The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

=PRINS BROM PARIS.

(MON OOH OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARA MONDAY EVEYINO.

The Patric has silvery hectoring article against
England in general and Mr. Wood, the English
consul at Tunis, in particular, apropos of the dis-
turbances in Tunis, which began a year ago, and
which, curiously enough, it admits are now nearly
over. Notwithstanding the friendly professions of
the cabinet of St. James's, the Patrie assures us
that it encourages its agents all over the world to
annoy France as much as possible ; that all these
agents do their work with a will, and that they
are never disavowed. Mr. Wood, it says, was the
promoter of the massacres of Damascus,
and as he could not be decently kept
at that station any longer, he was removed
to Tunis where he has been at his old tricks again.
It was Mr. Wood who got up the Tunisian insur-
rection ; it was Mr. Wood who, to harass the
"enemy," i. e., France, brought Turkish ships into
African waters, and cunningly revived the question
of the suzerainty of the Porte. It is true that,
owing to the acuteness and energy of the French
Admiral Bonet Willaumez, who smelt a rat, the
Turkish ships were forced to go back on the 23rd of
September last ; and that, although the hand of
Mr. Wood may yet be perceived doing what 1116'
chief he can here and there, the insurrection has
pretty well died out, and the Tunis question
seems to be dead and buried. It will probably
strike you, as it does me, as very odd that the P,,tK,
should choose such a moment for a furious attack
upon England, which might have been wale with
more reason when the evil complained of was at it.
height, rather than now when, ex conceals, all is
over. The Patrie, however, concludes that the
snake is scotched—not killed, and that France,
being justified in expecting every possible ann. Tance
from the unscrupulous power (meaning England)
which leaves no stone unturned to injure
"French interests i.e., those of civilisation,"
in Africa, must take a bold resolution of prodaiai-
ing herself protector of the Regency of Tunis. I
don't know what fire may lurk behind all this
smoke ; but I suspect the Patric says a great deal
more than the French Minister of Foreign Adair,
is prepared to stand to. .

81. Mocquard is reported to be somewhat better,
but he is in a most dangerous state, awl at all
events will never be able to resume his duties as the
Emperor's private secretary. Among the names
of probable successors mentioned are those of M.
Pelletier, formerly M. Fould's secretary ; M.
Duruy, the Minister of Public Instruction ; awl
M. Sainte-Beuve, the eminent critic.
The dramatic censor at Marseilles has just dis-
tinguished himself. A play, called A Btra'l,3,;
View of Marseilles, being submitted to his appro-
bation, Le objected to a " tag " at the end, in
which the author appealed to the "suffrages of
the public." The official smelt a political allusion
in the word "suffrages," which he probably
thought would be particularly disagreeable to
authority iu a city which returned Berryer and
Marie to the Corps Legialatif, and he accordingly
reon'-ed that the word " favour" should
be substituted for it. Nothing so scrupulous
as this in the way of dramatic censor-
ehip was ever heard of since the time, about. 12
years ago, when the Paris reviser of plays, looking
over a scene in which the bill of fare of a picnic
contained a salad of the vegetable called barbs ie
calmest' (Capuchin's beard), felt it necessary to
protect the religious orders from derision, and
wrote in the margin, " change the salad " !

The Tnbunal of the First Instance has given
judgment against M. Leon Lacurdaire in the case
of his brother's manuscripts, so that they remain
for the present in the hands of the clerical literary
executor, the Abb.; Perreyre. There will doubtless
be as appeal.
The French and Papal governments have just
concluded a telegraphic treaty. After new-year's
day a simple despatch from Paris to Rome, and
rice versa, will coat only sfr. instead of 13fr. 50c.
M. Courbet, the famous "realist" painter, lately
wrote to 31. Victor Hugo that he was extremely
desirous to paint his portrait. A favourable answer
having been received, 31. Courbet is about to pro-
ceed ou a visit to Hauteville House, Jersey. I
am sorry for Victor Hugo.
The Bourse has been extremely firm. Rents
rose 15c. for cash and 20c. for accouut, closing at
65fr. 70c. aud 65fr. 90c. Mobilier rose llfr. 25c.
There is little change in railway shares.