The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-07 00:00:00

[T OPEN CE'

INDIA.

By the arrival of the Overland Mail we receive
intelligence from Bombay to September 11. The
ceremony of the investiture of Sir Hugh Rose with
the insignia of the Order of the Moat Exalted Star
of India took place at Calcutta on August 26.
The Tunes of India gives the following summary
of news :

The cholera, which has raged so virulently in the Pienjawb,
has decreased. Sad havoc has been made in 8.11 .'s 51st as
94th Regiments. The epidemic is said to be abating also in.
the north-west provinces.
A munificent entertainment has been given at Surat bys
the managing agent, engineers, and officers of the Bombay, -
Baroda, and Central India Railway to the staff of mechanics,
inspectors, &c., in celebration of the successful close of the
past working season.
The inauguration of the statue of the kte Bripdier Gene-
' sal Neill took place at Madras on the 241.11 August, in the
presence of thousands of spectators.
The Rev. Mr. Long, sentenced by the Calcutta Supreme
Court to one month's imprisonment, for his publication of
the Nil Darpan drama, was hberated on the 24th August,
and prepense, it is said, to visit Ragland.
It is reported that her Majesty's 103rd Regiment (First
Bombay Fusiliers) wil leave India for home service is a few
months.

The city of Benares was lately visited by an eart►quake
and hailstorm. Hundreds of houses and aside were de-
stroyed, and 200 or 000 men buried under the ruins of
houses.

171enateve community of Wattle hid a public meeting
cm the 26th Await, for the pompon of reporeenting the
conduct of Mir Imit Wetimans/swasen. inxliterrnm
Om* Oakimen.
Selen-Karr kw • soma thrne tendered the resigns—
tion his seat in the Legisktive Conseil ; but the Gover-.
nor-General has destined toorept it
The Governor Gaeta, in is stated, will leave Calcutta
shortly for the North-West Trevino* to confer the honour-
of the boat I.:salted Star of India en the native chiefs se-
lected ter the honour. On his return be will proceed to.
Rangoon, and go back to Calcutta to await the arrival or
Lord Elgin.
A Cabal letter of August I. stateethat cholera was rife -
at Kandahar, GOO oe NO men a day falling victims to the
disease.

FRANCE

(note Ot-11 OWN

PARIB,, SATGINDAT EVIE3IIIO.
M. Hubaine, Prince Napoleon's primate secnitary,
wrote the following letter thin morning to M.
Fauvety, a Freemason, for the information of 'the
Grand Orient of France :

Petals Hoyel,.Oct. 5,146 L
You have dune me the humus to inquire what are the
intentions of his Imperial Highness Prim). Napoleon
with respect to the election of a Grand Master of French
masonry, which is to talcs place on the 14th of this
month. I lase no time in informing you that the Pfineei
having thought fit to resign after the election of May last,
authorises me to inform the deputies of the French ledges
that he wishes them to vote for moms *thew caadidatn I
am happy to add, on the part of the Prince, that although
he comes to be the representative of the order, his Imperial.
Highness does not the less consider it his duty to give his
utmost support to an institution from which he lately re•
ceived such a striking proof of confidence and sympathy.
Accept the expression of my most dietlegidebed sentiments..
The Private SeerfAerr, E. Hussars.
This is a very curious letter under the circum-
stances, and will probably provoke a good deal of
doubt and discussion in the craft. There is no doubt
that Murat, the existing Grand Master, is moat un-
popular among the Freemasons, not only on account
of his overbearing temper and tyrannical ideas, bat..
also and principally because he is a pretender to the
throne of Naples and a partisan of the Pope, who
would crush masonry altogether if ho could. It is
equally certain that the reason why the Freemasons.
started Prince Napoleon against Murat last May
was, that his speech in the Senate in favour of the
unity of Italy made him a representative man alto-
gether opposed to the principles of Murat. At this
juncture, to the great astonishment of all who sup-
posed the Emperor to be a friend of Italy, the
police broke the sanctity of the grand masonic
lodge, seconded Murat's declaration that the elec-
tion of Prince Napoleon was illegal, and postponed.
the election till October. Prince Napoleon was
forced by the Emperor to go through tho form of
resignation at that time. It was, however, hoped,
and indeed generallyexpected, that in October, when
the effervescence of feeling among the masons
should have subsided, Prince Napoleon would have
quietly pulled the large majority of votes which
were waiting for him. But now he withdraws his
pretensions by the above letter. I presume that
his retirement is serious, and that he does not mean
to contest the influence which, unhappily, the
Emperor still throws in the scale for Murat. But
it is very remarkable that the letter assumes that
legality of the election of May which Murat
denies, speaks of Prince Napoleon as having been
the " official representative of the order," and puts
forward as the ground fur his continued love
for masonry, not any merits of the institution itself,
but the "confidence and sympathy" which it has
shown for him. There are here clearly elements of
a great masonic schism when "time and place shall
serve." Murat cannot possibly, in the position
which be has assumed, recognise Prince Napoleon
as a " Peat Grand Master."

The Bourse to-day was better. It is reported
that the Emperor will not allow the Bank to raine
its discount any higher. The resignation of M. de
Germiny is denied. Rente roes 20c. for cash, and
sc. for account, closing at 68.20 to 68.25. Mobilier
rose 3.75. The Northern Railway rose 5f., and in
the other lines there was very little change.