The Express.
London, England, 1846-12-19 00:00:00

TEE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 19, 1846.

excise duties, while Mr. Lawmen considered it
as i part of " the great food question."
However, be it for good or evil, the malt tax re-
peal question has passed out of the bands of the far-
mers into those of the protectionist landholders. The
probable effect is, that the movement has received its
quietus.

the civil tribunal of the Seine was occupied with a suit by
Madlle. Ziuna, a young lady of a respectao:: family, against
a M. Ensile, who, after repeated protestatleas that he
would marry her, had married another lady. Madill*. Ziuna
had loved truly, and too well, for a child was the result of
her weakness, and it bad been baptised in the name of the
father, who not only acknowledged it, but even declared
at the registry of the birth that it was his child by. his
legitimate spouse, the mother. The promise of the marriage,
both verbally and in writing, was clearly proved, but the
counsel for the defence contended that Madlle. Ziuna and he
mother had taken advantage of the youth and inexperience
of the defendant, who is indeed older than the plaintiff, but
it was argued that young ladies are much mere clever than
young gentlemen, and that Matins. Ziuna, although younger
in yes's, was superior in tact to her seducer. The Avocet
du Roi, in his address to the court, said that, " if it was
necessary to give reparation to the victim of seduction, it
was quite as necessary to avoid holding out premiums to a
sex who complain too frequently of being such victims."
The court rejected the demand of Madlle. Ziuna for damages.
NETILERLANDS.—THE HAGUE, DEC. 15.—The
official journal published a royal decree of the 10th of this
month, for putting out of circulation the old coins of one
florin and half florin, after the 25th of December. The same
journal publishes the condition of the loan of one million,
being the fourth series of the loan of eight millions for
defraying the expenses occasioned by the draining of the
Lake of Haarlem, fixed by the royal decree of the sth of
December, 1846. This loan is to be contracted by virtue of
the law of the 22nd of March, 1839, with interest of 41 per
cent. There remains a series of one million of this loan to be
negotiated, which will not take place during the year 1847.
AMSTERDAM, DEC. 5.—A e learn that within these
few days severs] inhabitants of this city have received mes-
sages inviting them to come to a certain place, at a certain
hour, which messages were found to be mere pretenses, pro-
, bably with no other object than to have an opportunity of
committing some robberies.
ROTTERDAM, DEC. 14.—1 n consequence of the
heavy fall of snow the Meuse is covered with frozen snow,
SO that several steam-boats are prevented from leaving the
port as usual this morning.
FRANKFORT, DEC. 12.—The treaty of commerce
and navigation, concluded between Austria and Russia, was
published at Vienna on the 7th of this month. By this
treaty the two parties are placed in all respects on the same
peeing, so that the regulations of the system of differential
duties lately introduced in Russia, and the advantages
granted to the Russian marine, are not to be confined to
Russia. The report of a conspiracy said to have been dis-
covered on the Rhine appears to be unfounded. Very urgent
warnings have, however, been sent by diplomatic channels
from Paris to several courts, announcing that emissaries of
the Propaganda intended to visit the Rhenish provinces
and central Germany.
COLOGNE, DEC. 13.—We learn that ice floated
down yesterday from the Maine, and to-day from the
Moselle, into the Rhine. The latter came down to-day as
far as indernach. The bridge here is taken up.
BRESLAU, DEC. I.—Our commercial journal pub-
lishes the following official notice ;—." The undersigned de-
puties of the city, and merchants of Breslau, consider it as
their duty, on their return from Berlin, to inform the public
that the highest public authorities have acknowledged the
importance of the preservation of free-trade with the terri-
tory of the Republic of Cracow, secured by article eight of
the 3.1 of May, 1815, in the fullest extent, and that they have
received the satisfactory assurance that the maintenance of
this free-trade will be the unconditional basis of the commer
cial regulations to be agreed upon with the Austrian autho-
rities —Breslau, 30th Nov., 1846." (Hera follow the signa-
tures of the merchants.)
RUSSIA.—ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. I.—The IMpe-
rial Court gill remains at Peterhof, and it is not yet decided
when it will remove to the capital. The day before yesterday
the places of public amusement which were closed on account
of the death of the Grand Duchess Maria, were again oper.ed.
On the 28th November our winter began with a very sharp
north-east wind, and a heavy fall of snow, with six degrees
of cold; on the following day the Neva brought down
much ice, so that the bridges betweeen the city and the
islands bad to be taken up. To-day the snow was deep,
and the cold increased to nine degrees.

THE OVERLAND ROUTE FROM INDIA.
The Augsburg Gazette contains the following article:—
" The first three experimental trials have taken place, and
it may be as well to cast an eye at their results, and the con-
sequences attending them. The object of England is nothing
less than to insure a second and as quick a route as that
through France in case of a rupture with that country, and
Germany has in view the re-establishment of the Venetian-
Hanseatac route of the middle ages, and a new high road
along the Rhine, across the Alps to the Adriatic and the
Beat, and to each of a system of universal brokerage.
Holland seeks a more direct and more speedy line
of communication with her East Indian colonies, and
Belgium, as also the western and southern states of
Germany, would gain an increased traffic in the augmented
transit of goods and managers. The British government
and the East India Company are satisfied with the re•ults of
the trials as regards Germany, and this route has rather
gained ground in their good opinion than otherwise. It is
a fact that both of Wughorn's despatches arrived sooner than
theirs via Marseilles, as they came to hand at six o'clock,
and not at half-past eight, as formerly stated, whilst those by
Prunes were net yet in tk. Herald othce. The Cracow affaut
has a thing but contributed to patch up the entente
eordiok, but, on the coateary, has widened the breach,
and the statesmen of Great Britain wish to have, at all
price, a second postal route at their command ; and that
such a one will he established no doubt is entertained, be it
by Trieste, Anenna, or Briadisi. As yet fattaare in favour
of Trieste, where- KO much has been done by Austrian Lloyds,
who are quite capable of establishing a regular service. lJn-
happily it seem that at Vienna the idea is entertained of
making the Indian overland mute pass through that capital,
arid the Snick and Salzburg railway will not be heard of (?)
This is a stumbling block which might prove fatal to the
route by Trieste. Switzerland and Naples are eager to
do their utmost, and the new lines of rail-
way decreed by the Pope are all favourable to
the enterprise. Austria would then have reason after-
wards to lament her want of energy at the proper moment,
and her having opposed an impracticable system of centraliza-
tion to the unchangeable geographical circumstances of the
country. U is, however, to be hoped that the energy and
tact displayed by that eminent statesman.„ Baron liasbeck,
will not leave him its the present instance, and that he will
at once perceive the only way of realising the idea of an
Austrian East Indian commercial route.
The following is the result of the three experimental trials :

Alestulginio;l7;6e _.....106
Fr"...• Marseilles to London —.... 79
I Alexandria to Trials
6"4Y* 'blest* to London. ....

Alexandria to Markings—.
Frnwr' Marseilles to Loudon
as.v, Alexandria to Trieste .._
Trieste to Loucks