The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-11 00:00:00

ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE REBELS.

The China Mail of April 26 states that during
the previous fortnight the rebels in the neighbour.
hood of Shaughae had been twice attacked by the
combined English and French formes, assisted by
the force of drilled Chinese under Ward, who has
been made a military mandarin (with a light blue
button worn by imperial officers of the third class)
in consequence of an order from the capital.
The Pekin Gazettes continue to contain de-
crees announcing the high estimation in which the
regency holds the friendship of the allies, and the
manner in which the announcements are made
shows that the services now being rendered by
foreign troops to the imperial cause is very warmly
appreciated by the supreme authorities. On the
other hand, though the rebel forces were completely
beaten in the two last, as in all former engage-
ments with the allied force, yet the manner in
which they took up thei' position has displayed
the fact that they possess a considerable amount
of military skill, together with quite an equal
amount of courage and determination. Twice
have they occupied a position so strong as to be
nearly impregnable to anything but artillery, pro-
tecting themselves by double stockades and ditches
against the ordinary forms of attack, much in the
same way, though on a smaller scale, as the Tartar
troops fortified themselves in the Takn Forts. The
recent engagement with the rebels has also dia-
cloeed the fact that they have been approaching
Shanghae in the most regular and systematic man-
ner, " so that (says the China Mail) the tactics
of Admiral Hope in proceeding at once to break
up their network of stockade positions have been
the best that could have been adopted, assuming,
as most tesonable men here do, that he was right
in moving against the rebels at all."
A stray shot had wound 24 Sir J. Hope in the leg
—an accident which will confine him to hie cabin
for Rix weeks.
Letters from Pekin of March 27 state that
foreigners are visiting the capital in unusual num-
bers. One is an Englishman, " who passed through
this yesterday, to return to his native land by
Siberia and Russia. His name is Grant ; a resi-
dent for some time in the south. We wish him all
safety and success. It is a capital adventure for a
man with a wooden leg."
The higher authorities had paid a visit of con-
dolence to the British ambassador, upon hearing of
the decease of the Prince Consort.

The young Emperor of China has selected another
son of Prince Haul as a class-fellow.

The most interesting passages to foreigners in
the Pekin Gazette are notices of the co-opera-
tion of British and French forces with the
imperial troops in the complete repulse of the rebels
near Shanghae. These occur in the issues of
March 17 and 23, and are given as illustrations of
the unvarying friendliness and truthful sincerity of
the allies, English and French. Two American;
Ward and Pei-tai-wan, the one general, the other
second in command, are specially complimented
for their energetic assistance ; and as they have
both prayed the throne for permission to cast off
their foreign style of dress and assume the Chinese
garb and cue, his Majesty looks upon this as
proof of their attachment to his interests, and
grants them their request, giving them also per-
mission "to wear a peacock's feather, and carry
the 3rd button—clear blue button."

A private letter, dated Shanghae, April 19, nap:

By this mail you will receive amounts of the result of the
second expedition against the rebels in this neighbourhood.
The force consisted of 335 marines and blue jackets from the
men-of-war, 70 men of the battery of artillery, 80 men of
the 99th, and 800 Indian troops, with 7 gam The French
brought into the field 150 seamen and 400 Algerian troops,
with 7 guns, and 150 trained Chinese artillery.
men, besides about 400 disciplined Chinese troops,
making in all about 2,300 men, and 14 guns. The attack
sou to be made on a fortified atrooghold about 18 miles from
Shanghae. At first the rebels showed fight, and returned
the fire from our Fans ; however, when the range bad been
ascertained, and after about four rounds from each gun had
been fired, the enemy were seen retreating by thowiaods, and
the piece was soon taken, with a loss on our side of one of
the 99th killed, sad one native officer of the sth wounded.
The rebel force was estimated at over 8,000, and their lose
above 500 killed and 300 prisoner.. This is to be followed
up by a still larger attack about the Ist of May, at a place
still further up the river. But whether these attacks will
have the dears' effect of keeping them sway from Shanghai
altogether is doubtful, node.. the Chinese have forum snongh
to keep the country when our troops retire.

AUSTRALIA.

HELBOITANE.

The latest Melbourne advisee are dated April 26.
The ministerial Land Bill has passed the assem-
bly. As regards the immigration clauses, a oon-
siderable modification of the original scheme has

been effected. It is still agreed that there shall be
a scheme of systematic immigration maintained,
and that it dull be connected with the land
system. But a change has been made in the
allocation of the land revenue, which will have
the effect of lessening the amount available for
immigration. It is provided that not more
than one-fourth of such revenue shall, in any one
year, be applied to that purpose. It is also pro-
vided that for the first nine months in every year
the immigration warrants shall be issued to appli-
cants in due proportion to their respective na-
tionalities, as English, Scotch, or Irish—the calcu-
lation being based on the relative populations of
tha4three countries; and that for the other three
months of the year the issue shall be indiscrimi-
nate, or on the principle of " first come first
served."

The revenue for the first quarter of the year
shows a decline as compared with the correspond-
ing quarter in 1861 of 148,6671., chiefly referable to
the heads of customs and land sales.

The chief secretary has brought in, and carried
through the assembly, a bill for reducing the
governor's salary to 7,0001., all extras included,
from the lst of January next. The present amount
is 15,0001., including staff allowances.
Some minor measures, chiefly of a fiscal cha-
racter, have been carried, including one to reduce
the gold export duty by sixpence an ounce after the
Ist of July next, and another to impose a small
tax on bank notes.

A grand encampment of the volunteer forces of
the colony on the banks of the Werribee, midway
between Melbourne and Geelong, commenced on
the 18th April.
The railway between Ballarat and Geelong was
opened on the 10th of April. The occlusion was
celebrated by a grand banquet, at which his Ex-
cellency Sir Henry Barkly was present. Invita-
tions were also addressed to the members of both
houses of legislature, the Mayor of Melbourne, the
Mayor and Corporation of Geelong, and to other
gentlemen specially identified with the progress of
Balarst, or with colonial railway enterprise.
Considerable quantities of rain have fallen
throughout the colony, and miners will now be
enabled to " wash up," and bring their gold to
market. A long-continued drought, leading in
many districts to the total stoppage of the quarts-
crushing machines and the puddling dams for
weeks (and in some instances for months), had
materially reduced the yield of gold, and of course
the earnings of the miner. The total amount of
gold shipped during the present year up to
date has amounted to 689,868 ounces, which,
at 41. an ounce, gives the value at 2,759,4521.
The following are the escort returns for the last five
weeks, with the corresponding periods of the pre-
vious year :

1862. 1861. 1860.
Week audios Much 27.... 35,048 .. 43,305 .. 46,797
/9 9, April 3.... Z 3,387 .. 25,690 .. 30,639
,P 00 10.... 31,475 .. 42,143 .. 33,180
" „ „ 17.... 26,950.. 29,941 .. 39,840
~ „ „ 24.... 25,213 .. 26,389 .. 40,343

Total 142,073 167,468 190,799

The commercial advices say that the past month
had been remarkably dull, and operations in the
import market have for the most part been of a
very limited character. Speculators have been
very quiet, being unwilling to operate at ruling
quotations ; and transactions have been almost
wholly confined to the supply of the daily require-
ments of town and country storekeepers.