The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-29 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, TVZBDAT EVENING.
The short paragraph in the Moniteur of this morn-
ing, being the first official announcement of the im-
portant fact that French and English ships of war
are anchored before Constantinople, is the subject of
much discussion. Every word isscrupulously weighed,
the discrepancies between this and the numerous

more or leis apocryphal versions of the intelligence
from the East lately circulated by "private tele-
graph," are carefully noted, and the omission to as-
sign a motive for the serious step admitted to have
been takes by the ambassadors, is variously accounted
for. You scarcely meet with two persons agreed as
to the true import of the events that have occurred.
The Iluniteur, which, as it speaks officially and after
long deliberation, we must assume to bo accurate,
states that only two ships from each squa-
dron have entered the Dardanelles. The latest
private telegraphic despatch, confirming in this
respect earlier reports, spoke of three from each, and
added that they were under the command of the
French admiral, Le Barbier de Tinan. Whether the
detachment from the united fleets consisted of four or
six vessels is a matter of detail of no importance
whatever. The error is merely an additional proof
that these telegraphic despatches, retailed by dealers
in foreign correspondence, cannot be depended upon_;
but the Manikur states the important fact, to which
no reference has been made in any former news,
that the ships were sent for " with the concurrence
of the Sultan." Of course the Sultan must have
argned the finnan, without which any foreign vessel
of war entering the straits, would, according to
' existing regulations, be fired upon from the forts.
It is also remarkable that the Montleur adopts
none of the reasons that have been assigned
by the optimists for a demonstration which the
united fleets of France and England have
for the last four months hesitated to make.
It does not say that the frigates were sent to protect
French and English subjects, nor to support the
Sultan against any portion of his own people.
Neither dues it take the middle course of announcing
vaguely that their mission is a precautionary one, in
case of eventualities that may arise. The official
Ijournal, which, whoa circumstances will admit, is
not in the habit of giving news calculated to alarm
the public mind, unaccompanied by some re-assuring
explanation, contents itself with proclaiming the dry

fact that France and England have concurred in a
mum* which ipso facie recognises that a state of
wale:lsta in Europe. It may, however, be that the
French and English ambassadors sent for tha
ships ender the influence of different feelings from
those which now actuate their governments. It is
possible that the fear of en 4naeute in Constantinople
might have operated on their minds at the moment
when they gave the order. It is also possible, nay
probable, that this fear may have been merely alleged
as a' pretext far a step which on other accounts could
not longer be delayed. The ambassadors were not,
it is true, aware on the 14th of September of the
insolent Nesselrode note which has, or ought to have,
given a new direction to the policy of the cabinets of
St. James and the Tuileries. But they did then, and
not sooner, know that the Turkish modifications had
been rejected at St. Petersburg. This event, foreseen
as inevitable by people not initiated in the refine-
ments of diplomacy, must at all events have been
provided for as a possible contingency by the
mediating powers. Nothing is more likely than that
the ambassadors had instructions in such a cue to
hasten a demonstration on the part of the fleets. It
is, moreover, too probable that the same hesitating
spirit which has led to such a miserable result in
the Conference of Vienna may have deprived this
demonstration of its energetic character. It would
be quite consistent if the men who thought them-
selves so clever in proposing that the same set of
words should mean one thing at St. Petersburg and
another at Constantinople, should again "palter in
a double sense," and tell the Czar, and perhaps per-
suade the Sultan to countenance the fiction, that the
ships are in the Dardanelles to protect Christians
against Mussulman fanaticism, while they assure
the Ottoman government that they are there to
prove the determinat n of his allies to support him
against the northern None of the latest

aggressor.
intelligence justifies the supposition that French or
English subjects at Constantinople are in the slight-
est danger, and the affair of the Ulemas, of which so
much was nade, is satisfactorily explained.
I am told that Lord Cowley had a long interview
to-day with M. Drouyn de Lhuys, and that he set
out for London immediately afterwards.
A letter from Moscow of the 17th, mentioned by
the Patrie, announces that, when the Emperor of
Russia leaves Olmutz, he will go to Odessa.
There has been a serious fall at the bourse. The
Threes closed at 74f. 85c., being 90c. lower than yes-
terday. Credit Mobilier fell 20f., Bank of France
Bf., and most of the railways were considerably
lower.

BOULOGNE, WZDNESDAT EVIRSING.
Their Majesties arrived here yesterday, and were
received in a most enthusiastic manner. After the
usual ceremonies, they visited the column of the
grande armee, and in the evening there was a mag-
nificent ball, which was kept up till 4 this morning.
Shortly after one their Majesties left Boulogne amid
the booming of 101 guns for Amiens.