The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-22 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS,

(PROM (ma OWN CORBESPONDICNT.)
PARIS, THURSDAY Eviorma.
False or doubtful news from the theatre of war
is so rife that most of the despatches printed in
the papers must be rejected as worthless. There
is no confirmation of the great cavalry engagement
at "Rumberg" which the France had telegraphed
yesterday from its " own correspondent," for
whose accuracy it undertook to answer. Not only
is the considerable fact of ten (!) Prussian cavalry
regiments being cut to pieces deemed to be false,
but it is very doubtful whether there was any
engagement at Rumberg at all.
The Constitutionnei has an article by M. Paulin
Limayrac again explaining the Emperor's letter,
which it again affirms was so clear and precise that
nobody could mistake it. However, the very vari-
..us, or rather the very uniform, interpretations it
receives from foreign journals make it necessary
for Limayrac to speak again. The only point he
makes new is that the " equilibrium of Europe" is
an expression so definite that nobody can mistake its
meaning. The Emperor, he says, knew this, so
that he abstained from saying what it meant.
Limayrac of course would not be more explicit
than the Emperor, and accordingly he abstains
from interpretation. The fact is that the moment
existing arrangements are disturbed, no two people
would be agreed about what the equilibrium of
Europe means, and, therefore, Limayrac leaves the
Emperor's words oracular and ambiguous, as they
were intended to be.
The imperial yacht Jerome Napoleon is about to
mount six ritfed guns by way of precaution in these
troublous times.
Queen Emma, after her farewell dinner with M.
Drouyn de Lhuys, was to go to London, and pro-
poses to return to the Sandwich Islands by way of
the United States.
At the Bourse the great feature was a fall of
33fr. 75c. in Mobilier, which is now quoted 420 fr.,
or 80fr. discount. This once proud company is
begging for a loan, and cannot get one. The last
30 millions it borrowed, and of which it now boasts,
is nearly exhausted. Bankers will not lend more.
The government thinks of compelling it to liqui-
date up to a certain date, and the consequences of
such a measure are looked forward to with great
apprehension. Itente fell sc. for cash and 21c. for
account. All securities were weak at the close.

PRUSSIA.

WWII 01'H SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

BERLIN, JUNS 18.
There was such an ominous lowering of the war
cloud yesterday afternoon, that even Berlin showed
signs of excitement. Not that her streets rang to
the hoarse shout of "Second edition !" or that her
walls bore sensational placards : these things are
well nigh monopolised by the Bull family. Bt.t
Berlin was excited ne:crtheless. Telegraphic
news found its way to the principal hotels and
coffee-houses upon slips of paper, which issued
from the press every few hours, hot and hot, with
somauties one lido left blank. Men spoke eagerly
of what had happened at Dresden, and wondered
how long it would be before Marshal Benedek
would try to re-establish the Saxon authorities. 1
noticed that Francis Joseph's soldiers were already
. •.

mentioned as " the enemy," whilst it was curious
to find stanch monarchists who not long before had
regarded all German princes with respect chuck-
ling over the reported capture of one august per-
sonage and the rumoured flight of another.
Count Bismarck ;stood forward as a bold
patriot, now that diplomacy had been thrown
aside. His programme was relished by most Prus-
sians, and whether relished or not it was accepted
as inevitable. I could detect no trace of bygone
parliamentary squabbles in the manner in which
these silent obstinate people prepared to face the
coming storm. You need not pity them as
doomed victims, for if there be any meaning in
national vitality opposed to treaty right, and any
advantage in breech-loading rides, Prussia will win

hand over hand.
The relief of women and children left destitute
in the absence of fighting men, as also of wounded
soldiers in hospital, has been undertaken by a cha-
ritable association called the " Konig Wilhelm
Verein." This association gives notice of concerts
in aid of the relief fund, and otherwise makes
known its existence with praiseworthy clearness.
Nobody need hesitate to subscribe on account of
not having seen a list of the committee, because
each member has his name and address printed in
full at the foot of the large yellow sheets which are
posted up all over Berlin. If simple unaugared
charity should be more than an average mortal can
stomach, he will support the above-mentioned con-
certs. Have you ever been able to see why your
neighbours prefer giving half a sovereign for a
ticket to some performance which does not amuse
them in order that a charity may gain five shillings,
to the direct bestowal of seven and sixpence with-
out a ticket in exchange 1 Yet such is human
nature everywhere, such the support, not only of
concerts but of bazaars without number, and it
matters very little how alms be given compared to
the urgent need of relief which will soon be felt
by many poor creatures. Leave my idle question
unanswered whilst yon join with me in wishing
success to the " Kong Wilhelm Verein." This
you may do although your sympathies should
waver between blue coats and white costs when
they meet in battle.
Time and change and popular caprice, straws
floating on the stream, or mighty convulsions
setting the stream in motion, I know not which to
invoke when I treat of a display that modern
writers would term "suggestive." Had only
two years passed since Austria was the
chosen ally of Prussia, and print-shop win-
dows were filled with likenesses of king
and kaiser framed together for convenience in
hanging them on good men's walls I Only two years
could it be since Punch satirised them, and Mod-
derodatzeh patted them on the back as a pair of
friends who went about their work arm-in-arm !
Here was something very different, a straw if you
will, though it marked the course of a powerful
stream. Our suggestive display was not in a senate
chamber, but in a music ball. Beer-drinking and
varied entertainments occupied the attention of
many hundred persons. Now there appeared an
acrobat, now a comic-singer, with constant circu-
lation of beer to refresh the crowd. Then came
upon the stage a soldier in white uniform. Loud
were the hisses when he entered, louder the
laughter when he spoke. His knees were
evidently rather weak, and his German was
faulty. Perhaps he was going to have the fun