The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-19 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19, 188 L

owing to increased expematare. Nerdy
the whole of this net revenue wee derived
from inland letters. Foe the sake of

trade, and for political and other Imperial pur-
poses, it is thought well to carry the foreign sad
colonial correspondence of the country at a loss.
If the letters composing it were charged with the
whole of the cost they entail, not only would the
sea-postage be absorbed, but tho operation would
show a loos such as amounted last year to 410,0001.
We are told that on each letter between this
country and the Cape of Good Hope there appears
• loss of about 9d. ; on each letter to the West
Indies a loss of about Is. ; on each letter to the
West Coast of Africa a loss of about Is. Sd. ; and
on each letter to the United States, via Galway, a
loss of about 6s.

As usual, the year has been marked by the
introduction of improvements calculated to in-
crease the efficiency and extend the range of the
postal service. In London and its environs de-
liveries have been both increased and accelerated.
Thirty-three places in various parte of the country
have been provided with day mails. More than a
thousand places have for the first time the advan-
tage of a free delivery. Accelerations have been
numerous, including that of the Irish mails. 110
new money-order offices have been opened, and
the money-order system, which, though yielding a
profit in England, was carried on in Ire-
land at a loss, has been made self-supporting.
The changes in the postal communication between
London and Paris have been such as to give a gain
in many cases of 24 hours in the single transit be-
Itween the provincial towns of France and those of
the United Kingdom. Negotiations are also in
progress for admitting trade patterns to the privi-
lege of the book-post between the two countries.
Tho care which has for a long series of years
been bestowed on the development of the
service of the Post-office precludes the repetition
of the startling organic reforms which for many
years attracted public attention. But, without
claiming for the Post-office exemption from that
criticism by which every part of the public service
may profit, we may acknowledge on behalf of
the public that we have in it a department distin-
guished for vigilance, foresight, and a deter-
mination to meet to the uttermost the wants of the
community.

PROJECTED DISMEMBERMENT OF
ITALY.

--•---
(nook ♦ oosaam

The project of an Italian Confederation is by no
means given up. The plan is to divide Italy into
three parts; the one a Northern kingdom, with
Victor Emmanuel at its head ; the second, a Papal
state, including Umbria and the Marches; the third,
a Neapolitan kingdom, under Francis 11. Venice
would then be given to the Northern kingdom.
The great obstacle to the realisation of
this plan is Baron Ricasoli. But every kind of
intrigue is at work to displace him ; and it is
thought if Farini could be brought in, with
Ratazzi ea nominal head, the tripartite Italy might
be formed, the Pope satisfied, and the phantom of
one Italy sunk in the Red Sea for ever.—Daily
Netts.

of cargo. Sixteen of her Majesty's ships were lying
at Malta.
At Gibraltar on the 14th instant exchange on
London was quoted 49t1 for 90 days sight ; on Paris,
5.28 ; oil Madrid, I discount. Freights unaltered.