The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-27 00:00:00

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

(arum% zetzaaans.)
HUNGARY.
PI6BTH, Jusi 26.
The party constituting the Left in the Hun-
garian Diet have issued a programme of their
policy, in which they advocate a constitutional
modification of the law on common affairs, the
maintenance of the independence of the country,
the autonomy of the comitata, the satisfaction of
the wishes of the different nationalities in Hun-
gary, and general democratic progress. In to-day's
sitting of the Lower House of the Hungarian Diet,
Baron Eaves in reply to M. Desk, promised that
immediately after the recess thWgovernment would
bring in bills referring to the position of the several
nationalities, and relative to the union of Transyl-
vania with Hungary, the emancipation of the Jews
from civil and political disabilities, and to the
naturalization of foreigners.

RUSSIA.
ST PETERSBURG Jux 26.

Prince Gortchakoff celebrated to-day 'his jubilee
of 50 years spent in the service of the state, and he
was appointed on tko occasion Chancellor of the
Empire. Senator Donne Collins, the originator of
the project for laying the Russo-American tele-
graph line, has arrived here from New York to
submit froth proposals to the government for
carrying out the project.

THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

(►ROY OCR tiIICIAL CORRESPOND/UR.)

The preparations for the grand ceremonial of the
Ist of July in the Palais de l'lndustrie absorb for
the moment the energies of the Imperial Commis-
sioners. They are besieged for admissions, and
for information on the proposed treatment of com-
missioners and medal-holders, and recipients of
honourable mention. But no definite regulations
or rules have been issued. In the meantime public
curiosity is daily heightened by descriptions of the
splendours which are being borne from the Garde-
Meuble to the Champs ElywSes. Therichest hangings
are to decorate the spacious extrude, and to be edged
with the weightiest gold fringe. The gorgeous state
coaches that have been so long housed at the
Trianon have been dragged forth to Paris, and are
to figure in the procession that is to bear emperors
and kings to the great international coronation of
industry. In theatrical phrase, "no expense
will be spared " in treating the Parisians,
and the tens of thousands of strangers
in Paris, to, at least, two great state
shows. The Sultan will make his entrance into
the city with all the splendour which spendthrift
Paris can cast about him. A novel exhibition is
promised in the shape of a London Lord Mayor in
his state coach, followed by his sheriffs and alder-
men in theirs. Then, on the Ist of July, the
entire strength of the court will be brought into
play in an endeavour to make a pageant of unpa-
ralleled pomp and richness, in honour of the prize-
holders of the Exhibition of 1867, and for the
glory of France. The following is a dry outline of
the official order of proceedings :—The doors will
be opened at twelve ; at one o'clock the orchestra
will execute, under M. Georges Hainl's direction
1. The overture of /phigenio, by Ghick. Halevy has
composed the concluding piece of this work. 2.
Evening Song—a chorus, by Felicien David, with
solos on the flute and violoncello. At the entrance
of the Emperor, Rossini's " Hymn to the Emperor
and the French People." Some addresses will then
be read; to be followed by the distribution of prizes.
Afterwards, the Emperor will walk through the
building, during which time the military-bands
will play the national airs of every country.
Directly the Emperor regains his seat the orchestra
will execute the overture to Auber's Muette de
Partici. The ceremony will be concluded by the
celebrated chorus front Judas Maccalsrus.

The immense police force in uniform and plain
clothes that guards the Exhibition does not appear
to be a very effective one. The complaints of rob-
beries from stalls are many. A few days ago the
model of a locomotive was stolen from the French
department of the machinery gallery. It belonged
to the company of the Mines of Ouchy. This is
the second time that a theft has been committed
in this section. Where were the police ? Even a
model locomotive cannot be conveniently stowed
away in a coat pocket.
The cab difficulty having been partially solved,
land every available tapissidre having been pressed
into exhibition service by land to accommodate the'
crowds, the Parisians have perversely taken, en,
masse, to the water. The little steamboats that
run on the Seine have been so crowded lately
during the exhibition season, that it has been im-
possible
for passengers to travel by them some-
times. Numbers of persons have waited their turn
so long that they have gone away at last out of
all patience. Six new boats have therefore been
added to the Mom he fleet, and the company pro-
mise ten more during the autumn holidays.
Another and most tantalising official blunder
(the list was surely long enough already) has been
made. The entrances to the Exhibition building
close, as every one knows, at 6 o'clock. The
park, of course, remains open. When persons
arriving by any of the trains after six o'clock wish
to enter by one of the Avenue Suffren entrances,
they are prevented, and are obliged to make the
tour of the park to enter on the Rapp side. If one
or two clerks or employes were left at the Avenue
Suffren entrances as they are at the Porte Rapp,
and other gates, a great deal of discontent and
many violent altercations would be avoided. A
dark walk of full half a mile on the wrong side of
the palings of the park is not an attractive form of
exercise.

Here is a piece of news. Excursion trains are
announced to run front all the districts of Paris,
bearing visitors to the Champ de Mars. For six
franca a return ticket will be provided, a free
entrance to the Exhibition, and a diSjefiner con-
fortable," as our neighbours say. Mr. Cook, more-
over, has made arrangements by which economical
English visitors may have the use of a carriage,
be driven to the various sights of the capital, and
have a substantial mid-day breakfast—all for six
franca.

A concert was given at the Exhibition last Mon-
day, under the patronage of Princess Metternich,
the proceeds of which were contributed towards
the foundation of a German hospital in Paris. It
was largely attended, and succeeded, in a commercial
point of view, admirably. Prince Humbert, Prince
Metternich, the Prince of Leuchtenberg, Lady
Cowley and her daughters, Madame Nathaniel de
Rothschild, Madame de Pourtalea, &c., were there.
Strauss led the orchestra.

The Viceroy has paid two or three visits to the
Exhibition, and has afterwards held a little court
in the Egyptian house prepared for him, over a
pipe. The number of visitors during last week
varied between forty and fifty thousand per diem.
The latest novelty in the refreshment department
is the transformation of a restiaire by the imperial
pavilion into a bar for the sale of the " nectar of
the sovereigns," apparently a copy of the American
soda drinks. Last Sunday this bar was besieged
by crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the barmaids,
who are dressed to represent the various countries
of Europe. The chief lady in tri-colour adornments
from head to foot represents France.

SHIPPING DISASTERS IN THE ICE.—A telegram
from St. Petersburg reports movers' serious socilents to
shipping from ice in the Northern and White Seas. The
steamer Verona, and four sailing tweeds had managed
to teach Archangel through vast fields of tee, but they re-
ported the Eideut as loss, and the Da Cape as abandoned,
as well as some thirty vessels (names not given) either lost
or abandoned in the ice. The crews of severs! wens men
daftiog about on the ice does.

ROME.

(FROM OUR SPICIAL CORRESPONII2OO

ROME, JuNi 21.

To the great festival of Corpus Domini, which
is always the most magnificent jests of the Roman
year, additional splendour was lent yesterday by
the great concourse of ecclesiastical dignitaries, who
have responded to the invitation of the Holy
Father to repair to Rome for the Eighteenth Cente-
nary of the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul,
which is to be celebrated next week with unparal-
leled magnificence. At this moment the streets of
Rome are throngei with a motley crowd of bishops,
priests, and deacons, from all parts of the Roman
catholic world, and arrayed in every variety of
strange costume, who may be encountered at every
turn, with a most unmistakeable tourist or country
cousin air about them, gaping in astonishment at
the wonders of which the Eternal City is full. For
these ecelesiasticalstrangers combine their devotion
and sight-seeing in a very intelligent manner. At
the Coliseum, theother day, from one of the upper
terraces, I was looking down at the procession of
the Via enieis, which every Friday makes
I the round of the twelve stations of the
road to Calvary, which were erected round
the arena when the Flavian amphitheatre was
dedicated in 1750 by Benedict XI V. to the memory
of the Christian martyrs who perished there. Con-
spicuous among the band of devotees, and kneeling
devoutly before one of the stations, was a foreign
ecclesiastical dignitary, whose display of lavender,
; green, and gold proclaimed him bishop or mon-
isignore. As the chaunt of the worshippers is borne
upwards on the evening air nothing can be more
solemn than the effect produced on the mind of the
listener ; but on this occasion the effect was some-
: what marred by an incident, which, taken as a
matter of course by southerners, can hardlyfail to
' strike a northerner as somewhat ludicrous and un-
dignified. For while on his knees, and apparently
entirely absorbed by his devotions, the aforesaid
bishop deliberately proceeded to take a pinch of
snuff, and apply it vigorously to either nostril.
From a very early hour yesterday morning all
Rome was afoot, and flocking towards the Piazza
Rusticucci, round which a temporary awning is
erected, forming a continuation of the colonnades
flanking the Piazza of St. Peter's, the whole circuit
of which is made by the procession of Corpus
Domini. As being an out-door spectacle, and
beyond comparison the most splendid manifestation
of the genius of the Roman catholic church for gor-
geous display, the procession of Corpus Domini is
naturally the most popular of the Roman festas.
Starting at 8.30 a.m. from the statue of Constan-
tine, at the foot of the Scala Regia, the head of
the procession, consisting of a double file of black-
bearded and white-aproned pioneers solemnly beat-
ing their drums, reached the goal at the statue of
Charlemagne, at the opposite extremity of the por-
tico of St. Peter's, at a little before 9.30 a.m., em-
ploying rather less than an hour in performing the
giro of the piazze. About the same time as the
head of the procession reached the statue of Charle-
magne, the Pope, who had employed the previous
hour in hearing mass in the Sistine Chapel, started
from the statue of Charlemagne, his advent being
announced by cannon from the Castle of St. Angelo,
which continued saluting during his whole progress
round the piazze. In passing any given point the
whole procession employed about one hour and
forty minutes.
Presenting a most picturesque contrast to the
black-bearded pioneers who preceded them, fol-
lowed the white-habited orphan boys, who were
wisely placed in the van, as specimens of, perhaps,
the most truly benevolent institution in Rome.
After these followed an interminable line of friars,
bearded, beardless, shod, and unshod—in black,
brown, maroon, and white habits—with straps and
hempen or woollen ropes round the waist: Cap-
pucini, Gerolimini, Agoatiniani, Mimmi di S. Fran-
cesco di Paola, Frati di S. Francesco d'Assisi,
Minori C,onventuali, Minori Riformati ed Omer-
vanti, Carmelitani, Setviti di Maria. After the
friars came the monks—the Olivetani, Camaldo-
lesi, Cisterciensi, Benedettini, Domenicani, &c.—
the distinction between the friars and monks being,
I am informed, that the friars are by profession
beggars, whereas the monks are supported by foun-
dations. Next followed, in rich vestments, the
curati or priests of the 54 parishes into which the
city is divided, and after them the canons, fellows
of colleges, &c. After these wore seen ap-
proaching a long line of richly embroi-
dered red velvet, tent-like canopies, with the
insignia of the respective basilicas, which
they were intended to indicate, carried before them
—the most magnificent, those of St. Peter and St.
John Lateran, bringing up the rear—each canopy
being followed by the chapters and canons of the
respective basilicas. With these closed the first
and least interesting half of the procession.
" Now, pay attention, for it is going to begin,"
observed a Roman lady, who stood by my side, and
was goodnatured enough to enlighten my ignorance
on many points.
After a slight pause came on what is described in
the programme as the " Cappella Pontificia," which
expression signifies the whole of the court of the
Sovereign Pontiff, including all the civil and eccle-
siastical dignitaries, and all persons of any degree
whatsoever entitled to the privilege of wearing any
kind of court dress, which gives them the right of
walking in the tail of a Papal procession. Giving
up as hopeless the attempt to describe in detail the
splendour of the display, I shall confine myself to
noticing a few of its most conspicuous features.
The distinctive element in yesterday's display was
undoubtedly the extraordinary concourse of
bishops, who, including those walking in the
procession of cardinals, exceeded the number
of 300. Of the bishops, the Orientals, of course,
from the darkness of their complexions, the mag-
nificence and strangeness of their habits, and the
splendour of the jewels in their mitres, excited the
greatest admiration, and almost monopolized the
attention of the Roman crowd. The first who
showed himself—a singularly handsome, dark
youth, wearing a velvet cap crown, and a violet
coloured veil, which hung down over his shoulders
—called forth from the Roman women an unsup-
pressed murmur of applause as he passed along.
Amongst the bishops were Armenians, Greeks,
Syrians, Maronites, &c.—in short, representatives
of every sect of Eastern Christians, who recognise,
directly or indirectly, the supremacy of the Pope
of Rome.

After the bishops came the cardinals, upon
whose heels, conspicuous in their orange and red
silken robes, followed the Senator and Conserve-
tori del Popolo Romano. At length, when one
was already dizzy with gazing, the flabelli, or

ostrich feathers, which are borne on either Hank
of the Sedia Gestaturia, when the Pope is carried in
procession, came into sight, and presently the form
of the Holy Father himself—apparently kneeling,
and in wrapt adoration of the Heat, which he holds
elevated before him. That he could kneel, how-
ever, for an hour in public it would be unreasonable
to expect of an old man like the Pope, and so a vast
pall is thrown about him and skilfully arranged to
give him the appearance of kneeling, when he is in
reality seated. In the immediate train of the Holy
Father a mixed crowd of chamberlains, monsignori,
singers, &c., all in gala costume.
In the rear of the procession followed the Guardia
Nubile, in their fullest uniform and splendidly
mounted, the Guardia Palatine, the mounted gen-
darmes, and the bands and select specimens of the
various regiments in the Papal army.
That the Pope was enabled to go through so
trying a ceremony at all after his late illness, is
more surprising than that he should have looked ill
and fatigued.

PiUSitC.

CRY.TAL PALACE. --FINTIVAL BENEFIT
CONCERT.

This interesting event took place yesterday,
under the most favourable auspices in every respect. The
weather was as bright and genial as could be desired—a
brilliant sun, a cloudless sky, and pleasant breezes, com-
bining to give all those external attractions which have a
large influence in spite of the greatest powers of philo-
sophical abstraction. The preliminary walk through the
grounds, radiant with June flowers smiling under the
brightest of June suns, could not fail to put the mind
of the audience in a special state of genial predisposition
for the musical feast to follow. The fineness of the wea-
ther and the special attractions of the concert drew so
large an attendance that the result can scarcely fail to be
largely conducive to the intended purpose—that of con-
tributing to the funds for the restoration of the portion
of the Crystal Palace recently destroyed. As we stated in
our Monday's impression, the scheme of this festival con-
cert was no sooner suggested than offers of assistance and
co-operation poured in from all sources, to such an extent
as somewhat to embarrass the directors in the
task of choice and selection. This, however, was
very judiciously exercised, and the result was
a programme of substantial and varied interest, the
first part of which consisted of the greater portion of Men-
delssohn's Elijah ; the second being devoted to ► miscel-
laneous selection, partly sacred and partly secular. The
orchestra comprised that of the Royal Italian Opera,
together with many of the band of Her Majedy's Theatre,
the leading members of that distinguished amateur
orchestra known as the " Wandering Minstrels," besides
other volunteers—altogether numbering about 350 stringed
and nearly 100 wind instruments. The chorus consisted
of the London Festival chorus, that of the Royal Italian
Opera, and members of various other choral societies,
the aggregate number of executants being
about 2,500. The ready co-operation of all these
performers, of the great solo singers, and of Mr. Costa,
whom skilful control guided the whole performance, was
handsomely acknowledged by the directors of the Crystal
Palace Company in a few lines appended to the books of
the day, in which they express " their obligations and
thanks to the distinguished conductor and performers at
the Festival Benefit Concert, who, with the most dis-
interested kindness, have placed their valuable services at
the disposal of the Crystal Palace for this occasion." For
the accommodation of the royal and noble visitors
who were expected to honour the concert with
their presence, a box divided into three compartments
bad been erected on the stage of the theatre facing the
Hamlet orohestra, in which the performance took place.
The royal box thus improvised was fitted up with great
taste, each compartment being hung with crimson and
white drapery, and elegantly furnished; the approach
being by a vestibule filled with beautiful plants and flowers
encircling a miniature fountain, reflected in various sur-
rounding mirrors. This portion of the arrangements was ad-
mirably carried out by Mr. Wilkinson, who bet the gene-
ral superintendence of the line arts department and the
flower shows at the palace. Precisely at two o'clock. the

hour announced, Mr. Costa took his place at the_ conductor's
desk ; and, with a preliminary flourish of the side.drums,
the National Anthem was sung, first by a semi-
chorus of sopranos ; in •the dominant, by
a semi-chorus of altos ; and, finally, in the original
key, by full chorus. Then followed the overture to
Mendelssohn's Oratorio, shortly before the termination of
which the royal and noble visitors entered the places
assigned for them and already referred to—tbe party in-
cluding his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Prince
Louis of Hesse, the Prince of Teck, Prince Edward of
Saxe Weimar, lac. The selection from AlijaA comprised
all the most important pieces from that oratorio. Among
the many choruses selected, the splendid and dra-
matic invocation of the priests of Baal, the graceful
and melodious "Blessed are the men," the grand and
dignified " Thmika be to God" and "Be not afraid,"
and the exquisitely melodious " He watching over Israel,"
were conspicuous for the admirable precision and light and
shade with which they were given. The solos, by Mdlle.
Titiene, Mesdames Rudersdortf sad Ssinton-Dolby, Mr.
Sims Reeves and Mr. Bentley, were given with that per-
fection which might be expected from those excellent
artists in musics to which they are so well accustomed.
The miscellaneous selection commenced with Auber's