The Express.
London, England, 1855-10-04 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS. THUREMAY EvENIN-G. OCTOBER 4, 1855.

L.A.TEST .
NE Vi &FROM ABROAD

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

AND BRITISH

(ram ova oast

-471'
OPERATIONS IN THE BALTIC.

PARIS. TMIIIIIIDA.7 1103/11NO.

The closing of the Exhibition will take plaoe on
the 15th of November. The rewards will be dis-
tributed on the same day by the Emperor.

(sr =Norm
(num ova orrx

The fete to Prince Napoleon will be a soiree at the
New Hotel Louvre, inbtesd of a banquet.

HAIIBURG, THURSDAY.

Intelligence has been received from Riga, dated
the 29th clam°. It is to the effect that four liners,

An officiel despatch from Hamlets+, dated the
22nd of September, says that the embarkation of
troops for Eupatoria had terminated ; the force con-
aistiog of cavalry, artillery, and infantry. The
admiral himself was gone to direct operations.

one frigate, and three corvettes, bombarded the bat•
teries of Donamonde for three hours on the morning
of the previous day, without, however, doing much
damage•

The ships then went over to Bullen, and boto-
birded the place for two hours with more effect.
On the 25th hostile visits were made by two
frigates to Old Balls, where ten ships were burut.

PARIS, WIDNISDAT Evisiso.
A Council of Ministers, at which the Emperor
presided, was held this morning at St. Cloud, and sat
several hours. Notwithstanding the repeated asser-
tions of the ,Oerman newspapers that M. Prokesch-
Osti n's visit to Paris was merely private, I believe it
to be certain that the main subject of the delihera-

tions of the Council was a proposition for peace, sus•

gested by Austria, and which she undertakes to say
that Russia would accept. It is rumoured that

France and England would rot insist upon re-
taining the Crimea, bat that they du make
the payment of the expenses of the war a
sine qua non. This, we may be very sure, is no
part of the Austrian proposal. I think it not rash
to conjecture, that the result of the deliberutions of
this day's council has been hostile to the certainly
inglorious terms of peace which Austria would lain
persuade the Allies to consent to, although there is
doubtless a peace party in the French cabinet. In-
deed the unusually protracted discussion (ior :Le
council which met at 10 o'clock, did not separate

till 2) infers a considerable difference of opinion. I
have myself little doubt that an article in this
day's Constitutionnel by the favourite government
writer, M. Granier de Caseagnac, contains by anti

cipation the Imperial decision which the :Ministerial
Council was in point of fact merely called upon to
register. M. de Cassagnsc begins by protesting that
he is not in any way initiated into the secrets of
Cabinet Councils—a form of preface which implie a
very strongly the exact reverse of the ordinary mean-
ing of the words used; and then, treating of the
course which the Allies are likely to pursue, he throws

it in the teeth of Russia that her diplomatists, not
long since, insisted that faits aecomplis must be taken
as starting points of negotiations. " The fitet of
Sebastopol still exists," said she ; " reduce it
by force if you can, but you cannot oblige,
tre to destroy it with our own hands."
" Now what," he continues, "are these faits accomplist
They are, not the reduction, but the destruction, of
the Russian fleet, the destruction of Sebastopol, iha
uncontretsd posse-lion of the Black Sea and the Sta
of Azoff, with the certain and speedy capture of all
the Crimea looming in the horizon. These are, there-
fore, the bases upon which any new conferences, whe-
ther they be held at Vienna or elsewhere, must rest.'
But everything is now changed, and nothing but
the couqueet of the whole Crimea, the writer implies,
will satisfy the Western Powers as a guarantee
against the ambition of Russia. The article proceeds
thus:
At present, therefore, the conditions of last year are
quite out of the question, and future negotiations must na-
turally cud nticessartly mite fasts accomplat as a starting
pint, namely, the des ruction of the Russian fleet, the
acnihileti•m of ficbastupcl, and, most probably, the con-
quest of the Crimea by the Allies. Although the Russian
troops still csecuoy that reninsula, every one underetands,
in tact, that their 'slimmest there, in the face of a large and

'iVOTIOUS army, is becoming impossible. It is not cersi-

sae, to be a great general to understand, not only that the
Russian army wi.l not long shut Wel up in the Una
which it still pooesaes, but ilea that it will cot expose
irself to be made pr:t.ner en mane, if V:e only comma-
citations which it rtil los cien with its hairs of
operations were cut off. We may, therefore, consider
the Crimea as virtually conquered, since the fall of Sebes•
topol has rendered the allied armies quite free in their move.
meats; and that country once conquered, it will nepead
upon the Allies either to restore it to Russia, or to dispose of
it, according as U.e gnaranoes offered by the Czar for the
tranquility of- Europe mey advise them to follow either a
ridorous course or roe of mcderation. Indeed, the Crimea
is not a province that has ever formed part of the national
and hereditary soil of the Russian empire. Acquired by
force of arms, it may be lost in the same way. Toe Crimea
is, therefore, a pledge which it is neoeseary to take posits-
sion of, btfore any sesione negotiations can be opened. At
present soy esgotia.ion would to but a new snare laid by
Muscovite cunning for the good faith of the West.

The only journals that contain any observations on
the great revolution in the butchery trade, effected by
the decree of yes'erday, are the Assemb'ee and the
Pays. Tho opinions of the Debate and Siec/e would
be more important ; but those journals probably
think it not safo to speak their whole miud, and re-
quire time to weigh the wards of snob limited criti-
cism as may stat:d a chance of being tolerated.
Meanwhile the Pays, as in duty bound as
a government journal, praises the m' asuro
without reserve. It overlooks all the difficul-
ties of execution that must suggest themselves
to every one who examines the subject
with attention, pronounces unhesitatingly in favour
of the maintenance of the butchers' monopoly, as a
thing necessary to the dna victualling of the city of
Paris, and declares that the system of fixing the
price of meat twice a month by authority, is the
very best that could have been devised for securing
the 'ripply, and keeping up a just balance betwces
the price of live cattle and joints of meat.
The zissemblle is of opinion that throwing open the
trade would "perhaps" be the best remedy for the
evils so loog complained of, but, admitting •hencoes-
sity for a monopoly, it looks upon the tax as as
essential counterbalance. I cannot help suspecting
that this journel, being in great disgrace, and
menaced with suppression, is not sorry to find as
opportunity to propitiate the government in a matter
not affecting its political opinions.
The Mayor of Tours has taken the initiative in
proposing the creation of a cheap eating-!rouse for
the working classes. The municipal council has
voted 2 000 fr. for this establishment, and 3,000 fr.
have been raised by a first subscription.
It has been already mentioned that a certain num•
ber of persona at Marseilles had united a certain
capital for the purpose of selling butchers' meat at
nearly cost price. The sale of meat on such terms
commenced on the Ist instant, and they who have
entered into this undertaking have reason to con-
gratulate themselves on the immense support which
the plan obtains from the public. On the first day
the meat of six oxen was rapidly sold, and more
would have been bought had there been a further
supply.

The Bourse has been bad. A number of " execu-
tions " were made, and the Rents cloyed very heavily
at 65fr. 100 , with a fall of 20e. Credit Mobilise fell Mr.
and Austrian railways Orr. 25e. The Lyons and Medi-
terranean Railway fell 22fr. 500. ; Lyons, 12fr. 500.;
and Orleans, Mr. Northern rose Mr. There was a gene-
ral impression that the Bank of France would raise its
discount to 5 per cent. to-morrow. The @hares in the
restaurant of the Passage Jouffroy were brought out
to-day, and formed an exception to the general de-
pression of securities. They wore in great demand
at Mr. premium.