The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-31 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

THE WEST INDIA, PACIFIC, AND
MEXICAN MAILS,
SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 31.

The Royal Mail Company's steamship Shannon
has arrived here with the above mails, 7:5 passen-
gers, pearls and jewellery to the value of 24,085
dole., and 2,760 packages of cargo, chiefly cigars,
bark, indigo, tobacco, and indiarubber.
The Shannon also brings 2,530,731 dols. in specie,
of which 3,231 dols. are on account of the Mexican
dividends.

She left St. Thomas on the 15th inst., and brings
dates from Lima to the 26th ult.
The South American Congress met on the 14th
and appointed the representative of Peru first
President of the Assembly. Frequent sittings had
since been held, at which the greatest harmony
prevailed, The question of the highest importance
being the difficulty with Spain. The Congress
closed the conference on the 26th by unanimously

resolving :
" First, That the Government of Peru must pro-
ceed immediately to give instructions for the re.
covert' of the Chinca Islands, and to account to
Congress within eight days.
"Secondly, That the President of Peru shall have
no power to make a treaty or have any terms with
the Cabinet of Madrid, until the islands have been
given np by Spain or have been taken by the forces
of the Republic."

On the 27th ult. the President ordered all the
fleet to proceed on a cruise for exercise, including
the ironclad Loa. While the fleet were manoeuvring
in Callao Bay, an American vessel, from the Chin-
ches, arrived with news that Admiral Piozon's fri-
gate had been totally destroyed by fire at the Chin-
cha Islands on the 25th. Much excitement pre•
veiled at Callao, and the public impatiently awaited
the orders from Lima for the fleet to proceed to the
Chinches to engage the remaining frigate and gun•
boats, end to occupy the islands.
At Lima, exchange on London Ras quoted 37
pence, 60 days, and 371 pence, 90 days' draft.
Important news from Peru is expected by the
next mail.

FRANCE.

PARIS, DEC, 31.

An Imperial decree has been issued to-day
authorising the importation of merchandise of
every description from any country, and under
any flag, into St. Louis, Senegal, and the Isle of
Goree.

Another decree has been issued opening the port
of Cayenne to both French and foreign vessels.
The weather is considerably less severe in Paris
and yesterday presented the appearance of a thaw
setting in. At six in the morning the thermometer
of M. Chevalier stood at one degree above zero
Centigarde (331 Fahrenheit), at noon 3 140 above
Centigrade (37 2.3 Fahrenheit), and at four o'clock
at 2 5-10 above C. (36 3-5 F.) Hopes are entertained
that the ice in the Seine will now break up. Large
cuttings have already been made in it opposite the
Louvre, which will render the movement of the ice
less dangerous for the washing barges and vessel,
moored along the banks. The general accounts
from the provinces speak of somewhat milder
weather, particularly along the Atlantic.
The Prince Imperial, having heard that the pupils
of colleges would only have two days' holiday, in
consequence of New Year's-day falling on a Sunday,
requested that a third day might be accorded. The
Minister of Public Instruction, in accordance with
that wish, has written to the Rectors to say that
the pupils are not to return until Tuesday evening
instead of Monday.
The Museum of the Hotel de Cluny has just re-
ceived a fine collection of ancient earthenware and
other articles, given by M. Billard. The objects,
which are not less than 70 in number, consist of
fountains, flower-stands, dishes, &c., coming from
the old manufactories of Rouen, Clermont, Lune.
viile, Strasbourg, and Sceaux, some of the articles
being remarkable specimens of French workman-
ship in the 17th and 18th centuries. Among the
objects arc also two consoles in wrought iron, and a
processional cross in bronze.
The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the
following as the atmospheric state of Europe yes-
terday :—" The storm, the centre of which was on
Wednesday a little to the north of the Gulf of
Bothaia, has to-day removed to the north-east of
Russia ; it therefore follows its regular track. Bad
weather still continues on the Adriatic and on the
south of Italy, but as the barometrical pressure in-
creases in a rather rapid manner on the easter❑
coasts of Spain and o❑ the Gulf of Lyons those
storms cannot fail to soon disappear. In France
the weather is calm and the sky generally cloudy.
BOURSE, Dec. 30.—The Market has been firm,
and prices show a further improvement. Threes,
for the Account, are now at 66f. 15c., and Mobilier
at 960 f. Railway Shares have been in demand,
and the majority of the lines are at the present
time rather higher. Sales for realisation caused a
little retrograde movement towards the close, and
the market left off as follows:

4t per Cents. 94
Do. end month
3 per Cents
Do. end month 66
Credit Mobilier 952 50
Do. end month 947 60
Bank Shares 3460
Credit 1, oncier 1265
Roman
RAIL'

Italian Loan 66
Do, end month 66
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican .... 50
Russian
Austrian
Spanish Threes —
Rome Debt
Deferred
VA.YB.

Cash. Account.
Orleans , 872 50 .. 868 75
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean 892 50 .. 890
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa..
Ditto to Barcelona