The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-18 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(ram' OUR ows conaespommi7'.l
PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
The Emperor, Empress, and the Imperial Prince
arrived at the Tuileries from Compiegne at 3 o'clock

this afternoon.
The journals continue to speak doubtfully of the
Empress's pilgrimage to Rome. The France gives
a list of the suite that will accompany her, " if"
she goes. General Fleury figures in the list.
Much pains are taken to impress the public mind
with the notion that her Majesty's trip will
have no political character, and that she will
be merely fulfilling a religious vow, taken
long ago, when her son was ill, to visit the toral
of the apostles. As I mentioned yesterday, the
temptation to the Emperor to allow the desirei
journey is that it might tend to persuade the
ignorant catholic population that he stands well
with the Pope. The prefects of Lyons and Mar_
seines, in both which cities there is a large ca-
tholic element, have undertaken that her Majesty
shall have an enthusiastic reception on her way to
Rome.
The unpopularity of the scheme for the reorgani-
sation of the army increases visibly. The friends
of the project grow lukewarm as its enemies wax
more and more bold. It begins to be rumoured
that the project will be mutilated in the Council of
State, and that the Corps Legislatif cannot be relied
upon to pass it. The vital clause empowering the
Emperor to call out the reserve whenever he
pleases is highly unconstitutional. The Emperor
is the commander-in-chief of the army, but not
(constitutionally) the sole judge of the numbers of
which the army shall consist.
There is a talk of M. Fould's financial report
coming out before Christmas, instead of at the be-
ginning of January, as usual. To make things
look pleasant it will not contain any estimate of
increased expenses for the army, and so will show
a handsome surplus. It will not in the least
interfere with the government project for an in-
creased military force that the bill shall be sent in
later.
The following mysterious paragraph appears in
Ilthe France under the heading " Latest News,
3 o'clock :"
A most serious piece of news is current about the Em-
peror Maximilian. Before publishing it we await further
information.
I have no idea what the particular news referred
to may be. All I know is that his farcical empire
has long been at an end ; that if he could have
done as he liked he would have followed his bag-
gage and arrived in Europe at the time when he
was expected ; and that whatever forms may have
been used for his retention, and in whatever light
his countermarch from Orizaba to Mexico city may
be represented to the public, be is only there, in
point of fact, as Marshal Bazaine's prisoner. If
any news more "grave" than this is about to be
published, I am ignorant of it.
The Bourse fluctuated a good deal, the Rente,
which ultimately fell only 5c., was not the princi-
pal subject of speculation. Mobilier fell 20fr.
Rumours have long been current that the usual
New Year's dividend of 25fr. per share would not
be paid this year. Hopes have been held out that
by the aid of a loan from the Duke of Gallicia,
12fr. 50c. might be paid,but doubts were expressed
to-day whether there would be anything forth-
coming. The affair of the Socidt4 Immobiliere's
lottery is still sub judice. Italian fell 30e., Credit
Foncrier rose 3fr. 75c.

" The state of Count de Bismarck's health," says
the Union, " whatever may be said to the contrary, occa-
sions serious uneasiness. Our own information states that
four medical men of the first eminence met in consultation
at Berlin three days back. Were the malady not of a very
grave ammeter, such an appeal to the greatest medical
celebrities of Berlin and Vienna would certainly not have
been made."
Foraiahed houses and apartments in Paris are
now only Ist b mespiers for a short period* spa in many
oases no engagement is made to extend beyond the month
of January.