The Express.
London, England, 1859-11-09 00:00:00

(Stamped Id. AdditlboaL) LT WOPENCk.'

M. MEI-ALIN" ON PNANC" AND 'NOLAND.

Under the title of" The Relations between France
sod England" the loom: des Delete publishes the first of
• series of lettere by M. Michel Chevalier, recording his im-
pressimie of England during his journey here, specially
with regard to the mainteaance of pude r. batons between
the two countries. After expediting on the vastness of oar
cotton manufacture and the quantity of corn we import,
M. Chevalier describes the Great Eastern and the Beak of
Inland as further proofs of our tudtwery and our week*.
To protect enth a commerce as we any on with sU the
world, end to guard suck tresetwas se the indestry of geom.
rations has accumulated at home, it is essential ler
Zealand that the use should be free for her ; sad
though she no longer affects the employ of them, end
has recognised the rights of neutrals and made other
important eon:onions to the spirit of the age, y.t there I.
Feudally a limit to theu, her immense commerce com-
pelling her to maintain the virtual sovereignty of the omen.
England," rye M. Chevalier, "would be seriously al-
fooled in the very conditions of bee existence on the day
that say pueblo coalition of maritime powers should be able
to oppose to her fleets superior or even equal fleets. It is
for her • question of life and death. Ie this point of view
it is inevitable that every time one of the great power, in-
craws her navy onsideubly, England should in-
crimes hem in • corresponding measure. The very
bunion of oeli-preesthation induces her to this.
There at. M polities laws as absolute as that of furl-
tithes le in the material world. England obeys theme
Loy in adding new &stale ►s Seats se um me the sees, eir
thinks that she sees, say power whore deg is respected on the
ass considerably increasing its navy. At this moment of
transition, whom the introduction of steam is making a radial
change in the condition of naval warfare, and when all naval
forces are being recruited, England has thought that France
had equalled, if not surpassed, her in the number of her large
vessel. on the new model, and • commission appointed to
audios the question has informed bee that such wee the
Loot. Since then she bas given ear to the counsellors
who recommeeded her to increase her maritime power.

She appropriates every year a largo sum, unanimously voted,
to building ships of the line and fortifications. In this nat-
ter we may say that she follows to an unreasonable degree
the recommendation of the safe—to 'magenta the forms of

your actual or possible adversaries, and on the contrary, to
disparage your own ea much a. ;ratable. Up to the present
time, however, ell that she duce is purely defensive, and in-
clude. nothing at which France can take umbrage.
It is further to be remarked that the ardour with which
England Is now building a fleet is essentially transient, for
the object she aims at will be attained before long. The
programme of England is to have in ships of war an effective
equalling that of the other great maritime states, and ma I
magessing it, to allow for the necessary protection of her
keeign possessions. But what does this mean, if not that
the English Seat must rioted the nailed fleets of France and
Rushy for beyond these states, and confining our attention
W Rarer only, no pretences are mode to the display of these
aplandid and formidable apparatus of lambast power. Now,
lass the moment England wishes for such a result, it Is In
bar pewee. It is certainly easier for her to launch, in sem
Ness, a hundred ship' of the line, than for FIIIIK•
and Russia united to construct fifty, for here the
ways and moans are money, we building-yards,
Including those in which the great staani-engines
are made. Now, no man of sense will dispute that
Ragland can, if she will, devote to naval purposes much
more money than France and Russia together, end it le still
more notorious that a comparison of the reepeetive building
yards is, in at leaet the same proportion, in favour of England.
"It in not, thee, to be premised that any power would enure
on a hopeless rivalry with England and essay to equal her
in the greatness of hat deem, fur every one well knows that
Ragland would leave behind any one who should wish to
follow her. Therefore it is within probability that England
will soon become more moderate in preparations which, we
admit ease move, are merely detersive.
There lea own In which Ragland might pass flan the Bs-
fensive to the offensive attitude with that vigour whiali
belongs to hoe temperament, and which is well emenglides
scribed by the self• conferred name of John Bull ; sad that
is, supposing anyone of the great powers of Europe shield
provoke at tit:sates her. It would be the some if, without
seeing heneU to be the object of open attacks, she coacataid
that there wee on the part of any one of the Cheat Peerage a
premeditated plan of keeping her in an inoessaat stated shire.
We might then expect to see England, irritated by degree'.
at length displaying her angst in a remarkable manner, sad
striking with all her might a thundering blow. Bat, judging
from the observations I have bees able to make and the Woe-
milieu I have been able to sequin, she would not proceed to
that formidable extremity without • deliberate exandnatioa
and • deliberate conviction that there we a design sealant
her pesos and her eddy. That is to say, It seems to me,
that it la ObSy to avoid that coll,oiou which would wring a
deep groan from civilisation, or rather it it te admit that such
a calamity will be averted."

MUSIC.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.

Balte's iataliella, which had so great a run last
season, was reprodnind last night. It drew a full house, and,
as formerly, hod a very favourable reception. The cast dif-
fered In some respects from that of Met semen. The part of
Arimams, originally performed by Mr. Weiss, was now as-
signed to Mr. Bentley ; and the part of Stella, which for-
merly belonged to Miss Soma Pyne, was now
given to Miss Pilling. A young dibtaants from the
country, Miss Fenny Cruise, appeared in the small pen
of Lelia, and did the little that she had to do la a promising
manner. Miss Louise Pyne, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Honey, Mr.

lk.Albyn, sad Mr. Coni, had their old parts, and acquitted
themselves as they used to do. Miss Louie' Pyne acted the
pert of Batmen., the woman-fiend, as well u a character ito
;Maly absurd and unintelligible could be Kited; and, what
was mote to the purpose, sang roost brilliantly. Her tong,
" The Power of Love," wee as isettal snored with accla-
mations. This song, which is one of Belle's happiest in-
spiratlona, has become exceedingly popular, and its sale
must have been highly profitable to the publisher. Indeed
Its nooses seems to have made the fortune of the
opera, for:people come to the theatre lees tome the piste than
to bear Mum Fyne sing " The Power of Love." We moot
account In any other way for the popularity of a piece which
has so little merit. As a drama it is beneath contempt ;
end the music, though pretty, is below the general level of
lialfe's style. The public, however, choose to have it, and
therefore Miss Pyne and Mr. Harmon do well to give it.
But we hope that the next piece Mr. Belle produces will be
of a letter class.

binorah, We observe, is to be riposted this 'ming and on
Friday.

CAMPBELL'S AMERICAN MINSTREL&

A new troupe of sable minstrels have taken pear
session of the 1.0.111[r coocert•room at the St. James'. Hai,
end bid fair successfully ta all up the void created by the
departure of the brig popular "Christ,'.." It °unable of
some thirteen performwe of various blade, vocal end
instrumental. and the leederby le tflciently divided
between Meows. Fun and Warceo, themselves men of
high ability in special departments. Mr. Fox la a
meet successful hottator of negro pscaliaritiee as we
are to tempore them to be exhibited et the plantation,
std Mr. Warden takes the rile of the " coloured gentlemen "
of musical tendency, reht pose ludicrous imitation. of the
Italian opera, Amongst the solo ripper, Meson. Ferree-
berg and Drummond ere especially deserving ot complies's-
: tary mention, the former as a highly finished tenor, and the
lever as a most effective baritone roger. They are both
nightly (moored, end ere fully deserving of the compliment.
The dewing is extremely good, the " Old Virginity dance "
of Mr. M. Sexton being a moat extraordinary specimen
of negro fl-xtbtlitv and power of contortion, and the
" Dimness Belle Dunce" guile a novelty, being a sort of
Kentucky version of the celebrated coquette dance of
Pease Nena. The "belle' is admirably dressed, played,
and dented by a member of the company who..
name is not gives, and the support glum to the per
by the other members of the troupe gave it the
character of a divertneemeat in eb icy . The 'ant r uremia' music
is first-rate, including a bulimia violin end an effecuve violon-
cello plater, so that, taken attosethar, this new company may
be accepted NIS comadersble advance tonsil previous winetreby
from the other side of the Atlantic. Mr. Fox, one of the
weavers, 11l certainly the mots genuine "Nigger" we yet
have seen, and hie parser, Mr. Warden, I. quits as snooper
fel in his Italian extravaganza. Tim ernmert is, in short, fee
Iman attractive. even as a mere musical entertainment,
then many which effect a much higher position in the amid
of ara

ma lOUNO MRS'S CHRISTIAN AssocunoN.

The introductory lecture of the course appointed
for the winter was delimited yesterday evening, at Easter-
hall,' by the Lord Advocate et Scotland, to a very aseeerreas
audience, including Mr. R. C. L. Bevan (chairman), Mr. T.
Monkey, M.P., Mr. Kinnaird, M.P., the Rev. Dr. Wert.,
and the Rev. Jamie Hamilton. The subject of the lemurs
was, " The Intlomme of Knox end the Scottish Reformation
cm the Reformation to England." The lecturer commenced
with some remarks un the failure of mat historians ngbtly
to appreciate the connexion between the Scottish sad the
English Reformation. sad showed their mutual dependence.
He remarked that Knox, like many other meat man, enrol-
fisted no extraordinary ability till after he had turned forty.
He then traced Knox's public weer through its successive
stages; dim as a refugee in Pe. Andrew's Castle and after-
wards a prisoner in a French galley ; secondly, as a Scot-
tish exile in &cased from 1649 to 1663, preaching at Ber-
wick-upon-Tweed and Newcastle by royal authonty, in the
reign of Edward VI, acting as chaplain to that monarch,
taking part in the revision of the Liturgy, end other
steps is the completion of the Reformation, and preaching
the new doetrines extensively is BuckingloanuMre;
then during his residence at Dieppe after the acceasiou of
Mary, at which period he still evinced the warmest interest
la the protenantemo of England ; nest, during his stay at
Frankfort and Octet,., where he mingled constantly with
English protestant rouge., this portion of hie career being
chicaned by a temporary presence in Scotland ; and, beady,
during the period commencing in 1669, when be returned to
Scotland, and became the leederof the Scottish Reg /mattes,
being from that time up to the day of his death (in 1672) the
I virtual ruler of his country. Having illustrated in the
earlier portion of his lecture the close correspondence of
Knox wirb, and his inflames upon, the leaden, of the
English Reformation, the learned lord showed towards the
conclusion, how, in the reign of Elimbetb, he assisted the
come of protagonism, by warning she English govemesat
of the designs of Queen Mary of Scotland, o mince theme's
remarkable because Knox had given dire otfe.nos to the English
queen by questioning the right of females to rule, in his treatise
entitled Tim First Blast of the Trumpet against the
Monstrous Regiment of Women"—a work the authorship of
which Elizabeth never forgave. It woe, he said, now dis-
tinctly proved by authentic documents that Mary, with all
her s.eumed simplicity, was constantly and deliberately
aiming at the restoration of the Wettish religion in Scotland
and in England ; and when Knox was censured for his
bearing towards her—he (the lecturer) did nut believe there
wee any positive rudeness—the whale tenor of her conduct
wee probably forgotten. The lecture was listened to through-
out with the closest attention, end the applause was mach as
to mark an intelligent interest in whet evoked it.