The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-19 00:00:00

NORTH GERMANY.

BERLIN, Ocr. 18, Byrum.
The King of the Greeks left last night for St.
Petersburg.

In to-day's sitting of the North German parlia-
ment a debate took place upon the bill respecting
liability to military service. Paragraph 1 was
amended so as to provide that every citizen of the
Confederation is liable to serve without the option
of finding a substitute excepting in the case of
members of reigning families as well as of the
houses of mediatised princes, and of those who
formerly possessed the prerogatives of the States of
the empire, or who are freed by special treaties or
special rights from liability to military service.
Paragraphs 2,3, 4, and 5 were then adopted in ac-
cordance with the committee's report.
On the discussion of paragraph 6, Count Bis-
marck declared that in introducing this bill the
federal governments had no intention of enlarging
the powers of the federal commander-in-chief ;
but rather of limiting the discretion of the executive
as much as was compatible with the welfare and
interests of the Northern Confederation. The
house would be extending that limit by substi-
tuting for the right of placing the army upon a war
footing that of increasing the military forces as
much as necessary, and would thereby increase
the danger of war, as such a right would
give rise to justifiable questions from foreign
powers when the reserves of any single
regiment might be called out, for calling out
the reserves under those circumstances would be
equivalent to a notification of preparations for war.
The public interests therefore demanded that the
proposed modification of the paragraph should not
be agreed to. Count Bismarck reminded the
house of the period when war appeared imminent
this year, and recalled the efforts the government
had then made for the preservation of peace, de-
claring at the same time that on future occasions
it would pursue a similar course.
Paragraph 6 was nevertheless adopted by a large
majority, with the modification conferring the
right upon the commander-in-chief to increase the
army as far as necessary.
Paragraphs 7 to 19 inclusive were then passed
according to the proposals of the committee with
the exception of paragraphs 9, 10, and 11, which
were adopted as proposed by the government.

BOMBAY MAIL.
MARSEILLES, Ocr. 19.
The Ripon arrived at 6.30 a.m. to-day. Mails
leave at 11.30 a.m.

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, Ocr. 19.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Pere, with the heavy portion of the above mail,
passed the Needles at 7.25 a.m.

(ATLANTIC TILIGRAN.)
AMERICA.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, Ocr. 18. 6 Pal.

Closing prices :--Gold, 143 f ; Sterling Exchange
on London, 108 f ; 5-20 United States Bonds, 112 ;
Illinois, 121 i ; Erie, 71. Cotton, middling up-
land, 9.

PHILADELPHIA, Ocr. 18.
Standard white petroleum, 34.

The Bishop of Capetown, writing again to the
Times, gives a curious picture of the late synod, in which
" one said one thing and one another," " often in a con-
versational way," in which one half did not know what the
other half was voting upon, and the members of which are,
finally, unable to agree what were the actual resolutions
they passed.

AOcording to a statement of Messrs. Feuerheerd
and Co., of Oporto, the port vintage of 1807 having been
favoured by excellent weather, some very superior wines
have been obtained. The quantity, however, has been
seriously affected by °chum, which appeared with extraor-
dinary severity in May and June, causing a loss of about
one-third of the gr►pes.

The new federal flag of Germany has been re-
cognised by France, England, Sweden and Norway, Italy,
Austria, and Spain. From the other seafaring Powers the
like is shortly expected.
The breaking off of the engagement between the
King of Bavaria and his COUSiII, Princess Sophia, is not re-
gretted by the liberals. Princess Sophia, a sisterfof the
Empress of Austria and of the Queen of Naples, together
with her whole family, is strongly attached to the Ultra.
montane and anti-Prussian interest. On the King re-
peatedly patio,: off the marriage, the Princess begged
leave to free him from his promise. His youthful Majesty
at once accepted and reciprocated the release.

The IlLshop of i'oictiere recommends his clergy
to celebrate a Noerna (nine days prayer) on behalf of the
Pope; and during these nine days, ►fter each mass, the
celebrant, " kneeling before the altar, shall chant or recite
oremus pro pontince neaten Plo.

Downing couservet cum et virleet Cum, et beatum faciat
sum In terra, et non tradat cum In anhnam Inimleorum slut.'
After which the ' Pater, Ave, and Gloria Petri' shall be
recited in Latin or in French ; and that all f .ithful souls
shall multiply their communion for the protection of the
Roman Pontiff and of the army that is fighting in his
sacred cause."

Vast quantities of swallows are being caught in
nets on the shores of the Mediterranean, where they as-
semble in enormous numbers before taking their final de-
parture southwards. The produce of this act of harleirity
is de:Toddled to the towns in the south, and even so far
as Lyons.

An accident has just happened to the well-known
deputy and economist, M. Jules Simon, who lias been
lately travelling in Germany. While at Nnreinburg he
put his arm out of joint, but prompt and intelligent
surgical means having been applied, he was able at once
to undertake the journey to Paris. It Is said that he in-
tends taking a prominent part in the discussions on the
reorganisation of the army.

There are in France 864 clerical catholic primary
schools, under the management of the Frier. de In Doc-
trine Chriliennc, 16 in the Pontifical States, 13 in Italy, 42
in Belgium, 2 in Switzerland, 2 in Austria, 3in Prussia,
2 in England, 2 in Egypt, 4 in Turkey, 19 in Canada, 29 in
the United States, 5 in Malaisia, 5 in the Indies, and 2 in
the republic of the Equator : in all 1,010 establishments,
served by 1,822 brothers.

A man in Alton, lowa, has escaped from punish-
ment for adultery, because the prosecuting attorney bad
indicted him fur " idolatry."