The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-27 00:00:00

I properly beloeged to us, but was claimed and par-
' tinily occupied by foreign power, has been esta-
blished by negotiation, and it has been brought with-
in our acknowledged boundaries. By such means
the area of the United States has been extended
during the past ten years from 2,055,163 to 3,221,593
square miles, without including the great Lakes
which lie upon our northern -border, or the bays
which indentatc our Atlantic and Pacific shores, all
iwhich has come within the scope of the seventh
census. The amount of our present numbers, some-
, what the result of imperfect estimates, appears to be
as follows:—Assuming the population of California
• to be 165,000 (which we do partly be estimate), alai
•
omnting that of Utah, estimated at 15,000, the total
i number of inhabitants in the United States was, on
the lit of June, 1830, 23,240,301. The absolute in-
crease from Ist of June, 1840, has been 6,176,848,
and the actual increase per cent. is 56.18.
The table given below shows the increase from
1790 to 1830, without reference to intervening
periods

Absolute Ismer

ii;e7e;t7in ctm
1790. 1330. GO years. 60 years.
Nomlrr of whites 3,172,144 19.63',,019 16,157,335 32.797
I,w cAoured 99.466 4.3.637 .369,171 61.744
blo.es
To; a tree coloured
and I.l2Ten
'rota polutdre 3,9.9,5:7 113,246,301 19,310,117 1911193
Sixty years since the proportion between the
whites and blacks, bond and for, was 4.2 to 1. In
1850 it was 3.26 to 1, and the ratio in favour of the
former race is increasing.
Our domestic news, beyond the reception and acts
'of Kossuth, is not particularly interesting. Congress
is calling for information on the subject of our di-
plomacy with your government in relation to Nica-
ragua. The affair of the Prometheus stands out in
bold relief to our eyes as a most singular violation of
the treaty, and this document reads so plainly, we
cannot conceive why you still assume the right of
molesting our trade and transit in that quarter.
A private letter from San Francisco gives the fol-
lowing version of the recent expedition to the
Sandwich Islands.

A few days since an emigration took place whose destina-
tion and designs are too important to be overlooked. A
coinpsny of some two hundred were organised in San
Fiahnsce, among which are many of the most prominent
and wealthy citizens of thut city and Sacramento. This
company has gone to the Sandwich Island, with no less
object in view than to take possession of the islands, draw
down the ensign of monarchy, and elevate instead a tag of
independence. It is conjectured that the king had become
.o plastic upon the subject of a change, that his mind will
'.ye most susceptible of any impression which the party of
civil invasion are disposed to impinge upon him mental pre-
mises. The persons who have gone do not anticipate any
danger in the startling design, which they have avowed to
persons in conti lenee. Their constitution has been made in
San Francisco, and contains the requisite ingredient fur
making the islands a slave-holding country. Indeed, from
reliable sources, I have learned that this is the great prin-
ciple and aim of the projectors of this scheme of invasion.
Persons in the secret are now looking fur advices from there
with intense suspense and interest.

[For Markets see lad page.]

Irto (Court.

WINDSOR, DEc. 26.
THE PRIVY COUNCIL _

Her Majesty held a Privy Council at Windsor
Castle, at three o'clock this afternoon. The council
was attended by Prince Albert, the Marquis of
lansdowne (Lord President), the Lord Chancellor,
Lind John Russell (First Lord of the Treasury), Sir
George Grey (Secretary of State for the Home Ho-
partment), Earl Grey (Secretary of State for the Colo-
nies), the Right Hon. Henry Labouehcre (President
of the Hoard of Trade), the Right Hon. Fox Manic
Secretary at War), the Marquis of Clanricarde
',Postmaster-General), Lord Seymour (First Commis-
sioner of Public Works and Buildings), Earl Gran-
ville, and the Marquis of Westminster (Lord
Steward).
Her Majesty having been pleased to appoint the
Right llozi. Granville George, Earl Granville, to be
one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State,
he was this day, by command of her Majesty, sworn
one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State
accordingly.
Mr. U. Greville was Clerk of the Council in

Waiting.
The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord John Russell,
and Earl Granville had audiences of her Majesty.
Earl Granville received from the Queen his seals of
office as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The court was attended by Lord Edward Howard,
Vice-Chamberlain ; the Marquis of °monde, Lord
in Waiting; and Colonel the Hon. N. Hood, Groom
in Waiting.
The Earl of Westmoreland had an audience of the
Queen.
Thu Lord Chancellor, Sir George Grey, Earl
Grey, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Right Hon.
Fox Maule, Earl Granville, the Marquis of West- !
minster, Mr. C. Greville, 'and Lord Edward Howard
travelled from London by a special train on the
Great Western railway to attend the council. Lord
John Russell travelled from Pembroke Lodge, Rich-
mond Park ; and the Marquis of Lansdowne and
Lord Seymour arrived from &wood Park, Wilt-
shire. The Right lion. Henry Labouchere came
from Stoke.
After the council, the Marquis of Lansdowne and
Lord Seymour returned to Bowood. Lord John Rus-
sell returned to Richmond, and the Right lion. H.

Labonchere to Stoke.
The Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, and the rest
of the ministers and officers of state, returned to Lea-
-1 don by special train on the Great Western Railway,
taking their departure from the Castle at 20 minutes
post 4 o'clock.
Luncheon was served to the official circle in the
Castle previous to the Privy Council.

The Queen walked iu thy: flown Park sad Slopes this

morning
ini;rince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and younger
members of the royal family, took their accustomed pony
and walking exercise.
l'r‘nce Albert went out hunting this forenoon attended
by Licut -Cien. Wemyss and Col. Bouverie.
The following had the honour of dining with her Majesty
last evening:—The Duchess of Kent, the Lsdy-in-waiting
to her Royal Highness, the Baroness de Speth, Lady Caro-
line and Miss Barrington, Col. Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps,
Col. Hon. Charles Orey, Sir George and Lady Coupes,
Mrs. Bouserie, the Rey. Mr. Birch, Mr. Clover, and Mr.
that I Becker.

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday last, the Queen's
Royal Charities to nearly one thousand of aged poor at this
season were distributed at the Alrnonry, in Whitehall,
under the authority of the Lord Bishop of Oxford, Lord
Hiuh Almoner, assisted by the Rev. Dr. J elf, Sub-Almoner,
and by Josh. Hanby, Esq., Secretary and Yeoman of the
Almonry.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived in town yester-
day evening, from his seat, llickleton Hall, near Doncaster.
Despatches were sent off last evening to the Governoreof
the North American Provinces from the Colonial-office.

MINISTERIAL MOVEMi:STS•—It will be seen by the
report of the Court newsman, given above, that Lord Pal
merston was not present at the council at Windsor, yester-
day, when Lord Grenville was formally invested with the
authority of the Foreign Office. Lord Stanley, of Alderley,
the tinder Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has resigned. The
ministerial Wobe last night places in the most prominent
position amongst its leading articles a statement to this
effect in Paris on Tuesday:—" The only thing talked of is
the retirement of Lord Palmerston from the English
ministry. It has created great sensation, but there is
almost a general feeling of satisfaction at finding that the
Whig cabinet remains. The frequenters of the Elysee assert
in the most positive manner, that the French government
has done nothing, directly or indirectly, to produce the re-
signation of Lord Palmerston, and that the statement of his
having given instructions to the Marquis of Normanby to
demand guarantees from Louis Napoleon as to his future
policy, was utterly unfeunded. Lord Normanby, they say,
has had no official interview with the President since the
2nd instant. He has been frequently with him, but not
officially; and everything has indicated the determination
of the -rinse to cultivate friendly relations with England."

TUE WIFE OF THE NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY
ig an Italian lady of coniideraule rank and wealth, and a
Roman catholic.

LORD NORMANBY.—With reference to a para-
graph quoted in Wednesday's Express from the Morning
Galignani of yesterday s.qa :—" We can positively
state that there is no truth whatever in a report given in
several of the English jeweils, to the effect that the Mar-
quis of Normanby is about to be replaced by Sir Henry
Bulwer, as British ambassador in Paris."

- -
DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM B. COOKE, BART.—We
have to record the demise of Sir Willi on Bryan Cooke,
Bart., of Whutlaphall, near Doncaster. The deceased
gentleman was in his 59th year, having been born in 1792.