The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY , EVENING, JUNE 26, 1861.

public grounds in going through with the cue,
and we hope it may serve as • useful warning
against hastily taking fancies for facts where repu-
tation and character are at stake.

Lure night's Gazette contains • notification that
will kindle feelings of lively joy in many parts of
India, and do something, we trust, to attach its
Princes and people yet more closely to our bene-
volent rule. It is announced that as a mark of
regard for her Indian subjects, and in order to pro-
vide a means of rewarding conspicuous merit and
loyalty, the Qeame has created and constituted an
Order of Knighthood, to be known as the " Order
" of the Star of India," of which her MAJESTY will
be the Sovereign, and the Viceroy of INDIA the
Grand Master, while the dignity of Knighthood will
be conferred upon native Princesand Chiefs of India
who have entitled themselves to her MaJury's
favour, and upon British subjects who have ren-
dered important services to the Indian Empire.
By the Letters Patent instituting the Order her
Marr.sry has been pleased to nominate sixteen
Knights, of whom nine are of Indian and seven of
British origin. The Niwn of HYDRABAD, the
GUICOWAR, SINDHIA, and Roma; and other
Princes have been associated to the honours of
the new institution, in company with Lawassea,
°irritate, Lord CLYDE, and Sir Huns Rosa. In its
way—that is to say, in the way of direct action on
men's minds—this is one of the wisest things
done in India since the issue of the famous pro-
clamation in which the Quaerr assumed the direct
government of India. It is, moreover, one of the
very few good measures which without that assump-
tion would not have been possible. The peculiar
value of the badge of the Order in the eyes of the
natives of India will of course be, that it is one they
wear in common with the most eminent men who
represent the British Crown in that country. The
limitation of membership of the Order to twenty-
five may seem to restrict too much its influence as
an object of ambition, when the multitude of
Princes and Chiefs in India is considered. But
on the other hand every native of India will feel
that he is honoured by distinctions conferred on
the chief men of his country ; and besides
honours of another kind, titles, symbols of
rank, and with them substantial advantages,
have only recently been distributed by Lord CAN-
NING to the loyal chiefs of India with a liberal
hand. And should the expectations with which
this new institution has been founded be fulfilled,
perhaps it may become advisable to establish a
second confraternity, which, without being so
narrow as this, may stimulate • public feeling
among the influential clause of natives in the
Indian Empire.
We notice one special feature in the appoint-
ments to the new Order ; they include the name
of • lady, her Highness Nuwab Sekundar Beguni,
of BHOPAL. When shall we see a lady wearing
the star of the Order of the Bath f

celebrated the anniversary of the national move-
ment of 1848.

All the persons present signed a petition demand-
ing a union of the Principalities, that Prince Couza
should remain at the head of the State, and that a
new electoral law on the broadest basis should be
proclaimed.
The most perfect order prevailed.
The whole country is disposed to sign the
petition.

INDIA.
The following telegram has been received :

CALCIUM, MAT 24.
Volunteers of all arms for general service, 7,039;
for local service, 393; for discharge, 399. Of these
many have since decided for general service.
Al! quiet in the Santhal Pe nuns ; the causes
of the late excitement are unknown. Thorough
inquiry has been made regarding disturbances at
Jessore. All is quiet in that neighbourhood now.
Mr. Laing baa gone to sea ; reported better when
the pilot left.
Funds.—Fives, at sr. 4a. to 6r. discount ; Five-
aud-a-halfs, at lr. 6` premium.

BOMBAY, 31.17 27.
Measures are in progress for the amalgamation
of the Surat and Broach Collectorates.

Orders have been issued for breaking up four
native regimenta—viz., the 29th, 30th, and 31st
Native Infantry, and the 2nd Regiment of Jacob's
Rifles.

Malta, June 23, 8.30 p.m.
POINT DE GALLS, MAT 31.
The telegraphic communication with Calcutta
has been interrupted since the 25th May.

AMERICA.
NEW YORK, Jun 18.
Telegrap h to St. John's.)
The first privateer capture(Byd by the Federal ships
has been brought to tins city. Several skirmishes
have taken place in the vicinity of Washington, but
without any serious result.
. .

The Wheeling Convention has unanimously rt.
solved to choose State officers.

Several people were shot at St. Louis yesterday
by a detachment of Volunteers in return for the
reported wounding of their captain by a shot from
a house.
A serious fight is imminent in Missouri.
It is reported that General Butler has completed
his preparations for an attack on Yorktown.
The rebel position at Manassas Junction is said
to be untenable.

Three companies of Federal troops while making
a reconnaisance in the direction of Virginia were
fired upon by a masked battery ; 20 men were
killed, wounded, or miming.
The Jura, Baltimore, and Bavaria have arrived
out.