The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-25 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, TILOILEDLY AFTERNOON.
The Moniteur of to-day announces the presenta-
tion to the Emperor of the insignia ci the Grand
Cross of the Imperial Order of Cruzeits, accompanied
by a letter from the Emperor of Brazil.
The Marseilles papers of the 22nn announce that
on the 20th a violent storm had caused numerous
casualties. All the ships moored in the new port
had more or less suffered.

A hundred pleasure-boats had been sunk. The
English steamer Camdoc, dragging her anchors,
was only enabled to secure herself by the use of her
engines.
The departure of the Levant packet Lugger had
been delayed, to wait for despatches from the go-
vernment.

The promenade of Longcbamps had been dull, in
consequence of the cold, which was excessive.
-

The Bourse has been again to-day very active, a
large business was transacted both in 'Lenten and
railway stock at a further improvement on yester-
day's quotations. The Three per Cents., for cash,
advanced 45c., and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents.
80c. For the account the Three per Cents. improved
30c., and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. 60e. ; whilst
Bank Stock experienced a further decline of sf. At
the close of the Bourse the quotations were: For
cub, the Three per Cents. 79f. 70e.; and the Four-
and-a-Half per Cents. 103 f. 70c. For the account. the
Three per Cents. 79f. 50c.; and the Four-and-a-Halt
per Cents. 103 f. 50c. Bank Stock, 2,675. In railway
shares a good business was also done, at higher rates,
and the market closed with an upward tendency in
prices.
Vienna.—Metallique Five per Cents., 931; Loan,
1851, 2071; Lombardy-Venetian, 991; Bank Shares,
1,398.
Berlin.—Loan Four-and-a-Half per Cent., 103;
ditto Three-and-a-Half per Cent., 98; Bank, 1071.
Frankfort.—Austrian Five per Cents., 981; ditto
Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 781 • ditto Three per
Cents., 521; Bank, 1,520; Spanish Three per Cents.,
43 ; Belgium Four-and-a-Half_per Cents., 991.
PARIS, Win:42BDV( EVININCI.
The excitement on the subject of the eastern
question has considerably subsided tc-day, and the
belief that it will be settled without producing
a difference between the powers of Europe gains
gamed. A report that the English govern-
ing* had sent orders to Admiral Dundee not
M have Malta has been generally credited, and has
preload a favourable effect. At the same time, I
elseseve that the transitions of public opinion
bon ars so rapid, and often rest upon such alight
!bandanna, that no inference with regard to a
matter of fact can be safely drawn from them ono
way or another. If it be true that the English fleet
is not to approach the Dardanelles, what is the French
fleet going to do in that direction ? M. Grainier de
Cassagnac, whose pen, although on one memorable
occasion emphatically disavowed, has so often been
employed to express the views of the Emperor, says
this morning in the Constautionnel, that the French
fleet has been ordered to leave Toulon simplj be-
cause the English agent at Constantinople " having
sent for the British fleet, it was right, proper, and
necessary, for the dignity of France, that our
fleet should approach the spot where a new
question has arisen." It is curious that while
the Times of yesterday treats the crisis at
Constantinople as one in which England has no
concern, the Colistitulionnei says that France,
having obtained all she wanted by the recognition
of her " traditional protectorate of the holy places," is
wholly disinterested, in the question, thinks only of
preserving peace, and looks on as a calm spectator,
while Austria, Russia, and England, wbo, by reason
of their possessions in the immediate neighbourhood
of the Turkish empire, have a direct interest in ar-
rangements to which France is indifferent, endeavour
to settle any differences they may have with regard,
to the Porte. It may be well to consider whether'
some mystification may not possibly lurk in )d. de
Caasagnac's article.
Rumours of war were rife at Odessa, according to
letters recently received. It was said that orders
bad been given to assemble together several divisions
of the army, that the 4th Corps d'Armee, under
General Dannenberg, consisting of 70,000 men, was
about to cross the Pruth, that the sth division of
Luder's Corps and seven regiments of cavalry were to
join General Dannenberg, that two divisions of
Luder's corps were to embark at Odessa and Sebes-
tapol, and that all these movements were to be
effected by March 20. The old Turkish citadel close
by Odessa was being fortified. These accounts,
although very circumstantial, must of coarse be re-
ceived with caution.

The Independance of Brunelle says that extraor-
dinary estafottes are being organised for the frequent
transmission of despatches between Odessa and St.
I'etersbnrgh, the Czar desiring to be particularly in-
formed of all that passes in the Black Sea. It was
thought at Odessa that tho Czar would go to Vienna
in the spring, and thence proceed direct to Odessa
by the Danube. He would go there to see that his
orders for the urgiaisation of the fleet had been exe-
cuted.

It appears that a prophecy of ancient date is cur-
rent in St. Petersburg that divine service, according
to the rites of the Greek church, would be celebrated
in Saint Sophia 406 years after the taking of Con-
stantinople by Mahomet 11. That event occurred in
1453. The believers in the prophecy therefore look
for its fulfilment in the course of the present year.
The Prase notices as follows the official returns
of the customs which have just been published in the
Meniteur:

The produce of the customs during the first two months
of the present par shows a uotable diminution on that of
18.52. This is a proof of the calm that has existed since
the commencement of the year in the operations of com-
merce with foreign countries. This calm, however, is
only relative. Tae markets and manufactories were, at
the ended December, !Oil, without r.w material, and
therefore considerable purchases were made abroad, thus
augmenting considerably the customs receipts for the firs