The Express.
London, England, 1864-01-18 00:00:00

EXPRFAS FROM PARIS.

(nom ous owbi

PARIS. !SUNDAY EVISING.

Admiral Hamelin, whose death is announced in
the Moniteur this morning, will be well remembered
in England as the coadjutor of Admiral Deans
Dundee in the Black Sea during the Crimean war.
This distinguished naval officer was born Sept. •'2,
1796. He was the nephew of Admiral Baron
Hamelin, a sailor who saw much service under the
first empire. At the age of 11 years, his uncle
placed him as a midshipman on bowl the Venue,
and while yet a boy he saw a great deal
of fighting. In 1812, having obtained a
commission, he took part in the expedition
to the Scheldt. His promotion was rapid,
notwithstanding the peace which followed the
battle of Waterl3o. In 1828 he became a captain,'
and in 1842 a rear-admiral. The Crimean war
found him maritime prefect of Toulon, and he was
then selected for the command of the Black Sea
fleet. The memorable landing of the French troops
previous to the battle of the Alm► was effected
under his direction. During the attack on Sebas-
topol forts of October 17, a shell struck the quarter-
deck of the Ville de Peri& and killed Lieutenant
Sommelier by Admiral Hamelin's side. He him-
self was knocked down by the shock. He
rose and continued to command his vessel
amidst a storm of Russian projectiles. His
conduct on that day was rewarded by his pro-
motion to the rank of a full admiral. On the'
death of M. Decor he was appointed Minister of
Marine, which office he held from 1855 to 1860,
when he retired to the snug and honourable post
of Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour.
He leaves a son, who is a captain in the navy, and
at this moment second in command of the Bre-
tagne. His daughter was married only a few weeks
before his death. The wedding had been fixed for
January 5, but the admiral, feeling his end approach-
ing, advanced the time in order that he might be
present at the nuptials. The Emperor has ordered
that he shall be buried in the Invalides. The
funeral will take place on Thursday.
A letter from Frankfort contains a fact worth
notice, ss showing the shallowness of the German
aggressive movement against Denmark, which the
petty princes make so much noise about. A
national subscription was some time since set on
foot for expelling the " Danish tyrant " and
establishing the unity of Fatherland. Now it
appears by a return issued by the Gotha Bank,
that up to January 5 this subscription had realised
only 66,231 thalers. Therefore a question which
the agitation would have it believed is vital, and
moves the very entrails of a nation of 45 millions
of people, has produced somewhat less than
10,0001.
The Opinion Nationale quotes as significant the
paragraph from the Correspowlanee Battier, which
I sent you yesterday, affirming that the Archduke
Maximilian, who we have been told over and over
again was anxiously expected by his faithful sub-
jects, is, in fact, repudiated by all classes of society
in Mexico.

A soldier named Joseph Coq, formerly in the
100th Regiment of the line, has been sentenced to
death by a court-martial at Lyons, for having, on
June 15, 1853, deserted while in face of an enemy,
and passed over to the Russian army in Sebastopol.
This soldier remained in Russia for many years,
and only lately returned to France, when he was
arrested.
The Dail;/ Neirs is seized.

M, Gaultier, honorary counsellor at the Court of
Camila], Paris, was killed on Wednesday in the Rua des
Saints Kra; by an omnibus, whim ma over him, end
awed immediate death.

Mr. Henry Bessemer states that two ships are
being built in foreign waters entirely of Bessemer steel, and
that the plates for a merchant vessel to be built in England
bare been ordered. Be thinks it would not be premature
is our government to isrestigate this subject mast fully, for
if a ship can be enabled, as he costeada to carry 9-inch
armour-plates, we may rest seared that other nations will
not be long without them. Thousand, of Bessemer Owl
projectiles are now being !nada for Russia, and Mtn: Ass
for steel shot, have been gives to the extent of 120,000/. in
value. " Ham we," he says, "a single ship afloat that can
keep out these simple round steel shot eyed from a common
smooth-bored gun, if ever directed spinet us:"