Sortign anb CTolonfal.

FRANCE.—The French army is to be reduced to a peace establishment. On the 1st September, it amounted to 503,000: on the 1st October, the 40,000 of the contingent of 1842 will be discharged, and 40,000 more of the same contingent will receive leave of absence without pay. Before December, 80,000 more men will be similarly disposed of; and by the 1st January 1850, the peace establishment of 360,000 will be resumed.

M. de Falloux had a relapse of illness at the end of last week, from an endeavour to go abroad too early : but he soon recovered the ground lost, and on Tuesday was well enough to leave Paris for the country: he was to spend some days at Ile-Adam.

ITALY.—The French Government received, on Wednesday, despatches from Rome, containing a proclamation by the Pope, establishing the basis of " institutions calculated to insure to his well-beloved subjects suitable liberties," and at the same time "assuring his own independence; which," says he, " we are under an obligation to preserve intact in face of the uni- verse." The boons are thus enumerated- " 1. A Council of State, to give its advice on all bills before they are submitted to the Sovereign sanction.

" 2. A Consulta di Stato for the finances, to determine all matters relating to the laudget, the expenses to be incurred, the reduction of taxes, or the establishment Cf new ones' &c., " The institution of Provincial Councils is confirmed; the members to be selected from listi presented by the Communal Councils; they are to discuss the local interests of the province, the local expenles, &c.

"4. The municipal bodies are to enjoy the widest possible liberties compatible with the local interest of the communes.

"5. Reforms and ameliorations are to be effected in the law institutions, as well as in civil, criminal, and administrative legislation. A Commission is to be named for that purpose. " 6. An amnesty is to be granted with certain restrictions."

At the same time with the Pope's " motu proprio " was placarded a pro demotion from the Cardinal-Commissioners relative to the amnesty. It excepts the following persons from the benefits of that measure: the mem- bers of the Provisional Government; the members of the Constituent Assem- bly who took part in the deliberations of that Assembly; the members of the Triumvirate and of the Government of the Republic; the heads of the mili- tary corps; all persons who, having already been amnestied, have broken their word of honour by taking part in the late political disorders: and lastly, those who, in addition to political offences, have been guilty of private of- fences provided for by the ordinary laws. These burdened concessions were very ill received; the people tearing down the placards containing the proclamations. It is stated by the French journals, that M. de Tocqueville has made representations to the Cardinal Government at Rome on the case of Dr. Achilli; but has received the reply that the Doctor is confined for " other causes" than those connected with religion. He remains confined in the Castle of St. Angelo.

The Roman correspondent of the Daily News recounts a curious sally of prisoners from St. Angelo on the 15th instant. A number of them exca- vated their way to a subterranean passage, by which they got out. About a dozen escaped, and more would have done so but that one very portly one stuck fast in the tunnel dug, and was caught in distressing plight by the Castle watch. " Two French artillerymen, walking from the neigh- bouring guardhouse, saw the first prisoners escape, and pretended not to observe them; saying one to another, Laissons done dehapper ces pauvres diables—taut leur tourner le dos.' " Ausxam—It was reported in Vienna, on the 22d instant, that Comore surrendered on the 18th The report is mentioned as doubtful by most of the advices ; but the correspondent of the Morning Chronicle vouches for it as coming from too good an authority to be doubted, and says that the official announcement was delayed in order that General Haynau might have the pleasure of first making it in a postprandial speech at a banquet given that day to Radetzky. The Government had published the terms on which it proposed to ac- cept a loan of 71,000,000 florins. The interest was to be 41 per cent, and the stock to be taken at 85 florins. Messrs. Hope of Amsterdam were the agents for the subscription; which was to open on Saturday the 22d in• start, and close on the 4th October. The Vienna papers were circulating a rumour that Bem has died of his wounds in Wallachia.

The Penh journals contain descriptions, equivalent to those published by our Police in the Hue and Cry, of sixty-nine persons excluded from the Imperial amnesty to the Magyars. Among these official portraits are the two following, of Kossuth and Bem- "Ludwig Kossuth, Journalist, Advocate, Minister of Finance, President of the Committee of Defence for Hungary, and lastly Governor of the Hungarian Re- public ; born in Jass-Berengi in Hungary; forty-five years of age; Catholic reli- gion; married ; above the middle height, slight in figure, but strong; has an oval countenance, pale complexion, high open forehead, blue eyes, chestnut brown hair, dark brown eye-brows, regularly formed nose, small and handsome month, teeth perfect, a round chin, and dark beard and moustache. He speaks the German, Hungarian, Latin, Slovakian, French, and Italian languages. As special marks, it may be noted that his hair slightly curls, and on the top of the head is thin al- most to baldness; the breast is tolerably broad, but rather flat than rounded; his hands are white and delicate, his fingers long; his bearing is calm and composed, at times solemn and of a certain seriousness; his gestures are studied; he walks uprightly; his voice is pleasant and musical, winning, and even when he speaks low can be distinctly heard. He produces the impression on the observer that he is an enthusiast. (Schwarmer.) It is especially in his beautifully-shaped eyes that this expression of enthusiasm resides; it is increased by a peculiar habit of looking upwards. His general outward appearance does not denote the energy of his character. When he writes German, neither his grammar nor his ortho- graphy is correct." The term schwarnter is not exactly rendered by " enthusiast"; it means rather a pensive dreamer—one absorbed in a subject, but still silent. The portrait of Bem is less elaborate, and thrown off in rougher strokes— "Karl Bem, General of the Insurgents, age from fifty to fifty-five; middle height; thin; has a round face, brown and ruddy complexion, low forehead, hair mixed with grey, grey eye-brows, nesepointed and aquiline, broad month, round chin, and a moustache. He speaks Polish, French, and German. Has a slight stoop. It is believed he has the scar of a gunshot wound in the face, received in the engagement before Pestle."

TURNEY.—The French Government has received advices from Con- stantinople to the 17th instant, stating that the Sultan has formally re- fused to deliver up Kossuth and his colleagues, on the demand of Russia and Austria. Thereupon the Austrian and Russian Ambassadors broke off diplomatic relations between their Governments and the Porto, till they should have received instructions from St. Petersburg and Vienna re- spectively.

IONIAN IsTearns.—Private letters from Corfu, of the 9th:September, an- nounce that up to that date as many as seventeen of the rebels (several of whom belong to the clergy) had been taken, and immediately executed, according to martial law.

It would appear that a corresponding faction existed in some of the vil- lages of Corfu; where, in consequence of repeated acts of incendiarism, the police had been compelled to threaten summary punishment on all such persons as refused their aid to detect and check the same. Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, with the squadron under his command, which left Malta on the 1st September, reached Corfu early on the morning of the 9th: a signal was made for some of the vessels to proceed to Cephalonia, but they would scarcely reach that place before the 11th, as the wind was dead on end.

INDIA AND CHINA.—The overland mail arrived on Wednesday night, bringing advices from Bombay to the 6th August, from Calcutta to the 8th August, and from China to the 28th July. The news is almost devoid of interest. The Earl and Ceentess of Dalhousie and Sir Charles Napier, with Lord and Lady Gough, remained at Simla. The reports of hostile movements in the direction of Cashmere are again mentioned, to be ex- plained away: Gholab Singh's fealty is vouched by such acts as his liberal supply of materials for our hospital service in Peshawur, and by his princely gift of 10,000& towards the "Lawrence Asylum" for the children of Eng- lish soldiers. It is also said that he has invested above 1,000,000/ in the British Indian Five per cent Loan.

The sentence of Moolraj still hung over his head; but its remission was confidently expected.

An order has been issued by the Court of Directors requiring additional attainments for the office of Regimental Interpreter. Tamil or the Teloo- goo language is to be added to the present proficiency in Hindustani.

Captain J. D. Cunningham, the author of the History of the Sikhs, has been removed from his appointment of Political Agent at Bhopal, for having in his book "made unauthorized use of documents intrusted to his charge as a public officer."

At Macao, the excitement about the arrest and liberation of Mr. Summer had passed, and the affair was " hardly remembered." Accounts from Shanghae mention a vast overflow of the Yang-tse Kiang, which caused great destruction of life and crops, and has been followed by a famine.

NEW SOUTH WALES.— By way of Singapore, advices have arrived from Sydney to the 11th of June. The revival of the transportation system, indicated in Earl Grey's despatch of the 3d September 1848, is strenuously opposed by the colonists. In the Legislative Council, on the let of June, Mr. Cowper moved the following resolution relative to the despatch- " That this Council declines to accede to the proposal therein contained for the renewal of transportation to this colony, and strongly protests against the adop- tion of any measure by which the colony would be degraded into a penal settle- ment; and that this Council therefore would earnestly entreat her Majesty to be graciously pleased to revoke the order in Council by which this colony has been again made a place to which British offenders may be transported."

This was carried unanimously. On the 10th of June, however, a cargo of convicts arrived at Sydney, in the Hashmeney. The colonists were in- stantly up in public meetings. On the I lth of June, the people of Sydney " assembled as one man," under the chairmanship of Mr. Lowe, their Mem- ber in the Council; all public business being suspended for the day. The meeting adopted resolutions solemnly protesting against the act of the Co- lonial Office—as a violation of the will of the Colonial majority, clearly expressed at all times; as a breach of faith; as an invasion of Colonial freedom and of local self-government; as an injustice political and social; and as a great hazard to Colonial relations with the Mother-country. The Protest was handed to Governor Fitzroy; who signified his intention not to land the convicts from the Hashmeney until the answer of Earl Grey should have been received.

WEST INDIES.—The mail steam-ship Trent arrived at Southampton on Sunday evening; with news from Demerara to the 21st, Jamaica to the 22d, Trinidad to the 23d August, and of corresponding dates from the other islands.

In Jamaica, the general elections were so far completed as to show the relative strength of the "Kin' g's House" or Government and the " Country" Parties. Out of 47 members to be elected, 35 had been returned: of those 35 members, 25 are advocates of retrenchment,- who will vote with the Country party on the revenue bills; of thetwelveiremaining elections, it was expected that nine amulet be favourable to the Country party. The Morning Journal, in the Government interest, says—" Should the majority unhappily persist in carrying that measure, [the Retrenchment Bill,] there must, we presume, be another dissolution. The only constitutional course is to appeal, and continue to appeal, to the people." The existing revenue bills extend to the 1st October, and in the event of another dissolution would expire before a new House could be called together. Two new daily papers had been started in Kingston on Retrenchment principles. One of them, the Colonial Standard, is conducted by Mr. Girod, the former editor of the Jamaica Despatch. The other, the Conservative, is edited by Dr. Spalding, and Mr. R. J. de Cordova, a very popular writer in the island, under the name of " Uncle Diamond." Business in all departments was alarmingly dull, and the greatest poverty prevailed among the lower clas- ses of the inhabitants. One case of death, the effect of actual starvation, is said to have occurred in the vicinity of Kingston. Some fine showers had fallen in Kingston and various other districts; and the crops (on such properties as continued in cultivation) promised well for 1850. In Demerara, the Combined Court had met several times for the con- sideration of the long-disputed Estimates. On the 2d of August, they had got through all the items except the Civil List; and it was thought advi- sable to renew for a period of three months the Tax Ordinance of 1847. This was accordingly done by proclamation, to take effect on the Sib of August. The discussion of the Civil List was begun; and the Opposition renewed its efforts to have the estimates cast on the reduced scale of the vote passed on the 20th July; objecting to the Governor's proposallo make them out in a double form on both rates, for the Imperial Parliament to decide which of the two should be adopted. A division was taken on the question whether the higher rate of estimate should be expunged; and the votes were equal—seven to seven; the Governor gave his casting-vote against the Opposition. The discussions then became angry: the question of reduction was reurged, and fresh resolutions were moved in the spirit of the rejected one; which were similarly defeated by the casting-vote of the Governor. Ultimately, the bill as proposed by the Government was passed; and the Court adjourned, on the 7th August, to the 17th Septem- ber. On the 8th, the minority, or rather the equal Opposition, with one accord resigned their seats in the Combined Court. The resignations were accepted, and proclamations were issued for new elections in the room_ of the Honourable Peter Rose, and J. T. White, in the Court of Policy, ancL of Messrs. Roney, Millar, Watson, Duff, and Davidson, in the College of Financial Representatives. On the 8th, Governor Barkly and his family left George Town, for Le- guan; whence the Governor would proceed to the main coast of Essequibo. Mrs. larkly's health had been delicate; but it was hoped that the sea- breezes would restore her.

In St. Vincent, the business of the Legislature was still suspended, through the nos-attendanceof a sufficient number of members of Assembly to form a House. Referring to this fact, the editor of the Gazette remarks —" Such is the apathy at present prevailing in this island as regards the representation, that not a single elector appeared at the poll on Saturday last, when an election was intended for the return of a member for.Char-

lotte parish; for which consequently therejs still a vacancy,". .,. In Grenada, the new Legislature ivas in session, and the thf differences pri- viously existing between the two branches seemed likely to be adjusted.

'In Dominica, there had been considerable excitement, in consequence of the Lieutenant-Governor's having left the island without leaving a repre- sentative to administer the government during his absence, and having de- sired that the President of the Council should not assume the executive power. In the House of Assembly, a member moved for a committee to- ascertain if a precedent existed for the Governor's conduct; a motion was also made that the whole House, preceded by the mace, should proceed' to the Government House to ascertain formally if the Governor were in the island. The deliberations of the House were here interrupted by uproar among the lower classes outside the Court-house; in fear of whom, the Assembly fled precipitately from their hall. The crowd subsequently en- tered the hall; but retired again, and at last dispersed without violence.

In Trinidad, Lord Harris has offered a premium of one hundred sove- reigns for the best essay on the "vegetable and mineral capabilities of Tri- nidad, with respect to the number of its productions, and the quantity, qua- lity, and value of each comparatively, as they are now, or as they might be supplied, either for home consumption or exportation, with the present available amount of labour." The essay must be sent in before the 1st August 1850.

From the other colonies there is no news of importance.

UNITED STATES AND CANADA.—By the arrival of the Caledonia mail- steamer at Liverpool, on Tuesday, advices are brought from New York to the 11th, and from Halifax to the 14th instant.

The bulk of the accounts concern the "secret expedition," about which there has been so much mystery and speculation: we now learn the ex- plosion both of the mystery and of the expedition itself. The reports which latterly connected the expedition with the island of Cuba were cor- rect; the affair is now alluded to in all descriptions as the " Cuban bunt." On Wednesday in the last week of August, it was confidently rumoured• throughout the city of New York, that two or three vessels were then, loading secretly with men and arms in the harbour for Cuba; that two small Government steamers, with United States sailors and marines on board, were waiting to intercept their sailing between the Narrows and Sandy Hook; but that the commanders of the " secret expedition " were confident in their ability and skill to leave the port without being over- hauled. It transpired from Washington, that both the Spanish and the Mexican Ministers had laid information before the Government, and de- manded instant measures of prevention. The Mexican Minister thought the "hunt " was aiming at Tampico and its vicinity, or was intended to aid in the formation of a new republic (Sierra Madre) out of the Northern States of Mexico. On Thursday the 30th August, however, all doubt as to the aims and hopes of the "hunters" was terminated, by the appearance in the New York Herald of the following letter. "New Orleans, August 27, 1849.—Since President Taylor's proclamation in relation to a certain secret expedition, various surmises have been made by nearly all the prints in the Union, as to its probable destination, its leaders, resources, &c. but arrangements will so far have advanced for its consummation before this reaches you, that I have no hesitation in placing the objects of the expedition in a proper light before your readers. " You are doubtless aware, that for the last twenty-four months the Creoles of Cuba have been very active in organizing Republican clubs, secretly, throughout the whole island. They have at those clubs collected large sums of money, and forwarded it to their friends in the United States, for the purchase of arms and munitions of war. The Cuban Republicans sent agents to New York, Philadel- phia, Baltimore, Louisville, and New Orleans. Those agents have worked hard and faithfully: they have purchased and paid for 10,000 stand of arms, two steam-boats, and four or five sailing-vessels; they have enrolled 2,000 volunteers, and have commissioned gentlemen of experience and acknowledged bravery to command them—principally officers in the Mexican war. Of this volunteer force, 1,000 men from New York and Baltimore were at the last accounts assembled on Chagres Island, four days' sail from Cuba; 500 are on Round Island, one of the Chandeliers, three days sail from Cuba ; and the balance, supposed to be about 700, are on their way to the place of general rendezvous; which place at this time I will not name.

" Now, in addition to the volunteer force, the Patriots have 103,000 natives of Cuba enrolled, all of whom are anxious and willing to strike the blow at a given time. They are denied all offices of trust or profit in their native country, and are all heartily sick of Spanish rule and Spanish despotism. The Native Cuban sees all the products of his lovely island made to feed the greedy and corrupt nobility of Spain.

" Spain at the present time has only 15,000 troops on the island, and 7,000 of those are stationed at Havana and its vicinity; not one of whom dare leave the city or its forts for a moment. The remaining 8,000 are scattered over the island, in bodies of from 50 to 1,000 men. All the troops are under the command of the Captain-General; whose only talent is for intrigue—instance the case of Rey. Besides the troops, there are 15,000 office-holders, all natives of Spain, who, in all probability, to a man will side with the Government.

" Now, at the first glance, this is a pretty formidable force to contend with— troops and office-holders, making a respectable body of 30,000 men; especially as they have all the forts and strong places in their possession. But when I tell you a little more about them, their strength vanishes like the mist before the ann. Not only officers of high rank in the army, bat parts of regiments, and even whole regiments, rank and file, have pledged themselves to assist the Patriots ! When the Government wants them in the North, they will be in full march, ' horse, foot, and dragoon,' towards the South ! Now, I ask you, Mr. Bennett, if the emancipation of Cuba from the yoke of Spain is at all impossible? is it not more than probable the Creoles will be successful?

" The forces on both sides, when the ball opens, may be set down as follows— Spaniards, troops, and office-holders, 30,000; Cubans and American volunteers, 105,000.

" The volunteers that have left or are about leaving Round Island, are under command of General George White, a Captain in the Louisiana Volunteers during the war with Mexico, and recently a Colonel in the service of Yucatan. He has the reputation of being an excellent officer. Walter Biscoe, late Lieutenant- Colonel of the Louisiana battalion of mounted men at Vera Crua,goes out as a Colonel. Biscoe has seen service with the Guerillas in Mexico. Captain John Purcell, who served in Mexico from the beginning to the end of the war, is spoken of as Lieutenant-Colonel. Purcell is an excellent disciplinarian, and very popular with the men. Then Lieutenant Harris, late of the Sixteenth Infantry, goes out as Major. Besides Captains Patterson, Daly, Haskins, &c., 700 men, I am told, will embark from this region. The whole of the Patriot forces will be under com- mand of General Lopez de Santa Anna.

" You may now probably ask, Suppose the Cubans succeed, what kind of a government will they establish ? 1 will tell you—they will establish a Demo- cratic Republic. And under such a government the people of Cuba will become happy and powerful.

The United States Government had already prepared to carry out, be- yond the neutral line intimated in General Taylor's first proclamation of warning, its policy of active friendship towards the Spanish Government. The advices by the last American mail told us of the steps taken by the American Naval Commander in detaining by blockade the body of men en- camped on Round Island: nearly at the same time the authorities at New York received the brief telegraphic order—" Arrest those Cuban ships." These ships were the Sea Gullsteam-propeller, the New Orleans steam-ship, and the Florida. It is stated that all these ships would have been on their voyage a week before the order to board them was issued, but for some deficiency at the last moment of money supplies: 700,000 dollars had been raised, but the first outlay had been so lavish that the stock was dissipated before the arrangements were completed. The Government officials imme- diately boarded the expeditionary vessels, with a force of seamen and marines. The Florida had so innocent an appearance that she was get free again: the other two vessels were found to be crammed with warlike muni- tions—powder, ball, shells, and some field-artillery. They were removed from their stations, and authored within the range of the United States frigate North Carolina. The men found on board were wholly ignorant of their destination : all of them had been told it was a strictly honourable and legal expedition; but the suspicions of some had been so roused that they had successfully insisted on debarkation, and most of them were in a state of dissatisfied insubordination. The only officers on board were equally ignorant of their destination: the " secret " was still to be kept till the ves- sels were well at sea. These seamen and officers were not arrested, but re- landed and allowed to go at large. On shore, however, several persons were arrested upon informations grounded on old statutes still in force in the States, which make it a misdemeanour to inlist men against foreign friendly powers. By these energetic measures at New Orleans and New York, the expedition has been quashed. One of the leaders in New York avowed, when in custody, that the thing was "totally stopped," and would be abandoned throughout the Union.

Advices from Cuba itself picture the island as in a perfect ferment on account of the rumoured expedition. The authorities were strenuously preparing in every possible way to repel the invaders. The Falcon steamer arrived at New Orleans on the 7th instant, having been prevented, on calling at Havana, from landing any passengers or papers from the United States. The American Consul had sent for a ship and troops; and the British Consul had sent similar demands to the Governor of Jamaica, to protect British interests. There were rumours of outbreak in Principe, Trinidad, and Santiago de Cuba, attended with loss of life; but the reports were thought to be mere anticipations.

There is scarcely any other American news. President Taylor had been obliged by very serious relapses of illness to return to Washington: he is said to have had a narrow escape from death, but to be recovering with repose and quiet.

The news from Canada is to the 10th instant, by electric telegraph from Montreal. The province seemed perfectly tranquil. Lord Elgin, with his wife and child, and a small staff, left Montreal on the 5th instant, and proceeded up the Lake in the war-steamer Cherokee, from Prescott to Niagara Falls. Two companies of soldiers were sent up to Lachine to see him safely on board the river steamer. He was neither cheered nor in- suited on his way. It is said that he expected to meet General Taylor at Niagara Falls, but would be too late. It was reported that the Customs League negotiation had been given up, in consequence of the Nova-Seotians refusing to concede the fisheries.