The Express. — 1866-04-10 (London, England)

OVA OWN COBRIBPONDINI.) PARIS, MONDAY Evzinsa. The telegraphic news of this evening that Prussia has proposed to the Diet of Frankfort a revision of the federal pact by universal suffrage is I in my mind the reverse of a peaceable symptom. The proposal is, certain to be refused, and then Prussia will justify r aggression by saying that her appel au penple has been refused. The Opinion Nationale, which is all for war, and, though calling itself a liberal paper, backs up M. de. Bismarck, because it wants war with Austria at any price, applauds his reliance upon the " people," as contradistinguished from Auatria's appeal to the secondary states of Ger many. The project of a new and faithful translation of the Bible, to be made without fear or favour, by a committee consisting of learned catholics,Jews,and protestants, in equal numbers, is, as might have been expected, highly disapproved of by many of the bishops. The Monde publishes a circular on the subject from tho Archbishop of Lyons to his clergy, in whichhe remindsthemthat thecatholic church alone is invested with authority to interpret the texts of holy writ. He, by anticipation, condemns the proposed new translation to the "Index," unless in the case (a most improbable one) of its obtaining the Pope's approbation. The Monde apologises for the St. Bartholomew of Barletta, by the suggestion that the 60 protestants in the town " provoked" the 30,000 catholics, and leaves it clearly to be inferred that, in its opinion, the protestants, who were deliberately massacred in broad daylight, were " served right." It is beyond doubt that M. Nestor Roqueplan is selected to be the new manager of the Opera, but the appointment will not appear in the Moniteur 1 till after the 15th, up to which time M. Peorin, [ the present manager, is entitled to remain. I The clatter has already taken leave of the I principal artistes. M. Nestor Roqueplan is I not new to the position which he is now about to occupy under a new system. Ho was manager of the Opera in and before 1853. For some time past he has been the theatrical critic of the Constitutionnel, the fruit/don of which journal, of this day, contains an article of his on Don Juan and the other theatrical novelties of the week. A thunderstorm of unusual violence for the time of year visited Paris yesterday evening, and lasted for several hours. Many flashes of lightning were followed by a thunderclap at the distance of only a second and a half of time, so that the focus of the storm must have been very near. It is already known that a house was struck in the Rue de la Pepiniere and another at Passy. In all likelihood we shall hear of other cases. The Moniker da Soir draws the comfortable inference from this precocious visitation that if, as scientific men say, the recent epidemic in several countries ;of Europe is attributable to an exceptional deficiency of electricity in the air, there is a good time coming. An old French proverb says that when it thunders in April wine growers should make an i extra provision of casks. The guillotine, which had not been erected in Paris since June 9, 1864, on the occasion of the execution of La Pommerais, the poisoner, did its office at 6 o'clock this morning upon Castex, the St. Denis murderer. The weather being extremely wet the crowd was not great. At the Bourse the Rents, after violent oscillations, closed with a considerable improvement. IThe lowest price of the day for account was 671 r. 42ic., but the highest and last was 67fr. 75c., [ showing a rise from Saturday of 15c. The Italian Loan rose 20fr. Most other securities were, how! ever, lower. Mobilier fell 7fr. 50c. ; Comptoir d'Eacompte, 10fr. ; and railways were from 2fr. 50c. to sfr. lower. and