The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-11 00:00:00

" BRIGADE" BANQUET AT WEXFORD.

A grand banquet in honour of Major O'Reilly
sad the "'Wexford Contingent of the Pope's Irish Brigade
came off on Tuesday evening last in the town of Wexford.
The ilurning News says of the affair :—" We believe
we only echo the verdict of every spectator of the scene
of Turndity last when we state that, since the days of 4d,
no such ovation was offered to • public man in Ireland
as that which welcomed Major 0 Reilly to the capital
of that brave and patriotic country. It war • triumphal
procession from town to town. gran before the plain
gentleman and be. of reached the boundary of
the county which had offered him this public honour the
popular feeling found utterance, and county distinctions
were lost in the recollection that he, name and his cx•w
were dear to all Ireland."

General Lamoriciere again disappointed his Irish friends
by remaining away. The following is a translation of the
letter of apology from the gallant general read on the
occasion;—" Paris, Dec. T 3, 1860. Sir,—l thank you
for the invitation you bare addressed to use, to assist
' at the banquet which the catholic* of Wexford intend
giving Major O'Reilly and certain officers and sol-
dier. of the battalion of St. Patrick, which fought so
valiantly for the hots cause of tLe church. Imperious
DOONlliilel detain me here, and prevent me from attemLog
the banquet, where I should bare been happy to meet my
old brothers.in.arner. Allow me to beg of you to convey to
them, and to the committee of the banquet, the fulled
expression of my regret, and the apology. which I address
to you, with the assurance of my most distinguished con-
aideration.--DE Larocetaas." . .

Major O'Reilly made a long speech, whieh was from
beginning to end • glowing laud..tiou of high valour in
general, and its late most glorious manifestation in the
muse of Pope Pins.

EXPLOSION OF GAS ON THE Gr.EAT NORTHERN
RAlLWAT.—Yesterday evening, about eight o'clock, a terri-
fic explosine of gas took place at the Colimy Hatch station
on this line, which nearly killed the guard of a train then
waiting at the station, and completely blew the roof of the
station. The accident is attributed to the action of the
[root on the iron
.pipes.
FIRM AND LOIS OP LIFE IN BEDFORDBURX.--.
Between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock in the morning of yes-
terday the inhabitants of Bedfordbary, New-street, Covent-
prdea, were aroused from their beds by the cry of " Fire."
The engine from Chandob-street was, however, in prompt
attendance, and by the aid of its attendants the fire was
confined to the room in which it originated—a wood-floor
back, at No. 25, occupied by Charlotte Dainties, aged Xi,
and her son, the former of wham fell a victim to the flam..s.
The son, it appears, is engaged at ono of the theatres, end
on his reaching home shortly after 12 o'clock be fouad the
room door fastened. Obtaining uu response to his repeated
knocking he burst open the door, and to his astonishment
found the bed on which his mother, an invalid, was l•
on the floor, in flames. He at once gave and alarm, and
proceeded to rescue hi., sick mother, whom he waa horror-
stricken at finding apparently lifeless, with her face sod
body frightfully burnt. She was conveyed to Cheri:l:permit
Hospital, where it was found that she was beyond isiman
aid. The son can give but little account of the disastrous
affair, owing to his agitated state of mind, but impute
that she attempted to snuff the candle, which was also
on the floor, and thus set fire to the bedclothes.
DERTRUCTION OF A MILL AT MANCHESTER.
Yesterday morning, shortly after nine o'clock, the cotton-
nly
took fire, apparently through tome fragment of
.ita Maria-
Th Thy
builedisnung sunitoodficrleoesen:i.,
eathewriereilsra.oyon
thmaw:bt.V.itnitosteiriallreofstit:Miiiinen:l sAindareoe'n:t:etheaSultml:ldgf:ard;cotasiter:gaillterstopoh-fl'eitghti,s6"ertebet the
flames 'mead on rapidly se to envelope a large portion of
the mill in the course of about twenty minutes. .U 1
exertions were therefore directed to save the surround
property, which was seriously endangered by the intense
heat- The abutters of a dwelling:house at some yanls dis-
tance had already ignited from this cruse, and the occ•apanto
of neighbouring prem.!. removed their furniture. At
eleven o'clock the fireroen had succeeded in confining tho
fire to the mill, which was by that time completely gutted.
The building had four aeries, extending to the length of
sea or twenty windows, and the damage m estimated to be
5,000 f. at the very boom. bat probably is more, &lid the
wild to cover net much sore 1.1:10U‘.