The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-18 00:00:00

;87-•x'

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(11011 OR OWN

PARIS, FRIDAT EVEMIG.
The Prase confirms all the news I sent you yea-
terday about the radical difference between the
government and the committee on the Army Re-
organisation Bill, with this additional and most
important detail, that the committee, finding that
the !government obstinately insisted on depriving
the representatives of the people of the essential
prerogative of voting the contingent annually,
resolved to recommend to the chamber the rejection
of the whole bill, by the majority of 13 to 5. The
government will only hear of the enormous
and moat unnecessary figure of 800,000 as
a minimum of the standing army. A great
pressure is likely to be put upon the Corps
Legialatif—and if the pressure amounts to the
peine forte et dune, it must give way— to force a
vote for an unlimited army at the discretion of
Napoleon 111., on the plea of necessary defensive
preparations, and lest the foreigner should suppose
that France would shrink from the sacrifices neces-
sary to maintain " her honour." I have not seen
a more wholesome symptom of the real feeling of
the French people than the opposition of the
House of Commons, carefully packed as it was, to
the Army Bill. I never believed, and now believe
less than ever, in the existence of a war party in
France worthy of the slightest consideration. Mili-

tary dons, whose trade is war, of course talk big,
and subaltern officers, naturally ravenous for pro-
motion, retail with delight the little they know
about military preparations. There is no liberty
in France—or at least no liberty capable of re-
sisting the worst caprices of authority. But what
I have always denied, and what I deny now is the
assertion repeatedly made in some quarters, that
even if the Emperor wished for permanent peace
he would be goaded on by his people to make war.
No doubt! the opposition deputies of all shades,
from Thiers to Gueroult, will taunt him with the
many failures of his foreign policy ; but they do
that in a spirit of dynastic opposition. " Chauvi-
nism" is greatly and most happily on the wane
in France. Nobody wants war, and the opinions
of the provincial press moat ludicrously cited by
the Pays as evidence of the " public feeling " of
the country are only reproductions of a litho-
graphed autborised correspondence sent from Paris.
The French people, unfortunately, have no means
lof exchanging ideas in private or public political
meetings. They would no doubt support the go.
vernment in a war until a reverse came ; but you
may be well assured that the very men who would
humiliate the Emperor because he has not achieved
an extension of territory are extremely glad
to be spared the terrible depreciation of
property which war would occasion. All think-
ing men with something to lose are opposed
to war unless military men ►nd army contractors.
As to the vulgar masses, supposing them to have
any opinions at all, the very institutions which
prevent them listening to mob orators at public
meetings prevent them from exercising the slightest
control upon the government on any other ques-
tion than that of a full belly. On that question
war is always in the negative.
Baron Brim', a nobleman whose parchments
will, I believe, bear the scrutiny of the most fasti-
dious heralds, has achieved in the course of a few
months a very special reputation, rivalling that of
Brillat-Savarin, by writing cookery articles in M.
Emile de Girardin's paper, the Libert4. He gives
every day the " bill of fare of to-morrow," accom-
panied by hints to housekeepers and comments
upon the atate of the food markets. A new res-
taurant lately started owes its large custom entirely
to the fact that for 6fr. anybody may get a dinner
prepared according to Baron Brisse's recipe for
the day. Yesterday the Prase made en attack
upon the reputation of Baron Brisse. It pub-
lished a letter purporting to be written by him to
one of the first wine merchants of Bordeaux,
stating that on a particular day be was going to
give a grand dinner to several great personages, in-
cluding Prince Metternich and M. Emile de
Girardin, and that any fine wines sent to him
on that occasion would be puffed by the Liberti
and have a great sale in consequence. But the
letter concluded—le pritre tit par Castel, by which it
was meant that the wines were to be furnished
gratis. The Libert4 to-day publishes a letter from
Baron Brisse, affirming that the letter attributed
to him is a forgery.
The Bourse was again calm. There is a greater
disposition than yesterday to believe in the per-
manence of peace. Rente, after unimportant
fluctuations, close with a rise sc. for cash, and 15c.
for account, at 69fr. 45c. in each case. Italian
fell sc. In other securities there was scarcely any
change.

Notwithstanding the very unfavourable state of
the weather on Monday last no fewer than 65,000 visitors
attended the Paris Exhibition on that day.

M. Lemoine notices in Englishwomen " their
curiosity on religious questions ; their being all more or
less theologians—veritable doctors in petticoats. They
will discourse you on grace and free will. You encounter
them in churches, at sermons, and ceremonies. They take
notes ; sometimes, alas ! they compose little books. N.
matter, all that does not prevent them from serving up
te►, taking core of their children, and being excellent mis-
tresses of families and mothers." After describing their
gait and mode of walking in the streets, " like Cent-
Garden," be allows that " this rude block has elements of
a superb work of art ;" and that, " as soon as art has put
her hand to it—as soon as an Englishwoman has learnt
how to walk, to stand, to dress herself, to add acquired
grace to native beauty, she will be a fine type of creation
and civilisation ; and the Englishwoman when naturalised
as a Parisian is perfection."
A recent transaction on the Berlin Corn Ex-
change has attracted attention. A rich proprietor in Po-
merania a few months ago bought a large quantity of rye
for future delivery, and an advance of .50 01.60 per cent.
having since occurred, be has taken possession of it, and
stored it up with the view of casing a still further rise.
This speculation, however, has been counteracted by the
Minister for Trade through the expedient of allowing ships
to pass the sluices on the canals even at night, so as to pre-
vent a scarcity at Berlin.
_

The rinderpest at Hildburghanaen has occasioned
the lose of one human life. A labouring man from Nord-
helm, probably a little drunk, insisted on passing the
bridge at Ernatthal, in spite of the repeated warning of
the Prussian sentinel who had been posted there to pre-
vent any person from crossing the frontier. The sentinel
fired, and the man was a corpse.
The Libertd Cattolica of the 11th announces in
those terms the " miracle" of St. Januarius at Naples :
"Yesterday, after twenty-eight minutes of prayer, the
precious blood of the saint was perceived to become
gradually liquefied."

The New York Ledger contains the first chapter
of the Rey. Henry Ward Beecher's story. " Norwood ; or,
Village Life in New England." Mr. Beecher takes especial
pains to warn his readers that they need look for no-
thing sensational, end remarks :—" Our simple story of
domestic life will take us to a point intermediate between
the rugged simplicity of mountain towns and the easier
life of the cities." Abiah Cathcart sad Rachel Lisoomb,
the first characters introduced, are indeed sufficiently com-
monplace, although it is true they are only to play the un-
interesting part of ancestors.
CRYSTAL PALACE. ONE EINTILTNO DAY.—
FRIDAT, MAT 17.—Admissions on payment. 2,80 ;
ditto by woos ticks* 1,756; total Akers, 4,610.