The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-10 00:00:00

I have no events to record of a charicter to merit
special attention. On inquiring for news, in a quar-
ter whence I always procure the best information
respecting the state of affairs here, I received the
following reply : " There is nothing of much import-
ance to communicate. Saldanha remains in his war-
ter at Oliveira de Azemais, collecting materials for the
ocestruction of a bridge. Laps has crossed the Douro
at Regoa, and marched towards Viffa Real, probably
with the intention of effecting a junction with G1:1
Our troops occupy the country comprised between the
Douro, the Tamega, and the Lima, to the north of
which latter river, until you reach the Minho, we
have Neural popular batallions well armed.
The fusion of the Royalists into the Progresista
party may be said to be complete. There only re-
mains outstanding some priests, who persist in pro-
aiming Don Miguel ; at the head of them is the
Padre Casimir. Their importance is altogether in-
significant The spring will now soon be here, when
something of importance may be looked for."
Now, the above really states concisely what the
position of affairs en this side of the Douro is; but u
there are several minor topics and incidents, which
will, probably, occupy the attention of my colleagues
and co-correspondents here, it may be as well to notice

them consecutively, though brit
In the first place, the state of the defences and the
number of troops he • have frequently been
questioned and very much under-rated, sit much
so, that when, in my first letter from this place,
I estimated the garrison of Oporto at 12,000
men, of all arms and classes, I was roundly
seemed of exaggeration and mis-statement. A' Inv
view, however, was held on the 25th ult. of all the
disposable force now in the city, the rendezvous ben,
Monte Grande, a large plain about a league to the
south of Oporto ; there were 6,200 men assembled,
besides 12 pieces of artillery, each piece having fear
males, besides spare ones. Independently of
these troops, the various important parts of
the lines were manned ; the different poets, ales,
were guarded. and the ordinary service of the town
&e., requires from 1,200 to 1,600 men. The=
were reviewed by tho Count Das Antes,
Porous and Ss da Bandiera, accompanied by other
minor chiefs, and the impram- :cin generally produced
by their diecipline, clothing, appearance, and ma-
!louvres, was highly favourable to their efficiency.
When it is recollected that there are four chi-
t/act • moveable columns occupying the country
to the north (as described above), under Ge-
nerals •D'Almargem, Cesar Varooncellas, °nodes,
Bernaidino, it will at once be seen that the esti-
mate of the Junta's forces made by me some
ix weeks since, was as correct as mailable.
The forces in the genies of the Junta, within and
without the walls of Oporto, amount to 6,040 regu-
lar, 6,330 men raised for special service, and 2,960
National Guards.
Of them troops it must be observed that four-fifths
of them may in point of discipline, equipment, &c.,
he considered equivalent to soldiers of the line, more
particularly when they shall have become
tam their to their officers and have been further instructed
by them. The limes classed under the third of these
heads may be relied neon to do good service within
the lines, and for the defences of the city only. This
estimate and master roll raisownie of the garrison of
Oporto has been in my possession now for some
weeks, and during that time I have carefully COM-
Pared the statements in it with the actual condition
and amount of the troops. The result has bean to
determine me to send it as a fair and tolerably im-
partial account of the Popular Army, and I
must add, that since it was drawn up, the
two hundred and fifty men of the moveable
batallion of Vises, who were with Pavans, have
entered Oporto, and now do duty as part et the garri-
son, SO that on the whole the force at the diapseal of
the jtmta is not much under 14,000 men.
A correspondence has lately been hawked about
here, to which, as some imporkme may be attached,
it is perhaps necessary to refer. The letter in emo-
tion proceeds from one General Villalonga, Cap-
tain-genera of addressed to the f3paniati
Carel here, and desiring him to apprise the
junta of the intention of his Government, to
offir a direct and armed intervention in case that
badret.eas not abstain from offering Mesita to Spanish
luh and to the flag of that nation. Centdering
the coarse that Spam has adopted from the com-
mencement of this internal struggle, and looking
al se to the conduct of its naval and military officers,
se well here u on the frontier of Portugal.
the menace of an interference in this national
dispute comes very naturally. But it remains
to he seen whether our Ministry will not bold
the Spanish Government strictly to the are*
meet extorted by Mr. Bulwer at the very com-
ma:cement of the revolution. As it is there has been
OD many =mistakeable *roofs of partisanship and ere-
latb7 07 Donna Isabella's ministers to the Lisbon I