The Express.
London, England, 1868-06-25 00:00:00

THE SEW FOREIGY OFFICE.

Lewd Stanley, the Voreign Secretary, reeeived
:dud entertained a distinguished company la'.t evening, fur
Ili• first time, at the new Foreign Offices, in Downing-
•. et. The opening of this building to the public marks
: went if interest, a. the secrind step towards uniting
• ur of the great .t ate department.. When the building
•w in process of erection is complete, the India, Foreign,
and Homu departments of government will be
housed under one roof. The chief secretaries and their
pennanent subordinates will be enabled, if they so please,
tu communicate with each other through the medium of a
:peaking tube, and thus possibly may be saved the ueces-
! ay of a portion of that interminable despatch-writing
;Lit continually goes on between one department and the
ttlav departments, which has so greatly tended to fix
i..n all the epithet of the circumlocution office.
List year, on the occasion of the visit of the Sultan of
iirkey to thin country, the new India Office was by en
u.,rt nuule tolerably complete, and last evening, as we
E.:Tr indicated. the second portion of the building, which
dedicated to the Foreign Department, was thrown open.

A very large assembly was present last evening in re-
:louse to Lord Stanley's invitations, and the praise of the
oilding was almost universal. The company were set
cown at the entrance under the Downing-street gateway,
Lid also at the entrance from the park. These entrances
Ir.th lead into the lower corridor which conducts to the
11 and staircase already noticed, and thence to the right
: id left to thereceptionroomsdescribed. Thereception was
...called by a dinner party. The banquet was served in the
Ainet-roorn; covers were IMlfor twenty-eight. His lord-
: Dili s guests comprised his Excellency the Russian Ambassa-
oor and Baroness lirunnow, his Excellency the Spanish Mi-
l: oter and Countess de Vistahermma and MadUe. Owens,
the Count's.' Lavrailio, Count Maffei (the Italian Chargé
d'Affaires). Mr. Moran (the United States Chargf
d'Affaires). the Earl and Countess of Tankerville, the
Earl and Countess of Bradford. the Earl and Countess of
Dartrey, Lord and Lady John Manners, Lord IL Lennox,
Lord Lytton, lion. Frederick and Lady Constance Sim-
i, y, the night lion. Sir Stafford and Lady Northcote, Sir
John Kerslake, Mr. Wintle.aye, and Mr. Sanderson.
His Excellency Count Lavradio was prevented joining
the circle from slight indisposition. The visitors invited
his lordship to the recept began to assemble at ten
•,10, k. The different rooms thrown open, the grand
&c., were decorated with a variety of choice
lloPlcal plants and flowers. Three apartments opening
wile, occupying a portion of the west front, were de-
idea for Ho- supply of every description of refreshment.
Oto met of the grand staircase, which was carpeted
%Ili cloth, was stationed the full band of the
Cr"4lol6uards, conducted by Mr. Dan Godfrey.

!: SUNDAY RAILWAY EXCURBIO6I.—Last summer
dinvtore of the South Eastern, London and Brighten,
: :si Laulou, Chatham, and Dover Railways discontinued
Sunday excursions to Margate, Ramsgato, Dover,
Anterbury, 'Hastings, ittc., against the wishes of a large
I,lJority of the inhabitants of thoee places. This season
movement has been set on foot to get these excursions
n,lirned. A memorial from Hastings, signed by the
mayor, several of the aldermen and town-councillors, and
'l,werd.s of 1,000 of the tradesmen of the town, has this
been presented to the directors of the South Eastern
:.1.:1 London and Brighton lines, soliciting them at once to
"line the running of Sunday excursion trains to that
wn. Memorials with a similar request are about being
I ,mtisl from the towns of Margate, Ransigate, &c.
T ,ilk CASE OF Mx. SIDNEY, Q.C.—The second
of " Harris e. Begot," relating to the bill transac-
-I,4si of Mr. Sidney, Q.C., is now in progress at Dublin.
Ls action was brought to recover the sum of 5001., being
no' amount of two bills of exchange, one for 300/., on
z.,,.ouut of Mr. W. J. Sidney, QC., on and accepted by
tl defendant, endorsed to the plaintiff, dated 15th May,
°lts at three months; and the second for 2001., amount
W the defendant's acceptance of the draft of Mr. Sidney,
ILlidGracil to the plaintiff, and dated the 6th of August,
P 66. The defendant, Mr. J. L. Begot, pleaded that he
.id not aerapt the bills of exchange mentioned in the ma-
ma% and *int.