The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

NEWS OF THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES.

The special correspondent of the Times with the
Abyssinian expedition telegraphs, under date of
of the 12th of February :
" King Theodore has placed all the prisoners in
Magdala.
" The British advanced guard has arrived within
two marches of Antalo.
" The Tigrii people are very friendly."

OUR PARIS LETTER.

REPORTED ALLIANCE BETWEEN ENG-

LAND, FRANCE, AND AUSTRIA.
(FROM OUR OWN CORIZSPONIANT.)
PARIS, FRIDAY EVINTRO.

The Liberti says that Mr. Disraeli's ministry,
not relieved from the scrupulous caution of Lord
Derby, is about to conclude an alliance offensive
and defensive with France and Austria, to
counterbalance the alliance supposed to exist
between Russia, Prussia, and the United
States. A great combination of this kind,
supposing it to exist, must depend upon a
variety of considerations out of the purview
of common mortals. Neverthless I cannot
help raising my small voice—first to express
incredulity, and next to say that if the tory
government really contemplates such an
alliance the country should lose no time in turning
it out. Austria and France are at this moment
defeated political adventurers in Europe.
They have no settled policy but that of
patching up their own damaged prestige
by any means that may turn up. If
England is to renounce the (unless in very excep-
tional cases) wholesome policy of non-interven-
tion in European affairs she could not interfere
in worse company. From the bottom of my heart
and soul I trust the news is not true ; nevertheless, I
hear from a respectable source that a proposal has
reached Paris from London to send a joint com-
minatory note to Russia, Servia, and Roumania
echoing the paragraphs which have appeared
in the Conetitutionnet and Patrie, about •

conspiracy to effect a rising in Bulgaria, and calling
upon the Russian government to put a stop to the
maiseuvres at once ; otherwise France and Eng-
lund will break off diplomatic relations with Russia,
Servia, and Roumania If this news is true it
can scarcely be anything but the prelude to a
war. All wars are preceded by political rumbles
of this kind, and in modern times the notice is
very short. I trust in God—(forgive me, if for-
getting Talleyrand's maxim, I speak with
warmth)—that no antiquated traditional notions
about the necessity of maintaining the Turkish
empire at all hazards will betray the English
government into another war partnership with the
reckless man who was defeated in Mexico and
jockeyed at Sadowa. He wants war, is
raising an army to make war, and must
have war to put down constantly growing
dissatisfaction at home. But let England keep out
of it, and not expose herself to be made a cat's paw
of, which she surely will be if she en-
gages herself under the circumstances suggested.
I am credibly informed that although, for the con-
venience of the French Emperor, the initiative of
the note now spoken of was apparently taken in
London, it was in reality prompted from Paris.
Anxiety for the pesos of the world is the excuse.
Prince Napoleon—and this is a clincher for those
who said he was going to speak in the Senate on
the Press Bill—has left Paris for a tour of several
weeks in Germany. Does he go, as some say, on
an important mission, or is he banished from
France for a time I I incline to the latter supposi-
tion.