The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-19 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

Of= On owl ooi

• PARIS, FIZDAY lersirusa.
An extraordinary council of ministers, to which,
according to the rumours of the evening, great im-
portance is attached, was convoked at the Tuileries
to-day. The members of the privy binned were
summoned to attend. Not only the Empress, but
Prince Napoleon were present ; so that it
may be fairly presumed that the prince, dis-
missed, it will be remembered, after his Ajaceio
speech, is once more to all intents and purposes a
privy councillor. The Prawn says that if its infor-
mation is correct the " hopes of peace have not
diminished." This is saying little indeed because
these hopes were nearly down to zero yesterday.
It has been well observed that when people
talk of Italy having favourably accepted the
suggestion of a congress, they forget that she
proposes • as the basis of it the cession
of Venetia, and the continuance of her
armaments during the negotiations. Under such
conditions, Italy is in realitymaking use of the peace
negotiators as messengers to carry an ultimatum to
Austria. Marshal Benedek's proclamation to the
Austrian army (just received by telegraph)
clearly anticipates immediate war, and does not
contain a line so much as hinting at any alterna-
tive. In fact the failure of the congress is as good
as confessed when we are told, as the Frew says
to-night, that after a debatebetween Russia, France,
and England, whether the conference should meet
at once, or whether there should be a previous
programme, the latter proposition was adopted.
You now see how little worth was the assertion
that the three powers above mentioned were I
agreed upon the basis of a congress.
It would have been more correct to say
they were agreed that a congress would
be a good thing if they could only find a basis. As
I said yesterday, they sought but did not find.
The " whole question," says the Presse to-night, is

whether Austria will consent to send a plenipoten-

tarry to a conference the programme of which
would involve for her the loss of Venice and I
her humiliation by Prussia in the affair of Hol-
stein 1 It may be confidently answered that !
Austria is not prepared to make these sacrifices or
either of them, and that she intends to fight rather
than yield.
Some uneasiness is felt lest the change in the
ordspf succession in the viceroyalty of Egypt,
said have been arranged between the Sultan and
the Viceroy, may not lead to serious difficulties
hereafter. The present Viceroy is a bad life
and his son is very young. It is feared that
in case of a minority the Porte will claim a
right to appoint a guardian because the uncles of
the newly-constituted heir-apparent would be pre-
tenders. It is probable, however, that this contin-
gency must have been provided for in a way to
keep Egypt practically independent of the Porte.
The first grand cricket match of the season on the
Bois de Boulogne ground is fixed for the 22nd and
23rd instant, when an eleven of the War-office
Club (coming expressly from London) will play
against the Paris Cricket Club.
The Bourse was weaker, under the impression of
Marshal Benedek's proclamation, coupled with
rumours of lower prices at Vienna. Rento fell 10c.
for cash and for account, closing at 04fr. 20c.
' and 63fr. 95c. Italian fell lfr. 20c., and Mobilier
• 6fr. 25c. The defaulting cashier of the Comptoir
d'Escompte is said t.) be arrested.

His Excellency Pin Chun, the Chinese ambas-
sador, accompanied by Kuang Ting, as second envoy, and
anFennougummilei:ih)u:CTshuielaritel3e, Ishi-n:stgrarratn,i,dsedt.la"
jetautinhHees7se:ininitesui,:tiretac,Hhoferotes,Tal
with
(late
the
continent. The mission is attended by Mr. E. C. Bowie,
secretary, and Mr. E. de Champs, as interpreter. We
believe that their stay in England will extend over ten
days or a fortnight.
THE DWELLINGS OF THE WORKING CLASSES.—
The first local meeting of the Metropolitan Sanitary Asso-
ciation was held on Tuesday evening last, at the Vestry-
room, St. George's-in-the-East—the Rev. J. L. Roes, the
rector, in the chair—to discuss the subject of sanitary im-
provement in the dwellings of the poor and labouring
classes. The meeting was well attended, and the ad-
dresses of the speakers were listened to with great atten-
tion. Dr. Lankester, F.R.S., opened the discussion, and
dwelt at considerable length on the causes of disease and
death. Mr. George Godwin, F.R.S„ Mr. Hodgson Pratt,
Mr. Benjamin Shaw, and others, followed, each taking a
separate line of argument with respect to the subject
matter in question. It is the intention of the association
to bold occasional meetings in different parts of London,
where sanitary questions way be discussed in a practical
manner by those who have actual experience in the sub-
ject. The objects chiefly to be kept in view will be the
more efficient working of the present laws, or their exten-
sion and improvement ; and the mode of action, on the
part of local authorities, best calculated to produce real
benefit to the public.
ASSAULT oN GERMAN EMIGRANTS BY IRISH.—
At the Liverpool police-court yesterday, Mr. Samuel,
barrister, appeared before Mr. Raffles, on behalf of some
German emigrants, to ask the assistance of the court
under the following circumstances. Mr. Samuel said that
his clients had arranged with Messrs. Tapscott, the agents
or owners of the ship Tuscarora, for passages to Phila-
delphia. At present there is a strong prejudice in Liver-
pool against the unfortunate foreign emigrants, and when
the clients of Mr. Samuel got on board the Tuscarora, the
Irish passengers, who were very numerous, drove them
into the mate's cabin, and threw their luggage into the
cabin after them. Shortly after this a tender came
alongside the Tuscarora, when the Irish forced all
the Germans to go on board of her, in spite of
the remonstrances of the officers and crews of both the
ship and the steam-tug. The matter was reported to the
police, and a boat's crew of the river police were sent to
the Tuscarora, but the Irish would not let them on board,
even to take away the luggage of the Germans. Mr.
Raffles said the affair was infamous, and the treatment of
the poor foreigners disgraceful to all concerned. It would
never do for the river police to be defied in such a manner.
They must be reinforced, and do their duty at once. Mr.
Murphy, chief superintendent of the Sailors' Home, said
the orders of his worship should be promptly attended to,
provided the Tuscarora nad not left the river. The result
of this strange affair was not known when our parcel was
despatched.
COLLISION ON THE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.—On
Thursday morning a serious accident occurred on the
Caledonian Railway, near Elvanfoot station, by which a
great destruction of property was occasioned. The par
titulars of the catastrophe are briefly as follows :—While
the Aberdeen goods train,consisting of forty-five waggons,
was approaching the summit of a heavy incline, nearly all
the wagons broke away from the engine, and ran back
along the rails almost to Elvanfoot station, a distance of
about three miles, and then came into collision with the
Greenock goods train, which was coming up in the opposite
direction. The waggons were going very fast, and so
violent was the collision that the engine of the Greenock
train and upwards of forty waggons which were attached
to it were sent over the bank into a field below. Six of
the waggons were broken into splinters, and the line was
strewed with various kinds of goods, including salmon,
fresh beef, carcases of pork, cloth. sc. Both lines of rails
were blocked up with the articles, and peak. The
driv of the Aberdeen train jumped off his engine
and er
escaped unhurt, but the fireman was badly
hurt. A doctor was brought from Moffat to attend
him. A gang of fifty men was taken to the place about
3 p.m. to clear the line. By seven o'ock they had suc-
ceeded in clearing one side of the line ;cl
and, with the ex-
ception of the limited mail, which was detained an hour,
there was no interruption of the traffic of the
line daring the day, but some of tr=rtrains were de-
tained upwards of six hours. A strong staff of men was
engaged all day in effectually clearing the line, and thisthey had barely succeeded in doing when night set in.
It appears that the break-van was not able to hold the
waggons after they had broken from the engine, owing to
the steep decline down which they were running.

BISHOP COLENSO AND SLY CLERGY.

- -
The ordinary monthly meeting of the Society
for the Propegstion of the Gospel in Forst:V:oa
terday was so largely attended that the large
e society was unable to contain the members, and str-
adjournment to Willis's-rooms was ordered. The Arch.
bishop of Canterbury did not attend, but the Archbishop
of York (from whom, it was said, the opposition was to
proceed) and the Archbishop of Dublin were there, as were .
also the Bishops of Ely, St. Amid, Ripon, Lincoln, Banger,
Perterboronzh, Oxford, St. David's, Llandaff, Orahametown,
and Siena Iwoes , the Bishop Designate of Nelsen, Arch-
deacon Biekersteth, Archdeacon Grant, Archdeacon
Emery, the Dean of Westminster, the Dean of Canter-
bury, Lord Cranborne, Berl Nelson, Mr. /dewberry,
M.F., and others. The Archbishop of York presidek
It appears that at the meeting in the mouth of
February last a question was raised as to the part the so-
ciety should take as to the episcopal licenses of its mis-
sionaries in the diocese of NULL The standing cods
midge submitted the following resolution :—" In the
present condition of the diocese of Natal the society does
not take on itself to require that its miadonarice hold a
license from a bishop. The society will continue, so far
as it may be enabled, to support missionaries for the
heathen, and to contribute a decreasing sum to-
wards tie salaries of clergymen who minister to
Europeans. Every clergyman will be paid by the society
on the understanding as soon as the society is cer-
tified that the present eoclesiestical questions are suffi-
ciently settled, he will_ Ise bound. like ell other estanialir
lof thesoelsey, aliblietliressif to the %heir sr
ecclesiastical authority in the country in which be is ear-
-1 tlored." Many thought that this resolution
did not 'efficientlyrecognise the authority of the Bishop
of Cape Town, who had deposed Bishop Colenso, and oa
their behalf the Rev. William Denton, M.A., incumbent
of St. Bartholomew's, Cripplegate, moved the following •
amendment :—" That during the present avoidance of the
see of Natal, the clergy of the diocese receive their
licenses from the metropolitan of the church of South
Africa." After a long debate, in which several bishops
and other distinguished persons took part, both the rem- ,
lution and the amendment were withdrawn, on the under-
standingthatat the Maymeeting otherresolutionsshould be
submitted. Accordingly yesterday the standing committers
proposed the following series :—' Referring tolyelaw 18,
which requires the society's missionaries in every country to
besubject when there to the bishop, orother eclesiastical au-
thority, and referring to the minute of 20th Feb.,, 1863, in
which, after reciting a letter from his grace the president,
dated 9th February, 1863, it mu resolved, "That the
society do postpone the re-election of the Bishop of Natal
to the dike of vice-president until such time as they shell.
be certified by the archbishop that the Bishop of Natal has
been cleared of the charges referred to in his grace's
letter ; and that during such interval all matters relating
to the administration of the society's grate to the diocese
of Natal, which have heretofore been placed by the society
under the control of the bishop, be entrusted to a com-
mittee considing of the Dean of Msritsburg, the Arch-
deacons of Maritzburg and Durban, with two laymen who
shall be recommended by the dean and the two aid:idea-
owns, and approved by the society ;'—Resolved, 1. That
the 18th bye-law notwithstanding, none of the missionaries
of the society in Natal shall, until the resolution
of the 20th February, 1863, be withdrawn, be subject to
Bishop Cokes°. 2. That under existing circumstances its
missionaries in Natal be instructed to regard the Natal
committee (which includes the dean and chapter) as their
organ of communication with the society. 3. That the
Bishop of Cape Town be requested to provide, under exist-
ing circumstances, for episcopal ministrations and the
superintendence of the society's missionaries in Natal."
The Dean of Westminster vehemently objected to the
course suggested by the committee, which lieNionsidered
the Bishop of Cape Town's excommunication did not
justify, and " the previous question " was moved. The
Bishop of Oxford, the Bishop of Ely, Canon Trevor, the
Rev. W. Denton, the Rev. K. . Rogow, and other
gentlemen, many points of abstruse ecclesiastical law being
raised in support of the tights and privileges of an arch-
bishop, or metropolitan, during the vacancy, the miscon-
duct, or the incapacity of a suffragan to administer the
affairs of his diocese. Eventually the resolutions of the
standing committee were adopted, and there wu no " dis-
ruption "of the society. A vote of thanks to his grace the
Archbishop of York for presiding, closed the proceedinp
of an extremely animated meeting.

THE GAS EXPLOSION AT ST. JOHN'S WOOD.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Mr. E. Gambart'a residence in Avenue-road,
St. John's-wood, is a semi-detached house, containing
some twenty apartments, with a large picture gal-
lery at the back, with billiard-rooms, conservatories,
&c. Mr. Gambart is the celebrated picture dealer of Fati-
ma% and, as is wall known, is entrusted with the works
of eminent painters living for disposal. The house hal for
several 'lays been undergoing considerable decorations pre-
paratory to a fete Mr. and Mrs. (lambert intended giving
to a large circle of their friends, which was to have come
off on Thursday last. The suite of rooms were fitted up
with great splendour, and in order to give ample spam
for the fancy ball a large tent pavilion was erected on
the lawn at the back of the house, and it was the defec-
tive manner in which the gas-pi pea were laid down from
the gas meter in the house to light up the chandeliers in
the tent that led to the explosion. The inmates retired
to rest rather late on Tuesday night, and at that
time there was no perceptible smell of gas, yet
it had not been turned off at the main. About half-
past 7 o'clock in the morning the bell rang, and one of the
servants got up and let in Elizabeth Ellis, an occasional
charwoman. The servant in coming downstairs noticed that
the house was so full of gee as to affect her breathing,
and on letting the charwoman in she left the kitchen door
open, which is on the basement, to clear the gas off.
Soon afterwards the footman came down, and he at once
lighted a gas-burner in the pantry, and it was by this
circumstance that the explosion occurred, and not by the
poor woman striking a match, as has lieu before reported.
She, it seems, went and opened a door of an apartment
that had been closed all night. It was filled with escaped
gas, as was no doubt the case with the picture gallery and
other apartments at the back of the house, and railing
out in a volume on to the lighted gas-burner in the
pantry, ignited, and the explosion that followed was
tremendous, hurling destruction almost to the whole
suite of rooms in the back part of the 1111allAiOn, while the
neighbourhood shook as if from the shock of an earth-
quake. The inhabitants around at once sent assistance
to the spot, for it was evident from the screams heard
from the interior of the house that some serious &amity
had happened. The poor charwoman, Elizaheth Ellis, and
Mrs. Gambart's servant, Ann Waters, were both disco-
vered lying insensible, bleeding, with their clothes on fire.
The fire was immediately extinguished, and by the ad.
vice of some medical men who were called in they were as
soon as possible taken to the hospital at Paddington, for they
were both very seriously injured as well as burnt. A young
man named William Smith was also found seriously in-
jured,and was removed to the hospital. Elizabeth Ellisdied
I from the effects of her injuries a few hours after her admis-
sion, and Ann Waters is reported to have expired yester-
day. Two other of the servant', were loaned, but not
seriously. Mrs. Gambart was thrown out of her bed
on to the floor by the force of the explosion. as were also
three ladies who slept in the other apartmenta, and Mr.
Gambart was up, and WSJ stare Eng at the froid door;
neither of them sustained any injury. It is clear, however,
that when the unfortunate girl, Ann Waters, first came
down stairs, the whole house was nothing leas than a
gasometer. Had she not left the door open before
the footman lit the pantry gas, every person in the place
must have perished ; as it was smile of the other
servants at the top of the house opt ned their windows
at the same time to get rid of the smell. so that there
was vent for the gas which had accumulated in that
part of the house to escape. Ne: rly the whole of the
costly furniture, ornaments, and ieir ors were smashed
to pieces, and the walls of the le us split in several
places from the basement to the roof. Eeei-y room, indeed,
is a wreck. All the celebrated pictures in the picture gallery
were torn from their frames and were buried beneath the
debris. The flooring was blown up in a mass, the roof
partly off, and the walls split in all directions. The
decorations in the conservatories met with the same
fate as those in the pavilion, and the whole was cee
Corp.scene
under illin
the and h
of
admesteruofct3buinr..
swTanhteonl:ohroalvone
bt.enSalvageen.
gaged ever since recovering from the ruins what property
they can. Mr. Frith's picture of the " Derby Day and
e
Rasa Donheur's " Horse Fair" have been got out unin-
jure,l. For some time Mr. Stantield's " Base Rock " was
supposed to have been destroyed. hut yesterdny it was dis-
covered it had been blown into the :uijoining grounds of
Mr. Justice Lush, and was found to he perfect. The
escape of gas has been discovered to have resulted from
grow negligence on the part of the workmen employed in
altering the gas-pipes. They had connected the pipes from
the pavilion tent on the back lawn with a metre
under the picture-gallery, by means of a short piece of
india-rubber, in which there was a rent of an inch and a
half in length, and thus Bad left it. The loss of property
is very heavy.

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS. —At the
weekly meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works
held yesterday, Sir John Thwaites in the chair, some
discussion took place in reference to the bills now before
parliament for improvements in the metropoli and it was
ultimately agreed," That this board agreed to t'he proposal
that the coal and wine dues should becontinued for 5 addi-
tional years, and! to the principle of an improvement rate,
half thereof to be charged on the owners, and to be raised
in the like manner as the property tax, and on these condi-
tions is prepared to proceed with tlnee rovement bills
, now before parliament." After the transaction of the
' routine business the board adjourned.

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