The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-04 00:00:00

AMERICA.

(asorsa's TNIMMIL)
LIVERPOOL. FRIDAY.
The Inman screw steamer City of Washington,
Captain Brooks, which left New York on the 21st
ult., arrived in the Mersey at 1 o'clock this morning.
She brings New York papers of the 21st ult.
The New York Herald of the 21st gives the fol-
lowing summary of the state of affairs :

The rebel batteries ►t City Point, on the James River,
below Fort Darling, opened fire on our fleet on Tuesday,
but the gunboat. returned et> briskly with shell and shrapnel
that the batteries were soon silenced, and the rebels retired.
Skirmishing still continued in front of General M'Clellan's
army. The rebels are assuming a threatening attitude, and
seem disposed to provoke a general engagement.
General Dix has paid a visit to Suffolk, and the Naafi-
mood River has been opened by our gunboats.
late advicos from Winchester report that General
Shields his concentrated all his Toros at Struburg. The
rebel General Ewell was reported to be in Luray with •
large body of troops. General Fremont was about to ad-
vance upon Newmarket. General Jackaon, with his forces,
is said to occupy Harrisonburg and Port Republic.
The news from Memphis is important to-day. General
Lewis Wallace is in military command of the city, and has
taken possession of the office of the Argus, ► notorious rebel
sheet. The vicinity of the city is infested with guerillas,
many of whom are engaged in burning cotton in the southern
counties of Missiasippi end other points. Trade in
Memphis is rapidly improving. Boats going north are filled
to their utmost capacity with passengers and freight.
The Federal government had received no official
information from New Orleans, confirming the
report of the capitulation of Fort Morgan.
The United States Senate had passed the Pacific
Railroad Bill.

In the House of Representatives, on the 20th,
the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
reported a bill increasing temporarily the duties on
imports, and for other purposes. It was referred
to the committee of the whole. With an ordinary
revenue of fifty or sixty millions per annum under
present tariff, an addition of ten millions would, it
was supposed, be realised under this proposed act.
The master's mate of the privateer Sumter had
been arrested at Boston.

A Postal Bill had been offered in the House of
Representatives, organising the United States Post-
office on the English plan. It is proposed that
there shall be a uniform letter postage of 20. foe
all distances; postage' on regular newspapers by
the year—weekly, 20c. ; semi-weekly, 40c. ; six
times a week, 1 dol. 20c.
[Commercial intelligence already published.]

[The following amend In nearly the whole of our im•
preation of luteven :]

A BATTLE NEAR CHARLESTON.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE ON BOTH SIDES.
NEW YORK, Jun 23, Emma.
(Per deems St. George, via St. John's sod Greenock.)
A bloody battle was fought near Charleston on
the 16th, with heavy loss on both sides.
The Charleston Mercury expressos apprehensions
for the safety of the city.
General Beauregard has arrived at Montgomery,
en route for Richmond.
The reinforoement of Jackson is confirmed.
The Federal mortar fleet has left New Orleans
for Vicksburg.