The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EY*I4IINO, DECEMB

j feel, they in their turn are genuine mourners with
tho widowed Qt:rt.s. But GOD alone can ease-
tually comfort the fatherless and support the
widow. And at • moment when human
help is so powerless, the aroused sympa-
thy of the nation will intercede with Heaven
in behalf of the Royal mourners for that divine
consolation which alone can be of any real avail.
But while the nation sympathises with the
Sovrerinit in this bereavement, it also shares her
loss. The PRINCE whose untimely death we
mourn, had richly earned, through • long and
patriotic career, the respect and gratitude of the
nation. Placed at • very early age in a position
of great delicacy and responsibility, he conducted
himself from the first with a prudence and dia-
-1 cretion which excited the admiration of his con-
temporaries, and will be even more fully appre-
elated
hereafter. His position virtually excluded
him from any active share in the politics or
government of the country, and he wisely ab-
stained from all attempts at interference. But
as an educated man, of large sympathies and ener-
getic mind, he soon sought and found other spheres
of congenial activity. He took a genuine interest
in art and science, and laboured with conscientious
seal to promote the advancement and popularise
the results of each. His patriotic services as
President of the Fine Arts Commission, as head of
the Great Exhibition ,Council of 1851, as pro
moter of the Manchester Fine Art Exhibition,
and aa president of various learned and scientific
associations, are still vividly remembered, and will
not be easily forgotten by the grateful people
whose interests he laboured in so disinterested a
manner to promote. But as Panics CONSORT, in
the Royal Household, and as representative of the
Court, ho has established even • stronger claim to
the gratitude of the whole nation. His con-
duct was as exemplary as that of some of
his predecessors had unhappily been the
reverse. His character and example helped
most powerfully and directly to raise the moral
standard of the Court, which in previous reigns
had fallen so low. And in this respect he is un-
doubtedly entitled to the gratitude and respect of
every Englishman. His personal influence was
exerted on behalf of noble objects, and his private
pursuits were of • dignified and elevating kind.
He had a sincere sympathy with the educational
and industrial movements of the country, and was
to the moment of his death actively engaged in
efforts to promote them. Such a man would be a
loss in any station, at any time. But • Royal
Consort of such a character, and endowed with
inch qualities, dying at the early age of forty-two,
is in every sense a deep and irreparable loss to the
nation. For the moment, however, the sense of
national loss is almost absorbed in deep and uni-
versal sympathy with the overwhelming grief of
the Royal mourners.

The immediate commercial feature just now
is the anxiety of the community to reduce
their outstanding engagements until the ques-
tion of peace or war between this country and
America shall have been decided. Now, suspense,
more than any other oondition of the public mind,
conduces to the accumulation of idle money.
Bankers, in particular, let themselves " run into
" money" at such times • that is to my, just at a
period when, owing to the diminished inducements
to enterprise, borrowers become careless of bor-
rowing, bankers may be for the moment teas eager
to lend. Thus the little enterprise that exists may
receive, perhaps, a further check, and bankers'
reserves may rise still faster. There was on.
quarter in which, latterly, an opening had lime
presented for the employment of a portion of our
surplas, and that was France, where, by a reversal
et the usual order of things, the rate of interest
was six per cent., while ours was three. But
Franco has apparently tided over the worst of the
pressure ; and though there is always a suspicion
that the rate of interest in that country is regu-
lated too much by Imperial decree, the increase of
1,600,0001. in the bullion in the Bank, as shown
in the return published on Friday, justifies the
reduction in the charge of that establishment to
Eve per cent. It is probable, therefore, that we
may soon have thrown back on our hands
even that portion of our floating capital which we
had sent over for employment on the other side
e 1 the Channel during the recent crisis. In
financial matters there is not a cloud in say
quarter. The gloom arises solely from political
complications, and will not disappear until they
are solved, no matter how long and dreary may
be the interval.

The present depressed, though expectant, atti
tilde of the mercantile world contrast' strongly
with the feeling of hopefulness with which, prior
to the occurrence of the difficulty with Americo,
the advent of the New Year bad been looked for.
Money was abundant beyond all wants ; the Em-
peror of the Faxscu had spoken with unseen*.
tomcod energy in favour of financial reform and
retrenchment ; the alarmists on the Paris Bourse
were beginning to entertain an apprehension that
there would be "no First of Jemmy" for them;
while the proposed visit of the Emperor NAPOLSOI
to our Court at the opening of the Great Exhi-
bition seemed to afford a fresh guarantee for
political tranquillity. Public securities were already
evincing a degree of elasticity unknown for a long
Cum past, and there were many indications of a
steady growth of confidence. One day's news hes
been sufficient to give it a complete check. We
can only hope that the cloud in the West which
now so gloomily darkens the horizon may be
scattered. lint the last days of the departing year
are days of mourning and calamity for England.

A meeting of the subscribers to the testimonial to
theists Mr Hy. Nareh Bart., was bell at Dublin on Friday,
to decide on the form of the testononiaL Dr. Corrigan
occupied the chair. Resilatioas were passed by which it
was determined to erect a zombie statue in the ball of the
New College of Physicians.

A banquet of a novel character has been held
in Melbourne. Some time since an andimatisation society
was set on foot by Mr. Edward Wilma', who has effected
so much in the way of introducing foreign animals, game,
singing birds, tic., iatoVictoria. This society is now en•
morons, and has several active members. They h►ve had
an experimental diorite, at which were served up many of
the native animals, birds, and fiches. The bill of faro wen.
priced kangaroo, wallaby, wombat, butdicoot, opoesum, and
porcupine among the animals ; black swan, wild turkey,
pareamrt, waterbart, and wattle birds smoug;tbe fowl, and
mod of the A& of the Australian seas and huh waters.

It is understood that the usual steps will be
taken to ruse Thursday week (the day after Christmas-
try) to be kept as a holiday to such an extant as rosy be
preetralik at the Stock Exchange sal in the city generally.
The probability is, as the produce markets will be closed,
that there will Dot be much busmen after Christmas-day
till the Monday following, but it is possible that the new
of the chore of the Washington cabinet for peace or war
try be received re the afternoon of Saturday, the 2811.
There is a report that the prospect of the war
with Astoria will deprive the Exhibition commissioners of
the able assistance and co-operation of their general
reeepr„ Colossi Birdwell. He :tea, it ia said, received en
iatiarkea to bold himself in readies.. to start at a very
short errs to Cards, The plLnt colonel served in the
respign is the Criers.

RirizoriorrAriox or &lamest:tar. —Mr. R. A.
Shuiey retiree et %beamed the preemie parliament. and Mr.
Broesey, Pia., late • eaadielate for Birkeahred, will offer
Wm/all is la rhea

I=I.I.IIIMINIIMINIIIII
THE AbiIIRICAN NIWS.

DANGER OF WAR.
(From the Daily News.)

The Message of Mr. linool n has reached Eng-
land, but does not contain the reference to the
seizure of the Treat which was expected to give it
value. The omission of that reference must have
been deliberately resolved on, and we can only
suppose the President to have passed over a sub-
ject so important from a sense of the necessity of
serving it entire, until he could learn in what
manner the seizure of the com Missioners had
affected the English Government. So far,
therefore, the Message is an indication of a pru-
dence and caution on the part of the Washington
Cabinet which is favourable to peace. On the other
hand the " Federal Congress, by which title we
assume that the Rouse of Representatives only is
designated, has approved the act of Capt. Wilkes.
The rashness of such a vote is obvious enough, but
it is a step which may be retraced if the govern-
ment is equal to its duties.

(From the Times.)

On this day of sorrow, when we are mourning for
the dead, and mourning still more for the living, we have
goarcely heed to count up probabilities and enmity
critically the news that reaches us from across the
Atlantic. Troubles are said to come in troops and in
battalions. We have so long been spared any national
calamity of teat magnitude, that it is with almost •
feeling of consternation we find ourselves called upon to
add another cause of grave disquietude to the one event
which moat weigh upon the mind of every Englishman.
The news just brought by the AO& ;. not encouraging.
The Congress of the Northeta Republic has passed • vote of
thank, to Commander Wilkes, and has thereby identified
itself with the act of aggreagico which that officer has'oran-
&Hod. Again, the Admiralty of the Northern Republic
hes approved the conduct of the'r subord'aata la this
affair, slightly censuring, at the same time, his for-
boatel*, in not capturing the Trent, and threatening
neutral vessels with capture is all similar came for the Mee%
These are important facts, and they do not promise peace.
We must remember that in the hands of Coogans lies the
question of peace and we% and that, according to the pre-
cedent of 1812, the massage of the president in that Republic
takes the place of the manifesto which is customary among
European nations, while an act of congress declaring that
the United States' government is at war doge the offload the
moolamatios or the order in council which is the formality
is this country. The vote of the Federal Congress, therefore,
je diecomeging to all who had hoped that pesos might yet be
preserved. The" Navy Department" moray a portion of
the government, which, acting la the armies of int gene-
ral duties of approving or censorial( the conduct of • steal
officer, is perhaps scarcely to be ocosidered as comprcenising
the whole government to any large political extent. The
decision of each • department may possibly admit of being
ecreeeted by the opinion of the slate kepi%
sad we may hope that when the demand of the
/MIA gavot sment aims,' before the Federal Cabinet that
demand will be submitted to their legal authorities, as the
outrage itself was submitted by us to eon. We can, how-
ever, have no equal cosildenoe that a meow body will
consent with the moot ohmage to mosses • mass it has
once enthugiastieally takes up, or to sake restitution for •
wrong to which it iv sow (agilely committed. Hops with
what earn- fitness of hope we may that war win sot be
added to the gelernities by which we are visited, we may
not shut oar eyes to the fact that this news 41 very dis-
couraging, and that danger appears imminent.
(From the Morning Post.)

Os the wee day that we record the death of the Prises
(need of linghwid, it she hawses our panful duty to
*dais the Ina tine 'itakable evidesese of lapsed-
* war. The proverb which tails us aid seinfortiose
WPM some dome in the pretest iastease boss sat
to be toe tame The messy of President Linde
to Ocograw, of whisk es sbeirect is published is meth*
patios dew' ahem% is esemiehly warlike For seise
days peel we have bees hu aped hops. ad, astwith-
•aad* the litinepseate mincer is Whig the Amami
pipers Mesta the many ea the Trod, sad the abase of
lie reverateeet, we dill evaded thee whoa Mr. Used*
woad meet Omereee be would Imam to disavow
the grow riddle of iatametiosal law committed
by the captain of the Bea Jaelsto. He barn
moles, but the disavows! hue ad been made.
nod the President simply released ideal{ es the subject of
the caber committed oe the Treat, sr Indulged only is
that empty bombast towards the Southern States to which
w here bees hitherto accustomed, we would have con-
cluded the* he was reserving the declaration of his inten-
dose respecting the an, render of the Confederate

eomaissieoen iinfll we had made oar demands, and
vs would still have hoped that ultimate de.
tsradnation would have been of rock a oaten*
as to afford an satisfaction. But when he rims the noes►
sity of raising fortifications and coast defences, and when we
couple with such advice his neglect to disavow the act el hie
sillier, and the 0011110 taken by Omigrass in expressing
their approval of a deed which, if not atoned for, most had
to hostilitioi, we cannot but conclude that the manage
means war. If such should unhappily prove to be the eaas,
the blame must lie at the doors of those alone who provoke
a 000dict by an act 000densned sot only by the people ag•
plowed, but by every other civilised Dation.

. ;..

THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE CONSORT.
LATEST PARTICULARS.

To-day there has been o universal manifestation
coadolence for the above isteisocholy event. Tradesmen and
others have partially closed their shops. The royal
standards at the churches of St. liartin's.in.the.Pields,
St. Margaret, Westailester, and St. Mazy Abbott,
Kensington, which ere coiled royal parishes, from the
fact of the palaces of the royal family being situated In
them, were displayed half.resst high. The colours of the
Foot and Life Guards abo had a piece of craps suspended
from the pike-head, and the oommiuioued Akers wore
crape each on his arm. All along the river below
London-bridge there was s similar manifestation of nicest
and sympathy, the ships of all nations having all their
national flags exhibited half-mast high, as was also the
case at the Tower of London. At the University College,
Goweretreet, where the rises woo by the oaken sad
privates of the Westminster Rifles were to be distributed
this 'veiling, on which masks there was to be a 'oink, a
notice was issued that, in consequence of the death of the
Prince Consort, the wit* sad distribution would not take
pleas, and that for this daythe college would be closed.

We read in the Timor;-l' We believe that the Prim
Mara& had far some days a Neelancholy conviction that his
end was at hand. The ricer death of his relative the Kiag
of Priori from a similar disorder is understood to have
bed an iinfcctunate inflame upon him, and possibly as-
sisted the program of the malady. It is rid that
r early as Wedarday morning the Pr:nos =premed his
belief that he should not recover. Wham the improve- 1
meat took pleas on ilatorday it was agreed by the
medical men that if the patient could be carried over one
more night his life would in all probability be ma.
But the sodden failure of vital power which occurred
In the afternoon intrsted these hors. Osagettien di
Jhelum, the result of complete exhaustion, eat is, the
Prim s breathing berms continually shorter and 41st,
and he expired without pain at a few minutes before
'levee o'clock. He was inneiblit, and knew the Queen
to the last. The Duke of Oralridge and the following
gentlemen connected with the Clourt were preeent—Geseral

brace, Sir Charism Phipps, Oettorul Gni, Decent Be..
time, Lord Alfred Paged. Ms* Du MA, Genera Sey-
mour, Colossi Elpidaotom mud the Dour of NV-Indoor.

It mast have cheered the last momenta of the Marione
paean to see his wife ad early all his children round his
bed. The Priam Royal, who is at Berlin, was prevented by
rasa severe indispositioa from travelling, sad, indeed, the
death of the Prince followed too moos on the discovery of hi,
danger for such a journey to have availed her. Prime
Alfred is serving on board his ship on the rater
Bids et the Atlantic ; but the Priam of Wales mad
the Priam Alice were by his aid*, together with
several of the younger members of the family.
Of the devotion ad strength of mind shown by the
Prisms Alice all through these trying scenes it is
Inspostible to speak too highly. Her Royal Highness
has, indeed, felt that it was her photo to be a com•
fort and support to her mother in this aMictioa
sad to her dutiful are we may perhaps owe it that the
Queen bas borne her loss with exemplary resignation, ad •
composure which under so sodden and so ten ible • be.
rsaventeet Gould not have bee& anticiatiA
This bet will, wears sum, give the greatest saidestioa
to the country, and we may eddthat, after the death of the
Prima, the Queen, when tke fiat pamismeto beret of grief
was over, caked her children argued her ad with a seheasse
whisk gives proof of peat maul emegy, addressed that
ia solemn and affenicents terms, whisk may be east-
dared as indicating the intsekeno al • Sovereign who
feels that the interest* of a peat nation depend oe her
firmness. Her Majesty declared to her family that, though
she felt crushed by the lass of one who had been bar
companion through life, she knew how much wee expected
of her, and she accordingly called on her children to give
her their amiamos, In. cedar that she might de
bee duty to these and the country. That her
Majesty may have health aad strength to fulfil these noble
intentions, and that she may live many years in placid
charfulases and peace of mid, alleviating the recollection
of her keg by sharing the happieess of her &Urea will be the
earn* prayer el all her subjoin. Her Majesty and the
Piastres will leave for Osborne to-morrow morning, and
remain there until after the funeral, wheat will take place
this day week."

A letter from Windsor, dated last night, appearing in the
Manchester Guardian of today, differs is several genially,
from the above account. The writer says :—" Her Naivety
bears up with considerable fortitude. To one who spoke
to her of ruination this morning, her Majesty replied,
through her tears, ' I suppose I must not fret too much,
for many poor women have to go through the same
trials.' last night, about half-past eight o'clock,
when no hope remained, her Majesty and her
children were admitted into the chamber of
death to take a last earthly farewell of the Prince,
All were present save the Crown Princess of Prussia,
Priam Alfred, and Prince Leopold. The mono was
istsoady painful and affecting. The Princess Alice was
carried from the chamber in a state of hysterical agita-
tion, and when the fatal news was communicated to her
else was seized with a rigidity of the nerves and tempo-
rary insensibility which alarmed the ateenclantr. The grist
of her Majesty and the royal children was seereely less in-
tense. At ten o'clock, General Biddulph, muter of the
household, entered the Prince's chamber. The Prince did not
know him. A state of coma had supervened, which con-
tinued until death ; and in about aa hoar the sufferer ceased
to breaths.

"The Prince's mifferinp daring the last day or two of
his We are said to have bees agonising. When an attempt
me made to lift him, or move his position, his pouts were
distressing to hear. During the latter part of yesterday
his weakness was so peat that he could not raise his head
from his pillow.

"The Queen's attention to her Royal consort has bees
mast exemplary and unceasing. As his disorder ap-
proached its crisis, the Priem could not bear her to Isms
the room, and was impatient for her return. The Queen
and the Princess Alice sat up with him the whole of Fri-
day eight. About three o'clock they were joined by the
Prince of Wales, who remained with them during the reel
of their mournful vigil. A gestleman who has seen the
corpse informs me that the features have more than the
usual pallor of death. The face, always composed and
statuesque in expression, is wonderfully calm, placid. and
peaceful in death. It is as if the figure had been suddenly
transmuted into the whitest alabaster.

"Th. Princess Royal wan it is said, prevented from obey.
tog her desire toreeeive a parent's dying breath by her ap•
preaching accoashentent. The King of the Belgians hail
been urged to visit the royal mourners, and is expected in
the course of a day or two. Prince Albert's brother, the
reiguing Duke of Saxe Oobarg, and his sister have also been
invited to the house of mourning.

" The Lord Chamberlain arrived at Windsor to-day, end
immediately proceeded to make the arrangements neemeary
for the funeral. The restoration of the Waterloo Gallery
wee actively proceeding under the direction of the Prince
Consort. Orders have of course been given to countermand
these and other works.

"It appears that Prince Albert has not been in a good
state of health since Lis return from Scotland. His illness
dates, however, from Ilia visit to the Prince of Wales at
Cambridge, about a month ago, when he went out @boot-
leg, got wet through, and, it is said, was imprudent enough
to sit in his wet clothes. The private apartments
end corridors at Windsor Castle are, I hear, kept
at • temperature of about 60, and hence the Prince
took with him to Cambridge a susceptibility to cold which
rendered any long exposure imprudent, if not dangerous.
About a fortnight since the Queen and Prince Consort
reviewed the Eton School Volunteer Rifle Corps. The
rain fell feat during the ceremony, and the Prince was
seised on the ground with pints in the back, resembling
an attack of lumbago. He became feverish and com-
plained of pains in bin limbs. Confinement to his mom
was ordered. Gastric fever supervened, and wasted his
strength. Typhoid fever followed, and his five physicians
were unable to make heed ag►inst this combination of mala-
dies. I bear that Sir James Clark, a week ago, prophesied
that lad night would be the crisis of the patient's disorder.
Sir James and Dr. Jenner remain at the Castle, as a matter
of caution. Dr. Jenner ia an eminent authority in came of
fever, bet it I. consolatory to know that there is nothing
infectious in the disease which cerriedoff the Prince.

"The marriage of the Prisms Alice will be, it is be-
lieved, postponed for another year.

"The obsequies of the Prince Consort will not be per-
formed for about three weeks. It is currently believed
that his remains, although be was not of the blood royal,
will be interred in the royal vaults under St. George's
ChapeL"