The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28, 1861.

NAPOLEON, in whose vocabulary freedom of the
sees meant subjection of the English, it is enough
to know that to-day the freedom of the seas
looks to the British flag for vindication and pro-
tection. The British Navy has no mission to
rectify frontiers or to propagate ides.; it is con-
tent to guard the ancient sanctuary of freedom,
and to carry civilization from pole to pole.
It is satisfactory to find that the Admiralty Re-
gulations, in all that relates to pay, promotion,
pensions, and allowances, are heartily approved by
shipowuers and masters who have so good • right
to represent the claims of the Mercantile Marine as
Mr. R 'HARD GYLELN and Mr. Li IC LP4A Y, and Captain
A tiaN Youso, thedevoted comrade of MCCLINTOCIL
Mr. Gaze", thanks the Admiralty for placing the
Mercantile Marine in " so honourable a position."
Mr. LINDSAY oonsiders the regulations " a great
" concession." As an evidence of the liberal spirit
in which they are drawn up, they entirely
assimi-
late officers of the Merchant Service to their
brothers of the same rank in the Navy ; for as
Mr. Gases explained, " with but after" applies
to duty rather than to rank ; and it is obvious
that volunteers on temporary service cannot claim
precedence. The reduction of the age qualifica-
tion from 45 to 35 will be readily granted,
for it is to the younger men that the appeal
is made, and the best men in either service have
done as good seaman's work before 35 as they will
ever do after. For the older men there is the
honorary rank, • distinction which will be more
and more appreciated, and which will more and
more unite the sympathies and interests of the
Navy and the Mercantile Marine. The twenty.
eight days' drill in time of peace, so far from being
irksome, will, aa Mr. Game expressed it, be
" fun " to active and enterprising officers of the
Merchant Service ; and it will teach them how, in
the event of war, to take good care of neutral
cargoes without consulting any text-books. Every
merchantman is • man-of-war, a naval revolu-
tion in itself ; and nothing lees than this is the end
and aim of the Royal Naval Reserve. Captain
Au.= Totowa recalled with just pride the services
Of the Mercantile Marine in co-operating with the
Royal Navy, sad in transporting troops to the scene
of action during the Crimean war, and again in
India and China. These conspicuous services have
not been without effect in promoting that una-
nimity which the Regulations for the Reserve will,
it is hoped, increase and confirm.

Since 1815 the character and the constitution of
both the Navy and the Merchant Service have not
escaped the changes which have befallen men and
manners on shore. Education and refinement
are no longer deemed incompatible with daring
courage and seamanship. In those oomrades of the
last Polar Expedition—Mt:Cu:woos and ALLLN
Yorxn--we see the Navy and the Merchant
Service of our day. Instead of snarling and
sneering at one another, both have learnt the duty
and the pleasure of mutual respect. Neither can
stand alone, or dispense with the aid of the other.
The Navy protects the Merchantman ; the Mer-
chantman makes the Navy; and both make
England.

THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL HUHU-
CULTURAL SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the council specially summoned
yesterday, the following commuuication, addressed
to Mr. C. Wentworth Dilke, one of the vioe-presi-
dents, was received :
" Osborne, Dec. 24, 1861.

"My Dear Dilke,—The Queen has directed me
to inform you that it is her Majesty's wish that
the Horticultural Gardens should be considered as
under her peculiar and personal patronage and
protection.

" The only consolation that her Majesty can hope
to tiud for the rest of her life, under her bitter and
hopelehn bereavement, is to endeavour to carry out
the wishes and intentions of her beloved husband.

" The Queen well knows the deep interest that
he took in this undertaking, and would wish to
have periodical reports sent to her Majesty of the
progress and proceedings of the society.—Sincerely
yours, " C. B. PHIPIN."

The following telegram has been received at Mr.
Reuter's office from the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company :

THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.
The Euxine, with the above mails, reached Mar-
seilles at noon tii-day (27th inst.)
She communicated with the Sultan (which left
Marseilles with the Bombay mail on the 20th
inst., but damaged her machinery in the Straits of
Bonifacio), and has brought back that vessel's pas-
sengers, mails, and cargo to Marseilles.
These will now be transferred to the Masailia,
leaving Marseilles to-morrow (28th). Orders have
been sent to Suez, by telegraph, for the Bombay
steamer to wait for them.