The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-16 00:00:00

EXCURSION ON BOARD THE NORTH STAR.

At the banquet given by the inhabitant; of
Southampton, on Monday last, to Commodore Vanderbilt
and his family, from the United Stater, the commodore, in
return for the honour done him, invited the assemblage
present to a marine excursion on board his monster steam
yacht, the North Star, the following day. Accordingly, on
ITuesday, the Mayor, arrayed in his chain of office, the
'mayoress, and about 250 ladies and gentlemen, consisting of
many of a. members of the corporation, and the chief
merchants and tradesmen of the town, with their wives,
were received on based the yacht, which was fastened to
the entrance of the Southampton-docks. At 11 o'clock pre.

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dimly she started, and in a few minutes she wu steaming
down Southampton Water. At bat it wu thought
that the commodore was merely going to Spit.
head ; but, when off Cowes, the company were
surprised and delighted to find that the bow of the
North Star was turned to the westward, and that a
trip round the Isle of Wight had been resolved on. The
weather was fins, sad the Solent sad the Channel were
calm. The magnitude of the yacht and the comparative
smoothness of the sea prevented much motion being felt
during the whole of the voyage. At four o'clock in the
afternoon an elegant dijoilur wu prepared, at which
almost the whole of the compaay, nacheeked by sic-sick-
'teas, did ample justice. Soon afterwards the yacht ap-
proached Spithead, and mad* a circuit round the British
fleet them, which she saluted with 13 gnu. On appnnaeh-
ing as elms as possible the leviathan steam three-decker the
Duke of Wellington, the company on board the yacht gave
three hearty cheers, which was returned by the mew of the
Doke of Wellington, who manned the rigging far the pur-
pose of cheering. It was thought that the salute of 18
guns from the North Star would be answered from the Duke
of Wellington, bat it appears that naval etiquette forbade it.
While proceeding up Southampton Water, all the company
followed the Mayor and Mayoress into the saloon, when the
former addressed the assemblage. His worship acknow-
ledged, on behalf of the people of Southampton, the great
compliment that Commodore Vanderbilt had conferred by
visiting their port ; and the kindness and courtesy of him-
self and family in throwing open to the public his yacht—
an object worthy of much curiosity; and, after dwelling on
the advantages which an interchange of civilities amongst
individuals belonging to two of the greatest nations of the
world must produce, proposed three cheers for Commodore
Vanderbilt and his family. This compliment wu duly ao-
knowledged by the family of the commodore, and Magmata
were landed from the yacht soon after six o'clock in the
evening. The North Star almost immediately afterwards
bade a final adieu to Southampton, and started for the
German Ocean. It is understoed that she will proceed up
the Battle and the Neva, and from thence Commodore
Vanderbilt will visit the shores of the Mediterranean.

MR. HALE'S WAR RocEns.—The solicitor acting
on behalf of Mr. Hale received a letter a few days ago front
Mr. Waddington, the Under-Secretary of State, conveying
information that the government had abandoned all further
prweedings against Mr. Hale, and were willing that he
should select one of four officers named to make a reason-
able, yet liberal valuation of the property seised. Mr. Hale
has fixed upon Col. Chalmer, Inspector of Artillery at the
Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, sad now awaits the decision.
Two NEW CIIVECREts IN NOTTINGUAM.-NOT-
TINOHAM, WEDNESDAY.—The Ceremony of laying the
foundation stone of two new churches in this town, dedi-
cated to St. Matthew and St. Mark, took place this after-
noon amidst a vast concourse of spectators. Towards carry-
ing out the above object, more than 8,000!. has already been
received, and this mainly through the untiring energy of
the Rev. J. W. Emits, vicar of St. Mary's, Nottingham.
Divine service, in aid of the endowment funds, was cele-
brated in the parish church of St. Mary, the Lord Bishop
of Lincoln preaching in the morning, and Archdeacon
Davie►, of Melbourne, in tly evening. The first stone of St.
Matthew's was laid in the afternoon by Mr. Tremus Wright,
of Onnaston Manor. The foundation stone of St. Mark's
was laid by Mr. lt. Holden, of Nuttall Temple. A number
of the deny and laity attended divine service in the morn-
ing, and at the termination about 1201. was collected.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVENIENTS.—Yesterday a
government bill was printed to complete the new street
from Spitalfields to Shoreditch, giving extended powers for
that purpose.