The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES OF IIIAHSHAL SALDANHA.

BELGlUM.—Barssehs, JAN. 3.—Their Belgian
Majesties will leave Brussels early to-morrow morning 11w
l'aris. it is understood that the King's return to the French
capital has reference to the dispute between England and
Franee.—For the future the prepayment of letters forwarded
to Poland and Russia will not be obligatory on the part of
the sender.—The ju lieial authorities of this capital are just
now in a " !ix" re! ttiva to a ease which w.sr recently tried.
Three individuals lest week were fund guilty of swindling,
and one of the number appealed from the sentence to a
higher court. The appeal WAS succeasful, and he wasordered
to be set et liberty. The other two having refused to make
an appeal, arc now underzo,ng the sentence passed on them
—a sentence which, by the Cur Cessation, has been de-
clared an illegal one. The authorities, therefore, mast either
continue to 'mish the two individuals unlawfully, or grant
them a psrdon which they do not ask for. It is probable
that the judges may eb.de the law by setting the two at
liberty, without, however, granting them a formal remission
or their sentence.
HOLLAND.—AXSTETWAM, JAN. 2.—The ice is
thica on the rivers near Helvoetalitys, Mansiuys, and Briil.
The Belgian mail, during the past week, has been one day
later than usual.
GEItIANY.—VIENNA.—It would appear, by a
paragr ,ph in the Nureatberg Courier, that there is a project
of marriage between Count Trapani and the youngest
daughter of Archduke Charles of Austria, the l'rincess
Cardiac.
BnESIAU, DEC. 29.—The Breslau Zeitung posi-
tively asserts that, niter the 11th inst., the territory of
Cracow will Le added to the Austrian line of customs, and
that a custom-house will be opened on that day at Chelmek.
Goode sent to Cracow after the 10th will he subjected, there-
fore, to the customs regulations of the Austrian states.
KtIiNIGSBERG, Dec. 20.—The following are par-
ticulars respecting the accident which betel the Emperor on
the 9th inst. at Known°. Pl ink, had been laid across the
stream which was only half covered with thin ice, over
which the carriage was to be drawn by men as f,sr ai the
barge which was stationed in the rpm river. The ice clew
to the shore was deemed sufficiently strong to render it un-
necessary to cover it with boards, and the Emperor was per-
suaded to remain in the carriage with Count Orloff'. But,
as the carriage rolled down the banks, the wheels cut the ice
and the carriage began to sink. Count Oriuff escaped by
making a leap upon the ice, and the Emperor win about to
follow his example, but the carriage had in the meantime
sunk so, that hie Majesty was obliged to mount the coach-
box. lie then descended upon the shauldi rof the com-
mandant of the city, who was standing in the water, and, by
one leap, happily gained terra
.firma.
BRUNSWICK, .DEC. 23.—The number of destitute
poor has increased here OH account of the frost, which has
stopped many kinds of work. At this crisis our Benevolent
Union has well ma'atained its character. Many poor fami-
lies, unwilling to solicit public aid, have been rejleved during
this Christmas in the most delicate and welcome mann' r.

Tu ItK EY.—CONSTAN T I SOPLE, DEC. 9.—Count
Von Sturmer, the Austrian lnternuncio, had a conference
yesterday with Ali liffeudi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
at which, in consequence of the full powers which he has re-
ceived, he opened the negotiations for a new treaty of com-
merce and navigation between the imperial house of Austria
and the sublime Porte.

EGYPT.—ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 9.—Yesterday even-
ing, at It o'clock, his Rmal Ilighnest l'rince Leopold of
Bavaria returned from Cairo. and at 9 o'clock this morning
Railed to Syra, sot board the Austrian steam-boat PrincC
Mettcrmch.

MADAGASCAR. SHIPWRECK. GENEROUS
CONDUCT OF TEE CAPTAIN OP THIS lit:NE LAtilie.—The
Ocean Star, Captain Pearson, chartered by the Oriental and
'Peninsular Steam Navization Company to carry coals to
Aden, which sailed from Hartlepool on the 27th of Mar, rao
Lou,lke reef which lies ob-tut two miles in front of Haire,
being (thirty-six miles north of Augustine bay) on the west
coast of bludagasear at too a.m. of the 12th of Septemb. r.
The French yowl La Jenne Laura woe lying at the time
in Itsine hay. At dayltght the captain and chief mate of
La Jenne Laurc put off inn light whale boat to attempt to
eumnaunicate with the Ocean Star ; but were prevented by
the heavy Bea. All hope of getting the vessel off the ret
being lost, it was abandoned.
It was our intention (s.ve Capt. neuron, in a statement publiihed
by the Maurithujounsais?, on having our own ship, to proceed to the
shore, but at first to cell en beard the French vessel, the Jenne Inure,
to ascertain the nature of the place and its inhabitant,. On arriving
on board of her, I woe told that it wee by no means safe to land on
that part of the coast, on account of the treacherous disposition of the
natives. Tl.e captain said that he bad completed his loading; he had
been on a trading voyage from St. Augustine Bay to Itanomba Bay,
and was only waiting for a f.1:1 wind to prormal out of the bay fur
the Isle of Bourbon. Ile, in a most generous manner, offered me and
the whole of my crew to remora board he chip, and try to save
what we meld from oar own ship, if the weather permitted, and pro-
mei with him to St. Denie in the Isle of Bourbon, from ableh place
we could anon get to the Ilauritlua. I cow no alternative between
accepting the friendly offor and that of going on quire to t uffer de till
immediately, or be made slave. for life-1 therefore chose stopping on
board his vessel.
On the morning of the 13th the boats of moth vessels were
about to be manned, with a view to proceed to the wreck,
when (we again quote front Captain Pearson):
Captain Contard taking the glass and looking towards the north
part of the bay, observed a large quantity of canoe, coming from
Haltom!, Point and making moonlit the Oven Star. As they came
towards fifty canoes were counted, hosing from three to six men
in each of ;hem; the ca.iitain of the French veswl immediately deter-
mined to fire upon them as soon as they came within range of his guns,
in order to prevent them from going nn board of our ship. The guns
were lowed, and all got ready; a. soon as the headmost esawe came
within gunshet he fired upon them; this bad the desired effect, for they
immediately altered thew Collne and came towards the French brig.
None were admitted to mane on board until the governor of the pro-
vince came alongside; he, accompanied by five ch(e's, were allowed
by Captain Contrail to come on board, every means was used by Cap.
lain Contort, And Ids °filters who could all speak the language, to
induce the governor and chiefs to allow to to rave all that we could
from the ship, and we had got scarce any thing thee. The con-
femme lasted a long lime, during which I was introduced to
the governor and chiefs. They all shook hands with me; the
governor told me in rankest Daniels that it was the intention d
the King Baba, whose emissary be was, to have the ahlp,
and he also said that I wan en Englishman, that the English
were not good friends with the French, nor with them. The
captain and his officers did all In their power to eons ince him that we
were all good Blends; the captain made them presents of ruin, brandy,
beads, and other things, and invited the governor to breakfast. Tee
governor and chiefs agreed at bat that they would rend a party to the
vessel and nee what was on Word, but they were to take nothing that
day, and to desist from all other attempts for two days. Towards noon
they all left us.
On the afternoon of the 13th, and every subsequent day
till the 16th, attempts were made to save some of the cargo or
storm but only a few provisions and casks of watercould be
brosibt off. Oa the 16th, says Captain Pearson :
Ile weather being still tine, the boats started from the Jenne Laura
Y tow order as yeaterday. although this wra the day that the goner-
Her mill they would take the ship, and that he would fetch as many
ores Han ea he had with him on Sunday ; but it was thought by
*Mod sod myself, that by starting ea early the men might save a
bw woo atop, such an warps, towlines. hawser, chains, mils, Re.,
bintillogallwes came to her. In fhb we were deceived, for, on the
blob ontelowaeor her, several canoes wore seen lying behind the reef
webg be aptlebt. Their were all with their spear. and
Wharwisgsm. On our tr to baud the ship, the
ammo dm/ to two t than, mail So irolboo bit their spears to
bo ma's twonoto. and took ash OA woo moseabie out of the
t bras lbw sows amble Memo teal sorbed ; all in them
ow Num& Om or boob dolp So wow Sot wad in our
lil4 awl bat oetwslg get two Gilboa was sw; mks ate athe
AY wows wales agarsod pat so sod to It be Awed be bests
to plonk to tboromb lota but reamed nothdow boa Weds
biro sot dam. bey woo after, I bat the morlitolloo to we
bolo their We of derratation; her decks woe wowed with
OW% the etib. that 11/11e bent they cut away about tee het below the '
bomb of oath ; the bmyards of the lower rigging woo eat.
Oa the Atb of October, Captain Contard landed Captain
Norm and his crew at St. Denis. The Prince of Wales
was fn the roads, ready to sail for Mauritius, where she
landed our shipwrecked countrymen on the Bth. It is with
sincere pleasure that we give publicity to the generosity of
this gallant French seaman and his men. Mr. Pearson
gays :
To the laniciverawe and humanity of Captain Contrail and his
of and crew we were indebted for the preamvation of our lire, ;
and without his friendly assistance I know not what would have
become of us. Indeed, I can never aufficiently eaprelai the serve I
have of his kindness and attention, both to myself and the whole
ship's company.

When I learned that the capital, by the brilliant and
effective state of its volunteers and municipal guard, was
able to defend itself against any attack of the rebels, those
under the Conde de Bomtin' Mousioho de Albuquerque,
General Celestine, and the Guerilla chief Fernando de
Louse, occupied Aleobaca and Caldoa, I did not logo
an instant, on receiving such intelligence, but on the
lath pushed a forced march in the direction of Caldos,
my vanguard sleeping at Tagarro and Cereal. I remained
there the following morning, awaiting information, and
sent out cavalry parties to seek it. From Cereal and Ta-
gun there axe three roads; to Caldas Cadaval, and to
Candieries, as well as the high road to tins. In
the middle of the day I acquired the certainty that
the enemy had followed the road f.om Caldas to Torres
Vedras, and I marched on Cadaval ; there we encamped.
The following day we reached tussle, a league from Torres
Vedras, and obtained the certitude that the enemy were in
the town. The weather was dreadful, and continued so ;
we were obliged to encamp. On the 22d, of half-put 10 in
the morning, we drew near to the position of the enemy.
The lines of Torres Vedraa, all the world knows, form the
barrier that first arrested the French eagle. There the armies
of Napoleon first found an insurmountable obstacle, and
Tones Vedras is the strongest point of the lines. The heights
of San Vicente, covered by a magnificent redoubt in good
reparation, those of Force, and the Saes, on the right bank
of the Cizandro, are flanked by the fire of the castle, which is
the true citadel of these works, defending their mouth.
Between the heights and the lines runs the river Cizandro,
traversed by three bridges and paved roads, all flanked by
tae fire of redoubts and citadel. This very strong position
was occupied by the enemy, who assured the townspeople
that had I four times my existing force, I could not take it.
And without the enthusiasm that animated us, and the con-
viction that to us were entrusted the Queen, the continua-
tion of her dynasty, and the eonstitutional charter, the
rebels would have in this spoken truly.
At a quarter-put eleven the rebels opened fire. In re-

COLONIAL.
AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

.•-- -
VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.—The Cerneen (Mauritius
paper), on the authority of Robert Town journals, announces
the nomination of Mr. A. Jackson as agent for the colony in
England. He is to act under the direction of committees in
Hobart Town and Launceston. One great end of his ap-
rintment is said to be to obtain responsible government.
Subscriptions to the amount of 5031. had been received, but
it was thought double that sum would be required to defray
Mr. Jackson's expenses.

MAURITIUS.
THE MAURITIUS BANK.—A
.general meeting of
shareholders washeld at Port Louis, on Wednesday, tho
28th of October last, M. Brurnud, seconded by Mr. Webb,
moved the immediate closing of the tank and winding-up
its affairs. M. d'Eriaay tbe.s.ght there was no necessity for
taking such • to.ep ,• since the IGth of June the bank had
been lickuidtling and doing nothing else. Besides, according
to the toaster of the bank, a final liquidation could not be
resolved upon without the approval of the London share-
holders. M. d'Epinsy moved that this question be sub-
mitted to the shareholders present : " Can this meeting
defioi:ively resolve to wind up the bank's affairs with-
out the concurrence of the London shareholders ?"
M, ihipont supported the motiJn. A vote being taken,

connoitcring the position, I saw that victory depended on the 1 it awaited that all the shareholders answered in the nese,-
possession of the great redoubt or fort of San Vicente, and I tire, except six, who abstained from voting. The president
ordered Colonel Fernando de Fontana Mesquite e Sella, reed several pipers, from which it appeared:—Phut on the
commanding the first brigade, to take the redoubt with the IGth of June lust the liabilities of the Bank amounted to
bayonet. The fort was garrisoned by a battalion of Coca- 308,397 dole.; that on the 26;h of October the liabilities
dorms and three companies of infantry, but it was takea were reduced to 114,451 duls.; that the none withdrawn in
glor:ously. the course of four months amounted to 223,336; that the
The horrible state of the roods retarded our artillery, and two-fifths culled up in Mauritius had as yet yielded only
it was not till three o'clock that it could op -n fire. I cave 102,0000 f the 120,030 dollars due in Mauritius; that indepi•n-
, the necessary orders for attacking the town at four o'clock. dently of the two-fiftha, 112,000 dots. had lavers called up in
The Bth and 10th regiment., which, with a battalion of Mauritius; that the 155.800 dollars due on accounts current,
Cacadores, withstood gallantly for a long time a fira front regarded as good debts on the 16ia done, hail often retlocedto
front and flanks, were the first who, by the bridge of the 48,000 capital and iinteeert. MeArs. Webb and Itruzitud then
centre, had the honour of forcing entrance into the town. offered a protest ag is t the acluisition of the property
Col met Fernando de Fonseca Mesquite entered by the of La Laura estate, and moved toot the dirt Mors be held
bridge on the right; the 4th brigade passed the night in the tursonolly liable for that traineactioit. Several directors de-
town fended themselves on the ground, that, by the charter, " the
The enemy, beaten on all sides, having lost very many bank may possess such lends, vessels, and other property,
killed a.til prisoners, returned into the citadel with 220 until they can be disposed of; " and tSat before acquiring
horses. Many of the enemy's forces canoe in to surrender, La Laura In property, they had consulted the standing
lespecially the garrison of the redoubt of Form. couns n 1 of the book. The motion was lost, city five meat-
' I ordered all the avenues of the castle to be guarded. In ben voting for it. M. d'Epinay strongly urged upon the
the morning, planting some cannon against the castle, I directors the- propriety of dimin'altinte the expenses of the
surrounded it. General Valdez, in reply, demanded to go establishment, and reproached them foe not hooting declared
out of the fort with military honours, calkers with baggage, the forfeiture of the chives upon which the two fifths had not
• and soldiers with kamisueks, which I granted; and at mid- been paid.
day they laid down their arms, there being 903 infantry in I'rMT OPME Onntgatect.—An orlinonce has pawed the
the cinetle, 400 Cacadores, the Conde de Borneo, Mouldable • legislative conecil, eaacting, that a reward of 301. shall be
I dc Alburquerque, seriously wounded, &c., &c. given to every vessel bringing an overland moil from any
Torres N'edras, Die. 25. DUQUIS DES.ALUANUI. port in India, and stopping at Mauritius to land it, upon
proof that it sailed not later than fin= days aft_ r the arrival
_.__ .
of the mail; a reward of 201. to every vessel hound for Nieto-
ritinta, and bringing an overland mail, on twoof that it did
not pail more than 43 hours after the mail's arrival ; a re-
ward of 101. to every vessel bringing a newspaper, forwarded
overland, without the mail, and delivering it at tie Chamber
of the Brokers, on pro a that it did not sail more than live
day: after the arrival of the mail.

MARSEILLES vEases TRIESTE..
The following letter, from the Allgenieine Zeittow,
describes—with a few trifling errors exceosable in a
foreigner—the difficulties with which Lieut. Wag-
horn and the Austrian I.loyds have to contend with
in establishing the Trieste route for the Indian
mail. It intimates the way of overcoming those
difficulties, by pointing out the weal: place, of the
rival route. "If in this undertaking we lag not
behind," says the German editor, in a note,
"in the formation of our German railways, then
we should despair of the sagacity and policy of
England, if we could imagine she would continue to
prefer the route through France—a way geographically
farther about, and politically objectionable, as it
makes English trade with India and China dependent
on the good-will of France, and even brings goods
two days earlier into Paris than into London.
In the long run, neither the interests of coteries nor
the predilections of journals will avail. Already
Indian papers ure speaking in favour of Trieste " :
We find, quite unexpectedly, in the Express of
Dec. IS, the letter of an Austrian concerning the overland
mail rid Trieste, which, in its general purport, accords tole-
rably with the London cerreepondence in the Allgemeine
Zeitung of Dee. 3. Although this letter may he regarded
as merely containing the views of a stranger, yet it is some-
thing worthy of notice when an Engash parer opens its
column for the defence of Austrian and Ocrinan interests.
As I happen to be acquainted with some p irticulars of this
topic, you will, perhaps, allow me to state them bridle, with
some allusion to known matters. The indefutheable Lieut.
Waghorn, in his first two experiments, proceeded on the
simple idea that from Bombay, or rather from Alexandria, rid
Trieste ; it is 300 miles nearer then the route rid Marseilles,
and (as Lie tit. Waghorn himself wrote to the Tiws)" it
only rennin. the energy of the !lriti-h government, the East
India Company, and the Continentnl States, to bring India
so much nearer to us, that I should fear now to state in bow
few :lays I believe the journey- might be neenr.plished." At
the conclusinn he said that, if all conditions were provided,
the whole distance from Bombay to London might be passed
in twenty-two days. Now it is remarkable that the
patronage of this shortest mute d. penis solely upon Austria
and some of the G. rman States. No pains and no s scritiee
should be [Tared to avail ourselves, as soon as pos-
sible, of this advantage ; for as mon as it is an
establithed fact that the Trieste courier can outstrip
the Marseilles post, the practical Englishumn will allow
on opposition to hinder him from availing himself
of the former route. From the last three experiments under
the sanction of the British goy-eminent, it can only be con-
cluded that the spc: a on the two routes is about equal, with
an advantare or come two hours gained on the aide of
Trieste. This calculation is made by taking the average of the
three journers ; but, practically, we may say the routes have
had alternate triumphs. In these cireunist niers, greater eco-
nomy or political consideratioits might turn the scale en the side
of Trieste. We must, however, not ley much weight on the
latter paint; for England does not study anticipatory
politics. As long as the way over France is op: n for her she
will use it, and when, by war or other cause s it is blocked
up, then, according to the English way of thinking, it wall
be time to look out f or ant Oar road.
The power of the opposition against the Austrian Lloyds
can hardly he over-estimated. We have the French govern-
meut commanding the way from Nantilles to Dover, end
against swell a power nothing can avail les: than a thorough
mutual understanding and co-operation of all the German
States, with the motive that here we hare to deal with a
national interest, of which we mug not allow our-
selves to be deprived by the French gevernment.
The greater the natural advantages on our side, the
greater would he the shame of our defeat. But
the Austrian Lloyds has its enemy in England. If
England knew fully her true relations towards the
rest of Europe, she would see that der naval power
should rest on the protection of the inferior naval
powers. This has been declared by able statesmen;
but, as France clings universally to the pride of superiority
on land, so does I:nglaud on the writer. The commerce of
Austria iii the Mediterranean has not escaped the jealousy
of England. In a pamphlet Ivey on the route through
Egypt this jealousy of Austrian trade was expressed. Brit
we must also mention a private rivalry. England needs
fear no rival in the steam passage from Bombay to
Suez, unless Holland chooses to appear in competi-
tion. Between Alexandria and England the Oriental Steam
Company have found rivals in France and Austria.
Good policy would meet the more formidable rivalry of
France by aide.g that of Austria; but private interests will
not judge in this way. The Oriental Steam Company only
considers that the route by Trieste may be too favourable to
Austrian commerce. That company, therefore, will not
favour the Trieste route. But eircunistances hare arrayed
azainnt the Austrian Lloyds an enemy more thrtnidable—the
London Press. At first, the Times was entirely in favour of the
Austrian Lloyds, and boldly asserted its cause against
France, particularly by the agency of the late city corres-
pondent of the Times. [We omit here a paragraph of
painful personal details.]
Although in the late contest the Times " thundered" so
fearfully against all monopolies, there eau hardly be a mono-
poly conceived greater than the Times itself. No new jour-
nal can have any chance against it, unless supportet by a
very large capital; and even then there would be ditlieulties
in finding renders. Thus many new-horn journals have ex-
pired immediately : the Constitutional [IL presentative ?]only
lived a few months. Another and a more dangerous rival en-
tered the lists, excited by French exunples—the Daily Sews
at 24d. The characteristic avarice of the high-priced papers
has displayed itself in their treatment of the Daily News.
Some of the principal contents of the morning journals are
the French express, which arrives every day (except Sunday),
in anticipation of the French post ' • and the overland mail
from Marseilles, which arrives monthly. The cost of these
expresses is borne by the morning papers conjointly. But
there happened to be a schism moos the established ones :
when the Morning Herald passed into the hands of the
proprietors of the Standard it was excluded from the commu-
nion. At fast, the Morning herald united itself with
the equally-respected Daily Ames. At Waghorn's find trial,
old Trieste, the Times gained a conquest in giving the news
from the Sutlej at the earliest date, and then declared its
preference far the Austrian Lloyds, The Herald gained sup-
port from the French government, and, on the next occa-
sion, had the victory of speed on its side. Now the Times
has stepped in and dissolved the union of the Herald and the
Daily News, by restoring the former to all its old privileges.
The Daily News, left quite alone, found it necessary to raise
its price from 21d. to 3d. Subsequently Lieutenant Wag-
horn united with the Daily News ; and, as the Austrian
Lloyds and Waghorn's route are identified, the vengeance
of the Times and its combination fell, not only on the Daily
News, but on Waghorn and the Austrian Lloyd.
This, of itself, would have been enough to make the po-
sition of the Austrian Lloyds difficult; but we must also
consider another point of not less importance. After the
late Spanish marriage, the protestations of the Times against
Louis Philippe knew no bounds—suddenly, a change took
place; the Times, with one of those salli mortali which
seem to have become quite sal! from long practice, alighted
suddenly, one morning—on the other side of the question'.
so that the Journal des Debals complimented the English
journal on its return to its usual cool consideration and
ei.
How this sudden conversion was effected, whether by
Guizot's mesmeric manipulation, or by sonic galvanic pro-
cess, for which, as is well .known, the agency of a metal is
indispensable—remains to us unknown. But the fact is
plain—the Times and some other English journals
again speak mildly of France, with no more fault-finding
than is convenient These papers are not only opposed to
the Austrian Lloyd, but are in favour of hie rival, France.
It is probable that the support of government will be less
cordially extended to the Austrian Lloyds. What then?
Shall these difficulties intimidate? No; the greater will
be the triumph. Its lot is bound with that of the
Daily News. Let it only win for that journal, two
or three times successively, the exclusive, earliest de-
livery of the overland mail, and, instead of losing by its
hardihood, he will find, as in the case of the Herald, that
its friendship will again be in request, and all possible means
will be employed to draw the Austrian Lloyd's from its
alliance with the Daily News.

AQUATIC SHOES.—Hate warranted to become
effectual floats for the use of persons in danger of being
drowned are no novelty to the readers of advertisements in
DINA newspapers. A new article of dress, of more extra-
ordinary floating pretensions, has it seems been invented by
Lieutenant Smite, the director of the military swimming
school at the Hague. It is a species of shoes which will
enable a man to walk and ran on the water, and if upset to
float on it. The shoes are attached to au apparatus which
covers the entire body, leaving it the free tve of the arms,
and the apparatus is said to be shot-proof, Several ..,.speti-
meats have been nr.de and have proved_ successful.