The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-11 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(FEoM OUR OWN cotuussrotmiarr.)
PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.

The Epoque compares M. Rouher's policy to a
river formed of two streams—one of oil, the other
of water, which flow on together without ever
amalgamating, and present a spectacle of inde-
scribable confusion.

It is many years since we have had so much
severe weather before Christmas. The frost last
night was intense ; at 6 this morning Chevalier's
thermometer marked 9 degrees below zero. At
about 3 this afternoon, while the streets were ex-
ceedingly clean and dry, a slight sleet fell for
a few minutes, and, freezing as it fell, formed
a thin coat of ice on the foot pavement and cause-
ways so slippery that an expert skater might easily
have skated all over Paris. I never saw the streets
in so dangerous a state, and I am certain we shall
have a large return of broken legs and arms to-
morrow. 1 was in an omnibus in the Faubourg St.
Honord when the sleet fell, and the horses sud-
denly came to a standstill. The passengers, among
whom were several ladies, had to get out three
times before reaching the Madeleine. Instead of
riding in the omnibus we had to push behind to
get it along, and many volunteers so employed lost
their footing and fell down. Our case was but one
of hundreds which occurred simultaneously. On
the Boulevards I found all the carriages going at a
foot pace, and the horses continually falling.
The Archbishop of Paris has received the news
that he will be made a cardinal at the next pro-
motion. He was rather under a cloud at Rome on
account of his assumed Galilean opinions, and
when last recommended by the Emperor for the
cardinal's hat the Pope passed him over in favour
of the Archbishop of Chambery ; but his late
speech in the Senate has removed the objections
which the head of the church had against him.
The Duchess of Bassano, one of the Empress's
ladies of honour, has just died at Brussels after a
long illness. She was not more than 50 years of
age'

1 -The committee on the Army Bill Ihas terminated
its labours. It is understood to have voted by a
majority of two the clause in the bill fixing nine
years as the term of service both in the army and
the reserve ; but it still disagrees with the govern-
ment as to the period at which soldiers of the re-
serve should be allowed to marry.
General Kanzler, the Pope's Minister at War, has
sent three French gentlemen, MM. Benoit d'Azy,
de Saint Priest, and liemptine, to England with a
commission to order and superintend the manufac-
ture of a considerable number of rifles for the Papal
army. The Spencer model is understood to be the
one adopted.
It is no wonder that people who send private
telegrams abroad complain that they very often
arrive after the ordinary post. Since Dec. 5 no
less than 300 despatches in cypher have been
brought either by the French government or
foreign ministers to the central office in the Rue
Grenelle St. Germain. The transmission of a
despatch in cypher takes thrice the time of an
ordinary one ; and as diplomatic despatches have
precedence of others, the general public is neces-
sarily kept off the wires for long periods.
All descriptions of securities rose at the Bourse,
but the amount of business done was very limited.
The causes of the rise were the absence of any
alarming declaration of government in the Corps
Legislatif, the relatively moderate tone of the
Italian parliament so far as the debates are yet
known, and, principally, enormous " discounts,"
which if persevered in must, until a panic comes,
render speculative operations for a fall almost im-
possible. Bente rose 20c. for cash and 25c. for
account, closing at 69fr. 45c. and 691 r. 35c. Italian
rose 50c., Mobilier 7fr. 50c., and Credit Foncier
6fr. 25c.

M. Magne has terminated his report on the
financial situation, and it will appear in the
lioniteur as soon as the Emperor has approved of
it. The rumour runs that " unless in the case of
unforeseen events" a loan may be dispensed with.
To meet the extraordinary expenses already known
the Rentes of the army dotation and a payment
(smite) for the conversion into French Rental of
the Mexican obligations will be relied upon. It is
calculated that 110 millions may be raised by the
contemplated Mexican operation. It is given out
that M. Magne was personally opposed to the
adoption by the state of the Mexican Bonds,
which is, in fact, simply iniquitous, but that he
was overruled in council by M. Rouher.

No telegram from Florence, of this day's date,
has been made public, and all the Italian papers
but the Opinion are seized.