The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-08 00:00:00

THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.

The Star. in urging the Importance of reorganising the
diplomatic service, says the duty of entertaining Britons
and Britonesees on their autumn travels seems about
the most important, and is certainly the moat exact-
ing, of the functions which devolve on our highly-paid
representatives. The real work of the service could be more
efficiently performed by other means than those already
employed ; at any rate it is imperatively necessary to re-
vise a system which places the service almost exclusively
in the hands of the aristocracy.

The Standard admits the fact that the condition of
the Irish Church is very far from satisfactory, and that
the government is certainly not pledged to a con-
trary proposition. There is every reason to believe
that the forthcoming report of the commission will show
that the Irish church is saddled with an accumulation of
abuses and anomalies, which hamper its action and cripple
its power for good, and must therefore seriously embarrass
those who would shield it from its assailants. The go-
verament cannot and will not attempt to defend a system
which, from its inherent defects and corruptions, is praco

ideally indefensible. Under these oirennistanoes the
Standard urges the bishops to set about the work of refor-
mation without delay, and expresses an opinion that if
this had been done years ago there would not have been
the present outcry.

Advice. from the Mast say that a numerous body
of pilgrims, who arrive annually at Jerusalem, are an.
imaseed to have reached that city, to be present at the
oeranonies of the Holy Week and the Easter fete. The
wake connected with the cupola are in a forward state,
and the architects are of opinion that in the come of
throe months it will be entirely finished. The restoration
criginated with the Emprem.
Vesuvius, still an object of undiminished in-
terest, ham been visited lately several times by our eminent
countryman, Profaner Phillips.
The chartered ship Matilda Atheling, taken up
by the government, baa sailed from the Nora, having on
beard • number of convicts under lengthened twins of

postal eerritude from the erbablishmest at 011athora far
emiveymee to Gibraltar. Among the cowrie& dorpataked
from (Math= are several of the FOlii&II polsousoo, together
with the two oesviols. Corbett and Sweetland, who re-
moldy mods an attempted move tram the Chathem
prism The Matilda Übangi will receive cm board a few
convicts from the establichmenb at Porionenth sad Port-
land. • strong military guard fres the 13th Light
infantry and the 15tb Beeinsent proem& in amps el the
eenviern.
Mr. Harris, one of the registrars of the Han-
cheder Bankruptcy disietet, boa resigned hi dim en the
mead el eadiamed ill heatlL.
Tue Paints sun Prinrcuris or Wsrss. —BAND-
' narsnan,
miens Arm 7.—Tbe Prises of ales to-day is-
rosened the improvements in Wset ea the royal
west& The Primus el Wet, alantded lry the Mo.
Ilerz.plE, walked sicl deem oat 11e Primroses to
Law to meeeterei her Mew*. Tie vidt is
to Mrs** en Yesiar nest, it is believed
AM their royal Warners will make a knew May at their
Neal! brat at a War period et the enamor. It le Mated
that the Prime el Wales her semenited to epee the new
&aka atlClars Ira Ibilr evapkitiva.

.8.68.

Efts Curt.

WINDSOR CASTLR, Arm 7.
The Queen drove in the grounds yesterday after-
aeon, acoompanied by Princess Christian.
Prisms Louise, attended by Lady Churchill, went out

Her Maisety, sooompanied by Princess Louise and Prince
Leopold, drove ont this morning.
To-day L the birthday si Prime Leopold.

Prince and Princess Christian dined wit% the Queen
last evening. Their royal highnesses viaited her Majesty
this morning, and remained to luncheon.
The Right Hon. Benjamin and Mrs. Disraeli 'raved at
the Castle yesterday, and had the honour of dining with
the Queen and the Royal Family. The Hon. Mrs. A.
Gordon and Liank-Oeneral Hon. C. and Mrs. Grey had
the honour of being invited.
Lady Weterpark has succeeded Lady Churchill as Lady
in Waiting.
Viscount Hawarden and Major-General Francis SW.
mour, C. 8., have suoceeded Lord Raglan and Colonel the
Hon. A. Liddell as Lord and Groom•in-Waiting to her
Majesty.

A committee of the Lords of her Majesty's Most
Honourable Privy Council mat en Monday, in the Council-
chamber, Whitehall, on matters relating to public vacci-
nation. The lords present were—the Lord President,
Lord Robert Montagu, and the Right Hon. Stephen Cave.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial.
office from the Governors of St. Helena, Malta, and
Heligoland. Despatches were sent to the Governor of
the Mauritius.

A deputation from the guardians of the Hackney
Union, conaiMieg of Mr. T. J. Parker, Mr. P. Thompson,
the Rev. John Uodding, M.A., and others, transacted
badness at the office of the Poor-law Board, Whitehall,
yesterday.

THE ROYAL VISIT TO IRELAND.-It Waa inti-
mated by the Lord Mayor of Dublin on Monday, at the
meeting of the town council, that the committee of tho
corporation engaged in considering the preparations for
the royal visit, had agreed on recommending illumina-
tions, which will, therefore, in all probability, be general
on the night of the arrival of their royal highnesses. The
Lord-Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor stated, had left this
' matter entirely to his discretion. His lordship also
mentioned that the Lord Mayor of London and
Lady Mayoress had accepted his invitation, and would be
accompanied by several leading members of the London
corporation.

WIFATILICIt RICPORT.—(rats DAY.)

WIDNESDAT. APRIL 8, 8 AK.

129 W. Lamm
a T. W ' • 1104
it 15-7,....--..1. W. & 111
..._ ...._ _____ _ _ ..,._:_,... _ '
Nal= .B9r N. 2 , N.L ;no 0.31.. 2
tansdnia 20.8.2 r N.N.L 3 Z. 14c 0.30 5
Leith -
Ardroems_ _
°regnant's 29.79r . INA 6 • E.N.E. ;ro 10.11 -
Valenti 15..6r 47 N.N.L 6 : N.E. :ro 10.15 5
Cape a44r129.68r ,47 NM 8 N.E. 'me 0.47 4
Roches n 19.66 r N. I ; &W. .ro 0.70' 2
insgpooi 19.662144, N.N.L 4 , kW. ,or 0.02 2&
Hotrlnad 12Z.621,43' N.N.E. I ; B.W. ;cr 0.03 -
Pennon
Ma « 29.45t so., N.W. 6 B.W. ISr 0.12 8
___ .Icnin.t... 1371 ,W. 4 1 W.B.W. . 0 0.43 3
aoobsiort
;
Comma__ .03 7 &W. - I 0 —; 8
Magoon
Wermosth , 43f 1 , &W. • c 0.07 4
Portasodkile.42s 8= 4 ; &W. •ro 009 1
London --120.472 18 E.N.L 6 i &W. 'er 0.00 -
_ .Taragoatb 19.44 f 17 N.M. 6 , 8.8. L rag 0.14 2
lloarbgrogsbl2o.o2l 8 IN.& 2 • 8.8. W. or 0.07 6
ildelas 29.71r 57 LAE. 7 1 B.S. I r 0.84 6
fikudeswer 77 N. 6 N.W. c —1 2
Been 0.47 4 KN.& - —1 I
Bruseis ,.50 .81
8. 8. -1
1 -0
—1
8
Parts
Hrengeon 30.08165 8. , I 1 . 8. om —•-

Barometer corrected aid Wooed to SI deg. at sea level. TM
letters r pleing), f (falling), a (stead)), Indicate direction of
=done' the within bet 14 boon Thermometer exposed
in shade. 'drone fora, with itsthrectron daring lad $4 hours.
Z.—calm. Weather: b.—bine s 4; c.— clouds (detached): E—
ke ; h.--Ball ; m.—mist? (hazy). .Ix—overeat
(dull); e —rain ; e.--enow ; I.—thunder. lain-fall, mew or
fall melted), during lad Ed hoed. Sea detturbsnos.