The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-12 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 12, 1864.

AMERICA.

(110T111.8 reutowd.)
[A. portion of the following appeared in the greater
part of our impression of Saturday:)

The Royal Mail steamship Australasian, from
New York on the lit December, arrived at Queens-
town at 11 a.m. ou Saturday, and at Liverpool yes-
terday. She brings 58 passengers and 559,260 dolls.
in specie. She made the passage to Queenstown in
nine days.

NEW YORK, Nov. 30,1
Richmond papers anticipate that if Sherman
captures Charleston or Savannah be will transfer
his army to Grant. They expect the James River
fleet will proceed to Savannah to co-operate with
Sherman.

Hood is reported to have occupied Huntsville
and Decatur. His main army, 40,000 strong, was
concentrated south of Columbia on the 26th. He
assaulted the works at Columbia south of the
Duck River, and was badly repulsed. A small
Confederate cavalry force succeeded, however, in
crossing the Duck River. It is supposed that Hood
will move east across the Chattanooga River to co-
operate with Breckenridge.
It is said that Forrest is provided with pontoons
to cross the Tennessee River at Chiekagow, and is
marching, in connexion with Hook's army, through
Tennessee to Cumberland Gap.

General Thomas has retreated to Franklin to
meet the reinforcements which are on their way to
him.

The Florida has been run into by a Federal
transport off Fort Munroe. She was badly da-
maged, and sunk in wine fathoms' water.

The New York World thinks the pretence of
accident too shallow to deceive anyone, but adds
that it is possible the government bad no com-
plicity in the transaction.
Early reports that Sheridan's cavalry had been
repulsed beyond Mount Jackson, whence they
were pursued and driven beyond Edinburgh
in confusion, leaving their dead and wounded.

Two thousand Confederates had made a raid on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railway at New Creek,
where they captured a Federal force, and destroyed
the warehouses and stores.

It is reported that Ewell's corps had moved
southward from Lee's army.

It is denied that Sheridan bad reinforced Grant.
General Dix bas announced that the emissaries
of the agents connected with the plot to burn
the city will, if arrested, be tried by court-martial ;
if convicted, they will be executed as spies. More
suspicious persons have been arrested, and a large
reward is offered for the offenders.

All Southerners are ordered to register their
names, or they will be regarded as spies.
Mr. Seward has refused to present the British
peace address to Mr. Lincoln.
The Confederate Congress had unanimously
rejected the proposition conciliatory to the United
States, and favouring pacific measures on the
basis of the recognition of state rights, and the
original statutes of slavery.
The Canadian government had refused the re-
quest of the St. Albans raiders to refer to Rich-
mond for evidence of their connexion with the Con-
federate government.
The Tallahassee and the Chickamauga have ar-
rived at Wilmington.

NEW YORE, Die. 1

The latest Tennessee despatches report that
skirmishes take place daily between the forces of
Generals Thomas and Hood.

The Confederate cavalry attacked the Union
garrison at Shelbyville on Monday last, but were
repulsed.
The railroad from Nashville to Chattanooga is
still unbroken, although bands of the Confederate
cavalry are prowling near it.

,deices from City Point state that heavy artil-
lery and musketry firing commenced at an early
hour on Tuesday last, and continued up to eleven
o'clock. The gunboats were thought to be taking
part in the engagement, but particulars have not
yet been received.
Further details have come in respecting General
Payne's raid upon New Creek, on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. The Federal garrison were sur_
prised, and most of them captured. The Confede-
rates blew up the earthworks, destroyed the depot,
and a large quantity of government supplies.
The arrival of General Slocum's left wing of
Sherman's army, numbering 16,000 strong, at
Madison, and the burning of the town, is announced.
The excitement at Augusta was very great, and
the place is in urgent need of troops. It is pro-
posed to impress the negroes.
According to the Rseltinond Enquirer of Friday
last, 13,000 Union prisoners confined at Salisbury,
North Carolina, attempted to escape. They suc-
ceeded in overpowering the interior guard of their
intrenchment, and were engaged iu fighting the
outside guard, when the artillery was opened upon
them, and about 40 prisoners were killed and a large
number wounded.

A Newbern despatch of the 27th ult. reports
that all the available Confederate troops in North
Carolina have been sent to the assistance of
Georgia. General Bragg is In command of the
Confederate depot in North Carolina.
Confederate prisoners state that the Federal ex-
pedition against Wilmington has been abandoned.
Governor Vance expected to be elected to the
Richmond Senate.

government to despatch a messenger to Richmond to obtain
evidence, alleged to be material to their defence had been
rejected. It is understood t►at the government bass con-
sidered the raiders to be undergoing examination upon
ch►rges making them amenable to the extradition treaty,
and that evidence procured at Richmond, while it might
be very material if the raiders were before a United States
court, in of little consequence at this stage of the pro-
ceedings.

It is stated that the Canadian government will
probably introduce into parliament a measure for
the prevention, by more stringent enactment. of
any repetition of the St. Alban's raid.
It is reported that ex-General M'Clellan has re-
ceived the appointment of engineer in chief of the
Morris and Essex railroads in New Jersey, with a
salary of 26,000 dole. per annum.
The Herald of the 27th ult. publishes two
columns of extracts from Southern papers, to which
it gives the following headings .—"A divided
South"—"Jeff. Davis Reaping the Whirlwind"—
" He is accused of Endeavouring to make Himself
Dictator"—" A Storm of Indignation aroused by
his wholesale Conscription Policy"—" It is de-
clared to be the Overthrow of all Civil Liberty"—
" All Secret Sessions denounced." The articles are
written in very strong terms, and seem to be the
expression of great discontent