The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-09 00:00:00

OOMMENCEMENf OF THE ATTACK UPON

VICKSBURG.
NEW YORK, Fn. 24, Emilio.
The Federals commenced active hostilities against
Vicksburg on the 18th inst. The mortar boats
were towed into position and commenced a brisk
tire, which was responded to by three Confederate
batteries, which forced the mortar boats to change
their position, when they renewed the bombard-
ment.

The Richmond Examiner states that the Federal
ram Queen of the West was captured whilst attack-
ing the Confederate fortifications on Red River.

Contradictory reports are current respecting a
fresh invasion of Kentucky by the Confederates in
force under General Longstreet. Some accounts say
they are threatening Lexington, Frankfort., Dan-
ville, and Louisville. This is, however, discredited
by some journals.
It is rumoured that Rosencranz has advanced
into Middle Tennessee.

Trouble continues to be experienced at New
Orleans concerning the coloured troops. Several
white officers have resigned, and one Brigadier
General has refused to march with the negroes.
The Richmond Enquirer says that the
Sodthern Confederacy was the dupe of a notable
imposition in regard to the reported damage done
by the Confederate iron-clads off Charleston.
The Southern journals still assert that the issue
of the rebellion must be decided by Southern arms,
and not by conferences or conventions.
A severe snow storm prevailed on Sunday last.
The snow on the Rappahannock averages seven
inches deep, rendering military operations imprac-
ticable.

General Hooker has visited Washington for a
consultation.

The Confederate Governor of Virginia has con-
fined two Federal officers in Richmond to bard
labour in retaliation for the incarceration of two
Confederate officers in Washington penitentiary.
The Washington Senate has passed the bill
authorising the suspension of the Habeas Corpus
Act.

The committee of ways and means has recom-
mended the taxation of transactions in gold at the
rate of one-quarter per cent, and all transactions
to be made in writing.
The steamer Alice has arrived at Havannah from
Mobile with 81,0 bales of cotton.

It is reported, vilealifornia, that 4,000 Mexicans
had sailed from Mazatlan for Acapulco.
The Glasgow put into Province Town yesterday,
short of coal.

NEW YORK, FRB. 25, MoaruNo.

The news of the capture of the Federal ram
Queen of the West is confirmed. All the crew
escaped except thirteen. She had six guns and a
quantity of stores on board when captured.
Eight hundred Confederate cavalry entered Rich-
mond, Kentucky, on Sunday last. It was this
that gave rise to the reports of a Confederate in-
vasion of Kentucky.
A collision has taken place between the inhabi-
tants of Honey Valley, on the Californian and
Nevada frontier, concerning the boundary question.
Both parties were fortifying themselves in log
huts, and receiving reinforcements.
The feeling of discontent and opposition to the
policy of the administration at Washington is said
to be increasing in the North-West.

The debate in the House of Representatives on
the Conscription Bill is very acrimonious. The
democratic members oppose the bill, some of them
declaring that an attempt to enforce it would cause
a Northern rebellion. During the debate Mr.
Stevens read a letter from General Scott, Secretary
of War, dated September, 1861, in which the
general asserts that he should order lieneral
M'Clellan to be court-martialled for repeated dis-
obedience of orders, were it " not that a conflict
of authority near the head of the army would injure
the Union cause."

The New York Tribune asserts that the action of
the Connecticut democratic convention is attracting
the special attention of the government, and that
there is a limit to forbearance.

The same journal says that the late democratic
convention at Frankfort, Kentucky, which was
broken up, was assembled with the intention of
Minding Kentucky over to the Southern Confe
deracy.

Mr. John van Buren Lae made another speech,
urging the continuance of the war.
1,600 bales of cotton have arrived at New York
from Bavannah.

OOMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW TORS, rim 24, Emma.
Money may. Great excitement prevails in the
gold market. Gold is quoted this evening at 72i ;
exchange on London, Bankers' Bills, 188.

Stocks buoyant. New York Centrals, 1191 ;
Illinois, 941 ; Erie, 791. Cotton quiet : mid-
dling Upland, 91c.
Flour very firm, at an advance of 20 cents.
Wheat, good inquiry, 3c. higher. Corn buoyant,
20. higher. Provisions good inquiry. Coffee vary
firm. Sugar advancing. Petroleum, 431.

NEW YORK, Fps. 25, Momnso.
Gold is quoted at 72 per cent. premium this
morning.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.
BERLIN, MA ca 7.

The National Zeitung of to-day publishes a letter
from Warsaw, stating that an engagement had
taken place near Kaluazyn, the result of which was
not yet known.
The official Driennick of Warsaw has discontinued
publishing bulletins relative to the engagements
between the insurgent& and the Russians.
The two fractions of the national party called
the White and the Red parties, have come to an
understanding.

BERLIN, Milton 7.

The Neue Preussiathe (Kreuz) Zeitung. of to-day
says :—" Reports are current at Warsaw that the
Grand Duke Constantine is about to take his
departure. His Imperial Highness would tempo-
rarily be replaced by Count de Berg. His definitive
successor would, however, be Prince Alexander
von Hessen."

Proclamations issued by the revolutionary com-
mittee have been printed in Prussian Poland and
Galicia, entreating the people not to allow them-
selves to be induced to rise in insurrection, as the
only mortal enemy of Poland was Russia.

WARSAW, 'Lawn 7.
The ibsurgent bands at Piashowa, Skala, Wid-
nara, Mrzyglod, and Karezew have been dispersed.
The forests of Kampinos have been cleared of
insurgents. Boglanowics and Jasiusky, two of

their chieftains, have met their deaths by beingshot in engagements.

LEMBERG, MARCH 7.
The Russians have withdrawn to Machos-.
The headquarters of Langiewicz were the*
before yesterday at Gamer, where he was joined by
fresh reinforcements.

The eastern frontier of Galicia is strongly guarded
on the Russian side.

Considerable numbers of Russian troops are
being despatched from Bessarabia into Poland,

LLSBON, Mac 7.
A meeting ban been held hers in favour a
Poland.

BEA
Menotti Garibaldi, eon of GeneraßNE, 11l
Garizarbal7.
di,
has passed through this town on his way to Poland.
- Several Swiss military men have also set out
for Poland.

A meeting has been held at St. Gall, at which it
was resolved to raise subscriptions on behalf of the
Poles.

ITALIAN SYMPATHY WITH POLAND.

TURIN, MAIICH 15.
A meeting was held here to-day to consider of
the presentation to parliament of • petition in
favour of Poland, and to assist the insurrection by
eubscription.

The chair was taken by Signor Brofferio, and
the principal speakers were Deputies Carroll, Lineo,
General Klapka, and M. Pascal Duprat.

NAPLES, Raxce7.
A meeting, presided over by Deputy Ricciardi,
wu held here to-day, to discuss the propriety of
sending to the Poles an address expressing the
sympathy of Italy ; and further, to express the
wishes of the Italian people that the capital of
Italy should be transferred to a town near the
Roman frontier.

BRESCIA, Yews 8.
At s meeting held here to-day, under the pre.
sidency of Deputy Zsnardella, lan address to the
government was voted, praying for the continuance
of the armaments for the purpose of opposing every-
where the enemies of nationality and liberty.
Perfect order prevailed.

TURKEY.
RAGUSA. Macy 7.
Orders have been transmitted by telegraph from
Constantinople to the Paella of the province to
punish the Mussulinan inhabitants of Kalachin,
who attacked and plundered a Christian village.

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
BUCHAREST, IfAmu 7,
The National Assembly has, by a great majority,
passed a vote of censure upon the conduct of the
Vice-President on the occasion of the presentation
of the address of the house to Prince Cour&

The attitude taken by the Prince is generally
approved by the people.

THE CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

The following telegraml has been received at Mr.
Reuter's office from the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company, blarch 8 :
"The Pena and Euxine left Alexandria with the
above mails on the 6th inst. at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
respectively.

"The Euxine may be expected at Marseilles
about the 14th, and the Peres at Southampton about
the 19th inst."

INDIA.

By the arrival of the Bombay mail we have ad-
vice. from Bombay to Feb. 13, and from Cal.
cutta to Feb. 4.

It is confidently stated at Calcutta that Sir
Charles Trevelyan is prepared to propose the
abolition of the income tax.

A. commission was recently appointed by the
government of Bombay to inquire into the ques-
tion of the adulteration of produce. The com•
mission ascertained that the adulteration of cotton
is a great and growing evil ; that it has attained
during the past year an extent and importance
never before reached ; that it is practised openly,
systematically, and universally, by the dealers.
The Ron. M. H. Scott boa introduced a bill into
the Bombay Legislative Council to punish as fraud
the adulteration of cotton.

The Timm of India thus comments upon the
measure :

It is meet unfortunate tbat it seems imprerible in the
tattoo bill dimension, to get people to understand whet
we wish to effect by legislation. Our object is to get the
Indian staple shipped from this country in a pure sad
nitsdulterated form. We want to prevent Dharwar san
ginned cotton, for Mimeos, going forward mixed with
sages Dharwar. Well, to attain that sal, you most re.
fuse to allow the mixed staple to go hoe nerd. Declare
the practios of admixture productive of national harm,
bad meat is of detriment to public health ; and thee.
after • given time, destroy every bale of mired
staple that comes on to the Green. The evil on
be strangled there, and there only. The state het
nothing whatever to do with the mixture, or adulteration of
the map* on any ground but the one that it is detrimeatal
to national interests. Though the practice of mixing cut
too, or adulterating it were ever so unobjectionable m
Waif, you must prohibit it. Fraud or no fraud, you non
prohibit it. The bill aims at suppressing fraud, when its
aim should be—fraud or no fraud in the adults:sum—
stopping • practice productive of national harm. U led=
cotton is still to be allowed to go forward, with long and short
stapled varieties mixed together, and adulteeated with
seeds, send, and dust as now, the time is not distant
when the re-appearance of American cotton in Liverpool
will destroy our last chance of effectual competition there-
with. Such cotton must not be allowed to go forward at
aIL

The B.LS.N. Company's steamer Burmah wu
completely wrecked off Pulicat, near Madras, on
the 27th January ; passengers and crew saved, but
the cargo and luggage entirely lost.
Colonel Ouchterlony, of the Madras Army, ho,
issued a prospectus of au Indian Contract Building
Company. Three thousand shares of £lO each have
already been taken up hu the Madras Presidency.
and there is reason to believe the scheme will be
supported elsewhere.
The Bishop of Calcutta consecrated the memorisi
at Cawnpore and the adjacent soldiers' graves ou
the 11th Feb., in the presence of the Viceroy.
The Rajah of Bhownuggur has given 1,0001. to
the lAncashire Relief Fund.