The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-30 00:00:00

they were not numerously attended. The latest ex-
plosion on record occurred on the evening of the
24th, when one of the protective police, who had torn
down • placard of the democratic club, was sur-
rounded and threatened, but rescued without trouble
by his comrades.
In the same journal it is stated that an English
vessel, the Roseberry, was lying in the roads of
Thissaw, near Stralsund, laden with American sugar
for the Pomeranian sugar-refining. As the vessel ar-
rived before the blockade began, it is at liberty to
unload and enter the harbour. But no Prussian
lighters dare leave the harbour to approach it, and
consequently it has been necessary to hire Norwegian
coasters to receive the cargo.

MADRID, Auo. 23.
I drew your attention some time ago to the fact
of the Duke of Olucksberg, ex-envoy of France, contiouing
his reeidence a Madrid. At the present mument,when we have
just read the speech of L PAUSerown declaring the in-
tendon of the government to embrace cordially the French
alliance, it behoves us to demand frank dealing from the re.
preerntativra of the French republic at C:reign courts. It is
possible that M. de bleep* may be prepared to act in a
spirit corresponding to those professions of friendship from
the French governtuent whiek Lord Palmerston must have
received before he could v, attire on his speech of the 16th.
At the nine time the antecedents of the French jenvoy at
Madrid as • zealous servant of the interests of the !louse of
Orleans in put years, and the strict intimacy which is
observable in his relations with the Duke of Glucks-
berg, one of the main agents in the transaction
of the marriages, are not such as to inspire us ,vith c
nfl-
dence in the course of French elipbomacy at this met. We
ere toll here that General CAVAigIIIIC is • frequenter of the
salons of the Duchesse de Dec vs, the mnther of the Duke
of Gluckshera, a favourite point of r.- union for the friends
of the exiled royal family. It is difficult to reconcile these
confidential relations. of the French government with the
funky of the Decezes, both heir and et Paris, with the car
cumspect jealousy which causes the French envoy a'. London
to be recalled because he was sten crotsing the street on
the arm of M. Guied.
Greatly comfortable to depressed and persecuted liberalism
in this quarter of the world is the speech of Lord Palmer.
ston. 'I he is en in power here tremble and turn pale, while
those two great powers, England and France, hand in baud,
pate by, not deigning to r.otice them, while they pro-
ceed in their strong union to settle the Offetirs of the world.
Excluded from pm ticipatioo in the great and honourable task
of securing the peace of Blume, sod of snatching mantled
Italy cut of the ver.geful gripe of Austria, they bigin to feel
their pigmyism and utter nullity, and to be aware of the
peril which menaces them from the indignant people whom
they have misgoverned, misled, and worth d. The poor
subterfuge of choking the phantom of anarchy as a scare-
crow before the eyes of the people, and bawling for ever
that the reign of Jacobinism is the necessary alternative of
their military despotism, is beginning to be no longer avail-
able. Nei her ee there any symptom of abatement in the
cruelty of their rule. The first accents of free discussion
which, after long silence, have issued from the press,
have been gagged—the Clamor Publico has been seized
two days following, and obliged to renounce the task of re-
viewing the measures ot the government; arrests area
numerous as ever; the respctable progresista, Senor Baeza,
was seized • day or two ago by two eh:eel, be-
cause • letter written by • political prisoner had en-
joined a friend to appeal to him to exert his influ-
ence to procure the liberation of the writer. A great
number of persona have been taken up upon the pretext of
being concerned in the dissemination of the Bayonne pro.
elarnatione, which I mentioned yesterday. No improvement
ha taken place in the morality of the administration. Bow
should there, indeed, when the interior is committed to a
subaltern like Sartoriue, who is calculated to have realised
60,000 dollars by the sale of offices?

WU Court.
OSBORNE, TITESDAY.—The Chevalier Bunsen and
Prince Lowenstein arrived at Ovborne yesterday on a visit to
her Majesty. The royal dinner party yesterday iiviuded
the Doeh.as of Kent, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, and the
Baroness de Speth.

A deputation to Lord John Russell from the City
of Lothian, on the subject of the Jewish Dissbilities Bill,
bad an interview with the noble lord yr.terday at his
official residence in Downing-street. The deputation enn-
sish.tl of Mr. .1. A. Smith, M.P., Mr. M. Forster, M P.,
Mr. A. Anderson, M.P., Mr. B. M. Wilcox, M P., Mr. W .
J. HMI, Mr. R. Salomon', Mr. J. J. Travers, Mr. W.
Hawes, Mr. T. Henkey, jun., and Mr. S. Smith.
Mr. W. P. Robertson, Cou4ul General of Ecuador,
transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office.
Despatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-uffice fu the governor of the Mauritius.
Major-General Sir C. Palley had an interview with
the Right lion. R. Labouchere yesterday, at the office of
the Board of Trade.
Mr. Tidd Pratt bad an interview with the Chan-
c, liar of the Exchequer yesterdsv. The Chairman of the
Excise had also an interview yesterday with the right hoe.
bsrouet, at his official residence in Downing-street.

THE QUEEN DOWAGER, it is understood, does not
contemplate any foreign tour this winter, and it is moot pro.
bable bre Nlaysty will pass the cold season at Mount
Edgcombe, near Deronport.

Tin OCEAN Mt:mutt:lL—Yesterday the inquest
on the bodies of five of the unfortunate sufferers by the
destruction of this vessel was continued before Mr. Curry, toe
coroner.—Jas. Chein, Charles 1). Lock; and W. P. Gibbs,
three seamen on board the Ocean Monarch, were all the
witnesses examined up to the hour for the despatch of our
report. They unanimously concurred in exculpating the
captain from blame. In other respects their evidence did
not supply any material facts to the ample information
alre,dy given. The subscriptions in aid of the sufferers by
the burning of the Ocean Monarch amount to 1,7301.
REFUSAL OF SIR TILOS. WILDE TO SIT AT CIIAM-
BERS.—A correspondent says:—" In cons, quence of the
continued refusal of Sir Thos. Wilde to sit at chambers
during the vacation (although he is the judge in rotation), a
total cessation of the business at chambers has taken place,
to the great loam and injury of the suitors. The conduct of
the Chief Justice has been represented to the government,
who have promised to inquire into the matter, and it is ex-
pected it will be made the subject of conversation in the
House of Commons. There has not been any judge in at-
tendsnce since the 21st, and it is unknown when any
judge will attend."
PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE.
—Yesterday a meeting of the inhabitants of St. Pancras was
held, at the Bedford Arms, to receive the report of a com-
mittee which had been appointed to wait upon the ministers
with the view of ascertaining whether some better means
than at present existed could not be adopted for the protec-
tion of life and property from fire.—Lord Dudley Stuart,
M.P., occupied the chair, and said the subject was one the
importance of which could: not be exaggerated. The
cause of humanity and the cause of prudential econom%
alike called for the adoption of the most efficient
means for the protection of life and property from
fire which genius and science could invent. The noble
chairman then alluded to the kind reception which the depu-
tation had met with from the Home Secretary, and concluded
by calling upon Mr. Fego to real the report. This was a
vauminous document. It stated that the committee, which
haul been appointed at a public meeting on the 11th February
last, had directed their attention to the various moors at pre-
sent in use for the purpose of preventing injury from fire.
They had examined Wivell's bre-eau:ape, and had proved it
to be a most efficient instrument. They had also examined
Phillips's patented fire annihilator, and had proved
it to be a c' sap and ready means of generating
steam in sufficient quantities to stifle large masses
of throe. They had likewise investigated the properties
of Payne's patented process. This simply consisted of the
insertion of a solution of alum into the pores of the wood,
from which the air had been previously extracted; and they
found that wood which had undergone that process was far
f,om being readily susceptible to the influence of fire. On
the 20th of June last the committee, kindly introduced by
Lord Dudley Stuart, had en interview of three-quarters of
en hour's duration with Sir George Grey. The inadequacy
of the Building Act of 1774, which enjoined the prevision of
one engine and a set of three ladders to each parish, led to
the question of a proper remedy, and it was propose
that a
system of stations throughout the metropolis should be
adopted, for which it would probably be necessary to intro-
duce a short bill into parliament as an amendment of ho act
of 1774. Sir George Grey entered earnestly into the details
of the matter. The report having been adopted several
resolutions were agreed to, appointing a committee and
embodying measures for aiming out the objects of the
meeting.
CHARING-CROSS BRIDGE COMPANY.—Yesterday,
the half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of this company
was held at their offices in Villiers-street, Strand, to receive
the directors' report. Lord Devon in the chair. A copy of
the report was handed to each rroprietor aid it stated that
the tolls for the half-year ending Jay 31 amounted to
3,0681. 31. 7d., sufficient, after defraying the current ca-
pe nose, to citable the directors to declare a dividend at the
rate of 4 per cent. per annum. The receipts during the past
six months have not equalled those of the corresponding
period of tat year, this being attributable to the un-
favourable state of the weather. The report referred to the
opening of the South Western Railway station in July last,
the effect of which would be an important addition to the
receipts of the company. An amicable settlement of all
matters of difference has been effected with the Market
Company, by which that company has agreed to take 1,0001.
and taxed costa in full of all amends for damages against
the Bridge Company arising out of the lease of November 2,
1842, in respect of the pier and float and the access of steam-
boat passengers thereto. The report having been adopted,
it was moved and seconded that a dividend of four per cent.
should be declared payable on or after the llth of Septem-
ber next. The resolution was carried unanimously. Several
new directors were elected, in the room of those who had

retired.
GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.—Yeeker-
day the curoinery half-yearly meeting of this company was
held at their offices, 71, Lombarl-street ; Mr. Wilkin in the
chair. A report and statement of the accounts fur the half
year ending the 30th June last were read. By the report it
appeared that,
ti
notwithstandiaag the bid
bled ness o
che dif the times, the
e
earnings on the company's Mons enareet acontinue paying the dividend of 14s. per share, for the half
year, free of income tax, and leave • balance besides. The
dividend being declared, thanks were
ated. voted to the chairman
and directors, when the meeting separ