The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-16 00:00:00

JAMAICA.

Little has been done in the business of legislation
during the fortnight, in consequence of the heavy
weather with which the island has been visited since
the last packet left our shores, and which prevented
the Houseof Assembly from meeting for several days.
It commenced to rain on the 9th, and for 48 hours
a heavy down pour continued without intermission.
The rivers and mountain streams, swollen by the
rain, rushed down in impetuous torrents, sweeping
everything before them. Houses were washed
away, stores and dwellings inundated, and many
lives lost. For several days an entire stop was put
to travelling, and for a week the traffic on the rail-
way was suspended, and considerable c.:ainage done
to the line.

BAILORS' HONE, WELL-STREET, LONDON DOCKS.
E.—At a meeting of the director • held et the institutios ne
the 10th instant, Captain lion. Francis Maude, R.N., in the
chair, the secretary reported that the unueuelly large num-
ber oll,o7oseen,en had pawed through the Home during the
month, which fact was both gratifying end suggestive, in-
asmuch as it showed how greatly the lestitutina is appre-
ciated by the sailors frequeatiog We port. and how fully
justified the directors have bees m siakiog the necessary pre-
par ttime to meet these extraordinary demands by salami/mg
the building, which work is sow in satisfactory progress.
The monthly atentots wen laid before the board, sad
showed that 9.30131.. 154. 2d. bad been received from sailors,
and 4,2711. Ik. 2d. remitted to their Mends. The total
amount of costributioos towards the building [mad was
3,6991. 175.94.. deducting froiu which the two iostalmente
already paid to the builder. respectively 9,0001. arid 1,0001.,
sod other theideetal ex pone., left a balance of only 5491.
85. 9d, is hand to meet the furthoniniog demands in January
next of 1,500/. or 2,0001. The cost of the new building (by
contract) will be 10.62i2., without sttiegs, &c.
Hottxmax'a Tea is choice and strong, moderate
In prim. and wholesome to nos. Three advantages have secured
for this Tee a general preference, It is sold la packets by
alma& —(Advertlacineut.

[TWOPENCE

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

Aromramsy, Die. 15.—Arroumuns.—Naval
Cadets (ootniaatell).—W. W. Rivet* and G. H. Yaw.
Chief Leeman—J. Elaadius, to the Fwd, for the
Minotaur ; J. W. Germane, to the Asia, for the Termagant.

ADMIRALTY, Dic. 11.

The following promotions, datUl the 3rd instant, coolie-
quest on the death of Admiral of the Red John Ayr-
cough, on the 2nd instant, have this day takes plea :
Admiral of the White Sir Edward Harvey, K.C. to be
admiral of the red ; Admiral of the Blue Sir Jamae
Stirling, Knight, to be admiral of the white ; Vice-Ad-
miral the Right Hon. Charles Philip, Furl of Hardwick',
on the reserved list, to be admiral on the same list ; Vice-
Admiral of the Red Sir Henry Dus Chad", K.C.L. to
be admiral of the blue ; Vlos-Admiral of the White iiir
Robert Lambert Be)nee, K.C.8., to be vice admiral of
the red ; Vice-Admiral of the Blue the Right Hon. Lord
George Pante, C. 8., to be rioaadmiral of the white ;
Rear-Admirals William Harguod, Sir Thomas Raikes
Triggs Thompson, Bart, on the reserved list, to be vice-
scimirals on the same bat; Rear-Admiral of the Red
Robert Smart, K.H., to be eioe-admiral of the blue;
Rear-Admiral of the White Sir Lewis Tobiu Jones,
K.C.8., to be rear-admiral of the red; Rear-Admiral of
the Blue William Hoary Anderson Morehead, (:.8., to be
rearedmiral of the white. Captains Bartholomew James
Saliva*, CB.. Henry &got, lion. Walter Bourhier
IM-
Taeea:, Sir George Nathaniel Broke Middleton, Bart.,
C. 8., to be nu-admirals on the reserved lot ; Captain
George Gifford, C. 8.. to be rear.arltuirel of the blue.
Retired Vice-Admiral George Gerry Lemprirre to have
the rank sad title ad retired admiral, in purulence of the
Order in Council of 7th May, 1858.

PORTSMOUTH, Ore. 15.
A private correspondent, writing from New
Zealand, under date of the 4th of October, states that the
°wawa, ZS, meow frigate, Commodore Sir William S.
Wimmaa, Bart, was thee at Auckland, and that it was ex-
pected that she would laud some of her guns and form a
naval helicale for service ashore. The Fah, 21, screw-corvette,
Captain J. F. C. Muni/ton had arrived at Sydney, and was
to sail in about tea days' time for Auckland to join the
Caracas. . _ _

-76;.iineeo, 76, screw, Captain C. F. Hill waa paid off
at Portamouth to-day, 'harm: reoently returned from the
Mediterranean 'MUDD.

The Waal). 13, serew-sloop, Captain W. Bowden, bas
uileu from Spithead to jean the equadroa on the East WM
station.

A court-martial assembled yesterday at the Royal
Marine Infantry Barracks, Portsmouth, to try Copt Comm,
paymaster, on four charges, the gm being for traudnkotly
misapplying or embeszliog 5961, 7s. 90., public moneys
entrusted to his areas paymaster, and the second for
fraudulently misapplying 1211. 16s. Bd., the balance of
moneys belonging to the utlimin' mess. The other two
charges were for absenting himself without lease until
brought back from Loudon under escort of the police. Col.
Tracers presided, and Colonel FLIT/Mt prosecuted ; Mr.
Swanson. Admiralty solicitor, assisted to ute ; Mayor
Cooke officiated se judge advocate ; Mr. E. Hoskins
assisted the prisoner. The proceedings will not be pub-
lished until the sentence is promulgated.
The examination of candidates for admission to
the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, will commence to-
morrow, before lisjor-General Hamilton. C. 8., and the
members of the Council of Military Education.
DEPARTURX Or THE CHANNEL SQUADRON TOR
pation.—Ptairoartt, Dec. 15.—The Channel squadron,
consisting of the Edgar, the Black Prince, the Warrior.
the Defence, and the Triennia, left Plymouth this after-
noon for Lisbon. Tho Aurora. Romance, and Royal Oak
remain here. Mr. J. E. Knight has bees appointed master
of the Aurora.

TEL LOBS OT FIRMING SMACKS ON THE EAST
00ANT.—OltiAT YARMOtrill, Due. lo.—But little doubt now
exists as to the total law, with their mews, of the follow-
ing smacks :—Temperance Star, North Star, Free, Driving
Mist, Leveret, Volunteer, Guyon, Ranger, Rainbow, Twi-
light, Three Saris, Osprey. and Rattlesnake, as nothing
whatever has bee. heard of them since the late gales. Or
of the three bore sent out by Mr. Shacklesd iu search of the
miming smacks has terror after a tong cruise, not meeting
with any success. It is sow intended to apply to the go-
vernment to mod out a powerful steamer to cruise on the
fishing ground and along the Dutch coast for the purpose of
rendering aid should there still be soy of the mring
smacks at sr and amble to fetch the lead. The steam-
tugs previously seat out were quite unable to cope with
the heavy seas. The utnioet consternation is felt in Yar-
mouth, as the number of naming men and boys is about
SO, a large peoportiou of the former being married and
having large families dependent upon them. It appears
that 26 moo belonging to Yarmouth and four to
Gorlestoo are known to have been washed overboard, so
that, should the fears entertained as to the remainder of
thii trawling smacks be realised, as is but too probable, the
loss of hi* will be frightful to contemplate. The ecboorrs
Arno and Hope, belonging to this port, were on • voyage
from the north with coal at the time the gale bunt on the
dad instant ; sod as they have not since been heard of, it is
believed that they sod their crews have polished. Yester-
day a fine brigaoune, the Spray, of Rooftree, was seen to
be on ere near the &rotor sands. The Smithy berbmtn
put off and boarded her. discovering that she had been
abandoned. Two tugs also came off, and she was brought to
• the beach, but every etf.,rt to sober the fire proved una-
veiling, and she was burned to the water's edge. A large
number of persons assembled upon the sands near the Wel-
liegton pier last night, and watched the progress of the
flames, the spectacle being extremely grimed. The vessel
was laden with Goal and hoards._

RAILWAY BENSVULENT INNTITUTION.—The 11th
half-yearly general meeting of the members of this intr.
tution was held yeaterday, in the board-room of the rail-
way clearing-house, beymounstreet, Eustmu-arinare ; Mr.
li. Chubb in the chair. Mr. Mille, the secretary, reed the
report, from which it appeared that the institution wee
in • most satisfactory state, both as to the amount of is.
vatted capital, and the full recognition it had received from
all the leading railway companies in the kingdom. Altera-
tions in the rules were to be brought before them, which
would allow the board of management to give rebel when
necessary to the members themselves, instead of to the
widows and children only. as had been heretofore the case.
The institution numbered 21 railway companies amongst its
supporters, and there bad been an increase in the total k-
eens of 27141. in favour of the pot sin months as eons.
pared with that of the corresponding half year of 1f 62.
During the pest six months bout. hd been added to the
invested capital, which amounted on the lllst of October
bat to 6,5001. The balance-sheet showed the total receipts
to be 14,14:1.5e. 7d., including a balance brought forward
from the last account of 6,0021. 12,. :el.; whilst the total
disbursements amounted to AA!. 19.. 80., leaving a balance
of 6,5791. ss. ILI, which was renowned as follows
Children's food. 4,7411. la. 6d. ; widows', 2,1491. Is. 104.;
and boikliog fund, 21/. 24. 7d. The Chairman, ia moving
the adoption of the report, said there had not bees a cam
yet of an applicant beiug tuned away without relief ; he
then alluded to the snores. of the institution, and explained
the alteration proposed in the rnks. Mr. Bruns haying
seconded the motion, it was csnied unanimously.
FINAL INel'rerlON Vl' THE CHARING-LW/ea RAIL-
WAY.— Yesterday further and flual teats were arplied to
determine the structural strength of the great bridge over
the Thames, the moving load of locomotive., and iron.
weighted trucl,a, being equivaleut to 61.: toes upon each
span, and of 1.=42 toes ou the two parallel span. all the
eight spans and sixteen piers being thus tested is suconsion,
the indication shoeing tie deflexion to be almost inappre.
viable. The same lead we. afterward.' appliod as a dead or
fixed weight to the cylinders and piers, with only a slightly
varying result. The bridge can Dever win* Le subjected,
even should it be covered with locomotives and trains, to
either a fixed or Boating dead ;dentin weight equal to this.
The result of the series of experiments is considered very
satisfactory, soul reflects gn credit nut only on the en-
gineer of the line, Mr. 11.wkabaw, but on linen. Coch-
rane rod Co., the coutractors for the permanent way and
iron work, and Mews. Wythee, The government inspector
will Melte his report an tie course of tite week to the Board
of Tnisle on the erigiueeting and geueral merits of the line,
which will then be opened for public Wale, although it may
be said to hews bees virtually opened yesterday, when the
tram conveying her Royal Higbee. the Priunns of Prnsia
passed over list half-pest 7 o'clock from Windsor cc route
for Dover by way of the Waterloo Junction.

„
THY PtturontlD AitaltuYiLlTAN Flit/ BIIIOADIt
BILL— Yesterday a speciai cod very important meeting of
the representative vestry of Marykbone took place at the
Court-house for the purpcne of crinsiderisi a proposal fur the
iotroduction of a bill by the governmett to take the Fire
Brigade out of the hands of the Laurance cud by
mamma a tax upon the ratepayers of the metropolis for its
support, place the control is the halide of the Metropolitan
Board of Work.. Mr. Churchwarden Hodges having been
called to the chair, Dr. Bechhutfuer cootrialed that as the
government received an enormous amount in the shape of
duty upon insurances, they had • right to atietain the expen-
diture of the Fire Brigade, if it was to be taken out of the
hands of the iosuraoce compatriot, sod not tax the init-
ially...for such a purpose, It was propose., to robe, • panne
rate user the whole inetro;olis, and as Mar)lchose would
have to contribute about the twelfth of the whole, the
wetter was of the highest importance to them. He moved
• resolution to the effect that the members for hlarylen
bows at the Metropolitan Board be ',pirated to oppose
the contemplated arrangement of placing the Firs Brigade
of the insurance °Mose wale( the direction of that board
unless the cost of mainii.nance and expense, incidental
thereto be annually &hayed by the governgtent. A
variety of opionnis wers suuociated, and live or nit amend-
manta were put seed negatived. Ultimately ea sinesthaest
was moved by Mr. Surridge, ad carried, that it be referred
toe committee of the whole beard to oppose the =sours.