The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-28 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Money easy. Gold, 2254. Stocks dull : New
York Centrals, 126 ; Illinois, 1264 ; Erie, 105 ;
5.20 United States Bonds, 1094.

NEW YORK, S. 17, Mourac.

The It ashingtom Rept blimn discredits the ru-
mours that Farragut's vessel had advanced within
shelling distance of Mobile, and asserts that the
Admiral will not attack that city with gunboats.
Southern journals publish rumours that Farra-
gut's fleet is about to attack Wilmington.
The Confederates, under Generals Price and Shel-
ley, are preparing another invasion of Missouri.
The election of Mr. Lincoln is preferred by the
Southern journals to that of General M'Clellan,
whether regarded either from the peace or war point
of view.

Gold declined last night to 2211, in consequence
of rumours that Sherman with a large force was
reinforcing Graut.

NEW YORK, Bar. IT, Evarugo.

A large Confederate cavalry force made • raid
within Grant's lines, capturing 2,500 cattle opposite
Harrison's Landing.

Heavy picket firitig wax progressing.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, Ram 17, Evans.

Money easy : Gold, 222C8toeks dull : New
York Centrals, 1261; ; Illinois, 126} ; Erie, loti ;
5►20 United States Bonds, 110 k. Cotton quiet :
Middling Upland, 180. Flour tending downwards.
Wheat slightly firmer. Ccrn heavy. Coffee quiet,
Sugar very dull. Molasses dull. Petroleum :
crude, 46; refined, 74.

QUEENSTOWN, Sin. 27.

The Inman steamship City of Wash'ngton, from
New York on the 17th inst., arrived here at 9 p.m.
to-day, with 489,133 dole. in specie, and 166 pas-
sengers. She landed 20 passengers, and proceeded
for Liveryool at 9.15 p.m.

ARRIVAL OF THE CERMANIA.
SOUTHAMPTON, Sm. N.
__ .

The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Germania, from New York on the 17th inst., ar-
rived off the Needles at 9.20 cm. to-day.

A banquet is announced at Lyons under the
auspices of Dr. Manure and M. Quivogu, a veterinary
merman, at which the principle article of food is to be horse
dash. The organisers of the entertainment state that the
nee of that meat would bring into consumption more than
40 millions of kilogrammes, which they consider just as
good as beef, more wholesome than pork, and three times
cheaper than soy butcher's meat. The number of tickets
is limited to 130, the price being fixed at 10fr. each.
News of some importance to the commercial
world comes from the South of France as to the result of
experimenta made near Montpelier (Wrenn) in cotton
planting, which appears to have succeeded perfectly. Speci-
mens of the plant in dower, as well u of the cotton pods,
are to be seen this week at the Horticultural Show. The
texture of the staple has been pronounced by competent
judges to be excellent.

It appears that the counterfeit sovereigns of
which a description was given os Thursday last are being
rather extensively put in circalstion. It I. to be hoped
that the °facers of the Treasury will take prompt step' to
dames their source, sod meanwhile the public should bear
is mind that the best means at protest-lea consists in ringing
them, as their dull sound is very noticeable when compared
with that al the peeing inewingn.

164.

ASCENT AT BRUSSELS OR IL NADAR AND
HIS GIANT BALLOON.

The second avant of K Nadar in Ms " Giant "
balloot has for some time pet been a favourite topic with
the Pane and Brunesh journals. This time there was to be
to falls's. The earth was to be forsaken for an indefinite
period, and the aeronauts were to exist in Cloodland till
it biome tiresome to remain longer from the parent earth.
Advantage wu taken of the September fetes at Brussels,
when the ascent could be made in the presence of a multi-
,
tads worthy of the occasion. The Independance of yester.
day evening contains a lug and excited description of the
west. The public feeling had become nixed to the
highest point. " The emotion was universal, and
in the crowd which from at early hour yester-
day (Monday) was circulating in the streets in
an agitated and anxious state, there ran a kind of contagions
fever which overcame the coldest and affected the most
apathetic." Railway trains had brought in thottiands from
the country, nearly doubling the population of the city.
In the enclosure were the King, the Duke and Duchess of
Brabant with their children, the Count of Flanders, the
members of the diplomatic cony, the minister', the burgo-
master, sheriffs, and all the municipal anthoritias of Brus-
sels. The King arrived at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and at
03C0 sent for M. Nadu. Amidst loud " bravos" the bur-
gomaster brought forward the well-known photographer
and aeronaut. The King gave him a moat gracious re-
coptiou, and, after talking with Dim fu sane
time, prseented him to the Duchess of Bra-
bant. Before leaving the presence of royalty,
M. Hadar presented the King and the Doke and Duchess
of Brabant with three copies of his book, " The Memoirs of
the (*ant." His Majesty and their royal highnesses " ap-
peared touched by this act of homage. The crowd shared
in this simple, honourable, and affable saw, and hearty
cheers greeted Nader as he descended the steps." Mesa.
while the " house" which is attached to the balloon was
being stocked with the materiel of the expedition. Amongst
other thing', water, provisions, clothes, scientific Matra-
meets, and sixty carrier pigeons, " rapid messengers in.
tended to wive prompt news of the serial excursionists in

case they descended in a country unprovided with the tele-
graph," were taken in. There were also a variety
of arms " mammary to protect the balloon in its
descent from the brutality of ignorant peasants."
The original number of excursionists was 13, but 4 of
these, on account of the great weight attached to the bal-
loon, were obliged to be left behind. At ball-pant 5 o'clock
the names of the travellers haring been called over, the
cords were cut. "At this solemn moment," says the
Independana, " a hundred thousand hearts were beating
—a hundred thousand eyes were watching the movement
of the balloon—the decisive order ' Ldchai toys ' was given,
and the balloon rose, slowly and majestically, amidst the
acclamations of the crowd."

A brief postscript to the narrative from which we have
borrowed the above particulars, reduces the ascent to the
modest proportions of • very ordinary seroesutic trip.
Neither the pigeons nor the provisions, nor the clothed,
nor the arms to keep off savages, appear to have been
required. The balloon left the ground at balf•peat 5 o'clock,
and came down very quietly near Ypres shortly after 10.
A strong easterly wind was carrying the voyagers to the sea,
and their faith in the elaborate preparations appears to have
failed them.