The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-16 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 16, 1867.

MEXICO.

Advice* from Mexico state that 3,000 Republicans,
wider Trabuco, had pronounced for Ortega. The liberals
had abandoned Tampico. The Republicans in the State of
Tamanlipu had refused to join the foroes of Juarez.

THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

(Peon OEN SPECIAL

Beyond all doubt the most useful publication
which has yet appeared under the auspices of the
Imperial Cornimmioners is the report on the Tenth
Group which has just been issued. In this analy-
tical examination of the institutions which have
been created in various countries, with the
righteous object of improving the moral and phy-
sical condition of the wage dames, we have the
beginning of an international movement that can-
not but have an excellent effect upon the relations
of the civilized peoples of the world. To France
belongs the honour of having led the way. She
has been the first to bid the social doctors and real
philanthropists of various lands to club their expe-
rience together ; and, while men are everywhere
seeking to apply new forces, and every fresh scien-
tific discovery to the promotion of the art of war,
to extract from the labours of men of every race in
the sweet art of alms, some guiding rules, some
beacons of truth to be applied hereafter.
The Commissioners' analytical report is neces-
sarily an imperfect document. The account given,
for instance, of the English institutions intended
to promote the moral and phyaical well-being of the
working classes is meagre in the extreme. Great
Britain is dismissed in nine pages, and even Sal-
taire (models of which are in the Exhibition) is
omitted. There is here, however, I repeat, the
beginning of a moat important work. France has
an over-large share of space. The report on her
economical, educational, and philanthropical insti-
tutions is given at too great length. There is
L wearisome repetition. There are detailed descrip-
tions of many firma who follow one unbroken plan
for the well-being of their wage-earners. There
' are, happily, in these times hundreds of firms that
provide libraries, promote co-operation for the
cheap supply of food, erect model houses or
lodgings, keep up a sick fund, and encourage men
to save, and to avoid intemperance. A critical and
' analytical amount of such firms would be more
useful than a series of separate prospectuses. The
matter is valuable, however ; and it remains for
the serious reader to digest it.
The French authorities, in submitting their re-
, port, offer a few explanatory preliminary remarks :
—The Universal Exhibition of 1867 will not oon-
! fine its operations merely to assembling together
the products and producers of the world. It will
have this distinctive character—that it will show
forth all aorta of institutions which tend to amelio-
, rate the physical and moral condition of the work-
ing classes. This is the object of the Tenth Group,
the creation of which was received from the first
with a favour and cordiality for which its relations
Ito the wants of the working class fully account.
The first nine groups contain the more attractive'
products. Ins classification, the method of which
is beyond all praise, they will show, in every
variety, the perfection of labour and the genius of
invention. The sentiment of artistic beauty, the
charm of curiosity awakened and satisfied, will at-
tract the attention of the visitor at every step.
The Tenth Group will produce a more severe and
more lasting effect. In this department the per-
fection of the objects exhibited will be only a
secondary consideration. The condition of produc-
tion will be studied more than the finish of the
products, and objects the exhibition of which will
promote a useful end will be preferred to samples
of perfect skill in workmanship. The Tenth
Group is connected with all the nine others, and,
with regard to this, may be said to explain the
economic laws of the Exhibition of 1867.
This week in the Exhibition has been on the
whole a cheering one. We have had some fine
spring weather and we have seen the art and art
manufacture galleries thronged with fashionable
company. A welcome blaze of hyacinths from Ger-
i many gladdens the parterres of the south-west
sections of the park. The Emperor has paid two
or three visits, and has made two or three pur-
chases in the British section, notably at Mr. Brog-
den's stall of artistic jewellery.
The King of the Belgians, the Prince of Orange,
the Princess Mathilde, and the brotherclnt
Taicoon, with his guard, have been the illustrious
visitors for tbe week.

Almost every day brings news of some fresh
contours, or meeting. We are to have everything
of all nations by July. Quiet tournaments and
noisy competition fanfares have been announced.
No one will be astonished that French Free-
masons wished to hold an international festival also
in honour of fraternal unity. This great brother-
hood, which has lasted for centuries, and which is
gradually discarding symbolical forms in favour of
plain facts, could not remain inactive while all
Paris was alive with the bustle and stir which will
last for several months.
The Grand Orient of France has taken an initia-
tive in this case which does honour to it. It will
celebrate the summer solstice by a festival and a
banquet, which will take place on the 15th of next
June. At this meeting the presidents or delegates
of all the lodges will be assembled, and doubtless
the Universal Exhibition will attract a great num-
ber of Freemasons from every quarter of the globe.
The Grand Orient, in this exceptional circum-
stance, thought it a good opportunity to unite the
links which bind the scattered members of the
masonic brotherhood ; and the Orient invites the
Freemasons of the grand lodges and lodges to join
in the characteristic festival which will be held on
the 15th of June.

NIGHT FHTHEI AT VIIIIIAILLIS.—A French corre-
spondent writes :—" The town of Versailles is pre-
paring great Mee to honour art and industry. The beau-
tiful night/Ike, which have excited such interest in for.
trier years, will be held several times during the Universal
Paris Exhibition, in order that every visitor to Paris
may have the opportunity of admiring them. The
happy ides of her Majesty the Empress of the French,
to collect in a special museum the furniture and ob-
jects which belonged to the unfortunate Queen Marie
Antoinette, is to be put into execution in the Palace of
Trianon, situated in the park of Versailles, and the
museum will be thrown open to the public. The Western
Railway Compan has organised numerous trains between
Paris and V "

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WHEAT FOR ENGLAND.—
We read in the South Australian Register, of Feb. 26:
" The shipment of South Australian wheat to England has
gone on rapidly during the month. All the resources of
the railway have not been sufficient to convey the produce
to the port, so fast has it been sent in by the northern
farmers. All the stations have been glutted with wheat,
and the railway authorities have not conveyed it either
quickly enough or cheaply enough to meet the fair wants
of the agriculturists. These inconveniences are being
reme.lied now, but shipments to England must soon cease
for the present year. Five or six vessels have already
sailed ; seven others are now loading with wheat for Eng-
land; and ten more are on their way from the neighbouring
colonies in order to take home similar cargoes from Port
Adelaide. The total quantity of breadstaffs exported
from the beginning of the year to the 16th instant was
12,729 tons.'
ACCLIMATIZATION OF THE SALMON IN TASMANIA.
—News hail been received from Tasmania of the return of
the first Tasmanian hatched salmon (from the ova im-
Ltfrem England) to the river Plenty, in the neigh-
hedood of the breeding ponds. There seems to be no
doubt of the fact. A very important and interesting ex-
periment in acclimatization, therefore, has been crowned
with suocesa—Melbourne Age, Feb. 25.

MANCHESTER, SHEIPIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE
RAILWAY.—The total expenses of this company's railways
and canals, including rents, tolls, duty, kc., from Jan.
let to April 7th, 1867, amounted to 141,709/., as against
136,846/. for the corresponding period of 1866. The pro-
portion of the South Junction reoeipts accruing to this
company from Jan. Ist to April 7th amounted to 9,4361.,
as against 10,5251. for the corresponding period of 1866,
and the expenses to 5,457/. as against 6,2122.
PATENT Orrice MCSEI73I, SOUTH KENNINGTON.—
Number of visitors for the week ending April 13, 1,448;
total number since the opening of the Museum, free daily
(May 12, 1838), 1,128,066.

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