The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-21 00:00:00

THE FRENCH PRESS AND THE PRUSSIANI THE FORESTERS' FETE Ar rim c----„„
ANNEXATIONS. PALACE.-(THIS DAY.) -`Bl'4
•

The Dibdts says :—" The bold policy of Count
'-‘• Bismarck could not fail to flatter the public sentiment
and the national pride of the Prussians. The attentive
neutrality of Franoe, the forced indifference of Austria,
the discretion of Russia—we do not speak of England,
wbo purposely isolates herself from the affairs of the
Continent—have turned to the advantage of King Wil-
liam's enterprising minister. He has taken advantage
with as much audacity as ability of one of those occa-
sions which rarely occur in the life of a people—he
has availed himself, as Shakespeare y" of ' that
tide which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.'
The Dthats further adds :—" In the menage
may be ono"
more found the spirit and even the political style of the
diplomatists of 1815, who punished or recompensed
cal-
pops-
lotions and sovereigns, and promulgated the egotistical
culations of human ambition m the decrees of Heaven

itself."
The Epoque would like to see France interfere and
oppose the proposed union :—" We see with pleasure," it
remarks, " the cabinet of Berlin openly admitting that the
annexations are imposed against the wishes of the popula-
tions annexed, and that Prussia is reduced to look to time
to cause these usurpations to be accepted. Will Franeeorlio
has always decided that the people should be consulted,
permit this iniquitous confiscation of the independence of
four states!"
The Liberti expresses itself in these terms :—" We ad-
mit everything, even that which ought to be excluded ;
we admit the right of conquest—the respect due to nation-
alities and their inviolability—natural frontiers—even
a fictitious equilibrium ; but what we do not admit
under any regime, either monarchical, republican, arida-
credo, or democratic, is hypocrisy. And is it not hypo.
wiry carried even to disdain of every man who
thinks, to say in a royal message that Prussia
has not sought acquisitions of territory ; that it was the
hostile attitude of the States annexed which compelled the
suppression of their independence'? And if it were true
that these States had shown themselves hostile to a foreign
occupation, what conduct could have been more legitimate
or more honourable? Why not be sincere? Why not say
frankly—l, Prussia, have made aggrandisementa because
I found my kingdom too small "
The subjoined extract is from the Teespa:—" As to the
countries destined to be the first to satisfy the appetite of
Prussia, there is no question of consulting the popula-
tions. The royal message expresses the hope that the
people will accept the annexations when accomplished :
Yens lour rtes, dimmer,
Be les eloquent, beancoup rlbonneur.
The nations annexed will have therefore the leisure to re-
ject on the honour conferred on them. We have no
doubt that the people of Frankfort, in particular, will de-
rive great consolation in that ulterior meditation."
The Prose el:nerves :—" The Prussian State now in
course of organisation in the face of Europe is only the
nucleus of another more formidable Power, which will
cover all the north of Germany from the Baltic and North
Sea as far as the Maine, and will dispose of a population,
whether for works of peace or warlike enterprise, of 35
millions, acting under the same impulse and for the profit
of the same interests. King William hopes that the
populations which are about to be united to his
crown, will accept, with time, their annexation to
Prussia. What ! Here we have a war purely
German, made in the name of Germany, in proses's of
Europe attentive but motionless ; German armies are
alone engaged ; and it is the conqueror himself who
declines, in appropriating to himself all the fruits of his
victory, that the war, by its consequences, was an odious
one, and that the real vanquished were not the Austrians
of Vienna, but the Germans, whose territory suite the
policy and rapacity of Premix ! Such avows* however
frank they may be, do no honour to a policy, but charier
tense and condemn it"
The &Me says:—" The strange motive assigned to
legalise the annexation of the four States cannot fail to
produce a painful sensation in the whole of liberal Europe.
Precisely because these States are hostile to Prussia is their
independence suppressed! We might indeed comprehend
the allegation of such a reason if the hostility of those
countries towards Prussia was that of the governments
only and not of the populations. But no ; the royal mes-
sage takes care to add that it is to be hoped that with
time the populations of the annexed countries will accept
their incorporation with Prussia. Consequently, they do
not accept it at present ! This is the old right of conquest,
the law of force, now appealed to at Berlin."
The Union remarks :—" The Berlin Cavern no longer
takes the trouble to conceal his insolence of domination.
The hypocrisies about federation and supremacy are thrown
aside. It is ' annexation,' violent and tyrannical, which is
openly avowed. One kingdom, two duchies, and one
free city, that is to say, 2,221,000 souls—such is
the first flight of the Prussian eagle ! The mas-
sage adds that ulterior communications will be made
relative to Schleswig-Holstein. Another grasp of
the talons in preparation ! The royal bird of prey
is insatiable. What gives to this outrageous rapacity
• character quite modern, and worthy of the new right,'
is the commentary by which it is accompanied. Prussia;
declares the chief of the cabinet, ' has not sought acqui-
sitions of territory.' Truly? Then, without doubt, the
' annexed' have come to solicit the eking them into bond-
age ? Not precisely: 'The hostile attitude of the States
has required the suppression of their independence.' In
fact, were they not menacing the frontiers and security
of Prussia? ' Thou troubled the water,' says that erne
beast ; always the reasoning of the wolf to the lamb."

THE FATE of SIR GILBERT EAST.—The rumours
and uncertainties which have so widely prevailed as
to the fate of Sir Gilbert East, Bart., who mysteriously
disappeared early on the morning of the 12th instant,
and who was seen struggling in the water off Ryde
Pier, were yesterday set at rest. As some men were
in a boat off the Sands Head, near Sturbridge Buoy,
a few miles below Ride, they saw a body floating in the
water, which proved to be that of the lamented Sir Gilbert
East. It was at once taken on shore. Two sums of 501.
and 25/. had been offered as rewards for his body, or any
proof of his death. The painful solution of the question his
caused a great sensation at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club,
of which he was an esteemed member. He paid for a cup
of the value of 35/., to be sailed for on Friday last, only a
few hours before he was seen in the water. An inquest
will now be held, when the whole truth must, of course,
transpire.
It is expected that Mr. Laing, M.P. for the
Wick burghs, will shortly address a meeting of the elec-
tors in explanation of his conduct in Parliament with re-
gard to the Reform Bill.
Dr. James Duncan, well known and much
horoured in the medical profession in Edinburgh, died on
Thursday at Tours, in France, while on his annual holiday,
of cholera—the suddenness and the cause of the event
conspiring to render it mom painfully striking.
A DWELLER IN THE CAVE.—An extraordinary
case came before the Sunderland magistrates on Saturday.
A pitman named Thomas Robson was summoned for re-
fusing to quit • cave be had hollowed out for his occupa-
tion in the sea banks, on the lands of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, who were the summoning parties. Their only
object was to induce Robson to quit " the premises ;" but
neither threats nor persuasion could succeed. It trans-
pired, during the hearing of the cue, that the defendant
took it into his head to leave his employment at Ryhope
Colliery, and the house he occupied, for the purism of
excavating a habitation out of the sea banks. He made
himself • nice entrance, cut out • room of considerable
size, and made bole at the top for a chimney. The place
was timbered on the sides and the roof ; but though he
had fitted it up in a style that might be comfortable
to live in, there was danger of it giving way,
and some morning he might find himself on the bush.
The cave was about half way up the bank, and about 40
feet from the beach, and was approached by a winding
path. The defendant proving. obstinate to the last, a fine
of si. was inflicted, and, retuning to pay, he was locked
up. In the afternoon some pohoemen sad about a dozen
navvies proceeded to the cave, where they found the de-
fendant's wife's sister in possession. On being asked to
move the furniture and leave she refused, declaring she
would stick to the place until she died, and they would
have to bury her there. They were ultimately obliged to
remove both her and the furniture by force, after which
the navvies commenced to demolish the place, which had
been very strongly built. The defendant was then released,
FATAL COLLIERY AoCIDZET.—EarIy yesterday
morning a fearful accident occurred at the colliery
of Messrs. Grocutt and Sone, near Wednesbury, which
has already resulted in the loss of one man's life, and pro-
bably out of the seven men that were severely injured
more deaths will have to be recorded. The particulars of
this unfortunate catastrophe are most melancholy, and it
is alleged (but we hope without foundation) that this
accident was the result of carelessness. About the above-
mentioned time a number of men descended the pit, it is
said, with naked candles, and the result was that when
they got to the bottom an explosion of gas; occurred, which
resulted in seven men being severely burnt. As we have
already stated, one man has died, and the others lie in •
precarious condition.—Birmingham Gazette.

The twelfth annual festival in aid of the Widow
and Orphan Fund of the London United Dist °Taw
of
Foresters took piaes to-day at Sydstham. The
pearence of the sky early this =sang
et,—;;ld
siu.
tower twoa been to
toilatzweenitika..
threaten s repetition of the bad weal* vials
eleer"diykand there was • mon &ime
had
dbbeciut Earrew;rdinlOthey
spect before the many thousands who have proossudi72.
Palace. As early as 9 o'clock the decorous, hew
the
variousrailways in the metropolis connected with Sydow,
were numerous and frequent, and as the morn* sons*
the numbers booked greatly increased in every &swim,
The arrivals in London from various parts of the
were, es heretofore, on • large male ; the North Was s%
Great Western, South Western, and Great Noakes lag,
ways having afforded member. of the " beagsdiser
residing in the country every facility for • " cloy div,
Those preferring the journey by road ai-pearsayswirie—T's
oar of the number for several years past ; and, ha
of coarse impossible to state the total amount at the pitio
ing, there seems every like ihood of an attendance wham*
compare favourably with the muster on the tee yesasis
anniversaries. For the convenience of faits's,
aration number " of the Foresters' Ittpot4er bash.,
issued, containing • guide to the Pawn foreknew
and in the same publication " a comes
gramme of the amusements" has bras phhk
these embracing all novel and varied attratitia
grand procession of the members of the owe se
Axed for 1 o'clock, the start to be made from the Ups
Terrace, and preceded by the Civil Service Voluntarist
The Foresters' braes band, the Deptford isre
band, the Lambeth dram sad fife 6sad, ik,
Duke of York's School band, Haynes heed, oil
the Irish Ride Volunteers and City polies bands VIP*
to take part in the march, which has aways pilot
a pretty sight, augmented as it is by the isiki
of the banners of the different comb, sad
officers and members attired in "fall cesium ni
rich regalia." Altogether the festival el ism isk
fair to prove mom satisfactory than was amyl;
and, judging from the animated appeases, of uss
proceeding to the Palace, one and all won bed I,
a thorough day's enjoyment. The =tame d is Mil
Hood has been very generally adopted ; and awl sada,
matic of the order have been freely sold in vadat dire
Lions.

RE-OPENING OF THE PRESTON BINS

This day an important application ma made
Mr. Peaks, the vacation chief clerk attached to th

of Vice-Chancellor Stuart, on the part of de as*
parties interested in the petition filed at the Belt Oat
for the winding-up of the Preston Banking Company, nik
the view to dismiss the petition in order that tti tin
might be re-opened on Friday next.
Considerable discussion took place before the chiddsk
between the legal representatives of the several min
There had beau two petitions filed to wind up the so
pany, and a provisional liquidator had been ins*
and bad the management of the offices. All pinks in
seated to the petitions being dismissed, and the paw
object wee to discharge the liquidator, so with**
release the bank could not recommence 'mimics, ssi
was essential that the establishment should be matird
on Friday morning.
The chief clerk eventually made an order to intim
this liquidator and for him to account, and a ass
could be signed, transferring the money, so that the but
could be re-opened.
All parties were satisfied, and the beak, it vs
would be re-opened on Friday next.