The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-17 00:00:00

IMPRESS FROM PARIS:

(nom oca owa

PARAA. Starnsr Bynum
Theriiis still no official contradiction or confirma-
tion of the report that Napoleon 111 would meet
the Horror of Eussia at Lyons. The France has
several fumes repeated. this as positive news, but I
believe it prill turn out to be incorrect. The Temps
of this evening reproduces a statement that Dijon
and not Lyons will be the place of meeting ; but
that sena most improbable, because Dijon is in a
diamdkically opposite direction to the route from
Lyons to Nioc.
The I:,aysorhieh yesterday gave the news as
" certilin" Laid, alarendon had gone back from
Veniceto Vienna to see. the Emperor of Austria,
takes no notice pf the contradiction founded upon
the fact stated bi•tte &stint/la Breseicina, that on
the 12th his lordship was at Verona, and intended
to proceed the next clay to Turin.
The Temploteerves, on the news that Marshal
Machilpihon reports himself. "piaster of the situa-
tioa in Algeria 2---" We never tad anj doubts as
to the ultimate result of the campaign ; but we
cannot help remarking that hitherto the successes
obtained by our troops have only driven the in-
surrection further into the interior of the country,
not crushed it."

It is reported that the famous financier Mimi*
will begin business again shortly, and that he will
at starting appeal to the public for a loan of 200
millions of francs.

Tha Emperor has ordered all the Marshals of
Frames commanding districts to issue an order of
the day against the slovenly dress which offioers
and soldiers on leave of abeeooe have got into the
habit of wearing in the streets of Paris. Hence-
forth they are either to appear altogether in mufti
or in the regular uniform of their regiments. The
sort of bastard uniform which might belong to any
service whatever will no longer be permitted. In-
fraciions of these orders will be met by disciplinary
punishment.

SPAIN.

(now on OWN

MADRID, OM. 11.

Yesterday was the Queen's birthday, when her
Moat Catholic Majesty Isabella Segundo entered
on her 36th year. There was a grand review in
the morning, of the troops composing the garrison
of Madrid, consisting of 19 battalions of infantry
and 20 regiments of cavalry and artillery, with 72
pieces of cannon, a goodly force enough, though by
no means uniformly to be relied upon. After
being reviewed in the Prado the troops marched
through the city, and defiled before the Queen
and King at the pekoe. Upon the whole it was a
fine military display. It was succeeded by a royal
reception, which was brilliantly attended, and
which occupied the entire afternoon. For the
benefit of the ladies, it may be mentioned that the
Queen herself was arrayed in a rose coloured robe,
covered with choice lace, and bespangled with an
immense multitude of diamonds. The Infanta
Dona Isabella was in Riau' white, the King wore
the uniform of captaui-general of the kingdom,
and the little Prince of the Asturias that of a
servant of the guard.
The Queekof Spain is now a large, portly woman,
perhaps somewhat older in appearance than her
years allow. She no longer can be said to answer
to the description given of her thirty years ago, in
one of the popular songs of the war of the succes-
sion, which described the contending competitors
for the throne of Spain :

Dos Carlos is a hoary alai,
Of cruel heart sod cold ;
But babas a lovely girl
Of oaly six years old.

But the Queen of Spain, though no longer " a
lovely girl," is still by no means unattractive. The
photographs and portraits which are shown in shop
windows by no means do her justice. She has
about her a great deal more sparkle, vivacity, and
good humour than her photographs allow ; indeed,
her distinguishing characteristic is said to be
genuine good temper, or as it has been expressed
to me, her " heartiness," which gains her a very
largeoshare of the affection of those who are privi-
leged to approach her.
The Queen is said to be a very affectionate mother
of her children. She has now four of them, three
girls and a boy. The eldest, the Infanta Isabella,
'approaches her 13th year, having been born on the
20th of December, 1851. She is an interesting
looking young lady, but is said to bear herself
somewhat more haughtily than those about her
entirely approve. The Prince of Asturias is the
next child, and is not yet quite eight. He is an
elegant, but rather delicate looking, boy, who
seems to be worn out with state and study. The
poor little fellow is driven through Madrid in •
coach and six, attended by& guard of honour, almost
every afternoon, to the Helix) (a part of the park re-
served for the royal family), where be takes pleasure
in driving himself about in a little goat-chaise. He
is generally accompanied by his sister, the Infanta
Isabella. The other royal children, with their
nurses, follow him in another state carriage drawn
by six mules, and that is generally followed by
another similar equipage, full of ladies and gentle-
men in waiting ; so that even the poor little prince's
drive in his goat-chaise is made a matter of court
ceremony. It is rather fun to see this procession
of princes and princesses going to the Prado, fol-
lowed by a drag conveying four stately specimena of
the genus " Jeames," in gold cocked bats and ver-
million stockings, who convey from the loyal
stables to the Retire the perambulators in which
the younger members of the royal family are
doomed to take their airings.
It is observable that the King and Queen rarely
accompany the royal children. They usually take
their own separate drive, almost always in com-
pany, but very rarely with any of the royal
family with them. The King, indeed, is said to
show very little attachment to any of his wife's
offspring, though at the same time he fully recog-
nises them, and is at the present moment, it is
said, especially anxious to obtain a decree of the
Cortes whereby be shall be appointed regent in the
event of the Queen's demise and the succession of
the Prince of the Asturias to the throne. Whether
this arrangement will be carried out or not it
is difficult to say at present. It is not until next
year Viet a settlement will become urgent, and
much will depend upon the course of events and the
parties who at that time may be in power.

A number of persons, struck with the difficulties
which often arise in obtaining the co-opentiou of the
Roman catholic clergy on the occasion of interment, some
time back formed • society in Belgium under the name of
"Lee Solidaries," the object of the members being to wears
an unimpeded organisation of funeral rites for their families,
bat solely in a civil point of view. An application having
boss made to the Minister of the Interior in Frnnoe, for
authorisation to found a similar society, under the name
" La libre pewee de nu de Mk'," a papers reply was
gives.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Delta, Captain Lock* with the heavy portico of the
Bombay aad Mauritius mails' and 68 pumensess, arrived at
Southampton au Saturday aftarnooo.

Amongst the cargo brought home by the West
laths mail packet Seiw oa Thursday win 165 reams, of
tio‘tos.