The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

Irbe Coun.

OSBORNE, Dtc. 29.
The Queen and Royal Family took their usual
exercise is the grounds yesterday.

Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office to
the Governor of Canada.

' Her Majesty the Queen distributed Christmas
gifts on Saturday afternoon to the wives of the labourers
and others on the Osborne estate, and also to the children
of the Whippiughani school, who assembled a little before
4 o'clock. Soon attar four the Queen, accompanied by
Princes Helm, Prince's Louise, Princess Beatrice, Prince
Arthur, and Prince Leopold, entered the servants' ball,
where the gifts were laid out. Her Majesty then, assisted
by the royal family, distributed the articles of clothing to
the women, and toys of various descriptionsto the children,
for whom oleo a Christmas.tres was prepared.

ORPIIANAt:E FOR INFANTS.—Their Royal High-
MON the Prince and Prince's of Wales h►ve not only been
pleased to become the patrons of this charity, but her royal
kill/horst become' a 'abet:4.6er of ten guineas annually in aid
of its funds.

Ti e Prince and Princess of Wales and suite
proceed to Holkham on Monday, on a visit to the Earl and
Countess of Leicester, and will remain till after the sth,
on which date the Lord-Lieutenant boa invited a large
number of the leading members of the county aristocracy
to meet their royal highnesses at a ball. Great prepara-
tions are being made at the palatial residence of the Lord-
Lieutenant for this visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch are sur-
rounded by a select family circle at Dalkeitb Palace, near
Edinburgh.

The Duchess (Dowager) of Grafton has arrived
in town from Wakefield Lodge, Northamptonshire.
The Marquis and Marchiouess of Exeter are en-
tertaining a family party at Burghley House, near Stam-
ford.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston are enter-
teisiog a select party at Broadlands, Hants. The noble
premier and Lady Palmerston will arrive at C►mbridge
House the week after next for the season.

Lady Londesborough yesterday gate birth to a
eon sod heir, at his lordship's residence in Hill-street,
Berkeley-square.

The Hun. Frederick and Lady Elizabeth Villiers
have arrived in town from Selby Hall, Northamptonshire.

The Right Hon. Benjamiu Disraeli, M.P., and
Mrs Disraeli, who have been in town daring the last few
days, will leave to-day for their seat, Hugnendon Manor,
Bucks.

The Earl of Granville and tLe Count Karolyi,
Austrian Ambassador in England, have arrived in Paris a►
the Hotel ilristol.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Frankland delivered
the second of his Christmas course of lectures, "On the
Chemistry of a Coal." at the Royal laltitatioo. Is the
next lecture he will illustrate " how coal was put together
by Nature."

An interesting lecture was delivered yesterday
before the Royal Horticultural Society, on the subject of
perfumery and the methods of obtaining the odours of
plants as practised in this sod other countries. The lecture
was given by Dr. Septimus Please, and was illustrated with
• variety of living plants obtained from the conservatory
and grounds of the Horticultural Society.

A letter from Aleppo states that the fi ilk Omer
Paths had returned to that cit), after a successful espee;-
tion against the Bedouin Arabs in the neighbourhood of
Dir.

The Paris Ifvu deur publishes the following note :
—"The Franco-Chinese corps, which was formed three
)ears ago, has joat been disbanded; one detachineut of SW
men, however, will remain for atm' months longer, as •
corps of observation on the frontier of Tcheklang, to defend
it in case of need arainst an offensive return of the insur-
gent bands. The government of Pekin, according to its
promises, h►s granted to the officers, sub-officers, and pri-
vates dismissed, allowanftw equal to those recently dis-
tributed to the Anglo-Chinese corps."

The director of the Freuch Z.uological Society has I
received • telegraphic message from Sues. informing him of
the arrival in that port of • mail packet barium on board
seed of the silkworm and seed of the Japanese mulberry
tree for him. The message says further that the seed has
arrived in a perfect state of preservation. They were de-
spatched without delay to Alexandria, and shipped imme-
diately on board the steamer for Marseilles, where it is ex-
pected they will arrive from the 3rd to the sth of January.
The Bois de Boulogne is as crowded by carriages
conveying Parisians to the lakes as iu May, but their tsp.
pearatice is very different. Most of the carriage horses
wear a horse-cloth, with the cypher or coronet in the
corners, and all the coachmen and footmen have deep fur
caps and cuffs, black bearskin being most in fashion for
this purpose. The night for the fOconx,fanikw,,,r is fixed,
but, as usual, kept • profound secret. It takes place on a
small lake behind the cascade, which is well sheltered by
trees. The invitations are sent out till the morning
of the day decided ou, lest the secret should transpire, as,
in consequence of the Bois de Boulogne being the property
of tie town of Ptris, even the imperial host has no power
to close the gates.

DEATH or DE TOCQUEVILLE'S WIDOW. —The
obituary includes the name of the widow of a man whose
transcendant abilities have made that tame illustrious—
Alexia Charles Henri Claret de Toequeville, author of
" Democracy in America." His widow, Made, has sur.
rived him rot more than • year or two, and died at Vs-
logos (Manche), which her husband represented iu the As-
eembly, oo the 23rd inst.