The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-15 00:00:00

AFFGHANISTAN.

The latest news from this quarter is contained in
the annexed extract from the Le /ti Gazette of the
31st ultimo, which states that
Accounts have bees received from Cabul mentioning
that Shah Jan Khan, son of the Aunt., is engaged in a war
with the Ghilmies at Mookur, and that Allah Dad Khan
and Mir Dad Kh ie the ambassadors lately despatched to
the King of Persia, proceeded to Cabot by the Ila
sera road. The result of their embassy has not been made
public. There was a rumsur that a Persian agent had ar-
rived at Candahar, the object of whose visit is said to be to
warn the chiefs against failing to act in opposition to the
King's orders.
THE PUNJAUB.

Heavy rain had fallen in several places around
Lahore, hut none at that place. The people and
troops were in good health, more especially the
latter.

BUItMAN.

Now that our troops have no real tangible enemy
to fight with, they seem to be inclined to create one
in imagination, and the Bengal papers teem with
letters from Burmah regarding preparations said to
be in progress for a general onslaught on them. The
celebrated Mea-Toon is to be the commander of the
force from Ava, and he certainly seems to have been
treated with great consideration there by the war
party. The ex-Governor of Della is the leader of
those inclined for peace, and is strongly backed by
the King. When our prisoners were being released
they were each presented by the Golden-Footed
Monarch with a valuable ruby ring and
a gold box valued at about 501. or 601.,
his Majesty expressing a hope that the
English and hie people would long continue on
friendly terms. Still the war party aro said to be
very strong, and it is possible they may succeed in
again lighting the torch of strife. The 18th and
80th foot are to leave the country for England, their
place being supplied by the 2nd Bengal Europeans
only. General Godwin and Captain Phayre are re-
ported to have said that two European corps are quite
enough to be quartered in Burmah, so it is evident
they do not look for any more fighting on a large
scale. A report had reached Sir John Cheape of an
intended attack OR Proms after the rains, and ho
had in consequence brought up the 18th Royal Irish
from their encampment ot Shonedoung, eight miles
below I'rome. A large town close by had been at-
tacked by plunderers, with bands of whom the coun-
try is infested, and four companies of the 67th Native
Infantry had been sent to its protection. The
ICommissioner, Captain Phayre, had left Ran-
goon for Prome on the 17th Aug. Major Hill
and Dr. Fayrer had received complimentary letters
from the Governor-General himself for their services

during the war, and offering them respectively the
command of the Gwalior Contingent and the Luck-
now Residency Surgeoncy, in acknowledgment
thereof. A portion of the Moozuffer, with the
machinery, had been recovered. The barque La-
belle, 912 tons, J. Peat, commander, had been
wrecked xi her way from Akyab, bound to Fal-
mouth—chief mate and a seaman drowned. The
wreck had been sold for 2601. ; she was laden with
rice. Three officers of the 2nd Bengal E. Fusiliers,
at Maulmain, were under arrest for having beaten
and illtreated a liquor merchant. An attempt made
to discover a passage from the Irrawaddy in the
Sitang river had failed. Immense supplies of rice
had arrived at Rangoon, from Calcutta, and the price
had fallen to 12a. per bag, much to the joy of the
poorer inhabitants. The troops generally at all the
stations were enjoying good health, and the weather
was, on the whole, pleasant. The following is the
farewell order issued by General Godwin when
leaving Burmah. It speaks well for all parties,
and will be read with great pleasure, I feel
assured:

The bicior-General is about to resign the command of
the army—an army that:for'one year and four months has
not given the Major-General one hour of trouble or dis-
quiet, whether in the field or in quarters. Its admirable
conduct hu held an even course. It is a singular fact that
with troops of three distinct services (of which this force
hu been composed), not one collision of Interest has come
to the knowledge of the Major-General. Al has been
harmony; and the good of the service, in which the
force has been employed, has been the prevailing
and first consideration of the combined whole.
Such creditable bearing ;must increase the painful feeling
of the Major-General iu leaving so excellent a force,
from which he has never been absent a single day.
1 Sharing as he has done in its triumphs in the field, and
living with it in its quarters, he does not consider what he
' is now addressing to them so much in the light of a fare-
well order as of a testimony of the warmest feelings towards
his brother soldiers. The Major-General has to warmly
acknowledge the services of those officers in the various
departments by which he has been supported and the army
taken care of. The Major-General's personal staff well
know the estimation in which they are held by him. Cap-
tain Burn, his Military Secretary, has given him valuable
assistance, and his aides-de-samp, Lieutenant Chads and
Ensign Austin, may rest assured of the deep interest he will
ever take in them.—fienyal liurlcans, August 26.

CHINA.

PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION.

HONO KONG, Avousv 23.
At the date of the despatch of the last steamer, we
were in a perplexity anent the rebels and rebellion,
owing to the non-arrival of the usual steamer from
Shanghai, which vessel reached here on the 13th
inst. with late advises from the northward. So tar
as the progress of the Nankin insurgents are eon-
cerned, the late arrival adds little to our previous
' information, and the best informed parties at Shang-
hai write, that no reliable information had reached
that city beyond the fact that considerable bodies of
the insurgents had quitted Nankin ; their movements
were matter of mere conjecture, but it was undisputed
that they were in high spirits, in full possession of
Nankin, and bad very strongly fortified that position.
It is certain, however, that the main army of the in-
surgents has advanced northwards towards Pekin
and the imperial Gazette admits that it has defeated
the Testy troops from Manchooria, which were en-

countered a short distance from Nankin. it Wl% very
generally rumoured that the insurgents nould not lie
able to meet the northern Tartars, but there appears
to be little doubt entertained that they have deloated
them, and advanced so rapidly northward that the
accounts are vague. It is ruineurrd, and very gene-
rally believed, that Pekin has been taken. The ac-
counts received on this subject are not only vague
but conflicting. Some letters received from Shanghai
state that accounts had reached from l'ekin of the
arrival at that place, so long ago as the 13th J.
of the first division of the Mongolian or Northern'
"Tartar army, and that the grand struggle far
the mastery of Pekin had not commenced.
Another fortnight will probably place the
matter beyond all doubt. If Pekin had not
fallen at the date of the last received
' advices there eau scarcely be a doubt ea.
tcrtained that the meeting of the insurgent and
Mongolian forces near Pekin will determine the
fate of this vast empire, by either the repulse and
destruction of the insurgents, or their triumph over
the imperial army.
As far as we are correctly informed, it is certain
that the insurgents have not lost ground; on the
I contrary, they are acquiring constant accessions, and
town after town submits to the sway of the rival
dynasty. Since the date of my last letter reliable
information had reached Shanghai of the fall of Kai.
Rano; and Fooug-yang, the former being the capital
of the Henan province, and the latter the capital
of the Ganwhy province. It is also stated Out they
possess undisputed sway over the count:, near the
Poyang Lake, in Kiangsi, and thus continatid the
control over the whole tea districts. It is not ex-
pected, however, that any interruption will be offered
to the cultivation or exportation of teas.
From Amoy, late but very unsatisfactory accounts
have been received, and there appears to be little
hope entertained of any change for the better or the
re-establishment of trade. The rebels etiil remain ia
possession of the island, and keep up frequent skir-
mishes with the Imperial forces ; but these latter do
not evince any disposition to determine hostilities by
hard fighting. In the meantime the rebels receive
daily accessions to their numbers by square rigged
vessels and junks from Singapore and Penang, with
L supplies of money and ammunition, and thus threaten
a very protracted and desultory warfare.

BOMBAY POSTAL, ARRANGEMENTS.
On the 3rd of September a meeting, attended by
the great majority of the European residents of the Presi-
dency (exclusive of the services), and by a large number of
Parsec an l other native gentlemen, was held at the Town
Hall, Bumbay, to take into consideration the defective ar-
rangements of the overland mail comtnueication with
Europe, and to devise means fur their improvesnent. A
number of resolutions were proposed, and wt.rc abided
with perfect unanimity.

DINNER TO GENERAL GODWIN AT RAN.

- - -
GOON. ----
The dinner took place on Tuesday the 2d August,
in the mess house of the Bengal Fusiliers. A marquee was
pitched in front for the reception of the gent rot and his
suite, opposite which was a guard of honour tram the
Fusiliers, and the band of th.it regiment to receive the
gallant officer with the usual honours on his arrival. ]le
made hie appearance punctually at hall-p.oit 7 o'clock,
when the guard "presented arms " and the hand struck up
" See the conquering hero comes." About eights sat down
to dinner.

Dinntr being over, the health of tho distinguished gout
of the evening was proposed by the chairman, Genera
STEEL, C.B.

General GODWIN, in returning thanks, said—Ths painful
feeling with which I resign the command of that army has
been much increased from the fact, that it has never given
me an hour of trouble or disquietude. lam aware that my
cmduct during the whole war has been censured both in
England and in India, bus it falls harmless. The war, it is
true, has not concluded with the spirit with which it com-
menced, but my detente is that I could not go on without
orders, though I knew the army I hnd could achieve every
thing. (Tremendous cheering.) I have acted throughout
:.ccording to orders received from the Governor-General of
India, and he received instructions from the home govern-
ment. The general resumed his sent amidst great cheering,
but shortly rose again and said he ought not to hcve omitted
to propose the health of one to whom the country had
already been much indebted, and to whom it would be much
more so—he referred to the Governor-General's agent,
Captain Phayre.
Captain PRATRE having acknowledged the compliment
paid to him, continues! to say—l believe it is frequently
asserted in England that the British empire in the Eut
rests upon opinion. 1 cannot assent to tin. dictum. The
empire has been won by the sword, and by the sword it
must be maintained. If this be true as regard. India, how
much more so as regards Burmab, as regards Pegu ? where
we have no treaty, and where the former sovereign has
refused to transfer to us his right cf dominion. (Applause.)
It will ever be to me a source ut pleasure to remember that
I have been associated with our distinguiirlii d guest,
General Godwin, in the commission for the conclu-
sion of atreaty of peace. (Applause.) We know
that General Godwin, wherever he may he, whether
in India or his native land, will regard the' country
with intermit and affection ; that he will anxiously look to
its progress, and knowing this, our labour will be cheered,
ann we shall continually he incited to fresh exertions.
(Great applause.)
General Cionwtrit next proposed the health of General
Steel, who returned thanks.

Captain SPARKS next rose, and proposed "The Army of
Burmah," which was responded to with enthusiasm.
Several other toasts having been given, the En neral and
most of his staff retired, the whole company rising and
cheering him as he left, and the band playing " Auld Ling
Syne."

THE MURDER ON BOARD THE ARHATOON

APCAR.

A coroner's inquest was held on board the
Arratoon Apcar in the afternoon of Saturday, the 6th
instant, on the body of Captain Lovett, and was not con-
cluded on the departure of the mail; but the only verdict
that can be looked for will be wilful murder against the
Chinese part of the crew and the two passengers mentioned
in the extra issued from this office shortly after the cata-
strophe became known. Investigation has not served to
elicit any facts tending to set matters in a much clearer
light than when the last mail left, and it is, we think, pre-
mature to say that alt who are missing were killed, it being
quite possible that Mr. Smith, at least, was able to swim to
one of the numerous fishing-boats said to have been sailing
about at no great distance from the Aeration Apcar when
the attack was made. According to the evidence of the
most intelligent of the witnesses, Augustin M. de Gams,
the Scacunnie at the wheel when the ssfault com-
menced, Captain Lovett visited the deck twice after
the commencement of the middle watch, and

had not been long below when the Chinese made
a rush on the second mate, Mr. Woodburn (the
gentleman mentioned in our No. 24 of the 23rd March last,
as the second mate of the British ship Clyde, upon whom
the seamen of that ship made a murderous assault). Shortly
after Mr. Woodburn was dragged off the raised quarter
deck, crying out, "Oh Gad ! Uh God !" apparently se-
verely cut and wounded by the assailants. Mr. Smith
scrambled on deck from the stern-port, and was standing by
the deponent when, seeing two Chinese coming towards
them, they both fled—Mr. Smith jumping overboard—the
Seacunnie up the rigging, where he remained until the
Chinese left the vessel iu the captain's gig. (The scoun-
drels cut the starboard quarter boat adrift, to prevent any
one leaving the vessel beside themselves.) This witness
also furnished some further particulars about Captain
Lovett, who, after he came un deck, appeared bewildered
and taint from low of blood, begging them W take him for-
ward, and not allow the Chinese to murder him. He had
strength enough, however, to tell them to steer N.N.W.,
which he said would bring them to the land somewhere
China China Mail.

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

1/CW.OI:OHS -0-11.11-N-TE-1)--170 OYFICEMD. BCC., SINCE DEM.