The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-24 00:00:00

INDIA.

BOMBAY, Arim, 3 (rid Trieste).
Major Smith, the acting director of the Persian
telegraph, announces that the double line from
Buahire to Teheran will probably be completed in
May, and from Teheran to the Turkiah frontier at
the end of June.

The latest advices from Bokhara published by
the Indian papers state that the Russians were
fortifying their positions near that city. Their
farces were reported to reach 13,000.
An envoy from Bokham has recently visited Cal-
cutta, to solicit the aid of the Viceroy to expel the
Russians from that territory, and has left for
Turkey to prefer a similar request to the Sultan.
Rumours are current that the Vic.roy will retire
at the end of the year. The cause of this step is
said to be that Lord Cranborne has issued orders
that in future the Governor-General is to remain at

Calcutta during the summer.
Large quantities of rice have been received in
Cuttack during the last month, and the price is
much lowered in consequence.

The terms of amalgamation between the banks
of Bombay and Bengal have been practically set-
tled.

In various ports of Guzerat the heat is intense.
Smallpox is prevalent, but the camp at Baroda is
free from the disease.

Money is tight. The piece goods and cotton
markets are quiet. The public health is good.

BOMBAY, APRIL 19, 2.36, P.Y.

811 b. shirting', 6r. 12a. ; 40's mule twist, 12ia.
Cotton improving : Dhollerah, 235 r. Shipments
of the week, 40,400 bales. Exchange on London,
Is. 111 d. to 2s. Four per Cent. Government secu-
rities, 87 ; Five per Cent. ditto, 1031 ; Five-and-
a-Half per Cent. ditto, 108 i. The latest London
date is April 13.
CALCUTTA, APRIL 18.

B.llb. shirtings, Br. 2a. ; 40's mule twist, 71s.
Exchange on London, Is. 110. Four per Cent.
Government securities, 86f ; Five per Cent. ditto,
1041. ; Five-and-a-Half per Cent. ditto, 1081.

CHINA AND JAPAN.
(Vitt Trieste.)
SHANGILLE, MARCH 7.

The native silk merchants of this city have
requested the foreign consuls to notify to their
countrymen that in future silk purchases can only
be effected for cash.

A memorial has appeared, with the Emperor's
sanction, advocating the education of Chinese
youths in foreign arts and languages.
The French admiral is reported as about quitting
Colinea (Corea) station.

Arrangements have been made to lay a telegraph
cable between Yokohama and Yeddo:

The Imperialists have suffered a serious reverse
at the hands of the rebels in the province of
Shantung.

THE LUXEMBURG QUESTION.
(From the figemslfripe.)
Pessimist ideas h 'dedly regained the
ascendant in Pans, and have redoubled.
We notice this regrettable in which the public
mind in France is mato turned, but if we bad to indicate
the muses we should be greatly embarrassed. The fact is
that the public has continued to remain in the most abso-
lute ignorance of the incidents that may have marked the
overtures relative to Luxemburg, and of the exact state of
this untoward affair at present. All that has been said on
the subject is no manifestly conjectural, that in the midst
of circles generally the best informed, we find some persons
holding it as certain that no direct communication has
passed between the cabinet,' of Berlin and of the Tuileries
since the powers who signed the treaties of 1839 have been
invited to examine the question, whilst others affirm not
hue positively that the affair is being negotiated directly be-
tween the two courts interested, and even take 00Cli.
11100 to complain of the little desire for conciliation shown
by Prussia. Uncertainty, therefore, still characterises
the situation. In presence of the fluctuations of opinion
which it engenders, of the alarms which it facilitates, and
of the ruins which it accumulates—in presence, above all,
of the irritation it provokes, some official explanation must
of necessity soon be made to throw light on all these ob-
scurities. The belief at Paris is that the French govern-
meat will assume the initiative in the affair, and make a
fresh communication to the Chambers immediately on
their reassembling after the vacation.

(From the North German Gazette.)
Iliziona concurrent communications leave no doubt that
Frain* is commencing to arm on the occasion of the Luxem-
burg question. The extent to which these military prepa-
rations have as yet been carried cannot be exactly
estimated, but it seems that the effective is to
be aegmented, and at the same time the eastern
fortresses are being put in a state of defence.
At Meta and Strasburg works of aggrandisement
have been in progress for some time, and the arming of
these places as being actively pursued. We are assured
that the same is taking place at all the fortified places on
the Moselle and the Meuse. Orders have been given, it is
said, to move the largest part of the Algerian army to
France, which step, if carried into execution, would be
significant ; but at present no positive fact has confirmed
this rumour. What is certain is, that the Minister of
War has just suppressed all the bands in the cavalry and
artillery regiments, which renders about 2,000 hones dis-
posable for combatants. The Pairie does not deny the fact
of the armaments, but it pretends that their only object is
to give greater force to the negotiations for peace. No
one thinks of attacking. the honour or legitimate interests
of France. There is the less reason to fear that such a
cause should disturb the good understanding with France,
that negotiations on the future fete of Luxemburg have
not been even opened.
(From the Berlin Correspondence.)

Prussia, persuaded in reality of the validity of her
rights, and penetrated with the feeling of the duty im-
posed on her by the will of the German people, has adopted
and maintained an expectant attitude- she examines
calmly the present difficulties, and considers that a solu-
tion is to be found beforehand in the maintenance of the
Rata quo; not—as might be said with a vulgar irony—be-
cause that state of things is advantageous to her, but be-
cause, being founded on treaties and consecrated by time,
it is in fact so necessary to European order and the gene-
ral peace, that to place it in question has been sufficient
to give rise to the present crisis. In supposing that
the mediating powers have inaugurated any other solu-
tion, we have a difficulty in conceiving how the pro-
posed arrangement could be reconciled with the
national requirements manifested by all Germany, or
how the Prussian ministry could eminent to it. The
government of Berlin is not free, as certain journals
appear to believe, however great may be its desire to
denationalise, as at were, the question, in order to arrive
at • solution by a concession to which public feeling is
opposed. Against the national sentunent which is so
strong in its unanimity, there exists neither personal
influence, nor authority, nor power that can possibly
maintain a conflict. And even should Count Bismarck,
being placed between two interests, in his ?pinion irrecon-
cilable, think right to retire before the impossibility of
satisfying them both, and thin give a pledge of his
political moderation and spirit of conciliation such as his
adversaries and detractors would not venture to ask of
him, on what immediate successors would devolve the
heavy burden of power? That question admits of no
doubt—he would be replaced by the chiefs of the national
party, [by the nnitists, whose; feelings with regard to
France are expressed by the voice of M. Benningeen, and
on their mansion all chances of a pacific union would
disappear.
(From the Sii.c/c.)

We know almost to a certainty that the cabinet of the
Tuileries is disposed to accept any honourable com-
promise, provided the evacuation of Luxemburg by the
Prussian garrison be made the first oondition. But on
this sine god non for pesos the semi-official Prussian
journals do not even admit • discussion. The Great
Powers, the Berlin Correspondence declares, have only been
consulted with the object of obtaining a manifestation of
their views on the interpretation of the treaty of 1839 •
their opinion has not been asked as to the right of Prussia
to keep a garrison in the fortress of Luxemburg, for the
excellent reason that Prussia cannot suffer any question-
ing of a right which, she maintains, she holds by private
treaties, and which she therefore considers out of all dis-
cussion. The first phase of the diplomatic negotiation"—
the consultation of the Great Powers—must be drawing
to its close. it is then only that the decisive question will
be put ; and, we repeat, peace or war will no longer depend
on us, but on Prussia.
(From the Tempo.)

We are convinced beforehand that the mediating POl/011
will not seek to impose any plan calculated to wound the
self-love of France. As long as the negotiations shall re-
main in the hands of the neutral Powers, there is conse-
quently no difficulty to be apprehended. But what after-
wards ? When the result of the affair shall again place
France and Prussia in presence of each other, if the two
governments maintain irreconcilable pretensions, we
I shall hardly have made a step in advance. In the
first place, the English journals persist in saying
that the cabinet of the Tuileries has not then.
doned the idea of taking possession of the Grand
Duchy. Were this true, war, on this point alone,
would be inevitable. It is therefore to that assertion
that the French semi-official journals ought to apply
their contradiction if they are really anxious to reassure
the public interest. As long as the minimum of satisfac
tion claimed by the Imperial government in this business
so unseasonably entered upon shall remain unknown, the
public mind will be unable to recover its tranquillity. On
the other hand, there is a general conviction that the
affair has not been engaged in without a fixed determina-
tion to obtain from Prussia a satisfaction of some sort.
But a great number of Prussian journals, those namely
which are friendly to the government, assert very loudly
that Prussia cannot consent to evacuate the fortress of
Luxemburg, even were she invited to do so by the mediat-
ing powers—which is tantamount to refusing the mediation
itself. These journals have not been disavowed, and the
maximum of the sacrifices which can be accepted at Berlin
is just as unknown as the minimum of the pretensions
which the negotiators will be inclined to support in Paris.
(From the Paris Preset.)

According as the moment for action approaches the
governments and populations of Southern Germany are
beginning to reflect on the possible inconveniences of their
Gallo-phobia. The states bordering on France, such as
Havana and Baden, seem now to understand that by
espousing the quarrel of Prussia they are good-naturedly
offering their territory as a battle-field, and exposing
themselves to pay the °oats of a war in which they
have nothing to gain. Listening to the counsels of
their own interests, they suddenly discover that they
are not obliged to take part with Prussia, or to aban-
don their neutrality. The Carlaruhe Owette, the organ of
the Baden government, which had been one of the first to
cast fire and tl.ime against France when the dispute was
confined to angry words, has changed its tone since the
situation has become more serious. It now says:—" As
to the position of Baden in the question of Luxemburg,
we believe that the statement according to which the
Grand Ducal government had not been requested in any
way to join in the dispute is exact. The policy of a state
of the geographical position and extent of ours cannot be
to take part in such an affair. We have no doubt that
the people of Baden will share our conviction that every-
thing should be avoided of a nature to arouse a warlike
humour in Germany, or to wound the just susceptibility
of France. Before all, the main,enance of peace requires
that all appeals to bad passions or to feelings of vanity and
hatred should be abstained from." Several of the Bavarian
journals express themselves in similar terms.
(From the Opinion Nationale.)
It appears to us that if any prudence is still to be found
in Berlin, the inhabitants should understand that it is the
duty and the interest both of Prussia and Germany to
make at a seasonable time concessions which have become
indispensable. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged
that whether by force orgood will the attitude of Germany
and Prussia is the reverse of such a spirit of conciliation.
The Lmguage of the Partgennaoiat journals is most provo-
cative, heir m, being, ' Give up nothing." That party
has manoeuvred so well and so vigorously has given such
great extension to its propagandism—has known so wall
how to impose itself on the superficial strata of the popu-
lations, that all Europe feels menaced. It is no longer •
question of constituting • Confederation of the North,
extending from the Baltic to the Maine ; this latter
limit, announced before the war of 1866 as the
ne pier ultra of the cabinet of Berlin, is now set
aside; and King William openly proclaims his intention
of annexing to the Confederation all the States of the
South, in which for that pas an increasing agitation
is kept up. Count himself declared in the