The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-15 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, TUESDAY ZYZNINO.
The optimist view of the eastern question is de-
cidedly the favourite one to-day. It is positively as-
serted in a German paper that, although Lord Strat-
ford de Redcliffe is empowered to order the British fleet
to advance to Constantinople in certain contingen-
cies, his instructions are express that the occupation
of the Danubian provinces by Russia is not to be
taken as a declaration of war. The Bourse takes
great comfort in believing that the only thing
which Russia proposes to do for the moment will be
considered by the allied powers as an act void of of-
fence, and, therefore, although this version of Lord de
Redcliffe's instructions comes from no reliable source,
it is very generally credited. This view is however
at variance with the statement generally received in
political circles yesterday, that France and England
were agreed that the Sultan himself should be left to
decide whether the invasion of those provinces, under
the circumstances, was tantamount to a declaration
of war upon him. It is moreover at variance with the
tone of the French journal'. The Pays, as I mentioned
yesterday, took it for granted that if Russia crossed
the Fruth, the combined fleets would enter the Dar-
danelles, and this they could not rightfully do if
Turkey were at peace. There is not a syllable in the
Moniteur, or any of the semi-official papers to-day,
to show that the question is one iota less serious
than it has ever been. The Conatitutionnel,
in publishing the important article—communiqué
l it may. almost be called—in yesterday's Aseemblee,
says, in evident allusion to the assertion of that jour-
nal that the occupation of the Danubian provinces
would not have the character of adeclaration of war :
d. We give this analysis of the Russian note, leaving
the responsiblity of it to the Aseenducle, for in
such matters the text is the important thing to
be known. For the rest, the Russian note may
be compared to the Turkish note which we give in
another place. We shall continuo thus to keep our
readers (yr courant, concealing nothing from them,
but not seeking to deduce consequences which events
may contradict." The obvious meaning of this is, that
Russia may find herself mistaken in supposing that
an act of decided hostility against Turkey will be
treated by the allied powers, not according to the
nature of the act itself, but according to the con-

atruction which she chooses to put upon it. It ap-
pears that the arrival of Count Panic which made
such a sensation yesterday, is, after all. en event of
no political importance whatever. His wife has
lived in Paris for some time, and the Cu,,-,
stitutionnel says he has merely come to
take her to the baths of Vichy, and that
he is not charged with any diplomatic misasion. The
dissemblej confirms the latter statement, but adds
that the present* of the Russian Minieter
of Justice in Paris is an important fact, as
showing the improbability of any rupture be-
tween the courts of the Tuileries and St.
Petersburg. But this observation is merely in
accordance with the Russian theory, which assumes
with an affectation of candour that in all she pro-
poses to do there is nothing in any way tending to
a breach of the general pence.
The Brest journals announce that the steam-
frigates the Ponsone and the Cutrarelli, and the men-
of-war the Ilercule and the Duguesclin, were being
armed in that port, but that their destination was
not known.

iAt the Bourse to day, although the amount of
business transacted was not extensive, yesterday's
prices were steadily supported, with a slight advance
at the termination, there being an improvement to
the extent of 25c. in the Four-and-a-Half per Cents.
for cash, and of 30c. in the Three per Ceuta. for the
account. No change occurred in the quotations of
the other descriptions of stock. Bank of France
shares also remained without variation. The closing
prices were : For cash, Three per Cents., 78f. ; Four-
and-a-Half ditto, 102.25; for the account, Three per
Cents., 78.20; Four-and-a Half ditto, 102.20; Baok
Stock, 26.60 ; Northerns, 894 f. 30c. ; Paris and Or-
leans, 1065 ; Paris and Strasbourg, 903 ; Paris and
Lyons, 920 ; Paris and Rouen, 1045 ; Lyons to the
Mediterranean, 745 ; Western of France, 735 ;
Rouen and Havre, 475.