The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-12 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

The following is the King Regent's speech upon
opening the Portuguese Cortes, on the 2d of
January
"Worthy Peers and Gentlemen Deputies of the
Portuguese nation,—
" It is with the greatest satisfaction that, accompanied
by my son, the King Dona Pedro V., I appear in the
centre of the national representatives to open the legis-
lative session of 1855.
"Amicable relations are maintained with all the
Alias of the Portuguese Crown. The negotiations
with the Holy See respecting the Church in India are
carried on with activity, and it is expected the result
will be submitted to you this session. The conventions
between Portugal and France; Belgium and Holland,
have been ratified ; but the ratifications of the commer-
cial treaties with the Argentine, Peruvian, and Para-
guayan Republics have not yet been exchanged.
" During the legislative recess, my sons, Don Pedro
V. and the Duke of Porto, made their projected tour.
They received, in all the countries visited by them, proofs
of consideration and esteem from the Sovereigns,Princes,
and all classes of the people, during their transit, which
cannot but be as gratifying to the nation and its repre-
sentatives as it has been to me.
"Peace and tram-1 May have been maintained in the
kingdom and all its ultra-marine possessions.
"We were threatened with the ravages of the
cholera morbus, and' owe thanks to Divine Providence,
and the zeal of the different authorities, which eurtailed
its progress.
"My Government, anxious to improve as much as
possible the state of our country, has continued its best
attention to its internal transit communications. The
means placed at his disposal have been well applied, and
the works upon the Eastern Railway (Lisbon to San-
tarem) continue without \ interruption, whilst many
leagues of road have been made in different parts of the
country,
"My Government will propose to you the measures
and .mee.ne neeeeeeey-te ~,ntionotho public works upon
the present seAle during the next financial year.
"In conseiuence of the scanty crop of Indian corn in
the northern provinces, the inhabitants of a great part
of the country were suffering from the high prices of
bread.

" For the benefit; of the laborious classes my Govern-
ment contracted a loan with the Dank of Oporto for
the purchase of grain, to be deposited at Oporto, as a
check to the effects of monopoly; that Bank evinced its
good feeling in promptly agreeing to the same.
" In consequence of the large exportation of grain,
and seeing the insufficiency of the period allowed for
importations, which expired on the :31st December, it
appeared necessary to open all the ports of the kingdom
for a longer time, in order that supplies of foreign
grain, and particuiarly from our neighbours (the
Spaniards), should compensate for stocks diminished by a
small harvest and continued exportation. The Ministers
will lay before you the measure adopted, which will, I
trust, meet your approval, not only in Consequence of
its nature, but the circumstances which urgently de.
manded it.

" Tho marine service and the state of materials per-
taining to it have claimed the serious attention of my
Government. In order that it may be placed upon a
proper footing, and fulfil its duties of guarding and do.
fending our colonies and protecting our commerce, it is
necessary that extraordivary means should be succes-
sively appropriated to the construction of new ships of
war. My Government will, for that purpose, lay before
you the necessary projects of law.

. _
" The Government has provided for the more urgent
necessities of the ultra-marine provinces and sent rein-
forcements to Angola, Mosarnbigue, and Macao.
" Of all the measures adopted the respective Ministers
will render you account.

"Gentlemen Deputies of the Portuguese Nation,—
" The budget of State revenue and expenditure for the
financial year 1855-50 will be laid before you as soon as
possible.

"Notwithstanding the unfavourable influences of a
short harvest of graia and the grape disease upon the
revenues, the state of the public treasury does not seri-
ously alarm my
Government. With existing resources,
and without asking new sacrifices from the country, the
Treasury will be enabled to meet all the ordinary expen-
diture of the next finuier-,1 year.
" The Minister of Finance will present to you the
bill necessary for
that purpoic,
which you will examine
and improve as you may find neeesary.
"Worthy Peers and Get:tic:men Deputies of the Por-
tuguese Nation,—
" The Cortes will have to meet in the month of Septem-
ber next, in order that tae Kirg Don Pedro V. may,
in- the presence of the national representatives, take,
prior to his acclamation, the (ma's provided in the 76th

Article of tho Constitutional Charter. I confide Y,lt
learning, and in your well-known patriotism,
during this ordinary session you will attend to;the
cession of those matters which most conduce to the r
lie prospci ity. ite4
" I and the country hope that your offorth
with those of my Government, will attain the de:%,,
object of promoting the felicity of the Purtnueseo3l
which it so much deserves.. •
" The Session is opened."

THE MEDITERRANEAN.'6.
• MALTA, D-51,fer
Since the 4th instant, her Majesty's ship Tio
tune and Britannia have come into port. ro
former on the afternoon of the 4th, the lat'e
the following morning.
+10,109
By the Gorgon, arrived sth, Captain
rank and file, 2d battalion Rifle Brigaue)
sions and ammunition for the fleet.
This morning the English steamer Tamaracot'
from Constantinople having on board Plp
CoGeneral his Royal Highness the Duke °f co.'
bridge. He is suffering still from iiilles"ol3,
traded during his arduous service in the 310
and will remain here for some to real, SC,'
beAlth. He is attended by Major the lien.r
B. Macdonald, his aide-de-camp, Lieut.-Co, T"
A.D.C., and Dr. Gibson. a cle'
Admiral Dandas, on reaching the 'OO
dined to receive a salute, or a guard of ht
He will leave for England via MarseillesVogl!
Vectis. The Britannia will leave for England
in the week. • l,OO
The Trafalgar may be hourly
-expected
She touched at Athens on her way down. ,ote,i)
The Fury, steam-frigate, is also daily eg"
as
The is the
RBellerophon.
111:111°
etribution, steam-frigate, is als°
orders for England. re 4
The Emeu and Trent, transports, will be to
for sea early in the week, and take their dept'
for the Crimea.

A letter from Warsaw of the 4th, in t— bser
burg News, says :—" It is affirmed that the A te
of Prince Paskiewitch will not be prolong' 01)
yond a month. It is thodght besides that °
return the Prince will not remain long here. a id
said that he is to accompany the Emperor in, „di t 0
'Which he is to make to the head-quarters 0"."
detached corps of the army."

A letter from Geneva of the Bth inst. $39
"It is already known that different COnl,ol
have been formed by the ladies of Geneo,d
view to send lint and clothing to the Allied 7010
in the East. They have just sent off Anc'tht /30
It consists of 240 pairs of socks, and a great
ber of woollen gloves."

Sir H. Lytton Bulwer had an audienceer -
Grand Duke of Tuscany on the Oth, to Behr 14'
letters of recall as ambassador to that Ccur:o,,,lf
the same day the Marquis of Normanbl ',Ot7A
ceived by the Grand Duke, in order to Presveow
credentials as new British ambassador to the
of Tuscany. -

The Opinione, of Turin, of the Bth statep
Naples, that the King of the Two Sloth.° fat
newed his contract with his Swiss troops
years.

There is nothing of importance iu the
journals.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(n-lIS

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCO. col
(Sittingi in ,BancO.—Before Lord Chief-Jdstice too)
bell, Justices Wightman, Coleridge, and Cr 011313,1,0
THE SLIGO AND SHANNON RAILWAY AND C'l.'

COMPANY.
In this case a rule had been obtained 11 ti
mond, to show cause why execution should
against certain shareholders, upon iiidgralant lid
against the company for the sum, of $ 071., -at ,
rreering expenses.
old°
Mr. Bevil appeared upon the part of the shareli 0,1
giA
to show cause against the rule, and alleged th t
iga 0,
judgment had been obtained by fraud and Cola
The learned counsel stated that this Wag 09°,8 oat o{
schemes of the railway time, and the claito, ar°6-0:tiol
the charge made for surveying, making the sPecoldia tll,B
preparing the ground plans, and buperinteA and t'l3
making of the line. The line was never ijf've, ben
scheme abandoned, and nothing had Jo° -°
re tO stand
preparing a few plans.
After some discussion, the rule was oT('`e- aril to -°
over, to alloy the-ciefoildauc. to Liwyu fur A tale
aside the judgment complained of.
Nothing of sufficient public importance, ..to werrtifi
report, occurred in the other courts up to the h°
our going to Press.

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