The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-15 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAILS.

GREAT GALE AT OOLON.-LOSS OF THE
AVON.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Atrato, Cap-
tain Weller, with the West India mails, anchored
off Netley Hospital at 1.30 yesterday morning, and
arrived st Southampton about mid-day. She
brings :-18 passengers ; specie in gold, 9,010 doh'. ;
in giver, 5,122 doll. ; copper coin, 1401. ; jewellery,
1501., and the following cargo, viz. :-35 aerona
cochineal, one case cigars, 364 casks coffee, 30 casks
ginger, 7 packages bees' wax, 60 packages cane fibre,
S cases shells, 51 oases succedes, and 21 packages
sundries.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Avon, while
lying alongside the wharf at Colon with two anchors
down, was driven ashore on the morning of the
22nd ultimo' by a norther, and the heavy rollers
setting in the Bay. At the time of going ashore
the Avon bad not received auy of the cargo waiting
at Colon to be shipped by her, but she had received
the bullion from Ban Francisco, about 78 bars of
silver and 100 caaes of specie, value about 200,0001.
Sheds" bad about 300 packages of cargo from Grey
Town, principally indiarubber, all of which, it is
expected, will be recovered. The crew were landed
by means of a warp from the ship to the shore, and
so passed along it through the surf, which was
running over the railway up to the houses.
On the 25th when the Tamar left Colon for Bt.
Thomas, the Avon was settling down aft, her rudder
poet was gone, and it was expected she would
become a total wreck.

THE SECOND EXPIRS AND THE CHURCH. —The
alliance of the church with the empire is creating again the
temble phenomenon of the eighteenth century—a fana-
ticism directed against religion. Every form of scepticism
is deepening in colour and increasing in bitterness, and
I while good melf eep over blasphemies like that involved
iu the Bishop o Metiers' sermon on the "Relics of Char..
roux," the indi meat are becoming enemies to the church,
and men like M. Itichelet are prepared: for the second time
to shriek out " Emmet l'infaine ! The hatred of the
soutane is growing, till there is danger of hate to the
Christian robe.—Spereator.
SIR H. BULWZR AT SC EZ. The Malta Times
o the ethicist. mys:—" We learn from Egypt that Sir H.
Enterer paid • visit to Suez, and on his return to Cairo left
by a river steamer, placed at his disposal by the Reba, em
a visit to Thebes and the cat/tracts. Rumour states that
the object of his visit is to inspect the several corder
establishment. ; but it is believed. in addition, to have re-
ference to the state of the work' of the Suez asal. Cairo
is at present fall of visitors, and an unusual aitiober of
travellers have already left for the upper country.'
Carron' IN TDRKEV. —His Excellency Savfetti
Effendi, Minister of Commerce, has ordered from Empland
an extensive supply of Amerman cotton seed, fog matiotons
distribution in Roumelia and Anatolia. A correspondent
writes from Trikala :—" The success of oar cotton crop this
year has been remarkable, especially is the valley of
Shiurpi, Carditra, and E,mis. We only want adequate en-
oouragement in the shops of good seed anal proper gins to
place the cultivation on a very satisfactory bans for the
future."—Letwat I enui I, Dec. 3.
FREE SPEECH IN THE PONTIFICAL ARMY.—Owing
to warm discussions which are every day taking' place
between the native and foreign officers of the Petillisal army
as to the , political condition of the gummiest and the
merits of the ministers, Mgr. de Mirode, the Pro-Wienter of
Arms, has thought proper to publish the following order of
the day :—" Inconsiderate and very blameable ezpreseiess
on political questions and on personages of high rook are
attnboted to persons belonging to the Poetifical army. The
duty of the Pro-Minister of Arms b to declare that if such
facts were proved they would cause great annoyance to his
Holiness, and that the officers, suleofficers, and soldiers who
had been guilty of them would incur the most formal dis-
approbstion. The Pro-Minister takes this opportunity of
statiog that, if military discipline everywhere interdicts
even the simple manifestation of political opinions, that rule
ought to be more particularly observed iu the Pontifical
army, formed oa the heroic examples of nomplete aboem-
thm and unlimited devotedness. The sovereign inde-
pendence of the Common Father of the faithful is the only
supreme interest of the public mind, and ought to be con-
sidered by everyone as the welfare of his own country. To
the defence of that only and supreme good, each of you has
come to devote himself: Such is the general sentiment, sod
all must therefore avoid even the slightest appearance that
could lead to • suspicion of sincerity.—Srvgaino Di
111 norm."
REPRERICITATION OP CAMBRIDGISHIRE.—Tort
Crimp Meaner*, a brother of the Duke of liadoed, has an-
nounced his intention of offering himself as a candidate for
Cambridgeshire at the next general election. His lordship,
who has bean elected a member of the County Conserva-
tive Club, sat for the counts, in a formes parliament.
THE REPRESENTATION OF EAST KENT.—On
Saturday afternoon a meeting of the oonservative freeholden
and electors of the casters division of the county of Kent
was held at the Music-hall, St. Margaret's-street, Canter-
bury, convened by Sir Norton Knatchhull, to consider and
determine, as the nodes expressed it, on such measures as
might be deemed necessary to supply the vacancy in the
representation occasioned by the death of Mr. Deities.
Most of the county gentry resident in the district were pre.
sent. Sir Norton Knatchbuil and other gentlemen having
addressed the meeting sad expressed their determination to
contest the election with Sir E. Deriug, it was resolved that
Sir Norton Knatolibull should be the opposing candidate. A
central committee was Una appointed, and a subscription
was at once started fur the puree.e of defraying the ex-
attemlant upon the election. Since the meeting Sir
Nortonue
Knatchbull has issued an address to the donors.
OFFICIAL APPOINTS Awn. —Fraucis Etiwual Guise,
Esq., of the Oxford Circuit, has been appointed recorder of
Hereford, in the room of Mr. Serj. Pigott, resigned ; Henry
Byedey Thomeoa, Esq., has been appointed palace
_ hefts of •
'the supreme court of the Island of Ceylon; Mieb erd F.
3forgan' Fsq., km been appointed her Melody's advocate foe
thilslaad of Ceylon ; John Comber Browse, Esq., ban been
appointed superinteadeat of government schools. end cage-
owing nester fur the Island of Mauritius ' • Robert William
G ' Gifford Watson, Eel. has been appointed chief magistrate
for the settlemeat of Lagos; Mr. Churchill, cosealleseral
at Jassy, is aPpointed cotsul•poenl at Bayroot ; Mr. Dia-
nn, consul at Erzeroum, is to be consul at Jassy • Mr.
Loss OF AN ENGLISH VESSEL WITH EIGHT RAND& • Eldridge, consul at Kutch, to be consul at Braeresemisht.
—On Saturday intelligence was received of the total loss of Clipperton, vice-coded at Them:icon, to be eoseed at
the English schooner Caroline, of Holcombe, sell all hands Mr. Barker, consul at Saremum will be vice-consul at Theo-
with the exception of one. It appears that she sailed from dosia. The consulate of Satosoun will Dot be end up.
Great Yarmouth on the 22nd ult., for Leghorn, and on the Mr. Ruby, vice-would at Aletandretta, to be vtarcesisal nb
3rd inst. she struck on a reef near Sainte Petra. • few miles Youltcba ; the vice.eoseulship of Alexandsetts sot to be •
to the westward of Cadiz, and almost immediately reprised. tilled up ; Mr. Barker, vicecomal at Toeltelm, to be vice-
She soon began to break up, and the master, Captain White, coned at Prover ; Mr. Black to be vicevoesul at Mao- '
his mate, and six bands were drowned, only one of the crew looglii • ' sod /Ir. Wren& to be MS YXISSIII at Beyroet.—
being saved. r Observer.

The United States brig of war Bainbridge also
dragged her anchors during the gale, and drove
towards the shore (having thrown overboard her
guns and ntorea and cast away her mints) ; she made
signals of distress, and Mr. Dix, chief officer, Mr.
Hodgson, second officer, Mr. Osrratt, fifth officer,
Mr. Milne, fifth engineer, and Mr. Olsen, fireman,
all belonging to the Avon, volunteered and put off
to her assistance in a boat, and ultimately succeeded
in rescuing the crew. The Bainbridge did not, how-
ever, go ashore, as her anchors brought her up close
to the reef after her crew had left her.

In consequence of a heavy fall of rain and accu-
mulation of water on the railway from Panama to
Colon there are no mails, passengers, or cargo
from the Pacific ports or Panama by the Atrato.
The line across the Isthmus was quite impassable,
in many places covered with several feet of water,
and it was expected to remain so for some days.
The telegraph also was injured and not working.
A French brig from Martinique arrived at St.
Thomas on the 24th. She had on board 42 men,
being prisoners lauded at Martinique by the Con-
federate steamship Alabama (No. 290). The 42
men were taken from American ships captured by
the Alabama—one, an East Indianian, laden with
a valuable cargo, having the American consul, his
wife and family, from Mauritius, ou board. The
vessel was burnt, and the consul, his family, and
the crew taken on board and landed at Martinique.
While the Alabama was: lying there, the Federal
war-steamer San Jacinto arrived and ran in near
her, but was ordered by the governor to come to
an anchor, or go some distance outside. She went
outside the harbour and waited watching the Ala-
bama. The latter, however, left in the night
unseen by the San Jacinto, who at daylight went
in search of her, but without success.
The San Jacinto arrived at St. Thomas on the
25th November. After coaling she put to
sea, to windward, on the morning of the 30th. The
released consul, wife, and family, proceeded to St.
Thomas by the Royal Mail steamer Solent • and
stated that they were very kindly treated on board
the Alabama. While the two ships were at Mar-
tinique, the captain of an American vessel in that
port fired some rockets as signals to the SBA Jacinto
regarding the movements of the Alabama. The
Governor of Martinique had him arrested for so
doing, and up to the time of the ship's departure
he was still detained.

The brig John and Richard, belonging to Guern-
sey, bound from Demerara to Queenstown with a
cargo of timber, encountered a heavy gale from the
N.W. on the lst ult. ; the weather increasing, and
having sprung a leak, she sank at 11 a. in. the fol-
lowing day. The master and crew took to their boats,
and in a very exhausted state they arrived at the
Island of Canduan, one of the dependencies of St.
Vincent, on the 25th. They were forwarded from
St. Vincent to St. Thomas by the Royal Mall
steamer, and thence to Southampton by the
Atrato.

The Danish brigantine Else, from Liverpool,
bound to Matanioras, was wrecked on the 23rd ou
the Grand Caymans. The cargo was saved, but
damaged. The captain and crew bad arrived at
Jamaica.