The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-08 00:00:00

HIGH WATIIR AT LONDON BITDOF

TIM 7,;:1366 2;6416;;01iz. sEhi.
To4ioiutOW—Moiliks. 811. 6m... .Affirooce. 6 360.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8.

Limn= from Madagascar, rid Mauritius and
Bourbon—not those of the French Consul at
Tamatave—throw considerable light on the tragic
events which have lately taken place in that
island. How much that information was needed
may be inferred from the recklessness with
which some of the French papers have ascribed
the assassination of RADAMA 11. to English
influence. The Pays has even said that Mr. Elan
" assisted at " those murders of which he was
also the instigator. We do not call this statement
audacious, because to ignorance all assertion is
alike easy, and the author evidently did not even
know the dimensions of his own falsehood. The
Mr. Emma referred to is the honoured agent of
the London Missionary Society, who, by the
death of King Repasts, finds himself without a
protector; while the mission which he directs
is likely to find an enemy instead of • supporter
in the new Government. We might smile at the
monstrous assertion of the Pays, were there not
reason to fear that the spirit which dictated it
a spirit of intense national cupidity, betraying itself
in this instance in the form of jealousy—has had
very much to do with the catastrophe which has
blighted the prospects of Madagascar.
It is now clear that the murder of the Kiln) and
his Ministers was the consequence of • reaction of
national feeling against measures which were due
to foreign influences. The Palace revolution was
the expression of a policy like that which is
causing us trouble in Japan : such a policy as,
upon the disappearance of Prince Komi, might
again become dominant any day in Chins, and of
which fear and hatred of foreigners is the main-
spring. About two years ago King RADANA SUC-
seeded his mother, Queen RAWAVaLONA, a bigoted
idolater, who hated strangers, and persecuted the
native Christians with relentless fury. The K Imo
was a Christian and • reformer, sensible of the
advantages of commerce, and taking pride in his
intercourse with more civilized states. It is tz be
regretted, however, that in carrying out his im-
provements he considered too little the power of
habit and custom. He abolished trial by poison,
proclaimed the emancipation of slaves, aboliihed
customs duties, opened the country to travellers,
recalled the missionaries, and established • post-
office. He also issued • decree commanding his
subjects, under the threat of serious penalties, to
dress in the European style. The leaders of the old
dominant race of the island, the Civil; saw them-
selves set aside, and the KING not only governing
according to foreign ideas but surrounded by foreign
advisers, some of whom were becoming rich as well
as powerful by his favour. Thus the ambition of
his enemies was enabled to employ two strong
popular feelings, hatred of innovation and jealousy'
of foreigners, in their intrigues agahist him.
Nor can it be said that this jealousy was'
groundless. While benevolent Europeans were
pressing their counsel on the Government, others
were taking advantage of his good-nature to ob-
tain concessions of • tangible character. Chief
among these was M. LANBZIRS, a Frenchman, who
has played a conspicuous part in the affairs of
Madagascar for several years past, and whose
presence has been like • black cloud hanging over
the fortunes of the island. Two years ago he was
described in the Journal des Depots u "a devoted,
" though not accredited, representative of French
" policy." This gentleman was an object of hatred
to the Ovals for (among otherreasons) having been
engaged, in the year 1857, in a secret conspiracy to
dethrone the old Qui'. For a long time it
bad been known that he was trying to per-
suade the Kiero to grant him large tracts of land
and inordinate privileges in the island. His re-
cent success carried the growing indignation of the
people to a pitch at which it became irrepressible.
The Kiwo came to be generally spoken of as weak
and unworthy, • mere tool in the hands of unscru-
pulous strangers, sod, from being popular, fell into
extreme contempt. About the third week in April
last he was sited on by the leaders of the old
disaffected party, and a kind of ultimatum was
presented to him. He was required to promul-
gate immediately • new scheme of government,
one feature of which was the abrogation of all
grantsof land madetotorcigners, and the withdrawal
of some other invidious privileges which had re-

cently been extended to them. The conspirators
bad all their plans laid, and on t►e rejection of
their proposals the assassination took place, the
KING being privately murdered, while the Minis-
ters were executed in public.
It remains to be seen in what way the French
EMPEROR will take notice of these proceedings,
which concern him more than any other foreign
Sovereign. If he is wise he will re-
pudiate all interest in the grants to
M. Lam ants, and confine himself to requiring
that the new Government shall protect the lives
and property of French citizens, and observe
public treaties. If, however, he wishes to 6x
a quarrel on the Government of Madagascar,
and to seize a pretext for carrying out political
designs which have long been advocated in
France, be has a good opportunity for doing so.
In recent French cyclopredias Madagascar is put
down by anticipation as a possession of the
Empire—" Ile magnifique, qni un jour, sans doute,
" deriendra, avec Alg4rie, la plus prkieuse colonie
" de la France "—which it is said needs a naval
and military station on the route to the East, and
will need it much more when the Suez Canal is
finished.

trbt court.

OSBORNE, JULY 7.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise and
Princess Leiningen, drove oat in a carriage and four yester-
day afternoon.
Lord A Vivi Paget attended on horseback.

The Prince of Wales, attended by Captain Grey,
honou-ed Mr. Frith with a sitting yesterday for the picture
he is piloting of his royal highness's wedding.
The Countess of Zetland bad an interview with the
Princess of Wales, and prevented to her royal bighneal
articles of woollen manufacture, presents from the Islands
of Shetland. The Princess wu attended by the Mar-
, c.hionese of Carmarthen and Lord Harris, K. 8.1.
The Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and the
Duke of Cambridge, visited the Prince and Princess of
Wales at Marlborough House.
The Prins and Princess of Wales, attended by the Mar-
chioneas of Carmarthen and Captain Grey, went to Chia.
wick io the afternoon and visited the Duchase Dowager of
Sutherland.

A meeting of the Finance Committee of the Royal Com-
mission for the Exhibition of 1851 wax held yesterday at the
Privy Council Ma. There were present Earl Granville
(Chairman), Lord ()versions, Lord Taunton, Mr. Thring,
land Mr. Edgar Bowring, C.B. (Secretary).
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council mat yester-
day. Sir J. Coleridge gave judgment on an appeal from
Victoria, "Sullen and Richey v. A'Beckett and others,"
that their lordships would advise her Majesty to diamisa the
appeal with costs. A petition for a prolongation of Hill's
patent for the manufacture of gee (part heard) was con-
cluded. Judgment was reserved. A petition for a prolon-
gation of Ragmen's patent for propelling vowels was heard.
Lord Justice Knight Bruce, on the part of their lordships,
granted an extension of the letters patent for the term of
ten years.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Governor of Newfoundland.

THE PRINCE or WALES AND THE ROYAL AND
ANCITST GOLF CLUB OF ST. ANDRZW&—With no ordinary
feelings of pride and gratification the citizens of St. An-
drews heard last week that the Prince of Wale* had agreed
to become a member of this time-honoined and national
club. These feelings have been farther wrought up by an
intimation that his royal highness has agreed to accept of
the captainship on the expiry of the Earl of Dalhousie's term
of office, in October. It is said that a deputation from the
club will wait upon the Prince in the north, before the clots
of the shooting season, with the object of having hie pre-
sence at their annual meeting. The Prinoe's royal mother
is patroness of the club. King William IV., as patron,
presented a gold medal, which is annually competed for •
and Queen Adelaide, u Duchess of SR Andrews, presented
hi gold medal to be worn by the captein.—Scorrean.

Tae NAVY Cum.—The members of the Navy
Club gave their annual entertainment to the First Lord of
the Admiralty (the Duke of Somerset) last evening, at
Willis's Rooms, Kiog•street, St. James's. The company
sat down to a sumptuous dinner at 8 o'clock, Vice-Admiral
Sir Charles H. Fremantle, K.C.R, presiding. The Duke of
Somerset, KG., the guest, sat on the right of the chair-
m►n. The toasts of "The Queen" and "The Prince of
Wales and the rest of the Royal Family " having been duly
honoured, the gallant chairman gave "The health of bis
Grace the Duke of Somerset, the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty." The toast having been drunk with great enthu-
siasm, the Duke of Somerset returned thanks. The health
of Sir C. Fremantle, the chairman, was then proposed and
duly honoured, and the other usual complimentary touts
terminated the evening's proceedings.

The Duchess Dowager of Sutherland, with the
Duke and Duchess of Sutherland and the Duke and Dubow
of Argyll, received the Prince and Prince= of Wales at her
grace's beautiful villa at Chiswick yesterday, and conducted
them into the villa, where a select circle of the aristocracy,
accompanied by the youthful members of their familice,had
assembled. The duchess had provided a variety of amuse-
ments for her juvenile visitors, who had uncontrolled liberty
in the beautiful grounds of the villa. The Prince and Prin-
ce= of Wales promenaded among the company, and appeared
thoroughly to enjoy their visit. Before leaving the Prince
and Prince= partook of • d6ethaer served in the elegant
pavilion prepared for the Emperor Nicholas on the occasion
of the imperial I:sit to the late Duke of Devonshire in
1844.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland gave a
princely entertainment last eight. ►t Stafford Rouse, to
their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princess hLuy, ►ad his Royal Highome the Duke of Cam-
bridge. Later in the evening, the Duchess of Sutherland
had a "dancing party," to which all the leading members
of the fashionable world ►t present in Loudon were invited.

The following 24 members voted last night for
Mr. B. Cochrane's motion to the effect that the large sums
annually voted for public buildings and improvements in
the metropolis are not expended in a satisfactory manner;
and that, with a view to the efficiency of the Office of
Works, it should be constituted on a different basis
Messrs. H. E. Adair, H. C. Childers, M. E. Corbally, Col.
Dickson, Lord W. Graham, Viscount Grey de Wilton, Sir
J. C. Hay, Mr. J. P. Hennessy, Earl Jermyn, Sir F. Kelly,
Messrs. K. Knightley, H. G. Liddell, G. Lyall, A. Mills,
Major Parker, Messrs. W. A. Roes, IL K. Seymer, Sir J.
V. Shelley, Messrs. Augustus Smith, P. B. Smollett, W.
Stirling, M. Sullivan, R. Torre's', and Col. Williams.
Tellers, Messrs. B. Cochrane and Ferrand.