The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-20 00:00:00

ItIf4CELLANEOUS TOPICS.

The Ti nice, sketching the present position of As king-
dom of Greece, comes to the conclusion that in any out-
break of hostilities they may provoke with the Ottoman
power, the Greeks will have to bear alone the whole brunt of
the contest. But before they are prepared to contend for
the possession of Crete, Epirus, and Thesesly, the Times
wonders that they do not take more thorough possession
of those fair regions of Attica, More►, and lkeotia, their
right of property over which there is none to dispute.
They suffer two-thirds of their arable soil to be unculti-
vated, and this alone would allow of the increase of their
population by a million. Putting the Turk out of the
question, we may doubt whether it is the Greek that could
take his place. The Greek has not yet grown up to hie full
use. Indeed, there is something stunted and ricketty in
his appearance that leaves little hope of immediate de-
velopment.
Fully acknowledging the pacific character of M. llouher's
late speech, the haily News asks for moro substantial
guarantees. The weak point in all such declarations, even
from the minister of state, is that his own personal sin-
cerity goes for nothing in determining a policy in which
he has no part or lot except to glorify it in all its capri-
cious manifestations, as be was instructed to glorify the
Mexican expedition, and as he might be instructed to
glorify a war for the " reveadication" of a frontier, if the
Emperor should find peace without liberty impracticable.
M. Bismarck's circular, which is destined to make an im-
pression wherever it is read, comes opportunely to put
French policy to the test.
The management of passenger vessels, apropos of the
late collision in the Thames, and the rerolations, with a
view to the avoidance of collision, is the subject of
articles in the Times, Herald, and Star. The Times
reminds us that anyone who sees that a steamer is over-
crowded may prosecute the offenders, and they are liable,
" besides other penalties, to • penalty for cow/ person on
board over and above the number mentioned in the ship's
certificate. The law, then, amply suffices to meet such
cases. It rests with the public, who are endangered by
its infringement, to compel its proper observance.
The Herald and Star condemn more particularly the in-
explicable remissness which has so long left the lives of
the thousands of passengers who daily throng our river
steamboats to the protection of the chapter of accidents
and the mercy of any ship-master who chooses " to contest
the point" with another, not calculating closely the
chances of collision.

According to the Standar.l,it is generally admitted that
the position of the church of England is at least critical
in its relations towards the state. Many persons arc filled
with alarm at the prospect before them, relative to
church rates, Easter dues, and the Irish establishment in
particular. What are the precise advantages and disad-
vantages of the voluntary system we know only, or chiefly,
in theory. But, whether for good or for evil, it is well to
be prepared for such changes, if they are to come.

the Court.

BALMORAL, Barr. Is.

The Queen, accompanied by Prince Arthur and
Prince Leopold, went out yesterday morning, and in the
afternoon drove to Loch Calleter with Princess Christian
and Lady Frances Baillie.
Princess Louise went out driving, attended by Lady
Churchill and the Hon. Harriet Phipps.
His Excellency H. and Madame Van de Weyer and the
Rev. C. Kingsley had the honour of dining with the Queen
and Royal Family.

Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office
to the Governors of Gibraltar, Malta, the Mauritius,
Ceylon, Hong Kong, Labuan, the Australian Colonies, and
the Straits Settlements.

Her Majesty the Queen has sent a statuette of
herself and a candelabrum to the Fine Arts Exhibition at
present being held in Inverness.

_
Lord H. G. Lennox, M.P., Secretary of the Ad-
miralty, is on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of St.
Albans, at Bestwood Park, Notts.

The Marquis of Lorne left on Tuesday for
Turkey. His lordship also intends visiting India, and will
be absent several months.

The Hon. Colonel Augustus Cathcart shot a
woodcock at Berbeth on the 18th inst. The earliest this
SOIIJOII.

The following is the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer's reply to the letter of Mr. Dund.u, of Arniston,
inviting the right hon. gentleman to a banquet in Edin•
burgh, on the 29th October :—" Hughenden Manor, Sept.
13, 1867.—Dear sir,—l feel deeply honoured by the in-
vitation of my friends in Scotland to dine with them in
their beautiful and famous capital, and particularly by the
medium through which their invitation has been conveyed.
And on the 29th October, as proposed, I count on the
gratification of finding myself their guest—Believe me,
dear sir, with great consideration, year obliged and
faithful servant, B. DIBRAILL—Itobert Dundas, Esq."