The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(MX On OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, FRIDAY Erwaso.

The Gazette de France says of the denial in the
Cunditutionnel of this morning that any customs
and military treaty exists between France and
Holland :

flat no treaty has been signed is possible and even pro-
bable. But [the Ci:irostitotionerl will not easily persuade
the public that there have been no negutiwtious on the
subject.

The Finanr,, which first started the news, re-
turns to the subject in the teeth of the Cunstitu-
remand, and says it knows, from a quasi official
source, that a secret convention between Frame
and llolkind has been signed.
The Temps combining the above assertions with
that of the Opinion Nationale., which I mentioned
yesterday, says:

In this state of things the denial of the Constitraletwel
is not conclusive. The affair is too serious for the public
to be contented with a paragraph, the authority of which
is very doubtful. It must be borne in mind that the
Cointitodionnei, by protesting its independence, as it does
every day, deprives its semi-official declarations of any
decisive character.

A circumstance calculated to confirm the
rumours of a reversal of the liberal policy of Jan.
19—(you are aware that there are also ru-
mours of an extension of this policy)—is that M.
Clement Duvernois hits resigned the editorship of
the Epoque. This clever writer, and old liberal,
who was long a lieutenant of Emile de Girardin,
went into the Epoque as an organ of the tiers parti
and a'• dynastic union." He was for the Empire
but against official candidates, and thought the
empire compatible with full electoral liberty. His
illusions have disappeared, and ho gives up the
hopeless campaign.

The Geubes, whose accurate information in the
early stages of the Spanish revolution tuts elevated
it to the rank of an important political journal,
thinks the angry despatches exchanged between
Turkey and Greece on the subject of Candia a
symptom that the terrible " Eastern question" now
threatens an explosion.

The France, whose director is still Viscount de
la Gueronnii•re, French Minister at Brussels, says
that the cengt's in the French army, mentioned by
the Patric' as reducing the active force to 354,0110
men, have not the importance which that journal
would make it appear. They are nothing more
than an administrative measure usual at this
season. At the same time the Fra /we.. always
seeking the jasfe milia e, says that a power which
grants furloughs on such a large scale must be
animated by pacific ideas, and cannot contemplate
an immediate use of its army.
The Bourse opened with much animation, and
the Bente for cash touched at one moment the
figure of itifr. But the efforts of the Bank of
France and the companies, acting under the im-
pulsion of M. Magne, seem to be exhausted; there
was a strong reaction in the afternoon, and
the closing quotations were 68fr. tic. for cash, and
6sfr. SOe. fur account, with a fall of 100. and
17 je. lii other securities there was no notable
chnge.

A private letter from Madrid ears :—•• Three
successive Queens of Spain have lived in open scandal.
The grandmother of Isabella made her favourite a prince.
the mother made hers a duke, and Isabella made hero
lutendente of her palace. Isabella's mother is one of the
richest persons in Europe, and she accumulated her vast
wealth by sharing in the profits of the Cabot slave trade.
The reigning Popes of Rome have honoured and rewarded
these women as it they wen) patterns of piety and
virtue."

A New York contemporary sap : —'• The
Hamburg and American Company have given notioe to
the British government that they will no longer convey
the mails frem England to America. They do not get
inure than about 8,0001. a year for conveying the mails
52 times across the Atlantic, and this sum is reduced by
fines. Their grievance is that they are tined ter starting
from England after the stipulated time although their
ship may reach New York within the prescribed period.
Their giving up the contract will be a serious incon-
venience to the mercantile community, as their ships are
very fast. They will still, however, carry the mails front
New York to England, under contract with the United
States government."

BOMBAY MAIL.-Bt-E'/.. Iti.—The Penin-
sular and Oriental Counpany's steamship Viol,- La, from
Bombay. 3rd inst., arrived at 7 a.m. to-day.
TitE EMPEROR NAPOLEON AND MA SettNit-
rattow.—Tho arm bye Preu of Vienna publishes a letter
written by the Emperor Napoleon 111. to au .eboet-
fellow who having become a surgeon had fallen into alai,-
tressed circumstances. In consequence, he was un.ible to
wait on his Majesty at Salzburg m 1807. but he requested
an audience of Prince Napoleon, when the latter WA. At
l'estb, and was recommended by him to write to the
Emperor. He did so, and reeeived the following
reply :—"St. Cloud, Sept. 10. 1 have learned with
minds sympathy your painful situation, and I hasten
to comply with. your request. Never have 1 forgotten the
time I passed IR tiermany, whore my tnother received
a noble hospitality, and I myself the Hest advantages of
instruction, and found in you • kind companion and a
friend. Exile offers painful but useful trials; it teaches
us better to knew foreign nations, anal to judge without
prejudice their good qualities and their worth. And if,
at a later period, the natal suil is revisited. the re '-•
sconce is always preserved of the companions among
whim ~ r youth has been liaised, and the remembnuno
remains Hrmly, notwithstanding time and polities. Your
letter affords me an opportunity of expressing these sen-
timents, which are mine.- -Iteceere this as • proof of the
oboes sympathy with which I am yours, Narstuton."