The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-21 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, Nov. 20.

The government have received a telegrami,from
Savannah announcing that cholera is raging there,
sixty cases occurring daily.

A ministerial order has been issued for the
despatch of assistance to Porto Rico, where a
hurricane has occasioned great damage among the
shipping. Considerable loss had been caused'Also
on shore, many houses having been destroyed.

AMERICA.
(BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.)
NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 6 rat.

Closing prices :—Gold, 1301. Sterling exchange
on London, 109. 5-20 United States Bonds,
1081. Illinois, 130 i. Erie, 71i. Cotton—Mid
dling Upland, 18c.

... . .
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 19.
Petroleum, standard white, 26c.

Socroamrrox, Nov. 20.—The steamer La Place,
from the Brazils, has arrived off Cowes. She brings for
thia port 16 passengers and 40,7041. in specie. She left
Bahia on the sth ult. On the 12th she spoke the Berwick-
Ishire, oa the 15th the West African Mail steamer, and on
I the 16th the ship Admiral de Ruyter, outward bound.

DESPATCH OP AUSTRALIAN MAILS.—SOUTHAMP-
TON, Nov. 20.—The Peninsular and Oriental Company's
steamship Pera, Captain Jamieson,'sailed this afternoon
with mail, for Gibraltar, the Mediterranean, Egypt,
Aden, Ceylon, Calcutta, China, Australia, and New
Zealand. She took out 140 passengers and a general
cargo, including 40,3001. in sovereigns, 30,8071. se. 1011.
in dollars, and 4,5701. in gold thread, jewellery, plate, &e.
Tue BOMBAY MAIL.—By the arrival of this mail,
yesterday, we have advice, from Bombay to October 30,
from Calcutta to the 23rd, and from Madras to October
23. The chief news of interest relates to the Abyssinian
expedition, full particulars of which will be found in
another column.

It is not so much that the tricolour oired, white,
and blue keeps out for a time the tricolour of red,
white, and green, as that the Romans have lost a
chance of striking for their freedom which should
discourage their friends abroad. In a few years,
perhaps in a few months, this difficult question be-
tween Italy and France will be settled so as to
hoist the rival tricolours in their proper domains.
But this will not of itself make a healthy public
feeling in Rome, from a national, Italian point of
view ; and we may gather from recent events that
the national party is far weaker than was sup-
posed. There are too many Romans who are
priests and monks, too many who are in exile or
in prison, the lower class is too much degraded, the
upper alms too much held in check, for the city to
respond to the call of her Italian sisters. Those
precious moments of early October when Napoleon
was as yet unprepared for intervention, and when
the Romans had a clear fortnight's start of the
Emperor, were not used to advantage. Such
efforts as were made by a few desperate men to
injure the Papal troops in the city could only bring
discredit Mee% Va 1 principles, whilst of a bold
popular uprising there was no sign. Borne down
by weight of priestly influence, and daunted by the
presence of an armed force which they could not
hope to win over, the people let slip their oppor-
tunity, and when Garibaldi arrived within a short
distance of the gates they failed to throw them
open for his reception. I should rather say that
they had failed to try to throw them open, for it
was a Serious task, and might well have been
bloodily thwarted. Yet even then th.l fact of a
struggle in the streets, of a Mentana between Et-
Peter's' and the Capitol, would have placed the
whole question in another light to the eyes of Eu-
rope, and given promise to Italy of finding new
strength in Rome instead of additional embarrass-
ment. Though we may regret that the wrong tri-
colour waves over the guard-house of St. Angelo and
over the heads of the crowd in the Corso, it is far
worse that this crowd of priests and policemen, of
foreigners, market folk, and mendicants, does not
form a population worthy the name of Rome or
the dreams of so many Italian patriots.
And all is over for the time being in presence of
yonder bright-coloured flag. I can scarcely realise
that the French have gone away and returned
again, fought a battle with Garibaldi and tried
their new weapons upon his brave young volun-
teers, since last I heard their drums and bugles in
these narrow streets. Only • year ago the city
was full of Frenchmen ; they seemed to belong
to it as naturally as the grand old ruins, and to-day
the Ulna uniforms are back again in their former
haunts. There is a red-trousered sentry at
the Coliseum, and another red-trousered sentry,
supported by a strong detachment of his country-
men, watches over the Antonine column. At every
turn appear the shakos of the Gallic legionaries
with a brass eagle on their front. Trim little
chasseurs and gaily-dressed hussars, artillery
drivers, and soldiers of the military train, stroll
hither and thither to explore the city or march
past duty gxpedition
is complete i>y itself—an army ready for any emer-
gency. It has plentiful means of transport, and
the men are in excellent condition. But I observe
that several corps with whose uniforms • e are
most familiar in modern French battle
pieces are not here represented. The Zouaves
and Turcos, for example, have remained at home,
as has the Imperial Guard, and there are few
Mexican or Italian ribbons to be seen on the
soldiers' breasts. They are mostly young recruits,
who have yet to win their decorations, and it is to
be hoped that they will have a contest, if fight they
must, with some antagonist better equipped to
resist them than are just now the Italian troops,
to say nothing of Garibaldian volunteers. Every
Frenchman has in his hand the deadly Chaasepot
rifle, with which the officers who saw its effect at
Mentana are perfectly content ; and until Italy
has at least one division armed with breech-loaders
she must bide her time, no matter what the pro-
vocation.

On my way hither from Florence I passed through
Leghorn, and found that flourishing seaport
strongly garrisoned. There were crowds of
Italian soldiers in the streets and coffee-
houses, soldiers at the railway station, and
soldiers in the trains. There had been
visible a great activity of the war department at
Florence, and there was no falling off of vigour at
Leghorn. It seemed by the number of recruits
arriving, and the various uniforms displayed in
either city, that a concentration of force was
taking place, perhaps with a view the better to
negotiate with France, perhaps to overawe the
more turbulent spirits who clamoured for vigorous
measures. But apart from its military crowd,
from regulars and irregulars, the latter a few red-
shirted lads, objects of kindly interest to their
countrymen, apart from the whole question of
national defence, vindication, or what not, Leghorn
had its wonted commercial bustle. The shipping
interest was represented by groups of noisy sailors,
who sang: and shouted on their way until long
after midnight. I caught the sound of British im-
precations, to remind me of our wide-spread indus-
try, and then I could distinguish a husky challenge
to some one to " come on if he dared."

Southward from Leghorn to Civita Vecchia and
from Civita Vecchia to Rome, was a twelve hours'
journey at the easy rumbling pace with which
foreign travellers are content. It was noticeable
that those who were going over the frontier were
much more careful of speech than those who in-
tended to remain on Italian soil. There was an
air of restraint about the former which showed
that they wished to keep out of trouble, whilst the
latter held forth bitterly against French occupa-
tion and the temporal power. I made sure that
one irascible old gentleman was coming to Rome,
for he talked to his neighbour of hotels in the city
and of other practical details; but just when it
seemed that he must be carried within reach of the
very power which he so strongly denounced, the
old gentleman alighted at a station and wished
us good night. Presently we reached Civita
Vecchia, stopping at a platform on which
were scores of Frenchmen, in the heaviest of
marching order, with all their belongings strapped
upon their backs until it seemed a wonder that
they could march at all. The Frenchmen took
their seats for Rome—it did not appear that there
was as yet any ebb of the military tide—and we
rumbled calmly on to the Eternal City, having
been, I must own, very moderately dealt with about
luggage and passport. Whatever other reforms are
wanting, even Rome has reformed her passport
system. There is no charge for es mining them.

Our last intelligence from Bombay brought us
the intelligence that the advanced brigade of the
Abyssinian expedition had left for Aden. By the
Bombay mail which reached London yesterday we
learn that the transports arrived at Aden on oo-
tober 16, with men, horses, and mules, all well.
They were expected to stay there about a week, to
take in water and coal, and to wait information as
to the landing place, &c., from the pioneer party
under Colonel Merewether and Colonel Wilkins of
the Royal Engineers, who had preceded them. The
landing place that has been selected is Zuls (the
ancient Adouli.), a place situated on Annealey Bay,
about twenty miles southward from Maasowah.
The landing place having been selected, the party
immediately set about constructing a landing jetty,
and a number of buggalows are employed in bring-
ing stone from the opposite shore, there being none
in the neighbourhood. The anchorage in Annesley
Bay is considered excellent. There is said to be
accommodation for almost any number of vessels,
in six and a-half fathoms water, with sandy
bottom the vessels being able to anchor within
300 yards of the shore. The land is described,
by a correspondent of the Bombay Gazette, as
a sandy plain, with some brushwood but so
forest. Drinkable water is not procurable
within 16 miles of the °oast, but at that distance
a small stream of running water has been
discovered by an exploring party, in one
of the deep ravines which interment the country at
right angles to the coast line. .The steamship
Euphrates has been detained at Annealey
Bay to condense water for the troops. Colonel
Merewether's present instructions are that the
ships are to carry as much water as possible
and to proceed at once. It is fully expected
that the cavalry and all the other troops that can
be spared will be at once marched on disembarka-
tion to the high land where water is found. Large
working parties will be required to land the stores
and organise the different depots, and these will
have to be supplied with water from the ships.
The accounts of the climate state it to have been
very hot, but tinarming ill tiiioporature dAily. A
sea-breeze sets in about twelve o'clock each day,
and it is delightfully cool until it ceases during the
night. The country close to the coast abounds in
large and small game. Hares, partridges, &c.,
were shot in great numbers. Deer were easily
stalked, and the pugs of lions and other large
game had been observed daily. Colonel Merewe-
ther is said to have shot an elephant within 40
yards of the place at which he landed ; indeed
some reports state that the animal opposed his
landing.
The following letter, received from the Pioneer
force in Abyssinia by a gentleman in Bombay, is
published by the Times of India:

Camp, near Ulla, Annesley Bey, Ott. 9.

My Dear —,—The Coromandel leaves to-day for
Aden, so I write you a line to tell you we arrived here on
the 4th, and have just had our first breakfast on shore.
On leaving Bombay we had heavy seas and head winds,
and it was " a toss up " whether we should reach Aden.
Now we are awfully unsettled. We are about a mile from
the sea, on a level plain. Our water supply is in a few
pools, and it is like mud. It will only last two days
longer, and the, Heaven knows what we are to do !
There is no hope from wells, for one has been sunk
and has failed. At five feet they got fresh water,
at six feet brackish, and at twelve feet it was salt—
below sea level I think. There are sheep and cattle,
but the people do not care for selling them ; for milk we
cannot pay, as we have no current coin, and so we exchange
rice and grain. But of these, and of everything else, our
supply is scanty. There are no commissariat stores for
Europeans, so we cannot even get rations. Our prospects
are not very encouraging till we pass this desert coast line
of country. We expect the 3rd Light Cavalry and the
10th N. I. in about ten days, and I do not know where
they will find water. Of forage there is none, so this
must all come from Bombay. Nothing can be bought
here. It is hot as blazes-9g to 98 degrees.

On the voyage to Massowah the Euphrates
struck on a sunken rock, but fortunately got oft;
after a short delay, without injuring herself in the
least.

The Times of India says that great care has been
exercised by Sir Robert Napier to have the trans-
port service as efficient as possible. " None but
officers possessed of intelligence, vigour, and fore-
sight (it adds) have been appointed to it, and
Captain Twentyman, of the 18th Hussars, has been
selected for the command. Non-commissioned
officers of the Madras Native Cavalry have also
been applied for, and most useful they will be, if
picked men. Failing them, even privates of the
Native Cavalry have been asked for. All this
evinces the desire of his excellency to render the
Transport Corps a service of the first efficiency, and
it is a compliment to the Madras Cavalry that appli-
cations to officer one of the most important branches
of the Abyssinian army should have gone to that
presidency."
The same paper complains that the home govern-
ment has not left the management of the expedi-
tion entirely to the Bombay government, as it pro-
fessed to do, and states the result to be that double
the expense has been incurred that would have been
required. This statement is preceded by the fol-
lowing comments upon an appointment in connec-
tion with the transport service :
As will, perhaps, already be known in England, Captain
Tryon, R.N., has been sent out to Bombay, with a nume-
rous staff, to superintend something or other in connec-
tion with the transport service. No one knows exactly
what particular operations Captain Tryon and his staff
are to superintend; indeed, grave doubts have been ex-
pressed whether Captain Tryon has any very clear idea him-
self. Be this latter question as it may, it is highly satis-
factory to know that he has not as yet attempted to do multi
in Bombay, and that there is every likelihood of his arri vi ng at
the conclusion Out Zula,or some other place on thecoastof
Africa, must have been intended as the scene of his opera-
tions by those who appointed him. Bleanwhile,in default
of instructions from England, Capt. Tryon has determined
upon sending • member of his staff on board each trans-
port, in what capacity is not known ; but it is to be hoped
that they have received strict injunctions to abstain from
all interference with matters which can be very much
better attended to by those who have hitherto had the
management of them. There is, perhaps, no reason what-
ever to doubt the ability of Captain Tryon. or any member
of his numerous staff they may be in every
way fitted to supervise and direct • transport
service ten times as large as that which will ply
between India and Abyssinia ; but for all that
people cannot help inquiring the reason of their coming
to Bombay. For this special service they are in no way to
be compared with the officers of the old Indian navy who
are on the spot. Even when Captain Tryon and his men
proceed to Abyssinia, leaving matters at Bombay in the
same very competent bands as they found them, it is im-
possible that they can prove themselves half so efficient or
valuable as officers possessing an acquaintance with every
foot of the coast, its anchorages, climate, and other pecu-
liarities, would be. This is one more illustration of the
fact that the home government have incurred double the
expense that would have been required had they left the
conduct of the expedition entirely to the Bombay govern-
ment, as they professed to do.

One of the chaplains to the force will be the
Rev. C. H. Blinnhardt, who has been allowed by
the Church Missionary Society to proceed to
Abyssinia, his services having been asked for by
Sir Robert Napier. Mr. Bluruhardt will be a
valuable acquisition to the force, particularly on
account of his knowledge of the country and his
acquaintance with the Amharic language. Be has
just compiled, at the request of the government of
India, a hand-book to the Amharic language,
containing a vocabulary in English, with Oordoo
and Amharic and English and Amharic phrases,
which will be invaluable to officers accompanying
the expedition,

Since the departure of the advance brigade the
attention of the Bombay authorities has been
chiefly devoted to the arrangements for the des-
patch of the Sind brigade, which will be under
the command of Colonel Collings, her Majesty's
33rd Regiment. This brigade consists of her
Majesty's 33rd Regiment, the 27th N. I.
(Beloochees), and G. 14th R. A., in all 49 Euro-
pean commissioned officers, 4 warrant officers, 901
N. C., rank and file (European), 15 native com-
missioned officers 692 native N. C., rank and tile,
735 public and 245 private followers, 162 horses,
and over a hundred bullocks. It will sail from
Kurrachee early in November.
A letter from the Egyptian correspondent of the
Bombay Gazette states that it is proposed to lay
down a submarine telegraph cable between Masao-
wah and a point on the opposite or Arabian
shore of the Red Sea, whence the telegraph line
will be prolonged overland so as to join the present
line to India ff this scheme of direct telegraphic
communication from Abyssinia with Bombay be
carried out, we shall be enabled to obtain the moat
speedy information from the Abyssinian field force,
with the particulars of its every movement imme-
diately on their occurrence ; while, on the other
hand the general in command will be able to com-
municate without delay with the Bombay govern-
ment, and in cane of sudden and unforeseen
emergencies look back to Bombay as a point
d'aui within the sphere of his field operations.
The Bombay papers state that much jealousy ap-
pears to exist on the part of the other two presi-
dencies, especially Bengal, in consequence of the
management of the expedition having been en-
trusted to the Bombay government. Yet the Bom-
bay Times declares the expenses incurred in connec-
tion with the despatch of the small Bengal Brigade
will be from 00 to 100 per cent. heavier than those
incurred by the Bombay authorities. " Ships for
the conveyance of troops (it add') have 14..+411 ttrlr
dering at Calcutta at from Rs. 16 to Its. 19-8 per
ton per mensem, and most of them have been
taken up at the higher rate. Now, in Bombay
a very superior class of ships has been secured for
Rs. 74 to Rs. 11 per ton a month ; and a still
greater contrast exists in the case of steam vessels.
Yet Calcutta grumbles, and abuses the home go-
sernment for entrusting the conduct of the expedi-
tion to Bombay, forgetting the manifold claims of
the western presidency to be entrusted with the
difficult duty, and the desirability of destroying
that policy of excessive centralisation which is the
bane of government in India."

The latest news from the prisoners is dated Meg.
dale, August 27, a month later than before. They
were all well. Theodorus had met with a repubie
from the rebels, which is thus referred to by the
Bombay Gazette:
We learn from reliable sources that a battle has taken
place close to Magdala between King Theodore' and the
rebels of that district of country. Theodorus has long
been hemmed in on all sides by rebellious chiefs, who have
shaken off his imperial rule, each constituting himself
king in his own territory, or disputing the title with rivals
of his own. The only province that remained faithful to
him wasathe province of Begemeder on the eastern
shore of °the Dembea lake, and the secret of its
fidelity was probably that there, Theodorus being
personally present, he overawed the population into
fidelity. At that time his rule extended from a
little beyond Gondar (which had been his capital until he
transferred his centre of power to Debra Tabor) as far as
Magdaa, which stood almost on the edge of the Wolk
Gallas country, whose chief had shaken off the supremacy
of Theodorus. In February last, even Begemeder, the
sole remaining possession of Theodora, broke out into in-
surrection, and sines then it has gone from bad to worse.
This insurrection was headed by a petty rebel chief who
established himself somewhere along the fifty miles of
road or country that separates Debra Tabor from Meg-
dale, even at that early date cutting off all communi-
cation between these two places. Communications, how-
ever, passed through at the end of May, but as
nothing, so far as we understand, has been heard of or
from the royal camp at Debra Tabor since the 20th of that
month—it is certain that nothing was heard of Theodore'
or the Debra Tabor and Gaffat prisoners for many weeks
thereafter by the Magdaht prisoners or the British govern-
ment—it is evident that the petty rebel chief reterred to
has been able to hold his own against Theodore'. The
Begemeder peasants, however, have also risen in insurrec-
tion, and the last spot of Abyssinian ground that Theodo-
re' can call his own is in anarchy up to the very gates of
Debra Tabor. _