The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-23 00:00:00

HOLLAND.

OPENING OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
OF THE STATES GENERAL.

The legislative session of 1852-53 was opened on
the 20th by the KING in person. At noon the mem-
bers of both Chambers assembled in the hall of the
Second Chamber, when the Chevalier A. PIIILIPSE
called upon the secretary of the First Chamber to
read the Royal order which nominates the Chevalier
President of the First Chamber for the legislative
session of 1852-53.
The President of the Assembly, charged to direct
the sitting of the combined Criambrs, then ap-
pointed a commission of 18 members to receive and
reconduct his MAJESTY on his arrival and departure.
At one o'clock the Ministers and Council of State
entered the hall. A few moments after the arrival of
his MAJESTY was announced, the KING entered the
chamber, accompanit,d by his Royal Highness Prince
HENRY. On ascending the throne his MAJESTY pro-
nounced the following speech :

" GENTLEMEN,—
"At the opening of the present session of the States
General, I am again, to my great satisfaction, enabled to
inform you of the prosperous state of the country.
" The Netherlands continue to maintain perfect
friendship with all foreign Powers. I receive constant
marks of friendship and esteem from foreign Govern-
ments.
" I bav3 been enabled by various treaties to consoli-
date and extend the international relations between this
state and other countries.

„.._. .....
” I have much pleasure in being able again to give a
favourable report of our naval and military forces.
"In the transmarine possessions of our kingdom,
order and tranquillity prevail. At Palembang, in the
island of Sumatra, the disorders have been repressed.
" The favourable prospects relative to the harvest in
the colonies have been completely realized.
"The results of the sales made during the present year
have been particularly favourable.
"On the invitation of a friendly Power, and in fol-
lowing out the track which was commenced in 1844, I
have promised my good offices in favour of an attempt
to obtain modifications in the system of exclusion hitherto
maintained by the empire of Japan.
" The execution of the provincial and communal laws
has made considerable progress in general. I have
cause to rejoice at an efficacious co-operation of the pro-
vincial states and the communal administrations.
" Our dykes have been wholly exempt from disasters.
This has enabled us to carry on the works of improve-
ment, particularly those on the principal rivers, with the
more energy and success. I witness with much interest
the growing development of the spirit of enterprise
among our people in agriculture, trade, and commerce,
as well as in the multiplication of the modes of con-
veyance.
" The measures adopted by my Government tend to
encourage and strengthen their development.
" The works for uniting our kingdom with the neigh-
bouring states by means of railways and electric tele-
graph communication are prepared, and on the point of
execution.
" Navigation and maritime constructions have been
equally prosperous this year.
" The financial state of the country affords ample
ground for satisfaction. The revenue of the preceding
year was extremely satisfactory; that of the present
year promises to be equally favourable. I hope that the
general circumstances may permit me to submit to your
consideration this session also an important project re-
lative to the national debt.

" The projects of law, which were addressed to you on
my part in the preceding session, and which have not
received their solution, will be again presented to you
with the others.

" May our united efforts to accomplish the task that
still awaits us be crowned by the blessing of God!
" I declare the session of the States General to be
opened."
After delivering this speech his MAJESTY returned
to the palace with the same ceremony.
The combined sitting of the two Chambers then
closed, and the assembly separated.
An immense crowd was assembled to witness the
Royal cortege. His MAJESTY was everywhere re-
ceived with the most enthusiastic acclatnations.

WEST INDIA andMEXICAN MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON,
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
The Royal Mail steam-ship Parana, Captain Revett,
has arrived off this port with the West India and
Pacific mails, in charge of Lieutenant Bridges, RN.,
Admiralty agent. The engines of the Parana were
temporarily repaired at St. Thomas's, and she has
used both engines on the voyage home, which has
occupied 19 days. She brings 52 passengers, among
whom is Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton, from Bar-
badoes, and on freight specie value 1,497,000 dolls,
1, 242 serous of cochineal, and a large cargo.
The new steam-ship La Plata, with the outward
mails of the 17th of August, reached St. Thomas's in
a little over 13 days.
Accounts from Jamaica to the 29th ult. state that
the greatest distress prevailed in all parts of the
island. The public attention had been occupied
with some disclosures relative to frauds on the
colonial bank committed by a clerk, who had de-
camped from the island.
Two English brigs had arrived at Jamaica to load
with passengers for Australia. Alarming shocks of
earthquakes bad been felt all over the island. There
had been a few days' heavy rains, but the weather was
oppressively warm ; business was very dull. Supplies
of imported goods were quite ample to meet the re-
stricted demand ; produce was firm at better prices
than last given. No new crop of pimento had been
brought to market.
Holders of sugar evinced more disposition to sell,
and prices had fallen about 2s. per cwt., according to
the most recent accounts.
From British Guiana our dates are to the 24th ult.
The weather was favourable for the planting interest,
and the present will be the largest crop of sugar ever
shipped from the colony. A slight advance in wages
had taken place. Business was dull, shipping scarce,
and freights higher than they have ruled for some time.
Governor Barkly was at Berbice.
In St. Lucia the weather was remarkably fine,
but the island was unhealthy, and fever had broken
out, causing considerable mortality, particularly
among the shipping. The troops in garrison remained
healthy. Opinions varied as to the nature of the
epidemic. The sugar crop was nearly all shipped.
The total crop will exceed that of 1851 by about 400
hogsheads.
There were a few cases of yellow fever at Barbadoes
and Demerara.
The Parana experienced a heavy gale with violent
sea from the 14th to the 17th inst.
Her Majesty's ship Alarm sailed from Antigua on
the 21st ult. for St. John's, New Brunswick. The
Persian was at Belize.
The French war steamer Tartare left Demerara on
;he 24th of August for Cayenne.
On the 7th inst. the Parana exchanged colours with
the brig Vivid, from Demerara, bound to England ;
on the 18th with the English brig Conway, and on
',he 19th with the Washington, of Liverpool.

PORTRAIT OF THE GREAT DUKE.
Among the many portraits which have appeared of
the Departed Hero, and several among them are of
considerable merit, we know of none that can com-
pare with H. T. Ryall's engraving from M. Claudet's
Daguerreotype, for which the illustrious original sat
in 1844. The expression of the countenance in me-
ditative mood has been caught with a felicitous
accuracy that is startling from its life-like reality, and
it is in this peculiar excellence that the grand merit of
the portrait lies, even more than in the perfection
with which the features are delineated, and the high
excellence of the engraving as a work of art. As
Wellington was at the age of seventy-five, somewhat
bowed by years, here we see the very man. This
speaking likeness of the warrior-statesman should
be possessed by all who love to contemplate the
venerable aspect of him who, when he lived, was the
noblest and most loyal pillar of the British Throne—
Arthur, the Great Duke of Wellington.

LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.—The screw steam-ship
City
inwhtihceh sailed
Mersey
Philadelphia ancheenstetrh,
the 4th Commander
nf 1
‘i
night. She brought 157 passengers, and a large cargo.
United States' mail steam-ship Atlantic, Commander
West,
took her departure hence this afternoon with 112 passengers,
a large cargo, and the usual ails. Among the passengers
were
sengers
were the Bishops of Western New York and Maryland, who
have been spending some time in Liverpool.
RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF THE DUKE OF
WELLINGTON.—The moment the news of the lamented and
unexpected death of the Duke of Wellington had reached
the city of Salisbury, every tradesman and citizen caused
their shutters to be put up, in token of the grief which
of the distingui.hed warri
they felt at the loss - -, or and states-
man. On Tuesday, notwithstanding the bustle of a large
market, this ancient city wore all the appearance of deep
gloom, and never since the death of the lamented Princess
Charlotte was the loss of the illustrious dead more keenly or
generally felt.
Tne Nottingham Mercury terminated its career on
Friday last, in the 27th year of its age.
WRECK oFF WHITSTABLE' WHITSTABLE, WED-
tNEesnAy Moßsnitt.—Yestertlay (Tuesday) morning, be-
tween seven and eight o'clock, a schooner, the Britannia,
from Caen, bound for London, struck on the Red Sand, off
this place. She was discovered by the Whitstable hovillers,
the when
Sydney, Captain the Pros ereus
Captain Bell,
with , Captain Nicholls, and p ,
about twenthands on board, proceeded
to her assistance. Thee foundthe vessel deserted by her
crew, who had been
the only living thingn taken off by a London steamer, and
was made to get on board was a dog. Every exertion
t the sand, which was ultimately
accomplished, after greatlbour, as she was neatly full of
water, with a strong e
north-wester]y wind blowing and a
very rough sea. The v"
stable Bay, where,at L.el was then towed into Whit-
s. igh
over her. water, the so Iva ronaing

LONDON,