The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-28 00:00:00

ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE THE CHATHAM

ISLAND PRISONNB&

Intelligence was brought by a recent wail from
New Zealand that the native prisoners at tho
Chatham Islands had made their escape in a vessel,
and landed at Poverty Bay. By &dries' received
this morning we learn that the provincial govern-
=nt determined to pursue them, and two ex-
peditions were seat after the escaped prisoners,
who had gone into the interior ; but it appears
that both expeditions were disastrously driven
Lack. The first engagement took place on the Bth
of August. On that date Liontenant-Colonel
Whitmore's force was pressing forward to get at
the enemy, when it was led into an ambuscade,
and had to beat a hasty retreat, leaving the dead
upon the ground. The rebels held a good position,
and the British loss was severe. The following is
a list of killed and wounded :
Killed.—Captain Davis Canning. shot through the
heart; Captain Carr, unknown where • Patrick Condon,
'hot through the had ; William Coates, shot through the
head ; one friendly native.
Wounded.—Patrick Bums, shot through the body (since
dead); James Beattie, shot in the thigh; George McKay
(N.Y.), &hot in the shoulder; Captain Tuke, shot in the
ere ; Juba Lewis, Mot in the thigh (slight) ; one friendly
native.

On the enemy's side about twelve men were
seen to fall. The wounded men were taken to
Clyde, and it would seem that the whole force had
a very hard time of it, from constant marching
and the inclemency of the weather. A local cor-
respondent gives the following details of the
rngagement:
Pncouraged by the freshness of the trail, Colonel Whit-
more In►t tight of every other consideration in the hope
of getting up with the enemy. 11l supplied with stores,
absolutely ignorant of whither be was going, undervalu-
ing the skill and courage of the enemy, disdainful of the
most ordinary precautions, he pushed recklessly on.
rargt d and half-starved as the men were, they renewed
their vigour upon sight of the camp fires in the Ituaki
Teri. A few of their number worn seen by our fore",
scattered about the Wand, and a rapid advance was made
to attack them. As our people neared, they commenced
firing—not with much vigour at first, but rapidly in-
creasing in power as their force collected. Our men h►d
to cross the liver bed in the open, azposed to this treat-
:6,lA, and replying with what effect they could. As our
patty chew into the western bank, the enemy mointed
the Itakaiwhaia hill, outflanking and pouring a deadly
Are into our people. Captain Carr fell ; Mr. Davis Can-
ning, two troopers named Patrick Condon and William
Coates, and • friendly native Rehire., wore shot
dad. Sig others wounded, amongst them Captain Arthur
Tube, who was abet through the arm—the bullet glancing
off • rock and inflicting a baleful bruised flesh wound, not
injuring the bone. Anothsr bullet passed through his
clothes. Sharp work this. Poor Canning handed his
carbine to Barney Reed. as he fell pierced by two bullets.
Captain Carr's weapons and haversack, with his body,
became the pewession of the enemy. Mr. Withers, of the
constabulary, behaved with great gallantry, assisting in
carrying off the wounded ; indeed all behaved well, arid
the pity is that their courage should have been so thrown
away.

The papers laid on the House of Represents-
fives table give the following curious particulars
in reference to the escape of these prisoners :

The plans were laid with such ;kill that Captain
Thomas, according to the report., could hardly have
offered anything like effectual resistance. Instead of 31
stand of arms them were 49 stand of arms taken away,
and CifiW. In cash, and as much flour, sugar, and tobacco,
as they close to remove from the " Rifleman." Ilosides
there they robbed all tho house, on the beach with the
exception of that of one lady who hid a bag of sovereigns
(3001.) in a tea-kettle, while boiling over the fire. The
number of priaontrs eecaped were 163 luau, 61 women,
and 71 children, being 298 souls. The quantity of am-
munition taken was 4,564 rounds. Three pounds of
powder was taken from private stone.
GALLANT CAPTURE OF A PAIL

A messenger arrived at Wellington on the 24th
August with the intelligence that the pah of Te-
Ngutu-o-te-Manu had been captured on Friday,
the 21st. The following are the particulars:

270 men, in two divisions, under the command of C.A.
McDonnell, started for the pals at 7 a.m. Major Von
Tempoky lcd the armed constabulary and Taranaki
volunteers. Buck's and Page's companies composed the
attacking force. There were no native allies engaged.
The pale was reached at 10a.m., the force thus taking only
three hours to thread their way through the bush from
Waihi, the base of operations, a distance of 12
mike. Maori scouts were on the alert, and prepara-
tions had been made to give our forces • warm reception.
When within twenty paces of the parapet, our troops
poured in a galling firs, and then rushed helter-skelter
for the pals, escaladed the breastwork, and gained a footing
inside—one-half fairly establishing themselves within the
defences in a few minutes. The first man killed was
Wallace, who was shot through the head, and died on the
spot. The Maori's fought bravely, but could not stand
against our men, who, armed with tomahawks, re-
volvers, and long knives, made short work of
it. The whole attack lasted only twenty minidisk
and in one hour from its commencement not •
vestige of the pah could be seen. The Msories effected a
good retreat, after nine of them had fallen, and were able
to carry oft their wounded. Three of our men were killed
and eight wounded—one of whom, H. (leery, has since
died. The killed are R. Wallace, Kerr, Mackay. They
were attended by Dr. Walker on the field. At half-past
11 Colonel McDonnell commenced to march back, when he
found the enemy had concentrated on his rear, and were
keeping up a desultory fire. The fire was returned, and
ultimately the Maoris, retreated and allowed our troops to
retire without further molestation. McDonnell arrived at
Fates at midnight. The behaviour of the force, both offi-
cers and men, was excellent.
DISASTROUS REPULSE OF THE
FORCE.

A correspondent of the Times, writing from Wel-
lington on the 9th ult., gives a brief accomit of
another attack which was made on the natives of
the west coast on the 7th Eleptember:

How the affair came ►bout (be says) we know not,
except that our forces appear to have been in search of
the rebels in the neighbourhood of the lately destroyed
pah of Ngutu-o-to-Menu. The natives ware quite
prepared this tame to receive us, and not only lined
their rifle-pits, but had perched themselves on the
tops of trees, whence they could take deadly aim. The
tire was returned, and although our officers fell one
after another, yet a good and orderly retreat was effected.
Among the 14 killed were the gallant Major Voa Teospelty,
Captains Buck and Palmer, and Lieutenants Hastings and
Bunter. The number of wounded is not stated, but
Lieutenant Rowan is reported to be so dangerously.
Twenty-seven of the rebels were killed, wounded uu-
known. Preparations are being made for mother attack
on them, and unless this disaster it speedily wiped out by
a signal success, it will be diffioalt to foresee the termina-
tion of a struggle in which a mere handful of rebels are
acquiring so much presto's's in the eyes of surrounding
tribes.

SPAIN.

Signor °rens° has published a republican pro-
gramme dated Valencia, October 20.
The following aro the heads of Senor °reuse's
programme:
1. Form of Government -Democratic Worst republic.
2. Legislative Power—A single chamber, elected an-
nually by universal suffrage.
S. Executive Power—A president, nominated by the
chambers without limitation of time, but removable at
the glamour° of the chamber.
4. Judicial Power—Appointment of judges, to be
wholly independent of the legislative and executive
powers.

6. The central, or national, government to manage the
army and navy, the cafe external and diplomatic affairs;
statistics ; the Customs House, while it lasts; poet-oetce

mi..___
, .e.f
._

. mid telepaphs; dispute between provinces; unity of
*mey, weights. and smasures; extinct nof the pablie
( he e army to be provided front the male of thq royal
I? luoey, stational property, and mines); railways on a
urge reel,.
rit trial objects of the government::
G. 7he s cur ty to very citizen of lis 'edividuil en :1
!Jim:H.IAI rights, which ars as fo I owing -Perron:o
'dusty, property, freedom of worship, freedom of Cie
right of meeting.

. .
7. TLe Felinity o' death, slavery, imprisonm)ot,
monopolies of the sole • f salt and tobacco, tax is on
°m on ptior, Sm., are to be aboliabe I.

8. ( edema, prisons, and judicial promisees to be him,.
diately reformed.
9. Domicile and private correxpondenee to be inv:ol-
able.

10. Muslim, elboioe of profeenons and employments,
teaks and credit institutions to be free.

11. The. provincial deputations, aloaldes, municipal
ooluiciii and magistrates to be sleeted by uaiverai/
suffrage, their meetings to be open and a report of the
proceedings to be putt/died. These bodies to decide upon
all questions which do not oorne under the control of the
central government.

12. Itivenue to be raised by one tax, direct and general.
IS. The Spanish possessions abroad to enjoy the same
rights as the mother country.
11. The Post-office, telegraphic, and other services to
be paid for out of the profits they produce, and taxation
to be reduced in proportion as these profits inareseis.
16. The Civil Guard alone shall act at a police. The
army to be for the national defence, and a volunteer force
to be proposed for the preservation of internal order.
Spain renounces wars of conquest, and will make war only
when its independence is menaced.

Senor Emilio Castelar, the eloquent Professor of
National History, who was banished by Narvaes,
reti!rr^'! ts Madrid on the 25th, and was receivoi
with great honour. The train in which he arrived
was met at the station by the Madrid stutlenti.
They raised cries of " Viva Castolar," " Viva la
Republica," and insisted on taking him at one', to
the university as a protest against his expulsion.
In the decree on the subject of the Apulia-
mientos and provincial deputations, Senor Sagest.°
made urn of the word nionarviia. Some of the
Madrid journals having obrervcd that this was an
anticipation of the decision of the nation, the
minister suppressed the word in the Oareta Oficial.
The ind;pindonce Befse says:

The presence of Marshals Concha and Pezurla, of Gene-
rals Calonge, San-Ronan, and Nan ti. in the Basque pro-
vinces is caning emneanxiety in Ma lrid. Pexuela mskei
frequent journeys into Navarro. The ex-ministers of the
Queen aze said to be engaged in preparing the way for
exciting a civil war in Spain. All the partisans of the
fallen monarch have agreed to meet in France to take
measures for this purpose.

(TILROVOIL SELTKIL.B Aoarrer.)
MADRID. OCT. 27.

The Tertulia Club of the Progressist party has
been unsulgurusted with the liberal Union, thus
forming one club. This fusion ban been celebrated
I.y a banquet, at which Senor Olozaga and the
Ma rquis de Vega Armigo presided. The former
delivered a speech strongly exhorting the liberals
of all shades to unite, and pointed out the neces-
sity of this step in order to be prepared to oppose
the united reactionists. He also mentioned that
the ex-Queen Isabella is intending to abdicate in
favour of Dcn Carlos.

The subject of the forthcoming elections for the
Constituent Cortes, which will commence on the
29th of November, is hying discussed by the
council of ministers.

The Papal Nuncio has had an interview with
Senor Lorenrana, when he gave satisfactory
explanations to the minister, from which it may
easily bo foreeeen that the recognition of the
revolutionary government by the Roman court
will shortly take place.
It is asserted that the government intends to
raise a national loan by public subscription.
It is reported that the Belgian government will
Shortly recognise the provisional government.
Tranquillity prevails everywhere.

CONTINENTAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE
SPANISH MINISTRY.
PARIS. Ocr. 24.

The Moniteu► of to-day in its bulletin siys :
" Tho Ministers of Prussia and Italy have re-
sumed their relations with the Spanish govern-
ment, as also the Papal Nuncio, who has hwl an
interview with the Minister of Foreign Affairs."