The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-01 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

t, JAN. 1.

An imperial ukase, published to-day, extends
the privilege of drawing bills of exchange to
persons not following commercial pursuits, includ-
ing those belonging to civil or military professions.
. .

The ukase further states that the law of bills of
exchange will in future be applicable to military
officers and public functionaries.

AMICRIOA.

QIIKENSTOWN, JAN. L

The news brought by the steamer Kangaroo,
which arrived here this morning, has been fully
anticipated, via Londonderry and Southampton.

THE "SUMTER" WATCHED BY A FEDERAL
GUNBOAT.

The Gibraltar Chronicle of the 26th ult. nye :

Some little stir was occasioned in the town the day be-
fore yesterday, and people were running with their glasses
to the line wall, in consequence of ► report that en exciting
moo Irmo to come off between the late Confederate
steamer Sumter and the Federal gunboat Chippewa,
stationed at Algeciras. The Sumter was last week
mold by &notion, and her new owners have been busy in obli-
terating, by me►as of ,change of name end ;nationality, of
paint end new bunting, the traces of her former character.
The Federal authorities, who protested egainat the sale,
still persist in seeing only the winked little Sumter, under
every alias and disguise. The United States cruiser at Alto-
eine watches her every movement with the utmost vigi-
-1 hone, and appears bent on accompanying her should she put
to ses.

On Wednesday the Sumter (or, as she is now called, the
Gibraltar) made a trial trip up the bay to test her machi-
nery. The first turn of her acre w met with a responsive
turn in the screw of the Chippewa. The two steamers
directed their course to Europa Point, the Sumter
keeping pretty close to the batteries of the rock,
and the Chippewa further oat. After going a
little beyond the Lighthouse, the Sumter turned on her
heel, and quickly steamed leek to the anchorage ; her friend
returned to the roadstead at) Algeciras, sad the loungers
from the line wall dropped away, one by one, without bay-
ing experienced any very exciting sensation. The screw-
steamer Sydney lie", from London, and which put into
Dartmouth with screw damaged, has been plax 1. on the
beach to stop a leak.

THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, D. 31.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Ripon, Captain Reddll, with the heavy portion of
the above mails, arrived this evening.
She brings 37 passengers, and on freight 35 boxes
of oranges, 1 bale Japan cotton, 80 packages gene-
ral merchandise, and 1,296 bales raw silk, value
120,000/. sterling.
The Ripon sailed from Alexandria on the 18th,
Malta, 22nd ; and Gibraltar, 27th inst. On the 26th
she passed the steamer Delta bound for Alexandria,
and the ateamerVasco de Gama, on the 28th, stand-
ing um Award.
The Ripon experienced across the Bay of Biscay
strong north westerly winds with heavy squalls and
high sea ; and up the Channel light breezes from
the north-west, and fine.
The Egyptian fleet, her Majesty's ship Trident,
and French frigate Perdrix, were at Alexandria.

The R.Y.S. Cazarina arrived at Alexandria on
the 17th, from Syra.
The ship; Hibernia, Malacca, Chanticleer, and
Marlborough were at Malta ; and the Procris,
Firebrand, and Prussian frigate Gazelle at
Gibraltar.

Her Majesty's line-of-battle ships London, 86,
and Mars, 80, left Malta for England on the 16th
Deoember. The screw steamer Hach left Malta
on the 17th. She encountered bad weather, and
having sustained some damage was towed back to
Malta by the Olympus. It was expected the
Hecla would put to sea again about the 27th.
The steamer Neptune left Gibraltar for London
on the 24th.

The steamer Europa, for London, and ship
Lepton, for Newcastle, sailed from Gibraltar on
the 26th, and the steamer Shaftesbury, for Liver-
pool, on the 26th.
GIBRALTAR, Duo. 26.—Exchange on London,
90 days' date, 601 to # ; Paris, 6fr. 27c.; Marseilles,
Sir. 28c. ; Genoa, sfr. 30c. ; Madrid, 8 days' sight,
prem. ; Cadiz, die. ; Seville, dis. ; Malaga,
par ; Barcelona, prem. ; Almeira, par. ; Valen-
cia, f prem. ; Alicant, par. Premium on Carolue
Pillared Dollars, 5 per cent. prem. ; ditto.five-franc
pieces, percent. prem.