The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-07 00:00:00

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CONGRESS AT
MALINES.

The sittings of the above congress have closed
with a sermon by the Jesuit priest Father Feli. sad a
banquet. At the latter the first toast wu to the Pope,
who wee called by Baron de Gerlach " the Great Father of
Christianity." One of the speakers, M. de Kerehove, said,
" We are the sons of Jena Christ, and we will never retreat
before the sons of Voltaire."

Another speaker said, " Let us close our ranks, fire upon
the enemy, and adverse..."
The subsection of the press at the congress has decided
that a congress of the catholic press shall assemble every
year from the 15th August to the let October. The first
meeting is to take place next year at Brussels.

The following story is going the round of Paris:—
A small German baron had occasion, as it seems, to see
Baron Rothschild, of Frankfort. The peat financier was
writing away for very life when Baron X. was announced.
He did not even lift his eyes, but said, " Take • chair,
air." The baron, with true German touchiness about titles,
said, "Sir, indeed ! I think M. le Baron did not hear my
name. I am • baron also—the Baron X." " a
thousand pardons," said the banker, still writing ; "you
are • baron—take two chain, then, if you will be so kind,
and wait till I have finished this letter."

St. Petersburg is occupied in diecuseing the de-
tails of a fatal duel which has just taken place between
two officers of the Guards. It would appear that a young
captain of the cavalry, who had succeeded in amusing some
property by hie ability in training the horses of the grand
dukes and other persons, was recently nominated adjutant
to the Emperor. This appointment excited the envy of his
colleagues, who looked upon him, not as an officer, but as
a hone-jockey, and he was challenged to fight by a colonel,
the geoids' opinion of the officers being that he would not
meet his challenger, but would retire from the »nice. The
captain, however, chose to fight, and the duel took place
in the presence of twenty-three officers of the Guard. It
is stated that the arrangement was that the opponents
should coun► one, two, three, and fire during the counting.
The colonel fired at the word two, and his ball went through
the forehead of the captain before be had discharged his
weapon. He was buried on the 31st ult. A strict investi-
gation will be made in the matter by imperial orders.
A letter from Alexandria describes the steps
which have been taken by the Egyptian government for
the prevention of the slave-trading expeditious on the
White Nile. By the latest intelligeooe from the Soudan it
appears that the results of those 1110111112 rel have proved far
more satisfactory than had bees anticipated. All the beets
returning from the White River expeditions have been In-
tercepted, their cargoes and equipments seised, and pro-
ceedings taken against the owners, whatever nation they
may belong to. It is asserted that slaves have been found
in almost every boat, thus rendering the ivory and every
other species of merchandise on board liable to confis-
cation.

The Russian fleet has just been strengthened by
the addition of a magnificent iron-clad frigate, celled the
Sevastopol, which was launched in the Croostadt docks on
the 24th ult. The Sevaatopol is stated to be one of the
largest and most formidable of armed vessels yet constructed
in Europe. She nearly equal' the Black Prince and Warrior
in her dimensions, and far exceeds those of the Claire and
Normandie. At her line of flotation she measures 300 feet
in length, and her greatest breadth is 52ft. Sin. When
ready for sea she will draw 26ft. at the poop and 24 at the
chains. Her plates axe Olio. thick, fastened to a double
coating of teak from 6to 9 inches thick. tier engines will
have a nominal force of 800 bone-power, and ohs will be
armed with steel guns of the greatest calibre.
The Prince de Montenegro has broken his
shoulder-bone by a fall from his horse, and his state is not
without causing uneasiness. The young prince, as is well
known, has no anoceamor appointed.
The abolition of the convents in Poland seems
now to have been resolved upon by the Russian govern-
moot, and the rich funds of the iostitutions are to be de-
voted to the promotion of education. The convents are to
be turned into seminaries and schools, and provision is to be
made for the pay of teachers and for the extension and im.
provemeat of the educational institutions already existing.
A Stuttgardt journal announces that the Countess
William of Wurtemberg, nee Princess of Monaco, has been
bitten by a mad dog at her husband's diatom of Licht's.
stein.

Valencia, on the coast of Kerry, has just been
the scene of an interesting ceremony, the laying of the
foundation•stone of a lifeboat•houie. The event created
quite a stir in the town ; all the gentry were present, the
coastguard turned out, and the vessels and yachts were
gaily decorated with flap.
PRLIE!CFMENT FOR MALICIOUS INJURIES IN THE
BELFAST MOM—The sum claimed as presentmente for
injuries sustained by wrecking in the late noteamounts to
between 9,0001. and 10,000 i. According to the custom of
the pond jury in snob MIN, the amounts panted will be
levied off the barony of Lower Belfast, and as the grand
jurors have the power of defining the district, this large
aim may be amassed as the parish of Shaakhill, in which
the town of Belfast is situated.—/forthern Wing.