The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-05 00:00:00

THE NEW ITALIAN MINISTRY.

A Florence letter of the 31st December in the
Dehats has the following :
The new ministry is decidedly and completely a La Mar-
MOM cabinet. The person of the Presidest of the Council
is absolutely predominant. In fact, 11. Chiaves, to whom
she principal post has been entrusted, is a men still young
—a minister for the first time, who has not been able to
acquire that authority which results solely from the pro-
longed exercise of high functions. The same remark applies
to M. Scialoja, though somewhat older. He was secretary-
general to M. Bastogi in ISGI, envoy to Paris for the treaty
of commerce, and presideut of the Court of Accounts. He is,
also, as you are aware, a member of the Senate. There dif-
ferent functions and his incontestable merit gave him a cer-
tain notoriety ; but be does not possess in the parliament,
especially in the Chamber of Deputies, any great personal
influence. As for the other ministers, they will be almost
exclusively special men. It appears more and more evi-
dent that General La Slarrnora as initiated in some great poli-
tical project. The persistence he has shown in reconstruct-
ing his ministry, no..withstandiog ever-recurring obstacles,
seems to me a proof of this. Indeed, the situ aoe of the
cabinet, in a point of view purely political,wid be anything
but pleasant. ft is unnece.s.ry t speak of the Left, whose
opposition is certain, especially as the new ministers have
no affinity with that side of th- chamber. They belong
rather to the Right. As for the Left Centre, rumour says
that it has decided to assume an attitude resolutely hostile.
The presence of M. Loots, without securing its support,
might have moderated its opposition ; but under existing
circumstances it appears by no means favourably disposed.
The ministry can only rely on the old majority, which does
not now form more than two fifths of the chamber. To
recruit the number wanting from among the flatterers or
new deputies will be a laborious task, and its success doubt-
ful. Bat if G ILa Merniors should he able to esta-
blish the conviction that his presence at the bead of affairs
is indispensable for the socoess of great negotiations, the
physiognomy of the chamber may change. Thii country is
sensible and patriotic. If the people be assured that the
permanent interests of the kingdom are at stake, passion
and personal antipathies will be forgotten. Such at least
is my firm belief.
A Florence letter in the Sh'ele says :

The new ministerial combination is received with much
coolness by all political parties. General La Marmon de-
clares that he wished to form
20 administrative ministry
not belonging to any one sectioo of the chamber in particu-
lar. Such a pretension, in • new perlienieot, is at least
strange. There is consequently good reason to doubt whe-
ther the new cabinet will be well received by the chamber.
The ministry fell on the question of the decree relative to
the Treasury administration ; the older of the day of M.
Broglio, favourable to the ministry, was rejected be 130
votes to 115. Is it not surprising that the new cabinet
does not contain • single use of the 130 deputies
which voted against that order of the day Lastly,
every one must admit that M. Scialoja io the eyes of the
chamber, without distinction of parties, will Dever have
authority or the political position of IL Sella. The crisis in
realit7 is only adjourned, and the ministry is menaced in
Its eristeeoe even before being completely formed. Such •
painful situation, be being prolonged, becomes daily more
difficult. The retirement of M. Lanz► leaves the La Mar-
more cabinet without any serious support in the chamber ;
the ministry may therefore be said to be now we.ker than
it was a fortnight ago, before the withdrawal of M. Sella.
The remark is already made that the Opinione and other
journals favourable to the government are energetically
blaming the new cabinet, and that is evidently • bad kite.
The Unite Itationa, the 3lazzinian journal, armour-ors
that it is about to resume its publication, which had been
suspended for want of funds.

NEW METROPOLITAN TRAMWAYS. —A renewed
endeavour will be made in parliament to obtain powers to
lay down improved tramways for omiibuses, alto of a much
improved character. The top edge of the rail will be Bush
with the pavement, very narrow, and will present no obetrac-
lion to wheels ; and those adapted to it can readily go off or
on to it. The proisoted oompasy will be bound to maintain
a strip of the mad 7 feet in brsadth for each lice of nib,
although so exclusive right to travel on these will be
reserved. The company will be competitive with the
General Omnibus Company ; and no doubt this itself will
constitute • strong recommendation to Londoners. who
desire to supersede, by as English company, the French
association which at preeest overrides the citizens wish
their bad, draughty omnibuses and their broken promises.
If othse unobjectionable, tramways would promote the
regulation of traffic, and obviate the necessity for demolish-
ing some hundreds more booms by nosing railways through
I various parts of the metropolis.—Buihkr.