The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-02 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANVART i 2, 18$1.

gig tout!

WINDOM OAHU" JAY. 1.
The Prince Consort returned from Cambridge
about half.past 5 o'clock yeeterday afternoon.
in the evening her Majesty's dinner party included the
Prince of Wale., Prince Alice and Princes Leiningen, the
Prince of Leiningee, Major•Geeenl the Hon. R. and Mrs.
Bruce, the Hon. Ms. T. M. Biddulph, Beat 17o1mel
Herat, and the following Sidon, who had arrived at the
Castle : the Duke et Bonserest, Major the Hoe. A. Anson,
and the Right Hoe. C. P. Villiers.
The band of the Boots Fusilier Guards played during
dinner the

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LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.
PARIS, WM/MOLY .
The Bank of France bas raised its rate of dis-
count from 4} to 5} per cent.

inertnre, '• Robes Hood" Machreen.
Quadrille... Plates" J. M. 'fully.
%election. " Mance ammo" 17 C. Oman,
Jun
Beaufort"
Selection. " McAdam's de la HAW Offenbach.
Her Majeaty's private band performed afterwards in the
dewing-room the

PARIS, TUESDAY EVESIUG.
The Emperor received the diplomatic corps at
the Tuileries to-day.
To Lord Cowley, who, in the name of the diplo-
matic corps, offered the customary congrs.tulations
to the Emperor, his Majesty is said to have replied :
" I thank you for the wishes which you have ex-
pressed to me. I regard the future with confidence,
being convinced that the friendly understanding
between the Powers will maintain peace."
To the President of the Corps Legislatif the
Emperor is said to have replied :
" I have always reckoned on the cousurrencs of
the Corps Legislatif."

Overture, '• La Ylanc.bk du Brigand" .
Belert4 u, •• nt. Paul -
Andante and !tondo

Him
Meodelmohn.
Hummel.

Romance sod Proclaim"

This being New Year's-day, the band of the Royal
Hone Guards played a selection of favourite airs on the East-
terrace at 7 o'clock in the morning.
The band of the Soot. Felber Gouda played also under
the Doylies! of Kent's window at Frogmore Hone about the
same time.

Her Majesty's annual distribution of food and clothing to
about (i6O poor persons of the Windsor and Clewer pa-
rishes took place to-day in the Riding-house of the Castle.
At 10 o'clock the Queen and Prince Consort, accompanied
by the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, Princess Alice,
Princes. Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Leopold, and
Princess Beatrice, attended by the Ladies sod Gentlemen in
Waiting, proceeded to the Hiding house to witness the dis-
tribution, which was under the direction of the Hon. sod
Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor, the clergy of Windsor
and Clewer, and the district visitors for the relief of the
poor.

NAPLES.
(sr sumusnis rauteaara.)
(11011 OM OW 00111ZSPONDIT4T.)
NAPLES, Noxaar.
Yesterday the Duke of San Donato was wounded
by a private enemy.
The health of Signor Parini is improved.
Naples is tranquil. A reactionary attempt ham
been apeedily suppressed, and the authors, who
were paid by priests, were arrested.

The members of the Clothing Club (established under her
Majesty's patronage) received at the same time articles of
clothing according to the amount of their contributions (as
on former occasions), with the additions provided by her
Majesty.
After the distribution the Queen and Prince Consort, with
Princess Alice, Prince Arthur, Princess Helena, Princess
Louise, and Princess Beatrice, paid a visit to the Duchess
of Kent at Frogroore.

Poerio has been elected President of the Electoral
Committee.

(BY ME. ILIVTIen riumitAx.)
NAPLES, Dm% 31, 4 p.m.

An insignificant attempt at reaction was made
last night, and was easily suppressed. Some
lazzaroni, having shouted "Long live Francis II.,"
were arrested.

The Duchess of Kent and the Prince and Princess of
Leiningen visited the Queen, and took luncheon.
The Duke of Somerset, Major the Hon. A. Anson, and
the Hight Hon. U. P. Villiers, left the (Ninth in the fore-
-13001.1.

A personal enemy of the Duke of San Donato
has made an attempt to assassinate him.
The report in reference to the death of the officer
in command of the Marquis of Downsluire's yacht
is without the slightest foundation.
The Bourbon garrison of Civitelln, on the Tronto,
jute burnt a Sardinian prisoner of war.
Naples and the provinces are tranquil.

Colonel the Hoc. A. N. Hood bas succeeded Major. Gen.
Seymour u equerry in waiting to her Majesty.

The trustee% for the International Exhibition of 1?142
held their ninth meeting, at the Couneil•office, on Monday,
the 31st of December.

Despatches were received at the Colonial-ofßce, yesterday,
from the Governors of the West India lolanda, Ceylon,
Hong Kong, and Gibraltar. Despatches ware sent to the
Governor of British Coinslia and to the Lord High Com-
missioner of the loeisa lands.

RUSSIA AND FRANCIS H.
Le Nord has the following :

that the French squadron had been

withdrawn from Gaeta has not been confirmed. It was
simply a premature report. We take advantage of this
opportunity to correct a false statement inserted in some
of the journals to the effect that Russia had threatened to
mead a Russian squadron to Gaeta should the French squadron
be withdrawn. Our Feria correspondent given the most
formal denial to that rumour. " The interests of Runde in
Italy," be says, "and the sentiments of the Russian nation
for that country, protest against such a decision, which,
moreover, the Russian government has not had the oppor.
tunity of taking. Whatever may be the personal sympathy
felt for the midortunes of Francis 11., the Emperor
Alexander, who has doubtless sent him friendly words, as
he before gave him wise advice, has taken no engagement
towards that Prince, or offered him any material support."

HER MAJNETTS NEW MSS GIFTS.

WINDSOR, JAN. 1.
Her Majesty and the Prince Consort, the Prince
of Wales, Primroses Alice and Helena, and other members
of the royal family, with their distinguished visitors and
salt*, came to the riding-school at 10 o'clock this morning,
for the purpose of being present at the distribution of her
Majesty'. new year's siilts to the poor of the parishes of
Windsor. the Holy Trinity, and Clever, and took their sta-
tion in the gallery at the east end of this spacious building,
whilst a joyous psal was sent forth from the bells of the
Chapel Royal al St. George and St. John's church. In
addition to the committee, the Hon. Mrs. Wellesley, Miss
Russell, Miss Phippe, and many other ladies and gentlemen
of Windsor, Eton, and the neighbourhood, were in attend-
ance. The distributions were according to the following re-
gulations :
Perish of New Windsor.—Provisions : First class, 10 re-
cipients, 71be. of beef each, at 71d., 4s. aid.; 3cwt. of coals,
at Is. 34d.. 3s. 9td.-Bs. 21d. each. Second class, 28 re-
cipient., Ma. of beef, at 70., 3s. 9d. • 2 cwt. of coals, at
Is. 31d., 3. 2.1.-66. 11d. each. Third GLIM, 50 recipisets,
slbs. of beef, at 7id., Is. lid. ,• 2 cwt of coals, at Is. 31d.,
St. 8141.-ss. Bd. each. Fourth class, 123 recipients, Ma of
beef, at 74d., 2.. SW. ,• 13 cwt. dcools, at Is 31d., 1..14E-
-46.40. each. Fifth class, 137 recireats, Ms. of beef at 71(1.,
Is. 10id. ; l cwt. of coals, la 3 3a lid. each. To the
poor of Holy Trinity and Clewer.—First claw, 3 recipients,
711 n. of beef and 3 cwt. of coals each. Second class, 10 re-
cipients, 61be. of beef and 21 cwt of coals each. Third
clan, 30 recipients, 51be. of beef and 2 ewt. of coals each.
Fourth class, 89 recipients, 41bs. of beef sad 11 cwt. of
coals each. Fifth class, 32 recipients, 31be. of beef and lcwt.
of coals each.

THE PAPAL STATES.
ROME, Dec. 29.

The clerical party is very dissatisfied with the
Emperor of Austria for granting liberal concessions
to his subjects.
The circulation of the lavt proclamation ad-
dressed by Francis 11. to the Neapolitans has been
prohibited, although it was printed here.
The reactionary movements in the Abruzzi are
on the increase, the bands of reactioniats having
been reinforced by huge numbers of Neapolitan
soldiers.

Recipients.
Total amount New Windsor 457

Two officers of the Papal Zouaves have been
arrested for theft.

... Holy Trinity t 1" .. 36 16 0
Clewor ..... 34 17 0

The general conviction here in, that the Papal
Government will fall.

Total £l5lll 0
To the poor of the pariah of Clewer about oae-third of the
above proportions were distributed. The beef and cosh
were al the beet quality.
The Royal Clothing Club.
11l First-clue depositors, paid in It. each £lll 0 0
203 Second-class ditto „ 15e. each 152 5 0
206 Third-clans ditto „ Bs. each . 83 4 0
Added from royal bounty 7B 6 0

AUSTRIA.
BERLIN, Turatur.

Letters received here to-day from Prague state
that placards in the Bohemian language bad been
posted up at the corners of the streets of that city,
earnestly advising the Czechs to remain quiet for
the present, as the right moment for decisive action
has not yet arrived.
The placards further exhort the Czechs to observe
the Hungarians, whose end is nearly attained, and
finally to trust in Napoleon.

£424 15 0

SUDDEN DEATH or THE COUNTIES or &MINTON.
—lt s with deep regret that we aesoasee the sodden death
of the Countess of Eglinton. The Earl and Counter of
Essex received a telegram on Monday from Scotland, inform-
ing them of the sudden death of the countess, their
daughter, who died at nine o'clock on Monday morning at
Eglinton Castle, Ayrshire. The lamented countess so
tuitimely cut off wee, to all appearance, in the best of
health on Sunday, and, with tier noble husband, was about
to receive s large circle of distinguished visitors at the
cradle. Her late ladyship, Adele Caroline Harriet, yea the
only daughter of the Fart and Countess of Essex, and was
born 4th March, 182 S. She was married at Dublin io 1858
to the Earl of Eglintoo, thee Lord• Lieutenant of Ireland,
being his lordship's second wife. We believe she leaves
issue an only child.

THE UNITED STATES.
LIVERPOOL, WcorrispAr.
The Royal Mail steamship Asia, Captain Lott,
which left view York on the 18th ult., and touched
at Queenstown yesterday, arrived hero this
morning.
The Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia Com-
pany's steamer Edinburgh, which sailed to-day for
New York, took 106,0001. in specie.

The Duke of Devonshire and Lady Louisa Caven-
dish arrived at Holkar Hall, near Nikethorpe, • few days
since, from Chatsworth, Derbyshire. A select family circle
are staying with the noble duke.

Prince Napoleon went on Saturday in the yacht
'Arnow Napoleon on an escundon towards the Isle of Jersey.
The prince returned the next day to Havre, and is at pre-
bent in Paris.

The Duchene of Hamilton and Lady Mary Hamil-
ton have left Arlington-street for Patric The dake and •
•elect party have been at Brcslick Castle, Isle of Arran,
and have had excellent woodcock shooting. His grace will
shortly join the duchess and family in the French capital.

The Charitari reprexente the year 1861 under the
form of a smart young girl with a basket under one arm
and • large bag, bearing the inscription of 600,000,0006.,
under the other. A sedate bourgeois, in a long great coat,
and an umbrella in his hand, stops her and says, " Why,
what • hurry you are in, 1861 ! One would think you are
going to market T. " Why, so I am," replies the other,
" I have something to petrel's* in Italy '••
A Turin correspondent, describing the arrival in
that city of the king, says He wore • common officer's
foraging cap, and was wrapped in the ordomeance ample
riding cloak usual among the men and officers of the Sar-
dinian cavalry. There was nothing to distinguish him
from the crowd of his staff, unless it were the extreme
plainness of his attire, his secure look, and the peculiar
briskness and decision of all his movements. He
looked in the very best humour, and was evidently
in capital health ; there was not the least trace of
fatigue in his rather burly countenance and stalwart
frame, although be had left Naples at the obese of
• state ball at midnight between Thursday and Friday, had
posted all the way across the Abruzzi and along the
Marches and Romagna, never stopping except owe at
A DOOllll (where he dined with his lieutenant, Valerie)), and
accomplished the whole journey, • distance of more
than 600 miles, in 45 hours, along such roads as hie legal
and Bourbon predecessors have left him to mend—rather •
creditable feat, and which, indeed, seems to do away with
the space lying between the extreme Northern and the
Southern capital of a kingdom, the length of which is
urged by many as an insurmountable obstacle acuinst all
hopes of future union."
. .

The Countess de Persigny was safely delivered of
a daughter yesterday morning at Albert-gate House. The
emit= and infant are progressing favourably.
The Countess and the Ladies Craven have flit
town on a visit to the Earl and Donate= of Clareodoa, at
the Grove, near Watford.

Count Blucher has arrived in town from visiting
the Duke and Duchess of Grafton, at Wakefield Lodge,
Stony Stratton!.

Lady Marian Alford and Lady Alwyn Compton,
who left town last week for Paris, have left that capital
for Italy, whence they go to Malta, where they will be met
by Lord Alwyn* Compton, the Earl Brownlow, and his
brother. The party on leaving Malts intend to visit the
Holy Land. _ _ _

A marriage is arranged and will shortly take
place between Sir David Baird, Bart., of Newbyth, N. 8.,
and the Lady Georgina Badlie•Hamiltoe, youngest daughter
of the Earl and Countess of Haddington.

At St. George's, Hanover-square, yesterday, the
marriage was celebrated of John Walter, ?d.P.,
to Flora, third daughter of the late James Mourn Macnabb,
of Highfield Park, Hants.
The ceremony of christening the infant son and
heir of Lord and Lady Ingestre was (says the Wolrerhelmr•
ton Chronicle) performed during the morning service on
Cluistmas.day, at Ingestre Church, by the Hon. and Rev.
A. Chetwynd Talbot, the rector. The sponsors were the
Lady Ingestre, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, and
'Captain the Hon. W. Talbot, M.P.
. .

A Tuscan correspondent, describing &visit to that
late favourite of the British public, Maria Pico°loinini, now
the Marchese dell Fugue, says:—" I was during a fort-
night at a charming villa, three miles from Siena, the resi-
dence of the parents of our beloved and most celebrated
artist, Maria Plocolornini, now Marchionesa dell Farina,
of the Dukes Caetani, and it wee by a miracle that this dear
creature did not find herself in tumult and great peril on
the return of the Swiss, headed by that assassin, the toe
inferno= Schmidt, in the city of Piero, of which I will
speak by and by. When I arrived at the Villa Picoolomini
I found all the family reunited. Her sister Laura had, on
the Stir of October, married a young Sienese, 23 years old,
very rice, who poemens divan villas and a beautiful palace
in Siena. An heir t., the family of La Fargua is expected in
April."

It is with much regret (says the Woirerhampton
ClFirosiete) we have heard of the serious illness of the Berl
of Bradford, who was seised with so attack of paralysis, at
his mat, Weston Park, in this county. about a week since.
The advanced age of this highly-esteemed nobleman, who ia
in his 72ad yetz, aaturally excites great anxiety amongst
the members of hie • faintly, and we feel assured that all
classes in the districts when his lordship's benevolent cha-
racter le so well knows, awl when his Merlins good (mai.
' ties excite each gosonel slokslkw, will hear of his WWII,

with great regret. and 'eddy a hope that Ma Ultima may
even yet take a favourable tura.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

DEATH OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA. (nlOll OUR OWN CORIUDIPONDENT.)
BERLIN, WEDNEADAT, JAN. 2. PARIS, TUMIDLY EVENING.
King Frederick William IV. expired at 12.40 From all I can learn of the lmig-looked-for New
a.m. to-day, at Sans-Souci. Year'a-day's receptions, they have passed off with-
I oat the Emperor taking occasion to say a single
word of any political importance. The Pays, the
only evening paper which appears (all the others
making holiday), reports but a single sentence of
the speech to the corps diplomatique ; his Majesty
" hopes that an understanding between the
powers will preserve the peace of Europe."
It is unfortunately notorious that the powers
of Europe are far from being agreed as to a
course which would prevent war. All the news from
Vienna tends to show that bankrupt Austria obsti-
nately rejects every suggestion for the peaceable
I mission of Venice, and Victor Emmanuel, who
has no choice but to play a great game, is raising
every Svailable man to swell the ranks of the
national army, which will be ready to do or die for
Italy " one and united " before three short months
are over.

The rumour is revived that M. Foul(' may
probably be sent to Italy on a " political and
financial" mission. It is also said that Marshal
Niel is going on a " military " mission—whatever
that may mean.
The New Year's number of the Mumiteur in-
augurates a novelty. It contains a " political
bulletiu " which will hereafter appear daily. The
opening specimen of the new feature of the official
journal is merely a dry enumeration of items of
foreign news, but it is intended occasionally to
publish leading articles which there can be no
doubt will very considerably take the wind out of
the sails of journals that have hitherto passed for
semi-official.
The news of Count Teleki's release is given ex-
clusively by the Moniker. I cannot call the act of
the Emperor of Austria a very generous one. He
has taken advantage of the shameful arrest of the
Hungarian refugee to wring from him conditions
which it is sad to think he should have been forced
to submit to. As the master is represented by the
Moniteur, Austria reaps all aorta of advantage from
her own wrong. She disarms a popular leader, and
gets credit for magnanimity.

ITALY.

-
THE SIEGE OF GAETA.

(/1011 001 BPOCIAL CORRISPONDER. )
NOLA DI GAETA, Dir. 27.

Should your readers look upon our siege opera-
tions as a kind of Penelope's web, which is always '
said to be approaching completion and never at-
tains it, they would, at least in appearanoe, be not
far wrong. Two months have already elapsed
since we came to this damp and dirty hole of Mole.,
and the much talked of bombardment bas not yet
begun in thorough earnest. Almost every day one
hears some such gossip as this—" Our fire will
most positively open about the end of next week."
The week passes, however, and the " moat posi-
tively" is again adjourned. But though public ex-
pectation has been so often deluded, I think that
it will now be so no longer. The great
event is now positively, announced for the
sth or the 7th of January, and everything
leads me to believe that General Menabrea
will keep his word. Yesterday morning a new
battery set up on Monte Cortola began its practice
at 3,000 yards, and drove away the gunners of the
enemy's battery opposite, after about 200 rounds.
The Sardinian engineers every now and then seeing
something to be gained by the erection of a work or
battery at some point or other, set about the task
with an activity which can only be fappreciated by
those who are here to witness the daily difficulties
they have to contend with. If, therefore, there
has been a long delay in the completion of the
work, it must be mainly attributed to the impossi-
bility of getting sooner from Genoa the material
for carrying on • siege. The'storms which at this
season of the year prevail in the Mediterranean
make it almost impossible for the steamers to ar-
rive when they are expected. Accordingly
five of the vessels directed to these shores
are due, and they arc loaded with Cavalli's guns,
carriages, platforms, powder, shot, shell, gabions,
famines, staling ladders, and other siege materials.
Our engineers, if not quite so numerous as they
ought to be, are active and energetic, but the work
they have in handle of • magnitude to fully account
for the time they take in completing it.
Meanwhile it is gratifying to observe that the
besieging army, severely tried as it is both by the
continuous throwing up of earth works and by bad
weather, is in the enjoyment of good health. The
men who were sent down to Capua to recover from
disease or wounds are coming back as jolly and
fresh as when they arrived here from the
Marches, and resume their work with that
good humour which is one of the prominent
characteristics of Italian soldiery. The huts, or
rather tents, which have been provided for them,
afford as great an amount of comfort as can be ex-
pected by an army which is obliged to bivouac in
the open air. Provisions are in abundance at the
camp, and it must be confessed that the soldiers
occasionally add to their stores by assuming the
ownership of some stray fowl which is wandering
about iu the fields, or of some bottled wine which
has been forgotten in the cellar of an abandoned
villa. The other day • young captain of Engineers
happened to pass through the court-yard of a
Casino which had been abandoned by the landlord,
a certain count who has followed the fortunes of
Francis 11. The Caiiino, which stands on
a height opposite the Regina battery, hal
been abandoned by the count .since the beginning
of the siege ; there was no mistake about it ; the
young captain knew it. What, therefore, was his
astonishment on hearing the noise of • hammer
coming from the inner part of the ground floor. It
could not surely be the laiidlord, or any of his servants.
They were at Gaeta. The young officer hastened to
the place, the gate of which was wide open, and
called out, " Who is there 1" Presently two lx:reag-
lien came up, and the officer inquired the cause of
the hammering. "Nothing, sir," —ltalians when
found in fault never fail to begin their answer
with that word—" Nothing, sir ; we happened to
peas here, and have just been having a look at the
Casino." " Well, then 1" added the captain.
" Well, we have broken open the cellar and found
some bottles of Capri wine in which we shall drink
your health. On the captain remarking that ma-
rauding in a friendlycountry was notpermitted, the
bersaglieri seemed to think all objections obviated
by their promising that after they had re-
moved all the bottles they could find, they would
"shut the door of the cellar es it was before."

The French papers have of late spoken of an
address of thanks sent by the ladies of Mantua to
the Countess of Shaftesbury, who, as you know,
presides over the committee of the Garibaldi Relief
Fund. I have been enabled to get a copy of the
document, which by this time will have probably
reached its destination. Addresses are very easily
written and sent when they are drawn up in a free
country, but there is always a certain amount of
danger in getting them up under the Argus eyes of
the Austrian police. This danger, however, did
not prevent the noble demonstration of the Man-
tuan ladies, who are perhaps the moat patriotic of
Italy. Here is the address :

Madame,,—Our turn has arrived, sad 'we feel it oar
duty to add our thanks to those which the rest of the
women of our dear fatherland have already addressed to
you. You, we feel certain, will accept them with that
kindliness which is the first attribute of a generous mind.
Not from to-day dates the debt of gratitude which the
mothers, the alders, and the wives of Italy have owed to
the women of England. History, unfortnentel), cow
mewed in Is2l to register the wanes of those Italian
patriots to whom your powerful country has given a gene-

roue arylum. Those of our children, brothers, and hue.
bands who have returned have not failed to tell us whet
gratitude they owe to the women of your country.
But the debt of gratitude thus contracted was increased on
that day on which, by the beldam of an Italian general and
the patriotism of Victor Emmanuel, the despotic power of the
Bourbons was for ever annihilated in the peninsula. It wu
then that you took thought of our brave wounded of Calata.
firm of Idelauo, and of the Volturno. It was then that you
employed your generous influence in order that the love for
Italy should be redoubled in this classical land of liberty.
Unfortunately for us, we women of Mantas have nothing
to offer you but our gratitude—the only sentiment, united
with that of love for our country, which the Austrians have
not succeeded in forbidding us the use of. But, believe us,
that sentiment will never decrease, and this it will be our
duty to prove to you in the day of our deliverance.