The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-18 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, OCT. 10,

To-day is the Queen's birthday, her Majesty
having attained her 23d year, There is no levee
on account of the advanced state of her pregnancy:
The bands of the regiments in garrison gave a se-
renade before the palace last evening, and today
there was a grand parade of the garrison
,on the
Prado, who were reviewed by the Captain-General.
Various decrees and royal orders are published
to-day, the most important of which are respecting
the navy. .The first of the latter, is a project of
law fixing the number and classification of the
Spanish navy; and authorising the Minister of Ma-
rine to act upon it as far as the means at his dis-
posal, according to the last budget, will permit; the
measure to be submitted to the Cortes. The first
and main article is as follows :--

" The royal navy shall consist for the present of ninety
vessels, from a schooner to a line of battle ship, and from a
steamer of 00 to one of 600 horse power. It shall be com-
posed of sailing vessels, steamers, and mixed vessels, in the
following forms

" Saline-of-battle ships of 80 to 90 guns, with 400 to
600 horse power.
"Twelve frigates of 30 to 50 ditto, with 300 to 400 ditto.
" Twelve corvettes of 20 to 30 ditto, with 200 to 300
ditto.

" Fourteen brigs and schooners, of 6 to 20 ditto, with up
to 200 ditto.

" Six paddle steamers of war, and four moils of 400 to
500 ditto,

" Eight ditto of war and transatlantic of 300 to 400 ditto.
' " Twelve ditto guards costas, of 100 to 200 ditto.
" Twelve ditto to navigate in shallow waters of up to 100

" Eight areas or transport vessels."
The other articles provide that the existing
ships, from those of the line to corvettes inchisive,
shall enter into the above number, and also those
which are advanced in construction only until they
can be ericloWed with suitable engines, or, if not,
they are to be substituted by mixed vessels on the
termination of their " natural life." There is -al-
way§ to be. in the arsenals materials to replace at
least a fourth part of the armed vessels. Those
that have to be purchased are to be bought by
public auction. _A special law of the Cortes is
requisite for constructing or purchasing vessels
abroad,. but. not- for purchasing machinery while
the national manufactories are unable to provide.
them. • •

It is stated in a royal order which follows the
above, that . the Queen, desiring to solemnize her
birth-day in a manner useful to the estates which
she inherited from her glorious progenitors, has
resolved that, without loss of time, three screw
steam-frigates shall be constructed, of 31.. guns
and 360 horse:power, to be named the Beren-
gula, Petr.cinilla, and Blanca, after Queens of
Castile,- Aragon, and Navarre ; the two former
to be built at Ferrol and the latter at Cartha;
ginia. The machinery is directed to be purchased
abroad. •

A royal decree, countersigned by the Marquis. of
Gerona, directs that in future half the term
passed in prison before trial, by persons condeth-
ned in correctional penalties, shall be deducted
from the tern.' of imprisonment for which they are
sentenced, whether directly or in default of pay-
ment of fines.

No resolution has yet been come to by -the
Ministry,' with respect to the presidency .of the
S onato.

The run • upon the savings bank has re-com-
menced, there being 134,064 reals drawn out last
week, against 48,468 reals paid in.
There was. no Bolsa to-day, in consequence of its
being the. Queen's birthday.
The stamps• required for letters to circulate
within Madrid, will be reduced from three cuartos
to one cuarto, from the 15th inst.