The Express.
London, England, 1852-05-19 00:00:00

GERMANY.

According to a letter dated Berlin, May 13, and
received in Paris yesterday, early in the present
month the Russian ambassador at Vienna sent to the
Austrian cabinet a note, in which the Czar pro-
nounces in favour of the integrity of the Zollve-
rein, and consequently against the formation
of a third group, as furnishing new faci-
lities to radicalism and foreign influence.
It is added in the note that the Emperor of Russia
does not pretend to mix himself up in the affairs of
Germany, or to limit the efforts of Austria in the
interests of her commercial policy, but that he desires,
in the interest of Germany, that the smaller states
should attach themselves to one of the great powers
of the German confederation, and that if they wish
to secede from the Zollverein they ought to rally
around Austria. The Hamburg BOrsenhalle contains
the same intelligence, which, however, should not bo
received without caution.

In the sitting of the Second Prussian Chamber on
the 15th, M. von Manteuffel informed the house that
the legislative session would be closed in the course of
this week. Baron Vincke asked M. Manteuffel when
the government intended to proceed to the elections for
the First Chamber, conformably to the unrepealed
prescriptions of the constitution. Tho minister re-
plied that he should answer no such question.
A ministerial conference was held upon the 15th
upon Zollveruin affairs. The New Pruesian Gazette
states that the question for consideration was, whe-
ther Prussia should hold fast by the principles laid
down in the circular convening the Zollverein Con-
gress, and reiterated in M. Manteuffers speech, or
deviate from them in concession to the wishes of
Bavaria and other southern states. The result of the
deliberation, according to the authority just men-
tioned, was a firm resolution to maintain the ground
already taken up, and while continuing negotiations
with the states in question, to fix a term by which

they must accede to, or definitively reject the Prue,
grin Zollverein policy::
The Prussian military serenaded the fluke of
Augustenburg at his hotel in the Itossmarkt at
Frankfurt on the Ilth.
The Augsburg Gazette slates that not only the
Senate of the free city of Frankfort, but those also
of Hamburg and Lubeck, have received from the
Federal Diet a monition to bring their several con•
stitutions into harmony with that of the liunii.
A number of police agents of vari(us Gi rmart
states have lately been sent to Frankfort and its
neighbourhood to watch the proceedings of several
persons alleged to he democratic emissaries, who bays
lately arrived on the right bank of the Rhine.
The Emperor of Russia was at Weimar on the 14th
on a visit to his sister the Grand Duclims. It is
stated that from Berlin the Czar will proceed direct
to Warsaw.

Tho Imperial Chancellor, Count Nesselrode, was
expected to arrive at Berlin on the evening of the
'l6th. Ile would proceed on the following morning
to join the Emperor of ltuesia at l'otsdatn.
A letter dated Vienna, May 13, in the Indepess.
dance Beige, mentions two measures as itnntineht
a reduction in the army, and the conversion of the
coupons.

TURKEY AND THE LEVANT.
We have reoeived from Coostantinople news up to
the Gth it et.

Sir Stratford Canning, or rather Lord Stratford de
Redelifr•, the British ambassador, basing received
from his government leave to absent himself from his
poet, was on the point of emharking with his family
for England. Colonel Rose had returned from Egypt,
and would replace the ambassador as charg‘: d'affitires
during his absence. Mr. Alison, Oriental secretary,
having obtained leave of absence, had embarked, on
the Ist inst., in the Lloyd's steamer, for Trieste,
whence he would proceed to Englund.
The Egyptian affair was regarded as settled, al.
though no official notification of the arrangements
concluded by Fuad Effendi with Abbas Pasha had
been yet published by the l'orte. M. Servicen, the
physician of Fund Effendi, charged with despatches
from that plenipotentiary, having performed quaran-
tine at the Dardanelles, arrived at Constantinople on
the 4th inst.

The departure of the Surri_, Emini for Mecca took
place on the Ist with the usual ceremonies. The
caravan would start from Scutari, after the delays
prescribed by custom, in order to allow the faithful
time to join.
The Onarier d'Athenes, of May 7, asserts that the
finances of the state arc in a melancholy condition,
and adds that the Minister of Finances, finding him-
self unequal to the task of ameliorating the financial
position, was about to send in his resignation. The
brigandage in the provinces, which his so long ex-
isted continues.

LORD LONDONDERRY AND HIS MEMBERS.

TO TUE EDITOR. OF TUE EXPRESS.

SlR,—Lord Londonderry's conduct in the county
Down is nothing new, as the following statement will
prove :
The late Mr. Purvis, the eminent Chancery harrister an&
Queen's counsel, had a country house and some prhperty
near the city of Durham, where ho was highly esteemed •
and, on a vacancy occurring in the representation of the;
city, during the Anti. Corn-law agitation, Mr. Purvis, not
unnaturally, became a candidate on conservative principlso
for the seat. Having done se, he called at Ifolacements
House to request Lord Londonderry's influence, which was
then undoubtedly great, ono of his largest collieries
being within the parliamentary borough. Mr. Purvis
wax received rudely and coarsely, I might almost say vio-
lently; reproached with seeking to deprive Lord London-
derry of his seat for Durham ; and plainly told that, wilds
be consented to become Lord Londonderry's member, hi
should not be returned. Mr. Purvis was not a man to sub.
mit to such dictation ; he declined those terms, and poi.
need in his independent candidature, Mr. Bright become**
the liberal candidate A common friend of Lord Louie
derry and Mr. Purvis interfered; his lordship abated&
little in the insolence of his tone and requirements ; and de
last his support became a matter—so my deceased fried
more than once ensured me—of pecuniary negotiation. It
went off in the middle of the night before the polling day;
and on the morrow Mr. Bright was elected by Lord Lon-
donderry polling his pitmen for that very excellent member.
This so disgusted the Durham conservatives, that no
conservative has since been returned for that city. They
cannot return one without Lord Londonderry's voters ;
and he will not support any one who will not recognise Ns
authority over their votes in the House of Commons.
Now, however, Lord " Dolly" Vane is standinat
as Durham city ; well as Lord Seaham for North
ham. And the question is. whether the Durham anon-
votive' will, after the publication of Lord Londonderry's
Down Correspondence, degrade themselves by promoting
this peels selfish traffic in boroueh and county seats.
I am, &c., A FRIEND OF TILE LATE
MR. PURVIS.

THE COMMISSIONERS EDE THE GREAT Enna..
TTON of last year have just presented to Mr Secretory
Walpole the first report on that undertaking, in order to
its being laid before her Majesty. The report, with its
appendices, at present extends to 211 closely printed int-
penal octavo pages, and is illustrated with two large plain
of the Exhibition. The report itself is a cone:se stet
of the organization, labours, resources, mean., proced
and arrangements of the commission, and the
achieved. The appendices, forty-two in number, supply a
hod" of most exact and interesting details.
THE NEW SITE FOR THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—
The Crystal Palace Company have published the details of
the plan they have adopted for the future disposal of the
building, and have furnished ample information respecting
the purposes to which they intend to devote it. Sydenham,
a station on the Brighton Railway, is the spot where the
palace is to be re-erected, in the midst of a park of 150
acres, which is to be planted with specimens of every tree
which can be grown out of doors in England. It will coa-
-1 tain a winter garden of 18 acres in extent, and within ifs
walls dower shows are to be held. There are to be sculp-
tures by the chief living artists, and casts of the most
brated works of antiquity. eology and mineralogy will
receive their appropriate illustrations, while specimens
of the most striking costumes and manufactures of
the various nations will be laid out as at the time of the
Great Exhibition. Not the least interesting part of this
splendid spectacle will consist of samples of machinery, such
as those which were seen at work in the northern section
of the building. The situation in which the building is to
be placed is as easy of approach for the greater proportion
of the inhabitants of London as the former sito. It is bit
an affair of a few minutes to pass from the London-
to the Sydenham Station. There are also to be extra=
from Waterloo, Vauxhall, and the Bricklayers' Arms, ae
that the inhabitants of any portion of the metropolis mg
have the opportunity of visiting the Exhibition with a
tclerable degree of facility and comfort.
LONDON MILITIA.—A Court of Lieutenancy foe
the City of London was held at Guildhall on Saturday beet,
on which occasion the Lord Mayor presided. It was at-
tended by the lieutenant-colonel, several of the aid
and a numerous body of the commissioners. The court
been specially summoned to receive a report from a com-
mittee appointed to inspect the staff and the different of
of the corps, and the report stated that the committee hod
inspected the majority of the officers, and found some ef
them effective and ready for service, that others of the
officers had sent in their resignations, and that some of the
older officers who had been connected with the corps during
the last thirty years had signified their intention to resign
upon the passing of the act which professed to retain IS
them their respective ranks. A captain and a lieutenant
who were said to be abroad were reported to be efficient.
The court was occupied for some time in considering the
questions as to the mode and time of filling up the vacant
offices, and letters from the Secretary of State were read
connected with the matters upon which the members had
assembled. The Lord Mayor mentioned to the court that
he had received a letter from Colonel Thompson, in which
that gallant officer had expressed his wish that the vacant
appointments should be tilled by military men who had
served in the army. It was finally referred to the commit-
tee to inspect the testimonials of the numerous candidate@
for the appointments, and to report to the court the Mahal
of those who might be considered beat qualified to fill them,
at the same time that it was distinctly to be understood that
the cimmittec were not necessarily obliged to exclude all
persons who had not served in the army.—A vote of thanks
having been passed to the Lord Mayor, the court adjourned.
EXPLOSION AT THE SOUTH LONDON G.ts WOHKOs
—This morning, shortly after 10 o'clock, an explosion took
place at the South London Gas Works, situated at the side
of the Surrey Canal, near the bridge, which resulted in the
destruction of considerable property a d serious injury to
several men. It appears that a great number of men are
constantly engaged at the gas works, and this morning at
an early hour three of the mechanics, named T. Smith, W.
Fox, and J. Westley, were employed in the valve houm,"
when one of them had some occasion to raise n valve,
and while doing so the gas suddenly exploded, having com-
municated with a light which had been carelessly left M a
corner of the building. The noise caused great terror in
the neighbourhood, and when ateistance reached the men,
they were found frightfully burned and disfigured about
the face and various parts of their bodies. The hair on their
heads was burnt off, and the unfortunate fellows, when
released, were in a dreadful condition. They were imme-
diately dragged out of the shattered building, and seen by
several medical gentlemen, who, after affording some aids
had them conveyed to Guy's Hospital.
A LOST BALLOON.—The Echo Saumurois of the
14th says:—.. A balloon fell yesterday about four in the
afternoon in the commune of Ncuille, near Saumur. No
one can say whence it came, nor tell anything about it.
It i. about 343 feet in diameter, and the green and yellow
silk 4,f which it is made is of English manufacture. There
was no car attached to it, but merely a basket, ill which
were found half a roll, some pieces of cord, and some small
tools."