The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-15 00:00:00

ITALY.

FLORENCE, Sept. 11.
The royal decree relative to the secondary schools

to be established in the seminaries throughout Italy
is expected to appear very shortly. Those schools
in the seminaries already closed, either by the royal
decree or the act of the bishops, will be opened by
the Minister of Public Instructions two-thirds of
the revenue of the seminaries being sequestrated for
their support, and the remaining third being allowed
to the bishops for the maintenance of the schools
of theology. The municipalities will be invited to
share the expense in those cases where the two-
thirds of the revenue of the seminaries do not suf-
fice for the maintenance of the secondary schools.
The managers and teachers will be all appointed by
the Minister of Public Instruction. The clergy are
making every possible effort to resist this measure,
which saps their influence at its base, but up to
the present they appear to have little chance of
success. The Minister of Justice has addressed
a circular to the procurators-general of the king-
dom, directing these to permit the free circulation
of an address to the Pope, originated by the Unita
Cattolica of Turin, on the 28th June last. Two or
three hundred thousand signatures have been ob-
tained for this address up to the present, including,
however, those of women and children.
The Unita Cattolica had asserted that the signa-
tures were not numerous because those wishing to
sign underwent persecution from the authorities.
The present Ministerial circular, however, will
render it clear that, if the people do not sign, it is
because they disapprove of the object of the address,
The Minister of Agriculture and Commerce has
addressed a circular to the Chambers of Commerce

and Arts in the kingdom, recommending that annual
meetings of two representatives from each chamber
should be held in some of the principal cities of Italy
for the study of commercial and industrial questions,
and the general promotion of arts and manufactures.
Although the great utility of such assemblages is in
no way doubtful, the Minister—and his opinion is
shared by competent persons desires the pre-
liminary judgment of the Chamber of Commerce
upon this matter, and requests to be furnished with

the same -within the current month. The substance
of the Ministerial proposal is as follows :
The Chambers of Commerce throughout the
kingdom shall annually hold a meeting or Congress
of their representatives in the city fixed upon by
the Congress itself. The first meeting to be held
in Genoa. Each chamber will send two members
as its representatives, and also, if desired, the Secre-
tary of the Chamber. The Congress will sit for
three days, but may, if it be considered expedient,
prolong the session to five or six days. The Con-
gress will enter upon its duties on the day fixed,
whatever may be the number of representatives
then present. The President and Secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce in the city, where the Con-
gress is held, will act as provisional President and
Secretary of the latter, the definitive election of
these officers being made by the Assembly. Every
Chamber of Commerce will present to the Congress
observations upon the statistical publications rela-

ive to commerce and navigation.

These observa

tions will be examined and reported upon by a com-
mittee, and the decision of the Congress upon the
same will be transmitted to the Ministry with all
the necessary documents, in order to give• the com-
mercial statistics the greater possible accuracy.
The Congress will state the subjects to be dis-
cussed by its successor. In the first year these will
be drawn up by the Minister of Agriculture and
Commerce. The resolutions will always take the
form of a recommendation to the Ministry or the
Chambers of Commerce. The sittings, are public.
Only the representatives of the Chambers will take
part in the voting, and their resolutions will be valid
whatever may be the number of representatives pre-
sent. Any member of a Chamber of Commerce
may, however, participate in the debates upon stat-
ing that he holds that position. The Congress may
also permit strangers to propound their views if
furnished with a special recommendation from a
Chamber of Commerce.

The regulation of the Congress is entrusted to the
President. As a rule, only the resolutions adopted
will be printed in extenso, but the Congress may
direct this to be also done in the case of debates of
such importance as to render publicity useful.
Every year a catalogue will be drawn up of all the
works upon commerce and manufactures published
in the kingdom, with an appendix enumerating the
most important works published abroad, with a
statement of their price. These catalogues will be
distributed among the representatives, and sent to
all the Chambers. The first Congress will draw up
regulations for the better direction of its successor.