The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-09 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid Gazette, of the 3,1, contains a royal
decree by which the Queen sanctions the bills for
establishing cemeteries for the interment of persons
not belonging to the Catholic religion, and 'that for
the sale of the property belonging to the clergy and
the State. The property specified in the latter
consists of—the rural and urban domains and pos-
sessions, awl the rents and privileges of the clergy,
the Military Orders of Santiago, Calatraix, Alcan-
tara, Montesa, and San Juan de Jerusalem, reli-
gious communities and associations, chapels, the
sequestration of Don Carlos, communes, charitable
institutions, and generally all possessions whatever
held iii mortmain. The Archbishop of Toledo had
presented a protest against the bill, but it was
couched in moder.te and dignified terms ; that of
the Pope's Nuncio had not been presented.

PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is
about at par (according to the last tariff), which, at the
English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10 1. per ounce for *land-
ard gold, gives an exchange of 25.17 ; and, the exchange
at Paris on London at short being 25 20, it follows that
gold is about o'l2 per cent. dearer in London than in
Paris., By advices from Hamburg the price of gold is
425? per mark, which, at the English Mint price of
3/. 17s. 'lo,id. per ounce for standard gold, gives au ex-
change of 13.5 ; and, the exchange at Hamburg on
London at short being 13'6j, it follows that gold is 0'53
per cent, dearer in London than in Hamburg. The
course of exchange at New York on London for bills at
60 days' sight is 110 per cent., and, the par of exchange
between England and America being 109 23-40 per
cent., it follows that the exchange is nominally 0'42 per
cent. in favour of England; and, after making allowance
for charges of transport and difference of interest, the
present rate leaves a small profit on the importation of
gold from the United States.
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—The first sum-
mer meeting of this society took place yesterday in Re-
gent-street, and till a late hour in the afternoon the
rooms were thronged with visitors, among whom were
Lady Dorothy Nevill, Lady Bridport. the Hon. Mrs.
Vernon Harcourt, Miss Parry, the Earls of Ducie and'
Cawdor, Lord Ravensworth, the Bishop of Carlisle, the
Hon. Lord Murray, Sir W. W. Wl.nn, Bart., M.P., Sir
C. Lemon, Bart., M.P., Sit G. Carroll, Bart., &c. The
season for Chinese Azaleas having arrived, the tables
were as if on fire vivid masses of scarlet and crim-
son, and deep rose tints. Three large piles of their blos-
soms from the garden of Mr. Archdale Palmer especially
commanded admiration. To these succeeded, but at hum-
ble distance, banks of pelargonitTins, cinerarias, and won-
derful pansias, holding up their yellow and purple and
variegated heads with as much consequence as their
betters. Rhododendrons, too, gave variety to the
tables ; there were great crimson heads from the open
air in Kent, which this cruel spring had not succeeded
in harming ; a crimson gem, half rhododendron, half
azalea, called azalea ammna, from the Bagshot nursery,
and many of the rare sikkim species, among which
R. Dalhousieanum and Erigeworthi were most
especially admired. Mrs. Lawrence contributed
fine greenhouse plants and orchids, of which few
others appeared ; but her plants arrived so late that no
better place could be found for them than a small mite-
room. Grapes were presented in abundance, the prrz,s
for which were won by Mr. Clements, of Barnet, the
gardener at Trentham, arid Mr. Mitchell, of Brighton.
Pines, strawberries, and raspberries, from the Duke of
Norfolk and others, contributed to the beauty of the
desert. The most remarkable part of this portion of the
exhibition, however, was two dishes of pears, in the
most perfect state for the table, from the Duke of Rut-
land and the Speaker ; the sort was the Beurrti Rance,
and on this occasion the right hon. gentleman was dis-
tanced by the noble Duke. Of vegetables supplies came
from the Duke of Norfolk and Rutland, the last nol,le-
roan contributing prodigious mushrooms. On the whole,
this must be regarded as the finest exhibition ever col-
lected by the society in Regent-street. We understand
that great preparations are making for next week's gar-
den exhibition At CiortlQUle,