The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-04 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

The Oriental Company's steam packet Montrose,
Captain John Bowen, arrived at Southampton this
morning, and landed her mails under the charge of
Lieutenant E. P. Fuge, ILN., Admiralty agent.
Her dates are Gibraltar, 24th ; Cadiz, 25th ; Lis-
bon, 29th; Oporto, 30th; Vigo, 30th. Her cargo
includes 7 packages of specie.
Portugal remained quiet.
The electoral decree has given universal satis-
faction, and will prove highly favourable to the
popular party.
The government has conferred a real benefit on the
country by reducing the excise from ten per cent. to
five, and taking off the duty upon hones used for
labour.

Since Sir Henry Seymour's departure from Lisboa
the l'ortuguese Attorney-General's opinion in favour
of Mr. Croft, an English gentleman who claimed
large property in Portugal, has been discovered. This
gentleman was deprived of the property, owing to
that opinion having been concealed. It is now known
that the opinion was concealed by Count Thomar,
partly, it is alleged, purposely to spite Lord Pal-
merston, who took the matter up some years since
(but owing to tho conduct of Thomar, justice
could not be done to the Englishman); and partly
out of ill will towards Mr. Croft. Carneiro s I
confirmed in the appointment of Director-General of '
the Customs. Some of the arrears of the official sa-
laries are about to be paid. The Cabralists are still
plotting against Saldanha, and there is some insub-
ordination in the army. Count Lavradio has been
appointed ambassador to London. Sir Henry Pak-
enham has had an interview with Senor Jervis
d'Atouguia, relative to British claims. It is stated
that the milk was highly satisfactory to the former,
and honourable to the latter.

Exchange, 3-11 ; Discount on Bank notes, 21 per
cent., dumending.
Our correspondent writes as follows:
LISBON, Jest: 29.
The electoral decree has at length been published.
It scarcely differs from my previous information. The
following arc its bases:
The elections are indirect; electors of deputies being to
be elected by primary assemblies in parishes, which elec-
tion is to take place 2Sth September.
Electors' qualification to be, the being assessed in 10 mil-
reis deeimas of funded or other property, pension or employ-
ment in the corporations, foundling or other hospitals; 5
milreis in rural or other estates let; and 990 reis in pro-
perty, and establishments let, or under any other denomina-
tion, and chiefs of families who have visible means of sub-
sistence, whether arising from property, commerce, in-
dustry, or employment, provided they arc residents for 12
months in the distnct where they claim to vote; also those
who possess scientific and literary degrees, empioyess in
service, superannuated or retired; also those who belonged
to extinct departments and others; it is, in fact, very little
short of universal suffrage.
A commission is to be elected in every district, who will
form the electoral lists, and in Lisbon and Oporto a com-
mission will sit in every bairro for that purpose. Any per-
son aggrieved, or having his name omitted, to appeal to a
competent authority.
Electors to the electoral colleges to possess double the
assessed qualification, except those who can be electors by
virtue of employment, degree, or pension, or from =pother
cause ; persona holding employments at the pleasure of the
crown can neither be returned to the electoral colleges nor
become deputies ; neither can employe's in the royal house-
hold be eligible for deputies.
The primary elections will take place in parishes that
have from 300 to 1,000 chimnies (separate tenements),
which will constitute an electoral assembly ; parishes which
do not contain the necessary number of chimnies (300) to
be united to others for the purpose of carrying out the
decree. _ _

.
Every primary assembly will return one elector to the
electoral college fur every 150 voters. The election of de-
puties to take place in electoral circles ; an electoral circle
will be composed of 6,500 to 7,000 chintnies, in which ono
deputy to the Cortes will be chosen.
The commissions for the formation of the electoral lists
are to be elected by 10 of those assessed in the highest
amount, and ten assessed in the lowest amount of qualifica-
tion for a primary or parochial elector.
The appeal is to be made to the judicial authority, but as
it was not so clear regarding appeals in Lisbon and Oporto,
a decree has been issued explaining they aro to be made
in those two cities to similar judicial authority. The decree
being issued, the commission appointed to frame it has been
dissolved. The decree, taken as a whole, has given univer-
sal satisfaction, and it is thought will prove highly in favour
of the popular party, who will return a vast majority to the
Chamber: that party is forming election committees allover
the country, and taking measures to secure the return of
their friends; while the cabralistas evidently consider they
will have to play a losing game, as the exertions of their
friends who yet remain in authority will have little effect.
A commission has been appointed to inquire into the
state, &c., of the Military College, with a view te reform
and reorganise it; another to examine into and propose
reforms and a new organisation of the Marine Arsenal and
its dependencies; and another to inquire into the mode in
which the consular service is carried on, and frame regula-
tions for the observance of the consular agents.
A Spanish brig-of-war came in on the 27th, as well as the
Arethusa frigate from a cruise, and the Sybil and another
yacht. The St. Lawrence, American frigate, is preparing
for sailing.

ITALY.
TUSCANY.

The Tuscan Monitor7Cof the 27th ult. publishes a
decree authorizing the treasury to contract a loan oF
12 millions of francs with the house of liastogi and
Sons, of Leghorn; this loan to be guaranteed by the
iron mines of the island of Elba.
ROMAN STATES. _ . .

On the 18th and 21st ult. the special commission
for the reimbursement of the paper-money of the
Roman States, proceeded at Rome to draw the num-
bers of the certificates of the new rents to be reim-
bursed.

HAMBURG, IrLY 2.—The Assembly of Bur-
rises rejected, yesterday, a bill relative to new
rigours against the press, which had been submitted
by the Senate.

. _
COURT OP CHANCERY.— On Thliradity (yesterday)
a return to the House of Commons was printed, showing
that since the passing of the Act 5 and 6 Viet., cap. 103
(1842), the totals= due or paid for salaries, office expenses,
and compensations, amounted on the 25th November last
to 589,0.541. 17s. Q. The four late sworn clerks who were
appointed taxing masters have received in the same
period, for salaries and compensation, the largo amount of
211,0861. 134. Ild.