunity will soon be afforded, supposing
no change to take place in the Cabinet arrange-
ments, of judging whether our present PREMIER
is muter in his own house. When Mr. Prro's
suggestion respecting a navvy corps for Bala-
klava was adopted, it is to be presumed that
ear present Panties was convinced of the utility
and importance of constructing a railway there.
Will he or will he not insist upon its being
rigorously and effectively carried on ? An occasional
arrespondent, whose communication from the Crimea
we published yesterday, says : " If the corps of civil
engineers, navvies, &c., meet with fair play they will
is very useful; but one of the leading Royal En-
gineers said the other day, We don't want any of
your Fox and HENDERSON'S people here, for we can
do very well without them.' I doubt if the innova-
tion is approved in higher quarters. I trust it will
he carried out in spite of opposition." Professional
prejudice and professional jealousy are already bris-
tling up. preparing to resist an innovation in military
operations. Unless the orders sent out by the Minis-
ter of the War Department to the Commander-in-
Chief to avail himself of the services of the navvy
corps, and to promote its labours effectively, are
couched in the most precise and imperative terms,
Aare high in command, but animated by the spirit
of a mere drill sergeant, will take care that the
scheme proves abortive. If it fail, the blame must
not be allowed to rest with the pedantic martinets
who are the immediate cause, but with those in
authority over them, who allow them to have their
way, to the detriment of the public service. Nor
will the blame even be allowed to rest with Ministers
who are heads of departments; it is the business
of the PREMIER to see that resolutions adopted
by the Cabinet Council are promptly and efficaciously
put in execution. If he cannot or will not do this, it
is clear that the wrong man presides in the Cabinet
Council; that—to borrow an illustration from mili-
tary matters—a mere General of Division has by
mistake been appointed Commander-in-Chief. At
all times, but more especially when a nation is en-
gaged in war, the first, the indispensable, qualification
for a Premier is the talent to command.
The nation is in earnest about the war; that the
Government and Parliament may be assured of. The
people will no longer tolerate the dallying which
has characterised its first stages. And they will look
to the head of the Government as responsible for all
sins of omission as well as of commission. So long as
the Duke of NEWCASTLE—We mean HORACE WAL-
POLE'S and tittotierr's Duke of NEWCASTLE—Was
Awed to play with the last war in which this
essfatry was engaged under GEORGE 11., everything
meat wrong. From the moment that the first
Wuzzaw Prrr assumed the conduct of the war
victory trode rapidly on the heels of victory. This
age understands these men better than their contem-
poraries did. NEWCASTLE was not altogether the
fool that his sayings and doings made peopb
think him, and Lord CHATHAM was cast
exactly the great statesman mea gave him
audit for being. But the Duke of NM.
aestera had no earnest will, and Pm' had •
dreskiikalag spirit, utterly intolerant of opposition.
The kat Pin would no more admit the word
"impossible" to be English than the first Nerourfar
would admit that it was French. And it was this
genius for command that carried him triamphantly
through all that he undertook as a War Minister.
The flighty, imaginative policy of PITT would no
more be tolerated in our day, than the arrogant,
domineering tone of language. But his active enter-
prise and his unshaken will, which were obscured by
therattendant vices, are needed at this moment. No
man of common sense believes that Lord ABERDEEN THE Pateas.—Yesterday hundreds of persons as.
deliberately intends to betray his country; but few ambled by the side of the anal is et. Jinn's Park for
era of his friends can deny that ha is incapable of i mid sliding, but the ice was not of a strength sail-
conceiving the neoestity there is at this moment for I clout, and the park-koeliors restrained the most Montano's
extensive combination' and vigorous action, and that , from risking their Rees. It is expected that to•day the ice
the reproaches showered upon him for his apathy will be strong enough for skating.

Despatches were sent last evening from the Colonial-office,
for the Governors of the North American Colonies, and also
for the Governon of Ceylon and Hong-Kong.

We understand that it is the intention of her
?d!jesp, to ona.4er. the vacant Blue Ribbon upon the Bari of

Sir James and Lady Graham left the Admiralty
on Thursday on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle.
The Speaker of the House of Commons and Mrs.
Shaw Lefevre have arrived in Riton-square from Richfield
House, Hartford-bridge, near Strathfieldsaye.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde and
Lady Margaret de Burgh have arrived in Carlton•terrace
from,Portumaa Castle, Galway.
Lord and Lady Lyndhurst and the Hon. Miss
Copley have arrived in George-street, Hanover-square, from
Dover. The noble and ble ex•Lerd Chancellor has
nearly recovered from his late indisposition, and it is now
understood that his lordship will be able to attend his parlia-
mentary duties in the House of Lords when parliament
meets on Tuesday next.
We are happy to state that Mr. Philip Pussy is
gradually improving in health, although yet unable to re-
turn from his brother's residence at Christ Church, Oxford,
to Paw Reuse.
The Earl of Kintore presided on Friday, the 12th
inst., at a meeting of the Inverury Institute, which consists
of refreshment and reading rooms, with a library. The
noble earl (says the Glasgow Commonwealth) delivered an
excellent and suitable address on the design and value of
such an institute, intimating that if properly supported by
the inhabitants of I ry, he contemplated the erection
ultimately of an establishment on a larger male, with the
addition of baths. _ _ • _ _ _ _ _

-------- -- -------
The Prince de Monaco, Duke do Valentiziois, has
arrived at Marseilles.

On the Bth inst. about 300 members and friends of
St. Philip's Church, Bethnal-green, assembled in the large
school-room adjoining, to commemorate the first anniver-
sary of Mr. T. B. Taylor's official engagement amongst
them. The chair was occupied by the Bev. J. Trevi't, in-
cumbent. After several appropriate pieces had been sung
and a few excellent addresses delivered, a very beautiful
timepiece (value 10 guineas) was presented to Mr. Taylor as
a testimonial of the rupees and esteem entertained for him
by members of St. Philip's, and by those with whom he had
so energetically and successfully laboured for years past.