The Express.
London, England, 1861-02-14 00:00:00

OLYMPIC.

The musical burlotta of The Sentinel, which wax
popular in the days of Madame Festris, has boon revived at
this house. Miss Louise Keeley, who plays the principal
character, is charming, with her mixture of archnefui and
'mirth, but her coadjutor, Mr. F. Robinson, though very
painstaking, is anything but sprightly.

ENGLISH DUTY ON FRENCH WINES.

The Commercial Reform Association of France
has addressed the t„ flowing letter to the Minister of
Commerce :

" M. le Ministre, -The committee of the Association for
Commercial Reform, sitting at Beaune, has called our at-
tention to the measures recently introduced in England foe
collecting the duties levied on wines. It appears from
iupere published by the English Treasury on this sub-
ject that divers categories, each paying a different duty,
will bs established for wines imported from all countries.
We ask permission to state to your excellency that
thin mode of imposing duties will be adverse to the
true interests of the British Treasury as to the interests of
French commerce, inasmuch as it will have for effect to
limit,in a very large proportion the consumption of our wines.
We feel pleasure in admitting, N. le Munstre, the frank
and liberal manner in which the English government has
interpreted and executed the treaty. We believe that it
has been led to adopt the measures (which we take the
liberty to bring to your notice) by a groundless fear of the
possible con uences of smuggling. Yet the city of Paris,
which also finds in the duties levied on wines by the octopi
a great part of the resources which it requires, has not esta-
blished by categories the duties it imposes. We therefore
beg of your excellency to be pleased to submit this example
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the .came time ex-
plaining to him the system of collection practised by the
city of Paris, a system which secures auflicient firdoEi

commerce mid Ives no opening to fmtal.—Receive, M. le
Ministre, the ssamrsoce of our profound respect." [Here
follow the names of the members of the comnatee.]i

EXTENSION or THE CO-OPERATIVE PRINcIPLE IN
and friends
Tuesdayoft
Provision Society was held near the mill. at Holbeek, foe
the purpose of laying the foundation stone of the new
t,e d afteirnodorst6a,ileo.,eetitiwgnotctehentnmemrhentand
stores and 0111C01. Hitherto, the operations of the society
have he mainly confined to the supplying its manlier"
with excellent flour and groceries, but it is now designed
the trustees, we find that the capital employed is 14,655/
ftoorailendkgmeiLeiralacciro.v.is,i.ortiaonin.l clothing, hence hreeportnce the necessity
17s. 2.1., while the profits upon the whole trading of 70,242/:
were 3,340 t., or a little over 4 per cent. upon the returns.
The profits, less interest upon loan capital, were at the rate
of 25i per cent. upon the shares (independent of interest),
showing a return of capital six times yearly. The flour de-
partment had turned over its capital shoat nine times, the
grocery department about three times, and the clothing only
alamt half turned over the capital employed in it. The num-
ber of members in the society is now 3,722.
Mr. A. Bsorrou, Wine and Spirit Merchant, of
19, Strand, has altered his prices In accordance with the further
retortion of the wine duties. He Is now selling excellent Pore
and Sherry at lets per dozen, and a goo,' sound Claret at 16a. per
I deem, bottles Ineladed.-4Adrertisententi