The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-23 00:00:00

i LATEST FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT BRITAIN,

VERA CRUZ BLOCKADED.-INVESTMENT OF

MATAMORAS

The noble steam-ship Great Britain, Captain Hosken
arrived here yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, having
lett New York at four o'clock on the afternoon of the Bth
instant. She has accomplished the voyage in the extra-
ordinary sbort time of thirteen days and a half, having
stopped for six hours off the N.W. Light-ship 'or water.
She has hronoht nffirisil deanatches from Mr. Pakenham

at Washington. which reached New York by a special
messenger on the day of the vessel's sailing. We believe
Captain 1-losken took these papers to London immediately
on the Great Britain's arrival, and they probably convey
the President's reply to Mr. Pakenbam's last offer on the
Oregon question, which was to be considered the ulti-
matum.

On the 18th the Americans took the city of Matamoras,
and blockaded Vera Cruz without the Mexicans inter-
posing any opposition.
It appears that on the 17th ult. a large portion of
General Taylor's army moved up the river for the purpose
of crossing. General Taylor remained at the fortifications
with about 300 men. When the army were seen by the
Mexicans, on the opposite side of the river, to leave the
encawpment,they approached the fort and General Arista
sent a flag of truce to General Taylor requesting an ar-
mistice of six weeks. giving as a reason for his request,
that he i.esired to communicate with his Government.
General Taylor replied that he would give General Arista
until eight o'clock the next morning to evacuate the city
of Matamoras, and would permit him to take away the
public property under his charge. The flag then returned,
and on the next day the 18th, the "army of occupation"
crossed on flats of their own construction, and the
bodies of waggons calked. The passage was about four
miles from Fort Brown. On arriving at the city, it
was discovered that General Arista had departed
with his forces, leaving only the mounted battery.
All the mortars, and such of the military apparatus
as could not be removed, in his haste to escape,
were thrown into the wells. Immediately after the en-
trance of General Taylor into Matamoras, a d3tachment
was ordered out to reconnoitre. They overtook a portion
of the Mexicans, who were retreating, twenty-two of
whom were made prisoners. It is understood that Gen.
Aries's head-quarters are at San Fernando, about ninety
miles from Matamoras. Gen. Taylor issued orders to
his army not to take anything from the inhabitants,
without paying full value for what they took. The citi-
zen. of 111.temoras were permitted to transact business as
usual, with the exception of selling strong drinks. It is
said that the Mexican soldiers refused to defend Meta-
mortis, having had no rations served out to them for five
days.

We learn by subsequent advices that the United States
steam•frigate Mississippi arrived at Vera Cruz on the
18tb, when the port was blockaded by that steamer and
the Falmouth sloop of war. The frigate Raritan was
hourly expected to join them. The Mexican Government
had annulled the powers of the American Consuls, bad
given orders that all Americans were to leave Vera Cruz
in eight days, and were making every effort to carry out
the war with success, by replenishing the treasury, and
by carrying through some vety strong measures. The
castle of St. Juan d'Ullba and the city are represented to
be in an excellent state of defence, and to require a very
strop; force to be successfully attacked. The Republicano,
of the city of Mexico, of the 13th, says that it was the in-
tention of the government to send their war-steamers Gus-
daloupe and Montezumato Havana to be sold at auction.
On arriving at the latter port, the steamers were to hoist the
Mexican flag and fire a salute. The Mexican sailors re-
fused to sail under these conditions, and the steamers were
to leave tue river Alvarado, where they had been laid up
in ordinary under the British flag, and commanded by a
British officer. They have since arrived at Havana.
The Apache Indians have attacked the town of Apulo,
where they killed thirty-two Mexicans, the Indiana steal-
ing every thing they could lay their hands upon.
The Cumberland and Potomac U. S. frigate, with three
others, had arrived at Pensacola from the Rio Grande for
the purpose of refitting.

The Waahinglon Union says that the war will be pushed
with the utmost vigour. The victories of the Americans
have been rechived through the states with unbounded
enthusiasm. and meetings had been held to return thanks
to General Taylor and his officers and men. A sword, of
the value of 500 dollars, has been voted to the General by
the legislature of Louisiana.

The exports from Vera Cruz in the month of April
amounted to 241,356 dollars, of which 195,127 dollars was

in specie

Congress proceedings are interesting. In the Senate,
on the 3rd, Mr. Dix. from the Committee on Commerce,
reported the bill from the house to allow drawback on
goods imported from the British North American pro-
vince for re-exportation, without amendment, and re-
commended its passage. General Ganies, in the south,
having called without authority for volunteers, a resolu-
tion was introduced by Mr. Cass, to bring the usurpation
before Congress. The House of Representatives had
been occupied by discussing the supplementary war bill.
The Oregon Jurisdiction then came up, and Mr.
Cass replied, denying that the Treaty of Utrecht estab-
lished the 49th parallel the boundary to the Pacific.
A spirited discussion ensued, and elicited the expression
of a hope from Mr. Webster that the boundary would be
settled between the two Governments before the close of
this session of Congress. The discussion of the 2nd pre-
sented no feature of note, and ultimately the bill was
referred to the Judiciary Committee. An impression
prevailed that Mr. Pakenbam had received instructions to
make a new offer ; but no disclosures had been made by
the Executive.

The Hibernia steam-ship arrived at Boston on the Ist.
The New-York money and produce markets were very
little affected by her arrival. Bread stuff:, were declining,
and flour was sel:ing at from 4GI to 371 cents. The re-
ceipts were large. Money was rather more easy. Ex-
change on London was at from Si to 81 premium ; on
Pails, 5, 32 cents to 5, 321 cents.
The United States Treasury had on band some eleven
million of dollars, which it was expected wtlnld be rein-
forced by the issue of some million of Treasury notes.
An attempt was to be made the week after the steamer
left to call up and pass the bill in the House of Repre-
sentatives for modifying the tariff. Its success appeared
doubtful.

The wheat and hay crops in Canada West are reported
to be very luxuriant. There was a great breadth sewn.
A grand banquet had been given at Montreal to the
Liberal members, when great enthusiasm was displayed.
In the provincial Parliament, petitions to the Queen bad
been submitted to the house by Mr. Gowan and Mr.
Robinson, praying for reform in the post-office depart-
ment,. freedom from postage of newspaper exchanges, a

and the Canadas during the winter months, a reduction of
the postage between the two countries, and various other
reforms. The petiti n cites the example of the United
States having reduced their postage, and prays for a
similar reduction.

In the first three days of June, no less than six thousand
one hundred and forty-four emigrants arrived at New
York.

The celebrated Robert Owen arrived at New York on
the sth instant, on his way from Washington. He arrived
out in the Hibernia.

The splendid p,cket-ship Henry Clay left New York
for this port on the 6th instant with thirty-six cabin pas-

senzers.
Mr. Templeton, the vocalist, left. New York on the 6th
instant, for Philadelphia and Baltimore, but was to return

successful, though an abortive attempt had been made CI
some of his countrymen to put them down. The effort
however, completely failed,

TO THE IDITOR. OP THE STANDARD

Great Britain steam-ship, off Liverpool,
21st June, 1846.

SIR,—As we believe it will be gratifying to the public
to hear of the success of the Great Britain, steam-ship,
we shall be obliged by your inserting the following :

We left New Yor k on the Bth instant. pawing the Light-
vessel at 6, p.m., (11, p.m., Liverpool time,) and made
Cape Clear on the afternoon of the 20th, arriving off the
Ormshead at 10 15 p.m , this day, where we received the
pilot on board, thus completing the passage in a little over
thirteen days. For ten days out of the thirteen we have
had a ofteoession of ...nterir winde, and, atrhougrrturrveFFef'
was deep, steamed a -
ten k

nots, and latterly, eleven and a half and Twelve, and,
notwithstanding we have had, on some occasions, a strong
bead wind, with a E.N.E. sea, that would hate setiously
inconvenienced a paddle-wheel steamer, we never went
less against it than eight and a half knots: the three
days fair winds were so light as scarcely to assist our pro-
gress. This is, under the circumstances, the quickest
passage on record, and the comfort and happiness we have
experienced in this magnificent steamer, under the good
cheer end kind attentions of her able and excellent com-
mander, call for our warmest acknowledgments.
The following shows the ship's position and distance
run from day to day, and we believe it is not saying too
much to expect that, under the most favourable circum-
stances, she will yet complete a passage across in 10} or
11 days.

The wonderful performance of the screw certainly eli-
cited the admiration of all on board.
Latitude. Longitude. Distance.
Toesday.... 9th June 40 20N 7O 00w 202
Wednesday 10th .. 40 44 64 41 244
Thursday.. 11th ...... 41 50. 59 21. . 252 .
Friday .... 12th 43 44.
Saturday .. 13th 44 47 • 49 32 2301
Sunday.... 14th 46 28..
Monday.,. 15th 48 6 39 52.
Tuesday... 16th.. 49 23 ........ 35 11.... .. .. 203.;
Wednesday 17th..
Thursday.. 18th...... 51 6 .24 50. . 260'.
Friday .... 19th...... 51 20 l7 55 ...... ..280
Saturday .. 20th . 51 32..:.