The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-01 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA.

-.-.•--
THZ TRENT AFFAIR.

NEW IPORE. Die. 20, MORSIWO.
(Pm Atria% via Queenstown.)

On the arrival of the Europa at Halifax on the
15th inst., the British steamer Rinaldo at onoe
sailed from Halifax, with despatches for the North
American squadron.
The Europa's mails were delivered in New York
on the 18th inst.

The popular excitement was much increased by
the news of the warlike preparations in England
brought by that steamer.
Since the receipt of the advices per Europa and
Jura the popular feeling against giving up Messrs.
Maven and Slidell does not appear so strong as it
was.

An impression prevails very generally that the
Federal government will not go to war on this
question, and that if the demands of the British
government for the surrender of Means. Mason
and Slidell are couched in moderate language,
1 they will be complied with.
The tone of the New York press is also more
moderate.

The House of Representatives has refused to
pass a resolution pledging itself to support the
set of Commander Wilkes, without referring the
resolution to the Committee ou Foreign Afikirs.
The Africa has been detained until this morning,
uit was expected th►t positive advioes would be
received from Washington. The Queen's mes-
senger arrived at Washington at midnight on the
18th inst.

The latest advises received from Weahington this
morning report that Lord Lyons bad not yet
delivered any official despatches to the Federal
government.

It is remarked that at the President's last levee
neither the English, French, nor Prussian Minister
was present.

Mr. Secretary Chase at a bank meeting expressed
an opinion that by January the Federal naval and
military operations would give decisive results,
and that the British question was cap able of, and
would have, a pacific solution.
The action of the home government is strongly
approved in Canada.
The 62nd and 63rd regiments are under orders
at Halifax for Canada.

NEW YORK, Dsc. 19, Eviansc.

Two Federal regiments have landed at Ship
Island. General Phelps, on landing, issued a pro-
clamation declaring that his command would be
governed by the idea that everything that has been
admitted into the Union as a slave state since the
adoption of the constitution has been admitted in
violation of that oonstitution.

It is reported that the proclamation has caused
dissatisfaction among the Federal fleet. An in-
quiry has been made in Congress to ascertain
on what authority the proclamation was issued.
The House of Representatives bas passed a bill
appropriating 1,000,000 dollars for the oonatruction
of gunboats, to be stationed in the western waters.
Congress has appropriated 1,000 dollars for
compensation to the owners of the British ship
Perthshire.

The destructive fire at Charleston is confirmed.
A large portion of the city and the leading public
buildings were destroyed.
The British ship Cheshire, captured off Tybee
Island, has arrived here in charge of a prize crew.
The British gunboat Racer has arrived here.
The steamers Glasgow and Anglo-Saxon, from
Liverpoo., on the 27th and 28th November re-
spectively, have arrived out.
The America, from Liverpool on the 7th inst.,
paned Cape Race on the 18th inst., but was not
intercepted.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCL

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, Eviunto.

Money tighter. Exchange very firm. Bankers
bills, 110 f to 111. Stooks rather firmer ; New
York Central, 761; Erie, 251 ; Illinois, 562.
Cotton steady ; middling upland, 37c.
Flour declining. Wheat lower. Corn tending
downwards. Provisions quiet.
Coffee very firm. Sugar steady. Molasses un-
changed.

r, 'Air. 1.

The Royal Mail steamship Africa, from New
York on the 20th ultimo, arrived here at 2 a.m.
She brings forty-nine passengers and 191,384 dole.
in specie. She landed ninety-six sacks of mails and
six passengers, and proceeded for Liverpool at
2.43 a.m. All well. She experienced strong
easterly winds on the passage.

PORTUGAL.
SPEECH OF THE BING.

At the meeting of the Cortex of the kingdom on
the 23rd ult., under the presidency of Viscount de
Castro, supplementary president of the Hereditary
Chamber, the King, Don Louis 1., bearing in his
hand the royal sceptre, took his seat on the throne.
His Majesty, while his right hand rested upon the
holy gospels covered with a cross, renewed the
oath in these terms :

"I swear to maintain the catholic, 'apostolic, Roman
religion, and the; integrity of the kingdom; to observe and
cease to be observed, the political coas►itation al the Por-
tuguese nation:end the other laws of the kingdom ; and to
promote, as far as I msy be able, the general welfare of the
natioa."

His Majesty afterwards addressed to the Assem-
bly the following speech :

"Worthy peers of the kingdom and deputies of the
Portuguese asSioo--Called =expectedly to rele the dreg-

flies of the Portuguese people, I appreciate from the
depth of my heart the solemn event which has placed me
in the midst of the national representatives.
"I shall curtsy:rate all my solicitude to the Portage's*
people, whom I have harried to love from my teuderest
infancy, in order to mist as much as shall lie in my
power in securing the great prosperity which it deserves.
"I shall follow eagerly the noble example which has been
left me by my deer brother, whose loss we so profoundly
regret. The grief which is inspired in all of WI by the Ltd
sweet we now deplore is at once the most honotusbls testi-
, moray consecrated to the memory of King Don Pedro V.,
and the strongest stimulus to us to endeavour, as be did, to
' fulfil our duty.

"On this ocouion I mast express to the King, IMy
august father, my gratitude for the devotedness with which
wader the mast grievous eirenmstanom he soospted the
. . _

regency of this kingdom, during my brief absenos. It is a
new proof to the nation and myself of his seal and pod
will.

"The people over whom I have the honour to rule an
an enlightened poop* and worthy, on account of their love
for coostitutional institutions, to occupy a distinguished
rook 'swag the mast cultivated nations.

"The oath which I have just taken is the einem ex-
minion of the sentiment, of my heart. Fidelity to the
institutions which we have the privilege to posers swum
to on Innequillity for the present, and peominee se happi-
ness for the Mere. May Almighty Ood make the rags
which is ecenmaieing merit the blaming of Heaven and
the Wises' rimpathiea
" I depend snob upon the ealigh toped 00-operstios d the
' repreeentativa et the nation in promoting the public labs.