The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-01 00:00:00

TILE REI-ENCE.

Although nearly a week is wanting to the expi_
ration of the financial quarter, which will be made up to
Friday night next, the sth January, 1555, we believe we
shall be justified in congratulating the public by anticipa-
tion upon the gratifying results which the revenue tables
will present. It will be found that upon el the great
heads or revenue there will he an increase, both in the
quarter and in the year. In the Customs the increase in
the quarter's revenue will not fall far short of half a
miii. n, attributable, for the most part, to the increased
returns received from sugar. Under the great head
of Luise an increase upon the qu:-..rtir to fully
the same amount may reasonably be anticipated—
and to a much greater extent upon the year,
u the additional duties upon malt and spirits
have for several months past been in full operation. The
items at :tamps and taxes will not present so much variation.
Bet the ':roperty-tax will, undoubtedly, exhibit a very con-
siderable increase upon the year, and to some extent also
upon the quarter—though it will be remembered that the
period from Oct. 10 to Jan. 5, is the least productive quar-
ter cf the financial year to this branch of the revenue. IL
in the quarter's receipt of the Post-office a slight decrease
shall be apparent, the results for the year will more than
eau:ma:balance any temporary falling-off on this head.
we shall probably not greatly err, if we estimate
the increase upon the quarter to be not far short of a mil-
' lion, it it do not exceed that amount, and upon the year at
fully double that sum. This is no bad balaace.she et for the
end of the first year of the war.—Olatrycr.

NEW CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT SMARR—It is
known that the construction of a church at Scutari, in
Albania, has been authorised by a recent resolution of the
Ottoman Porte. The following are the pr,ccipal passages
of the tirman addressed on this occasion to the Mussuiraan
functionaries of the pachalic :—" The catholic population of
the town of Scutari having implored my imperial remission
to build a church in the interior of the city, in whioh they
might perform divine service, I have issued in writing this
sacred order granting that permission. It is useless to call
to mind that the tranquillity and welfare of the subjects of
my Sublime Porte are one of the dearest objects of my im-
perial soiicitude. I have, therefore, issued an order
emanating from my imperial divan relative to the permis-
sion for building the said church. As soon as all of you,
governor, n ib, and mufti, shall be acquainted with this
imperial order, take care that no one opposes the construc-
tion of this church in a convenient spot ; and also take care
that EU a farthing be taken from the catholics for that pur-
pose. Know this, and obey this imperial sign. Done in the
middle of the sacred month of Zelhecij, in the year 12iO
.—A 14:1)nouL MEDJID."
TUE CUOLERA AT ATUENS.—The 2.lloniteur has
a summary. of correspondence from the Baron de Forth-
Rouen, Minister of France at Athens, containing a report
on the sanitary state of that city. The progress of the
cholera seems now to have been checked, and the number
of cases and deaths has considerably diminished. Never-
theless, says M. Forth-Rouen, the aspect of the capital has
not changed much ; there is gill the same consternation.
The shops remain closed, and if there are a few open, it is
through the intervention of the authorities, who have been
compelled to have recourse to force. The police events
have had to perform the office of butchers, and it is of them
only that can be purchased the little meat contended for by
a famished multitude: The conduct of the French troops in
this desolation is admirable. _ _

IR.iN BOATS FOR THE BLACK SEA, BUILT IN MAN-
, Cligt.,rza.—Mr. Walter Mahon, of the Ardwick Iron W,eks.,
is conetructing four iron boats for the government, which it
is beileved ere intended to be employed by the commissariat
for landing stores in the Bleck Sea. The order was nctivcd
on the 20th Nov. through Messrs. Whithall, Lennon, and
Co., merchants, Liverpool; and the time allowed for its
completion was until January 16th. The boats are being
constructed at Mr. Mabon's Albion Iron Works, Gorton,
three being on the stocks, and the keel of the fourth being
laid. They are of the class of vessels termed " lighters,'
and are of the following dimensions :—Length, 50 feet;
width. 12ft. Sin.; depth, 41t. Gin. They win fedi carry
draw4abou t a
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ts
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nm. eoasf uwr ea dt e
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The mat
withl. tohfa lord will
wthillo
lighters are being constructed are sin. and fie. wrought
iron plates, strongly rivetted together. The srameerork is
composed of angle and T iron; the gunwale of each boat
being of angle iron, and the keel (din. by Mo.) of T iron.
The deck beams are 7in. by 3M., and ere formed of double
angle iron. A number of additional hands have been
engeged to ensure the completion of the boats within the
specified time.
DEPARTURE OF THE 11.iLTIC.—The United States
Mail Steamship, Baltic, Captain James Comstock, sailed
from the Mersey on Saturday morning for New York, with
the usual snails for the United States and British posersaions
in 'North America, a fair complement of passengers,
minuet whom was Colonel Colt, of " Revolver " notoriety,
and a full cargo of merchandise on freight.
The ship Sumroo left Southampton on Saturday'
with 300 wooden huts for the French troops in the Crimea.
She was accompanied by the French imperial steam yacht,
La }Leine Hortense, which will assist the Sumroo in getting
to her destination by occasionally towing her. The buts
will house 9,000 men. The Sumroo took out also a French
engineer, Mom, a sergeant, and Biz men, and a quantity
of coals.
_AI