The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-27 00:00:00

AMERICA.

The Royal Mail steamship Europa, Captain Muir,
which sailed from Boston on the 13th and Halifax
on the 15th inst., arrived in the Mersey shortly
after four o'clock yesterday morning, pia Queens-
town, where she called to land mails andpeasengers.
At the departure of the mail from New York
reports were in circulation there that General
Hooker had made a forward movement, and
was again across the Potomac. Late telegrams,
eia Cape Race, announce, however, that these re-
=ere incorrect. The Evening Post states that
Halleck was about to take the field in
person ; not with the purpose of relieving General
Hooker from his command, but that be may be in
the very presence of events, and be better able to
influence their general direction.
General Grant has been successful almost beyond
expectation in his new movement against Vicks-
I burg. His landing below Grand Gulf is already
known. On the 9th a despatch from him was
received at the War Department, announcing that,
after landing at Boulingsburgh, on the 30th ult.,
he moved immediately on Port Gibson, four miles
south of which place, on the morning of the lot
inst., be met the enemy, 11,000 strong. An en-
gagement ensued, lasting all day, and resulting in
the entire rout of the rebels, with the loss of many
killed and about 500 prisoners, besides the
wounded, the Federal loss being about 100
killed and 500 wounded. The enemy, thoroughly
demoralised, retreated towards Vicksburg, de-
stroying two bridges on their way. These, how-
ever, were speedily rebuilt, and the pursuit was
continued. Four cannon were captured, together
with some stores. General Grant says the country
is broken and difficult to operate in. A despatch,
published on the 10th, states that on the 7th the
main army was 30 miles up the Big Black River,
marching on the rear of Vicksburg, and the men
enthusiastic at the prospect of speedy success.
Later accounts state that General Grant's forces
had invested Jackson, the capital of Mississippi,
45 miles in the rear of Vicksburg, and at the cross-
ing of the railroads leadiag north, south, east, and
west. The Confederates thus had no way of settina
out of Vicksburg except by cutting their way
through the Federal forces, and their communica-
tions were so effectually destroyed that no sub-
sistence, it was thought, could reach them.
A late telegram in the Halifax papers of the
15th says :
General Grant had a severe fight with General Bowen at
Clinton, 10 miles from Jackson, which lasted all day, until
the Confederates ware finally driven back towards the latter
place. Confederate repels state that a large force is coming
from Mobile and Charleston to prevent the capture of
Jackson and Vicksburg, sad that General Grant had fallen
bark to the river to await reisforcements. The Jackson
Appeal aye that the capture of L the Gailf is of little con-
segueing, Big Black River being unnavigable. It thinks that
• groat battle. involving the fate of Vicksburg, will be
fought son is the open Mil.
The New York Timer thus refers to the success-
ful raids of the Federal cavalry in losteru Virginia
and Mississippi The New York Tiger is of opinion
that the absence of anything like effective opposi-
tion to these operations proves the South to be
in a very exhausted condition.
It in asserted that Lee had under his command
from 120,000 to 140,000 men ; in fact, that the
whole Confoderatearmy of the east was concentrated
upon the Rappahannock.

MUSIC.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Lucia di Lammermoor was performed at this
theatre last night for the debut of Signor Seraglio, • new
tenor, who appeared in the character of Edgardo, or Edgar
Ravenswood. We know nothing of Signor Baraglia'a ante-
codenta, but he is evidently experienced in the business of
UN stage, and pc:awed of considerable talent.
The opera was followed by the first performance of a
new ballet called Bianchi e Beim (whites and blacks). The
subject is drawn from an odd source for a ballet—" Uncle
Tom's Cabin," some of the incidents of Mrs. Stowe's tale
being pictured in dumb-how, and interlarded with a pro-
' fusion of dancing, the greeted part of which has no earthly
relation to the subject.