The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-18 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, MAT 17.

The King held a military conference this morn-
ing with the Minister of War and the following
Generals Moltke, Wasserschleben, Hindersin,
Alvensleben, and Treskow.

BERLIN, MAY 17, EMZING.

The Prussian cabinet has received reassuring
declarations from the Hanoverian government.
The latter offers to observe an armed neutrality.
The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has
signified his willingness to accept a command in the
Prussian army in case of war with Austria. The
King, it is believed, has signed a decree ap-
pointing the Crown Prince to be regent in the
event of the outbreak of war, or of the King's
departure from Berlin.
The increasing probability of the assembly of a
Congress is exercising a tranquillising influence
upon the public mind. The armaments, however,
have not been relaxed, and the concentration of
troops is proceeding with perfect regularity. In
military circles but little weight is attached to the
news respecting 'the proposed Congress. In court
circles the ministerial conference at Bamberg
is said to have produced a somewhat favourable
impression. It is stated that Baden and
Bavaria, as well as Hanover and Hesse Cassel, have
decided to observe neutrality, confining them-
selves to an armed protection of their frontiers.
The relations between the Russian and Prussian
sovereigns continue to be of a personally cordial
nature. Intelligence from the frontiers announces
that the Austrian troops, which were not to be
fully equipped until their arrival on the frontiers,
have not yet received their ammunition trains.

THE PROPOSED EUROPEAN CONGRESS.
BRUSSELS, MAT 17.

The Independance Beige, of this evening, says :
" We have received fresh details from London
respecting the proposed Congress. Austria has been
confidentially informed of the points of which the
programme will consist. She has replied that she
desires the Schleswig-Holstein question to be de-
cided, not by universal suffrage, but by consultation
with the estates of the Duchies. She demands that
the basis proposed by Prussia for a reform of the
Federal constitution shall not be accepted. As
regards the Venetian question, she wishes to know
what territorial compensation would be offered her
in exchange for the cession of that province to

THE FEDERAL DIET.
FRANKFORT, NIAY 17.

In next Saturday's sitting of the Federal Diet
the representatives of the Middle States will, it is
said, propose that Austria and Prussia be requested
to explain the reason of their armaments. Great
importance is attached to the Prussian reply, as
it may give rise, it is thought, to important de-
cisions.

THE ITALIA/ti PARLIAMENT.
DEFEAT OF THE MINISTRY.
FLORENCE, MAY 17, Eviornic.

In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies
the debate on the proposal of the committee to
impose a tax upon Italian Rente was resumed.
Signor Lorrenti announced, on behalf of the com-
mittee, that they had determined to adhere to their
proposition, but were willing that the tax should
only be levied from July next.
Signor Scialoja, Minister of Finance, again
spoke in opposition to the conuuittee's proposal,
which was ultimately adopted by 145 against 141
votes. Two deputies abstained from voting. There
is no truth in the statement that some Italian
journals have been warned and others suspended.
No restriction has been imposed upon the liberty
of the press excepting the prohibition against
publishing intelligence of military movements.

FRANCE.
PARIS, MAT 17, Evt:.L.G.

A rumour has been current here that Austria
had withdrawn part of her forces from Venetia.
This rumour is unfounded ; there are 200,000
Austrian troops in Venetia, all upon a war footing,
and the military preparations in that province are
being prosecuted with great vigour. The Patric of
this evening says :—" Baron Buaberr,,, Earl Cowley,
and M. Drouyn de Lhuys have settled the bases of
the programme of a conference. This programme
definitively includes but three questions—Venetia,
Schleswig-Holstein, and Federal reform. M.
Drouyn de Lhuys has been entrusted with the task
of drawing up a despatch, which will be submitted
this week to Baron Budberg and Earl Cowley, and
will then be forwarded to the Courts of Vienna,
Berlin, and Florence."

THE DA-NUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
BUCILA.REST, MAT 16.

The Provisional Government have submitted to
the Chamber a project for a liberal constitution.

BUCHAREST, MAY 17.

A fierce conflict took place yesterday in Giur-
gevo between a body of Turkish soldiers and some

May 17. Mal, 10.
casprrox. Fr. c
Cash in hand and in branch
banks
Commercial bills overdue 269,509 89 3,574,607 57
Commercial bills discounted,
not yet due 386,460,158 44 347,670,984 7
Ditto branch banks 333,629,640 0 316,718,905 0
Advances on deposits of bullion 4,456,000 0 5,071,700 0
Ditto branch banks 13,370,500 0 12,864,100 0
Advances ou French public se-
curities • 13,583,300 0 13,004,300 0
Ditto branch banks 6,991,900 0 6,442,400 0
Advances on railway shares
and debentures 33,480,100 0 33,022,900 0
Ditto branch banks 21,361,100 0 °.0,902,500 0
Advances on Credit lioncier _

B.L.E.
S.
B.E.

W.E
F.. 8.
E.S.
S.S. E.
E.
B.E.
S.S. W.
N. W.

S.S.W.
S.W.

PRlNemys.

Exactly three years agd—on the 15th of May,
1863—Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean gave a farewell per.
formance at the Princess's Theatre, previous to their
departure for Australia, and the pieces chosen were the
2nd and 3rd acts of Henry VIII., and the Jealous
Wife. After a voyage round the world, during
which they have performed with great mons in
Australia and America, they returned last night to
the scene of their former labours—the Princess's
Theatre—and wisely selected the play of Henry
VIII. for their first re-appearance. Mr. Kean's Cardinal
Wolsey is one of his most impressive representations—an
embodiment which wants nothing that long study, great
self-possession, and knowledge of stage art can give it ;
and Mrs. Kean's Queen Katherine comes within the scope
of her matronly powers, and is a thoughtful and natural
performance. Both the actors appear to be physically
improved by their travels, and their reception was most
warm and enthusiastic. Mr. Kean was the first to en-
counter the storm of welcome, and it nearly overpowered
him. The play has been put upon the stage with much
of the old spectacular completeness, and the minor cha-
racters ale fairly distributed amongst the company and
Mr. Kean's faithful followers. At the close of the per-
formance Mr. Kean delivered the following speech :
Ladies and Gentlemen,—l would fain say a few words,
but my strong emotion quite overpowers we. During our
three years' absence we have travelled thousands of miles,
and have been exposed to many dangers by land and by
sea ; but in storm or sunshine, in the hour of peril or in
the day of success, one thought has ever been present to
my wife and myself—and that thought was home. With
the blessing of Providence, we find ourselves again in
England, and on the very spot of my past and well-loved
labours, surrounded by kind and dear friends whose
affectionate greeting makes us, indeed, feel that we are
once more at home.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—Yesterday WBB a grand fete
day at the Crystal Palace. The sun was bright and warm,
and for the first time this season it might be said the
special day was also a summer day. The grounds are now
perfumed with the sweet scent of lilac and hawthorn,
and ornamented with green leaves, green grass, bursting
buds, and full, soft blossoms. Beauty and life met the
eye at every turn. The chief attractions within doors
were the ascent of Ethardo, and performances on the large
organ, and several bands ; not forgetting, of course, the
stock treasures of the palace itself, which were never
better arranged and exhibited than at the present moment.
Rockhills was again open to visitors, and this time the
weather enabled one to enjoy its beauties—a treat which
several well-dressed ladies and gentlemen acknowledged
by mobbing the lawn windows and staring into the rooms,
as if the family were not at home. After dark there was
a display of fireworks, and an illumination of fountains
fairly entitled to be spoken of as magnificent. Prome-
nading was kept up in the palace till eleven o'clock, and
it was therefore long after midnight before the thousands
who had come from London were deposited at their
various stations. The visitors numbered over 14,000.

Miss Helen Faucit is announced as about to
afford her *enerous aid to the committee of the Consump-
tion Hospital, Brompton, by undertaking to read the
drama of Illys.va (to which is wedded Gounod's music' at
the concert in behalf of the institution on the Bth June.
By this benevolent effort in the cause of charity an
unusual opportunity of hearing this accomplished lady
will be offered to the public.
A rare Shakespearian volume was included in a
sale at Messrs. Puttick and Sionpeon's yesterday. It was
thus described (lot 1,2.32) :—" TA, Rape of Lemma, by Mr,
William Shakespeare ; newly reuised. London. Printed
by I. B. for Roger lackaon, and are to be sold at his shop
neere the Conduit in Fleet-street. 1624." While in the
hands of a former possessor, who had a fancy for collect.
ing the woodcut devices of printers, the printer's device
was cut out from the title, and placed in • volume devoted
to such collections, but after the lapse of more than a cen-
tury the identical piece wail found, and has bees recently
cplaoed. It sold or 541.
THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEEPA-sisa,t
the meeting of the members of this society on the 15th
instant, Mx John Fowler, president, in the chair, his
Royal Highness Prince Alfrei, K.G., was elected, by ac-
clamation, an honorary member. At the ordinary ballot,
the last of the present session, seven members and six as-
sociates were balloted for and declared to be duly elected,
including in the former class Mr. James Melville Balfour,
chief of the Marine Engineering Department, Otago, New
Zealand ; Mr. William Clarke, chief assistant engineer on
the London anal North Western Railway ; Mr. James
Collet, first-clams district engineer, East Indian Railway ;
Mr. Henry Wheeler Davis, acting engineer to the Great
Eastern Railway ; Mr. Jonathan Dickson lkin, West-
minster ; Mr. Alfred Moore, resident engineer of the Bel-
fast Waterworks ; and Mr. William Smith, chief engineer
of the Calcutta Waterworks ; and in the latter class, Mr.
James Henry Cotterill, Sloane-street ; Mr. Charles Foote
Gower, Westminster ; Mr. James Sidney Hargrove, West-
rainater ; Mr. John Gillett Livesay, surre7or to the Local
Board of Health, Ventnor, Isle of Wight ; Mr. John
Gordon M'Kenzie, Swansea ; and Mr. Vi sham Barrow
Turner, Dalton-in-Furness.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. —At the
monthly general meeting, held yesterday at the society's
house in Hanover-square, the Right Hon. Sir George
Clerk, Bart., president, in the chair ; Sir George Army-
tage, Bart., Major-General John St. George, Cit. R.A.,
Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. G. Dawkins, Lieutenant-Colonel
Henry Hardinge, Colonel G. Gambier, C. 8., R.A., Major
Kerr, Captain the Hon. John F. B. Elphinstone, Captain
Richard Coote, Captain Walter C. Wingfield, Captain
Forbes, RN., the Rev. C. Fryer, Mrs. Henry, Mrs. P. I.
Salonions, Mrs. C. H. Jay, Miss A. Braham, and Messrs.
H. W. F. Bolckow, E. F. Davis, S. Saunders, H. J. Tur-
ner, F. J. Underwood, C. E. Stubbs, R. Dames, K Lang-
ton, C. J. Mender, Nathan Meyer de Rothschild,
M.P.,M. Wyatt, Roger Eykyn, Alfred Charles
do othschild, Stephen Dowell, J. H. Jones, V.
Hampton, C. Weguelin, Robt. Fowler, T. Usborne,
31. Hermann, P. H. Berthone, C. H. Fez, H. Herbert, B.
Wontner, C. H. Dashwood, E. Weatby, B. C. Greenhill,
Montague Guest, lon Trant Hamilton, M.P., F. Claudet,
H. W. Scott, A. Beauclerk, S. T. Cooper, J. Weis, G. C.
Douglas, W. H. Allies, W. J. Whyte, E. H. Blackett, H.
Maucialay, Hector Essex, and M. D. Wyatt were elected
fellows ; and Mr. Wm. Sweetland Dallas, keeper of the
Museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and Herr
Otto Freisch, curator of the Museum of Natural History,
Bremen, corresponding members of tbe society. Seventy-
five new candidates were proposed for election at the next
meeting in June.
BARNED'S BANKING COMPANY (LIIIITED).—A
meeting is to be held on Tuesday next in Liverpool, at the
instance of several large creditors of this bank, to consider
the proposed mode of liquidation' and to determine what
course the creditors should adopt in relation to it.