The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-04 00:00:00

appeared

- -
By the arrival of the Levant mail we have received
papers from Athens of the 20th ult., which announce
the important fact that the Greek government had
at last submitted to the ultimatum of the Porte in the

Mansura. affair. The Courrier d'AWnee says, that
atter the receipt t Athens of the answer of the
Emperor of Russia to the letters of King (Rho, the
council of ministers was convened daily either at the
Palace or at the ministry of foreign affairs, for the
purpose of coming. to a decision in the Museums
affair. It was finally decided that M. Glaraki should
write to Ali Effendi the letter of apology demanded
by that minister of the Porte, expressing the regret of
the Greek government at the misunderstanding which
bad given rise to the present differences, and requesting
him to express the same regrets to M. Mussurus.
This letter was delivered to M. Persiani, the Russian
Charge d'Affaires, and by him despatched to M. de
Titoff, the Ituesian envoy at Constantinople. The
bearer of the letter, Mr. Nicludoff, left Athens on the,
night of the 12th of December, on board one of the
Austrian Lloyd's steamers. The satisfaction demanded'
by the Porte being thus granted, it is to be hoped
that the measures taken by the Divan with regard to
the Greek consuls and navigation, will be revoked,
and the relations between the two countries'
replaced on their old footing. Tne Ilfoniteurl
aril., the official journal of the government,
gives the following version of the insurrection
at Patters, which was reported in general term. by I
the last arrivals from Malta. This statement must, of
course, be received with all the distrust due to the
quarter from which it proceeds, and indeed it bears
internal evidence of distortion and misrepresentation:
According to this journal Captain Merenditi, commanding
the irregular troops at l'atras, being a partisan of Wiese,
having gained the concurrence of his subordinates and the
troops, seised the person of Major Stournari, and took from
him the flag of the regiment. At the head of two compa-
nies he then proceeded to the residence of the nomarch,
er
prefect, who being absent, the house was pillaged. They
tee n went to the Austrian consulate, where the prefect w a j
suspected to have taken refuge. This house was also pit- I
lager!. They next proceeded to the reeideece of the sue-
cureale of the bank, whom they compelled to surrender to
them the sum of 120,000 drachmas. They next went to I
the treasury of the government, from which, however,'
they were repulgAl by the regular troops in charge ofj
the place. They returned the following day. with in-
creased force, and succeeded in seizing it, but in the in-1
terval the specie deposited there had been carried away
and placed iii the charge of the British consul. The barracks
of inn regulars were next attacked, and, alter two days'
resistance, surrend red. An attack was then made on the
Castle of the Mores, where a great quantity of arms and
ammunition was known to be deposite I. The citadel
of Paints was attacked, and, after some resistance, our-
reed. red. Merenditi was now in possesaion of the place, and
made come dispositions for its defence. Meanwhile, however,
the nernerch, who at the commencement of the affair had es-
caped from the city, had raised a few hundred men in the
surroueding country, who were united with a company of
regular infantry. With these he attacked the town. The
siationsl guard remained neuter; but it is said that some of
the inhabilants took part eeriest the insurgents, who were at
length reduoed to 51 men, 15 of whom were woundei.
Ultimately these, finding resistance impraciesble, were re-
ceived on boanl a British war steamer moored is the har-
bour, and 34,000 drachmas were deposited by them with the
British annul. The noruarch demanded the surrender of
the refuge...a and the treasure. The Br:tish commander de-
clined either until he should receive swat re front the British
minister et Athens. The steamer transported the insurgents
to %ante.

Such nrc the facts as rt•la'ed by the Athens govern-
ment official journal, which adds that the next mail
was anxiously waited for to bring further intelligence
of the final issue of the affair.
The Chamber of Deputies of Athens had autho-
rised the government to appoint thirty-five new
eenators, for the purpose of creating a majority in that
assembly in favour of the ministry.
The ministry had resolved to demand of the
Chambers en authorisation to indemnify the National
Bank fur the losses it may prove to have suffered in
the tumults at Pares.

FRANCE.—Paats.—SAN'INGS BANK.—The Say-
legs Bank of Paris has made up its accounts to Dec. 31.
Its operations for the last year present the following results: '
—lt hit received in 240,450 deposits, of which 28 953 were
from new depositors, the sum of 31,690,951 f. ; in transfers of
receipts by the deuatunental savings banks 1,219,523 f. 19e.
It has capitalised on account of depositors the int. rest in
548.211 parte, forming a total of 3 013,672 f. It has
mole 112,616 reimbursement', of which 30,418 were in
full, to the amount 41,251,218 f. 65c. ; 1,601 transfers
to the departmental hanks, amounting to 1,128,8701 30c,
and in purchases of 222,4201 of rents. i.t the desire
of d. positors, costing the sum of 5,260,005 f. 30e. On
December 31 it held 80,146,3511 &lc., due to 138,449 de-
positors. This statement, as contested with that of 1810,
incites a reduction of 11,718,3011. 74c. in the amount due to
deposit .rst ; but the sums employed in the purchase of notes,
and the repayments made in order to redwe the deposits
within thu amount limited by the law of June 22, 1841,
h iving riseo together to the Burn of 8,295,353 f. 45c.,
it follows that the real reduction impteable to circum-
stances has been, in fact, only 3,422,910 f. 29e. The
conclusion is therefore warranted thst the dearness of
p 'one has exercised a less disastrous influence over
the dep.sitors in the Savings Bank than has been feared.
Anothi r fact not less remarkable is that the number of depo-
sitors b a decreased by only 1,459; for, on the Ist of January,
1817. it was 184,908, and was still on the 31st December
183,449. In this last number is to be reckoned, it is true,
the .1,000 workmen who recently participated in the first
instalment of the legacy left by M. B. Delessert. It will be
recollected that M. B. Udmurt bequeathed to the Savings
Bank of Paris 150,000 E, to be enipt”yed in opening 1.000
accounts of 50f. e,ch during three years to so many work-
men as would engage not to draw say part out of them, or
otherwise dispose of them, tor two years, adding in the mein
time such savings as they might be able to make.
DIME. DP. GENLIS'S OPINION OF MME. ADELAIDE.
—Madame de 0. nlis, who, as is known, was the governess of
the King and Madame Adelaide, speaks as follows of the
late r in her " Legions d'une G.,uvernante i sea Elie's,"
which were published in 1791 : " I can say with truth that
never knew a single defect in Millie. d'Orleans. She had,
naturally. a lively piety and every virtue. She committed
faults; hut, I repeat, she had no defect, that is to ray, no
had inclination, no bad dominating quality. I have no inte-
re,t of self-love in admi:tinz this truth, for I should have
had touch greater merit in having well educated her if na-
ture had not given her such a perfect character. She had
mental power, and that power resembled greatly that of her
brother. It had particularly the qualities offinessc and
proeos, which, united to virtue, to reason, and to beauty,
made her a person as amiable as she is affectionate in the in-
timate relations of life."
EItMANY.—PRUSSIA.—BERLIN, I)Ee. 30.
The assembly of the committees of the State. (Auretehiine)
of Prussia commenced on the 29th, undcr the presidency of
Count von Schwerin, Count von Arnim lotting been pre-
vented by Muse from presiding.
CIIILE.—We have a file of the Arauratio paper
of Santiago de Chile to the 16th of October, via 'Panama, by
the Wt at LAM steamer, but the contents consist almost
entirely of reports from the corresponding ministers on the
affairs of the treasury, of religion, public instruction and the
colotruction of roads vicanul and highway. The republic
wan in peaceful progress.

COLONIAL.
WEST INDIES.
GUIANA.—Our dates from this colony, by the
Severn, are to the Bth of December. The domestic intelli-
gence, though on the whole satisfactory, is not of mark. The
recent announcement of the intention of the Dutch govern-
ment to open the ports of Surinam to general commerce im-
parts an interest to the following statement and commentary
which we find in the Guiana Royal fia:ifte of 2.5. h Nov. :
There is a report in circulation that the Dutch govern-
ment have at length resolved to emancipate the slaves in the
neighbouring eolony. of Surinam, and in the other possessions ,
owned by Holland in the West Indies. Whether there is
any foundation for this report we know not. Probably there
may be no more truth in it than in the many similar ru-
manes of like kind that we have heard almost every year
since the abolition of slavery is the Briti.h West Indies. We
think it, however, worth while to mention the report, because
the principle on which it is said the government of Holland
have determined to proceed is not devoid of interest to our
selves at the present moment, and because, moreover, though
diametrically opposed to the principle on which Great
Britain proceeded, it has in its favour the sanction of anti-
quity and experience. The secret of the difficulties experi-
enced in the British West Indies since 1838 has not so
much consisted in the bare exchange of servile for free
labour, and the substitution of money wages in the room of
the expenses of maintaining the slave, as in the want of an
attachment to the soil, and of steady local connexions on the
part of the emancipated peasantry. Foreigners very clearly
saw this from the beginning ; and our own government have
at length become alive to the same truth, as is manifest
enough from the desire latterly evinced in Downing-street
to introduce into these colonies, as regards coolie and other
immigrants, some general system 'of indectureship, which
would have the effect of binding those classes to particular
spots for definite and calculable periods. Now, the pima stated
to be in contemplation by the Dutch government is not, in
setting the slave free, to release him from local obligations
to his former master ; but, in giving him a reasonable degree
of indulgence, to bind him to devote a portion of his labour
to the plantation to which be formerly belonged as a Aare,
in return for the fair and current rate of wages to which as
a fr;eman ho may become entitled. Incorrigible idleness,
vagrancy, and depravity are to reduce him, for longer or
shorter terms, according to the degree of his offence, to his
former condition of servitude. In this there is nothing
which is not quite in accordance with justice as well as
policy. Under an entirely free system the same bad quali-
ties reduce the citizen to the servitude of some convict settle-
ment, a servitude far more severe than the slavery of any
plantation. One advantage which would result from
the rumoured scheme of the Dutch government would
be the avoidance of a source of embarrassment and
disorganisation, which has been found to operate since 1838
to a most inconvenient extent in the British West India co-
lonies. We mean, that the heavy expense attendant upon
increased p 'lice establishments, enlarged convict settle-
ments, and an ampliated administration of criminal justice,
for all of which, owing to the increase of public crime since
the emencipation it has been found necessary to make pro-
vision in the British colonies, will be saved by the cape-

dient, at once sensible and jur, attributed to the govern-
ment of Ilelland. The el&ct of that expedient will be, that
crime will not injure society : it will merely injure the cri-
minal. The criminal, by committing crime, will not de-
prive society of his labour: on the contrary, he will be
forced to apply it in a mode in which its value wilt be most
appreciated. The plantation will be the penitentiary, an
establishment maintained without petting society to the
expense of one ativer for the reforistaUon of the cri-
minal. The sentence completed, the slave reverts to his
former condition of a freeman. In all this—which is PO ad-
vintegeous for all parties, the planter, the slave, the colony,
the mortgagee, the government, the home manufacturer—
there seems to as to be an almmt infallible guarantee for the
smooth working of the emancipation experiment in the co-
lonies of Holland. Indeed, a passion very strong in every
breast, and by no means dead in that of the peasant of the
tropics, self-interest, will be so powerfully appealed to, under
the system above indicated, in behalf of the welfare of so-
ciety, that tnere can be little doubt an to the success of that
system. Care of course must be taken that the freeman
shall not too easily sink into the condition of the slave for
offences of a trivial character, although there can be no deny-
ing that court* of juotioe are in all countries in the habit of
depriving individuals of their liberty tor long periods of
human existence, on account often of offenc, s Visit a mild
disposition would deem sufficiently rebuked by a grave ex-
position of error, and admonition to better conduct. Bet
that such care will be taken by the Dwell government we
cannot for a moment doubt, since nothing less can be ex-
pected of those who, without the least compul-ion, consent
to a social revolution in their colonies for the sake of

humanity."
TRINIDAD.—The dates from Trinidad are to the
Bth of Dec. We find the following statement respecting the
measures adopted in this colony with reference to the stop-
page of the West India Bank in the Port of Spain Gaulle.
' We regret to state that io consequence of very mischiev-
ous, and we h..ve every reason to believe wholly unfounded,
reports, circulated here with regard to the stability of the
batiks, one of them, the West India, after in vain striving,
during several days past, to r.store confidence by large
payments of specie across its 'minter, has been compelled to
decline opens payments until a fresh supply of that desirable
article can he obtained from some of the numerous quarters
from which we understand measures have been taken
to procure it. In the meantime the merchants of this town
hive come forward, in laudable imitation of a similar step
adopted, under similar eircumstancre, at Itarbedurs—and
have signified their readiness to receive payment of out-
standing accounts and settlements in West India Bunk
notes. We trust this measure, and others which we under-
stand are afoot, will be sufUent to restore confidence. In
this all parties an interested, the merchant just as much as
the planter. Fur if the circulation, by a general rejection of
bank notes, is restricted to specie, all must suffer from the
known scarcity of that article. and the general stagnation of
business, which will be the infallible consequence.'
The same journ..l thus comments on the report of the dis-
solution meeting of the Trinidad Rally iy Company, which
had been received by the last mail: "Tee directors report,
and the speech of the chairman, are replete with the ehamelt
falsehood and daring charges to the discredit of the Legiele-
tive Conned and the colony generally, which hare been fully
and frequently disproved in the various journals of the island,
and to whieh the enthusiastic character of the railway meet-
ing g.ves the crowhing disproof as to the public feeling
towards the project of a railway for Laic island. One feature,
Ihowever, of tne meeting is exceedingly gratifying, namely,
the unanimous desire felt by the shareho!dere that
in the event of the railway being carried on
I under more favourable eireunneances, the preference
I for Cie shares should he given is the shareholder'
in the late company. This circumstance, we repeat,
is gratifying, as proving the assertion of Mr Curtis, that
the shareholders only wait the demonstration of the
strung feeling exhibited by the public of Trinidad, to come
forward and complete the share list commenced in the island.
Mr. Moxon, the well known wealthy member of the Stock
Excbauge, suggested that the company should lie in ewy-
ance fur three year., in order that the shareholders might
aval themselves of any change which might transpire; and
when the information now in transit for England arrives,
there can be little doubt, the opinion of the shareholders and
the public will be strongly expressed on the subjeet of Trini-
dad railways, and that Mr Curtie's expectations expressed at
the meeting will lie realised by the share list being promptly
filled up. One circumstance creditable to the directors of
L the company must be mentioned, that they offered the plans
a gift t the colony—a boon which we trust the colonists
will be worthy of, in carrying out this magnificent project."
WINDWARD ISLANDS.—From Barbadoes we
have journals to the Ilth of D.tember. In the Globe we
find the fallowing encouraging statements relative to the
West India hank:
on reference to our advertising columns, it will be seen
thaahe secretary of the Went India Bank, by order of the
emote( directors, has requested a meeting of the share-
holders of that institution, resident in this island, at the
Batik-buildings, on Weilneeday next, for the purpose of
their appointing • joint committee of a certain number of
eligible persons from their body, and • like number of the
directors, to examine the state of the batik's affairs and re-
port thereon for the information of the shareholders and the
public.' Thin is • very straight.orward proceeding on the
part of the board, and one eminextly calculated to n-move all
daunts and suspicions, by whomire'er entertained, of any
intention existing on their parts to keep the shareholders iu
the dark as to the real position of the institution. It would
he perfectly gratuitous for us to offer these parties any
' emaciation under the eircums'auces, confi tent as we are
that amongst them will be found many fully capable of
entering into the investigation and of making the report, as
pmposed in the advertisement in question; but we respect-
fully take leave to observe to the public at large, teat in •
monetary crisis, it behoves every member of a community to
assist in getting through it as reedy, as quickly, end with as
little inconvenience, as possible; and it is in the power of
every individual, however small his mean., to contribute his
share to the public good. Na oae, we believe. who knows
anything of the affairs of the West India Bank, and who
may be otherwise acquainted with business iu general, but is
convinced that whatever may be the fate of the, share-
holders,—the holders of its notes, and those who keep ac-
counts there, are perfectly safe from loss ; but whilst the
batik is repl Dishing its coffers wilt specie, let the commu-
nity in general, as well as the customers of the hank, con-
tinue to receive their Rotes in payment ; for even if they can-
not perfect new contracts with them, they can pay off their
old ones ; and, as we are all generally mutually indebted
tine to another, including the bank, they will serve as a me-
dium of general liquidation, somewhat in the manner in
which that operation is carried on by the London banks
daily, at their clearing house. In speaking of the powitmlity
of the shareholders losing, we ace far from imagining that
such will be the case; but, on the contrary, we contioently
expect to see them again continue to receive handsome
dividends, if the present eri-is should prove, as we
consider it, merely transitory, having no doubt of the bank
being soon in a position to resume active operations again,
and even with a greater certainty of future prosperity-, from
the touch of adversity which it has just felt. It is most gra-
tifying to its to be enabled to state that the' labour, is., in all
parts of the country from which reports have reached us, are
conducting themselves in the pre eat monetary crisis which
has fallen upon the island in the most exemplary and praise-
worthy manner; on several estates they have voluntarily
offered to accept of 12i cents for their day's labour, and on
• °then they have proposed to their employer. to give them
food in lieu of • certain amount of wages, and that they will
cheerfully wait for the cash balance until such time as specie
, again becomes plenty in the colony. This proves the exist-
ence of the hest feeling between the proprietors mid the la.
, bourers—is highly creditable to both parties,—and to the
public journalist a most pleasing fact to record."
In the St. Ltwia Palladium we find the commencement
of a report oh the proceedings before the court of inquiry
into the disputes between Col. Torrens and Judge Reedit,.
The report is, however, so defective, in addition to its being
incomplete, that we must decline the risk of Riving incor-
rect statements in attempting to abridge it. There can be
little doubt but the official report of the proceedings, to-
gether with the decision of the court, will be called for by
parliament. Col. Torrens has returned to this country, and
will of course have an opportunity of stating his own cue at
the Colonial-office. Judge lieddie applied fur home leave,
in order that he might enjoy the same advantage, but was
refused by the officer administering the government.
NEW ZEALAND.

We are in receipt of Auckland papers to the 19th
of September. The legislative council was in scssinn, and
busy with the Marriage Bill. There was an active and
strenuous, if not numerous, opposition to the council : out of
doors, however, it was thought by unbiassed met to be quite
as much the representatives of the land-sharking Interest as
of the Auckland settlers. A rope-walk 540 feet in length,
completely roofed in, had been established by Mr. Robinson,
at Mechanic's Bay (Auckland). It was in full operation,
and had produced inter alia a first-rate flax c hle, weighing
about 18 cwt., for the copper works at Kawan. The
Inflexible had just returned at the date of the latest
accounts from a cruise undertakes to fix a site for the
newly-arrived pensioners. Governor Grey had resolved to
locate them in some suitable situation at a distance from
Auckland. This had occasioned considerable dissatisfaction
in the northern capital. The inhabitants said that Earl
Grey had meant the pensioners to be lecated in the vicinity
of the town, with a view to its defence in case of necessity.
They added, that the difficulties in the way of finding such
a site, arising from the penny and ten-shilling an
acre pre-emption claimants, had been exaggerated
by the governor. It was also objected that the
removing the pensioners to a distance from already
existing settlements was making them suffer for the sins of
the first occupants. Of the pensioners, and their view of
this subject, it is said in the New Zealanelet They
themselves are grumbling like burnt bears. They must
feel themselves incompetent to the severe task of breaking
up and subduing a new country. They. have not the stamina
required, the youthful vigour of constitution needed to bear
up against the fatigues and privations which are inseparable
from such an undertaking ; fur they have not turned
oat to be the healthy and able-bodied men pro-
mised in Loid Grey's despatch ; and, certainly,
if we may go by the mark of the mouth, not at all under
48 years. The real boon to the colony is nut so much the
c iris of min, but the families of those men, which we may
suppsie to have been respectably and morally brought up,
[rum the consideration that the pensions of their fathers were
earned by many years of steady good conduct."