The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-12 00:00:00

Fp
' .1866

EXP]

PARIS.

vim 1)111.1 Q 001111111PONDINT.)
PARIS. SUNDAY EV1241103.
The Emperor and Empress went last night to
the Gymnase to see Sardou's last piece Nos Bons
Villageois, and it is announced that they will honour
the new ballet at the Opera, La Source, with their
presence to-morrow. Add to this, that it is stated
that a grand review of the troops of the line in
Paris will be shortly hold, and it becomes evident
that the health of the Emperor is very much

improved.
All the members of the army commission are
invited to Compibgne, where the court goes on
Tuesday. It is thought that at the sitting to-morrow
its labours will be so far advanced that they may
be terminated during the time allotted for the first
series of guests. The list of these is not yet pub-
lished, and the only names I have yet heard for
this series are those of Prince and Princess Metter-
nich and Lord Cowley. Prince Napoleon, who has
returned here, has been added to the commission ;
he will therefore go to Compibgne, where he is not
a very frequent guest. The Emperor bestowed his
domain of Orx, near Bayonne, on Count Walewski
a short time ago, and the count has gone to take
possession of it. It is said that this property,
which was brought into cultivation to show what
art could do towards fertilising the lands, has cost
the Emperor nearly 120,0001.
Two or three hours before Lord Derby amused
the guests at the Lord Mayor's dinner by his anti-
cipations of the English invasion of France next
summer, that is to say, about half-past 5, Paris
was literally taken by a coup de main. A large
body of troops, the garrison of Vincennes and St.
Denis, had advanced unperceived on the capital,
and at nightfall they seized several of the gates on
the side of Montmartre, the strongest force being
directed against the Porte Saint Ouen.
Meeting with no resistance, they advanced, firing
right and left (blank cartridge), leaving guards in
the streets behind them as they advanced, and ob-
serving all the precautions necessary to prevent a
hostile surprise. The emotion was naturally very
great in that part of the city ; shopkeepers closed
their shutters, and everybody betook themselves to
their houses, not knowing what next was to hap-
pen. At a quarter to 7 the bugle gave the signal
to the victorious troops to face about, and retire
upon their old quarters. Paris, like Babylon, isso
great a city that I was not aware that it had been
taken till twenty-four hours after the success-
ful assault, and the story seemed so im-
probable that before writing I waited till further
information should confirm the report. I need
hardly add that the invasion was conducted on
the most friendly principles, without loss of life or
property, being merely an experimental manceuvre,
but I have been unable to learn what good pur-
pose was served by all the firing, which seems to
have filled that quarter of the town with conster-
nation. lam told that the Prussians performed
a similar exploit at Cologne some ten years ago,
but chose the still more alarming hour of midnight
for their incursion. The townspeople were furious
at having their slumbers disturbed, and made such
representations to the government that the play
was not repeated.

WRECK OF A STEAMER ON THE IRISH

COAST.
LOSS OF TWENTY LIVES.

DUBLIN, SUNDAY NIGHT.

On Saturday night the steairship Ceres, from
London to this port, ran ashore at Carnsore Point,
on the coast of Wexford, and was totally wrecked.
The captain, deck passengers, and crew were saved,
but twenty lives were lost.
The following is a hat of those drowned, so far
as can be ascertained from passengers saved, who
state that the ship's books were lost :—Miss Rut-
ledge, Moukstown ; Miss Wood and niece, Black-
nick ; Mr. Macaulay, Miss Bessie Gogarty, Mrs.
Clark, stewardess ; also the second-class stewardess
(name unknown), a number of soldiers on fur-
lough, and all the vessel's stokers except one.
Total number found up to 4 p.m., 30.