The Express.
London, England, 1861-09-30 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

The committee on religious affairs of the Chamber
of Deputies of Austria resolved in its sitting of the
24th to declare the political equality of all citizens
whatever their religion, and also their right to re-
side in all parts of the empire, to acquire real pro-
perty, and to be admitted to public functions. But
the decision was only come to by six votes to five—
the numbers on the division having been equal, and
the chairman, M. &wilt*, having given his casting
vote for the proposition.
The Diet of Agram has definitively voted the
address to the King, in which it maintains its first
resolutions, hostile to the real union with Austria
and the Council of the Empire. A deputation,
composed of Baron Knstan and M. Kratjevic, will
carry it to Vienna.
The Austrian government has concluded a con-
vention with the Prussian government, which re-
ciprucAlly suppresses the riqr of the Austrian awl
Prussian legations on travellers' pn.tsports.

THZ REVENUE.
--+--

(From the Obserrer.)

The quarterly returns of the revenue will be
made up to-morrow (Monday) evening. There is will
another day's collection to be added ; but enough is known
toenable as to make an approximate mum,' of the genera
results.

These returns will show a falling off on the quarter, con.
pared with the corresponding receipts of last year, of
something like two millions. The year, as compared with
1860, will exhibit a decrease of about a million. But these
deficiencies are more apparent than real, and can be easily
accounted for. It will to remembered that Mr. Gladstone
estimated a loss of two millions and upwards from the re.
duction of a penny in the pound of the income tax and the
repeal of the paper duties. But it is not from those sources
that the present apparently large deficiency will be foetal to
arise, but from MUM entirely exceptional and temporary.
Indeed, but for these causes, the revenue would show a panr
lave increase above the estimated amount; and enough is
shown by the present returns to lead to the expectation
that at the close of the financial year, on the Ist of April
next, the annual return, will be greater than the last.
Of the sum of 2,000,0001. it is in the income tax that
the largest falling off will appear, being nearly 1,340,101.
(which is self.explanatory), and about 850,000/. under
Excise. It will be remembered that last year the income
tax was 10d. in the pound, and is now 9d. But the falling
off in the quarter is not due to this alone. Last year Mr.
1 Gladstone took five quarters instead of four at this period
su as to accelerate the payments and bring up the arrears.
This year the votes upon the income tax were taken so late
in the session as to throw back materially the collection in
this quarter, and it is to this more than the reduction of the
penny that the large falling-off is due.
The deficiency of near a million in the excise is due some
what to the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer
availed himself of the malt credit lest autumn, an opera-
tion that of course cannot be repeated in this. kit it is right
to add that the very bad harvest last year has knocked
: down the receipts in malt and hope, wherein the deficiency
is mainly to be found. The excellent quality of the barley
this year, and the improvement of the hope over the very
bad crop of last year, may be expected to bring back the
Excise returns to a more wholesome state. The other re.
deletions on the year will be found in the land and assessed
taxes, chiefly caused by the transfer of game licenses to the
Excise. In miscellaneous there will appear a reduction
of 600,0001., of which 5C0,0001. is to bo p:aced to the credit
I of the repayment from Spain last year, and the remaining
100,0001. of last year's aims arose chiefly from the sale of
old stores. - .

The total decrease u probably redeemed by an increase
in Customs of about 100,0001., io stamps 120,0001., in the
annual income-tax 810,0001., and in the Post-office of
about 100,0001. The buoyancy of the Customs, after all
the reductions, is one of the most satisfactory items in
the account. It is particularly remarkable that more
than 350,0001. hie been collected on spirits, in spite of all
the gloomy forebodiogs of these who opposed the increase
and equalisation of the spirit duties. Tea and sugar also
contribute to the continued prosperity of the Customs' re-
venue. The only remarkable drawback is in tobacco, which
shows a decrease of some 30,0001. for the first time, soil is
doubtless to be ascribed to the reduced supplies from Moe.
rioa—one of the first possible results of the Americas
struggle upon our foreign trade.
The increase upon stamps is also satisfactory, as every
year shows some progress in the dropping in of the legacy
andsucceasion duties.

The item of Crown lands remains much the same. Upon
the whole, there is every reason, from the excellent harvest
of this year, to expect a full recovery of Excise loss upon
malt and hope, and the income tax will right itself quite
time enough, in the opinion of those whose paymeuta
have been only postponed by the tardy legislation of last
session.

The following curious announcement appears iu
the advertising columns of the daily papers :—" The
Rev. C. H. Spurgeon will lecture on the gorilla and the
land he inhabits, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, on Tues•
day evening, Oct. 1, at half•past 7 o'clock. A. H. Inyard,
Esq., M.P., will preside. Lecture to be Mutinied by
splendid dissolving views painted expressly for the omission.
A specimen of the gorilla has been kindly lent by M. Du
Chaillu. A choir of 500 children will sing a selection of
sacred music."

The War authorities have taken the first step,'
towards the erection of the new cavalry barracks at Col.
cheater, for which a parliamentary grant of 60,111101. wu
made during the last session, but of which only 10,0031.
will be payable this year. Persons desirous of contracting
for the works will meet during the present week to elect a
surveyor to take out the quantities, and two weeks only
will elapse before the works are in progress.

A distressing and fatal accident occurred in the
Continental Theatre, Philadelphia, on Saturday, the 14th
ult. As some female members of the (lupe de taltd were
dressing for a ballet introduced into a representation of
the Tempest, one of them named Gale, in standing upon a
settee to reach down her dress, was accidentally set
fire by the flame of a gm-jet. One of her sisters—there
were three of them—endeavoured to extinguish the
flames, but in the effort her own clothes were
Ignited. The third sister ran to the rescue, and
she also was set on fire. In a frantic state they rushed
into en adjoining room filled with ballet girls, whose gauze
also caught fire, and in a state of extraordinary terror some
of them ran down stairs and on to the stage, while others
leaped from the windows into the adjoining street. All of
them were more or less severely—some of them frightfully
—burned, and the result was that six of them died within
a few hours of the accident having occurred, and four more
were not expected to survive.

A letter of the 26th says : —" Yesterday Hamburg,
or part of it at least, was thrown into great commotion by &
very unusual occurresee. A lion, which was being tmus•
ported in a wooden cage from a travelling menagerie to
the water side, managed to break loose and get
out of his temporary prison. Tho ferocions brute
immediately fell upon one of the three horses that
were attached to the carriage. The driver, who was upoe
one of the two others, sat still in blank amazement
at the sight, which was declared by many spec.
talon—who, by the bye, were all out of harm's
way—among the finest they had ever witness!.
In a moment the driver of • second menagerie
waggon, who happened to be just behind, came up, awl,
calling out for • rope, which was fortunately at hand, ap•
preached the lion, and with great nerve and coolness fasteta.ll
it round his throat. The infuriated Lewd, who was
already feasting upon its fallen victim, disdained to tale
any notice of the daring act. In a trice the siiog
was tightened round the neck of the destroyer, sod, with
the help of half • dozen of the bolder lookers-on, the
animal was dragged to the side of the waggon, and secured
ignominiously. The horse, in spite of its fearful wouuds.
was not quite dead when released from the grasp of
enemy which he bad probably not the slightest idea of ..."r
meeting in this laud of civilisation."

From the Florentine journals of the 24th we
learn, that two days previously, a vaned hrul been neiirl
by the coast-guard, which was found to be laden with an.'
and ammunition, supplied by the &minim' committee d
Genoa. From the papers seized, it further appeared that
landing was to have been effected on the coast of the Paisl
States, at Fossetta ; and that the scheme was in COODrIiOO
with the movements of the Mauinian party in Rome ihelf.
LIFEBOAT SERVICF24.—RYE, Sussex, SETT. 28.--
About three o'clock this morning a vessel wns reported to
be riding at anchor in the broken water off Camber Coed
Guard Station. The coxswain of the lifeboat belonging to
the National Lifeboat Institution immediately summoool
his crew, and as quickly as possible linear-3
the lifeboat. It was blowing at the time a gale from
S.S.W. with a heavy sea. The lifeboat was rowed to elect-
ward of the vessel, and her anchor having been let go,
she was dropped under the refiners stern. A
grapple was then hove ou board, and with the aid of lines
the two men on board the wreck were hauled into the
brat. The vessel proved to he the barge Peace, of London.
Ward, master, from London to Rye, with 'cargo of rement.
When the men were taken out of their vessel she
striking heavily on the sands, her rudder and boat having
been lost, and the sea breaking over her decks. Shortly
after the crow were landed at the (Amber station the bares
sank.