The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-15 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

Count Camille de Briey, who for some time has
represented the King of Belgium at the Germanic
Confederation, is gazetted as Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary of his sovereign at St.
Petersbur • He is succeeded at Frankfort by Baron
Alphonse Dorardin, now Minister at Madrid.

A letter from Basle, of the I lth, says We
learn that the Federal Council was to-day occupied
with the reports sent in by Colonel Bourgeois, and
that the contents of these documents are of a grave
character. It appears certain that more consider-
able masses of troops are being moved from the inte-
Fier of Lombardy towards Ticino and Piedmont. The
council, appreciating the gravity of the circumstances,
isabout to take such precautionary measures as may
appear to it necessary. Austria has not yet replied
to the two notes which were addressed to her b 7 the
Federal Council. On the other hand, General Binger
has not yet received the n powers from
Vienna to enter into a negotiation Colonel Boar-

DENMARK.
The Danish Diet was opened on the 7th. On the
Bth M. Modwig wu elected interim president.

THE UNITED STATES.
ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICA.
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.
At an early hour this morning the British and
North American Royal Mail steam-ship America, Csp-
tain Leitch, went aground on the Burbo Bank during
a thick fog, but subsequently got off and docked
without apparent damage. Her mails, which arrived
in charge of Lieut. iWard, lt.N., Admiralty agent,
were brought from the America by the steam-tug
Powerful, which was passing at the time, and landed
at 9.30 a.m. The America sailed from Boston at noon
on the 2nd inst., and at 8 p.m. passed the Royal
Mail steamer Cambria, from hence, and arrived at
Halifax at 5.30 a.m. on the 4th inst. She left that
port at 8.50 a.m. same day, and, after a very bois-
terous passage, arrived in the Mersey at 11 a.m.
to-day.
The United States mail steamer Humboldt, from
Southampton, arrived at New York on the Ist inst.
The United States steam-ship Washington, for
Southampton and Bremen, had sailed from New
York on the 27th ult.
Congress had voted an appropriation of 150,000
dollars for the purpose of surveying and exploring a
railroad route to the Pacific—eurvey and report to be
laid before Congress as soon as possible.
A correspondence is at present going on between
the Postmaster-General of the United States and the
Postmaster-General of Great Britain—the object of
the former being to reduce the present exorbitant
postage on pamphlets to one cenL an ounce or frac-
tion of an ounce, where four cents. are now charged ;
and the proposition of the other being to exact on
every package not exceeding half a pound in weight
sixpence sterling; beyond that weight, and not ex-
miffing a pound, one shilling, and so on for every
pound,increasing one shilling for every additional
pound. That officer also proposes that of the
postage so paid one-third shall represent tho inland
postage of Great Britain, one-third the sea rate,land
the remaining third the inland postage of the United
States.
The Secretary of the Navy has written to the
navy committee of the House of Representatives, re-
commending the building of a government frigate of
2,000 tons, propelled by the Ericsson caloric engine,
' and asking Congress to make an appropriation of half
a million dollars for that purpose.
The House of Representatives passed a resolution
calling on the President for copies of all correspon-
dence with the United States Minister nt Madrid,
and between him aid the Spanish government, re-
lative to Cuban affairs.
The new Cabinet would almost certainly be as

follows : W. L. Marcy, Secretary of State; James
Guthrie, Secretary of the Treasury; Robert M'Clel-
land, ecretary of the Interior; Jefferson Davis,
Secretary of War ; James C. Dobbin, Secretary of
the Navy; James Campbell, Postmaster-General;
Caleb Cushing, Attorney-General.
President Fill:nore had issued a proclamation,
calling for an extra session of congress, commencing
March 4th. The scssion would only sit a few days.
Twn millions of dollars have been appropriated for
the mail service, and in aid of the steam lines to Li-
verpool, Havre, Bremen, California, Sm.
The Monroe doctrine and Cuba resolutions arc
regarded as passed over.
The Canada Reciprocity and Copyright Bills will
probably not become law this session.
The steam-ship Uni•ed States had arrived at New
York from California, with 113,500 dols. in gold dust.
Nothing of importattea had occurred beyond the
fact that the inhabitants were fast recovering from
the effects of late severe inundations, the waters
having receded and the roads become partially pas-
sable, so that the necessaries of lire were being
placed within the reach of the half-starved settlers
of the interior.

Our liavannah advices are to the 22nd ult. We are
gratified to learn from Mr. Jones that the health of
the Vice-President elect is much improved. lie is at
present staying on the plantation of Mr. Jenks, four
milts from Matanzas, that gentleman having politely
tendered him the use cf his house. Mr. Jones de-
scribes the place as being exceedingly beautiful, and
says that Mr. icing seems thoroughly to enjoy him-
self there. Mr. Jones left Mr. King on the 21st,
and appears perfectly sanguine as to his speedy re-
covery. The sugar house in Mr. King's case has
proved very efficacious, affording him almost instan-
taneous miter.

The telegraphic account published in the Courier
on Thursday, of the misunderstanding between Mr.
King aTd the Captain-General is substantially cor-
rect. It is, however, definitely settled, although no
interview took place between the parties.
We learn from another passenger by the Isabel
that some excitement existed in Havannah, in con-
sequence of the authorities having broken (pen the
mails from Havannah, which were placed on board
the United States mail steam-ship Empire City,
Captain Windle, for New Orleans, on the 19th inst.,
by the agents, Messrs. Drake and Co.
The Empire City was advertised to sail on that
morning at seven o'clock, but pri...r to that hour was
boarded by the Chict of Police, two commissioners
and three police officers, who proceeded to open the
Ilmannall letters, detaining thereby the steamer
until half-past eight o'clock—one hour and a half.
The following morning the United States mail
steam-ship Crescent City, Captain Baxter, just as she
was about proceeding to New York, was similarly
treated, and detained one hour and a quarter.
It is said that the authorities have adopted this
course in order, if possible, to discover what Creoles
in the island arc engaged in correspondence with the
Filibusters of the United States. On the 21st inst.,
however, the United States consul at Havaanah, Judge
Sharkey, addressed a communication to the Captain-
General, protesting, it is said, in energetic terms
against the right of the Cuban authorities to search
any United,States mail steam-ship. Our informant
further states that he believes no response had been
received by our consul prior to the departure of the
Isabel. The Isabel, however, was permitted to leave
port without undergoing any examination ; the com-
munication, therefore, of our consul seems to have
bad • desirable effect.