The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-17 00:00:00

(Stamped, id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

The above popular place of instructive amuse- I
ment has once more been opened under new and ener•etic
management. All the new decorations of last season have
been refreshed and others added, until the whole interior
now presents an exceedingly attractive appearance. Mr.
George Buckland gives hip popular entertainment, and Mr.
Phene, the managing director, his instructive lecture in the
large theatre—the latter illustrated by a remarkably fine
series of dissolving views. The luminous fountain and the
lime light nightly contribute their singular illumination,
together with all the staudard attractions which form the
permanent features of the exhibition. A very valu-
able novelty has this season been introduced in
the shape of a picture gallery, which Mr. Phene has
established for the praiseworthy purpose of enabling young
and rising artists who are as yet uukuown to fame to make
their way with the public. A very successful beginning has
been made, and a considerable number of pictures collected,
seine of them of a high degree of merit. They are all for
sale, and several have already gone off at the private view.
Detailed criticism ou their artistic merits belongs to another
department of the paper. but we may here mention that the
productions of Messrs. Herman and lkdboraley, and amongst
the pictures by ladies, those of Miss Gore and Madame iron,
attracted most notice at the private view. The scientific
lectures will be repeated as usual, and a very great ►ttrac-
tion will be found amid the higher entertainments in the
flute playing of "La Petit Musicien," a mere child, but
who plays his rather difficult instrument with all the ex-
pression and precision of a master. "Le Petit Musicieu "
will, we believe, be assisted by Mr. Frederick Chatterton,
whoae ability as • harpist is too well known to require
any more detailed notice.

FRANCE.

--4--
OBOlt out PWS 001LIEISPOIMNT.)
PALLS, BATVIDAT EVIIIMO!
'‘
It is now quite certain that t. e terms upou which...„aoin of Italy
the Emperor will recognise the a 1„""-of paria and
are agreed upon between the courts qated the
Turin. M. Vimercati, who has sego. and in
affair, leaves Paris to-morrow fur Turin ;
all probability the Moniteur will very shortly a
an official announcement on the subject It
unfortunately beyond a doubt that the French.
army will not at present leave Rome, but I think
it equally certain that Victor Emmanuel is not
called upon to acknowledge the Pope's temporal
power as a thing to be maintained in perpetuity.
Indeed the phraseology of the Patric, which declares
that the " present status quo will be absolutely
maintained," implies that the Roman question re-
mains an open one. If—tosupp,,,,, for a moment
an impossibility—this question were settled in a
sense unfavourable to the unity of Italy—if, I mean,
Victor Emmanuel bad promised to protect the
Pope as a temporal sovereign, there would be no
occasion for the French army to remain in Rome.
However "absolutely" the Patrie may talk of the
status quo, everybody sees that it cannot be main-
tained indefinitely ; this status quo can only be re-
garded as a state of transition. The Temps has
reasons for thinking that at no period since the
question was first raised have France and
Eoglaud becu no nearly agreed upon it as they are
at this moment. M. Limayrac, the new political
director of the Pays, gives it clearly to be under-
stood that the death of Count ()avow has had the
effect of hastening the recognition of the kingdom
of Italy by France. As long as Cavour was there
to keep down internal rivalry and stifle secondary
differences, the measure might have been adjourned,
"but now it has become a pressing necessity, and
perhaps still more a question of European order
than one of the salvation of Italy." Therefore,
says this government writer,

The kingdom of Italy will be recognised. We rejoice at
this denournexe. It u conformable to the policy followed
with so much sagacity for the last ten years. France as •
hberal power recognises the kingdom of Italy ; as a catholic
power she remains at Rome. And perhaps, in this new
situation, way be found the principal elements of that diffi-
cult work pursued with so much perseverance and abnega-
tion by the imperial government—the reconciliation of the
Papacy and Italy.

It is currently reported that the Turkish govern-
ment has appointed Daoud Effendi, an Armenian
catholic, to be the triennial governor of Lebanon,
pursuant to the new convention. lam the more
inclined to believe this uews because the govern-
ment prints which have been lustily swearing fur
the last week that France had gained her point,
and that a Maronite Christian had been chosen,
are suddenly silent on the subject. 1 have seen
letters from Constantinople stating that Sir Henry
Ilulwer very clearly showed in the conference that
the government of a Maronito Christian would
perpetuate hearthurniugs in the Lebauon
and be in every way the worst arrange-
ment possible. General Beaufort, in an order
of the day issued to the army of Syria
on the eve of his embarkation for France, lamented
that political considerations had interfered with
their mission, ho regretted that lie had had no op-
portunity of fighting, and hoped to find himself at
their head on some other occasion, when they might
show their prowess on purely military ground.
Blanqui was found guilty of belonging to a secret
society, and sentenced to four years' imprisonment,
a fine of 500 f., and five years interdiction of civil
rights. In a abort speech which he added to the de-
fence of his counsel, M. Bache, he complained of the
injustice of reading against him, in defiance of the
principle non his in ideas, writings for which
he had been punished on former occasions.
There was nothing new proved against him
but an intention to write a number of letters. As
to the existence of a secret society, there was no
evidence of it whatever. He had never so much as
heard of the terrible society of " Crocodiles." which
made a great figure in the polite report. He could
have understood an accusation against him for
keeping a secret press' but that charge had been
struck out of the indictment. He protested against
the vague, elastic, and newly-created offence of
" belonging to a secret society," which seemed to
have been invented, like the lee Majestalis of
ancient Rome, fur the purpose of punishing enemies
of the government when nothing else could be
alleged against them.
Two of Blanqui's fellow-prisoners, Fremaux and
Vompen, were acquitted. Madame Fremaux and
Senique were sentenced to a year's imprisonment,
and Chaurnette to six mouths' imprisonment, with
fines of 50f., and two years' privation of civil
rights.
As the sentence on Blanqui may seem very
severe, I think it right to observe that a judge in
France is almost merciful in pronouncing the
harshest punishment which he has power to do
whenever a member of a secret society is brought
before him, because if he pass a severe sentence
there is some hope that the government may be con-
tented with it. You are aware that by a terrible
and unprecedented law of the Emperor's invention
any man convicted of belonging to a secret society,
although the court may only sentence him to a fine
of Of., becomes liable to be transported fur life
"administratively."
The Bourse was again firm, but, as is generally
the case iu hot weather, was thinly attended. The
Rente closed at 08, with a rise of 10c. and be.
Mobilier rose 3.70. Railways remain with little
alteration.

Marshal Magnan has issued an order of the day
to the army of Paris against suicides, which, in
phraseology not perhaps altogether happy, ho says
have been lately " too " uumerous. Ho reminds
the soldiers that their lives belong to their country,
which relies upon them in theday of danger. When-
ever, he tells then,, you rind your miuds agitated
by fatal ideas, whenever you feel yourselves
unequal to the trials you have to meet, "come
and see we ; you know that I am always accessible ;
come and tell me your troubles, my soldier's heart
will understand yours, will recall you to a senti-
ment of duty, and preserve your lives for your fa-
mily, for France, and for the Emperor who loves
and trusts you." lam not sure that this language
will be thought ridiculous in France. It may very
likely please the soldier' who loves to be addressed
in familiar language by his chiefs. It is not likely,
moreover, that this general invitation to pay a
morning visit to the marshal will collect any incon-
venient crowd of private soldiers at the door of his
headquarters in the Place Vendome. Courage in
the face of death is an ordinary quality in the
French army, but the nerve required to ask for au
interview with the Commander-in-Chief to talk
over love affairs, tavern debts, and barrack griev-
ances' instead of committing suicide about them,
must be rare indeed.
The Courrier de Dimond' announces that
M. Genesee, who, it will be remembered, was ex-
pelled from France three mouths ago by M. de
Peasig' ny, under circumstances which excited a
great deal of attention throughout Europe, has
been allowed to return " without conditions," and
that ho has resumed the management of his jour-
nal. In this day's number there is an article
signed by him recommending M. Apollant as a
candidate for the Council General of the Crease.

About has published a pamphlet, in reply to
the attack made upon him by M. Keller.
Prince Napoleon and the Princess Clotbilde are
expected at Algiers to-morrow.

THE DREADFUL COLLIERY ACCIDEM AT CLAY
CRoStL—Wo regret to say that up to yesterday the bodies
of the twenty-three men who were ilrowned or suffocated in
the Clay Cram pits, on Tuesday last, had not been re-
covered. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, fresh endea-
vours were made to get the men out of the pit, but in all
probability a week or several day. must elapse before the
water .an be sufficiently lowered to extricate them.