The Express.
London, England, 1859-06-03 00:00:00

(From the Second Edition of the Times.)

The troop-ship Eastern Monarch anchored at
Spithead, from Kurrachee, bound to Gravesend, at
half-past one this morning, Captain Morris having
put in to obtain a supply of fresh provisions for the
invalids and passengers on board, consisting of 11
officers, three ladies, 450 men, women, and children.
About half-past three all on board were awoke oat
of their sleep by a terrific explosion in the after-
part of the ship. Captain Morris states that
the caddy deck was blown up, bulkheads
&c., carried away, and the cnddy filled with
a thick, sulphurous vapour. On making his
way on deck he found the ship bursting out into
flame in the after-part. He instantly ordered the
ships' boats to be lowered, and commenced taking
people out of the burning ship, and placing them on
board a number of small craft anchored near, and
others which bore down to the scene of disaster. The
boats of the ship were in good order, and Captain
Morris felt confident of being able to save the lives
of all if he could only keep the people calm. He
describes the cries of the women and children at this
moment as heartrending. Men flung themselves
madly into the water, thus lengthening tte time
occupied in saving the lives of all. The boats of the
Falcon and Flying Fish, men-of-war, at Spithead,
were promptly on the spot, and rendered every
assistance iu taking the people out of the ship. In
one hour from the first alarm every one who could
be found was gat out of the ship, and as the last
boat-load left her the masts fell over her side, and
the ship burst into a body of flame fore and aft.
It ie impossible at present to state the number of
lives lost, but Captain Morris thinks it must be very
small, and chiefly children. Had the ship continued
her course up Channel, instead of calling at Spit-
head, the loss of life must have been fearful. The
weather was fine and the water smooth, so that the
boats had every chance of gettisig the people out
of the ship.
A l►rge quantity of saltpetre was stowed in the
after-hold, and spontaneous combustion must have
taken place, causing the explosion.
The ship is now (8.30) a moss of flame.

The installation of the Marquis of Hartington as
Provincial Grand Maater of the Freemasons of Derbyshire
will take place en Whit-Thurad ty at the new 1116Clably
room, Derby.
The sixteenth annual meeting of the archers of
the United Kingt. au is appointed to be hell at Exeter on the
13th, 7th, ant St h t fluty.
From a letter of " S. G. 0.," it appears that money
has been collected in oettain circles on behalf of one Joseph
Wens, of Attleborou,sb, reprosentcd as the author of
"Adam Bade," ant es being in str...teredt ircumstaxcer. Mr.
Blackwood (the 1. üblidur) declart a that Mr. Lfggine is n 4 the
author at all. Tto Twit adds:—" Wo have n)kauwle ige of
MeLig gins, ant have no desire to pent trate a secret a hia. the
author of 'Ada" Bete' has a psrfect right to rrterve
but we have the bed authority for stating that he it entirely
,satistlel with the treat no nt he has received from his pub-
lishers, whose libtralty, Indeed, seems to have born almost
beyond all literary precedent."
General Prim, eccompanied by an aide-de•eamp,
haa left )(wield for Italy, as C mrnisaionf r of the Spanish
governor nt charge I to rept r: 03 the operations of the bel-
ligerent strafea.
. .

The M bots publishes an article of several co!umns
Cu the suhjett of the Armstrong C31111,t1, explaining its par-
ticular advantages and the eft xt which the intro im len of
such tremradous weapons of destruction Is likely to produce
in actual unitise. .

FIRE IN ADDLE-STREET, CREARSIDE.—A fire
broke oat yesterday noon na upon the proolioes of ffeiors.
Pringle slid Co., wlmleoile otuff worehio.onier, Addle-
t, Chroride. It woe thrcurerrA by R poUrtrr, wko
heard an =mnd noise En.eigding from the !wiring. The
eng nee from variono ata•i, no being quickly n the opt, the
dom.. exon{uhlsl, but u.t un'il th t ha. r part of
th• po mists ICI V! buret out 1•111 CODRlder.tblo d,rusgo
E dad.

MENTAL PALACE.... ONE SHILLING
THI:RBDAT, JUNE 2.—Admi,stos. oa p.,) 'flout, 3,14) ;
ditto, by ~a Waft, 402. Total viiiton, 3,55