The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-28 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

THIS DAY, Four o Clock.

By the barque Emilia, which arrived at Liverpool
last night, we have received news from Rio Janeiro to
the 6th April. The only item of interest is that ex-
change was steady ; it principally ruled at 28j. The
emperor had departed on his northern tour.
Advice' from Monte Video, received at Rio,
mention that a detachment of Oribe's forces had
taken forcible possession of a fort lying on the Bra-
zilian territory. Although this aggression had been
made on!y for the purpose of further stopping sup-
plies from going into the Cisplatine capital. yet it
was greatly feared in Rio that a rupture would take
place between the Brazilian government and Row.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Oriental, Captain Brook, Lieut. Tancock in charge of
mails, arrived this morning at Southampton, from
Alexandria, Malta, and Gibraltar. The Oriental brings
the second portion of the last overland mail from
India, and 1.50 passenger,.
MOVEMENTS OF HER MAJSSTY'S SHIPS AT MALTA.—
H.M.S. Spartan sailed, Bth May, with four months' provi-
sions (or Harlequin, at Beryout. Fentome, gone front Athens
to Smyrna. Albion' Rainey, and Vanguard, at Athens.
Locust, sailed withdespetehes for senior officers at Athens.
15th, Spitfire, sailed for Corfu, to relieve Meteor. Nutine,
Flamer (under repair), and Ceylon, in port. Volcano
started with Indian snails for Marseilles. Ardent, started with
malls fur Corfu at 10 30 a. m.

AT Ginstst.Tan.—li. M. steam-sloop Virago, paned and
exchanged colours with steam-ship Tiger. 60 miles north of
Capo St. Vincent.
Morrstr.NTS Or FORETON SRMIII or WAR AT ATHENA...,
Three French line-of-battle ships, and one Russian br:g and
steamer.
Is GIBRALTAR BAY.—Two large French steamers, one of
which sai:ed for eastward.

From Holland we learn that on the 23rd inst., a
trial opening of the railway from the Hague to
Itotterdam was made, and was entirely satisfactory.
The great iron bridge near fitheidam and Delfshaven
was cross.-..d for the first time, and led to the convic-
tion that its solidity and safety were all that
could be wished. It was understood that the line
would be opened to general traffic in a few days,
probably in the beginning of next week.

The following letter, addressed by Commander
Heath, late of her Majesty's ship Wolf, to James
Brooke, Esq., furnishes some particulars of that gen-
tleman's estimate of the state and prospects of the
island of Laboan, our newly-acquired possession off
the coast of Borneo :

.
Iris, Puln Penang, April 8, 1847.
Sir,—Having on the 18th of March been superseded in
the command of H.M.S. Wolf, and in the charge of the
station of Labuan, I think an account of the present state of
affairs at Brine will not be uninteresting to you.
I enclose you a copy of a letter which I addressed to the
senior officer relative to the discovery of a fine seam of coal
at the north end of Labuan. Specimens are on their way
to England for the purpose of being properly analysed ; in
the meantime the report of the ship's blacksmith and of the I
cook is highly favourable.
Numerons ezmninations of the interior of the isimad show
that the toil, or the greater portion of it, is a light yellow
clay.
I was at Labuan during a dry C,3110U, and although many
of the streams had ceased running, our wells never tailed us,
nor did their supply decrease. I therefore conclude that by
increasing the number of wells an unlimited supply of good
water may be obtained. Native information lead' me to be-
here that there are but two streams which never faff—ons
being the waterfall near the north point, and the other a
stream on the west side of the island.
Bullocks, poultry, fhb, and vegetables were always abun-
dant at moderate prices, the average cost of beef being 2.1. a
pound. The inhabitants of the Kettles river are the princi-
pal purveyors. and I thought it right to visit them, and
cement the friendly feeling which hod begun between us.
It is a fine river, and abounds with the Nepa palm (which
does not grow in Labuan), but of which the greater portion
of a Malay's hones is built; the towns on the banks contains
7.000 or 8,000 inhabitants. After pawing the town of
Kallias, the river Rows on under the name of 'Expels
Pastier, and enters the sea opposite Palo Tina, Bina making
the land which forms the cast silo of the Libuan Channel
an island ; this passage is much used by the natives during
the north-east monsoon.
The first English vessel was cleared and loaded with
Borneo produce in a very short time, realising a large profit
to her ostlers. Onskplore had arrived at Libusn and three
were on their way from Singapore at the time Of my leav-
ing. The competition among them will, of course, soon
lessen their profits, but will, on the other hand, eucoorare
the Borneans, and the trade will soon find its level. Until
Lehman is colonized this trade will be carried on at Borneo,
it being the residence of the Makhodss. But as I have
known of native vessels being wind-bound ten days at