The Express.
London, England, 1860-02-28 00:00:00

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

PLYMOUTH, MONDAY.

The Royal Mail steamship Celt, Captain Brown,
has arrived. Bbe left the Cape, Jan. 20; Bt. Helena,
Jan. 29 ; and Ascension, Feb. 2. Trade at the Cape was
doll and money warm. A change (or the better was hoped
for from the Cape and Natal Bank projected in London.

Sir George Grey was still looked for by next incomiog
steamer from England.

The vine distais woe still spreading, end had identified it-
self u the " oidinm toekeri ;" the extant of its ravages wu
being examined by a commission.

Preterit, Dictator of Tranaraal, bad also been elected pre-
sident of Orange state. It was believed that the home go-
vernment would not ruction this 11111011.

Livingsione's expedition was at Kongone on the 12th of
December. All well. An insurrection against the Sultan
of Zanzibar had been quelled by her Majestia ship Lyn:.

Yesterday's Moniteur publishes an exceedingly
bug report from M. Rouber to the Emperor, on the beet
UMW of 'eying out iu public improvements the sum remain-
ing from the last loan, which his Majesty bad intimated he
should propose to the legislative body to apply in that man-
ner. X. Rootlet =igen& that 100,000,C00 francs should be
expended as follows .—Roads and bridges, 16,000,000; inter-
nal navigation, 42,000000 ; berbours said lighthouses,
36.000,000 ; agricultural improvement, 8,000,000. The con-
sideration of railways X. Rasher reserves for a future report.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(YZON OUR OWN

PARIS, lloxiikT Evaxmo.

I have reason to believe that the French note re-
quiring Piedmont to give up all thoughts of the
annexation of Tuscany was presented to Count
Cavour this morning. M. Massimo d'Azeglio, the
Sardinian ambassador in London, passed through
Paris yesterday, in all haste for Turin. His journey
is doubtless connected with the new and unexpected
turn of affairs. From all I can learn from Italians
here, the King of Sardinia will refuse to accede to
the French proposals, come what may. Some think
that the French government is quite prepared for
a refusal ; and that in that case its troops will at
once occupy Savoy.
The Bourse was much agitated at the opening by
the news circulated by the Morning C7sroniele of a
treaty of alliance between Austria and Russia.
Although the statement is generally discredited, and
is denounced in severe terms as utterly false by the
Independence and other journals, this market is
now so sensitive that the slightest disquieting
rumour has an effect upon it. The Rents declined
to 67fr. 66c., being 30c. lower than the closing
price of Saturday. A better feeling, however, pre-
vailed in the afternoon, when the second despatch
from London brought Consols with a recovery of
i from the opening price, and the Rents closed
very firm at 67fr. 80c., both for cash and ac-
count, with a fall on the day of only 60. Mobilier
rose 1 fr. 46c. Railways remain without change.
The Data, announces that Count H. de Conroy,
captain of chasseurs, one of General de Goyon'a
orderly officers, has left Paris for Rome with
important despatches.

The Opinion Nationale lately published a series of
articles calling attention to the extensive ramifica-
tions of the religions corporation of St. Vincent de
Paul, and insisting strongly upon the danger to the
state of allowing such a highly centralised society,
with branches in every part of Europe, to pursue its
hostile manmavres without check. The government
appears to have been struck with the counsel thus
tendered, for we learn from Blois, where several
soldiers of the garrison had been in the habit of
attending a school-room devoted to their service by
the reverend brethren, that, on presenting them-
selves the other evening, they found a sentry at the
door to turn them back. It is understood that the
measure is general, and that the commanding
officer at Blois acted in obedience to a ministerial
circular.

A very amusing incident occurred the other day
during the trial of M. Vacherot. Among the pas-
sages of his pamphlet, set oat in the indictment to
support the charge that he bad " excited to hatred
and contempt of the government, and had endea-
voured to set one clue of citizens against another,"
was one in which he said that France, as at present
constituted, consisted of two classes only—" the
rich and the poor." M. Marie, in contending that
the expression of such an opinion furnished no rea-
sonable ground for a prosecution, begged leave to
read to the court a passage from a well known work
which had never been prosecuted, in which French
society was divided into "sybarites and helots." On
hearing this, the presiding judge, M. Partarrien
Lessee, turned as red as a turkey-cock, and
exclaimed, " Well, but that is abominable. Who
wrote that? Why was that not prosecuted ?" M.
Marie replied, " I am quoting from the works of
Louie Napoleon Bonaparte." This palpable hit pro-
duced a shout of applause, and the president, in a
great rage, threatened to clear the court.
After four and-twenty hours' incessant rain, which
followed the thaw of Saturday night, Paris was
visited this morning with one of the most tre-
mendous hurricanes ever known. The Seine was
rough like the sea. It was extremely difficult to
keep one's footing on the bridges; a great deal of
damage has been done in various parts of the city ;
and there is a report that an omnibus has been blown
over in the Champs Elysees, where several trees
are torn up by the roots.

CENTRAL ITALY.

PAItINI AT RAVENNA.
(ram' orz •FZCLL CORIESPONDINT.)

RAVENNA, Fan. 21.
Cavaliere Farini's journey through Romagna is
a constant succession of enthusiastic receptions. Be-
sides his personal claims to the gratitude of the Ro-
magnols, this illustrious countryman of theirs is the
worthy representative of the chivalrous King they
have repeatedly chosen fortheir ruler; and they want
to show to Europe that in cheering Farini they cheer
the defender of the national cause. The Governor-
General of the jEmilian provinces arrived in this
city on Sunday evening. Ravenna, once the capital
of the Western Empire, the seat of the Gothic and
and Longobardic Kings, and the metropolis of the
Greek Exercise, is fall of historical recollec-
tions. Within its walls repose the remains
of the children of Theodosius ; and amidst
the tombs of Exarchs and patriarchs rests all that
was mortal of the divine Italian poet. Ravenna,
which from the time of Pompey was a considerable
naval station, has now lost all the importance it had
under the Romans and in the middle ages. Its
people, however, still retain that indomitable nature
for which they were so renowned in the time of
Cicero. This moral quality, when well directed, has
made the people of R the bravest
soldiers and most virtuous citizens of Italy,
but here, as well as in the other cities,
the bad governtorit of Papal theocracy bore fruit.
When the government of the priests Lid teased
exist public and private violence ceased, and all the
moral and material forces of the population were
directed to the triumph of Italian independence.
Farini, who had long resided in this town, where he
exercised the profession of a physician, knew well
that by sending here a clever man great re-
sources might be derived from the population of Ra-
venna. He therefore advised Count Cavour to
send here, as Intendente General, Marquis Ross,
who is one of the most distinguished noblemen of
Piedmont as well as an able administrator. During
the nine months of his intendenteship the marquis
suooeeded in doing great good. Not only have the
moral interests of the population been developed by the
influence he exercises over this people, but by ruling
the town and the province with wisdom and mode-
ration he established the most exemplary concord
between all elutes of citizens, and gave a new im-
pulse to the commerce and industry of the town.
To secure to Ravenna an important place amongst
the other towns of the Romagna he asked and ob-
tained leave from Farini that a spacious
harbour should be constructed at Porto Cor-
sini, thus attracting the greater part of
the commerce between Trieste and Central Italy.
Accordingly Farini's reception here has been enthu-
siastic. It would take me more space than you can
spare were I minutely to relate all the striking in-
cidents which have characterised his stay in this
city. Illuminations, balls, public dinners, addressee,
have been incessant since Sunday evening, and in
spite of the rainy weather they will last till to-
morrow morning, when Farini will start for Rimini.
Yesterday morning the Governor-General went to
visit the shore of the Adriatic, bordered, as you
know, by that famous Platte, or pine forest, which
inspired Lord Byron with his famous verses, be-
ginning,

Sweat hour of twilight I—in the solitude
Of the pies forest, and the silent shore
Which bounds RAITOUbee 111110111150tial wood,
Rooted where one* the Adrian wave Sowed o'er,
To where the last Crosarean fortress stood.
A great crowd of citizens followed him. It was a
splendid day, and the scenery was really worthy of

the pencil of Turner. Farini accepted a breakfast of-
/knots= the mayor of the town, at which the Governor-
drunk to the health of Victor Emmanuel, in
whom, he said, the idea of Italian independence is
personified. I need scarcely tell you that the toast
was greeted with enthusiastic cheering both within
the room and out of doors. There is nothing changed
in the political situation to-day. Both Farini and
Ricasoli are anxious to hasten the votes of the popu-
lations, bat they minnot convoke the electoral col-
leges without positively knowing what are the in-
tentions of France.