The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-25 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY LW:LUNG, MAY 25, 1866.

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

luona's TILIOJhXI.)
THE FEDERAL DIET.

FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE, MAT N.

In to-day's sitting of the Federal Diet the pro-
posal of the Middle States, agreed upon at the
Conference of Bamberg, that the Diet should re-
quest Prussia, Austria, and all other German,
States who have lately increased their military
ettabrishments, to reduce them to a peace footing,
was unanimously adopted.
The representatives of Austria and PrUssia,
declared that in the next sitting they would com-
municate to the Diet the conditions on which they
are willing to disarm.
The Prussian representative accompanied his
vote by a declaration substantially to the following
effect :—Prusaia would have expected that Wur-
temburg, as well as Austria awl Saxony, would
have abstained from joining the authors of the
proposal for disarmament, inasmuch as Wurtem-
burg, by her groundless armaments, caused Prussia I
to take counter-measures, and therefore shared the
responsibility for the present critical state of '
affairs. The Prussian representative substantiated
by documentary evidence the earnest desire of
Prussia to preserve peace, which she, had proved
by introducing the proposal of the 9th April for
the convocation of a German Parliament. " This
proposal," continued the Prussian representative,
"offered a guarantee for the preservation of peace,
as all nations of German race would thereby be
enabled to obtain the settlement of their claims in
a peaceful manner, and discard all prosecution of
their separate interests by a warlike policy."
Prussia therefore again urged most earnestly the
convocation of a parliament, as perhaps the only
means of averting a war of Germans against Ger-
mans.

The Hanoverian representative declared, in re-
ference to certain statements concerning the nego-
tiations between Prussia and Hanover, that the
latter state would strictly fulfil her duties as a
member of the Confederation. _ _

Oldenburg proposed that initiatory steps should
be taken before the Austragal court fur the settle-
ment of the claims of the Grand Duke of Olden-
burg to the Duchy of Holstein. This proposition
was referred to the Holstein committee of the
Diet. .

..........
The motion of the Netherlands representative in
reference to the separation of Limbourg from the
Confederation was referred to a special committee
composed of five members.

AUSTRIA.
VIENNA, MAT 24, ByrnNo.

Notwithstanding the prospects of a congress,
the political situation is still regarded here as war-
like, and military preparations, as well as the for-
mation of volunteer corps, continue with unabated

activity.
A ministerial council has again been held to-day
under the presidency of the Emperor.
The Duke de Grammont, French ambassador at
this court, has received instructions to leave to-day
for Paris. Various rumours are current respecting
the object of his journey. Some state it to be con-
nected
with the proposed congress, others with the
question of war.
Russia is said to have declared that she is willing
to take decisive action against the power that should
commence hostilities.
The decree of the Minister of Finance, remov-
ing the prohibition upon the export of corn to the
states of the Zollverein and Switzerland, makes
an exception as regards oats. The prohibitions
against the export of cattle and corn to Italy, and
the export of horses, are maintained.
The insignia of the Bohemian crown have been
sent to Vienna.

The earthworks for the entrenchments near
Vienna have already commenced. The postal
service for the army has been organized.
Prince Nicholas of Nassau, and Prince William
of Lippe-Schomburg intend entering the Austrian
army.
A deputation from Prague presented a loyal
address to the Emperor to-day. In his reply his
Majesty expressed his satisfaction at being rejoiced
by such assurances at so important a moment.
All the schools in Ohniitz will be closed on the
2Gth of May, on account of the dangers of war.
A semi-official contradiction has been given to
the news that negociations have been entered into
in reference to the withdrawal of the Austrian
troops from Holstein.
It was rumoured on the Bourse that the Congress
had been accepted by all the Powers.
It is confirmed that Austria will take part in the
Congress, provided that no bases for negotiation be
laid down which Austria cannot recognise as such ;
that the decisions of the Congress be not binding ;
and that the programme contain nothing which
may be to the prejudice of Austria.

THE CONGRESS.
PARIS, MAT SC
•
La France of this evening states that. Austria has
requested a modification of the programme of the
Congress, which laid down the cession of Venetiass
one of the points to be examined. In the fresh draft
of the programme, therefore, the question of the
means to guarantee the security of Italy will aLione
beraised in connection with the Austro-Italian ques-
tion. The neutral Powers, continues La France,
having adopted this forrntls, there is no doubt of
the assent of Austria to the Congress.

The Moniteur dot Boir says :—" The news of the
bombardment of Valparaiso has given rise to some
disturbances at Lima. The Peruvian government
has ordered Spanish subjects at Lima and Callao to
repair to the Prefect's office. All who obeyed the
order were immediately imprisoned. This measure
has also been adopted in the provinces ; 200
Spaniards were confined in the prisons of Lime on
the 21st April."

BERLIN, MAT 24.

France, England, and Russia are said to have
agreed upon the • point that the question of the
temporal power of the Pope should not be sub-
mitted to the Congress.

THE DANUBIAN PRODIPALITIES.
VIENNA, MAT 24.

The telegram received here and published by
the Vienna papers yesterday respecting the entry
of a Russo-Turkish army corps into the Princi
polities is not confirmed.

JASSY, MAT 24.

The Archbishop and the members of the popular
committee, who were arrested after the late dis-
turbances, have been released to-day.
A solemn Te Deum has been sung in the cathe-
dral, in celebration of the arrival of Prince Hohen-
zollern at Bucharest, and great enthusiasm prevails
in the town.

SPEECH OF PRINCE CHARLES OF
HOHENZOLLERN.
BUCHAREST, MAT 23.

Prince Charles of Hohenzollern delivered the
following speech on the occasion of his visit to the
National Assembly :—" Elected to the throne by
the free act of the Roumanian people, I have for-
saken without hesitation my country and my
family. Henceforth lam a Roumanian. My
election by the plebiscite lays upon me important
duties, which I trust I shall fulfil. I bring you a
loyal heart, sincere intentions, a firm determination
to do good, unlimited devotion to my new father-
land, and an unalterable respect for your laws. I
am resolved to share the good and evil fortune of
Roumania, and wish that between us everything
may be in common. Let ns strengthen each other
by union, and endeavour to surmount every diffi-
culty. Providence, which has hitherto protected
me and has removed all the obstacles in my way,
will not leave ita work undone. Long live Rou-
mania!"

THE CONFERENCE ON THE DANUBIAN
PRINCIPALITIES.
PARIS. MAY 24.
At the request of the Turkish ambassador a
sitting of the Paris Conference will be hold to-
morrow to deliberate upon a proposal that the con-
ference should protest against the proceedings of
Prince Charles of Hohenzollern as an act of usurpa-
tion, which has taken place with the connivance of
the provisional government at Bucharest, and in
opposition to the previous decisions of the con-
ference.

INDIA.
(BT DIRECT OVERLAND TELEGRAPH.)
BOMBAY, MAY 15, 4.40 P.M.
71be. Shirting; Or. 4a. Cotton nothing doing
cotton, Dhollerah, 260.

CALCUTTA, MAT 14.
All markets quiet, and prices drooping. Ex
change on London, 2s. lid.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ova OWN comissroiroarr.)

PARIS, THURSDAY EVENING.

The leading contradiction of the day of " false
news" is that of Russian and Turkish troops hav-
ing entered the Principalities. The impression now
is that the fait accompli of Prince Charles of Ho-
henzollem's election will be recognised. Another
piece of false news is that the King of Prussia had
taken the field. If I were to be guided by the
feeling in Paris to-day I should say that the
chances of success of the congress have aug-
mented ; but 1 still believe it to be a delusion.
Mr. Layard has dined with M. Drouyn de
Lhnys, but he had no business interview with him.
' The long-expected decree abolishing the mono-
poly of the Hackney Cab Company is out to-day.
The details given of the new regulations are meagre,
but it may be pretty clearly collected that the
public is not likely to derive any immediate benefit
from them. The principal reason urged by the
Marquis de Lavalette for throwing open the busi-
ness is that the company was constantly urging a
further rise of fares. These for short distances are
already absurdly high, and for very long distances
absurdly low. There is still to be a tariff, for the
very sensible reason that " the relations between
passenger and driver are determined and influenced
by causesof ten so urgent that time would be wanting
to discuss the price, or the public would be at the
mercy of the coachman and exposed to a refusal to
take a fare or to unreasonable demands." The upshot
of the new measure is that everybody is to be at
liberty to start a cab, subject of course to police
inspection, in the interests of public safety. The
tariff to be fixed will be a maximum, and "bar-
gains may be made below those rates." It seems
to me that if the very evil mentioned in the report
—discussion between the driver and the fare—is to
be prevented, the free cabs should be permitted to
post up in their carriages a lower fare than the
maximum, and that by this they should be bound.
In this way only can the public hope ultimately to
derive a tangible benefit from free competition.
Baron James Rothschild has (contrary to the
fears entertained a day or two since) received suf_
ficient funds to pay the forthcoming Italian divi-
dend toFrench holders, but it is said that he has re-
quested the Italian government to appoint some other
agent, as he cannot allow his house to be com-
promised by such a breach of faith as a reduction
from the interest of a government loan under the
pretence of a tax. It is considered, however, cer-
tain that the veto of the Italian Senate will put an
end to this difficulty. The majority of the depu-
ties thought rightly enough that in the present
crisis, which bears so hardly upon the poorer
classes in Italy, rich fundholdeas should be made