The Express.
London, England, 1846-12-07 00:00:00

SCHOOL 13, • 6 Of
BOTANICAL VIOL. ma
L.S. nearly 400 llliotratiosi, Were is OL Imo&
Loudon: BracLery and Evros. IniNetrloo.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
THIS DAY, Four o'Clock.

It is currently reported 'that "a new Minister is to
proceed to the 'liver Plate in the room of Mr. Ouseley,
who has been recalled.

The Chief Secretary for Ireland has a.ldresed an
important letter to Mr. Edward Bullen, the secretary
to the Royal Agricultural Improvement Oociety,
in reply to the memorial which was lately pre-
sented by the council of that body to his Eic.4-
lency, praying that townlands might be substitutei:'
for electoral divisions, in promoting thorough drain-
ing and other reproductive works under the Labour-
rate Act, from which the following is extracted :
"I am directed by his Excellency to acknowledge the
receipt of the memorial of the Royal Agricultural Society
of Ireland, in favour of the substitution of the town-land for
the electoral division, as the basis of taxation for repro-
ductive works under the Poor Employment Act.
" The Lord Lieutenant has given to it that consideration
which was alike dne to the memorialists and to the great
importance of the subject to which it relates; but he is of
opinion that he cannot, consistently with his duty, adopt the
course which is proposed."

Accounts from Italy inform us that the Papal go-
vernment has just taken a measure of great importance
to the agriculture of the Roman states. The rice
fields in some parts of the country are the blessing
of the people, but in many districts the crop has
often failed. A distinguished economist has proved
that this is owing to the faulty method of its cultiva-
tion, and has made experiments in the district of
Cervetri, near Rome, which have been attended with
the happiest results. The Pope, fully appreciating
• arrtPflib2ll

UM 'Tame m a prviA.,-...utis
of this article of food, has nobly rewarded the expe-
rimentalist, and, by a recent decree, has ordained
that the whole of the valley between Ostia
and Porto d'Anzo, about three hundred kilometre/3,
in extent, and the property of the state, is to be appro-
priated to the culture of rice on an extensive scale.
One-half of the crop is to be sold for the state, the
other half to be given to the poor. This decree has
had wonderful effect, and the works were commenced
immediately for conveying the waters of the Nemi,
which are to irrigate the plantations established in

the
Thale vley.
declaration of Ancona and Sinigaglia as free
ports seems to have excited the jealousy of Austria,
who fears, no doubt, that Trieste, notwithstanding
its advantageous position, may suffer from the measure.
The Austrian Government has just decreed that ves-
sels belonging to the Austrian commerce, which dis-
charge their cargoes at Ancona or Sinigaglia, are to
have certain privileges.

Advices from Rio Janeiro, by way of Antwerp, of
the 3rd of October, state that letters had been received
there from Monte Video to the 20th of September.
They contain intelligence at
th an express had arrived
there from Paraguay, bringing despatches for the
ministers of the allied powers. The government of
Paraguay, it was reported, offered to furnish 30,000
troops to combat Roses, if the two governments,
English and French, would engage to guarantee the
independence of Paraguay. These proposals were to
be immediately forwarded to Europe. Nothing
positive was known about the treaty concluded be-
tween Madariga and Urquiza. The news from Mal-
donado of the 15th of September announced that that
district was entirely in the hands of the government
concentrated in the Minns. The statement that Gen.
Paz had been nominated commander-in-chief of the
troops of Paraguay was not confirmed.

Advices from Ilavannah to the end of October mention
that, in consequence of the hurricane, the crop of sugars had
been injured to that degree that it would scarcely attain, in
respect of quantity, that of the year before. Prices had
therefore advances from to I real.
' The advices from Odessa report that, notwithstanding the
enormous exports of corn which hsd taken place, such were
the resources and the fertility of the surrounding countries
by which that market is supplied, that there still existed in
the stores from 2,300,000 to 3,400,000 hectolitres of wheat
and about 420,000 hectolitres of barley.
From Munich it is stated, in a letter to the Allgenaaine
Zettany, that letters had been received from China by M.
Naumann, professor of Chinese at Berlin, which mentioned
that two American ships. of war had sailed for Jeddo, the
capital of Japan, with a view to establish commercial rela•
lions with that empire. The Americans, in fact, were
resolved to use face in the accomplishment of the object
neeessat7.
The Austrian Observer, of the 25th ultimo, formally
announces that the report of a territorial indemnity, to be
given to Prussia and Russia, in consequence of the incorpora-
tion of Cracow, is destitute of any foundation.

A STEAMER ON FIRE.—The Shannon, Irish
steamer, arrived at Plymouth, from London, on passage to
Dublin, about 3 o'clock on the morning of the sth instant,
and shortly afterwards, whilst coaling alongside the depot,
in Catwater, was discovered to be on tire. There were up-
wards of 120 passengers on board, and many of them rushed
to the sides of the vessel with such eagerness that two wo-
men fell into the water, and were with some difficulty res-
cued by a seaman passenger named Thirsty, lately paid off
at Woolwich, from her Majesty's steamer Avon. A foolish
report, that there was gunpowder on board, operated so
forcibly on the mind of an elderly gentleman named Ben-
nett, that, although very ill, the crew were compelled, by
his importunities, to convey him immediately on board the
coal hulk alongside. At a quarter past 6 o'clock her moor-
ings were cut off, and she was run ashore to the east of Mr.
Hill's shipbuilding yard, Cattedown. About 7 o'clock
the flames first began to ascend from the hold ; but
shortly after this the County and West of England
engines arrived by land, and the engine belonging
to her Majesty's Customs by water, in a barge, from which
most essential assistance was derived. Very great difficulty
was experienced in getting at the fire, from the confined
place in which it originated, and, notwithstanding all efforts
at could not be immediately suppressed. At 10 the flames
issued from the circular cabin window aft. About 11 o'clock
the dockyard engine arrived, under the orders of Lieutenants
J. B. Dixon and 11. T. Veitch, with a party of blue jackets
from her Majesty's ship Queen, and was shortly followed by
the engine from the Plymouth citadel, with a company of the
14th, headed by Col. Barlow and Adjutant Blunden. The
addition of these forces in the course of two tiro* ree hours
effectually put down the fire. The goods Plymouth
being stowed in the fore hold, are preserved; but those des-
tined for Falmouth and Ireland were much damaged, if not
des-
tined:
destroyed. The vessel has been scuttled.

Now ready, a New Edition, In decay aro.,
L BOTANY; or, The RUDIMEN
MAL SL'NCE. By Dr, I...twnu7, I:12, D., In