The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-06 00:00:00

the beet route. It has already been begun by a com-
pany working under chartered privileges from the
state of Texu; and it will not probably be five years
before a great road is constructed from the Missis-
sippi river, through Texas, to its western boundary,
at El Parso.

In the Senate of the United States yesterday Gen.
Cass delivered his promised commentary upon the
declaration of Lord Clarendon in the House of Lords
respecting the entire accord of Francs sad England,
not only on the matter of the Eastern question, but
upon all matters of policy in either hemisphere. As
Lord Clarendon had subsequently explained that
speech, the remarks of Gen. Cass in the Senate may
be considered uncalled for; but Gen. Cass is afflicted
occasionally with a species of Anglophobis, which
renders it necessary for him to make a long speech
against England.

THE LIGHTHOUSE QUESTION IN THE
'UNITED STATES.

The following passage in a recent letter from our
New York correspondent has en interesting bearing on the
question of Colonial lighthouses, to which attention has
been drawn in our paper by Mr. Alexander Gordon.
A new is is being felt in lighthouses, and their mo-
dern improvements in tbis country. Recently, nor New
York Geographical Society listened with deep in-
terest to an able lecture on this subject by Lieutenant Bart-
lett, of the United States navy. The chief object of the
lecture was to explain the nature and operations of the
Fresnel lens, es adapted to the use of lighthouses, compared
with other systems. The following brief account of the
lecture was carefully prepared:
Light•bouses are of two classes. Those of the first class
are designed to occupy the headlands of the coast, to aid the
mariner in avoiding the dangers which he is liable to en-
counter when in their vicinity, and ie determining hie
course from point to point. The light exhibited by these
light-houses should be of the most intense description which
human skill is capable of constructing. A series of light-
houses of this class is in course of erection on our Pacific
coast, which is anticipated will be equal to any in existence.
The second class is for harbour use, and are so constructed
that they cannot be mistaken for lights of the first clue.
The first light-houses were constructed on the crest of
the Mediterranean Sea, and consisted of large wood fires on
high towers. The lights now generally in use in this country
are formed en the plan of reflecting, by means of mirrors of
different d. seriptions, the light of a large Lumber of oil
lamps. This plan has been found very expensive, end far
from perfect. The principles of refraction are now applied
to lights, under a system perfected by Mr. Fresnel, of the
French Light-house Board. To suck perfection Ins this
plan been brought, that lamps are now in course of con-
struction which will render the light of four oue•inch
burners equal to 6,600 burners, which could be seen at the
distance of fifty miles. The light exhibited at the Crytail
Palace, in 1853, and now erected on Cape Hatteras, is coa-
-1 structed on this plan. There is a similar light on Moro
Castle, Havana. Both these, when first seen, present the
appearance of a revolving light ; on a nearer approach they
look like dim fixed lights, varied thy flashes, and finally
throw a bright steady light, with brilliant flashes. A ma-
i rifler can thus judge his distance from them. Tie light on
. Cape Hatteras was originally designed for Sands Key,
, Florida, and is constructed so that the flashes are repeated
three times a minute, in order that it might not be milt-
' taken for the light on the Moro, seventy miles distant.
The Fennel lights are very etranomical. They do net
l require the same number of burners as the reflecting apps-
• value, and require no repair, eseept to the revolving ma-
, chinery. The refracting lenses do not depreciate in value,
, like mirrors, which require constant polishing.
' Pretensions have been made by scientific gentlemen in
Great Britain, to the honour of making the discovery of
s M. ',Trend, but these Lieutenant Bartlett thought were
, easily exploded, and to this business he devoted a few re-
marks, in which he stated that the improvements in light-
: houses commenced in France in 1822, and continued down
' to 1847, when they seemed to have reached a perfection not
to be surpassed. But improvement; have been made since
the latter date, and lights have been constructed which, in
, intensity, brilliancy, and duration, are absolutely fabulous.
For one of them a ring of glass was required over ten feet
in diameter.

THE RIOTS AT BALLARAT-GREAT LOSS •

OF LIFE.

We have advice. from Melbourne bringing further
sod important intelligence of the fatal disorders at
the gold fields. The following is from the Melbourne
Morning Nereid, of Dec. i :
A Government Gazette Extraordinary wu issued yester-
day morning, in which hie Eacellency the Lieutenant-
Governor proclaims martial law within the district of
Buninyoug, to be in full force from and after 12 at noun on
Wednesday, the 6th of December instant ; but it is cape-
oially des ared that no sentence of death shall be carried into
execution without hie Excellency'a express consent. It is
further proclaimed that no arms, ammunition, munitions of
war, food or supplies, shall be brought within the district of
Buninyonir, after the said 6th of December, without his
Excellency's consent.
A second Gazette Extraordinary wu issued in the after-
noon. as under:

NOTICS —Recent events at the mines at Ballarat ren-
der it necessary for ad true subjects of the Queen, and all
strangers who have received hospitality and protection
under her flog, to assist in preserving social order and
maintaining the supremacy of the law. The question now
agitated by the disaffected is not whether an enactment can
be amended or ought to be repealed, but whether the law
is or is not to be administered in the name of her Majesty.
Anarchy and confusion must ensue unless those who cling
to the institutions and the soil of their adopted country step
prominently forward. His Excellency relies upon the
loyalty and sound feeling of the colonists. All faithful sub-
jects and all strangers who have had equal rights extended
to them are therefore called upon to enrol themselves, and
be prepared to assemble at such places u may be appointed
by the civic authorities in Melbourne and Geelong, and by
the maristrates in the several towns of the colony.
" Melbourne, Dec. 4, 1854." "CHAS. Homan.
(From our Special Correspondent.)
Ahout four o'clock on Sunday morning the military sur-
rounded the camp formed by the armed diggers at Eureka,
in which there were about 200 men. A body of mounted
troopers fired over the beads of the diggers, and then the
troops poured in repeated volleys, "flitch were returned by
the diggers. After firing for about tea minutes the insur-
gence pulled down their banner—the Southern Cress—and
surrendered. The troops ionneoiately ceased firing, and
took their prisoners. 123 prisoners were taken, and about 26
killed. I, myself, counted 21 dead hodies, all dead from
gunshot wounds. A large number of tents in the vicinity
of the battle-field were burned. The casualties on the part
of the camp are :-1 private of the 12th ; 2 ditto, 40th killed ;
Captain Wise, dangerously wounded • Lieutenant Paul,
severely ditto ; about thirty rank and file wounded. At the
time of my leaving (2 p.m. yesterday) a large number of
persons had been arrested; among others, Mr. Seekamp, of
the Ballarat Times. _ . .

The correspondent of the Argus writes:
" Ballarat, Dec. 3.
" At 4 a.m. this morning (Sunday) the troopers advanced
on the right of the Warraneep Gully, and another division
on the left of the Eureka line, encompassing the camp of
the digsen. A shout was raised, and after a sharp firing
of about twenty minutes the troopers called to the soldiers,
who were advancing, that it was all over. The camp of
the diggers was constructed of piles of slabs collected from
the neighbouring holes.
" I enclose the official return, as known at 9 a.m. To-
morrow you shall have the real truth. Ido not believe but
tint the loss of the military, to say nothing of the wounded,
is considerably more than acknowledged.
I;ALLARAT, Die. 3,1854.-1 have the honour to inform
you that the casualties on the part of the military are, one
private of 12th regiment killed, two privates of 40th killed.
Captain Wise, 40th, is dangerously wounded; Lieutenant
Paul,l2th, seriously wounded. Several privates of 40th and
12th more or less wounded. No official return has yet been
made, but the correspondent et the Argus can have it to-
morrow, by applying at the camp. 126 prisoners made, but
the casualties on the part of the insurgents are not known.
—I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
ROST. REDS, Resident Commissioner.'
"In the case of Captain Wise, amputation is con-
sidered nectessry, he having received two wounds la
the leg. Nearly all the ringleaders are taken. Fifteen
an lying dead in the Eureka Camp. Siatesa are danger-
ously wounded. A German has received five different
wounds. The Eureka Camp, as well as the stores and
tents in the neighbourhood, have been burnt to the ground.
The London Hotel is the chief repository ter the dead and
wounded. The troopers swept the diggings, and are making
several captures now at the moment of suiting.
confiscated property have pawed on the way to the camp.
" 10 co.—Several waggons containing wounded and
be seen about. The flag_ of the diggers,' The Southern
At present every one is as if stunned, and but few are to
Cron; sa well as the ' Union Jack,' which they had to
hoist underneath, were captured by the foot police."

SARDINIA AND AUSTRIA.—The Rankfort Post
Gamete states that the King of Sardinia will shortly aco
credit a minister to the Emperor of Austria.
Her Majesty's screw steam-ship, Colossus, 80,

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FNENCH FOREIGN EN 4 —The Lauanans
Groats states that the second F ttoesreica
of France, had already its f %double
the number required ha,
AMOOg the *Soon ate wt 7'
*otiose distia-
gabihed famiflee. r•11-sr
THE FIFE BRIGADE emizt—The
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3014344112:a.
&uteri.
BHLGIU Ilel
M.—The Bing of
charged
on Sunday
I foe M. H. de Broackere, and him to form a
ministry.