The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-03 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY IMMO, JANUARY X 162.

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

RECEPTION OP GENERAL OOYON BY THZ

POPE.
ROM JAIL 1, 111112.
To-day being New Year's-day, General Goyon
presented the French officers to the Pope, and in
the name of the officers and soldiers whom he com-
manded offered the customary congratulations to
his Holiness.

General Goyon spoke of the devotion with which
they were inspired towards the Pope, and asked
his Helium to grant them the Apostolic benedic-
tion.

The Pope thanked General Goyon for the senti-
ments he had expressed, and hoped that the pre-
sence of the French soldiers at Rome would not
permit the fulfilment of any irreligious or impolitic
act.

The Pope concluded by bestowing the Apostolic
benediction on the Emperor of the French, the
Imperial family, and the whole Preach army.

PRUSSIA.

ombanuoy imams avow a Mir *Kash venom 5s ran-
ge', in the name of the Prussian army, presented
the customary congratulations to the King.
His Majesty, in reply, mid :
"I am coovineed that the any Irmo ipliAame.
Unmet§ I entertain towards it. Prussia can calmly
behold whatever events may arise from the state of
things in non-European countries, because her army
stands ready, firm, and armed."
In replying to the congratulations of the Minis-
ters, his Majesty mentioned the heavy losses
which the royal house had to lament, and said :
"The past year had been marked by many sad
events. The year now commencing has likewise a
serious aspect, because the state of things in Ger-
many, in Europe, and in fact in the whole world,
presents eventualities the possible development of
which renders it our duty to be prepared and to
stand united together ; and this shall certainly be
done."

POLAND.
BRESLAU, lAN. 2.
The SclikaiseAe Zeitung of to-day says i
" It has transpired at Warsaw that Prince Czar-
toriski has had a private audienci of the Pope, in
which his Holiness expressed his decided disap-
proval of the proceeding of R. Bialobrzeski in
dosing the churches of Warsaw."

TURKEY.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dsc. 2S.

Rini Pacha has been recalled to the capital.
It is rumoured that Mehemet Kiprisli Pacha will
soon return to Constantinople, and will be appointed
Minister without portfolio.
Fixed Puha has proposed to raise a loan against
monopolies of the tobacco and salt excise duties,
and the income tax, and to convert the caimis into
balilika.

road Pasha and Mehemet Rnscbdi Pasha are,
said to be intriguing against Aali Pacha. The fall
of the latter is probable.

ITALY.

(nos nos owir counsrosinorr.)
NAPLES, Dec. 24.
Brigandage has become so oft a repeated subject
that little attention seems to be given it ; and yet
there are occurrences daily happeniug of such im-
portauoe that it is • matter of wonder it does not
cause greater interest. For instance, on the 16th
instant, Cipriano la Gala's band made • sortie
during the night time on San Martino, but had to
retreat to take refuge on the neighbouring bill,
as soon as the detachment of hersaglieri, or rifle-
men, attacked them, leaving 43 dead and many
prisoners, and 50 have surrendered. On the 17th
another rencontre took place at Ascoli, when eleven
of the brigands were killed. On the 18th they
suffered • severe loss in the same neighbourhood.
At Putenza bands infest the woods, keeping the
inhabitants in a constant state of fear. On the 19th,
from Benevento came the news of a baud 200
strong dispersed by an energetic attack made
on them by a small company of riflemen, beaded
by Lieutenant Negris ; and many prisoners were
made besides the dead and wounded. Two
hundred and eighty-one prisoners were sent to
Salerno from Potenza last week, there to await
their sentence, which it is thought will not be a very
lenient one. At Nola, on the 20th, after the last
rencoutre, where the baud of Graham suffered such
severe losses, 18 of them, armed, voluntarily pre-
sented themselves to the authorities of the district,
where they are to await the sentence of the judi-
ciary.
From Spain constant assistance is afforded to the
furtherance and maintenance of these rnatirandingl
bands, and the noted Carlist general, Cabrera,
and others, it is said, have been sent to form and
command moat of these expeditious.
The inhabitants of Torre del Greco are already
bringiug back their bode and small household
utensils to reoccupy their dwellings, such as they
find them, and look without shuddering at the
large fissures through which daylight penetrates.
They seem callous to the danger of the fabric
falling, as some do daily, from their dilapidated
state, and the incessant vibration of the mountain,
caused by the eruption, which now issuea from the
original cone, at the summit. One would think
that the sight of the remains of buildings buried
deep under the lava of 1794, and which the large
chasm in the principal street has now exposed to
view, might well deter them from again living on
that dreaded spot. In the garden where the eruption
first broke out a large opening has brought to sight
a church and its steeple, an also the burial-ground,
the open graves of which display skeletons. Seven
churches have been so damaged that they are un-
serviceable. In some of the half fallen houses in
that portion of the town, a chair, table, or picture
here and there may still be seen in the position
they originally occupied. The mountain continues
to emit fire, and smoke and ashes cover the whole
town. The sulphuric emanations near the sea am so
powerful that many who approached them were ren-
dered insensible.

The Christmas festivals have passed in perfect
order, though not "quietness," as the usual bar-
barous custom of letting off " pop-guns " for eight
days previous proves detrimental to one's peace
and comfort. Indoors they rack the mind, and
out of doors they rack the body not unfrequently,
and 56 victims are to be deplored, who were taken
to hospitals dangerously wounded, and had in three
or more eases to undergo amputation. In a church
at Capo di Monte one of these missiles, flying
against its windows, broke the panes of glass, and
caused in its descent so tremendous a crash that the
officiating priest rushed out in terror, screaming
" Earthquake, earthquake ! " and in the crush of
the people who followed him many were severely
hurt and some died from the effects of their
injuries.
To-day the usual religious ceremony was per-
formed at the church of the Carmine, where the
syndic and municipal authorities attended in state
to do homage to the wooden crucifix. On such oc-
casions the hair on the bead of the figure, supposed
to hare grown in the worse of the year elapsed,
has to bee eat with doe respect owl swo This oars-

imiayi iasawmasmorationof the mimisisperformed
• tbe Minim image, which bent its Lied to avoid
ties shots from the French batteries during the
age against Alfonso of Aragon.
Nothing of note, politically speaking, ham
occurred to change the aspect of things in general
hare. The town is perfectly quiet, and visitors are
fiesking_in from all parte to see the eruption of
Pignut Vesuvius, which, by the "symptoms" at-
tending it, leads people to suppose that there will
be shortly a much grander one.
The theatres are open every night, and generally
crowded, but the companies are execrable, and flea
Oarlo, once famed for its singers and musical pro-
ductions, has, owing to the bad management,
dwibdled into a second rate theatre. Verdes core-1
petitions , with few exceptions, the only ones
re=are
n exchange, 591 ; Paris, 23.16.

RUSSIA.

Mc out owl,

ST. PETERSSUB.G, Dm 27.
By almounts received here overland, viL Siberia,
it appears that Russia is at present attempting to
/mild !mond Sebastopol in the BrArth Paskilio

two litiMislands, called North and Southi;sl.7"r"7
geographically belonging to the Japanese Arabi-
pelage, and subject from time immemorial to the
lhapira et Jatiaa. Tllexare assingated tans oak
eittiorefirk ionna,Tneroinng a capaclinis- bay, with
excellent anchorage, and snugly sheltered from
every possible wind. Though small, these islands
are densely populated, to the amount, it is said,
of more than thirty thousand, and the inhabitants
are a civilised, peaceable, and industrious race, pro-
ducing most beautiful manufactures, in which they
carry on an extensive and lucrative traffic with
Yeddo, where these articles are held in great esti-
mation. The soil is fruitful and well cultivated,
the climate deliciously mild and remarkably
healthy. This favoured spot is governed by a
Japanese Daimio, who resides at the town and
port of Fatcha ; and, though appointed by the go-
vernment, and paying allegiance to the Tykoon, he
is placed in a very independent position from the
gnat distance to the capital.
Whilst Admiral Sir James Hope was lately
taking &cruise in her Majesty's ship Ringdove,
having heard favourable amounts of the natural
advantages and capabilities of these islands, and
their sheltered harbour, he determined to look in
there, and he did so ; but it was with the
greatest wonder and astonishment that, on doubling
the cape that shuts out the use from view, be found
there three Russian frigates at anchor, who seemed
to have made themselves quite as much at home in
the island as if they were at Cronstadt. Bustle and
activity prevailed everywhere on shore, boats were
drawn up on the beach sad undergoing repairs,
stores ware being landed sod warehoused, sailors
were exercising with small arms, and to crown all,
the imperial flag of Russia was floating from the
summit of the buildings, which were separated
from the native town and surrounded by strong de-
fensive works.

When Sir James inquired into the particulars
of this new Russian establishment, he was
informed that they had asked permission of the
DiliUlla to repair their boats on shore and build
a house for the better accommodation of their sick
people, which had been readily granted ; but it
appears LW the repairs of their boats were never
finished and their invalids never got well, though
looking remarkably healthy ; and the one building
originally intended for the hospital bad Fr &dually
,to several, which were well fortified, and
whose oemignatii—eiven when the frigates were out
cruising—were strong and numerous enough to
overawe the native inhabitanta and keep them in
check. The Russians acknowledged all this, but
added that they had orders from their admiral,
who was gone to Japan, to remain in that harbour
till his return, though they were unable to say
wheu, or if ever, this would happen.
The fact is that Russia views with anxiety and
jealousy the daily increasing influence aud com-
merce of England in China and Japan, and as she
cannot openly compete with British enterprise, she
has recourse to this underhand way of pushing for-
ward her advanced posts. It may here bo stated
that Tsu-sima is not one of the ports of Japan
opened by treaty for foreign trade, and still loss
for the admission of European ships of war ; and
by thus occupying the island under such a specious
pretext, Russia may not only provoke the animo-
sity of Japan, but exasperate the people of that
country against all European nations generally,
which in the present excited state of the popula-
tion and their decided wish to back out of
their engagements, cud shut themselves up again
from the rest of the world, as was the case previous
to the conclusion of the treaties, is a thing to be
avoided as much as possible, and especially by ,
using the utmost caution not to give that jealous
nation of Japan any fresh cause of complaint.
Were such an event to occur, Russia would have
little or nothing to lose, her commercial relations '
with Japan being of a very trifling nature and in-
considerable value ; but in case of • war she would
be in possession of a very important position, which
might easily be rendered impregnable by a little
engineering talent and Russian military skill.
She would have in this advanced poet a
formidable strategic advantage, within easy
distance of her own ports on the Amour,
from which she could receive her supplies
of stores and ammunition, whilst the sheltered se-
curity of the b•yatfords the most desirable facilities
for a coal depot, and • convenient point of ren-
dezvous for her ships of war, from which they
might with great facility undertake offensive opera-
tious in Japan, and as easily retire, in case of need,
to refit their vessels and take on board fresh stores
of ammunition, coals, provisions, and water.
It is impossible to ascertain whether Russia really
entertains any such deep-laid plans of ambition and
future aggrandisement ; but as such a course of
proceeding would be quite in harmony widi the his-
tory of her traditional policy, it is not beyond the
range of possibility or even probability. It ran,
therefore, only be considered in the light of a public
benefit to give open warning, and allow other na-
tions to place themselves un their guard, as fore-
warned is fore-armed.

Ann or ma NouiLrrr, tke.—Wo find from
" Who's Who in 1862 " that the oldest duke tithe Duke of
Cleveland, whose age is 73, the youngest is the Duke of
Norfolk, aged 14 ; the oldest marquis is the Marquis el
Lansdowne, 81 ; the youngest, the Marquis of Ely, 12; the
alert earl is the Earl of Charisma; 86 ; the youngest, the
Earl of Clarieville, 9 ; the oldest viscount is VisomatOoms
heroism, 88 ; the youngest, Viscount Dowse, 17 ; the oldest,
baron is Lord Sinclair, 93 ; the youngest, Lord Rossmore,
10 ; the oldest archbishop is the Archbishop of Armagh, 88;
the youngest, the Archbishop of York, 67 ; the oldest
bishop is the Bishop of Exeter, 84 ; the youngest, the Bishop
of Gloucester sad Bristol, 42 ; the oldest colonial bishop
is the Bishop of Toronto, 82 ; the youngest the
Bishop of Madras, 41 ; the oldest Privy Councillor is Lord
Lymlliurst, 89, the yuaegest Earl Spencer, 26 ; the oldest
member of the Home of moos is Sir Chules M. Barrel;
Bart. (the member for Shoreham), 87, the youngest Mr.
Regioad A. Vyser (the member for Ripon), t 2 ; the oldest
Wie Baglead is Dr. Lushington, 79, the youngest Mr.
B Wilda, 45 ;the oldest. udge is Ireland is Chief Justice
WM. MrJostke Keogh, 44 ; the oldest
jades is Boothia is d Wood, 73, the youngest the Lord
Justice Clerk. 51 ; the oldest baronet is Sir Tattoo Sykes,
89, the youngest Mr Grenville L. J. Temple, 3 ; the oldest
knight 1s Greed Mr James L Oaldwell, 0.0.3., 91, the
yousgeet air Mope T. Bright, 29.
The dawns Shannon, Abbott, which arrived at
Kouthareptea pests day, from the West lodise, revert, that
on the 1M December she pained a larre eh* appareatly a
mao.of-war, esbleh had bees before the vied with
all studdsog tees est ; bet es the Iheassee, took
in all m.WesY sad heeled to the whal, eel prod sheet
foar mist OMNI%

MUSIC.

MR. LAND'S 00NOEBT.-THE SISTERS

SIR STAPIORD NOSTNOOTE AND THE LATE
PARINGS CONSORT.

At the annual general meeting of the members

Three celebrated ladiee—of whose brilliant ap- and friends of the eider School of Art, on Monday even-
ing, the president, Sr Brannan H. Norman, Ban.,
pursuer at the Paris Orand Opera the year before last.
mmmouot, nostimmita ammo, m much here been mid_ K.?., in opening the proceedinp said—There wee one sub-
hasa appeared wore the English public ; not, ject which was not directly consented perhaps with the
howaoar, ; . the way
we
should naturally have impacted business ..f the evening, yet which he felt sure they would
they would hay. dose—on the bards of our Italian permit him to allude to, because he could hardly think that
Opms. It almost always happens that when performan have there was say assembly of Englishmen in which the subject
mated such a sensation in the musical world as the wasnot" du time uppermost in their eii°4 mid he was
quite sure that at meetinp of that kind it was one that
libtas Marchisio have done, their immediate engagement in would command respectful and sympathetic attention. It
London follows as a matter of course. Their appearance, . was just • week since most of them were assembled in the
heartfelt ceremony—it was more than • ceremony—ia
therefore, at Cogent-garden Let season was generally looked cathedral of that city to take pert in the impressive and
which they shared, in which they Tint in their claim as
throughout the
g beEnigolisnidhmezr,entoietakeforththeire Shan,
lwhichof tithe. ofd their
flamer,
tonidrithinsoltitr.
unadiappoiforatamensentawaast oaconeopercel
ibytamits
plies. They have now arrived in England, under an engage-
during this protest mouth of Jemmy. Concerts and the hos which they ad
sustained, in the sudden
are not calculated to display the full extent of their powers, he, reet
___,,oweent which harl hal= iyou them. He felt slue
far they are great burdens (according to the coacurriag could never " f meeting for any purpose to
who had lately bees taken from
yaw of the FIND There"' the, have aPPeeNeO es well thee as the hie Prince Cogent bad bee.. (Hew, heir.)
pent Awn. Bat their porforarimer at St. JUKOWIS. He hit this to be a wends/ appropriate time to do a%
hall led erasing 'bowed that they are eampislidy for If they could, le their mind a o'er lacerate the idea of the
than maw" Prince Consort, the husband of tar quasi, the statesman,
trehlYghl.'" entioipatiois*".t 'Thi7;7l7arhosa'—'iosaisd. the great treasure of England, as he was, free the idea of
Their , the patron of art which they had in Prince Albert—it theyy
that performance was the famous dust in Meelfreetisk could think of bins only as a great idiom& who had de.
" Ebben, a te, feriscl," the tame pisers which fed incited voted his attention and tuna to the id
I 16i.te OAP* lol:Pish hi °WI lhesh-lf•mh

remarkable idwastsgs, Shag while h Is

dramitie,

peals with anguish; -truth and faros as Wings of the
characiars in a situation of thii most tragic inkiest, its
musical banks. ars so gree—(b keg, flowing ask-
pasisis, end N. dsallrh. es/MMinaniel it 'llse

_
two vocal parte, are so exquisite, that it soften less
from the absence of the►trical accessories than any other
drsmaticdustwith which we unacquainted. Its performance
was all that has been described by the warmest coatinental
critics. It is well known that Rossini himself, sated as he
has been with music and with faros, was excited by
curiosity to beer the youog performers at his house, and
was so charmed with their talent that he took the greatest
pleasure in listening to them as they sang to him the whole
of their parte in the most nangeilloent of his operas, and in
giving them his valuable consmis—conneels which are very

apparent in the exquisite taste and purity of style dis-
played in every phrase. We cannot pretend to give any idea
of their singing. It beggars description, and must be
beard in order to form n notion of the perfection to which
duet•singing may be carried. The two voices, though of
different registers, are of kindred quality ; they are equally
sweet, equally rich, equally true in intonation—equally

lovely, in short ; and ►ernes they blend together am no two
voices have done that we have heard before. They hare
a **wining°, the beauty of which cannot ever be imagined—
it is a stream of harmony, so soft that it 'isms to be felt
rather than heard, while ite thrilling effect is like that of
the " dying falter' of the Aolian harp. But we are trying
la vain to describe what is indescribable, and must
&modes the attempt. Let oar readers, hear for them.
mine this transceodent, this iocompuzble singing.
In another duet, also Rosines--" No, Matilde, nor morrai,"
from Matilde di Shabraa--a dust not equal to the principa-
ls& but still full of peculiar beauties of Romini's style—the
air realists displayed similar powers, and were rewired
witicionilar enthusiasm.

The performances either gifted sisters, of cosur, formed
the great features of the concert ; but it posesend carder-
able »tared in other respects. Mies Elena Coarse is •
ream Inger of groat merit, sod of the highest promise.
the Issas charming sorer voice, and wings with i•telli-
genes, tests, sod feeling. She asog "Casts Diva" beauti-
fully. Mr. Walter Holies is s young tenor who, we
nadentand, has had great soccer on the Lisboa boards—
& aces= which he has undoubtedly deserved. We have no
doubt he would be • valuable acquisition to our English
Opera stage. Signor Ciampi, Mr. Swift, and Signor Oceslli,
who took part in the concert, ere already known to the
public.
There were several instrusseral performance• The
young Arthur Napoleou, who wee knows • few years ago r
• prestrous boy, he. berme • powerful pianist of the Lied
sehooL He played • piece of that composer, which essmed
more remarkable for extravap•ee than for beauty. Vieux-
temps played with his usual matchless execution ; sod •
Parisisa violoncellist, M. Lamoury, made his first appear-
face ia London—a performer possessed of fluent execution,
with • French thinness of tone.

To-morrow there is to be a morning concertnt St. James's-
hall, at which the Ydllee. Marchino and the other performer,
we hava mentioned are lo appear ; after which the party
will set out on their provincial tour.

THE AMERICAN DIFFICULTY.

(not on own

BIRMINGHAM. THURSDAY Mow.

A public meeting hes been held in the Town-
hall here to-night to confider the propriety of urging upon
the government to have recourse to arbitration, instead of
as immediate declaration of war, in the event of i serious
diaagreement occurring with the United States.

The meeting had been convened by the If Ivor npon a
requisition signed chiefly by the friends of the panes party.
At the time the mayor took the chair, at seven o'clock,
three were about 2,000 penes. present, but the number
gradually increased to nearly &WO.
. .

Kr. Alderman BA LDVIIIi moved a resolution to the
effect—" That the meeting declared its opinion that the
present occasion is a fitting one on which to carry out a
declaration assented to by the Cengrees of Parte, in 1858,
recommending that in any States between which • serious
disagreement should thereafter arise, before appealing to
force recourse should be bad to the good offices of some
friendly power."
Mr. Gious DIXON, vice-president of the Chamber of
Commeire, seconded the resolution.

his lam was the subject of natieetaliriet—ind famiraW.
Perhaps if one weLeuiyiog a general tribute to his
memory, he would like to put that Juidling mod
forward, but now they think of him MI we` althea of
airs poi week is whisk they woe engaged, that, ha
thought, was the time, sad there the place, in which they
might most appropriately speak of his pat merits. He
was a peat patron ot art. They had hod many royal and
noble patrons of art, sad what they had done had been
good in its way, but it was not the kind of way Prince
Albert did. There was a distinction, and that distinction
was this. They had seen other royal patrons spend more
money in purchasing beautiful pictures and sculptures for
their own gratification—to adorn public buildings and em-
bellish some seat of which they were proud ; they had seen
them patronise learned men and men of akill in arts. But
what Prime Albert did was not that. He gave not only
his money, but his time and thoughts, not to the pur-
chase of • certain number of designs and works of
art, but to the creation of a ,feeling for art, the establish-
, merit of education in art throughout the kingdom, and what
he did was to work himself. It was a work for which the
whole nation would be grateful to the latest age, for that
work had really, as they believed, {skim root among them
and was growing, and was work for which he would
be remembered to the last generation in England,
because he planted saseagst them a trve that was growing
and bearing fruit.

Mr. EVIIIAIU), a working may, moved a resolution to the
effect that the meeting had confidence in her Majesty's
government, and left the settlement of the American ques-
tion in their hands.

Mr. TAYLOR, a factor, seconded the amendment.
After several gentlemen had sd•lressed the meeting,

Mr. Broog•INITH moved • verbal alteration in the
original resolution, to the effect that the present occasion
" may be •fitting one.

Ilia having been seconded, and the promoters of the
original resolution agreeing to sooept it,
The MAYOR proceeded to put it as SO amended ; but the
audieoce had become confueed, Lod when the show of hands
was taken, it was evident the meeting were unaware for
which resolution they were voting. The Mayor declared the
original resolution as amended to be carried. Upon this
an immense storm of disapprobation arose, and lasted a long
time.

Dr. Mrmoil, a borough magistrate. came to the front of
the pilkay, and said that the meeting had been " been,
poetised," though be did not intend to impute blame to the
Mayor, and it wail quite certain that his worship did not
intend to art unfairly. _

The meeting continued, howe►er, to vehementl► protest
against the expreesion of its opinion as declared by the
Mayor. Ultimately it was agreed that a sawed vote should
be taken or, the roam question.

Mr. EVERAIID came forward and moved the following :
" That this meeting highly approves of the prompt sad
manly conduct of Lord Palmerston, Earl Rome% sad tbe
cabinet m this trying international emergeoey, sad at the
lame time trusts that this quarrel may be Itasoarably
terminated without war."
Dr. Mn rum sooondod the resolution, which wee espported
by the key. It. W. Data
On a show of bends being taken, the Mayor declared it to
be carried by on overwhelming majority.
A memorial was subsequently proposed by the framers
of the arbitration resolution, but was lost by • large
majority.