The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1851.

Satareau, of the staff ; Lemaire, 19th of gendarmerie ;
d'Anthouard Vraineourt, 24th ; Memo, 68th line ;
Coeur, 2nd reg. foreign legion ; 114ond, 31st line ; Boost,
33rd line ' • Pessard, 27th line ; d'Hugues, 37th line ; Con-
rad, 19th line; Bourgoord de Lamare, 13th light infan-
try • d'Aurelle de Paladins, ',mares ; Ney d'Elchingen,
7th'dragoons ; Consearin, 3rd spahis • Beltramin, Gth dra-
goons; Dorsch, 4th African chasieurs; du Poilloue de
Saint-Mars, 9th dragoons; Lannes de Montebello,
7th Outwears; Allot, 7th artillery; and Allard, director of
the fortifications of Nantes.
Adniiral Jacob, the senior officer of the French
nary, having sent his adhesion to the President of '
the Republic, has received the following reply from
; the Minister of Marine:

I have laid before the President of the Republic the letter
which you enclosed to me, felicitating him on having
saved society when menaced by the demagogical party. The
nephew of the Emperor has felt very sensibly the kind ex-
pressions smployed by one of the glorious veterans of the
fleet, and has charged me to express to you his satisfaction.
- • -

The President appeared at the Opera last night,
attended by the Ministers of War and the Interior,
and his aide-de-camp, General itoguct. He was
cheered upon his entrance with cries of " Vivo Na-
poleon!" which he acknowledged by bowing several
times. When he retired the same cries were re-

peated, and accompanied hits to his carriage.
The government has given orders to the authorities
in the departments not to release any prisoner made
in the departments without previously referring to
the ministry.
A French ship of war is to be sent to Muscat in
consequence of a difference with the Imaum, who has
I withdrawn the leave he gave for the exportation
of negroes to the Isle of Boubon.
A decree appears opening to the Minister of the
Interior a credit of 5,600,000 francs, applicable to
the liquidation of the indemnities to be grouted to
proprietoi a' whose property suffered material da-
mage by the events of February and June, 1848.
The sum will be distributed, under the superintend-
ence of the Minister of the Interior, conformably to
the decisions of the commission appointed by decree
of September 2, 1850.
The considerations upon which this decree is based
are the provisions of the law of the 10th of Vende-
moire, in the year 4 of the Republic, which enacts
that communes arc responsible for the damage com-
mitted with open torte by mobs, as well as for the
interest of the corresponding valuation. It is alleged
that Paris is in an exceptional situation, which does
not authorise the absolute imposition of such an obli-
gation upon the capital. But although the state is not
legally obliged so to do, it is nevertheless conforma-
ble to the rules of equity and sound policy to repair
unmerited disasters, and efface as much as possible
the painful remembrance of civil discords.
A deice of the Prefect of the Ilerault of the pith
has postponed the election in 16 communes of the
arrondissement of Be•:ziers, one commune in the arron-
dissement of Saint Pons, and two in that of Mont-
pellier, on the ground that insurrection had broken
out in these communes that the municipalities had
not been yet reorganised, and that the state of feeling
in those localities would be a serious obstacle to the
sincerity of the ballot.
The official declaration of the votes of the depart-
ment of the Seine took place at the Hotel-de-Ville
yesterday morning. M. Fleury, member of the
Council of Perfeeture, took the chair. The bureau
was composed of MM. Prelart and Duperrier, mem-
bers of the Municipal Council. M. Berger, the Pre-
fect of the Seine, oppened the sitting by addressing a
speech to the mayors of the different atrondiesetneuts,
in which he thanked them fur the zeal and devoted-
ness they had shown during the electoral operations,
and begged them to be the bearers of his thanks to
their several deputies for their zealous co-opera-
tion. The department of the Seine had, he
said, given a striking adhesion to the great act of
December 2, and in which the whole country would
unite. The speech of the Prekct was warmly ap-
plauded, after which M. Fleury, the President, read
the decree for the vote, and the mayors proceeded to
state the general number of the voters, and the num-
ber of the affirmative and negative votes in their
respective districts. When this was finished, the
Prefect of the Seine proposed that the mayors
should carry the result to the President of the Ito
public, which was agreed to with acelamation.
As the numbers were alreedy known the crowd
round the Hotel-de-Ville was very small, and
the whole passed off with the greatest order.
Louis Napoleon having received the deputation,
thanked the mayors for their devoted concurrence,
and congratulated himself on receiving from the de-
partment of the Seine a mark of confidence so strik-
ing, and still greater than had been bestowed in De-
leember, 1848. lie would endeavour to show himself
worthy of the confidence which France testified in
him, by consecrating himself entirely to the happi-
ness and prosperity of the country. These words
were received with tries of " Vice Napoleon." " Vise
le President."
The Consultative Commission met yesterday to
examine the returns sent in of the votes in the de-
partments. As the greatest number of the Councils
of the Prefecture only assembled yesterday in the
departments, the Minister of the Interior was nut
able to present to the bureau a great number of re-
turns. No business took place, and the commission
adjourned till to-morrow (Friday).
Decrees appear, opening to the minister of finances
a supplementary credit of 220,229 f. for various items;
re-organising the persomsel of the committee of sur-
veillance of the Caisse des depots et consig-
nations ; suppressing tho law of October 3,
It+is, relative to the professional teaching of
Agriculture; appointing M. lioussingault, Professor
of Agricultural Chemistry at the Conservatoire des
Arts et Meteirs, and M. Ville, Professor of the same
science at the Agronire Institute; promoting the
well known officer Yusaf, commander of the
native forces in Algeria, to be General of
Brigade on the Staff ; appointing Generals
Cuurand, Boast, &Alphonse, Ripond, and Par-
touneaux, to the command of various brigades
of divisions of the army of Paris; and Generals
Dapleix, du Poillone de St. Mars, d'ltugues,
Mayran, and Peyssard to command respectively at
Orleans, Nancy, Grenoble, Avignon, La Rochelle,
and Bourges. Ten promotions to colonelcies, and
ten to lieutenant-coloneleies follow, with the usual
profusion of decorations.
1 mentioned some days since that several masonic
lodges bad been closed, and that the Grand Master
of the Grand Orient of France wishing to meet the
views of the government, had issued a general order,
prohibiting any masonic meeting before the Ist
of January. It appears that this is not
enough. There is to be a general persecution of
freemasonry. The Jesuits, of all people in the world,
object to masonic lodges, because they are secret so-
cieties. "Shut them up.altagether," says the nsirers
to Louis Napoleon. " Yon are strong enough to do
whatever vou please; you have only the middle
classes (the bourgeoisie) against you, and lodges are
the especial secret societies of the 'bourgeoisie.'"
It will be in vain to plead, what is familiar know-
ledge, that the very essence of freemasonry is ineon-
sistent with any interference of its members quo free-
masons with political questions. It can't be denied
that masonic meetings bring friecds together. In
coming to, or going from, the lodge they may per-
chance walk in groups of three or four together.
They may take occasion to talk politics, or may pos-
sibly make some appointment for another day.
Masonry is a vety ancient, very innocent institution,
deeply rooted in the habits of the people. Never
mind, the Jesuits don't like it ; they are omnipotent ;
and masonry must submit to be suspeuded, and hope
fir better times.

ITALY.

PIEDMONT.

Rude, in t kingdom of Naples. he duration of
one of theshee shocks, at MeHi, was T
upwards of 12
lseconds.

SPAIN.

The Gazette contains a decree for the re-organisa-
tion of the Bank of St. Ferdinand. The capital will
be for the present fixed at 120 millions of reale (30
millions of francs), but it may be hereafter carried
up to 200 millions. The privilege is to continue for
years. The bank will have the power of issuing
notes to the amount of its capital. The reserve fund
will be formed by taking 10 per cent, from the pro-
fits. The bank will have the power of establishing
branch establishments wherever they may be con-
sidered necessary. The Count de San Imis (M.
Sartorial+) has been elected deputy for Priego in
spite of the most determined opposition on the part
of the government. The decree for the concession
of the Almansa Railway has been at length signed,
but is not yet published. •
MADRID, DEC. 19.
The semi-official organ of the cabinet, the Orden,
which has recently renewed its editorial staff, and
obtained the assistance of writers whose ultra opi-
nions are well known, contained an article yesterday,
which is universally considered as on 3 of the preli-
minaries of the coup ff,'tat expected in a few
days. The writer, after drawing a sombre pic-
ture of the dangers of the socialist propaganda,
states, and with some appearance of truth, that the
political parties in this country are well nigh extinct,
that the deepest indifference has succeeded the ardour
of former years, that though there be ambitious
leaders, th.ere are no confiding and disciplined fol-
lowers, and that now that society seems to he threat-
ened by a new and dangerous sect, it is incumbent on
all men, of whatever shade of political opinion, to
rally round the throne, the altar, and the institutions.
He concludes by remarking, that, for the present, he
will not enter into more ample and all-important
considerations. In the meantime the most minute
attention is paid to the discipline, clothing, and pay
of the army, which is now under the direction of a
war minister, personally popular, and evidently well
versed in the details of his department. Notwith-
standing all the assertions of General Narvacz,
about the impossibility of reducing the war esti.
mates, the present minister has succeeded in effect-
ing a reduction of nn less than twenty millions of
mils; and, so skilfully has this reduction been made,
that all the necessary outlays of money for the
construction of military barracks, Paixhans cannons,
and 30,000 percussion, cap muskets have been made.
The walls of the fortresses of Cadiz have been re-
paired, and a cavalry school, in imitation of that at
Saumur, has been established. The contractors of
provisions for the army have been compelled to
furnish them of the best quality • and a number of
gros= abases, that were permitted during the corrupt
administration of the last minister, have been done
away with. The government, in the present disposi-
tion of the army, will find it obedient in any
emergence, and a passive instrument for whatever
is required of it.

MADRID, DEC. 20.

The Queen and the infanta just born are in excel-
lent hcnhh. The baptism will take place to-morrow.
The Minister has not awaited the sanction of
the Chambers for the legal enacting of the tariff
bill he brought into the lower house a few days
before it closed, but has made it law by a decree
published in to-day's Gazette. In the preamble it is
stated that the results obtained in the year 1850
from the new tariff of 1819 have been favourable
with few exceptions, which gave rise to the three
bills which were presented to the Cortes. The first
is relative to the introduction of weaved cotton goods,
mixed cotton goods, and ready-made clothes. The
second bill is for the modification of iron import duties,
and the third is for the lowering of the duties on other
articles. with the hope that such a measure will be
advantageous to the consumer and to the revenue,
without injury to the national manufactories, as they
produce few of the goods alluded to. The presenta-
tion of these bills produced a certain stagnation in
trade, in consequence of the prorogation of the
Chambers. tinder these circumstances the minister,
desirous of conciliating the interests of the state
with the attributions of the legislature, has thought
it expedient to enact acme of the provisions in the
third bill, after consulting with members of the com-
mittee on the tariff bills, and the most considerable
manufacturers in the kingdom. In consequence cod-
fish, the consumption of which has declined since 1849,
when the duties upon that article were augmented,
without any amelioration either in Spanish fisheries
or cattle-growing having resulted thereby, is to be
admitted upon paying 31 reels, when brought from
European or American fisheries in native bottoms,
end 421 reels in foreign bottoms; and when brought
from other fisheries, 47 70-100 reels in native bot-
toms, and 58 30-100 reels in foreign bottoms. Lea-
thers, the heavy duties on which have had a very
injurious effect on Spanish tanneries and shoe manu-
factories, are to be admitted, when proceeding from I
the Philippine Islas de, at only 2 60-100 reels in native
bottoms, and 25 90-100 reale in foreign bottoms. The
duties on paper of all kinds, thread stockings or
woollen stockings, and earthenware of different kinds
are al very considerably diminished, in consequence
of the markets being almost ex( lusively supplied
with these articles by smugglers. The duty on brass,
however, will be raised, in consequence of the repre-
sentations of manufhaturers. The duties on cloths,
baize, twills, flannels, serge& merinoes, beavers, and
woollens of different kinds, arc considerably reduced.
The government has had the mortification to find
that the Count of San Luis, the Minister of the In-
terior in Narvarz's cabinet, has been elected member
of the Chamber of Deputies for Priego, after a severe
contest, in which every means were taken to effect
the return of the ministerial candidate.