The Express.
London, England, 1846-12-19 00:00:00

NEWS FROM PORTUGAL.

The steam-ship Queen arrived at Southampton
yesterday afternoon, bringing dates from Gibral-
tar 6th instant, Cadiz 7th, Lisbon 10th, Oporto
11th, Vigo 13th. The Queen had on board three
packages specie and sixteen passengers. She
expenenced tremendous gales and heavy snow
squalls, and rode at anchor 24 hours in Vigo, owing
to the weather. We have received papers of the
above dates, together with our correspondents letter,
which is subjoined.

LISBON, Dec. 10.
Affairs remain here much in the same state as they
were on Saturday the sth when the Tagus packet left
for England, affording little scope for narrative but
plenty of room for speculation and invention, which
accordingly are largely indulged in. At Santarem
and Cartaxo, the two chiefs, Saldanha and Das Antes
remain quiescent, the only signs of activity being dis-
played in the detachment by the former of a force
under General Fereira to join that commanded by
Colonel Lapa, whose exploits have recently formed
the subject of several bulletins in the Diario do
Gorerno. The last accounts that were received in
Lisbon respecting the operations of this combined
column, consisting now of about 1,800 men, stated them
to be at Leyria or in the neighbourhood, and that
Count Bomfin had been sent by Das Antes with
about 2,000 regulars in order to kold them in check,
or, if opportunity offered, to bring them to action.
Expectation has been rife on the subject at the capi-
tal, but, up to this morning, no intelligence of any
action has been received.
The Tojal steamer arrived in the Tagus on Sunday
morning, from Valence, bringing intelligence of the
capture of that frontier fort by the squadron engaged
in the blockade of Oporto. This was effected on the
3rd instant; a supplement to the Diario was pub-
lished in the afternoon announcing the fact, which,
however, is unimportant. The exact locality of the
Baron de Case's division is not known, but in
this supplement it is confidently stated that
he was to be at Vallonga on the sth instant, marching
on Oporto ; this has not as yet been realised. Per-
haps the intelligence from that city may throw some
light on his movements; and also make known the
result of the Duke of Palmella's letter to the Junta of
Oporto on behalf of the Duke of Terceira. On the after-
noon of Sunday the Tojal steamer was suddenly sent off
again towards the south, and on the following afternoon
she returned to Lisbon, having on board the muni-
cipal authorities and government officers stationed at
St. Übes, together with the treasure and arms which
were at that place. It appears that a force of
Guerillas had been for some days hovering in
the neighbourhood, under the command, it was said,
of Count de Mello. They burned the steamboat-pier
on the opposite shore, and threatened St. Übes : with
such haste was the retreat effected as to leave behind
the whole of the copper coin in the St. Übes tobacco
treasury, which was a welcome booty to the invaders.
On Tuesday some companies of regulars were sent
over to Almada, and four guns with eighty
artillery-men were likewise despatched thither,
but it is not anticipated that the guerillas
would carry their incursions beyond St. Übes.
Nearly the whole of the provinces to the south, in-
cluding the Alemtejo, are in the interest of the
popular party, nor is the Queen's authority acknow-
ledged anywhere in those districts, save at Elves,
where there is a body of 200 men left in charge of the
fort. The state of affairs in the north is not correctly
known at Lisbon, but it is anticipated that they have
not undergone any material change since the last news
arrived. Whilst these uncertainties prevail respecting
the ultimate result of the existing struggle, commerce
and trade languish, and little business is transacted
beyond the imperative daily demands. Party feelings
run very high, and it has even been found neces-
sary by the minister, to issue a circular to
the various consuls and vice-consuls, warning
them, and desiring them to caution all seer
chants against taking any active part in the present
struggle, under pain, if the fact be proved against
them, of losing the protection of their flog. This has
been deemed necessary, in consequence, perhaps, of
the severity displayed by the actual government
against a gentleman here, whose- sympatWes
were too loudly and energetically manifested
on behalf of the liberal party, and for doing which he
was deprived of the exequatur by virtue of which he
officiated as Vice-Consul for three foreign powers. A
little more forbearance and magnanimity on the part
of the authorities would, perhaps, have been graceful
more particularly when it is notorious that the-
most undisguisea partisanship, even amounting
to overt action, has been displayed in favour of
' the acting government, by the Consul of one
of the European Powers. It is barely within
the bounds of possibility that, if the Liberal party
should succeed in its present endeavour, this act of
severity may be imitated by them, though it is to be
hoped that each acts of petty recrimination would, in
the event of their success, be carefully eschewed.
The Cacique French war-steamer, having on board a
compliment of 600 men, put into the Tagus, on Sun-
day afternoon, coming from Toulon : on the following
morning she left the river for Brest. The object of
her visit, unless it was to bring despatches, remained
a secret.
P. S. The first Lumber of a Liberal paper, entitled
The Echo of Santarem, dated at Lisboa the
Bth of December, bee just reached me. Its
contents are unimportant, but the flict of its
being printed in the capital and circulated, though
with caution and anonymously, evinces the widely-
spread disposition of the people to view favourably
any attempt to free themselves from the shackles
which are new imposed on the expression of opinion.

ROME, Dae.s.
At the close of my letter two days ago, I felt bound
to notice the melancholy death of Colonel Bryan's
daughter- The solemn dirge and requiem which was
held yesterday in the church of Irish Franciscans, St.
Isidoro, was attended by several hundred British
visitors, besides the young- lady's kinsfolk, of the
princely houses of Doria, Tansphili, and Borghese.
Towards the termination of the sorrowful ceremonial,
at a pause in the liturgy, there arose in the body of
the church a person in ecclesiastical costume, of pen-
lee and careworn aspect, who, standing near the
coffin, addressed himself to speak. His voice wax
low at first, so that few beard till it gradually filled
Ile church, and it was understood to be a simple
recital of the unostentatious virtues of the deceased ;
tut soon came words of more impressive import, and
a whisper went round that the unexpected speaker on
the occasion was the Rev. Mr. Newman, late of Ox-
ford. To the thousands who have perused his printed
sermons delivered in Anglican pulpits it would be
difficult to convey a notion of his manner on the
present occasion, it being the first time that be deli-
vered himself of an extemporaneous unpremeditated
discourse. But a newspaper being no proper vehicle
for theological comments, I add no more.
I mentioned the dismissal of the Governor of Rome.
The treasurer Antonelli got his conge yesterday, and
rumour sends him as delegate to Ferrara. Marini,
the ex-governor, goes as legate to Lisbon or Madrid :
a polite sort of banishment. The next removal, it is
devoutly to be hoped, will be the Postmaster-General
Massimo ; this functionary, not content with neglect-
ing his proper duties in the amelioration of the posting
system throughout the Roman states, which is a dis-
grace to Italy, has within the last fortnight shown his
tender regard for Austria, by taking on himself the
responsibility of stopping any journals, French or
English, which reflect on that respectable Court in its
late absorption of Cracow. The Pope is utterly un-
conscious of his pranks, and may perhaps first learn
them from the Express. Thus Postmaster Mas-
simo has, of his own authority, confiscated Galignani's
Messenger of the 20th, 21st, and 25th of November,
as well as your contemporary the Morning Chronicle of
the 18th and 19th ditto. The British residents here
are inclined to proceed in a body to the Quirinal, to
lay their complaint at the feet of the Pontiff, who will
doubtless find a speedy remedy for such insolent in-
terference with his general policy.
The Duke of Devonshire has just arrived.

BREACH OF PROMISE IN FRANCE. Actions
for breach of promise of marriage are very rare in France,
and they are gill more rarely successful. On Saturday last