The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

The Paris correspondent of the Post (second edi-
tion) writes _ _ _

Pasts, Friday Evening.
I have reason to believe that intelligence has reached
Paris stating that the Shah had ratified the treaty of peace;
that hostilities had ceased, and that the British forces
were under orders to prepare for fresh destinations.
The news from Berlin is favourable also. It is believed
in diplomatic circles here that Prince Napoleon's mission
has succeeded.

The King of Bavaria reached Lyons today, and will be
the guest of the Emperor on the 17th.

The official despatches from General Outram
detailing the results of the expedition against Mo-
humra are published in the Gazette of last
night. The details of Sir James Outram's despatch
differ in no degree from those already published of
the capture of Mohumra. A despatch from Cap-
tain Wray gives some details of interest regarding
the flying expedition sent up from Mohumra to
Ahwaz, a small town on the left bank of the Karoon,
about 100 miles from its mouth. The operations
against the enemy were conducted as follows, under
the orders of Captain Rennie, I.N.:—

At 3 a.m., Ist April, our little fleet left Kest Oomerrs,
an Arab village on the left bank, where we had remained
during the night. Soon after daylight, we came in sight of
Ahwaz, and found the Persian army collected behind a
ridge on the right bank—crowds of horsemen, apparently
some guns on the ridge, and infantry innuxerable.
Anchored at 'one and a half miles from the p'ace. Some
horsemen came down, but a rifle-shot sent them off at full
gallop, and no one attempted to come very near again.
Heard from the Aruba that Aliwaz was not occupied, and
that the troops that had been there had gone up the
river the day before, frightened by the appearance of
our steamers, and that nothing now remained but thirty
horsemen ; that they had no means of crossing, excepting
by two boats and two canoes. It was therefore determined
to land all our party (300 men ), advance up to the left bank
upon Ahwaz, and endeavour to destroy the enemy's depot
of grain and ammunition. The two gunboats were
sent off in advance up the river, and took up positions
within shell range of the enemy's ridge, and opened fire.
In the meantime the troops pushed on; the Persians still
collected, though in reduced numbers, on the opposite
bank of the river, at about 1,000 yards from us. At twelve
o'clock, the troops approached the town, when the Arab
sheik came out, tendered submission, and informed our
party that the enemy were retreating, and with our glasses
we saw a large army of 7,000 men, with a perfect swarm
of Bukhtiaree boisetuen, and live or six guns, retiring
fiom a eery strong position, before a body of 3 00 infantry,
three small steamers, and three gunboats. The enemy
retired in tolerable order, covered by their horse, the Shah-
zada himself travelling in a green palanquin carriage, the
wheel-marks of which we had seen in the several encamp-
ing grounds on the river.
The town was tilled with flour, wheat, barley, &c.; fifty-
five mules and a horse were also found, besides fourteen
boxes of new flint muskets, Tower mark, each containing
ten. A party cros-eti the river, examined the enemy's
camp, and set fire to the remains of their magazine. The
Arabs had blundered it before we arrived, and had carried
off the powder, ball, ammunition, and muskets, the
cases of which we found, but the enemy had left. a great
quantity of loose shot on the ground, which could not be
destroyed or carried away.
The weather was hot but pleasant, and the troops
healthy.

Her Majesty will hold a Privy Council this (Satur-
day) afternoon, at Osborne, Isle of Wight.
Captain George Greville Wellesley, R.N., C. 8.,
was sworn in Commander-in-Chief of the Indian
Navy at a Court of Directors held on Wednesday last.
The Committee on the Law of Lioel will sit on
Monday next, at one o'clock, for the examination of
witnesses.

SIR GEORGE GREY'S CONVICT BILL.—The meeting
at the Mansion-house yesterday, convened by the
Lord Mayor, was of a very influential character.
Among the thirty-eight members of Parliament pre-
sent were—Messrs. W. Ewart, R. A. Slaney, C. Neate,
R. B. Wingfield, W. 'rite, E. Akroyd, Viscount. Bury,
and Samuel Gurney. The following resolutions were
adopted :

1. Resolved—That it is considered by this meeting
highly desirable to introduce clauses into Sir G. Grey's
Trsnsportation Amendment Bill, now before the House of
Commons, empowering the Secretary of State for the
Home Department in certain cases to substitute for fixed
periods of imprisonment and transportstion a proportionate
number of hours of labour to be performed by convicted
criminals in this country or in the colonies as considers.
tions of economy and expediency may dictate.
2. And also to provide in all such cases for the moral
and religious instruction of each criminal, with an allow.
ance of fold, bodily comfort, &c., and recreation corre.
sponging in character and amount with his conduct and
industry in confinement, so as to excite motives, powers,
and habits of industry, self reliance, and self c‘ntrol, and
thus to render criminals the voluntary instruments of
their own maintenance, punishment, reformation, and
release.

3. That the justices of any county, city, or borough, in
quarter sessions assembled, be empoweerd, with the consent
...if the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to
enter iuto an agreement with the justices of any other
county, city, or borough for the transfer or exchange of any
prisoners whilst undergoing their sentence, so as enaule
them to effect a better classification for the purpose of
applying and earning into execution the objects specified
in the foregoing resolutions.
4. That a committee be appointed to carry these reso-
lutions into effect by petitions to both Houses of Parlia-
ment, and by such other proceedings as they shall deem
advisable.