The Express.
London, England, 1860-12-22 00:00:00

TEE EXPRESS, „SATURDAY -MININING, DECEMBER 22, 1860.

FRENCH ADVICES FROM CHINA.

The Moniker publishes the following :
. "Ourtain organs of the English press persist with
the most inexplicable obstinacy in entertaining
their readers with accounts of fabulous spoil with
which every French soldier will return after the
pretended sack of the Imperial Palace of Pekin.
The only reply we can give is to publish textually a
letter written by General de Montauban to his Ex-
cellency the Marshal Minister of War, dated the
Bth of October. It will be remembered that the
ambassadors of France and of England entered Pe-
kin on the 22nd of October, and that peace was
signed on the 28th :

" • Heed-Quarters before Pekin, Oct. 8.

" Monsieur le Marichal,—lt was agreed between Geo,.
tel Grant and myself to proceed ►o Yuen•miog-Yuen, the
summer residence which the Emperor always occupies, four
leagues north of Pekin.

" ' This country is so cut up by roads, thickets, kr., that
General Grant and his army lout their way, and I arrived
alone, in the evening, in front of the palace, which was in
charge of a Tartar guard.
" ' Despite • long and fatiguing march I ordered the
palace to be occupied at 7 o'clock in the evening, and
forcing an entrance I had two officers and some soldiers
wounded. The Tartars evacuated the palace entrusted to
their care and lost some men. one inferior mandarin being
killed in the courtyard. I ordered the palace to be occu-
pied, and went there myself early next morning. It is
impossible, M. le Maritima, for me to describe to you now
the wonders of this imperial habitation. Nothing la
Europe can convey an idea of such luxury. I shall not
attempt to describe its splendours in these hasty lima I
shall have the honour to write to your Excellency at
pester length by next mail to give you a full description.
" s I placed strong posts at all the outlets of the palace,
so that nothing might be disturbed until our allies arrived,
to whom I immediately sent information. A few boon
afterwards they arrived, and • portion of their cavalry
having joined my column, I appointed two English and two
?much officers to see that nothing was touched, and that
the two armies should conjointly exercise a strict control.
" General Grant and Lord Elgin having arrived, we
appointed three commissions of each nation to make •
division of the most precious objects. In this division 1
recommended oar commissioner, to select only objects of
vales for the sake of art or antiquity. I hope to send to
your &Whiny, for his Majesty the Emperor, and for the
peat eolleetions of the government, or for the Museum of
Artillery, some rare curiosities for France.

" • I ;in at present awaiting the arrival of Baron Gras,
who is to join me here, Lord Ada being hers already. A
sort of convention hail taken place between Prime Haag,
Regent of the Empire, and the English Geneeil, in the
name of the two Generals-in-Chid.

" ' I hut oonasotod to as armistice that Prince Hung
might eons to Pekin to treat ; be ham gone some eight
isogon off, and the Pamperer is in Tartary.

'I" I beiot you, M. I; Mareohal, to excuse the style of
this letter, which I write hastily ; I shall remain here to-
morrow, and even until Pekin is occupied by force or other-
wise, and I shall then have the honour of sending you a full
official report. " I remain, dc.,

"'MOIiTAUBAN.'"

AUSTRIA AND vrszne.
PARIS, FRIDAY E111:111:119.

The Censtitutionnal contains a second article,
signed by its chief editor, M. Grandguillot, on the
subject of Austria and Venetia. M. Grandguillot
says:

" France will never suffer the return to an offen-
sive policy by Austria in Lombardy."
M. Grandguillot explains that another Power,
from divers motives, is equally contrary to Austrian
domination in Italy.