The Express.
London, England, 1865-01-05 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 5, 18,,5.

AMERICA.

The Montreal Ooeen Company's steamship Hi-
bernian, from Portland on the 24th ult., arrived
at Liverpool yesterday afternoon.
The following are some further particulars of the
news brought by this stile/nor :
Nothing later had been received from Sherman
up to the afternoon of the 24th ult.

The New York Herald says Savannah is repre-
sented to be poorly supplied with provisions, and
burdened with feedings large surplus population,
as all sources of supply are out off. The population,
togetherwith refugees, number 90,000, not counting
the garrison. The probability of the surrender of
the city at an early day is thought good.
There was • report that Bragg, with 10,000 men,
was moving down from Augusta to attach Sher-
man's rear ; but, (says the New York Herald), if fool-
hardy enough for this, it will only add to the list
of the damages already effected upon the rebellion
by Sherman.
The Richmond Examiner sap the government has
received offloial despatches, of the 19th December,
from Savannah. All was quiet at that date.
The Charleston Courier states that it was ru-
moured there that Savannah was to capitulate on
the 17th.

The New York T4;44Bl)lll3'Whoa a special despatch,
dated Franklin, Tennessee, 22nd, which says :

" The rebel retreat from Franklin to the Duck
River beggars all description. Hood told his corps
commanders to get off the best way they could with
their commands.

" The rebel army is now beyond Columbia.
The railroad is but little injured, and trains run to
Spring Hill. Telegraphic communication is all
right in all directions. Johnsonville was not
destroyed. The rebel logs during the campaign
was 17,000 men, 51 cannon, and 18 general officers
The total Union loss did not exceed 7,000, with two
generals slightly wounded. Hood has placed pontoons
above the shoals on the Tennessee river, where our
gunboats cannot reach them. Hood marched on
Franklin with 40,000 men ►nd 65 pieces of artillery.
He will have lost nearly half his men."
A Nashville telegram of the 22nd says :—"Latest
accounts from the front state that Thomas's head-
, quarters were at Batherford Hill, eight miles
below Columbia, yesterday morning. Since
that time our fortes have crossed Duok
River, and moved to a point south of
Columbia. Our cavalry crossed at Hunter's Ford,
below Columbia, and dashed into the town, the
enemy meanwhile retreating without firing a shot.
The rebels are closely followed by our cavalry. At
least one-third of Hood's army are without arms
and equipments, everything impeding their flight
having been thrown away. Forrest effected a jun°.
tion with Hood at Columbia on Teesday evening."
Confederate papers confess that Hood's cam-
paign in Tennessee is very disastrous, and lament
that Johnston was displaced for Hood.
All was quiet with the army of the Potomac.
A despatch of the 21st from head-quarters says :
"Nothing of interest is transpiring; the enemy
maintain their fire on Dutch Gap Canal. Very
few casualties occur, owing to the precaution taken
to avoid shells. The weather is such as to prevent
any movement. The navigation of the Potomac is
completely closed by ice."
The Richmond papers contain an official despatch
from Bragg to President Davis, dated Fort Fisher
New Inlet, the 21st, which says :—" The entire fleet
of the enemy is now in eight, but cannot operate.
The weather continues bad. We are able to hold
Wilmington."
A private telegram received from New York says
that the Federal fleet reached Wilmington much
crippled by stormy weather. It was considered
doubtful if any attack would take place at present.

In reference to the Union raid into South
Western Virginia, the Washington Repablican of
the 23rd, evening, says that the government has
received despatches announcing that Breckenridge
was fleeing before Generals Stoneman and Bur-
bridge, who were pressing his rear on both flanks.
In contradiction of this the Richmond Examker
publishes a report that Breckenridge has defeated
Burbridge or Stoneman, and compelled the retreat
of the Federals to East Tennessee. It says that
the salt-works at Saltville are still safe, though it
is believed that the lead-works at Marion are
destroyed.

Advices received at New York state that the ex-
change of prisoners at Charleston being ended, the
bombardment of the city will immediately recom-
mence. Both branches of the Federal Congress
have adjourned to January the sth.

DEATH OF MIL RICHARD THOINON.—We regret
to record the decease of Mr. Rickard Thororion, a gentle.
man who, in his younger days, rendered in en unassuming
way valuable service to the came of our national literature.
His first work, published so long ago as 1820, was " A
Faithful Account of the Processions end COMMONS ob-
served in the Coronation of the Kliegs and Questa. of Reg-
lad." This was followed in the same year by a curious
pertormance, limited to fifty copies, and entitled, "The
Book d Life : a Biblioetaphiral Melody, dedicated to the
Roxburgh* Club." Hu next work, ' The Chronicle. of
Loodos Bridge," appeared anonymously in 1827, and at-
tracted a considerable amount of attention is consequence
of the deep research diaplayed and the skilful manner in
which the author made use of his abundant materials.
In the following year be published " Illustrations of
Brain History.' This work, which occupied two volumes
of " Constable'. Miscellany," gives a full amount of the
sources of Fegl?li history, its object being similes. to that
of the famous ' Historical Libraries" of Bishop Nicolson.
His subsequent works were " Tales of an Antiquary"
(1828), "Historical Fray on the Magna Chula" (ltr/9),
and " Legends of London" (1832). For many yens past
Mr. Thomson has held the librarianship of the London
Institution, an office formerly filled by scholars no lees dia.
Ravished than Richard Poison. the great Oreek Pro-
fessor and critic, and the late William Upoott, the well-
kaorni antiquary sad bibliographer. Mr. Thomson was is
his flat year at the timed his death, which took place on
Monday last, at his apartments in the London Institution.
Tai COOLIE SLAVE TRILDIL —The Coolie slave
trade is far from being suppressed. It is still carried on
largely between Macao and Canton and ports in Cuba,
chiefly under the French Bag. A recent letter from Havens
declare. that the system still prevailing is only the slave
trade in disguise, the coolies being kidnapped from their
I homes, much as Degrees were in former years. and crowded
on board ships without proper medical attendance, though,
1 as a general rule, they are well fed during the voyage. The
fact that the freight arid the skipper's 6 dol., per bead ere
paid only for those delivered alive operates as • strong plea
is favour of humanity. Nevertheless, of 2,600
shipped from Macao last season, 600 are said to
have died on the passage from debility, want
opium, fever, ho. Oa their arrival, they are
sent to comfortable barraooons in the country, and when
pronounced in good °audition their services am sold to
' planters at prices ranging from 350 dole. to 600 dole. far
each person. The striogeot laws regulating this traffic is
Cuba are too often evaded by an improper use of money,
and as coolies seldom cave enough from their monthly ni-
-1 Pend of 4 doll- to pay for a homeward mime at the en-
: piration of their eight yean' apprenticeship, the coolie
labourer ii after all little better than the slaved former
years. The name is disogel, but the practical operation
of the system is but little improved. All account. are
pretty well agreed in this. The Cuban 'enurement is said
to have alder its supervision about 14,000 of these Asians
labium, at the t time. The Fres* ocesol at Omens
has recently bad a correspondence with the authorities at
that port, with the design of securing a better supply of
coolies for the thew* Weeks. —New York Journal of
Onsitorce.