The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-30 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, JAM 24.
M. do Onitaud, secretary of the French embassy,
is on the point of setting out for Paris.

THE PENINSULAR MAIL.

The Madrid, Capt. Weeks, Admiralty agent Lieut.
Fuge, It.N., arrived at Southampton last night. Her
dates are : Gibraltar, Jan. 21st ; Cadiz, 22nd; Lisbon,
24th; Oporto, 2.5 th ; Vigo, 26th. She brings no news of
the crew and passengers of the Amazon. On her
outward passage she experienced heavy gales from I
the south-west from the Hth of January, which,
obliged her to put into Corunna on the 12th. She,
left on the 14th, but was obliged to put back again,
and could not finally leave before the 16th. She
could not enter Vigo or Oporto, and was obliged to
proceed on to Lisbon. The sea on the coast of Por-
tugal was terrific, breaking in several places six miles
inland—a circumstance which has not been known
for the last twenty years. The Madrid could not
communicate with Oporto on her homeward passage.
Amongst her passengers are the four remaining
seamen who have been rescued from the Riff pirates
by H.M.S. I)ragon paying 21/1. each.
Silva Sanches has been elected president, and
Derramado vice-president, of the Lower Chamber.
A decree has been signed by the Queen of Portu-
gal, consigning all past political offences to oblivion.
Exchange, 531. Discount on Lisbon bank notes,
2 per cent.
Our correspondent writes as follows:
LISBON, Jaw. 21.
In my last I mentioned the decree relative to the
execution of the financial measure; I now send you the fol-
lowing tranvlation of that part of it which relates to tho
foreign dividends :

It my will and pleasure to determine that, for the
execution of that part of the decree of of tho 3rd of De-
cember ult., relative to the p.iyment in bonds of the in-
terest of the external funded debt, the following be ob-
ecrved :

Art. 1. The payment of the interest of the external
funded debt, which belongs to the second half-year of 1850,
the first and second half-year of 18.51, and the limit half-
year of 18.52, free from the deductions established by law,
shall be made by scrip certificates which, tho Junta de
Credito Pudlico shall issue to the financial agency in London
fur such application.
Art. 2. bur the conversion of the scrip certificate., men-
tioned in the preceding article, the said Junta do Credit°
Pudlico shall create and emit the necessary bonds, by means
of the financial agency referred to, which shall bear 4 per
cent. interest, reckoning from the hat of July, 18-52, subject
to the deductions established bylaw, having the same gua-
rantees which all other Wicks possess that represent the
external funded debt. _

Separate Section.—Should asy balance remain at the
time of carrying into effect the above conversion, a scrip
certificate shall be passed fur such balance, which, united
to others, can be oinverted into bonds.
•

Art. 3: The bonds, whose ovation shall take place by
virtue of the pre.ent decree, shall be divided into series of
Mt, 501., 1001., 2001., and 51101., and printed in the Portu-
guese, English, and French languages; they shall have cou-
pons payable to the bearer, shall be stamped with the seal
of the royal arms belonging to the chancery, with my royal
signature, and authenticated by the signature of my minis-
ter ut the court of St. James's, or the functionary in charge
of his post, and by the employe charged with the financial
agency, in quality of delegate of the aforesaid Junto do Cre-
to I'ublico.

' Art 4. The numbers and amounts of the bonds which
shall be emitted, for the purpose mentioned in Art. 2, shall
be successively published in the London journal..
The minister and secretary of state fur tho finance de-
partment shall thus understand and carry it into effect.
Palace of the NeeessiJades, sth of January, 1852. Signed
by the Queen and the Minister of Finance.

Tho Queen has appointed the Marquis of Soule and
Vi►count do Alga president and vice-president of the peers,
to preside in the absence of the president and sice•presidcut
of that chamber.

Instead of the usual committees for the examination of
projects, motions, &c., a motion has been carried in the
lower chamber to divide it into sections for that purpose, in
imitation of the late French Assembly. And, among other
motions, it is not a ►ittle remarkable that Senhor Avila
should have made one requiring the chamber to be informed
whether the commission appointed by the government to
examine the stateof the treasury and the legality of payments
and contracts, has discovered any wasteful expenditure
in payments and contracts made contrary to law. Also that
the government should bring :to light any peculation and
corruption practised by the ministry of the 18th of June, 1
1818 (the Count de Thomar's ministry). The motions will
douuticu open a wide field for discussion, particularly as
the wasteful expenditure and indemnisations made by that
ministry have been so universally condemned.
The restrictions placed on the press in Spain have made
a deep impression here. It is said the French have da-
minded from Spain the expenses of the l)uke d'Angou-
lease's army. This is consi weed somewhat ominous, and
that it may lead to the occupation of certain fortresses until
the demand be satisfied.

Since my last, pay has been issued to 27 department■, all
Um December lost; and notice had been given that pay to
the motive and inactive classes for January will commence

being paid on the 3rd of February, and bo continued
during the month until they shall be all paid.

The conversion of the outstandiug floating debt and divi-
dends is proceeding with.

ITALY.

PIEDMONT.

In the sitting of the 2lth of the Chamber of De-
puties at Turin, the report on the introduction of cer-
tain modifications to be introduced in the law on the
press, proposed by the government shortly after the
events of Dec. 2, was read. The government bill
proposed that, in cases of offences of the press against
foreign powers the public prosecutor should not be
obliged to produce in court any demand of pro-
secution by the offended power or its representative.
The commission proposes to enact that it shall ho
sufficient to produce a declaration signed by the Mi-
nister of Foreign Afftini, stating that a diplomatic
communication has been received concerning the in-
criminated article; and that the jury who are to
deride the rinestion are to be taken from the electors
of the district where the court of appeal sits. The
discussion was adjourned to the 27th.