The Express.
London, England, 1848-07-10 00:00:00

be Court.

The Queen and Prince Albert, the ladies and
gentlemen of the court and the domestic household, attended
divine service yesterday, iu the private &ape' of Bucking-
ham Palace.
The Queen, attended by the lion. Caroline Caven-
dish, Maid of Honour in Waiting, took a drive in an open
barouche and four on Saturday. Prince Albert rode out on
horseback at the same time.
The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Augusta
Bruce, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Sir George
Courier, and the Hnn. General Upton, honoured the per-
formance at Her Majesty's Theatre, on Saturday evening,
with her presence.
The Duchess Bernhard, and the Princesses Anne
and Amelie, of Site Weimar, loft town on Saturday for the
residence of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, Bushy House,
Bushy Park.
A cabinet council was held on Saturday at theForeign-
office. The ministers present were : Lord J. Russell, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir G. Grey,
Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Ex•
chequer, the Earl of Auckland, Sir J. llohhouse, Right
Hon. H. Labouchere, Lord Campbell, the Marquis of Clan-
riearde, and Viscount Morpeth. The council sat three
hours.

lIER MAJES TY'S MARINE EXCUItSION.—IICT Ma-
jesty's marine excursions will be confined to the Channels and
neighbouring islands. The 2ith instant is the day named
fur embarkation for the trip; still, we hear, she may visit
Liverpool, she may visit Belfast, and she may visit Cork.
We shall not be surprised to hear vitne morning that her
yacht is safe in Kingston, and herself in Dublin Castle.—
Hants Telegraph.
TUE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY. A correspondent
states, on what he conceives to be good authority, that his
Excellency Count Dietrichstein is about to relinquish his ap-
pointment as ambassador to the British court from Austria.
It will be recollected that the noble count had made arrange.
ments last February to leave England in the following
month, in company with the countess, for Vienna, as was
then stated on privet* business," but circumstances ernes
which demanded the presence of his excellency in London.
The countess and her brother, Count Potocki, however, left
Chandos House for Germany, and, as we announced a few
days back, the countess has since returned to town, and has
altogether abstained from mixing. in society. His excellency
has given notice to the retains's tn his household that their
services in his establishment will not be requited longer than
the close of the present month, when his Excellency and
the countess are expected to leave England.

THE OPENING OF THE WATERLOO-BRIDGE
TERMINVB of the South-Western Railway is to take place
to-morrow. Early on Friday morning the bridge over the
Westminster-road was tested by the government officer. To
ascertain with a positive degree of certainty the eflect of a
quick passage of heavy bodies across the immense span, a
number of strong rods, secured on a firm foundation, were
placed upright in the centre of the etch, and midway be-
tween the centre and rides. and touching the iron girders.
In each of these rods was a groove with a sliding staff, which
on the passing cf the trains indicated to a hair's breadth the
deflexion of each girder ; and in no one instance was it more
than the 3-16ths of an inch. Three of the heaviest engines
of the company were selected to make the experiment,
and these were closely coupled and otherwise worked in
such a manner as under no ordinary circumstances would
occur. The four distinct lines of rail were afterwards run
over repeatedly with the different engines, and is every
instance the points or switches, which are mostly self-
acting, proved to be in admirable working corder. Captain
Simmonds, the government inspector, expressed his satisfac-
tion at the result of the experiments, and gave the necessary
certificate for opening the new line.
CONTINENTAL INTERCOURSH—The usual return ei
passenger traffic between the Channel ports gives the follow.
mg numbers for the week ending July 2. through Boulogne,
1,2.56; Calais, 221. The corresponding period in 1847 gave:
through Boulogne, 1,890; Calais, 393. The 1,256 passengete
through Boulogne may be subdivided as follows frees
Folkestone, 349 ; Dover, 112; London, 112; total, 673.
For Folkestone, 426 ; Dover, 84; London, 173 ; total, 683.
THE POTATO DISKABE.—The Gardeners' Chronicle
of Saturday publishes reports received from various parts of
the country, which prove the very unwelcome fact that the
potato disease has again manifested itself in England, Ire-
land, and Scotland, and that it has already done much mil-
chief. The communications proving this bad news will be
found in the columns of our contemporary, but it may be
well to state here that the places enumerated as those whme
the disease has been detected are Tunbridge Wells ; Nether-
bene, near Dorchester; Welling, Kent; Ansport ; Dorking,
Petworth ; Lewes; Brentwood ; Cranford; Enfield; We-
Tendon, Bucks ; Covey, Norfolk ; Suffolk ; Litunhum,
Beds; near Chester ; Preecot, Lancashire; Hemsworth and
Rotherham, Yorkshire; Banffshire ; Llanrwst,' North
Wales ; Nenagh ; Hyde, Isle of Wight ; Torquay
and Clysthydon, Devon ; and Woolstone, near Strat-
ton, Cornwall. In reference to the report of the
existence of the disease in Mayo, the editor of the
Gardeners' Chronicle says "We observe that this is
contradicted by the Irish correspondent of the Daily News.
We can only say that we received the information from Lord
Oranmore himself, along with a sample of young potatoes
and haulm, about which there could be no doubt." Unto.
voueable reports have also reached us from the High-
lands, and from St. Peter's, Jersey. It will be
seen that in Yorkshire only two places are named
in which the potatoes are affected. From other
parts of the country more hopeful news is gives in the

I Leas Mercury of Saturday, which says:" From the &ppm-
ante of the tops in this neighbourhood we cannot in di-
nes., but, on the contrary, appearances indicate the absence
of it. Our correspondents in Barnsley, Wakefield, and seve-
ral other parts of this riding concur in stating that the plant
is generally healthy, and that as yet no indications of disease
are apparent." The Wilnes, also reports favourably of
Edinburgh/hire. That journal states mud the breadth co-
vered with potatoes is greater than was anticipated, and
although a few patches have been ploughed up, the great
bulk of the crop are yet as healthy and luxuriant as in an
average of searons before the recent malady was heard of.
How long they may continue an is a question yet to to
solved.

POSTPONEMENT OP THE FETE IN AID OP THE DIS-
TRESS/1D NEEDLEWOMEN'S SOCIETY.—Tho lite and public
breakfast announced for today at Vauxhall-gardens is post-
poned until Friday next, in consequence of several of the
artistes who had volunteered their aervices having to 'mist
at Drury-lane to-night on the occasion of her Majesty's visit.

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.—The Marylebone
vestry were cn Siturdly engaged in a warm discussion re-
specting the additional sum demanded by governm•nt for
the support of the police. Ultimately the appointment of a
committee to wasider the breach • f faith committed by go-
vercim,.nt, and to adopt such mraturts thereon as might be
deemed necessary, was resolved on.
ATTEMPT TO BURN DOWN TIIF. MODEL LODGING
!Louth—During the last few days three attempts have
been made by some evil-disposed persons to *et fire to the
premiws now being fitted up by the Society for Improving
the Condition of the Working Classes, so a model lodging-
house, in Old Comptonatreet, Soho. Fortunately timely
discovery prevented the destruction of the building, and
watchmen ate now stationed nightly on the rrethaes in
order t.) previa a repetition of the offence.