The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-26 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ova owl'

PARIS, THIJWIDAT Disarm.

As usual, whenever a movement of the Emperor
is at band, there are oonflicting rumours about it
in quarters esteemed semi-official. The latest news
last night was that his Majesty might be expected
at Fontainebleau from Vichy this day. Now I hear
that he will not leave Vichy till the 29th, and
almost all the journals say that, instead of coming
to Fontainebleau, he will go direct to the Chalons
camp. The Marquis de Lavalette, who was to
have gone to Vichy immediately on his arrival from
Constantinople, found Madame de Lavalette (who
had come from Vichy) waiting for him in Paris,
and has in consequence postponed his visit to the
Emperor.

It is remarked that the Muni/cur to-day pub-
lishes a correspondence from Munich, in which the
claims of the Hungarians are roundly censured.
They are accused of having "alienated the sympa-
thy of very many people by the violence of their
language, and their exorbitant pretensions," and
are told that they must "make their election be-
tween a weak and crippled monarchy without auy
independent existence, and a vigorous empire whose
unity and strength would be concentrated in the
hands of a sovereign relying upon deliberative
bodies as his natural support." Curiously enough,
the Patrie only last evening had an article highly
complimentary to the Hungarians.
The Bourse continues firm, although there is
still very little business doing. Rente rose sc.
both for cash and account, closing at Mfr. 80c. and
137 fr. 85c. Mobilier rose 2fr. 50c. The Orleans
and Lyons railways rose Mr. 25c. each, Southern
sfr., and the other lines from lfr. 25fr. to 2fr. 50c.

It is stated that M. Calley St. Paul has brought
an action against the Observateur Beige, claiming
100,000 fr. damages for calumnious reports against
him. I don't know precisely what the reports in
question may be ; but I know that this morning he
appeared at the bar of the Correctional Police to
answer a charge preferred against him at the
instance of a M. Grimaldi, and that the case stands
over for judgment to this day week.
The Minister of the Interior has employed a gen-
tleman named Meyer to examine Miria' books and
papers, and to draw up a report touching the
persons supposed to be compromised by them.
The affair of the Duke de Broglie with the Prefect '
of Police was brought to an end yesterday. The
prefect's counsel objected that the notice of with-
drawing the action was defective, because it was
not signed by the duke, and contained no offer to
pay costs, but the court held that it was sufficient,
and ordered proceedings to be stayed on the terms
of the plaintiff paying costa, and without prejudice
to the reserves of the prefect as to the truth of the
allegations contained in the notice.
A letter from Rome, of July 20, contains •
curious supplement to the telegram stating that
the Pope had "recommended great consideration
for France." It appears that at an interview with
Mgr. de M6rode, the Pope said " that great care
should be taken not to offend the Emperor's
government," whereupon De Mdrode replied that
he was ready to resign. The resignation was not
accepted, but it is quite certain that General de
Goyoa has refused to hold any communication with
De Mdrode, and the French general now transacts
all necessary business with the pontifical war-
office through Cardinal Antouelli. In spite of all
De Mirode's storming, General de Goyon has not
given up, and will not give up, the Roman
gendarme who killed a French soldier. So much
for the accuracy of reoent " latest news " in the
French press, which affirmed that there had been
no differences of any consequence at Rome, and
that at all events the matters in question had been
amicably arranged. There is much talk in Rome
of a revival of Count Cavour's scheme for a mixed
French and Piedmontese occupation.
Two prelates of the Pope's household, Mgr. La-
poetolesi, a Frenchman, and Mgr. Paltrinieri, a
Modenese, have been dismissed and unfrocked, for
having written letters suggesting reforms in the
government of the church. The Vatican is very
uueasy at the number of priests infected, as the
phrase is, with the virus of new ideas.
Father Ventura is dangerously ill at Versailles.
lie received extreme unction last week from the
bishop, who at his request telegraphed to Rome
for the Pope's blessing, which Cardinal Antonelli
sent by telegraph two days after it had been asked
for.

The Journal de la name publishes the following
carious letter from the colonel of the 6th Chaseeure,
who appears to Lave been iu a painful dilemma
between his allegiance to the Emperor and the
Pope : - .

Poitiers, July 23.

The Journal de in Vienne quotes an article from the
Journal de Bratzelks in which mention is made of the rani-
anent which I have the honour to command, and I red
the following passage :

- . -
"You sit aware that the functionaries have received
orders not to visit the bishop. The colonel commanding the
regimeat in the Poitiers ganison, who is a religious man,
read to his officers the dispatch from the Minister at War
conveying this prohibition, and added-"Ma foi, gentle-
men l -you will do as you plane ; but it is certainly not I
that will denounce you if you go to monseigoeuis."
So many words, so maey errors. I should have failed in
my most serious duties as commander of a corps, if I bad
allowed myself to make such a comment upon a communi-
cation from authority. Far from that I felt it necesury to
advise my subordinates not to swerve on this occasion from
that obedience and reserve which ate habitual to them. 1
gave this advice, and it was quite understood ; this is the
whole truth.

The Colonel of the Gth Chaaenrs,
A. DE GONDRECOURT.

Apropos of the Bishop of Poitiers, we have no
news from Rome as to the result of the direct appli-
cation made to the Pope diplomatically by the
Marquis de Cadore to put au extinguisher on his
unruly tongue.
The Minister at War ban just published the pro-
gramme of the national shooting match at Vin-
cennes. It is to begin ou August 4 and finish on
August 18. The principal rifle prizes are 14,000 fr.,
10,800 fr., and 8,600 fr.
It is announced that on and after Oct. 1 the
Nerd of Brussels will be printed and published iu
Paris, as an organ of the Franco-Russian alliance.
The Fulton, which left Havre for New York the
day before yesterday, had among its passengers
Mine. Patterson, who had anived at Havre on the
previous evening. Mme. Patterson was accom-
panied as far as Havre by her grandson, M. Napo-
Won Bonaparte Patterson.

The King of Prussia's physician, Dr. Lauer,
states that his Majesty is sufficiently recovered to render
say further issue of bulletins unnecessary.
Baron de Kieseleff, the Russian ambassador at
the court of Rome, has just passed through Paris on his way
to Baden, to see his brother the count, who has gone there
to pay his respect, to the Grand Duchess Helen.

Mme. Latache de Fay has, by her will, be-
queathed her hunting establishment at Chantilly, incloding
all the thoroughbred horses, brood mares, colts, and horses
in course of training, to M. Jules Teisseire, who, to the
great s►tisfuctiou of all patrons of the turf, has expressed
his intention of keeping on the stables aa they sow an.

NSW TAMP OP RATES POE FIRE INSURANCE.

Yesterday a highly important meeting of the
merchants of the City of London was held in the Egyptian
' Hall, Mansion-house, to take into consideration the new
' tariff of rates for fire insurance agreed upon by the principal
fire offloes. In the absence of the Lord Mayor, occasioned
by official duties, Mr. R. W. CRAWFORD, M.P. took the
chair_ . There were also present Mr. Moffatt, M.P., Mr.
Hubbard, M.P., Mr. Love, Mr. John Hompliery, Mr.
Troves'., Mr. Peek, Mr. Curling, Mr. &oven, Mr. Belay, &c.
The Catamaran, in opening the proceedings of the meet-
ing, explained how it was be bad been called upon to pre-
side at the meeting, and stated that in consequence of the
late calamitous fire in Southwark the insurance offices had
' considerably raised the rate of their premiums upon fire
Asks, on the allegation that it was their wish to secure •
better management of the risks and an improvement in the
building of warehouses. The public, upon the receipt
of that intelligence, had taken alarm, and con-
sidered the new rates pester than the cha-
racter of the risks warranted, and that the offices were
acting under a feeling of panic. (Hear, hear) If the offices
were able to accommodate matters to their way of thinking,
it was but right and proper that the public should have an
opportunity of stating how far they concurred in it. It
would, therefore, be well if the meeting appointed •
committee to communicate with the insurance com-
panies. The present meeting was nut originated
ID any feeling of hostility to them ; on the con-
trary, the promoters of it wished that the business
might be so conducted as to lead to a continuance of
harmony and good feeling tetween the offices and the mei,
coati's public.
Mr. Morrarr, M.P., proposal the first resolution, to the
effect that in the opinion of this meeting the proposed
rates on merchandise and the depots thereof as issued by
the combined fire offices who virtually form a monopoly are
manifestly unjust and excessive, and would, if submitted to,
be the means of converting an unparalleled calamity into
the basis of a permanent source of exorbitant profit.
He said the presence of so numerous and influential •
meeting justified the requisitionists in the course which
they had adopted. They felt that unless the proposed
rates of insurance were not altered the new tariff would
press considerably on the commerce of the port of London.
While they were willing to acknowledge that the in-
surance offices had hitherto done their business
well, and had never captiously cavilled at the
claims sent in to them, still they could not
but regard the rates now proposed as impracticable and un-
suited to the existing state of affairs. They all sympathised
with the offices upon the losses which they had sustained
by reason of the late calamitous fire, by which they them-
selves had more or lees suffered ;yet they felt that it would
be eminently unjust that the offices should out of that make
a large future gain. At present the amount of
duty paid by the fire insurance companies was 900,0001.
epos 600 millions worth of property. Takiug the
estimated rate of loss at 3s. per cent., they paid in
claims 900,000 i. more, and taking the rates of profit on the
cams scale, their annual net revenue was about 900,000 L
more. From this calculation it would appear that they lost
in the fire • little mere than one year's income. That he
was told was a low estimate of their income, but at all events
' every additional lc added to the present rates was equivalent
to a tax of 300,006/. upon thecommerce of the country. Year
after year they were knocking at the House of Common
asking to have the 3s. duty taken off, as it checked habits
of prudence among the people, but here they were them-
selves proposing to make a far treater increase to the cost of
insurance, and from what he had heard, there were many
merchants of the City who have now come to the resolution
for the future not to insure their property.
Mr. ANDERSON, in seconding the motion, stated that the
new rates amounted to from 15 to 20 per cent in advance
of those which bad hitherto been paid.
After a few words from Mr. Baniera,
Mr. NEWNARCII addressed the meeting. He stated he
had been delegated by the Globe Office to attend and put
the meeting in possession of the real facts of the case. la-
surance companies, like all similar associations, went into
business for the sake of making profits. They wished to be
able to make as large dividends as they contd. (Ironi-
cal cheers.) He understood the meaning of that cheer,
but they had Sot allowed him to complete the sentence.
They desired to make as large dividends as they could, with
every reasonable allowance for the convenience and welfare
of their customers. The business of tire insurance was thus
conducted : the millions of risks were put into several large
groups, and the rates upon each of these groups were corre-
spondent with the average risks. Thus they had mercantile '
risks, manufacturing risks, and several other groups of risks.
After deducting from the gross amount of premiums upon
each group of risks the amount paid in claims and expenses,
they obtained the net profit upon that particular group,
but it could be shown that for the last ten years they had
loot by mercantile insurance. With respect to the rates,
the rate of premium for goods in the docks had hithertis
been 3a. 6d. per cent., but the offices, looking at the in-
discriminate storage of dangerous goods and the
imperfect character of the warehouses, had come
to the resolution to raise their rates, as 18 years ago
they did is Liverpool with the most beneficial results.
The rates now proposed, however, would he only tem-
porary, and a remission to the a:tout of la, the addition,
would take place the moment the two conditions be bad
mentioned were complied with. In that case the per-
manent rise upon gouda in dock would be from 3s. 6d. to Is.
i(l: No, no, it would be 9s.")—and where the area of the
y was extended they would charge la. per mot. more.
he rate at the first-class wharfs was at present es. &1.,
and would after the remission stead at 7i. He was glad,
however, to hear that it was the intention of the meeting
to appoint • committee to confer with the offices, fur be
was sure they would receive them in an amicable spirit,
and make whatever concsisaima they could safely make
without sacrificing the interests of their shareholders.
Mr. Coeitsuas said the rates now proposed were &Ro-
-1 &other exorbitant. They could not insure unless upon Mad-
' in!, risks, and it was impossible they could have any control
over the storage of their goods.
Mr. FORE supported the resolution, and considered the
time was come when they ought to start a new office fur
their own protection.
The motion was then agreed to.
Mr. LEIGHTuN proposed the next resolution, to the effect
—" That this meeting is also of opinion that if the
rates of insurance be established, an inducement wpoirillatde
offered to incur the hazard of non insurance rather than
submit to an exorbitant impost, and that such • temptation
to imprudence would diminish the protection which the
caution of the mercantile community has hitherto enabled
them to secure for their property."
Mr. JOHN HUNPHERr se:ended the motion, rind de-
clared it had been altogether the fault of the insurance
companies that there had nut been long ago introduced a
better classification of stores and an improved class ut ware-
houses. . _ . _

The resolution was then adopted.
Mr. Rusuron then proposed "That the market value of
the Ames of the leading tire•offices, which has suffered no
material depreciation since the fire in Southwark, proves
that, on the average, the previous rates were amply suffi.
li Meet ; and therefore this meeting pledges itself to use all
lawful means, by the formation of a new company or other-
wise, to oppose the establishment of the proposed new
rates of insurances ; awl that a committee be appointed to
consider the best course to be pursued towards that end."
He said the question was of iistiooal importance. The
excuse of the offices was that they had lost upon one par-
ticular group of lista, and therefore they were justified in
raising the rates in reference to it. As well might a mer-
chant, who lost by speculation in one class of goods but
benefited by the others, endeavour to put a price upon
them beyond that which they carried in the market.
Mr. TRowEK seconded the motion, and called attention to
the state of the share list, to show that the value of the
companies' shares hail out declined during the last ten years,
which would have been the alas had they been losers
upon mercantile ri,ke. They received largo amounts
eunually in premiums from the dock companies, but they
had never been milled upon for more than 10,0011/. for lessee
incurred there. Heavy premiums were charged upon spiral
stored in the vaults ; but inch precautions hail been taken
in reference to that class of goods, that only one fire had
ever occurred in the brandy vault, and that was speedily
extinguished.
The motion was then agreed to.
Ou the motion of Mr. WOOLAMTON, It was resolved
that the committee consist of the following gentlemen,
viz. Moffatt, Esq., M.P., H. W. Peek, Esq., Henry
Trower, Eel:, Arthur Cape!, Esq., Smith Harrison,
Arthur Steams, Esq., J. C. Quick, FAq., H. W. Pc"...,Esq.,
F. Palmer, Esq., O. ficovell, Esq., John Humpbery, jun.,
Esq. W. J. Hall, Esq., F. Bosley, Esq., Joseph Anderson,
Esq.,, John Corderoy, Faq., J. T. Noakes, Esq., and O.
Hewett., Esq.
The thanks of the meeting were then voted to the Lord
Mayor fur the use of the hall, and to the Chairmen fur pre-
siding, when the proceedings terminated in the usual
manner.

ANDOVZR ELECTION.—The election of a member
for this borough, in the room of the Lord Mayor, who has
resigned for the purpose of contesting the City of Loudon
election, has been fixed for Monday next. Non tion
to Mr. Coles, the conservative candidate, is expected.
The presentation of ergours to the Central
London (40th Middlesex) Rifle Volunteers, will take place
(by the kind permission of the bombers) in Gray ninn
gardens, on the evening of Saturday next, at six o'clock.
PRINCE VAN us BOVItHON.—The indipendonce
Belye publishes the following letter, dated London, July
22:—" On the occasion of the event: at Le* the aier°.
laws of certain minister al journals at Madrid has made them
say that the journeys of Prince Doe Juan de Bourbon in
April last, might have some connexion with this unfortunate
affair. Public opinion in Spain has not been surprised by
this trick ; but as his royal highness has received many
letters from abroad on this subject, it is my duty to make
known to the prince's friends, iu am:intone* with his orders,
that he is • complete stranger to what has occurred at Lola,
lied that the motive of his journey in the beginning of
spring, so far from having for its object the organisation of
disturbances, wee intended to avoid a movement in his
favour. Nothing is further from the thoughts of hie royal
highness than to cause to be shed a iln.p of blood , it is to
the convictions of the Spaniards that the prince addrerses
himself ; it is from their symjethies that be expecte every-
thing.—H. or LAZEN.
RISCA COAL COMI'ANY.—A call of 751. per share
has just bees made to meet the Cult of winding up this com-
pany's affairs.