The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-20 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

tWRON 01:71 OWN COY'

PARIS, FIIDAT ZYNXING.

The Prince of Prussia accompanied the Emperor
to Versailles to-day, as was announced. Although
the weather was wet, it is stated that his Majesty
reviewed General Lotto's cavalry division and eight
batteries of horse artillery. The Prince was to visit
the military school of St. Cyr in the afternoon.
The Prase, remarking upon the curious fact that
of all the powers in Europe the one most favourable
to Switzerland is the power which has definitively
contracted a matrimonial alliance with Prussia, says ;
" We see from this of what little weight in oar day
in the political balance are alliance' of this sort,
which formerly were of such high importance." I
bear it whispered that great efforts are being made,
not only by Russia but by France, to break
off the match of which the Press, speaks.
Whether it is desirable that these efforts
should succeed or not, is perhaps a very
difficult question for an Englishman to make up his
mind upon. The present and recent policy of
Frani', both foreign and domestic, is detestable and
contemptible ; but at the same time there is much in
the character of the Prussian people to be loved and
admired, and it were to be wished that we could be
allied with them on a solid liberal basis. Prussia is
the most civilised part of Germany, and it has instL
mums of long standing, which only require to be
carried out by good government to bear rich fruit.
There is infinitely more hope of rational liberty being
one day firmly established in Prussia by the natural
course of events, without bloodshed, than there is in
Austria. And yet, most unfortunately, the eompli.
coated circumstances of the time compel us to make
common cause with the Croat, and to stand aloof
from, it not to assume an attitude of positive hostility
to the monarch who ought to be at the head of en•
lightened Germany.

The news of the reduction of its rate of discount
by the Bank of England, which was not positively
known at the Bourse yesterday, produced a favourable
effect upon prime, although considerable surprise was
felt that the Bank of France, notwithstanding a fur.
!her segmentation in its bullion (said to be to the
extent of 10,000,000 k.), had not yet adopted a similar
measure. Au extraordinary meeting of the directors
was held today, at which several important ques-
tions were dimmed, among others, according to
report, that of doubling the capital of the Bank, and
extending the period of bills to run to ninety days.
The government, it is said, insists strongly upon the
latter point. The Rents rose sc. for cash, and 20e.
foe account, closing at 6131 r. 65c. and 68fr. 95c.
Bank of France rose 600. Mobilier fell 7fr.
Railways were firm, but without any remarkable
change. The Spanish exterior debt was quoted at
421 r. Rothschild had offered only 421 fr. against
Mirea' 42k. fork.

The Pays, in what it oalle "an exact summary with.
out comment" of the actual state of the Persian gaup
ton, treats as true the report, which has been
repeatedly contradicted, that Russia is assembling a
large army with a view to the eventualities which
may arise out of the English expedition. It says,
RuMa is concentrating on the gulf of Arabs, on
the borders of the Caspian Sea, a well organized
army, which may be estimated at 40,000 men."
We read in the Potpie:

We leers by a private corresponds's', from Berlin, dated
Dee. 17, that on lb* evening bet ire (rb. 16its) the Prussian
ethicist bad taken important resolutions wit.l respect to
Neufchatel. The questions of bow many regiments are to
be sent to Switzerlead, and to whom the command s►all be
given, base been (Moused. It is said that Count de Oro
ben will be provislocally charged with all the preparatory
details, and that he will direct the expedition should it take
place.
The Petrie also up:
Lamm from St. Petersburg state that Priam Barba-
%MAl, governor of the Russian provision of the Cau-
casus, had coasted along toe Caspian Sea on his way
to A Wham and Tiflis, and had halted at Petroff.ki This
fortress, the eltidal*" of which is almost neknown, le per-
haps destined to play au important part in the events
which are likely to come off in Persia. It is said that Prism
Rerlatiasky is instructed to take advantage of the even-
tualities which may result from a war between Ragland
sod Persia to found an important sitabishwat at
Petroffski. It is added that all the commanding Odeon of
the different carp composing the army of the Caucasus bad
met la ossferenos, to mew* instraetioas in conformity
with the latest order' of the Car.
The Daily News was seized to-day for an article
condemnatory of the manifesto against Switzerland,
which appeared in Wednesday's Mocitewr. An
evening paper which reprodeeed the obnoxious arti-
I els, was, however, allowed to peas.