The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-21 00:00:00

THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

The African Company's steam-ship Ethiopo with
the above mails arrived at Liverpool yesterday with
14 passengers and 40ois. of gold dust.
Her dates are—Bonny, Feb. 11 ; Fernando Po,
12 ; Cameroons, 14 ; New Calabar, 17 ; Lagos,
20 ; Accra, 22 ; Cape Palmas, 25 ; Sierra Leone,
March 1 ; Teneriffe, 10 ; and Madeira, 12.
At Lagos the new oil season was expected to be
very good, but trade was dull. At Accra trade
was also dull, in consequence of a disturbance
which had taken place in the interior.
Other news unimportant.

AUSTRIA AND THE EASTERN QUESTION.

Letters from Vienna state that a decided im-
provement has very recently taken place in the
relations between France and Austria, and an
almost perfect harmony established between the
two imperial cabinets in their views on the
Eastern question.

It will be recollected that not long ago a propo-
sition aas brought forward by France, on a pre-
arranged understanding with Russia, recommend-
ing, as a means of solution of the intricate Orien-
tel question, the surrender by the Porte of Epirus,
Thessaly, and the island of Camila, to the benefit
of the kingdom' of Greece, with a guarantee by
the protecting great Powers of the remainder of
Turkey to the Sultan. Austria, being in complete
accord in her views with England on this point,
was compelled by her position to assume an attitude
of reserve towards this project, and pointed out
that this programme, if carried out, would be the
commencement of a:formal dismemberment of the
Ottoman empire, which would impose upon her
I the ditty to guard her own interests. These sug-
gestions were not without effect at Paris, fur they
resulted in the abandonment by the Imperial
French cabinet of the original plan, at least so far
as the surrender of Epirus and Thessaly was con-
cerned. As regards Candia, the cession of that
island to Greece was considered more recommend-
able, seeing that the Turkish forces with months
of time on hand, have failed to establish the au-
thority of the Ottoman Wile, and to force the Can-
' diotes into submission. This restricted proposition
Austria declared herself willing to support, and it
may therefore be taken for granted that an under-
standing between Austria and France on all points
of detail will be shortly concluded. It is also ex-
pected that England, as well as Russia, will ac-
cord assent to this arrangement. The cession of
Candia to Greece is a question of only subordinate
interest for Austria, inasmuch as it does not affect
the vital existence of Turkey, whilst a forced
abandonment of Epirus and Thessaly would be
regarded by the statesmen of Vienna as the fore-
runner of a general dissolution of that empire.
Information has been received at Belgrade,
according to which the Turkish government
has consented to the evacuation of the Berrien
fortresses, without insisting upon any onerous
conditions. Nevertheless, the Austrian government
continues to have a watchful eye on the neighbour-
ing provinces of Turkey, the more so as there is
every reason to believe that a treaty of alliance has 11
been concluded between Servia and Montenegro,
having for its object the establishment of a great
Servian kingdom, and the consequent overthrow of
the Turkish dominion in Bosnia, the Herzegovina,
and Bulgaria. Such a consummation would be a
violation of the interests of Austria. The back-lands
of Dalmatia, viz., Bosnia and Herzegovina, must
be either Turkish or Austrian, or Austria s position
on the Adriatic Sea is lost. These considerations en-
join upon the imperial government the unwelcome
obligation to take certain precautionary military
raeasures, which are, however, of a purely defensive
oharacter. The reports current during the last few
days of the soldiers on furlough having been re-
called, and a corps d'armcce stationed on the
Bosnian frontier, is a great exaggeration of what is
really the caw. No one is more zealously disposed
for the maintenance of peace than Austria, and
only the necessity of self-defence will induce her
to join the other great powers in assuming an
attitude of armed intervention.

The Roumanian Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Beysade Stirbey, son of the former Hospodar of
Wallachia, has arrived at Vienna, and is the inter-
preter of the moat friendly dispositions of Prince
Charles towards Austria, which have been recipro-
cated by the Vienna cabinet. The presence of his
Excellency at the Austrian capital has given occa-
sion to enter into negotiations for the conclusion
of several treaties of commercial intercourse, the
question of jurisdiction over the Austrian subjects
in Roumania, and the establishment of inter-
national relations, as well as the appointment of
permanent diplomatic agents, such as have been
already nominated by Roumania for Paris and
Constantinople. Special plenipotentiaries will
shortly be commissioned to arrange in an amicable
manner the details of the several above-named
subjects.

NEW ARTILLERY FOR THE FRENCH FLEET,—The
Oa:Me du Midi publishes a oommunication from Toulon,
announcing that the French squadron is about to have its
artillery completely changed. Sixty enormous breech-
loaders, on improved carriages, are now ready, and are to
be substituted for the guns at present in use. " The ope-
ration," says the Gazette dr Midi, " will commence with
the Solferino and the Curonne, which will land their
numerous artillery in order to receive the guns of the new
type ; there will be fewer pieces, hut they will be of greeter
power, and quantity will be advantageously replaced by
quality. The other iron-clads will in turn be similarly
supplied, and as soon as this ch►nge is effected the French
fleet will be able to contend with impunity against all the
Monitors past, present, and future."

ADMIRALTY, MARCH 20. APPOINTMENTS.—
Koster T. Roberson, to the Zebra. Clerk H. navel, to
the Wellesley. Chia Engineer H. Kidd, to the Hima-
laya.