The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-24 00:00:00

AMERICA.

(artrnra's TOLIGIUM.)

ADVANCE OF THE FEDERAL ARMY.
NEW YORK, Kum 12, Woarnto.
(Per Arabia, by telegraph from Roches Point,
near Queenstown.)
_ _ _

The Federal army made au advance towards
Manassas on the 10th inst. 2,000 troops proceeded
to Centreville, which was found deserted. They
thence proceeded to Manassas, which the Con-
federates had entirely abandoned, after burning
and destroying all they could not carry away.
They have also destroyed all the railway bridges in
the neighbourhood, and left nothing but desolation
behind them. The evacuation of Manassas by the
Confederates is reported to have commenced on the
7th or Bth. It is rumoured that they have fallen
lback on Gordonsville.

The House of Representatives has passed a reso-
lution concerning pecuniary compensation to st►tes
abolishing !slavery, in accordance with President
Lincoln's suggestion.

INSPECTION OF GRENADIER GUARDS.
(THIS DAY.)

This morning the Duke of Cambridge, as Colonel
of the Regiment, inspected the 2nd and 3rd battalions
of the Grenadier Guards on the Parade in St. James's-park.
Hie royal. highness arrived on the ground at 10 o'clock,
lung accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, Major
the Hon. J. Lindley, Lieutenant Colonel the Hon Htigh
Meavva+, Lieutenant Colonel the Hon. R. W. Pena
Omens, C.R, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lemma
Browslow Maitland, Lieutenant Colonel Lord Arthur Hay,
Lieutenant Colonel Lord Frederick Fitzroy, Lieut. Colonel
Cuthbert =son, Captain BirJ. Montague Burgoyne, Bart.,
Lieutenant-Colonel H. F. Poc.ontry, Lioutossat.r.olosel
Sir W. T. Wallace, Lieutenant-Colonel Keppel, the Hon.
Saukville West, and other officers. The battalions carried
their tattered colours of Waterloo, as well as
those of Cor.ume, the Peninsular, Barons, Alma,
lakerman, and SebastopoL As soon as his royal highness
appeared oa the ground the men prnsented arms, and the
evolutions at once commenced. With such • regiment
as the Grenadier Guards it is almost unneomeary to say
that eTeg that was done was well done. His
royal rode about in all direction,, and was
well by the spectators, who assembled in large
satubees, seelerillietandieg the shortness of the notice which
bad hese gives al the intended inspection. The proceedings
lasted 'seedy forty minutes, and at 20 minutes before 11
the Comemader.in-Cbiel left the ground amidst general
sheering, the bead playing the national anthem.

BANK O AUSTRALASIA.-{2lllB DAY.)

The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders was
held at I o'clock, at the offices, 4, Threadnealle-street ;
Mr. T. W. HVIDEILION in the chair.
The following report of the directors was read by the
Secretary :
" The directors present the subjoined abstracts of the an-
counts of the bank, for the year ending the 14th October,
1861 :- Profit and Lou Account : Balance at the credit ,
of profit and loss account, 15th October, 1860,
ma per last report, 94,2064 14s. fid. ; net profit !
to the year to 14th October, 1861, after deduce
den of interest on deposits, income tax. he., provi-
idea bevies been made for bad sad doubtful debts. 120,6184
Us. 311. • toMI, 216,825 t. 6s. lid. Divided among the pro.
pdeeereLAt April, 1861, a dividend at the rate of 6 per
end, per emits, and a beaus at the rate of 4 per
mut per aim= ; making together 10 per ant
per affirm, or V. per share for the hilt
year, 45,00 W. ; at October, 1861, the same, 45,0004 • tore
Cher, 90,0004 ; balance at the credit of profit and ICes are
count, Oct. 11, 1881, 126,8tffil. lia. lid. Assets : Speaks sad
cash at beaks"; 7110,1:634 6.. Id. ; government seeariMes,
and loans, 254,7634 18s. 4d. ; tee fund Mesdames*
900,0001. ; receivable, Weer securitim for
ream, 3,170,2434 14s. Id. ; bank premises in the Colonial
and is Loadoo, 159,2121. 2s. Id. • total, 4,534,252/. if.. 7d.
—Circalatioo, 42:1,5071. ; deposits, 2,1145,8984
is. ld. ; hills payable, and other liabilities, 633,0224 4a. 7d. ;
making, 3,2Y2,-427/. Ile. Bd. Capital, 900,0001. ; guaraatee
fund, 200,0001. ; dividend sad beam due 15th October,
1861, 45,0004 ; profit and loss balance, 126,8251. 6s. 11d.
making 1,271,X2,54 ' 6s. 11d. • total. 4,534,2521. 18.. 7d.;
The directors trust that these statements will be received
by the proprietors with satidaction, justifying as they do
the expectations held out, that the result of We year's
operations would prove of a favourable character.
Since the meeting in August last, no Meat has
occurred to which the directors deem it seminary to
make particular allusion. They are, however, ambled to
state generally, that trade in Australia is gratuity assum-
ing a wander condition, WWI the prosperity of the colonise
is steadily progressive. The use of machinery at the
gold fields es also becoming more general, encouraging
the expectation that the produce of gold will IOCTISMIL
The business of the bank continues to be conducted on a safe
and legitimate basis, and the directors have again to express
their sense of the services of Mr. J. J. Falconer,
the superintendent, and of the officers of the
bank generally. The directors have also to ac-
knowledge the valuable information they have re- I
caved from Mr. McArthur, the assistant superintendent,
Wlltsglinrottll36: lOSS'sonf le"an'Orie and CMhly catemed eel-
Imam, by the decease of Mr. Edward Harmed, one of the
founders of the bank. The vacancy thue created it
originalei become the duty of the proprieton to fill up this
day. The directors gladly avail themselves of the ice
crew in the profits of the year to make an addition to the
nee of distribution among the proprietors, sod they have
accordingly declared • dividend for the half.year, payable
on the 15th of April next, at the rate of 6 per cent. per
annum, or 245. per share, and a beaus at the rate of 64
per coat per annum, or 26i. per share, free of income tax,
being together 2/. 101. per share, or at the rate of 124 pee
cent. per annum."
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said the board were happy to meet the proprietors nadir
improved cireumstancee, especially as at the last meeting he
held out hopes that that would he the case. The basins:mei
the bank during the last half year might be well characterised
as having been more profitable, with less expense in conduct.
ing it, than in any year since 11457. (Cheers.) The allowance
of interest ors current accounts was still decree
tinued ; but this state of things was not to be relied
upon as permanent, since if any bank chaise to recur
to the former system the others would have to follow.
The hest security against that was to be found in the fact
that it was the interest of each company to adhere to the
present syetem. (Hear, bear.) During the last year the
board had been enabled to offset • reduction of ex-
penditure in the colonic* to the amount of 6,000!.
(Cheers.) As regarded the dividend it had al-
ways bees the policy of the board not to strain the
accounts for the purpose of declaring a high dividend. In
the last hen-year they had carefully investigated the
accounts and securities, and the result fully justified the
dividend now recommended. The colonial legislature, which
had long looked upon bank proem with a jealous eye, had
recently imposed a tax of It per cent, on circulation notes.
Thu only concerned them to the extent of about 4,0001.
per annum. and the impost would not materially
affect them if it stopped at that per centage. The state of
affairs in the colonies was satisfactory, and particularly so
in the young colony of Queensland. He concluded by
spmkin7; in very laudatory terms of the secretary, Mr.
Milligan, and the accountant, Mr. Walderstone.
The motion having been setionded,
Mr. Moons: complained of the use of the term " he. " in
the profit and lose account, and that the account' gooerally
were not sufaciently minute sad explicit.
After some discuadm the men was adopted.

VACANCY AT PRIPATON. —Mr. Cron, the member
for Preston, has announced his determination to :ethic
from Parliament. The hon. gentleman at the can•
meacenwat of the session determined to wait for • dir
solution before he resigned his seat, but, as he now
states, be sees on immediate prospect of a parliamentary
beesk.op, and be has therefore determined to resign. As
a suocessor on the conservative side, Sir G. T. Heaketh.,
Bart.. comes forward, the liberals being represented by
Mr. Melly, of Liverpool. The battle is expected to be •
severe one.

Tex GRZAT EASTERN. —During the recent spring
tides, which have been lingually low, a aufficient excava-
tion has bees made under the bottom of the Great Eastern
on the gridiron at Nayland, Milford Haven, so as to admit,
on the next springs, the injured plate being removed end
rephieed by a new one. The repairs of the rudder, ,tern-
pad, Pc., are all well uigh completed. The inside tidings
also ars Wog rapidly proceeded with, so that her departure
sesy not in bay way be delayed.
HAts-aasairrit &cars. —An extraordinary mai.
dealt.* place two days ago, at TM:wales (Loiret). As
the mine at the gamine of the steeple was in need of re-
pair, a workman was employed to pt it down. He as-
cended without difficulty by manse( the knotted rope used
ea such oeeseloos, and, after getting astride on the cross to
which the vane was razed, displaced the latter, and lowered
it to his amossashes below. Having done so, he prepared
posiop bionsif, and here the danger of hie position be-
came whim& The cross on which be was sitting was
1:1117 tsWildni eosdition, the timber to which It was
begin hemme worm-eaten by age, and the
smoseeat bebop& to move it gave way with his weight. The
men eadenveared to sere himself by clutching at the rope,
bet bendiest It and canie heavily down on the roof of the
' ekes* several of the tiled of which were broken. Thence
he ono on a large apple tree, and fell through the bonichs
to the steend. Which luckily for him bad recently been dug
tip dm wash ens this force with which be came down, that
he wade so iadistation to the depth of more than a foot.
His coessudea who were horrorstruck at witnessing his fall,
impacted te lad him a corpse, but to their great surprise he
pot on Waive, and soon after walked to his home, nom.
Peiping only of a ordain his hip, from falling on the branch
el a tree.