The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-07 00:00:00

ROME.

The ceremonies of the Holy Week commenced
on the 29th, Palm Sunday, his Holiness taking
part in the function at St. Peter's. The crowds of
foreign spectators were so great that the usual seats
erected for ladies were far from sufficient to ac-
commodate all who presented themselves with
tickets ; it was a case of first come first served, and
some enthusiastic fair ones secured the best places
by presenting themselves at the door of the Basilica
at six o'clock in the morning. In the midst of
the ceremony there arrived her Royal Highness
Donna Isabella Maria, Infante of Portugal, who had
just come by rail from Civita Vecchia, and was con-
veyed with her suite from the station, in the Mar-
shal Duke of Saldanba's carriages, direct to St.
Peter's in time to witness a good part of the service.
Pio Nono, who was immediately informsd of the
arrival of her royal highness, politely welcomed the
Infante by sending her a magnificently plaited
palm-branch.
What battles. will ensue between ardent sight-
seers on Thursday•to get a near view of his Holi-
ness washing the. Apostles' feet ! • What straining
to determine the exact quality of the viands sub-
sequently offered by the Pontiff to the Typical
Thirteen ! What faintitigiaiif the limited space of
the Sixtine Chapel previous to and during the soft
strains of the soprani of the Papal choir in Baini's
~ Miserere !" We may reckon that there are about
5,000 British subjects in Rome at this moment,
and at least as many more continental visitors to
the Eternal City. Nearly all make a point of seeing
the Easter ceremonies : fancy what a squeeze !

SPAIN.

MADRID, APRIL 6.

It is asserted that Senor Castro intends directing
the attention of the Senate to the financial condi-
tion of the country, and the deficit of 550 millions
of Reals left by Senor Salaverria.

The Correspondencia of Madrid of the 3d says :
—" We have received letters from Puerto Rico,
telling how the revolutionary party has attempted
to disturb public order. On the 26th February,
650 armed men under the command of Lucas de
la Penn presented themselves before Guayabin,
where there was a detachment consisting of 24
men only. This small force was consequently
obliged to capitulate, and withdrew, leaving the
town in the power of the insurgents, who also
took possession of Savaneta, where the Government
had no troops. As soon as the superi,r anthoritit s
heard of these facts, Ley collected all the disposable
troops, and sent to Puerto Rico for succour, whence
they soon received a battalion and 100,000 piastres
in money. The timely arrival of this rein-
forcement, and the skilful measures taken, re-
sulted in the defeat of the insurgents at Sa-
vanete, after which the troops went L.. Guayabin
and drove the rebels across the Haytian frontier."
The same journal says that the men employed in
making cuttings for the railway from Cordova to
Malaga, have recently felled, about half a league
from the former place, a great number of columns
and capitals of very superior execution. Antiqua-
rians who visited the spot suppose them to be the
remains of one of the Moorish palaces which for-
t merly existed in the neighbourhood of Cordova.