The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-28 00:00:00

FASHIONS FOR AUGUST.

(From Le Mkt.)
Our task this month is one of great difficulty,
for at the present moment the wheels of fashion are almost
stationary. As usual at this intermediate season there
appears a dearth of novelty ; the modes having been de-
cided, we can only repeat the directions already given.
The materials worn are the same as these previously
referred to. The seaside and country toilettes in course of
preparation are composed of sultan., mohair, poll de
chivre, linos, pique, faille., alpaca', moires trete, and the
foulards, so long in favour, and to whose reign there seems
no end or limit.
Paletots, dresses, and petticoats are still made from one
piece, and have a very elegant and ladylike effect. It is
unnecessary for the whole of the petticoat to be made of
the same material as the dress, as in case of an expensive
fabric it adds materially to the cost of the toilette. The
upper pert of the petticoat can be made in a less expensive
material of the same colour as the portion intended to be
shown. Of course the same plan can be adopted when the
under-skirt is of • different material and colour to the
dress.
The waists of bodies are again worn in their natural posi-
tion, except with dresses of the " Primus's" form ; they
are then worn rather shorter. The skirts are very much
gored, being quite scanty ironed the waist. In any thick
material they have generally four wide flat plaits at the
band, one in front, another at the back, and one at each
side. In some cues the skirts have plaits only at the
back, the front of the skirt and body being cut in one.
This is the " Gabrielle " pattern, sod is more becoming
than the " Prim:ease," which has no fulness, the whole
of the skirt and body being cut together.
Many dressy materials are made with low bodies and
short sleeves, under which are worn high guimpes and
long sleeves. Lace and muslin fichus are also worn over
these bodies instead of the guimpes. Some of these low
corsages are made with long sleeves, but these are not so
pretty or so dressy as the short sleeve with thin under-
sleeve. Muslin bodies with peplum are much worn over
low dresses, and if well made have s very elegant effect.
The peplum-basque attached to • band and worn over the
bodies is very much in favour, a/ it presents exactly the
. _ .

appearance of a tight-fitting masque.
There is no alteration in the form of mantles. The
small floating paletot, with or without a hood ; the short
circular ; and the canotiere, a small loose paletot, shorter
in the front, double-breasted, with revers and square
pockets, are all much worn. The half-fitting jacket is not
in favour at the present moment.
Shawls, even of lace. are very seldom seen ; moat ladies
possessing these articles have had them transformed into
masques or rotondes ; in this material the half-fitting
masque is admissible, as lace is not a fabric that can be
made to fit the figure closely.
The pointi.,, or half-shawl of lace, is still worn by ladies
who do not care to show so much of their figures u is dis-
played in a casaque. With muslin dresses young ladies
wear small circulars or straight scarves. The former style
is the most in favour, as it covers the shoulders, which are
too much exposed for out of doors by a scarf.
The shape et bonnets has not changed in the least since
last month. Both " Fanchons" and " Lamballes" will be
worn through the autumn.
Two or three varieties of hats have been introduced
lately, but they are not very pretty ; moat of them have
very flat crowns. For quite morning wear at the seaside,
the round " Sailor" bat of shiny black leather with a blue
ribbon will be worn, but only by quite young ladies. Hats
of Leghorn or other kinds of straw are generally trimmed
with flowers. Feathers are very rarely employed. The
, rice-straw and crinoline hats are always lined with colour
to match the dress with which they are worn.

A Cabinet Council was held this day at the
official residence of the First Lord of the
Treasury.
Lady Moleaworth has left town for Pencarrow
Park, her seat in Cornwall. Her ladyship intends receiving
• sinsiession of guests during the months of August and
September.
A rumour is current in Ireland to the effect that
Viscount Monck will retire from the governor-generalship
of Canada on the confederation of the British provinces,
and that Lord Naas will become his successor. In this
event, it is added, Mr. Gregory will likely become Chief
Secretary for Ireland.
The Speaker of the House of Commons has ap-
pointed Mr. Reginald Palgreve, of the Journal-office,
House of Commons, to the office of examiner of petitions
for private bills in the room of Mr. Samuel Smith, re-
signed.
By the kindness of gentlemen in Nottingham
and neighbourhood private hospitality will be offered to
more than 300 members of the British Association at the
ensuing meeting. Lodgings at an average rate of 5a per
night have been registered for more than 1,000 visitors ;
and if the meeting is • very large one, from 200 to 300
beds have been reserved in neighbouring towns, easily
accessible by special trains alter every night of the meet-
ing-
The government is allowing a number of the
Fenian prisoners to leave this country for America. They
have to pledge themselves, however, not to return. On
Thursday General Michael Gleason, late of the United
States army, was released from Mcrantjoy Prison, in which
he had been confined since the suspension of the Habeas
Corpus Act. Mr. O'Donnell, chief divisional magistrate,
attended, and having perfected the general's reeognisances,
he was released. The general's liberty bad been previously
offered him, but he invariably refused. In stature be
reaches to nearly seven feet, and is said to have displayed
great courage in the American war. A brother of Gleeson,
who ranked as captain in the Federal service, remains a
prisoner in Mountjoy.
Several friends of Italy having expressed them-
selves ready to subscribe on behalf of the Italian wounded
soldiers, the Marquis d'Azeglio states that, although he
is not instructed by the government to open a list to that
effect, he shall consider it his duty to receive and forward
to the central committees privately organised in Turin or
Florence, any sum of money or parcels destined to the
wounded Italian soldiers, volunteers, or sailors. Subscrip-
tions and parcel will be equally received at say of the
Italian consulates in the kingdom.
The Hungarian legion consists of 19,000 men,
who have all voluntarily entered the ranks. The 35,000
other prisoners of various nationalities taken in the war
by the Prussians are such • burden to the government
that they have now been allowed, if they choose toe) so, to
hire themselves out as field hands, and make what bargain
they can with their employers. The latter are, however,
responsible to the government for the wages, the crown
being in honour bound to provide for the prisoners. As a
rule, they are to work in gangs under the guard of single
soldiers, but exceptions are permitted.
Du= OF THX DowAan. DUCHESS or NORTH-
IHOIXILOHX—We have to record the death of Charlotte
Florenba, Dowager Duchess of Northumberland—one of
the most benevolent of her family—who expired shortly
after 6 *Week yesterday morning at her residence at
Twickenham. The deceased lady was the second daugh-
ter of Edward, first Earl of Parris, sad aunt of the pre-
sent Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, ke. She was born in
1787, and married in 1817, Hugh, third Duke of North-
umberland. For the lest month or so her health bad
been melt impaired.