The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-20 00:00:00

THE PRESERVATION OF COMMONS.

The weekly meeting of the committee of the
Commons Preservation Society was held yesterday after-
noon at the society's offices, 29, Parliament-street—
present : Mr. John Stuart Mill, M.P. ; Professor
Fawcett, M.P. ; Mr. Locke, M.P. ; Mr. Shaw
Lefevre, M.P. ; Sir Fowell Buxton, M.P. ; Mr.
Toynbee, F.R.S. ; Colonel Alcock, Mr. Leslie Stephen:Mr.
Alderman Begley, Mr. J. C. Parkinson ; Mr. P. H. Law-
rence, and Mr. Arthur Lankester, secretary. The provi-
sions of the Hon. Wm. Cowper's Commons Bill were care-
fully discussed, and the threatened opposition of the Me-
tropolitan Board of Works unanimously deplored. The
committee pledged itself to do its utmost in support of
Mr. Cowper's measure on its second reading next Wednes-
day ; and earnestly hoped that all interested in the pre-
servation of commons would be made to understand the
really mischievous character of the objections raised. The
proposals to reject the bill on the ground of its not
being sufficiently comprehensive, and to substitute for
it a sweeping enactment for the buying up of all
common-rights and vesting them in the crown,
ere considered especially dangerous, as tending to render
claims exorbitant, and to footer an extravagant and need-
less expenditure of public money. The aims of the Com-
mons Preservation Society are limited to maintaining in
their natural wildness all open spaces within 15 miles of
London ; to preventing encroachments on the one hand
and abuses on the other ; to aiding the residents near to
aid themselves; and to provide all necessary funds by
means of a local rate, which shall be administered by local
authority. The committee are advised by some of the
highest legal authorities that Mr. Cowper's bill will, if it
become law, enable them to secure these objects, and they
earnestly deprecate an opposition which, while it is pro.
feasedly prompted by a wish to make commons inalien-
able, really plays into the hands of those bent on their de-
ed adtion.

Mr. Peek, of Wimbledon, has liberally offered 2251. for
prizes for the best essays on the preservation of commons.
Two of these are to be treated from an historical and legal
point of view, and two from a moral and sanitary one.
After warmly accepting Mr. Peek's offer, the committee
broke up.

HANDEL FESTIVAL. —The only meeting this
season of the 1600 members of the festival choir takes place
at Exeter-hall this evening. The first part consists of •
selection from Handers Jephtha, the second comprises the
choruses of Handers Ads and Galatea.
. . .

We believe we are correct in stating that the
talented Professor Of Greek in this University (Mr.Jowett)
will shortly publish a new and complete edition of Plato.
The work will, we understand, be divided into three
pats, of which the first will contain fragments of Greek
philosophers up to the time of Plato ; the second Plato's
Republic in the Greek, with copious notes ; while the last
part will be a translation of the whole of Plato's writings,
with suitable essays by some of Professor Jowett's friends.
—Oxford Undergraduates' Journal.
THE LIBERATION SOCIETY AT CANBRIDOE. —The
meeting, for which the mayor refused the use of the Town-
hall, took place in Downing Independent Chapel, on Wed-
nesday night, and was attended by a numerous and in-
, finential audience. Mr. W. H. Johnson, M.A., the first
nonconformist who took a degree after the passing of the
Cambridge University Reform Act, presided on the oc-
casion, and the Rev. J. H. Hinton, ILA., Mr. J. Carvell
Williams, of London, and the Rev. J. G. Rogers, 8.A., of
Clapham, attended as a deputation from the committee of
the liberation !Society, and delivered addresses on the
prinaples of voluntaryism, on the present condition of the
establishment, and on the parliamentary measures by
which it is sought to secure perfect religious equality. The
abolition of sectarian tests at the universities was strongly
insisted upon by some of the speakers, among whom were
Mr. Neville Goodman, of Bt. Peter's Coll ; the Rev.
Mr. Bennett, of Foulmire ; and Mr. W. Johnson. The
speeches were characterised by great earnestness and hope-
fulness.

CRYSTAL PALACIL ONZ SHILLING DAY.
THIHIADAY, Amu 19.—Admissions on payment, 1,807
ditto by season tickets, 1,435 ; total visitors, 3,242.

PATCRDAY.
S.W. to N.W., strong
to fresh, unsettled.

PKOBABLZ
011 NoitTHILMI SCSDAT.
COASTS. Variable. to S.M.E. and
W.M.W., moderate to

strong.
S.W. to N.W. and WIMEM. S.W. W N.W., mode-
back, moderate to rate to fresh.
strong, some showers.
Variable, strong to tiornims.
moderate, sonic
showers.
As next above.

Westerly, moderate to
fresh.

EASTERS. S.W. to N W., mode.
rate to fresh.

Northern—Scotland. Western—lreland, Wales, and adJa•
ceneies. Southern—English Channel and Bay of Biscay.
Eastern—Eastward England and North Bea.

THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON lll.—This is the birth-
day of the Emperor of the French, his Majesty having been
born at the Tuileries on the 20th of April, 1808, and
hiving now, therefore, completed his 58th year.
. .

The Emperor Napoleon, accompanied by the
Marquis de la Valette, Minister of the Interior, drove out
in his phaeton the day before yesterday after the review,
passing by the Quays to the Quartier Latin, the Boulevard
Sebastopol, the Cite, the Rue Saint-Antoine, the Rue
Saint-Martin, the Boulevard Magenta, the Rue Lafayette,
the Boulevards, and the Champs-Elysees. His Majesty,
who drove himself, and was entirely without escort, re-
ceived an exceedingly warm reception throughout his drive.

The Emperor of the French is reported to have
replied to M. Guizot, when the latter asked him to ratify
the dismissal of M. Martin-Paschoud, " M. Guizot, I must
consult my ministers of state and of public worship. lam
a more constitutional sovereign than you think."

Prince Adalbert of Prussia is still in Italy,
where he has visited the arsenals. He was two days since
in Spezia, and it is probable that he will visit Florence
before quitting Italy.

The Berlin journals announce that King William
has refused to receive the address of the Prussian traders
declaring war to be injurious to the interests of the country.
" Some of the journals," says the France, " an-
nounced that M. Mires will shortly take • prominent
position in Paris journalism. He is said to have pur-
chased the greater part of the shares in the Prase, the
direction of which will, according to report, be confided
to bhn. The Prate will thenceforth be devoted to the
defence of the government policy, under the chief editor-
ship of M. Cucheval-Clarigny, one of the editors of the

Pairie. Owing to those changes, M. 011isier is to retire
from his present post in connexion with the Prase, and
has already applied to the Minister of the Interior for
authorisation to found a new journal, to be entitled Le
Peupk, the political programme of which will be a frank
adhesion to the dynasty with an extension of liberty."
THS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PRUSSIA.—
The Prussian Moniker states that the King lately received
the oath of fidelity from the two new Archbishops of
Posen and Cologne. To some remarks of the latter his
Majesty replied as follows :—" I have been happy, vener-
able gentlemen, to receive you personally before your
entry upon your episcopal functions, and to accept
the solemn promise which you have jut corrobo-
rated by oath as a pledge of your sentiments
towards me and my house. The catholic church
throughout my dominions is, by virtue of the historical
development of the law and of the constitution, in a well-
regulated situation. Under the aegis of just and benevo-
lent laws it can exercise freely and without obstacle its
functions in my dominions. I feel great satisfaction that
this fact, which has been many times justly appreciated by
the visible head of your church, should also be recognised
with gratitude by my faithful subjects. The catholic
church in my states may be assured of the continuation of
my paten's' protection."