The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-28 00:00:00

FRANCE

(11110 M TIM

DUNS OF Till DAILY NUNS)
PARIS, SUNDAY SMILING.
_ _

I went to the Palace of Industry to-day out of
curiosity to see what kind of company would profit
by the Emperor's munificent gift to the public of a
free day at his expense daring the five-franc period
of the Exhibition. It being Sunday and very hot, /
anticipated anything bat pleasure. I expected to
find myself closely pressed by an unsavoury crowt
from which there would be no escape but by rods,
fully pushing my way to an appointed exit door at the
far end of the building. Nothing of the kind co.
cured. Great precautions were taken to pre.
Toot the inconveniences of overcrowding, but they

were wholly unnecessary. There were not
more people about the approaches than may
be seen in the Champs Elysees on any fins
Sunday. People who went prepared to take their
places in a queue, with that patience which distil.
guishes French sight-were, and to wait while count-
less sections were gradually admitted before them,
were agreeably surprised to find that they could walk
in without • moment's delay, and saunter about the
building in all directions with perfect comfort. At
no moment on this the people's day were there any.
thing like the numbers which were congregated
together on the occasion of the opening, whets
the whole assembly consisted of persons es
grande toilette. If we put out of the question
the splendid costume of the court party, there was
really very little difference between the general ap-
pearanoe of the company to-day and that of the guests
(invited to witness the inauguration on the 15th. The
vest majority were well dressed. I looked down from
the galleries and could not see one blouse in a group
of 200 people, and caps were equally rare amongst
the women, most of whom bad bonnets, and many
very pretty ones. In the Fine Arts building I met
friends who had taken advantage of the gratis
day to come there for the first time. We
examined together the paintings of the different
modern schools with as much ease as if we had bees
alone in a nobleman's gallery. The rooms were leas
' crowded than the Royal Academy on an ordinary day.
The result of the Emperor's tree day is that the
well-to-do persons who took advantage of it are
I much obliged to his Majesty, and are delighted at
having saved their five francs, but toe operative, the
Faubourg St. Antoine man, was not there. It would
appear that the working classes of Paris do not
reead►ly alter their Sunday arrangements, and that
something more than a three or tour days' notice in
the Moniteur is required to render even a gratis ex-
hibition attractive.
It is remarked that the Mondeur does not publish
M. Nesselrode's circular, although in the preface to
Count Walewski's reply to it yesterday it promised
to give the Russian document to-day. The omission
is, however, insignificant, because the Nesselrode cir-
cular has already appeared in all the other journals.
viresterdsy evening the Prince Napoleon held the
first of a series of receptions, which will henceforth
take place at the Palaia Royal every Saturday. Prom
600 to 700 persons were present, among whom Dr.
Veron and the Duke of Brunswick were the
most remarked, in consequence of the profusion of
orders which encumbered their breasts. The Prin.
ass Mathilde received the ladies, of whom, how-
ever, there were but few. The Emperor and Empress
had promised to be there, but did not come. Marshal
Prince Jerome was absent owing to indisposition. It
is said that the Emperor is not pleased at the order
issued by the Prince that his visitors are to appear in
' plain evening dress. This arrangement is thought
to argue a species of opposition at the Palais Royal
to the system which has imposed a civil uniform upon
almost every description of functionary.

PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING.
Yon will have learned by my telegraphic de-
spatoh
.that there was truth in the rumours of yes-
terday respecting a great fight before Sebastopol.
The Moniteur gives the following account :
"We extract the following from two despatches,
one received yesterday evening and the other this
morning, and addressed by General Pelissier to the
Minister at War. In the first the general says:

The enemy had formed between the Central
Bastion and the sea a large place d'armes, where they
intended assembling considerable forces, in order to
make important sorties against us. On the night of
the 22nd we attacked these works, which were de-
fended by almost all the garrison. The combat was
very severe, and lasted almost the whole night. We
have taken and occupied the half of the works, andl
hope to be able to announce to you to-morrow that
the remainder were taken the night before.'

4, In the other despatch, dated ten o'clock at night
of the 24th, General Pelimier says : .

"' We have happily completed last night the cap- II
Ws of the works attacked the previous day, and we
occupy them. The enemy, who in the first attack '
suffered enormous losses, yielded more easily. thus,
though severe, have been less than theirs. TM
anniversary of the birthday of her Majesty Queen
Victoria was cordially celebrated to-day with one
allies.'"
You will observe that the above parsgraplas ars
I said to be extracted from those received from General
Painter. Additional information must, therefore,
be in the possession of government.
1 I am now enabled to state with certainty that
another despatch, of twenty-four hours later date,
has been received from General Palmier; aed I
Aura in a quarter which tarns out to have been well
informed yesterday, that the important contents al
tho.lllW.despatch are to the following effect:
1 ! Subsequently to the taking of the place darns
't
dosed in the Moniteur despatches, the Os
made themselves muters of some Stights whirl
' oomssand an important part of Sebastopol. 110
allied unties then operated a grand movement ape
the Tehernaya, cut the Russian army in two, ml
I massesded in breaking off the enemy's communication,
istwesa Simpheropol and Sebastopol. General Pe-
Seise adds that a letter from Omer Pacha state
that the Turkish general was about to march tip
Simpheropol, to make a diversion.
The above news, although I do not absoluteli
guarantee its authenticity, will, I have little dad,
turn out to be substantially true.
I hays no certain information as to the amount d
the French loss in the nights of May 22 and 28, let
.
the rumours are that it was a very bloody affair.. The
indeed, is folio inferred by the admission in the "et
treated" passages of the Moniteur that the Fred
loss was "sensible." I apprehend that the Eoglsi
took ne part in these engagements, although tb,f7
must doubtless have joined in the subsequent fightlll.
on the Tohernaya. There are reports, which Mild 'Ol
received with due reserve, of the Radian staid
~
being greatly demoralised by their heavy laser, sat
Id their having refused after three repulses to mskti
fourth march to regain the place d'armea.
I am enabled to state, on official authortty, that ell
Vienna conferences are closed, and dist a pimped
has been drawn up recording the definitive fail!
of the negotiations. It follows that the last Adm.,
propositions have been rejected. The knowledge
this fact had probably a good deal to do with lit
warlike tone of Lord John Russell's speech. li° •
Austria will now excuse herself for not joilliell!
Western Powers in the war I cannot tell, but tw
she will not join them I feel no doubt she'
ever. The French government will, I sole:
continue, for some time at least, to exhibit a tole:
feeling for the difficulties of Austria's posttest
will yet speak her (sir. It will be difficult, bode!'
for the Moniker to talk any more about the "dew
roes young Emperor."