The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-28 00:00:00

Che Court.

BALMORAL CASTLE, Mat 25.
The Queen drove out in the morning accom-
panied by Princess Louise, and her Majesty again drove
out in the afternoon attended by the Duchess of Athole.
The Queen received an address from the parishioners of
Crathie expressing their sympathy and congratulation on
the recent escape of the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen gave a ball to the tenants and gillies of the
Bs/moral, Abergeldie, and Birkhall estates and the royal
servants in celebration of her Majesty's birthday.
The Prince of Wales, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur,
Prince Leopold, end Princess Beatrice were present, and
the Queen was also there fora part of the time.
This day is the anniversary of the birthday of Princess
Christian. - .

MAY 26.
The Prince of Wales, attended by Major Teesdale, left
Balmoral this morning.

The Prinoe of Wales, attended by Major Teesdale, ar-
rived at Marlborough-house yesterday morning, from a
visit to the Queen at Balmoral.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the 'Crown
Prince of Denmark and the Prince of Leiningen, and at-
tended by Major Teesdale and Captain Lund, went to
Epsom race..
The Princess of Wales drove out, attended by the
Countess of Macclesfield.

In the evening, the Prince and Princess of Walee and
the Crown Prince of Denmark went to the Lyceum
Theatre.

Prince and Princess Christian, attended by their suite,
honoured Lady Augusta Stanley and the Dean of West-
minster with their company at dinner on Tuesday.

The Queen received an address from the pa-
rishioners of Cratkie on Monday in reference to the at•
tempt upon the life of Prince Alfred. The following was
her Majesty's reply :—" I thank you for your loyal and
affectionate congratulation on the providential escape of
my dear son from the hand of the assassin. The expres-
sion of sympathy and of loyal attachment to myself and
to my family which this outrage has called forth from
every pert of my dominions, has been most gratifying to
me ; but nowhere has it been more grateful to my feeling
than when coming thus cordially and spontaneously from
you, the friends and neighbours amongst whom it is
always a source of happiness to me to reside."
The Earl and Countess of Malmeabury had •
dinner party yesterday at their residence in Stratford-
place. There were present the Duke and Duchess of
Buckingham, Viscount Hawuden, Lord Stanley, M.P.,
Lord Strethnairri, Lord and Lady Edward Thyme, the
Solicitor-General and Lady Brett, Sir James and Lady
Edith Fergusece, Sir Rowland Erriisgton and Miss Erring-
ton, General and Lady Emily Hankey and Miss Bening,
Mr. and Mrs. Cavendish Bentinok, to.

The Lord Chancellor and Lady Cairns enter-
tained at dinner lad evening, at their residence in Crom-
well-houses, the Archbishop of Armagh and Mew.
lioreaford, the Earl of Eldon, Lord and lady Claud
Hamilton and Mire Hamilton, Lord and lady Chelms-
ford and Hon. MiasThesiger,Lord Hodes&le, Sir Edmund
sad Lady W. Maenaghten and Miss Marmaghten, Mr.
and Miss Henley, Mr. and Mrs. George Hanbnry, Mr.
and Mrs. M'Neile, Mr. Paterson, Mr. Alexander M`Neile,

Lady Molesworth received at dinner last even-
ing, the Marquis of elanricarde, the FAA and Countess of
geatield, the Mohan Dowager, of Bt. Albans end Lady
Diana Beenalork, the Hon. Frederick and Lady Adelaide
(Megan, Viscount Torrington, lord Albert lamer&
Hewer, ILY., the Rigid Hon. Sir Hoary Wirer, Sir
Jelin end lady Herington, the Hon. GINCSO vomitus,
Sir Checks Esascll. X.P., the Eight Hoe. Frederick Peel,
Mr. Alderson, and Mr. F. Knoll" at her sesidence in
Eaka-plies.

THE GERMAN CUSTOMS' PARLIAMENT.
The German journals publisha declaration signed
by twenty-six deputies from South Germany to
the Customs' Parliament, which has just closed its
first sitting. In it they say :
We have moreover admitted once more that an entry
into the confederation of the north would neither favour
the union of the entire nation, nor constitutional liberty,
nor the particular interests of the Southern Stated ; that,
on the contrary, under one or other of these
points of view, and in face of the constitution
of North Germany, the maintenance of the autonomy
of the Southern States is commanded by the preponder-
ance given by the confederation of the north to military
aims which strikes at the culture of moral and material
interests, and leads, without lightening the financial
situation of Prussi►, to the imposition of increased burdens
on its allies. As • necessary consequence of the tradi-
tional policy of Prussia, these burdens will continue. For
almost all parties north of the line of the Main, the
subjection of the States of the South is but a question
of time and the aim of the mission of Prussia.
That the consequence would be the final absorption of the
South into one united Prussia must be apparent to every
man who is not deceived by the semblance of purring po-
litical forms. The preponderance of the State
President, augmented by annexations, leaves no.
place for the position to which the mall
states of the Confederation have a right. in view of
this situation the task is to harmonise the energetic main-
tenance of the autonomy of the States of the South with
the honest fulfilment of national duties. There is but one
mode of attaining this double end— a decidedly liberal
policy and the firm union of the Southern States
amongst themselves. We are convinod that for
these States, governments, and peoples, it is indis-
pensable that they should emerge from the unten-
able isolation in which they at present find them-
selves, and that they should take common action, especially
u regards the military defence of the south, even within
the limits of the Zollverein, and to assume • fruitful
initiative in regard to matters of general utility. The
existing treaties give us a right to enter upon this road.
The union of the political forces of South Germany for
common action cannot be hostile to any other part of the
German nation. On the contrary, its rac will consist in
acting as an intermediary between the great powers ; it
will thus render • service to European peace and to mate-
rial interests, and it will permit the States of the South
exactly to fulfil the duties resulting from the treaties
with the north of Germany without exposing
them to the danger of being absorbed by Prussia.
If even the close union of the Southern States cannot be
regarded by us as the complete and supreme satisfaction
of material wants, it still appears at present the only mode
of attaining, whilst awaiting the dangers which seriously
threaten us, the final end—a free and united Germany.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAXS.)
HUNGARY.
PESTH, MAY 27, EVENING.

In to-day's sitting of the Lower House, the cen-
tral committee proposed that the titles of the sove-
reign to be used in the treaty of commerce between
Austria and the Zollvereiu should be " Emperor
of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary."
The Ministry have promised that the title ques-
tion shall soon be definitively settleu.
The Croatian deputation has recognised the
union of Hungary and Croatia into one state.

EGY PT.
(Per Malta and Alexandra Telegraph.)
ALEXANDRIA, MAI 28.

The amount for which the Viceroy may purchase
the proposed breakwater and docks at this port
when complete is 1,500,000/.
Her Majesty's ships Trinculo and Manchester
arrived here on the 26th inst. from Beyrout.

THE BRAZILS.
LISBON, MAY 28.

The Royal Mail :team Packet Company's ship
Shannon has arrived here from the Brazils, &c.,
and will leave for Southampton at noon to-day.
She brings 6,064/. in specie, 614 bales of cotton,
121 packages of sundries, and 81 passengers.
The Oneida, with the outward mails of the 9th,
was at St. Vincent on the 19th inst.