The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-08 00:00:00

FRANCE.
THE VISIT TO NANOASAKI.

The Journal Jr. Dibots of the sth instant, contains
an account of the visit of Admiral Cecille to Japan.
The object of this document is stated to be the cor-
rection of erroneous statements with regard to both
the objects and the facts of the expedition. We give
the account slightly abridged.
The French division, composed of the ClSopatre,
the admiral's flog, and the clreettes Vietorieuseest:
Sabine, left Macao en the 20th of May, 1045, and anchored
on the 7th of June in Port Melville, north. coast of the great
Leo Oboe, There were several motives for putting into no
arehipelago which seems to have been disposed by natare
midway between China and Japan. In 1844, the corvette
Alenolne had landed M. Foarcade, a sioionary at Naha.
piang, and latterly he had beam., rather annoyed by foreign
influence. The presence of the French division would tend
te. strengthen his position. In addition to this, the
archipelago of Loo Choo, se yet visited hat by owe
I French *tip, is doubtlgssly. destined to become one
lof the meet important stations in those sees,. On account of
its. situation, it is already visited by Chinese and Japanese
jeinka ; that is duo only point where the navy of both those
gauntries meet, sad it might, in the hands of a commercial
power, became a with and flourishing entrepit. The currant
ef the wind in the Sea of China and the Pacific Ocean drives
ships from the western coast of America to China (and, even
now, their number is-considerable) to pawl)y this archipelago..
What will it be in a few years, when the Americans, noes
master& of California, *rill have.establiehed their indefati-
,gable industry ia that ocean ?
These various motives the Admiral Cecille to pay a
visit to. Loo-Oboe. The French division wee most amicably
received by the inhabitants of these islands, and after a
inlet aff/tes and an exchange of presents, our party bade
farewell to their good friends on the 18th of Jul}. On the
28th of the 66120 month Admiral Cecille anchored his vessels
off Hangasaki, the only port of Japan open to Euro-
peans. When we consider how many sommescial
interests meat on these shores, that Holland endeavours
to *infirm its trade here' that a menage- has been
sent to the Ling from the American President, and that
Admiral Cochran* has here displayed the British flag
[We beg te. say that Admiral Cochrane hat done as such
thing !] and that England probably will soon try to make a
breach in tint hitherto impenetrable empire; what should
we say of s French admiral who only visited the sea of
Japan to keep op a bashful incognito. One admiral had
greater means at his disposal than any other effacers who
have visited these shorts, and, of course, we may con-
clude he was. commissioned to make usa of these means.

He was iatended to present France to the Japanese as •
power peaceful if not allied ; and this is whet has been done-
found
annshadel'vuers vsuessdsurledehored
y a omffultianturclpboats than they
eayt
curious spectators and sellers vegetables and other provi-
sions. Among these were some bolts son ornamented
than the rest, which carried Japanese officer, who came en
board without any signs of ill-will. They came to request
the admiral, with regard to the laws of the country, and to
their interest as official men, not to make any attempt to land.
In all other respects they were very polite, were most ready
to Amish any provisions that were needed, end manifluted
a great curiosity in examining our enines of war, which
were new to 220850/them. The admiral ordered that every-
thing should be shown for the amusement of his visitors,
several of whom stayed to dine on board. During the night,
the whole coast was lit up with • multitude of fires and lan-
terns, and a considerable movement was observed on the
shore "especialty in the forts and batteries around Nan-
gasaki. But these appeared to be simply measures of
precaution; for, on the following day, our vessels were
again visited by the officers of the watch, and others, who
showed the same politeness, amiability, and curiosity as the
visitors of the preceding day. When they bad asked all
their questions and written all their notes (for there were
some who were busy in writing down observations), the
admiral gave them to understand that he had laid in all
necessary provisions, and was about to set sail to continue
his voyage Such is the simple and exact account of this
visit, which, although very brief, has not been without effect.
It the endeavours of our bold French missionaries in Japan
are ever crowned with success ; or if one of our whalers
should be thrown on the coast of Japan, the court of Jeddo
will have learned from its officers that France possesses loge
ships of ear sufficient to guard its rights and protect the in-
terests of its citizens. Having sailed from Nangasaki, the
squadron spent • few days in the gulf of Pedeli, and the
eastern coast of the Corea, where no French vessel bad be-
fore appeared. The time was taken up chiefly in hydro-
graphical observations. But that was not the only ob.
jeer of the admiral. He knew that by showing his flag
on this coast, he was morally helping the courageous mu-
sionaria Who had entered the country the previous year to
take the place of their brethren, who hod been decapitated
a short time before by order of the cruel sovereign who now
occupies the throne. The fine season was however drawing
to a close, and the admiral sailed for Manilla. He anchored
on the 29th of August at Chusan ; and on the 28th of Sep-
tember he entered Manilla, after a voyage wisely conceived,
happily executed, and which has left none but honourable
reminiscences in all quarters for France.

ME BANK or FRANCE.—The Bank of France

has just published its balance-sheet. We extract the follow-
ing :—Actif 1. Specie in chest, value* due or to be
received, 72,734,792(. 50e. 2. Discount and loans,
244,4.53,397(. 54c. 3. Running' accounts and capitals of
branch banks, 78,021,564 f. 66c. 4. Rents, public securities,
and reserved flinch, 6.4,240,807 t 30c. 5. Various funds,
1,131,751( 93c. Total of arty', 460,582,313 f. 93c. Pauli 1.
Circulation without including that of the branch banks,
259,459,801 f. 20c. 2. Running accounts, 111,507,428 f. 74c.
3. Capital and reserved funds, 81,900,000 f. 4. Various,
7,715,083 f. 90c. Total of passif, 460,582,313 f. 93e.
GERMANY.—Some of the German provinces are
now in a state of misery nearly as deplorable as that of Ire-
land. At Hunfeldist, near Fulda, in the electorate of Hene,
one-third of the population, 700 out of 2,400, have been
reduced to beggary. These 700 have received permi.sion
front the authorities to beg for bread two days in the town,
and the other days of the week in the surrounding villages.
METEORIC STONE.—On Christmas day, about 2 p.m.,
the inhabitants of Mindelthal were alarmed by a long peal of
thunder. During the explosion a meteoric stone was seen
falling, which imbedded itself in the fronen earth at the
depth of two feet. When dug out it was found of en irregular
pyramidal shape, and weighed about 141ba.
DENMARK.—The ultra Danish party had made
the following propositions to the King.-1. To arrest the
Duke of Angustenburg. 2. To make all the functionaries
in the duchies take oath to the letter patent, and to dismiss
those that refused. 3. To establish at Copenhagen a cen-
tral regency for the duchies.—The representatives ci! the
two great German powers having been informed of this,
informed their respective governments, and notes of re-
monstrance were accordingly addr, feed to the King. The
question will be brought forward again at the next diet.
SWEDEN.—The Allgemeine Zeitung mentions the
death of the well-known Swedish poet, Tegner, whose prin-
cipal poem has been translated into most of the continental
leaguers. PRISON DISCIPLINE:A letter from Stockholm
states that the six cellular (solitary confinement) prisons,
I built by order el the government in different pert. of the

kingdom, have just bee.l terminated. These prisons can
contain from four to eight hundred prisoners. They will be
iecupied during the entree of next month. The following
arc the prominent features of the regulations of these pri-
sons. The prisoners arc not to bo allowed to speak to each
other. Even while taking their only exercise, in an enclo-
sure, strict silence is to be observed. This exercise is
allowed them daily, and is to last for half an hour: a
longer time may be conceded to tick prisoners, on
the demand of the doctor, and with the sanction of the
governor of the prison. If a prisoner wishes to make a com-
plaint, be can only do so during the time of exercise. He
must then step forward and raise his hand ; upon this, one
of the guardians will listen to what he has to sly. The pri-
soners are to receive the doily visit either of the clergyman,
the doctor, or aline special person appointed for the purpose.
These visits are never to exceed twenty m'nutes. The pri-
soner in his oouver•ations with the functionaries of
the prison, who are the only persons he is allowed
to converse with, must always speak in an under-
tone. Each cell is to be provided with a book
on religion, and iv furnished with a bell so as to enable
the prisoner to call for help in ease of illness. Divine service
is to be performed in the corridors. Durinr the service the
door of each cell is to be opened two or three inches, so as to
enable the prisoners to see and hear the clergyman without
seeing each other. The cells are not to he lighted ; never-
theless, prisoners worthy of lenience may in exceptional cases
sad at their ovn expense receive permission from the
governor to have a light in their cell. (In Sweden during tL•e
short days it is scarcely daylight before 91 in the morning.
Those pruemers who are not sentenced to ha-d labour or to
complete idleness (punishments which must be expressly
denoted ill the sentence) may obtain the permission to work
on their own account. In this case the orison authorities
will endeavour to procure them work. The punishments to
which the prisoners are subject, are:—l. Privation of their
walk in the enclosure. 2. Diminution of their rations of
food, the diminution not to exceed one-third. 3. Locking
up in the black-hole for a period never exceeding eight days.
The latter punishment is only applicable to prisoners who
have made use of violence.