The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-06 00:00:00

PORT UGAL.

The Madrid, Capt. John Wi.C.rs, with the uoual
Peninsular mails, in charge of Lieut. Inglis, R.N.,
arrived last night at S a.tnatnpton. Her dates of
sailing were—Gibraltar, April 26, 7 p.m.; Cad:z.
Apia 27, noon; Lisbon, April 29, 2 p.m.; Oporto,
April 30, 3 p.m. ; Vigo, May 1, 8.30 a.m. She brings
55 passengers, among whom are the Marquis do
Chaudaumy and Lord Feildisig and family.
There is no political or tueteantile iute..ligence of
importance. The good people of Lisbon fully expected
to hear of England having become a republic, and
were waiting to follow her example. The Conte de
Thomaz (Costa Cabral) took passage to Cadiz, and
returned to Lisbon in the Madrid. It is reported
that he took eight contos of reale with him for poli-
tical purposes. Our correspondent, under date Lis-
bon, April 29, says :
The financial embarrassments of the Portuguese govern-
ment are becoming every day more hopelessly complicated,
and the most ruinous and desperate expedinnts are resorted
to to meet tha exigencies of the hour. So that money can re
raised by any means or in whatever shape, the minister has
, small scruples. Government hills are being actually hawked
about in all directions, and even with the tempting bait of 341
• and 4 per cent. I: r month f,.-ely offersd, hardly a single
shilling can be scraped together. Every WITCO of
income has been eaticipated. The last project of

the minister for replenishing tho empty cuffen of the
treasury is a proposal to make the male of tea a govern-
ment monopoly, and if the bill passes the chambers, of
which there can be scarcely a doubt, the privilege of im-
port ard sale in Portugal and the colonies, is to be
submittal to public competition, and thus two ill!.
portant objects will be aehieved at the same time. A
considerable sum will be at once got hold of foe
temporary purposes, and a much larger aniuunt will he
'bared amongst her Must Faithful iliyeety's zni•ihters, for
under the present regime thire is and has been scarcely a
single man in office who has not thus enriched himself at
the pubic coat.
The Ex. on London (nominal) is 52 at 30 days, and 33
at 90 dap.
English sovereigns are. quoted at 4500, but they are at a
small premium, and this is likely to the.
Discount on the Lisbon Bank auto of 48-.10 is 27e0.

rbe court.
Prince Frederick of Hesse visited the Queen and
Prince Albert yesterday at Buckingham Palace.
Lotd John Russell at
an aadience of her Majesty
yesterday.
The Queen, accompanied by the Prince of Wales
and the Princess Royal, visited Princess S3phia yeeterdey,
at her residence at Kennington.
Prince Albert presided yesterday afternoon at a
meeting of the Commission for Promoting and Encouraging
the Fine Art*, in the rebuil i. g the PANGS of Westminster.
His Royal Highness arrived at three o'clock at the new pa-
lace, attended by Captain the lion. A. Gordon, equerry in
waiting. The commiAioners present were Lord Colborne,
the Iterl of Lincoln, Viscount Mahon, the Hight Hon. the
Speaker, Sir J. Graham, Sir R. H. bete, Mr. B. Halves,
Mr. Hallam and Mr. Wyse. The Secretary (Mr. F.utlaks)
was in attembiece. The meeting broke up at flee 'chick.
Prince Alfred and the Pnneess Alice took airings
yesterday in the pleesure-grounds of the palace, and the
Pei. etas Helena was taken im &Wog.
The Queen Dowager, accompanied by the Duchess
Ida of Saxe Weimar and the Prineessas of Saxe Weimar,
took an airing yesterday in an open carriage and tam.
The Duchetes of Gloutt.ter visited the Queen Dow-
ager yesterday at Marlborough-house.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office from the governors of the West Lelis c denies. De-
spatches were ant off last evening from the Colonial-ethee
fur the Governor of Canada, and also for the governors of the
other North American oolonies.

(From butt night's Gault...)
BCCIKINCHAM PALACE, MAY 2.—His Royal High-
neva Prince Albert has been pleased to appoint tho Rev. H.
Philpott, D D., Master of St. CatherinieN-hall, Cambridge,
to be Chaplain in Ordinary to His Royal Hightioss.
WHITEHALL, MAY 3.—The Queen has been pleased
to constitute and appoint tke RiOtt Honourable Hobert
Montgomery Lord Rlhaven to be Her Majesty's High Com-
missioner to the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland.

WAR-OFFICE, MAY 5.
let Bee. of Life Oda —Cor. and Sub.Lleut. the Mon. 1). C. V.
De hos, to be lieut., by per., vice G. 11. K. C. Vizet. iimiharn, who
rots. ; IL Lygm, gent, lobe oor. and eutxhent, by pur., aloe De Roo.
tot Drags.—lt. C. French. gent, to be oar., by per. vice btephcoa.
app. to Rid ltegt of Life Gds.
4th Lt. Maga —Cor. O. Ellis, from 15th Lt. Drags., to be roe., vide
Burton, who fete. ; Car. G. EU; to be adj., one Moly "tux, who Me
sign, the relimancy only.
nth Lt. Draws—Oita. E. Walter, (roan 44th P., to to rapt., vim
Lindsay, who each.
14th Lt. Drags—T. S. Towered, gent., to be cor., ho pur., IMO
Ibbetaon, prom.
15th Lt. Drags.—C. W. Kendall, gent, to be ear., by per., Tim
LliA, app. to 4th Lt. Drags.
18th A. Minter, to he lieut., by par., vice ;owe, who rets.;
T. It. Gibb.sis, gent.. to be ens., by par., vice Minter.
34th F.—Cept. A. Al'ur.chty ALdyne, from Stith F., to ba rapt..
vim Palmer, who exchange&
41th F.—Dipt. A. C. Liodsay, from Ito Lt. Drags., to tit :apt., v.oe
Waiter, who exchange..
60th F.—Sec.-Lieut. B. Ward, lobe Seat Heat., by put., Tirelostiss
eon, who ret. ; W. Tedlie, gent, to he me..betzt, by pus., vice Ward.
63rd F.—Lieut. W. If. Emeriti.), from the tope Hoarded Milkmen.
be lleut, vice Kell, vb., cxcha,ges.
69th F. Capt. FL W. Palmer, from 36th F., to be rapt., rise
who exchanges.
tape Mounted Rillemen.—Licut. C. 11. Bell, from cird I'., to be
lieut., vice Emerson, who exchanges.
lioverrat firsry.—.l. Kettle, M.D., to be aesist.earg. to the force;,
'toe Smith, promoted.

EXeLOsION AND LOB 6 Or LlFE.—Yesterday after-
noon a loud explosion was head in the neighaturhood of
the Broadway, Ludgate hill, which greatly alarmed the in-
habitants and those persons who were then passing the spot.
It ww, soon discovered that it proceeded teem a building si-
tuated in Shoemaker-row, Doctor's-commons, in the cern-
oition of blesses. Dahlia and Co , tea dealers, of ale. I, St.
Paul's-churchyard, by whom the premise@ were occupied for
the purpose (Imaging coffee by a method lately pat, at. d.
The apparatus consisted of a steam-engine and biller on the
groundfioor, from which lieu pipes conveyed the steam to
the upper floor. Mr. Dakin, the senior partner of the firm,
has lately been very anxious about the erection of this Row
appara•us, and had b:en a grvatpart of Thursday ri,ght and
Friday personally superintending the working of the
process. At the time mentioned, Mr. Dakin was standing
Lear the on tha upper floor, when it suddenly burst,
and the unfortunate gentleman was struck violently upon
the forehead, immediately above the left temple, the blow
inflicting a dreadful gash, which caused his death. Another
gentlemen and four of the workmen were in the room at the
time, but almost miraculously escaped any injury, except the
engineer, who was severely wounded, but able to walk to
the hospital without ascistance. A large portini. of the rat
was forced off by the explosion. It was reported in the
neighbourhood, that Mr. Dakin haul injudicioeely caused
the boiler to be put into operation before the newly-formtd
brickwork could possibly be set, and had, in his anaiety foe
the success of the experiment which he was making, worked
the engine at too hieh a power.
FIRE ON HOLI3OILN-11ILL.—A fire, attended with,
the destructicin of between 3,0001. and 4,0001. worth of pro-
perty, beck: out yeste:day morning, on Bataan-Lill, which,
in a cmparatively ,hurt period, laid in ruins the business
premises behoving to three tradesmen, and had it not been
for the prompt arrival of the tire escapes, at keel ball a dozen
of the occupan's must have perished. The flames heaan in
the pro mum numbered CS, in the occupation of a Mr. Petty.
a tea-deal: r. Smoke issuing through the w iadow shutters,
the p.,liceman on the beat sprang his rattle, and set about
awaking the inmate., and after considerable trouble he see-
ceeded is so doing. before, however, that was accomplished,
the flames had completely enciraed the shop, and olitainect
possession of the staircase, thereby cutting off all means of
escape by the regular way. What to do for the best the re-
sidents know not, but having reached one of the front
windows they were about to throw themselves out. The
police called to them, aud recommended them to remain
where they were, and the lire mope would be
there in the course of a few minutes. The people,
in their anxiety to escape, ran to one of the
i hack windows, and the fire ascending the stairs
they were unable to return. Two Esc pa of the Royal
Sairty arrived in leas than five minutes biter the outtreak,
and owing to the exertions of the conductors and the polio&
the ladders were carried through the adjeicing house, and
no feWlr than six persons were saved through their testis-
mentality. The enginte of the London, West of England,
and County ertshl ishments soon arrived, but the ere, owing
to the aanoustible nature of the building, spread Het and
left with the greatest impetuosity, firing simultaneously the
houses numbered 67 aud 66, occupied severally by O.
Skinner, tobacconist, and Mr. Winter, a clothier. Whilst
the firemen were at work, the whole of the S orings and
roof,, fell, and fir some minutes two of the men were united
in the ruins. Fortunately they were got citt, and not much
injured. Af'er the lapse of three boors the fire was eft.
tinguished, but not until the property Lelonging to Mr.
Skinner, Mr. Winter, and Mr. Peaty was totally consumed.
The parties fortunately were insured. The origin of the
disaster is unknown.