The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-16 00:00:00

MEXICO.

Advices front Vera Cruz, viJ New Orleans, to
the 15th ult., state that 400 French troop sailed
on the lath for Europe. The capture of Chihuahua
by the Republicans is fully confirmed. Republican
accounts claim that the Imperialists suffered severe
defeats lately in the States of Oajuca and Coahiula,
and that the Austrian troops are becoming dis-
contented.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, MAY 5.
Money abundant. Gold, 1271. Exchange on London,
139 ;on Paris, 4.74. Stock firm and active : New York
Centrals, ; 1214 ; Erie, 74 ; 5.211 United States
Bonds, 102. Cotton firm, 34. Flour firm and active.
Wheat firm and advancing. Corn quiet. I'rovisions
steady. Coffee quiet. Sugar steady. Molasses suict.
Petroleum very firm : crude, 27 ; refined, 42k. rek's
receipts of cotton at New York, 8,000 ; three days' sales,
5,000 bales. - .

NEW ORLEANS, MAY 4.

114PERLLL P.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-TIIZSDAY, MAT 15.

The Low) Citexcituos took hie meat on the erodes& it
5 o'clock.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE IN IRELAND.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE wished to know from
some member of her Majesty's government whether any
intelligence had been received confirmin' g the sad state-
ment which had appeared in the morning =with
reference to the spread of the cattle plague in
Earl GRANVIL said—With regard to the question
put by-the noble earl, the only information the govern-
ment had received was from • telegram sent by Professor
Ferguson, which stated that the cattle /Awe had broken
out at Drenan, in the county of Down, within a few miles
of Belfast ; that the infected cattle had been killed and
buried, and the spot marked out with a view of preventing
infection. Sir Thomas Larcom, on the part of the Lords
Justices, had communicated to the government that two
cattle fairs were about to be held in the immediate neigh-
bourhood, and telegrams bad thereupon been forwarded
from the government, directing that the regulations of
the Privy Council should be put in force in that country.
(Hear, hear.)

. . .
ATTORNEYS AND soucrross (IRELAND), 1866,

BILL

The report of amendments was brought up and agreed to.
SELLING AND HAWKING GOODS ON SUNDAY

BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Lord TEYNHAM opposed the measure as injurious to
religion, as bad in policy, and as unjust to certain classes
of the community. He contended that the numerous ex-
ceptions were =consistent with the professed principle
of the bill, and urged that the necessity that would arise
of enforcing fines by distress would lead to great discon-
tent, and probably to great disorder. The proper obser-
vance of the Sabbath would be more promoted by moral
agencies and by the elevation of the people than by harsh
and oppressive restrictions upon particular classes. For
those reasons he moved that the committee be postponed
for six months.
Lord CHELMSFORD, after protesting against what he
described as the unusual course of opposing the committal
of a bill which had passed its second reading without a di-
vision, remarked that the objections of Lord Teynham were
contradictory and inapplicable. The suggested cases of
possible hardship could be dealt with in committee, where
power could be given to magistrates to award at their
discretion penalties under a certain maximum amount.
The bill sought to create no new law, but to
render efficient the law which had existed in this
country for two centuries. Its aim was not to op-
press any class of individuals, but to relieve large
bodies of tradesmen who were now compelled in their
own defence, against the selfish greed of a few, to forego
the enjoyment of a day of rest, which was so useful and
so beneficial to all men.
The Bishop of CARLISLE, while approving the object
of the bill, oonld not give it his support, because, in his
judgment, with the numerous exceptions it contained, the
passing of this measure into law would be giving a legis-
lative sanction to all those exceptional trading* on the
Sabbath.
Lord HARROWBY pointed out the absolute necessity
of making some exceptions so a general prohibition of
selling on Sundays in the interest of the poor dwellers
in London end other large cities.
The Duke of ARGYLL supported the bill, and, after a
few words from the Bishop of OXFORD,
The amendment was negatived, and the house went into
committee upon the bill.
The various clauses of the bill underwent considerable
discussion, and several divisions took place, but no mate-
rial changes were introduced.
Several other bills also passed through committee.
THE CHOLERA.

Lord CARNARVON, upon a formal motion for cm,
reopondence, called attention to the recent outbreak of
cholera at Liverpool among German emigrants, and, ex-
pressing an opinion that the orders issued by the Privy
Council were insufficient, recommended that measures
should he taken by providing hulks for the accommoda-
tion of the emigrants arriving from Germany to isolate
them from the inhabitants on shore. . .

—.—.—.
Lord GRANVILLE pointed out the difficulty of esta-
blishing at once a complete system of quarantine, even
supposing that such a system would be an effectual pre-
ventive to the spread of cholera. He stated the various
steps that had been taken, and especially that the govern-
ment had instructed the British consuls to make known
that shipowners here would not receive German emigrants
on board their ships.
The Duke of SOMERSET added that the number of hulks
at the disposal of the Admiralty suitable for hospital par-
poses was very limited, but one had been placed at Cork,
another at Plymouth, and a third in the Thames.
The returns moved for were then agreed to.
THE BOMBARDMENT OF VALPARAISO.

Lord 110UC lITON, referring to the intelligence recently
received of the bombardment of Valparaiso by the Spanish
fleet, asked what instructions had been given to Admiral
Denman, whose conduct iu not actively intervening to
prevent the attack had been severely condemned by the
British residents whose property had been destroyed.
The Duke of SOMERSET, in reply, read the instruc-
tions given to Commodore Harvey and to Admiral
Denman, his successor in command of the Pacific
squadron, which were in effect to use all friendly efforts to
mitigate the horrors of war, but not iu any way to depart
from the observance of the strictest neutrality. As full
notice was given by the Spanish Admiral of the intended
bombardment, there was no ground for any interference
with an undoubted belligerent right, and Admiral Denman
therefore only obeyed his instructions by not resisting the
action of the Spanish fleet. The loss of life had happily
been but small, but the destruction of property had been
great, chiefly at the cost of the foreign merchants, but
notice had been given them sonic time previously to
remove their property, which they had omitted to do,
believing possibly that no attack would be made upon an
unarmed and unoffending town.
Lord DUSSANY thought Admiral Denman had been
unjustly attacked, and remarked that he had only a
wooden ship, while the Spaniards had iron-clads.
The Duke of SOMERSET replied that an iron-clad would
have been of no use to Admiral Denman, who only obeyed
his instructions in remaining neutral.
The conversation then ceased, and their lordships ad-
journed at 10 minutes to 9 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Tutsney, Mey 15.
The SPEAKIR took the chair at a few minutes to four
o'clock.

RETURNING OFFICERS.

Mr. GOLDSMII) gave notice that to-morrow Le would
move for leave to bring in a bill to con.solidato and amend
the acts relating to returning officers.

t'utton quiet : low middling, 33 to 34 ; three days' sales,
4,000: week's receipts, 11,000 ; week's export 0,000 bales.
(Per the Nova Scotian, viA Greencastle.)
NEW YORK, MAY 5, AFTERNOON.
Money abundant. Gold, 127 i. Exchange on
London, 139 i ; on Paris, 4.4. Stocks steady :
New York Centrals, 92} ; Illinois, 122} ; Erie,
74 ; United States 5.20 Bonds, 102 k. Cot-
ton held firmly : Middling Upland, 34. Flour
firm and active. Wheat firm and advancing. Corn
quiet. Provisions steady. Coffee quiet. Sugar
steady. Molasses quiet. Petroleum very firm :
crude, 27 ; refined, 42k.

SOUTHAMPTON MAY 15.—The Hamburg Ameri-
can Company's Steamship Allemania, Captain Trautman,
from New York on the sth, has arrived,with 69 passengers
for Southampton and Havre, and 319 for Hamburg and on
freight 54,000 dollars for England and 4,500 dollars for
Hamburg.

QUFINSTOWN, MAY 15.—The Inman steamship
City of London, from New York on the sth instant, ar-
rived here at 10 p.m. to-day. She brings 311,600 dol. in
specie, 2,0001. sterling, and 413 passengers. She landed
lti passengers, and proceeded at 10.30 p.m. for Liverpool.
SOUTHAMPTON. MAY 15. —The North German
Lloyd steamer Hermann, from New York on the sth,
arrived off the Needles at 9 o'clock this evening. Her news
has been anticipated.
METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL, DEVONSHIRE-
equAna, Crrr.—The aggregate number of patients relieved
during the week ending May 12, was medical, 870 ;
surgical, 604 ; total, 1,474, of which 623 were usw OLIN.

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1866.

THE BOMBARDMENT OP VALPARAISO.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER having
' moved that the house at its rising do adjourn till to-mor.
row (Thursday),
Bir L. PALK asked whether it was true, as reported,
that the Spanish admiral had bombarded and destroyed
the city of Valparaiso ? That city was a perfectly defence-
less one, the few guns which it possessed for saluting
purposes having been removed from their battery at the
request of the British minister and the English admiral,
who undertook that no bombardment should take place.

Admiral WALCOTT said the honour and reput;tion of
a British admiral was far dearer to him than his life, and
he could not believe that Admiral Denman bad in this in-
stance done anything which was unworthy of the reputa-
tion which he had previously earned. It bad been alleged
that the British admiral gave to the inhabitants of Val-
an &entrance that he would protect their property.
If be had done so, be was sure that he would have ful-
filled his promise, but he could not believe that he gave
any such assurance.
Mr. LIDDELL believed that there was but one opinion,
that the bombardment of a defenceless city was moon-
aistent with humanity and that it would be condemned
by the voice of public justice in every country in the
world.

After some observations from Colonel EDWARDS, who
denounced the conduct of Spain as cowardly and dia-
bolical,
Sir J. HAY expressed his opinion that if Admiral Den-
man had been instructed to commence hostilities against
the Spanish squadron he would have done so with judg-
ment, discretion, and gallantry.
Admiral SEYMOUR deprecated any condemnatioh of
Admiral Denman until his explanation was before the
house. _

Mr. GRAVE 3 protested against the property of neutrals
being subject to the assaults of such a cruel and unscru-
pulous power as that of Spain, or that the independence
of the South American republics should be endangered by
her aggressions.
Mr. LAYARD explained at some length the history of
the negotiations which her Majesty's government, in com-
mon with that of the Emperor of the French, had set on
foot in order to prevent hostilities between Spain and
Chili, and stated that, so far is British property at Val-
paraiso was concerned, the owners had received 30 hours'
notice to remove their goods before the manifesto of
the Spanish admiral was promulgated. He denied
that the American admiral had made an offer to
Admiral Denman to join him in preventing the
bombardment. No such offer had been made, and,
even if the British admiral had been authorised to inter-
fere, he had no adequate means at command to do so.
The bombardment had made a very painful impression
upon her Majesty's government, more especially as Spain
had sent imperative orders to the admiral to open fire
without communicating her intention to either England or
France, who were doing their utmost to prevent hostilities
and bring about an honourable peace. With respect to the
alleged request by Chili that Mr. Thompson should be
withdrawn, her Majesty's government had not received any
such application.
Mr. B. COCHRANE pointed out what he termed the
shifting and inconsistent foreign policy of the government,
and reminded the house that although the government
now professed to be painfully affected by the conduct of
Spain, they had themselves done the same sort of thing in
China and Japan.
Mr. T. BARING expressed a hope that copies of the
instructions sent to Mr. Thompson, and also to Admiral
Denman, would be laid upon the table.
Mr. DENMAN was of opinion that any debate on the
conduct of the British officer in command of the fleet at
Valparaiso would be premature.
Mr. T. G. BARING promised that all the papers should
be laid before the house, and added that the instructions
given to Admiral Denman were that he was to maintain
a strict neutrality.

In reply to Mr-. SAMFORD,
Mr. H. BRUCE explained the precautionary measures
which the government had taken against the spread of
cholera.

The motion for the adjournment of the house over the
" Derby Day " was then agreed to.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

Mr. O'REILLY moved for a select committee to inquire
what changes may with advantage be made in the
system of national education in Ireland, in order to allow
greater freedom and fulness of religious teaching in schools
attended by pupils of one religious denomination only, and
to guard effectually 'pima proselytism and protect the
faith of the minority in mixed schools. His desire was not,
he said, to upset the national system of education in Ire-
land, but rather to improve it. The majority of the Irish
people objected to the existing schools, and complained
bitterly that they were compelled to use a system to which
they were conscientiously opposed.
The motion was seconded by the O'CONOR DON,
who argued that the only reason why the catholic portion
of the population used schools in which the mixed system
of education prevailed was that they could not allow their
children to grow up in actual ignorance.
Mr. C. FORTCUE, in opposing the motion, admitted
that the state of the model schools was not satisfactory,
as the number of scholars was sensibly declining. He
hoped, however, that in a short time steps would be taken
to amend those institutions. With regard, however, to
the mixed description of education, against which the
motion waa directed, he could not give any promise that
it would be abandoned, as the inevitable effect would be
to exclude children of any denomination which was not in
the majority, whereas the principle of the national schools
was that they were open to all corners.
The debate was continued by Mr. Whiteside, Mr.
Gregory, and Mr. Synan, and eventually Mr. O'Reilly
withdrew his motion.
In answer to Sir H. CAIRNS,

ftluoic.

The CHANCELLOR of the' EXCHEQUER said that
the house would be placed in possession of any changes
which the Irish government contemplated In reference to
the educational system before the vote for education in
Ireland was proposed.
Mr. CARDIN ELL obtained leave to bring in a bill to
remove doubts as to the effect of letters patent granted
to certain colonial bishops, and to amend the law with re-
spect to bishops and clergy in the colonies.
The remaining business on the paper was disposed of,
and the house adjourned at a quarter to 1 o'clock until
Thursday.