The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-26 00:00:00

JOHN BROGDEN.

ORLGINAL GOLD CHAIN MANUFACTORY,
s MINRIXITASTILIZT. 00VF—IT-0•13DIN.

JOHN BROM:EWS 18-carat GOLD CHAINS.

JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD GUARD CHAINS.

JOHN BROGDKN'S GOLD ALBERT CHAINS.

tiCMI BROGIDEN'S GOLD BROOCH CHAINS.

BENSON'S WATCHES,
68 and 00, Ludgate-WI: 20, OW Bond-street.

BROWN and POLSON'S CORN FLOUR
for CHILDREN'S DIET.
To obtain ertra 'slept b 7 the sale other kinds are slmetimes
offered Instead of BROWN and POLSON'S.

This day, price id., with Preface,
JOINT STOCK BANKS.
Second Edition.
The preface to this edition renders the scheme clearer, and will
be given gratis to the purchasers of the First Edition on applies•
Mon to the publisher. By WILLIAM RAT SIRE, Esq., F.S A
Mann Nephews, Ownhill.

ONE of the institutions of London is EVANS'S.
Suppers and a charming MUSICAL F.STERTAINMENT
EVERY EVENING. Alter the Megan,' and Mellon. Lm.certa
be sure to sup there.

KEW GARDENS.—NOTICE.—The Iron and
Citizen Steamboats have DISCONTINUED RUNNING
for the season.

enneogs.

PROCESS'S.

IMILIMO, THE 111:7GUiVOT CAPTAIN. Magri. Vining,
B
et
rUng. HAnd Warr LODGMOoney; Slimes Neilson,
S. Augusta Thomson, snd Mrs.

BRITANNIA.
THIS EVENING, THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN.—The Mothers
Vlctorelll ; The Great Vaulting Troupe . H. Wardiel ; The, DeLs.
vantl. And GUNPOWDER TOM : OR, THE GIPSY
MOTHER AND HER BAILOR SON.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDOE.
TMII DAT —Morning, ffi Um Afternoon. Sit Ilrn.
TO-MORROW—Morning, Sit 32t Afternoon. 3h. 53m.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26.

FOLITICIANB are asking one another what is the
real import of this rising in Candia, with the simul-
taneous commotion in Epirus and the adjacent

provinces of Turkey ? Do they signify the immi-
nence of that Eastern question which hangs like a
thunder-cloud over the future of Europe'? or are

they to pass away after merely reminding us of the
stores of combustible elements laid up in Turkey
for some future explosiou ? These are interesting

questions which re certain to keep attention alive
until events which cannot long be delayed shall
bring their solution. We venture, however, to

think that wo need not go so far as the frontier of
Turkey to find au Eastern question in many re-
spects more embarrassing, and, at the same time,
more urgent than the fate of Turkey. There
is a great Empire which not very long ago
WAS the type of political stability, and was popu-
larly regarded as the great conservative Power of
South-Eastern Europe, which now glides from
its old foundations, and threatens to cover
vast countries with its ruins. The Austrian
Empire is just now in a condition more precarious
than any recorded in its history. Without ex-
.

- -
aggeration it may be said that its friends were
better entitled to hope well of it a week after the
battle of Eladowa than they are now. That was a
great and terrible blow: but greatdefeats have before
now given Austria an opportunity of astonishing
the world by manifesting her wonderful power of
recovery. The stroke may have been heavy, but
the reaction was prompt, and behind the ramparts
which sheltered a retreating army, tho wisdom of

statesmen has combined anew the elements of '
national force, while the I% ell-known voice of the
Ears nos, heard in tones of encouragement, has
revived the hope and confidence of the people.
Looking at the history of the last two months
we are led to acknowledge that military defeat
is not the wont misfortune that can befall a State.
That which moat strikes a distant observer of the
events now taking place in Austria is the mute
and passive demeanour of those to whom the people
of the Empire have a right to look for a signal.
Public opinion in Austria is troubled, but no one
speaks a word to calm its fears : it is uneasy be-
cause it is in the dark, but no one offers it light.
The Government is dumb, and leaves its subjects a
prey to the evil spirits which are always busy in
seasons of doubt and obscurity.
The most natural thing in the world is, that in
tiles,: circumstances the inference should be drawn
that the Government is silent because it has no-
thing to say; that it has no clear views, no chosen
aim, no settled purpose, no definite plan. It
would be a mistake to suppose that this is
the language only of hostility or cynical
indifference ; it is just as often the
lament of sincere friendship. We are, indeed,
told that such an inference would be wholly erro-
neous. Our Vienna correspondent assures us
that as soon as the work of peace is concluded it
will be plainly seen that the vessel of the State
is not so hopelessly adrift as it has lately seemed
to be, but that it has a chart, a pilot, and a port.
We trust that this confidence is well founded.
It is a matter which it concerns the EMPEROR

more than any other person living to leek to
There are some Governments so happily placed
that they have only to remain quiet and let time
make their fortune. There are others who are
bound to regard time as an adversary, and to out-
strip him in the race, lest he carry off the golden
opportunity on which success, and, perhaps, exist-
ence depends. The Austrian Government is in this
critical situation ; it has not a week or a day
to lose if it would retain its hold on the peoples
of the Empire who, daily acted on by new attrac-
tions, feel the whole bond which held them toge-
ther more and more weakened and relaxed.
Action, however, implies a policy, and has anyone
in or out of Austria the least conception of what
the policy of the Imperial Government really is ?
We hear indeed from Vienna of the preferences of
this and the aversion of that statesman, and the
likings and dislikings of an unnamed courtier,
whose irresponsible counsels outweigh the well-con-
sidered advice of the wisest and beat of the public
men of the empire ; but no one can tell us what is
the Imperial policy. This is a fatal state of
things. The great NAPOLEON was accustomed to
say that one bad general was better than two
good ones, and it would be well if the
Emperor FRANCIS JOSEPH could seize and hold
the truth which underlies this paradox.
Those who know the Emperor of AUSTRIA
best affirm that he has nothing so much
at heart as the welfare of his subjects, for whom
he works by day and watches by night. At
Vienna everybody acknowledges the accessibility
and openness of this Sovereign, who is often re-
garded here as one of the most exclusive and re-
pellant of rulers. It would be nearer the truth
to say he is far too open to those who offer
advice without assuming any responsibility to the
public. His MArzsry, it would seem, has yet to
learn the great lesson, that counselling the Sove-
reign is a public function, the highest that can
exist in a free State. It is impossible that
Austria should make head against the dangers
Iwhich surround her, much less recover her place
among the nations, until this function shall be much
more honoured in that empire than it is at present.
It is absolutely necessary that the Sovereign

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