The Express.
London, England, 1864-08-22 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 1864.

AKE:RIOA.

(uturn's muss.)
LIVERPOOL, SAroanLy.

The Royal Mail steamship Scotia, Captain Jud-
kins, from New York on the 10th inst., has arrived,
bringing 140 passengers and 69,000 dole. in specie.

NEW YORK, Accurr 10.
All is reported quiet in front of Petersburg. It
is thought that the Confederates are meditating
early and important offensive operations. On the
afternoon of the 6th inst. they exploded a mine in
front of the bth Corps, but little damage was done,
as the mine did not reach the Federal works by
about 40 feet. The Confederates started to make a
charge after the explosion, but fell back on ascer-
taining the failure of the mine. Some heavy
musketry firing ensued, continuing for some time,
but without any important result. The Court of
Inquiry convened to investigate the cause of the
failure of the attack on the 30th ult.. referred the
case back to head-quarters. It is said that General
Burnside was implicated with the cause of the
disaster.

Prince George's Court House was burned by
Federal troops on the 7th. It was a wanton act ow
the part of the troops, and not in obeyanoe of any
instruction from their oflioers.
The Federals continue to suffer on account of the
scarcity of drinking water.
General Grant has returned to the army of the
Potomac.

A Harper's Ferry despatch reports the forces
under General Early to be still at Winchester in
the Shenandoah valley. Nothing definite seems to
have been ascertained in relation to their future
operations. They have already secured the rich
crops of the Shenandoah Valley.
It is reported that the raiders, under Generals
M`Causland and Bradley Johnson, were overtaken
and utterly routed at Moorefield by General
Averill, who captured all their artillery and about
500 prisoners. The Federala abandoned the pursuit
on account of the exhausted condition of their
horses.

It is not believed that the Confederates have any
org►nised force north of the Potomac. A concen-
tration of Federal troops is in progress, with a view,
it is said, to attack the main body of the Confede-
rates, under Early, at Winchester. It has been
rumoured that Early, after securing the crops on the
Shenandoah, would receive heavy reinforcements
and move against Pittsburg, Wheeling, and Cin-
cinnati

General Sheridan has been placed in command
of the departments of the Upper Potomac and West
Virginia
. . . . . _

AI last accounts the situation at Atlanta remained
unchanged. General Sherman was strengthening
his position, and vigorously preparing his siege
operations. Hood maintained his lines, and was
thought to be making every exertion to interfere
with Sherman's communications. It was reported
that large bodies of Georgia militia had reinforced
Atlanta.

The report of the capture by the Confederates
of General Stoneman and a portion of his command
is fully confirmed, but no additional details are
furnished.

Richmond papers also state that the Federals had
occupied Dauphin Island, near Mobile, and predict
that they will make it a base for siege operations
against that city.
The capture of Mobile is confidently predicted at
Washington, although it is known that the river
defences of the harbour are of peat strength. It
is also believed that Farratrut's operations will
oblige Hood to send reinforcements to the garrison
of the city, thereby creating an important diversion
in favour of General Sherman.
North Carolina advicea state that the Confede-
rates are making great exertions to organise their
navy in the waters of that State. The ram
Albemarle has been greatly strengthened, and now
lies at Plymouth under the command of Captain
Mafht, formerly of the Florida. Another powerful
ram is nearly completed at Edward's Fey, and a
large floating battery is being built in the Roanoke
river.

South Carolina advices to the bth report a heavy
bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston in
progress. The Federal officers placed under fire
at Charleston, and the Confederate offioers held
under fire on Morris Islaad by General Foster in
retaliation, have been exchanged. This releases,
on either side, five generals, and forty-five field
officers.

It is reported that there are now at Andereonville,
South Carolina, over thirty thousand Federal pri-
soners, and that over two thousand died there
during the month of June. _ .

General Birney recently made a very successful
raid into Florida, destroying several bridges and •
portion of the railroad between Fernandina and
Baldwin.

Severslof the New England States arenow vigor-
ously recruiting, through special agents among the
blacks in General Foster's department, to fill their
State quotas under the recent call for troops. The
Massachusetts agents are said to have already
secured a great number of recruits.
A plot to capture and destroy Buffalo is said to
have been discovered in Canada among the
secessionists there. It is said that they have
organised a large force for this purpose, and that
they also propose to destroy a large portion of the
Erie Canal. The Provost-bfarslial of Buffalo
announced the discovery of the plot to General
Dix, whole reported to have replied that be already
knew of the conspiracy, but had no means at his
immediate command to prevent its consummation,
and that the city must rely for the present for
defence upon its local militia.
It has been currently reported for some time
that, in consideration of the wishes of several pro-
minent republicans, in addition to the urgent de-
mands of the democratic masses, General M'Clellan
would soon be placed in an important command.
The Washington Star (considered an official journal)
denies that the administration has been .143 impor-
tuned, or that it in any way purposes restoring
M'Clellan to active service.

A M'Clellan mus meeting is to be held in this
city this evening, and a great demonstration is
Al-.
'rhe Washington correspondent of the New York
Times telegraphs as follows :

Washington, August 9.

A cabinet meeting wu held to-day, at which questions of
state policy of mote than ordinary interest and importance
were discumd. It is 000fideetly stated by thou who are
on intimate political and modal relations with different
members of the cabinet, that Secretary Stanton bed re-
signed, and that the President hen accepted his remignatioe.
It ia not, however, positively known that such is the fact.

R[LIASE OF PRIIOONERS AT BOICHAEA. —A de-
spatch received is St. Petersburg endgame that four
fereigsers fares Italians and one Frenchman), together
with thbtese Ruseide, have been released by the Emir of
Bokbara, after haviag bees imprinted for a year. Wham
the imprisonment of the four period became known is
January last, the Italian government immediately mot an
agent, M. Bonhomme, to do what he could in the matter.
Provided with bitters from the Sultan, the Viceroy of
Egypt, and other Mohammedan sovereigns, M. Boohoo:1ms
=idto travel to %khan through India, but was dia.
dby the Viceroy, as hie death would have been
immured by so doinft, on account of the Emir regarding all
Europeans as Englishmen, and entartaining• modal hatred
to them. M. Beallomme thee travelled through Persia to
Bead, the only country with which the Emir holds regular
; but even in Russia he was advised cot to make
the venture, and thus he could oily forward his letters
threogh the officials. The letters, however, remained as-
sawresed, as the Emir is not partial to such means of oda.
eadicatioa, and bad only sent ow answer to four letters
from the Rainiest commandant at Orenburg. Notwith-
standisg all these difficulties the prided§ are now
liberated, and M. Bonhomme has returned to Italy from St
Petersburg.

FRANCE.

(nom ova OWN

Biroanar.
The tins* chosen for the loyal Spanish visit was
unpropitious ; events at home and abroad and the
weather have all conspired to interrupt the harmony
of the reception. Queen Christina, who was to
have received his Majesty's visit to-morrow at
Havre, has been suddenly summoned to Paris ; her
daughter was taken unexpectedly ill, and to-day is
dead—" Madame se meurt, Madame eat morte."
The question now asked is, will the fetes proceed
The Spanish colony stands aloof, and though a con-
siderable pressure was exercised by government the
King of Spain's levee was a failure. The absence
in his suite of such a crowd of illustrious country-
men as would at one time have followed a Spanish
monarch to Paris has added to the tameness of the
royal exhibition. The democratic party, by means
of its chief exponent, draws attention to the
troubled state of Madrid, and quite in a philan-
thropic way considers the probability of Spain
passing through a severe political crisis. The
Opinion Nationale in a spirited article, which may
draw down upon it the sharp claw of
the violent inimiest&-- mho wasehes over
the fortunes of the French press, comments on all
the absurd predictions born of this visit. The
King was said to have come here to heal some
latent soreness occasioned by divergence of opinion
in Mexico. Now that the cure is complete more
conquests are to be made across the Atlantic and
other kingdoms regenerated for the special benefit
of European princelings This is the Quixotic
manner in which some papers have been writing.
The Opinion declares that France will stand
no more Alberoni's nonsense about Latin
'races • her sons care but little to-day from what
distant stock they come, they only remember that
they seethe emancipated sons of the Constitutional
Assembly and the Convention ; wherever men are
found who believe in liberty and equality they are
the brothers of France. The Hampden and Sidney
of England and the Washington and Jefferson of
America are dearer than the Spain of all the
Alberonis past and present.
The iron-plated frigate Valeureuse has just been
launched at Brest.

With regard to the affair la Bastide de Beesplas,
it is stated that during the reading of the act of
accusation the two accused men, Latour and
Audony, were attentively examined. Latour is
dark, and has a hard expression ; his eye is black
and brilliant, and be looked around the court with
assuranos. The lower part of his face projects, and
gives him a menacing air, and be is of middle height.
Audony, nicknamed Hercules, has a large head,
forehead, and face; his neck is muscular, and his
shoulders broad. He remains nearly always with
his arms crossed. His voice is feeble, and contrasts
strangely with his powerful frame. The accused
listened to the reading of the act, which seeks to
throw upon them the culpability of the death of
four persons, with great attention. Latour assumed
at times an astonished air, as if he was hearing
something quite new to him. Audony seldom
lifted his eyes, and he was remarked to redden when
a description was given of the horrible way in which
the bodies of the murdered people had been
mutilated. The number of witnesses tobe examined
amounts to no lees than 150, and amongst them two
sisters of IL de Lasalle, who sobbed aloud when their
names were Galled. At mid-day the president with
his assistants took his seat, and the boldness of
extraordinary session was commenced. Jacques
Latour suddenly rose, and demanded of the presi-
dent that& certain postillion who could give evi-
dence in his favour should be sent for. The Pro-
cureur-General took a note' of this request, and
then, after a few preliminary questions with regard
.to Latour's occupations and whereabouts at different
epochs, the judge asked him if he had ever asked
say questions with regard to the habits of the
inmates of Halliard. " Never. You shall ask your
witnesses. I shall examine them (hilarity), and we
shall soon see who is in error." The prisoner ad-
mitted having gone to the chateau to buy a chicken,
addressing himself to Pelagie Becheyre, ore of the
victims. You went into the chateau to buy the
chicken i No, sir, I remained outside. We talked
a little together. She told me, laughingly, " Wait,
I'll show you a pretty girl of fifteen years old." I
said on seeing her, " She has not had them long."
She then offered me a chicken, which she let me
have for a franc and a half. She asked me where I
was going. I said, "By the road," when she told
me I had better pass through the garden. It was
then she asked me if I was married. I said no.
Well, said she, if you would like to be married at
' la Bastide, I have five or six nieces, and you shall
have your choice.
After this conversation, curious if true, thus re-
lated by the prisoner, the examination turned upon
his previous crimes and accusations. He averted
that he was a phenomenon of Providence, who had
ordained that he should be brought before the
&mires of Ariege to attest his innocence. He
acknowledged, after giving a rapid sketch of his
life up to the time of his apprehension, his stay in
the neighbourhood of Labastule.
Q. I am about to ask you an important question.
A comb was found on the bed of Raymonde Berge;
some of its teeth were broken. The prisoners at
Toulouse, where you were confined, state that that
comb is yours.—Latour declared that he had never
owned such a comb as the one described.
After a few more questions which had little
bearing on the culpability of the accused, the sitting
was suspended. When the judge came back to court
the preliminary examination of Audony was com-
menced.

A series of papers addressed by MM.
Davanne and Girard to the Academy of Sciences
ou the subject of photography, make some curious
revelations with regard to the waste of precious
metals in the operation. For instance, the silver
alone which is employed for photographs in Paris
amounts to several millions of franca. Now as only
3 per cent. of the silver employed remains on the
photograph, 97 per cent, will continue to be lost
unless some method be found for recovering it.
MM. Davanne and Girard, who make this startling
announcement, propose that plates of copper be
put into the argentiferum liquid, whereby in the
course of three or four days the silver will be
precipitated in a spongy state.
Letters from Italy mention the death of another
notorious brigand, called Nardini, better known by
his sobriquet Formetta. He was shot dead by
some soldiers sent to capture him ; his wife at first
bewailed his lose, but soon cheered herself with the
idea that the late rather unscrupulous agent of a
fallen monarch was already in heaven receiving a
crown of martyrdom.

TER DISPATCH OP TER CHINA LND AUSTRALIAN
MAnn.—Sourtuarrrox, Armour 90.—The Fictionist and
Orionis' Compaq's steamship Delta, Captain Leckie, sailed
bloom this afternoon with the mails for Gibroltar, tho Mo.
diterrnnean, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon. India (aneept Bombay),
Oi" Australia, New Zealand, Ac., togothir with 4/3 Brat
and J 8 wood alum passenger' ; amongst whom are Acting
Doputy-Aanstant Commimary Gmeral Hamm, Dr. Hops,
Lieutenant Hon. E. L Mostyn, R.N., Captains C°
Knox, Thoomon, sod Dakoryce, Command= Brooksl
Lyon, Rm. Mr. Cogbl&n, and Ensign Dooms. The Delta
took out 92 be= spode, yaks 67,859/., for the following
pats, vi..:—Mauritius, gold sofa, 45,000/. Mad= ditto,
1,9051. ; silver min, 7s. ; goldl thread, 2,0021. Calcutta,j.wollory, Ac., 7741. ; homonym. 10,000/. Siogapore, dollars,
6001. Hoeg Ileagelsners, 1.11201. 10s. ; jewellery, 1,1131.
Foo Chow. isirellsey. 921. Elhangbao, bar silver, 9001.
=tam 2461. 10.. Xis( George's So nod, silver nob, 2001.
Hobson's Bay, Swellory, -2,3334 ; and for Sydney, jewellery,
SSW.

To MALI Baran.—To every pound of flour add
a tempeordul of Borwklee Baking Powder, with ► Ilttle ma, sad
thernaghly aft while i. a dry Mete thee pew cm radially
about half a plot of cold water, or milk end water, MMus
quickly but thoroughly Into a dough of the sisal eonalstenee,
taking ewe not to knead Minors thee 1s neareary to mix It per-
fectly. make it into snag loaresorbloh meat be immediately put
into anal& oven.—(Adreetimment.)