The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-30 00:00:00

THE WAR.

Whatever may be the wisdom of the Prussian invasion
of Bohemia, the Austrians, remarks the Tines, have not
as yet shown the ability to drive them from it, and though
this war, if it continue, will probably give the world some
of the bloodiest battles of the age, there is no reason to
beFeve that theAushians have any chance of accomes&ng
the design with which they set out—the invasion of the Prus-
sian territory, the capture of Berlin, and the restorat'on of
Schleswig-Holstein to independence. The promptitude of
the Prussian government first deranged the Austrian and
federal plans, and the prowess of the Prussian army seems
entirely to defeat them.
Though we have still to receive the Austrian account of
these actions, the positions occupied by the Prussians, says
the Daily News, speak for themselves. There is, however,
plenty of time for Marshal Benedek to take revenge for
his defeats, there being no longer any doubt as to the
serious intention of the Prussians to prosecute the war in
Bohemia.
•

The Pod cannot help thinking the Prussians are rather
prematr'e in congratulating themselves and their sove-
reign on the result of what is merely the prelude to a
terrible campaign. The invaders have only barely crossed
the Bohemian border, and, notwithstanding the loses
, aid to be indicted on their enemy, they do not seem to
have compelled the Austrian commander-in-chief to aban•
don the position in which he awaited their approach.

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

The Examiner represents Lord Derby as being a very curious calculAt....lAn with the view of showing that
the bulk of our globe undergoes annual increase from the
ready now as in 1852 and 1858 to treat office as a thing
denosit of meteoric dust, amounting, as he states, to two
to be gambled for, to trust to his luck and the chapter of
cubic metres a year. According to this hypothesis, the
accidents, and when all fails to throw the dice of disaolu-
earth inereaLes annually the 114,400,400 th part of its
tier In his principles the tour chief is l'ke the Bourbons
weight.
—be has learned and unlearned nothing : like Mr.
A letter written on board the Great Eastern
Canning, he goes Indeed to Lansdowne House to look for
" a
colleague; but unlike him, he goes there because be yegterlly sais '—
We are this year to be favoured with
hopes to find one not more liberal, but one lees liberal, if the company of a few ladies as far as Berehaven, and if
possible, than himself. Mr. Canning's tendencies and this communication should perchance reach the western
aspirations as he grew old were all more popular, national, coast of Ireland, it may interest those there resident to be
arid enlightened than they had previously been. Lord informed, first, that the Great F.Qatern will reach Bere-
Derby's, on the contra'', seem to narrow every year, and haven on Wednesday, the anniversary of American lade-
pendence ; will probably be there until the Thursday week
to harden more and more in their oligarchic character.
The formation of a Derbyite cabinet, at the close of a tri-
following, and will then take up the splice with the new
shore end ; and holding no further communication with
=plaint war for the maintenance of democratic ride in
America, and as the ontbreak of a war of principles in the the shore—and above all not, as last year, with small
boats—will
heart of Europe, is like an attempt to anchor a light-ship get a clear offing from the slate cliffs of Va-
during the equinox in mid-channel. It signifies not a lentia by Friday, the 13th July, on her voyage across the
shred of seaweed what Lord Numskull, the Duke of Gout, Western Sea, where Heaven speed her on her mission."
Mr. Jack-a-lantern, or Sir Felix Fribble think or say or do A delightful piece of oriental courtesy is reported
on the occasion. The attempt is simply and merely an from Astralaad, the noted military port on the southern
absurdity, and will prove beyond all help utterly abortive, shores of the Caspian. It appears that the Shah of Persia,
The mere fact that Lord Stanley is thrust into the Foreign. who had been travelling in those distant parts of his
office, about which he knows nothing, in the midst of a dominions with a suite of no less than 3,000 persons, gra-
crisis like the present, ought to be enough to waken from ciously bestowed a visit upon the admiral of the Russian
their dream of credulity both friends and foes. fleet anchored in that harbour. Among the amusements
The Saturday Iteriew thinks the cabinet was right in its afforded the illustrious guest was a trip on the sea in a
resolution to resign. The real obstacle to its continuance splendid steamer. The Shah no sooner found himself on
in *eke was Mr. Gladstone, who is not in harmony with • the unwonted element than he experienced the (Iniquity
his party, and whose party has no strong feeling that they I sensations of humanity in visiting Father Neptune for the
ought to serve under him. In opposition, however, be first time. The Russian admiral stood aghast, fearing the
may once more knit the bonds together that ought to anger of the untraveled despot. "I am afraid your Majesty
unite him and his supporters. Lord Derby, in inviting isunwell,"he at length observed apologetically. "Not in the
the co-operation of a portion of the whig party, least," immediately retorted the polite Moslem ; "I am
indicates a consciousness of a notorious fact—that he does sow a guest in the house of my brother the Czar. How—
not possess a majority in the House of Commons. More- *cw—how—can I feel otherwise than happy and delighted
over, party consistency and personal scruples habitually under his reel r Where is the self-posse seed European
prevail among English statesmen over the temptations of who would not have given way in each an extremity?
rank and of power. The late seoeders from the whig party The celebrated Agassiz is now in Brazil making
know Birdie joining Lord Derby's government they would collections of specimens of natural history. The Emperor
finally break through their old associations. They will of Brawl, while carrying on the war against Paraguay,
undoubtedly feel themselves bound to suppoi against pre. made a large and beautiful collection of fishes, and sent
mature or factious opposition a ministry which owes its ahem to Agues with the folio% Ing note :—" The fishes
existence to their own active exertions ; but a closer alli- are to be sent to you. To you they entirely belong, for it
linos would be invidious and inexpedient. The SaturaaY was with this thought that I collected them. It is a slight
Beam thinks the best Foreign Secretary at Lord Derby's homage that I pay to science, but I see that it was of some
*disposal would be Lord Stanley. If Mr. Disyseli inests value in your eyes, and I shall be happy if I thus place
on resuming the management of the Exchequer, it will myself partly in relations with the labours by which you
be difficult to reject his claim ; but the finances would be will make better known the rich nature of my country.
safer in the bands of Sir Stafford Northeast, who is was D. PzDzo IL"