The Express. — London, England, 1853-05-18 00:00:00

,:fit Cflrtos• To CORItESPONLIENTS. A 4..04 d.::ea of " :..e &eine," eteraiame tee aunt venire's paI:LA-13 'Tay Tuesday mil l'ntay 3.0.4 :a tame pert. A .‘rat.e.e,e,:i.taten•led f/e "The Expeem." Landes Zeesati roper, mn.t he It t►e Odlos, 10, loavenretreet, by 1.4. kit...es ea tee day of p.o...astiee. WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T —Manua/. 91 41* . •. 17m. T •—.3)(xala9. 10a. a1a..........Atur500r.. 1.4. t 3.a. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, .1141" is. ENGLAND is undoubtedly the great mercantile and the great maritime nation of the world. We manu facture more and we carry more and expand to the needs of a new position faster than any other nation under the sun. A gazetteer of ten Years date will name you a viiiage containing 300 tants, which had boasted of this same number of 600 at any period since the Conquest. Its field, shall have had the identical boundaries which they had centuries ago. Consult a census of the resent day and you will find your 600 in habitants increased to 30,000. The grass-grown roads will appear as well-paved streets. The ignorant rustic population will be replaced by thousands of intelligent citizens, intent upon developing their own resources and the resources of the country in a manner which had never before been dreamed of by the quondam inhabitants of the place. Ask the rea son of this, and you will find that some practical man has discovered a new mode of weaving or spin ning, or has brought to light some new com bination of mechanical power; or, in fact, has brought out some process which appeals extensively and irresistibly to the wants of the millions Ile becomes the centre to which vast masses of his countrymen turn their eyes to satisfy certain wishes, and to enable him to respond to their wishes he is obliged to press into his service an army of labourers. The concurrence of multi tudes of human beings produces its usual re sults. Wealth is accumulated. Buildings spring tip as if by magic. The communication of ideas helps on civilisation. The antiquated village be oomes a great modern city. The whole result is due to invention in the first instance, and trade in the next. The productive resources and consequently the real strength of the nation have been increased by the inventor and the tradesman. In a similar manner we may see what commerce can do for a kingdom. Not so very many years back a traveller might have noted in his journal the existence of a small port on the banks of the Mersey. He would have seen nothing in it to mark a 'distinction between it and .other small fishing ports. It would have appeared thoroughly stationary. The few families, descend ants of ancestors who had vegetated in this position centuries back, would be liv ing from hand to mouth. If he had gone to sleep then, and woke up in the present day, he would see his small fishing town changed into the greatest port in the world. He wou!d remark that the insig nificant Liverpool, the subject of his previous obser vations, hu been metamorphosed into a port which, in a maritime point of view, is more active even than London itself. Sensible men upon considering these wonderful transformations due to the mechanical, mercantile, and maritime spirit of the people, would needs sarily be induced to inquire into the nature of the institutions which foster and educate this spirit. Knowing that foreign governments have done some thing in this direction, it would be expected that here there would be still more done. The result of the inquiry would, however, be fruitless. Beyond the establishment of a few schools, partially supported, there has been nothing done by the nation for the education of the classes whose labours supply it with its very life-blood. The knowledge of this tact has induced a number of persons, who have been struck with its importance, to meet together for the purpose of promoting the establishment of a merean- I tile and maritime college, where the youth of the nation might receive primary instruction in those subjects which are connected with trade and com merce. The Earl of Hiaaowne, who took the chair yesterday at the 'need° g in question, made some strong allusions to the well-known fact that the great mer chant, Sir THOYAi 011ESUA31, had recognised the de ficiency under which the citizens of London laboured in this respect, and had provided nobly for its re medy. The endowment of Gresham College, if it had been carefully watched over by persons animated with The spirit of its founder, might at the present day have been a mighty engine for the cultivation of that class to which England owes its position amongst the nations, and upon which the country will become more and more dependent. Gresham College, how ever, having suffered losses in times past by the in capacity of its managers, is now, although still in possession of great resources, utterly lost to the citizens of London. It fulfils a few of the obliga tions of its charter in a manner ludicrously literal, while the whole spirit of the institution has evaporated. The magnificent foundation of Sir THOMAS GRESHAM is frittered away in the payment of some half-dozen professors, who deliver a set of lectures in English and Latin to a few persons drawn together more by curiosity than by any other motive, and who are as a clue totally distinct from the class which the founder intended to benefit. The necessity of the application of funds of this nature, and of still greater raised either by subscrip tion or from other sources, to the education of the mercantile and maritime community, is becoming daily more apparent. The Earl of HARROWBT stated that he had the most perfect assurance of the fact that an agent at Liverpool having his choice of an American and a British ship, would not think that he was doing his duty to his employer if he did not select the American ship as bang safer and better found. Whatever qualifica tion may be deemed necessary to this statement, it is still too well known that there is mach foundation for it. We an nbieet in the present time to a com petition which is day by day increasing in impor tance. America is the country which enters into this competition with the greatest energy and skilL There is no doubt theta branches of the American navy have the benefit of an education far superior to that which can be obtained by the corresponding class in Great Britain. In reference to this it may be remarked that papers have been supplied by the American Go vernment to the masters of great numbers of mer chant vessels, containing a system of directions with respect to observations to be made during their re ■pective voyages. Aided by these and the logs of the vessel■, Lieutenant MAURY has been enabled to obtain such a knowledge of the currents of the ocean, and the trade winds, u to reduce the length of certain voyages by almost one-third. A discovery of this nature has the effect of giving the Americans something very like a monopoly of a particular trade for a certain time. It is not too much to assert that the logs of the greater number of English merchant vessels would have been utterly useless in investigations of this nature. The general education of masters of English vessels is, no doubt, lamentably defective. The feeling of the meeting yesterday was unani mous as to the necessity of providing by a sufficient education for the remedy of evils of this kind. Oa oar mernatile and maritime eminence depends our position amongst the great powers of the world. We have up to the present time been in the possession of so many natural advantages, that the raco of com P etition has been for us comparatively easy. One by one these advantages may be counterbalanud We are menaced in our manufactures, in our trade, and in our maritime supremacy. As a means of rising superior to these dangers, none can be more efficient than a sound practical education to the mer cantile and maritime classes of the community; and if the meeting yesterday is able to render such an education more practicable, it will merit the grati tude not of the City of London merely, but of the nation at large. STEAM navigation is bringing another and most interesting part of the world under the closer and MOM regular observation of public opinion. We refer to the Western Coast of Africa, with which we have now monthly inter-communica:i.4 ; and although the European settlements on th-tt coast have not yet journals to send home accounts of :heir progress and politics, nor English newcppLr cor- respondent& of their own to narrate tht perplexiaes and the difficulties of negro courts and sable poten tater, nevertheless. so quick a:.,1 .le•:ve Is the circu lation of intelligence, when provided with free trill regular channels, in these days, that the African Steam Navigation Company may be said to have brought the affairs of that coast fairly within the ken and purview of English interest and coneidera- I Lion. Henceforward we shall be able to know with tolerable certainty end accuracy what is going on at our own settlements in the River Garubls, at Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast, in the French factories up the Senegal, and the Congo, in the old Portuguese "kingdom" of Angola, the Dutch forts in Guinea—to bring the policy pursued at those independent ports which are becoming so valuable for their trade to the test of reason and ex perience, and to follow the oscillations of the Slave Trade witk still greater attention and interest. Of this new source of information the list mail brings indeed a contribution of which (as accouirs inaccu rate and distorted have appeared in a contemporary) it is important to give a better-informed version. By far the most advanced, as well as the most ancient, of our settlements on the Western Coast of Africa are our forts on the Gold Coast. They alone of European possessions have as yet acquired any influence in the interior of the country; they only have brought the surrounding tribes under the subjection of habits of order, justice, and right, directed by superior and systematic intelligence. Territorially and legally we are only owners of the soil on which stand the forts of the old Afri can Company; our predominance and authority, however, are recognised and submitted to by a cluster of semi-independent chiefs and their subjects inhabit ing a coast several hundred miles in length and pene trating at least one hundred and twenty miles inland. Amongst these protected and allied chiefs, we pre serve peace and prohibit war; to the arbitration of the Governor of Cape Coast Castle they readily submit their disputes and differences. From all parts of even their most distant territories the natives bring their contentions and litigations for the decision of the English authorities; over the most serious crimes justice is administered by a jury of Headmen, presided over and directed by the English Judicial Assessor; and throughout this extensive and populous country native customs are being gradually tempered and humanised by the more general prin ciples of English law. The chiefs and tribes thus protected and benefited are, in their turn, bound to assist and support us in the event of hostilities ; and the manner in which they have lately evinced their hearty good will towards the British Supremacy is what we are shortly going to call attention to. The importance of this nascent civilisation seems to have struck Earl GREY very forcibly whilst Colonial Minister; and it is not less than bare justice to say that he treated the Gold Coast with both skill and success. The expenses of a Government in this posi tion, and with this task before it, began necessarily to increase, and how to provide for them without ap plication to Parliament became the problem. With out the concurrence of the Dutch, who also have forts on the coast, it was not possible to raise a revenue by import duties, and that concurrence was not to be obtained. So, Lord GREY resolved, in a primitive state of society, to resort to a very primitive financial operation—a Poll Tax. But here at once arose a great difficulty ; the people whose heads were to be taxed were not British subjects. Nothing could, therefore, be done without the co-operation of their own chiefs. That co-operation was, however, boldly and frankly sought ; the chiefs were assembled by Governor HILL, in what Lord GREY has ap propriately called a " rude negro parliament ; the proposition of a poll tax was sub mitted to them, the objects of its intended expendi ture—vii., increase of the judicial strength of the country, clads, other public works, and military organisation—were fully explained and understood ; and, after grave deliberation and ample palaver, the tax was granted by these Negro Barons; who, how ever, reserved to themselves the right of seeing that its proceeds were well spent, and put the Governor under terms to assemble this sable Wittenagemote "as often as need be." So far so good. But the teat of the experiment was—how would it work? Would the Chiefs go home and repent of what they had done ?—would taxation produce discontent and disaffection?—would the tax-gatherers of the Gold Coast meet with the resistance of black WAT TTLERS ?—or would the value of their proceedings be understood and recog nised? A very remarkable and unexpected test, of great severity, has been applied; and with the hap piest success. Here is the story : Behind the Gold Coast now lies the kingdom of Ashanti; the most powerful and best organised state of Western Africa. Like Dahotni (the only other West African kingdom of any importance), time was when the boundary of Ashanti came down to the sea, and included all the Gold Coast; the Fantecs, or Waterside tribes, were its subjects, and the fore fathers of our allies its Chiefs. As in India, so on the Gold Coast, our first forts were erected by permission of its Kings ; and for long we paid to the Court of Coomassie a rent for them. Gradually the Ashanti monarchs lost their hold of the country; not, how ever, without a desperate struggle. We became in volved in the hostilities, suffered for a while severe reverses—losing both a general and an army—but at last the Ashanti armies retired; and under Presi dent WLEAN the basis of the present coast alliance and confederation was laid. In short, under him, we became the predominant power. Captain M‘LeaN supported his authority with not only a strong hand but a cool judicious head, and in his day Ashanti made no further attempts to recover what it had lost. The effect of a suacesaion of feeble successors was, however, soon felt at Coomassie; old pretensions were cautiously revived, sly intrigues were set afoot, and these have lately induced important results. At the close of the last Ashanti war, two Ashanti chiefs retired across the Pra, a river which separates the allied states from Ashanti, and joined the British system. These chiefs the King of ANL...NiI has lately become very desirous should return to his country and to their old allegiance. They resisted, and he pressed ; they professed to have pecuniary liabilities in their new country, which it was neces sary to discharge before leaving it, and he advanced money for their discharge. At this period a know ledge of what was going on burst on the people of these Chiefs ; they roes against the thought of re turning to Ashanti, seised their Chiefs, and sent them down prisoners to Governor HILL at Cape Coast Castle. Thus defrauded of his money and deprived of his subjects, the King of Asitaxrt,some two months since, pushed an army 10,000 strong across the boundary, and was advancing on Cape Coast Castle when be was met by an English officer, Lieut. BaowsmLL, commanding 150 men of the local corps and 4,000 levies. Very indiscreetly that officer visited the Ashanti camp to discuss the cause of this invasion, and was there taken prisoner. Governor HILL at once summoned his native allies to assistance ; 8,000 joined him instantly, the whole country rose at his call, and a message was sent to the Ashanti camp that, if Lieut. IlltowNutLL was not liberated within 24 hours and the Pra recroesed, war would ensue. Discretion happily proved the better part of valour : Lieut. IlaowsaLL was released, and the ter ritory under British protection evacuated. But per haps the most important pert of the affair was the universal response of the Fantees to Governor }DLL's call. On former occasions they have fled before Ashanti armies ; on the presant upwards of 30,000 armed natives turned out to resist the progress of the Ashanti King, to defend their country, and to act under British command. By their promptitude an Ashanti war was, in all probability, averted. At the same time, however, that Governor HILL made this demonstration, and summoned also to his support three QUEEN'S ships, he intimated his willingness to attend to any complaint against the two negro Chiefs which the King of AstraNr might choose to make to him ; and there the affair at premnt rests. RTE ELECTION.—The writ for the election of a member for Rye was received at Rye on &May, and was duly proclaimed in the usual form on Monday. The no mination is find for Friday next, and the polling will take place on the following day. The town is all on the alert, and preparations are making on both sides for a se vere contest. Owing to recent events very strong feelings prevail. There is no question hat that Mr. Mackinnon (father of the late member for Rye), who comes forward iu the liberal interest, is the cropuiar candidate. The eir cumstanccs which have transpired ai to the disgraceful means by which information was furnished co the late in ! (laity, and the extraordMary port taken by the tories in seeking to blacken and disfranchise the borough, have na turally created a powerful feeling against that party, and will no ilsubt prcduce a marked effect upon the canvass of Mr. Fomliet, who is said to be the tory candidate.—Nustes Adoerti.f. THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 1853. FRANCE. PARIS, TVESDAY EVEYING. The Duke of Genoa, brother of the King of Sar dinia, iy hourly expected here. He will occupy apartments at the 'Tuileries, which have been pre pared for him. Three arrests have taken plow at Marseilles of persons suspected of being members of a secret society. In consequence of yesterday's panic the Bourse was crowded with speculators to-day. It was the general opinion that no serious reason for apprehen sion existed, and the Three per Cents. opened with tolerable firmness. But some heavy sales by one of the principal agens de change produced another panic, and the rente dropped as low as /30.73. It however soon recovered, and closed rather strong at 81.35, being within 10 centimes of the highest price of the day. Railway shares did not recover from yester day's fall, but they closed without any further notable diminution. Bank of France shares were in de mand, owing to a report that the Council resolved yesterday that the Bank would receive railway shares as deposits, and undertake for a small commission to get in the interest and dividends. The private telegraphic despatch from Marseilles, to which the panic yesterday is attributed, announces the arrival of the Scamander, which left Constanti nople on the sth. According to this despatch, the Divan had been informed that Prince Menschikoff was about to propose an ultimatum, demanding the pro tectorate and certain privileges in favour of the Greek church, and also concessions trenching upon those obtained by France with regard to the Holy Places. This news is in contradiction with former accounts representing that the question of the Holy Places had been entirely settled with the assent of M. Laconr. It is worthy of remark that the Paris while affirming that the news brought by the Chap tel is quite satisfactory, admits that no defi nitive solution has been come to, I believe the truth to be that concessions will be made by France for the sake of peace, but that out of regard to the na tional vanity every effort will be made to make it ap pear that the 'variations that must necessarily be made in M. Lavalette's impossible convention are not concessions. More political arrests have been made in Paris within the last few days. M. Jeanne—the staunch legitimist stationer of the Passage Choiseul, who has been so frequently prosecuted for selling busts of the Count de Chambord,fieur-de-lys letter paper, and a variety of Bourbon emblems, and who has had so many narrow escapes from the fangs of the law for his offences in this kind—is among the persons ar rested. All his papers were seized some days ago. The Constituttonnet says: The deep interest which the Emperor takes in the execu tion of the gnat works of public utility has just been main revealed by the account which his Majesty has caused to be given to him of the state of the operations Olehie on for building embankments in the Beale-Seine. We think we may state that these works, which were for a moment stopped in consequence of a want of funds, will shortly be resumed on the important part of the river comprised be tween Quillebeuf end La Roque. By order of his Majesty, the Council of State has had a proposition submitted to it, tending to the allotment of a sufficient credit, in order that these works, which are indispensable for the invitation of the Seine, may be continued and completed. The Cbnstitutionnet contains the following state went relative to the Besancon and Mulhouse rail- Way : The consultative committee on railways has been, during the last few days, occupied with the examination of the question relative to the concession of the railway from Be sancon to Mulhouse. It hue heard the grantees of the great lines, who are interested in the execution of this prolongatioa, and those who have made fresh ten den, who have given the most precise information as to the value of the line. The solution of this affair may there fore be regarded as likely to take place very shortly. The concession, if it be made, will, it is said, be without a subvention, and without any guarantee of interest by the State, and it is thought the government will not be averse to concede other lines in order to f the com bination which tends to units the Mediterranean to the Rhine. The concession from Besangon to Mulhouse is eagerly sought for. There are eight companies who have made applisation, all of whom offer every necessary gua rantee, and it is, therefore, probable that a fusion may take place. "The last intelligence," says the Patrie, " from India states the Jeanne d'Arc, frigate, and the Caiman, steam-corvette were at Aden, at the en trance of the Red Sea, at the time when the terrible tempest burst, as hu been stated, over the Coro mandel coast. These vessels rode out the hurricane in safety." The health of the Empress is improving. She took an airing in an open carriage yesterday, as on Sunday, accompanied by the Emperor. The following were the principal stipulations of the treaty :—Peace is re-established throughout the province of Buenos Avres person to be prose cuted or judged, or held responsible in person or estate, for his political conduct since December 1, 1852: all the absent may return, all prisoners shall be restored to liberty. The government of Buenos Ayres acknowledges as part of the public debt the claims of those who have supplied the provincial forces during this campaign. The army of the pro vince shall be reduced to a peace-footing: all the militia in arms shell be disbanded, and their arms placed at the disposal of the government of the pro vince. The military chiefs and officers shall preserve the rank and appointments which they held before December 1, 1852. The province shall return under the empire of its ordinary laws, accordingly new elections shall take place, and the renewed Chamber shall meet by May Ist, and elect a governor of the province. Buenos Ayres shall send deputies to Congress at Santa Fe, to concur in the; work of framing a constitution for the republic, and in making laws to that end. The province of Buenos Ayres shall have right to examine and accept the constitution to emanate from the Na tional Congress, acknowledging an equal right in each of the other provinces. In so far as the consti tution may not be accepted by the province of Buenos Ayres, it shall be governed by its own insti tutions and the public powers which it shall have established. Buenos Ayres confides for its part to General Urquiza the power of directing the foreign affairs of the republic. As soon as this treaty shall have been ratified on both sides, the ships belonging to Buenos Ayres, which are now in the possession of the other contracting party shall be re stored, but Buenos Ayres engages to fur nish them whenever they may be demanded for national purposes. The provisional direc tor shall guarantee maintenance of the legal authorities of Buenos Ayres, assisting them with all his forces. Such was the treaty concluded in the name —to use the language of the preamble—of the Provisional Director of the Provinces, met in Con gress at Santa Fe, in the exercise of his delegate powers, and in the name of the rural population of Buenos Ayres in arms, on the one part, and on the other by that of the government of Buenos Ayres. It was rejected. The persons now in power at Buenos Ayres snapped at it, because they had all to gain, and nothing to lose in so doing. They were to be retained in power, to come into posses sion of the arms of the other party, and do pretty well as they pleased in the all-important matter of the federal constitution. When the treaty was finished Ursuiza was at San Nicolas. Colonel Lagos and his friends immediately sent off delegates on behalf of the country party and the militia force, with which he is acting, to represent to the provi sional director the disadvantageous position in which they would be placed should the treaty come into execution. The besieging forces, it was represented, had been in the field many months, had endured great hardships, and would certainly not be in clined to finish their work bydelivering up all power into the hands of those against whom they had taken arms. Urquiza was not long in making up his mind, and on the 19th the following note was sent to Buenos Ayres: Viva la Confederation Axgentina! Of.. of his Excellency the Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation. San Nicolas, March 19, 1&53. To the Minister of Government of the Provisional Governor of Buenos Ayres. I have been ordered by his Excellency the Provisional Director to acquaint . your Honour that the treaty adjusted between the commiss ioners named by his Excellency to find a specific solution of the war which afflicts this province, and the cmauseion named by that government for the same purpose, was yesterday communicated to the knowledge of his xceUrsay. The said treaty presenting serious inconveniences, and his Excellency, considering himself incompetent to annul or even to amend the compact of San Nicolas de las Arroyos, which has become a law of the na tion, cannot give his ratification to this treaty ; but he has powerful reasons for hoping that it would not be diffi cult to arrive at a settlement at least of the internal differ ences of the province of Buenos Ayres, leaving for a future opportunity the decision of the conditions on which the province will concur in the formation of the constitution of the republic. The only aspiration of kis Excellency is, that the most important province of the confederation may be tranquilly governed by its provincial institutions, and reach a situation of giving an example of moderation and temperance ; since by a fatality which all must deplore, the armed Muslims and threats of war, that constituted the policy of the pre vious administration, shook the whole republic, and have delayed the moment of the nation's commuting itself. His ltxcellency deplores the Argentine blood that is being shed, the ruin and the demoralisation that war brings along with It; and with a view to remove the obstacles to peace that may occur, has determined to approach the city of Buenos Ayres, and to appoint a new commission, that imp explain the reasons be has for withholding his ratification if the treaty of the 9th inst., and to propose the means ett arriving at a settlement of the provincial question. His Excellency trusts that his Excellency the Provisiceal Governor will maintain in the meantime the ampoules ef hostility on the part of the city, and that on his own Merin matribute to secure fur the province the peace of which it stands in so much need, and to which all aspire. Be pleased, honourable sir, to place this communication la the hands of his Excellency, and accept the assurances of my high consideration. ANGEL ELIAS. The arrival of this note created the greatest conster nation among the members of the government. Its first act was to name General Paz Minister of Par; its second, to order the emission of four millions of paper money. On the 23rd of March it addressed a note to Uritniza, full of reproaches and recriminations. Refemng to the ground on which he rejected the treaty, it said : Buenos Ayres always rejected the compact of San Nicola, and is entitled likewise to remind your Excellency that though (your Excellency considers it the most important province of the Republic, it Is the one which has had least part, in the formation of said law; because the go vernor who undertook to represent it in said compact, nei ther took with him the authorisation of the legislature, nor complied with what your Excellency so justly charged all the governors, to solicit competent instructions from the legislatures. The government of Buenos Ayres addresses these observations to your Excellency with the greater con fidence, in that it observes in the note of your Excellency to whi ch it now replies, that the only aspiration which your Excellency professes to have is that the province of Buenos Ayres, the most important of the Republic, may be go verned by its own provincial institutions. Further on it said : Nevertheless, the government, wishing to add another proof, if more can possibly be exacted from the govern ment of Buenos Ayres, to leave accredited its desires and anxiety for the peace of the province and for the organisa tion of the nation, has ordered me to reply to your Excel lency, as I have the honour of doing, that it will cheerfully receive the new commission of your Excellency and hear its propositions, maintaining meanwhile the suspension of hostilities, as your Excellency desires, provided your Ex cellency, on your part, es this government is entitled to exact, maintain the stain quo of the armistice ; suspending your march, should your Excellency not have commenced it, or returning to San Nicolas, where your Excellency was with your forces during the negotiation, should your Ex ' cellency already have started with them. The authors of this note strangely miscalculate their position. Without money, forces, prestige, or any of the essentials of government, and with their own province in arms against them outside the city, theyprolong a contest which they themselves provoked. Having seized the government during the absence of Urquiza on federal business, they had the option of being left to their own devices till they basely and insidiously sent an armed force to invade Entre Rios and Corrientes, and now they think it hard to be re quired to enter into the confederation like all the other provinces, and with equal rights. But I would rather leave these facts to the judgment of Europe. The political position of the besiegers will be seen from the following general order, published on the arrival of Urquiza in their camp : Viva la C oifederacion Argentina ! San Jose de Flores, Much 25, 1553. Chnizeet ORDER. ----- The re-establishment of a general peace throughout all the territory of the republic has rendered necessary the presence of his Excellency the Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation in the camp of the federal army. lie comes to continue the honourable mission of union, peace, and constitution, which the communities confided to him by the compact of the alit of Hay, ISs2—a task his Excellency accepted with honour, and would already Lave accomplished, if unfortunate obstacles and paltry party in terests had not intervened to interrupt his labours. We have therefore the first magistrate of the republic amongst us—the first national authority that has heartily and sincerely undertaken honourably to fix the destinies of the country in the shade of justice and law. We were the first in the province of Buenos Ayres to lend our recognition to his authority, because witnout it the Confederation would have returned to chaos and anarchy. If, on taking this step, we did so from a consciousness of propriety and duty, having now at our head, . as the de fenders of the liberty of our country, and of the national law—which a factious minority aspires to overthrow—the Oenerel-in•Chief of the Armies of the Argentine Confede ration, his Excellency Brigadier Don Justo J. de trquiza, we are bound to yield him obedience and respect, in order to attain the double object of peace and national organieatiou. which we aimed at in said glorious step. The chiefs of divisions of the Federal Army will cause the present order to be read in the corps under their command for its due observance. HlLaino LAGUS, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Army. Such is our position at present. How and by what means it will end is difficult to divine. The Packet, which supports this government, confesses—" We I are in the situation of * man entering into a long passage, with a glimmering light placed behind him ;1 the farther he advances the darker it becomes." 01 1 coarse commerce is at a stand stilL Provisions are very dear, with the paper money falling in value. The upper riverine provinces are in a prosperous condition. Perfect tranquillity reigns in Entre Rios; and, thanks to free navigation, commerce flows into all the ports of the Uruguay and Parana. Corrientes was slightly disturbed on the 28th of February, Jose Veron at the head of 700 men attempting to seize the government, in the absence of the com mander-in-chief. The government issued a long proclamation against him, which was quite unneces sary, as General Caseres sent the traitor a polite note asking an interview, which was granted, and by the 2nd of March all was over without bloodshed. In these two days six thousand soldiers were as sembled ready to put down this attempt had it been necessary. GERMANY. The semi-offlcial Oat Correspondenz of Vienna has the following . on the presence of the Belgian King . in the Austrian capital : Universal sympathy is felt for the experienced monarch who for more than twisty years has so wisely and right eously reigned over a land which was entrusted to him by Providence, under circumstance' of unusual difficulty. Setting aside all speculative combinations, the meeting of crowned heads is a satisfactory event, as, by leading to friendly personal relations, it affords a further reiterant', for the maintenance of general peace, that moat valuable of earthly blessings. Belcium, whose history is intimately connected with that of this empire, is a rich and thriving country, which can command the beat and most sincere wishes of Austria for its prosperity and free development. The visit of his Majesty King Leopold to the capitals of the two most prominent German states—which are at the same time great BuropFan powers—sufficiently proves that the value of a most friendly and intimate connexion with Germany is fully appreciated in Belgium. ITALY. PARMA. Baron Thomas Ward, Minister of State to the Duke of Parma, returned to Parma on the 12th, from his mission to Vienna. TWO SICILIES. The Ofteial Jounial of the Two Sieilies ' of the 4th, publishes a royal decree, establishing a Neapolitan Consulate General at Calcutta, and appointing M. Stanford to that post. SPAIN. MADRID, MAY 14. The Marquis de Velunia is appointed ambassador from her Catholic Majesty to his Majesty the Empe ror of the French. SOUTH AMERICAN MAILS. A summary of the following appeared in the Er. press of yesterday : The Royal Mail steam ship Severn, Capt. Spratt, arrived at Southampton yesterday with the Brazil and La Plata mails, and dates from Buenos Ayres, April 3; Montevideo, 6; Rio de Janeiro, 14; Bahia, 19; Pernambuco, 22; St. Vincent, May 2; Teneriffe, 8; Madeira, 9; Lisbon, 12. CONFEDERATION. When the Prince left Buenos Ayres on 3rd nit., General Urquiza was about nine miles from the city, supporting the Buenos Ayrean gauchos with a federal force, but proposing to attempt new negotia tions before resorting to extremities. A history of the month will be found in the following letter of our correspondent : BUENOS AYRES, Aram 2. The negotiations fur a permanent adjustment of our political differences, which were exciting so much hope amongst us when the last mail left for England, have proved entirely abortive, and we seem to be as far as ever from internal peace. A month ago you were informed that the commissioners nomi nated by General Urquiza were joined by others appointed by the ruling party in Buenos Ayres, and had laid down the external conditions under which negotiations were to proceed ; about this, indeed, there was little difficulty, but it is astonishing that the commissioners did not ascertain their powers, or at least the nature of the concessions likely to be acceptable on either side before entering upon their task, because for want of this the acts of one set of negotiators have been disavowed by their principals, and the work on which so much depended has been brought to nothing. On the 9th of March the commissioners terminated their labours by reporting a treaty to which were attached the names of Lorenzo Torres, ' Nicolan Anchorena, Jose M. Paz, Dalmacio Velez Sarsfield, on behalf of the government of Buenos Ayres; and of Luiz Jose do la Pena, Pedro Ferrel, Fecund° Zuviria, acting in the name of the Pro visional Director Unpin. PARAGUAY. Sir Chas. Hothamarriiedii the Locust at Buenos Ayres from Paraguay on the 26th March, having concluded a treaty with the president of that re public. The chief provisions of the treaty are be lieved to be the following: British subjects are free to navigate the banks of the rivers of Paraguay ; British traders may settle and carry on commerce in any of their towns, instead of being restricted to Assumption, as hitherto. Finally, they may marry the daughters of the country—a privilege from which they have until now been debarred. Similar treaties have been made with France, the United 'States, and Sardinia. It is to be hoped that the . . signature of this treaty is but the commencement of longer and worthier reforms in the commercial sys tem of this country, hitherto the type of exclu siveness. It is stated that tho President of Paraguay would only consent to sign the treaties on the condition that the several plenipotentiaries should undertake to use their good offices with tho court of Brazil to obtain a favourable treaty regulating the frontiers of the two countries. It is said that he wants about twenty leagues of tho territory at present subjeet to Brazil. (For Commercial Intelligence, see page 4.) BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO, Aran. 13. The report on 'Change to-day is that Urquiza in person was besieging Buenos Ayres with a force of 8,000 men, backed by promises of assistance from the Brazilian government, which wishes to change the Argentine Republic to a monarchy, and make Ur quiza its head, but the truth of this report 1 do not guarantee. The yellow fever is still rife at Rio. Much praise is due to the Rio Janeiran Board of Health for their care of the eases on board the shipping in harbour. A small steam-vessel, having a highly skilled medi cal man on board, visited the shipping daily, at 0 a.m., and again at 4 p.m., bringing away all con firmed cases to the Fever Hospital. \ easels re quiring the above medical attendance hoisted their national colours, or a black ball at their main mast head. Mr. Heneage, attache to our legation, has fallen a victim to the terrible yellow fever, consequently we have only the Hon. Mr. Jerningham left. We hope he may tie spared to us, and one thing is certain, should he escape the fever he will not fall a victim to the laborious duties of his office. (For Commercial Intelligence, see page 4.) THE REBELLION IN CHINA. CHINESE PROCLAMATION. The following items of information respecting the Chinese insurrection are taken from a supplement to the Overland Friend of China : It was reported on Saturday, the sth of March, that Kew-keang, in the province of Keang-se, fell into the hands of the rebels on the 2tth of February; and that the rebels proceeded thence to (loan-k'hing and Woo-hoo. It was also stated that Luh, the governor of Keang-nan, had re tired upon Nanking which was in considerable danger. The inhabitants of Nanking and Soochow were in great consternation, and fleeing in all directions. The gentry of Shanghae had invited 300 village braves to guard against the disturbances that might be excited by local banditti. The price of gold and rice had risen considerably ; while vessels intended to convey the emperor's rice by sea to the capital, from the provinces of lieangnan end Chekeang were few in number, containing only about 6,000 or 7,000 peculs ; all which circumstances are icdicative of political troubles. Despatches have been received by his Excellency the Taoutaa from the governor of Keangsoo, requiring him to implore the foreign consuls to send immediate as sistance to Nanking, and stating, as we understood, that unless foreign aid were afforded, the city of Nanking must fall into the hands of the insurgents, who are represented to amount te above 30,000 men ; probably 20,000 may be nearer the number. Rumour said a meet ing of the foreign consuls was to take place for consideration of the subject. We are credibly informed, however, that no such meeting was contemplated, and, indeed it is evident that without forces and steamers were sent up hither from Hong Kong—no foreign assistance could be afforded worth notice—independent of its being the best policy of all civilised powers to leave the Chines to settle their own disputes, and not interfere prematurely, so as to risk the future opportunity that will, in all proba bility, arise ere long, to mediate effectually, and for the benefit of the world at large, by the extension of facilities for commercial and general intercourse with the Chinese throughout this vast empire. We are informed on very credible authority that the insurgents, after having arrived at Kew-keang and Onanhwny, took possession of all the trading vessels anchored at the various towns and markets along the banks of the Yang-tsze-keang, having embarked on board of which they pushed on in an easterly direction. The imperialists say that, on account of the breadth of the river, their army could not arrest their progress. The lorchas sent up by the Taon-tae of Shangbae were found unequal to the emergency, and the insurgents have arrived in heat of Nanking, where they were on the evening of the 13th (when the last accounts came away) threatening every moment to attack the city, which we. in the greatest danger.—North CAiesa Herald, PROCLAMATIONS OF THE INSURGENT CHIEFS. (Truestated by Dr. Neffituret4 "In the first year of the Emperor Tee-ping (Great Tranquillity) of the Ilow-ming or Later Ming Dynasty, in the 6th day of the 3rd moon (April 23, 1852), the revolu tionary army, in five divisions, obtained a second victory, when a servant of the new dynasty, in command of the advanced guard, named Tsang•saa-sew respectfully trans scribed the following proclamation Kwo, the great general, having chief superintendence of the forces now in possession of the region about Hoo-pih province, makes this proclamation. In judging of the rise or fall of em. pies., we see that when a power loses the affections of the people it will soon be broken ; and in ascer taining the gracious or unfavourable disposition of the mind of Heaven, we find that a r ower posseu jag virtue will increase in strength. The Tshing, or Man chow dynasty, for the last 200 years, has been irregular in the arrangement of official dignities, while the complaints of the people have not been attended to; but our Emperor Teen-tih, with one burst of anger has pacified the people ; for these three years past he has been attacking the oppressor; sileatly fathoming the destinies accordiug to which dynasties survive or perish, he has now raised an army for the defence of benevolence and righteousness ; se has compassionated your determined scholars and virtuous inhabitants of Hoo-kwang, till his most tender feelings are exhausted, and has slaugh tered the ravenous officers and abandoued magistrates till he is tired of the carnage; now you scholars and people, having vigorously resolved to make common cause with him against the enemy, must not flinch from your resolu tion. Those who are rich among you must according to your wealth contribute to the support of the troops; and those who are poor must select the youngest and stoutest of our number to swell the ranks of our army. Whoever can take alive one of these mandarins, whether military or civil, shall be rewarded with 10,000 pieces of money, and whoever can bring in one of their heads shall receive 3,000. But should any dare to disobey our commands, we have resolved to pillage their cities; let them not, therefore, lay up cause for future reg rets : for which purpose this specici proclamation is issued. " Heaven originally favours the virtuous, and all men naturally possess a certain degree of talent. From the ear liest antiquity attention has been paid to suitable apparel, and from the most remote ages regard has been hail to ce remony and music; but now these roamers of the barren desert have entered our palaces, and these inhabitants of bare mountains have taken possession of our halls. They have not followed the regulations of Yaou and Shun in the government of the country, but have made human beings assume the appearance of ir rational animals. Those who diligently study the works of Confucius and Mencius, seldom succeed, through the medium of the literary examinations, in attain ing official dignity, while those who make use of pecuniary considerations frequently attain to the highest posts of mili tmayry n a a n m d e ei o v n il ra ina n i k ta . tio l n , s o u r ch th a e on p e h , i h loso ave ph h e i r th e er h to wa co u n g ee .t. a z l e ed ), whose residence was at Pohae, and (like the patriot Leu. : shan3) who dwelt in retirement at Ilan-liwa, also (follow kept log the esample of Ilea - yew) w ho ept secret au 44 .. of himself at Kesan, further (treading in tlio of Leu-sbang) who concealed his name at Wei-sl t S ru — s My ancestors by • lineal d e sc en t h ave been ti; subjects of the Ming dynasty ; f rom t h at day to this upwards of 200 years have elapsed, arid none o f them to the day of their death have ever bre vets the imps of the Tartar dynasty. I myself h av i ng no des4.-- for the emoluments conferred by the Manchows, ha re .- hi therto remained in a private station, b u t now seeing so oppressed by this tyrannical government, and obsJm how the rapacious officers and corrupt magistrates, with o, the slightest regard fur the country 'fettle people, have uni. fortnly offended against the principles of tieuevoleace sad rectitude, thus causing you people to be estranged st oats from each other and from virtue, and to fall into calaair e without any fault of your own; whether high or low, ? 1 seem contending alike for gain: whether courtier °Felon. none appear to aid any other in the practice of virtue ; e st , aidering, farther, that the black-haired race have been for a long time oppressed, and that the general body of them. pie have no one to rely on, therefore 1 have letliforth my brute warriors, and furbished my spears and swords; thus wan t , our energies in defence of righteousness we press forou r i lin the attack, and raising the virtuous standard we intend first—to overturn the dynasty, and then—proceed to kiwi,. fast. We reverently worship the Deity (Shangste) in ord er to protect the people. We simply arrange our plans for attacking and killing the tyrant, and fur • time we ant forth our armies in imitation of Ching-ehang, and Wo o ; wang. But you Tartars, having no wise counsellors or planning statesmen, and being equally destitute of bray s generals and good soldiers, have hastily assembled the get• and elders to collect and drill their neighbours, and ba violently urged the village braves to turn out in roiled ? , fence ; the ancients employed a standing army to protect the people, but you now drive the peaple to bio me soldiers. You frequently complain of distress ci ga l to that of splitting boner, and when our troops advance in the least degree, you abandon the p r y. tection of the people, and are the first to run away alone Now you may know that the generals a n d soldiers olio; state have conceived the determination to proceed eon. ward, and have the ability to borrow the eastern wind wh et we need it. We, both prince and people, are in pOlintigg of great intelligence, and heaven-conferred courage: boo is it then that you Tar:ars do not know that it is time is collect your scattered bones, and fire the signal beacons ig indication of your terror ; thus displaying our illustrious virtue, and imitating the states of Yu and key, who b ut of regard to the virtue of Wanwang) settled their mntno differences. If you still remain ignorant of the signs of the coming empire, now that we, having determined to math our royal troops, with the attainment of our object foil in view, have but to gi re the signal for advance, and we wend the hill of our hopes and dash through the barrier that op. poses our progress; then when you had no &fence in !iu iron-bound citadel, nor repose in your pearly palaces, ti what use will be your unavailing regrets." Here follows a description of the persons of the revolu tionary chiefa, as given by the friends of the goverunett. Hung-sew-tseuen, who assumes the title of '1" hopira wang, great pscificatiog king, is 41 years of age, tall in s: s . ture, with • red face, sandy beard, and • native of lira heen, in Canton province (lat. 21 deg. 37 min. N., lon. 110 deg 48 min. E.). The name and surname of this ic4i• vidual are falsely reported his true name is not known. The agents of the imperial army have not been able to as. certain it correctly. Yang-sew-tsing, who assumes the title of Tung wing, eastern king, is 34 years of age, marked with the small pox, and wearing moustaches. Ile married the elder sister of Hung-seu-tseuen. Seaou chosen kwci, who assumes the title of Se-wiag (western king), is 30 sears of age, of • fair complexiso, without moustaches. Ile married the younger sister of Hungsew-tseuen. Ile is a native of Kwang-se (lat. 23.7 N., len. 101.19 Ii ). This man is sild to be very courageous in military matters. Fang-yun-san, who assumes the little of tan -wit; (southern king), is 32 years of age, of a pale complexix, and small moustaches. He also is a native of Hwa.lieen, Cantos, and is a literary graduate of the rank of &o boe._ Wei-thing, also called Wei.ch'bang.bwuy, assumes the title of Pih-wang, or northern king, is 24 years of age, tat, of a dark compleziEb, with a small moust.che, and is ass. tire of Ping-nan, in Kwang.se (lat. 23.32 N., lon. 110.3 E). Fung-jih-ch'hang, who assumes the title of Chia , - seang, chief minister, seated on the left hand, is 37 years of age ; he is of a light complexion, having a small maustade, and is a native of Hwa-heen, in Canton province. Shih-ta-k'hae, who assumes the title of second minister, seated on the right hand ; he is of a dark e^mplexion, with a long neck, small mourache ' and is a native of UT ching, in Canton (lat. 23.5 N., lon. 113.50 E.) He is j years of age, is slightly acquainted with literature, arid draws up all the proclamations issued by the revolutionist , . Tsang-can-sew assumes the title of general of the army is advance. Lo-ta-kang, or Lo-a-wang, assumes the title of lientenset• general of the army in advance. This man is called by te revolutionists Lo to-ko, and is very courageous. Hoo-e see and Tung-se bath assume the title of genenl of the guards. Choo-seih•kwan assumes the title of inspector-general. Lae-hen-ying and Lae-han-kwang are the brothers:of t:e wives of Hung-sew-tstuen ; they have assumed the title o; chiefs of the guards, but have not been especially appoiatel to any office. Seaou•chaou-p'hun, Tang-san.yay, T'hoo-yih-yay, are employed by the revolutionists as counsellors. The above names are those only which are known; there are besides many who give their advice on oceret affairs cf state, whose names arc not known. The revolutionists hase also their inspectors of troops, their paymasters, their impe rial guards, their masters of the horse, their surveyors, their officers in charge of the signal department, all of what wear yellow scarfs, and yellow kerchiefs; these are sa dignified with the title of excellency. Besides these there are some who wear red, green, and flowered scoffs, u their distinguishing marks ; while those who wear rea sad black scarfs, urge the people to enter into their confederate —the oath they administer is to the following effect " Lit those who do not heartily unite with us be blown away from guns, or be cut in pieces with swords, or be thrown into the sea." The revolutionists have set up several female school!, over the doors of which there is written on red paper " This is the place where young females reside, should any one presume to enter in a disorderly manner, he will be beheaded." The revolutionists have marshalled their army according to the following arrangement :—A Kwan•chang, sergeant, has charge of 2d men; a Pih•chang, lieutenant, take charge of four sergeants, or 100 men ; a Leu-suh, captain, superintends four lieutenants, or 400 men; a Sze•sub. colonel, has the command over four captains, or 1,60) men • and a Koun-suh, brigadier, is over four colonels of 8,400 men. Last year it was reported that the revolutionist chief Wei-eking, assumed the title of T'hae-ping-wang, great pacificating king, and had Yang-sew tsing and Chin-yob shoo as his chief ministers ; also he had Lesng-chaou-heung, and Leaou-pa, as his generals. Besides which Wei•yuea-chin and Wei-yuen-kwang were his uncles ; Wei-nsng and Wei son were his brother.; also Wei-heen, Wei•sze, Wei-san, Wei-luh, were his cousins ; and Fung-yan•san was his military adviser. Besides these, Hoo-e•kw:mg, Chin-k'hae, Chang-a-ho, and Lin-a-Chang, were all dis tinguished chiefs in bigamy. It is also reported that one revolutionary chief, called Choc-keg-tams, is superior to Hung-sew-tseuen ; and it if said that at How-Vhow-san, when he arrived in Hoe-nan, all the revolutionary chiefs came out to receive him on their knees. They also slaughtered oxen and pigs, and had feast for three days on the occasion.* This was only once i reported, but not afterwards mentioned. Hung, captain-general of the army, having entire super intendence of military affairs, and aiding in the advance ment of the T . hae-ping, or Great Pacfficating Dynasty, in obedience to the will of heaven, issues this important and triumphant proclamation, to announce that he has punished the oppressor and leaved the people. It appears that, throughout the empire, rapacieue officers are worse than violent robbers, and the corrupt mandarins of the public offices are no better than wolves and tigers; all originating in the vicious and sottish monarch at the head of affairs, who drives honest people to a distance, and admits to his presence the most worthless of mankind, self lag offices and disposing of preferments, while he represses men of virtuous talent, that the spirit of avarice is daily inflamed, and high and low are contending together for gain ; the rich and great are abandoned to vice without con trol, while the poor and miserable have none to redress their wrongs; the very recital of which exasperates one 's feelings, and makes one's hair stand on end. To refer to the ease of the land revenue in particular, it appears that of late the exactions have been increased many fold, while the taxes due up to the thirtieth year of the last King's reign were at one time said to be remitted, and then again exacted, until the resources of the peoplo are exhausted, and their miseries grown to excess. 'When our benevolent men and virtuous scholars contemplate these things, their minds are deeply wounded, and they cannot restrain themselves from rooting out these plundering offi cers and wolfish mandarins of each prefecture and district, in order to save the people front the flames and floods in which they are now involved. At the present moment our grand army is assembled like clouds, the province of Kwang se has been settled and Chang sha (the capital of Hoo nan) tranquillised ; and, being now about to proceed towards the region of Kiang-se, we deem it necessary to announce to the people that they need not be alarmed; while agriculturists, mechanica,merchants,and traders may each peacefullypursue their occupations. It is necessary, however, that the rich should have in readiness stores of provisions, to aid in the sustenance of our troops ; let each clearly report the amount of their contributions to this object, and we will furnish them with receipts, as security that hereafter the menu shall be all repaid. Should there be any bold and strong men or wise counsellors among you, let them with one heart and effort aid us in our great design ; and when tranquillity is restored, we will have them promoted and rewarded according to their merit. All the officers of pre fectures and districts who resist us shall be beheaded: but those who are ready to comply with our requisitions, must forthwith send in to us their seals of office, and then they may retire to their native villages. With regard to the rab ble of wolfish policemen, we shall, as soon as we succeeds hang up their heads as a warning to all. Being now appre hensive lest local banditti should take occasion from our movements to breed disturbances, we wish you WO clearly to report the same, and we will immediately ester minate them. If any of the citizens or villagers dare to assist the marauding mandarins in their tvauny, and te a ' our troops , and adherents, no matter whether they re' side in great or small places, we will sv,eep them from tu • Illla is probably " the cooling man," a eettendant c f the er: porora of the Min; .Istalty. who 1021 luy claim to the tat:rt.-14. vet 01:i hui soo siol hot lo