The Express.
London, England, 1856-07-31 00:00:00

MEXICO.

We have important news from Vera Cruz. The
dates are to the Bth instant. The Spanish fleet had
departed, but no mention is made of the situation of
the difficulty between Spain and Mexico. The new
liberal constitution, and the government decree with
reference to the property of the church, were gene.
rally acceptable to the people. Comonfort bad
decided to sell all the lands belonging to the church
and other religions corporations. There was some
trouble among the northern departments.
Vera Cruz and Havana correspondents, writing
respectively on 28:h of June and Bth of July, state
that the fleg•ship of the Spanish war squadron had
returned to H from Vera Croz. Senor Alvarez,
the new Minister of Spain, tad met President
Comonfort. and they held a friendly examination of
the schedule of debts and credits said to exist be.
tweet) the two countries. Comonfort agreed to pay
a balance struck, after all the "spoils" and fraud
claims of Santa Anna's officials were expunged.
Peace is thus secured. It is said that Mexico looks
to the proceeds of another land sale to the United
States as a means of discharging the bill.

A gentleman who left Mexico on the 2nd and
Vera Cruz on the sth instant, confirmed the publics.
lion of a decree that the clergy are not permitted to
hold property, and that it was issued in Mexico on
the 28th ult. The people in general congratulated
President Comonfort on that important s•ee. The
Jesuits are to leave the countiy. The Spanish
difficulties were settled. The Spanish Minister was
received officially on the 26th. The Mexican port"
'ave.:low open for emigrants, and liberty of conscience
has passed the Congress.
Vera Cruz and Havana correspondents, dating on
the 4th and 10th of July respt ctively, confirm the
report of the official severance of the Mexican
church from the State by executive edict, promul-
gated in the city of Mexico on the 28th of Jane. It
was hoped that the people would be rapidly regents.
rated by the removal of the ecclesiastical incubus
under which they had been so long suffering.

APPALLING DISASTERS.
(From the Philottelplaa Bulletin, July IL)

About nine o'clock this morning the appalling intelli-
gence reached the city that • contains bad ecourred upon
the ?lath Pennsylvania Railroad, between the regular
morning train from Gwynedd, and an excursion train that
left the city at fire o'clock this morning, with a large part
of school children, with their teachers, Bco. At five o'clock
this morning a special train of ten errs left the Muter-itreet
depot with the echo la of St. Mi,hae 11302111 Catbolle
&throb in Kensington. The excursion party consisted of
between five and sic hundred pumas, the great majority of
whim were children. They intended proceeding to
Fort Washington, fourteen and • half milts from
the city, where they veers to enjoy a pie-nic. Owing
to the number of demand the weight of the train,
there was some delay, and the canduc'or, Mr. Alfred
F. Iloppel, boding himself behind time, pushed for-
ward with great ramdity when towards the end of his trip.
The rep/else passenger train (3r the city left Gwynedd at
six o'clock, sad reached Camp-hill at 18 m:nutee past
six. Finding the excurs'on train hod not yet arrived,
Mr. Wm. VlllltaV3rell, the corducscr, determined not to
wait for ir, and his train woe moving al mg wt en the ex-
pected train came thundering slung around • curve, at the
rate of 35 milts an hour. A cellision of course ensued, with
the most appalling cotierquenc s. The down train mailed
with •ut serious damage, but the scene presented by the
excursion train was tearful. The three f,rward care of the
train were (rushed completely to pieim ; and the wreck,
mingling with that of the lot. motive, took fire. and the
dames communicated tr the other cars of the train. The
awn next ears after the three that were wrecked outright
took flee, and were entirely consumed.

The intuit, a rf the three forward cars were completely
raised vp with the wreck, and a large number of them were
killed outright. Thine were probable hfiy persons in e►ch
of tt.e three care, and the lowest ei.timate we heard ficeithe
number of killed at fifty, while it was feared the dread
aggregate would reach one hundred.

The conduct.,, Mr. Harris and the Rte. Mr. Sheridan
were killed, and hom smety to eighty badly, if not fatally
burr. The down train was but silos fly injured, and no
person in it suyained any n jaiy. The gr. atest es-..element
pr. ♦ ile in the vicinity of St. lhichsel's church, w here most
of the sufferers have resided. Saw quebtly to the coltision.
the conductor of the down train—Mr. Venstavoran—driven
to di-operation at beholding tie result of his criminal rock-
leetntss, &wallowed arsenic, and to rnanated kis tenderer,.
The engineer was plus d under arrest to await the result of
the coroner's investigation.
Another disaster hsppeoed no Lake Erie o e the 17th,
whir, the steamer Nerhern lodise' was destroyed by firs
while on the passage, from Buffalo to Toledcs. A numbs,
of the passengers were taken cii by tke steams. Mirsissipl,
which went to the tosietance of the burairg vessel, bat it ii
believed that between thin y and lorry lines ore loots
although there are hopes chit many or the missing were
rescued by a propeller and a a:howler which were wilds,
in piecing up the passengers
The propeller Titro wee burned on the IGth inst. on Lab
Ontario, and shout twelve p.m's' Font tt sir low. The
parser end twelve of the crow were saved.

M. Charles Laffitte, represouting the Conon.
sionary Compaq of the S.voy Railway, is now at Turin. IS
traveninp &soy be travelled 32 kdoactres cf the whole
ditties, ty nil. This trial by locoiloave was rifted"
successful.

Mr. John Brett has jest arrived at Turin. H. ig
going to Genes and from three to the isl•ed of Sardinia,
where he wit COMIIIereA leittollt delay the t partitions no-
canary for laying the electric sine, which is to connect that
Mead with Aeries.

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