The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-10 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.

The Daily Pews suspects that the Hon. George Brown
has resigned his seat in the Canadian Cabinet owing to
differences of opinion on questions of policy which have
arisen out of the probable expiration of the reciprocity
treaty without renewal. Notwithstanding the benefits
which the people of the states undeniably derive from the
treaty, Mr. Seward's resolution appears to be to make the
commercial policy subservient to irritated feelings—Canada
expiating by vicarious suffering the offences of the inac-
cessible Mr. Laird. It is not doing the Americans in-
justice, moreover, to say that a settled—though perhaps
unconscious-desire to let the Cinadians feel in every
possible way that the United Stites are more to them than
any other country in the world is or can be, is at the
bottom of their whole policy towards that provisos.
The list of oaken who have just passed their final ex-
amination at the Staff College seems to the Daily Rem to
justify the hope that military education I. not standing
still in the English army. But the Hone Guards has still
to be met and fought inch by inch, aides-de-amp and
military secretaries being even to this day selected, despite
the expressions of public opinion, from the mass of officers
who have not passed through the college. It is the fact, too,
that the officers who have lately distinguished themselves
in the examination, will have to wait at least two years
until they are called upon to fulfil the duties for which they
have qualified themselves. If not favoured by fortune or
circumstances, the officer who bas graduated at the staff
college has very little more to congratulate himself upon
than Ipa comrade who has simply done hie best to lead a
jolly life. There is but one remedy foe this state of things,
and that is the formation of staff corm into which none but
those who have qualified themes Ives at the staff college
can enter, and amongst the officers of which all staff
appointments, without any exception whatever, should be
distributed. This is the system of the French army, and it
is one which we should do wall to follow.

The Post defends Captain Semmes, of the Alabama, from
the charge on which he is to be tried of violating the usages
of war. His offense, it contends, is after all only a technical
ooe. If he is convicted and subjected to pains and penal.
ties, it will be another illustration of the illogical, but not
uncommon, practice of formally trying a man for one
offence and puoishing him for another. In the North,
Captain Semmes is looked upon as a pirate—the Alabama
has always been called a British pirate—and now it seems
to be thought that by reoogoising the status of the captain
as that of a lawful enemy, and trying him on a charge of
violating the laws of war, there it; a chance of meting out
to him, at least, an instalment of the punishment which
the law awards to piracy.
The Telegraph suggest' that the Progresrista ineurrectica
in Spain may be a protest against the reign of the second
Isabella. Wilful without firmness, pessionate without
dignity, narrow-minded without energy, she bats been the
tool of the courtiers and confessors, who have carried cut
their own base ends under the Faoctim of her royal name.
As a queen she has failed to w.n the respect of her people,
and the disloyalty of the Spanish nation towards the wearer
of the crown is intelligible enough. It hes long been
declared by honest sad thoughtful men in Spain that no
regeneration is possible fer the country while the coal.:
remains what it is.

gbr Court.

OSBORNE. JAN. 9.

Her Majesty and Princess Louise walked in the
grounds io the morning, and in the afteraooo her Majesty
drove out with Princess Beatrice and Princess Hermann of
Holtenlobe.
Prince Arthur rode on horseback.
Primates Leittiogen arrived at Osborne and dinel with 'he
Queen and Royal Family.

Despatches were sent from the Colonial-office yesterday
to the Govereors of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, and Sk
Bekaa.

The Right Hoo. the Chromellor of the Etthequer arrived
in town yeaterd .y from Hawarden Cada&

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES.—Yest-
terdav his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales commenced
shooting on the preserves of the floe Holkham estate,
having arrived with the Priam at the hall on Monday
afternoon. The visit of the Prince and Princess to Holkham
is not quite of so public • character as that paid by them
last year, in fact even • meeting of the East Norfolk
hounds which had been arranged to take place has been
postponed. The weather yesterday was cold but floe, and
the Prince and the shooting party had pretty good sport.
Among the party invited to Holkliam to meet the Prince
and Princess, are the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe
(with whom it will be remembered the Prince and Princess
reseed a week in September), the Marquis of Boarmont,
Earl and Countess Spencer, the Earl of Dunmore, Viscount
end Visoountees Powersoourt, Sir E. C. Benison, M.P.,
and Lady Caroline Kerr s'n, the mom, Edward sad Mn,
Coke, Mr. Trederoft, the Hon. W. Coke, ke. The visit of
the Prince and Princess to Holkham (which was postponed
for • week in 000 sequence of the death of the Ring of the
Belgians) is expected to last till Friday or Saturday.
Holkham is the most stately aristoeratiomaosion in Norfolk,
and well worthy to receive even the future king end queen
of &Weed.

The Duke and Duchess of Somerset arrived at
the Admiralty. Whitehall, on Monday evening, from Stover
Pea, their seal is Devonshire.