The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-01 00:00:00

SPA IN

MADRID, APRIL 30.
In to-day's sitting of the Congress, Senor
Gonzales Bravo announced the betrothal of the
Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of the Queen,
with the Count Girgenti, the brother of the ez-
King of Naples.

PORTUGAL.
LISEON, Aran. 29, Evarmw.
The United States war ships Franklin, Swatara,
and Frolic have arrived here with Admiral
Farragut.

MALTA.
VALETTA, Aran 30.
Telegraphic communication by the cable from
Malta to Modica is interrupted. The Psyche
which is here en route to the Piraeus, will convey
the superintending engineer to Syracuse, to exa-
mine the defect.

THE BANK OF FRANCE.
PARIS, Aram 30.
The return of the Bank of France issued to-day
shows the following changes as compared with
that of last week :—lncrease : Notes issued,
51,500,000 f. ; Bills, 45,009,080 f. ; Cash, 3,400,000 f.
Decrease : Private accounts, 3,000,000 f. ; Treasury,
1,800,000 f. ; Advances, 125,000 f.

THE PARIS BOURSE.
PARIS, Aran 30, 3.30 P.M.
The Bourse closed fiat. Renter closed at
09.27, or 13c. lower than yesterday.

AMERICA.

(DT ATLANTIC TZLZGRAPE, THROUGH MR. IROTICR'I3 ACSNCY.)
NEW YORK. APRIL 30.
The Cunard royal mail eteamehip Java arrived
out at 10 a.m. to-day.

Closing Prices 139*. Sterling exchange
on London, 110. 5-20 United States Bonds,
1882, 112} ; ditto, 1885, 111 ; 10-40 Bonds, 1033.
Illinois 1471 ; Erie, 713. Cotton : Middling
Upland, 32i. Petroleum, standard wliite, 28.
Flour, extra State, 10 dole. 40e. ; corn, old mixed,
1 dol. 13e.

RAILWAY AND OTHER BILLS BEFORE PAntiA-1
nru.—Yesterday, in the House of Lords' committees, in
Lord Redeadale's committee the Devon Valley Railway,
the Loughborough Gas, and the North London Railway
were passed through. In the Painted Chamber, the lale
of Wight and Cowes and Newport Junction Railway; the
Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway ; Isle of,Wight
Central Railway ; and the Ardmore Harbour Bills, were
proceeded with and adjourned. In the House of Com-
mons, in group K the County Down and Belfast Borough
Bill was proceeded with and adjourned ; the Sligo
Borough Improvement Bill was again postponed ; the
group of Metropolitan Gas Bills proceeded with their in.
quiry and adjourned. In group 2, no decision was an-
nounced ii
ton i,intheeASoutdhonmEasentnig.nihnton,zl
theth eGne new
Western Railway Bill was proceeded with and adjourned
until the 15th inst. In group 5, the committee declared
the preamble proved of the Lancashire Union Railways
and London and North Western Railway Companies. The
London and North Western Railway and the Wolverhamp-
ton andWalsall Raffwayßills were adjourned until Tuesday,
and the Liverpool Tramways was fixed for hearing on
Wednieday • next In esee, i , tba. North British
Railway (Forth River Railway). Bill was ;roseeded
with, and again adjourned untilthis day. The consi-
deration of the North British Railway (General Powers)
Bill was adjourned until Monday. The Caledonian
Railway and the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway
Bills were postponed. Mr. Palgrave, one of the exa-
miners, held • court, and dealt with the following Lords'
bills. The standing orders were declared to have been
complied with in the eases of the Aberdeen Guildry and
Town Council Bill, and the New Quay and Cornwall Junc-
tion Railway Bill. In the cases of the Metropolis Sub-
ways Bill, the Grand Junction Water Bill, and the St.
Luke's (King's Cross) District Bill it was decided that no
further standing orders were applicable.
EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION.—Last night the
general annual meeting of this society was held at Radley's
Hotel, New Bridge-street, Machinery. Mr. James Spicer,
of the firm of Spicer and Sons, occupied the chair, and the
attendance was only small. From the financial statement
it appeared that the total receipts for the past year had
been 1,162/.95. 9d., while the expenditure had been 1,1271.
21. 2d., showing a balance at the hankers of :'..1/. 7s. 71.
The Saturday half-holiday balance-sheet showed subscrip-
tions and donations to the amount of 3641. 10s., which,
with the balance of 19.1/. Lest. sd. in the bankers' hands on
the 1M of April, 1867, made a total of 569/. ss. bd.
Deducting• the expenses under this head there appeared
this year • balance in the bankers' hands of 92/.
Ga. 4d. The general report gave an account of the pro-
gress of the Saturday half-holiday movement, and stated
that • considerable addition had been made to the num-
ber of wholesale and retail shopkeepers who had joined this
movement. The chairman gave his hearty adhesion to
the objects which this society had in view, and said that
since the half-holiday movement had been adopted to any
considerable extent the mortality returns stowed that
there had been • very perceptible improvement in the
length of life enjoyed by the particulu class of persona
affected. He expressed a hope that all trades might be
ultimately induced to join this praiseworthy organisation.
The financial statements and thegeneral report having been
adopted, the six retiring members of the board of manage-
ment were re-elected. The other routine business of the
association having been gone through, the proceedings
terminated with a vote of thank. to the chairman.

THE EXPENSES OF SPECIAL CONSTABLES. —A
special meeting of magistrates of the county of Middlesex
was held yesterday at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell-
green, for the purpose of ordering such reasonable allow-
ances to be paid to the special constables, duly appointed
and called out to serve, and who have so served, for their
trouble, loss of time, and expenses, as to the justices then
and there assembled, or the major part of them, shall
seem proper, and for the payment of such expenses as
may have been incurred in providing staves and other ne-
cessary articles for special constables. Mr. Henry Pownall,
in the chair, and a large body of magistrates were present.
Mr. Northall Laurie said be had doubts whether the court
had the power to deal with the question upon which they
hod been called together, and suggested that they should
take the opinion of the law officers of the crown. The
question led to some legal objections as to how far the
county treasurer was bound to pay the amounts sent in
from the petty sessional divisions, inasmuch as Mr. Justice
Mennen and Mr. Mellish had given conflicting opinions
upon the question. After • discussion it was agreed that
the subject should be postponed, end in the meantime the
question of the legality of the charge should be raised by
the parish of Paddington applying for payment. On a
refusal, a mandamus would be applied for in a court of
law, and moth* whole question might be settled by the
highest authority.
THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE TROUPE. Several
curious and interesting objects recently bronghtfronrJapen
by Captain Applin, secretary to Sir Harry Smith Parkes,
K.C.8., envoy extraordinary at Yeddo, have been sent to
Mr. Risley, with a request that they may be presented to
the members of the troupe whose astonishing performances
are now drawing crowds at the Lyceum Theatre. Captain
Applin, in his letter to Mr. Risley accompanying the gifts,
speaks with pleasant recollection of his having often wit-
nessed those same performances at the British Lqgation in
Japan. He says :—" lam glad to see you have brought
the old man, Zussidangawa Namiungoro, who used to per-
form the butterfly trick before Sir Rutherford Alcock. I
very much doubt if any other than a Japanese could be
found endowed with the delicacy of touch necessary for
the performance of such a clever and pretty trick." The
presents comprise • gigantic umbrella of strange shape
and design, and a large fish, both made of Japanese
per, prepared in some way which renders it durable.
the fish Captain Applin says :—" It is hoisted on
l'irnig;as in front of every house in Japan, on a certain
feast slay, when a son has been born within the year. It
is supposed to bring good lurk, and I hope it may bring
you all the success yen deserve."
Finn me BERMONDBET,—Last night, about nine
o'clock, a fire broke out en the premises of Mean. Bar.
clay and Co., carriers and leather drums, in Long-law,
Bermondsey. It was net extinguished until nearly mid-
night, and until the building in whisk it orighisied, 180
feet long and 80 wide, a range of stabling, sad several
other buildings wise destroyed, and a nimble of small
home la the adjoins( Amen were sericsialy damaged.

[ONE PENNY

OUR CONTEMPORARUS.
(rlllB DAY.)

THE MINISTERIAL DITYLST.

After a luding to4le—art which it was
sought to mislead the House of Commons and the country
on the subject of the Irish church, the Times proceeds to
point out the immense significance of the last division.
The ministry now have to consider whether they will at
once resign, or persevere in holding office till they can
appeal to the reformed constituencies. An immediate
dissolution would simply issue in the return of a liberal
majority, and the admission of a liberal government tooffloe,
and then another dissolution would'ensue after an autumnal
or early spring session. What excuse could be offered for
this absurd and vexatious course ? Mr. Disraeli must
see that he must either resign at once or hasten his appeal
to the reformed rudiment. There is no third course
open to him. The fate of the Irish Establishment is
imminent. The House of Commons has again, and with
fuller voice, pronounced its doom, and the hour is at hand
when it must be fulfilled.

The Daily .Noss r.gar.!s it as constitutionally im-
possible that Mr. Disraeli should dissolve, and thinks It
not necessary that he should resign. His position in rek-
tion to the present House of Commons is not, u he pre •
tended, altered. It would have been altered if he bad
been victorious. It is to-slur what it woo belesalhe &Misr
vacation. His duty is to accept the decision of the majo-
rity, to facilitate the progress of Mr. Gladstone's second and
third resolutions and of the bill based on them, and to
reserve his appeal to the constituencies until IMO.

The Post contends that the ministry cannot regard last
night's vote with the same indifference as that by which
the House of Commons decided on considering the resolu-
tions in committee, and says nothing is left for them but
to resign. The house has for the second time pronounced
the doom of the Irish church ; its disestablishment is affirmed
to be not only expedient but practicable. The second and
third resolutions are but corollaries of the first, audit may
therefore, be said that the most important party contest
of recent times has been lost and won,
The Star says that at last the government has been
roused to a tine sense of the sitm.tion, and the result will
now be speedily an ired at.
In the opinion of the IProl,l, the result of the division
will surprise nobody. Mr. Gladstone was secure of
success. The House of Commons has affirmed
by an important majori'y the desirability of
disestablishing and disendowing the Irish church.
But, then, the Herald denies that the house represents the
feeling of the country, and sees in recent elections an en-
dorsement of its denial. What course the government
will take the recent manifestations of public opinion
seem to show clearly enough. Assuming, however, the
possibility of the adoption of another course, the Herald
does not hesitate to say that the Irish branch of the esta-
blished church is not shaken at all by the declaration that
it ought not to exist any longer.
The objections to a dissolution are, says the Telegraph,
not of a party character, hut national and overwhelming.
Such a course would not expedite the settlement of any
political question, and no national benefit could be got
from it. The whole country would indignantly condemn
those who could, at a time like the present, promote the
desperate recourse to a general election.