The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-20 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

CHINA AND JAPAN.
VISIT OF THE BRITISH MINISTER.

The Hong Kong papers of May 30 contain the
particulars of a diplomatic interview between Sir
Harry Parkes and the Shogoon at Osaga, which has
passed off satisfactorily. The Dutch, American,
and French ministers have also been well received.
The ceremonies are apropos of the opening of the
new ports in January next. We extract the
following account of the Foreign Minister's visit
to Osaka, from the Daily japan Herald :
.

On the 2nd May his Excellency Sir Harry S. Parkes her
Majesty's Minister and suite were admitted to a private
audience with the Shogoon. At the conclusion of the
audience the Mounted Escort passed in review before his
Majesty, and went through various evolutions, under the
command of Capt. Applin, which seemed to give great plea-
sure. The British Minister and suite were then conducted
into a room, in which was laid a grand dinner, cooked and
served in the French style, and at which all the plate and
glass were of the best European make. The Shogoon
self did the honours of his table. He sat at its head, with
Sir Harry Parkes on his right hand. After dinner dessert
was placed upon the table and the Shogoon proposed the
health of the Queen of Great Britain, and afterwards of
the British Minister, to both of which toasts Sir Harry re-
sponded. The party having risen from table adjourned to
another apartment, where coffee was served, and the Sho-
goon's officers brought in presents for Sir Harry from his Ma-
jesty. Thefollowing day his Exoellency the Dutch Minister
had a private audience. It was similar in every respect to that
of the English Minister. On the arrival of his Excellency
the United States Minister a few days later, he was re-
ceived in like manner ; and finally, his Excellency E•
Mons Leon Roches enjoyed the Shogoon 's hospitality, on
that occasion the bandof 13.1.31.5. Guerriere being in at-
tendance. Some days after the private audiences came
the official visits in the lame order.

At the official audiences, all the Japanese officers were in
full court costume, with long trousers trailing a long way
behind them on the ground, on their coats their own and
the Tycoon's arms embroidered in front, and • little black
cap. On the arrival of the ministers at the palace, they
were received by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, and
led before the Tycoon, to whom they bowed respectfully and
addressed a few complimentary words, and who received
them standing and replied in appropriate terms. They
were led into another room by the Prime Minister Italia-
maga-no-lanai, and rich Imperial Court suits with the
royal arms embroidered on them were presented to each of
the ministers. The Tycoon was dressed in • very
rich white silk dress with his arms embroidered
in pink on the front—wide trousers and •
little black cap, with a handsome sword in his girdle and
another on a stand by his side. In the private audience,
the rooms were all furnished in the first style of European
luxury, the floors covered with rich Brussels carpets and
the walls papered with gilt paper on which were flowers
and birds. In the official audiences the things were all
Japanese, the rooms being covered with m►ts. The roofs
were very handsomely carved and gilt, with coats of arms,
flowers, etc. ; they were also very lofty.
The Shogoon is a man of ordinary stature, with •
pleasant and very intelligent face, very bright sparkling
eyes, and a voice of remarkable sweetness. His manner is
most easy and refined. He had never sat down to Euro-
pean dinners before he did so on this occasion. As no
Japanese is allowed into his presence who does not wear the
royal arms, the chamberlain had to superintend the whole
of the arrangements and service. The ministers were all very
much pleased with both the public and private receptions
awarded to them. The time of their stay was chiefly oc-
cupied in conferences among themselves and with the
°creel°. The 40 men of the 29th who went up as the
British Minister's guard, were put through the bayonet
exercise and other drill before the Tycoon. The French
marines also went through their drill in his presence, and
be expressed himself as much gratified.
During the stay of the ministers at Osaka, their dinners
and breakfasts were supplied at the expense of the Tycoon,
under the superintendence of a French cook. Every luxury
provided, and, in a word, the whole was on the most
liberal scale possible. On the occasions of audience, all
the way from the Legation to the Castle, a distance of
nearly two miles, the streets were lined with troops on
both sides (all armed with Enfield rifles), who presented
arms as the ministers passed. The court-yard of the palace
and the corridors were also lined with troops.

(PIIITIR'S TZLZGRAMS.)
AUSTRIA.
VIENNA. JULY 19.

In to-day's sitting of the Lower House of the
Reichsrath the Minister of Justice brought in a
bill for the amendment of the penal code. In ac-
cordance with this bill corporal punishment and
chains will be henceforth abolished, and legal dis-
qualifications which are now entailed by convic-
tions for misdemeanours will be totally done away
with, and in criminal convictions be only tem-
porary. These alterations in the law are also to
affect persons convicted previous to the passing of
the bill. The committee on religious affairs pro_
pose that a civil code of laws shall be introduced
for the regulation of the marriages of catholics, and
also the introduction of civil marriage. They
further propose the emancipation of schools from
the church, and that all religions shall be regarded
as equal in the eye of the law.

HUNGARY.
PESTH, JOLT 19.
It is rumoured that the government intend re-
establishing the corps of the Honveds.
The moderate Left blames the extreme Left, for
supporting M. Kossuth as a candidate for the Diet
for Waitzen, and have declared that they will pro-
pose Count Alexander Carolyi for that district.