The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-11 00:00:00

Tag ♦USTRIAN' TREAT.

Before joining the great commercial alliance which begaa
with the French treaty, Austria, says the Daily News, has
had a host of antiquated jadeualee and fears to overcome.
When the first whisper of such a treaty was overheard, pub-
lic opinion was bitterly hostile, and it is easy to understand

how much delicacy sod discretion our commissioners must
have practised. The remit to those who know Austria
best is beyond expectation ; and when the ten years
which the treaty is to run have expired, Baran
Wulleadorl will be remembered by his countrymen
as the Austrian Gladstone. The abolition of the timber
duties, practically provided for in the final protocol, rids
Hr. Gladstone of one of his most persevering, though not
most Importuarte, suitors, and the assimilation of the
duties on wine inbottle to those on wine in wood will be
ardently welcomed at once by the French wine-growers,
and by the increasing multitude of drinkers of French and
Hungarian wines, who are beginning to discover that the
art of bottling wines is not understood in England. The
promised redaction of the Austrian duty on rap will also.
let us hope, appease the irritation of those British paper.
6 makers who have managed to survive the transitional de.
6 preasion of the trade, and even to flourish in spite of them•
selves.

The Star shows that than who were foremost in denen•
elation of the French treaty are now load in acclamation
of the treaty of commerce just concluded with Austria.
The genuine friends of free trade may well feel satisfied
with this collateral result of the success which has followed
lir. Cobden's beneficent end prolific ides. The outcry
raised at the time we speak of spinet trestles of com-
merce was the expression of es ignorant a superstition as
any which has ever characterised the tory proteztionist
Party-

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Though nothing pretending to be a representation, could

be imagined lea true to that character than convocation,
the Times thinks that the comphinanta do not prove any
representation to be necessary for the interests of the
church. There will never be two rival parliaments in this
country, either in secular or spiritual affairs. The House
of Commons will not abdicate any portion of its inheri-
tants, ; so let the clergy come to it for what they want, and
' not waste their prayers upon inch a helpless idol as con.
vocation.
The Star believes the outline of the government reform
i bill has been prepared; and was submitted by Earl Russell
to the cabinet council held at his official residence, Down-
ing-street, yesterday. It would, of course, 63 unreasonable
to expect any positive announcement with regard to the
details of a measure which must as yet be regarded
as under consideration. But the friends of re-
form have reason to hope that the scheme will
prove to be uncomplicated by any details which might
hamper its progress through parliament, and the Slar ven-
tures to predict that the positive assertion recently made by
a contemporary as to the high rate of the county franchise to
' be adopted, will turn out to be unfounded.
IThe Post seglisis the scene in the cathedral of Natal is

the beginning of schism which may grow to large dimen.
Bien!, and entail deplorable consequences. It is impossible
to say at this stage how mach legal right the Bishop of
Natal has, on the ens side, or how much ecclesiastical right

the Bishop of Capetown has on the other. There is little
doubt but the next step will be a formal excommunication
by Bishop Cray, and the consecration by the South African
prelates of a new Bishop of Natal.
The Telegraph notices the appearance of Sir John Hay
as a conservative candidate at Tiverton. It believes that
Mr. Bauman will be returned, and washes Sir John Hay,
who, it says, reminds one of a flue old Scandinavian viking,
a tough, strong-Chewed, plucky sea rover, were better em-
ployed.
The supply of coal it the subject of one of the Telegraph