The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-03 00:00:00

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Sultan, Captain John Weeks, arrived at
Southampton yesterday at two o'clock, with the
Peninsular mails.

Her dates of sailing are—Gibraltar, Jan. 25 ;
Cadih 26 ; Oporto, 29 ; Vigo, 30.
The Sultan has 7 passengers, and two packages
of specie, besides 138 cases of eggs, 19 quarter
casks of wine, 743 half-chests oranges, 75 bags In-
dian corn, 72 serons bora-seed, 4 cases ivory tusks,
1.1 barrels gum, 5' ditto tallow, 26 cases dates, and
15 packages of sundries. .
The Sultan reports passing the Peninsular and
Oriental Company's new screw steamship, Himalaya,
on the 26th ult., whilst steering off Cadiz light-
house. The Himalaya was a long distance away,
steering to the S.E. Her Majesty's ship Arro-
gant passed her inside Terefa at 5.30 p.m. on the
same day, thus making her voyage from South-
ampton (which port she left at two o'clock on the
20th instant) to Gibraltar a little over six days.
Prom the many sanguine prophecies which were
made at the time of her departure, there is no doubt
that some feeling of disappointment may exist as to
the result of this her first voyage. One great detri-
ment, however, she has had to contend with, viz.,
strong head winds the whole of her voyage from
England. At the time the Arrogant passed her,
the Himalaya appeared to be steaming at the rate
of about 16 knots per hour. The Sultan also saw
the English squadron, Admiral Corry's, W.S.W.
of the rock of Lisbon- on the 29th ult. ; the screw
steamer Cormorant, for Liverpool, had her steam
Up, and was to start for Liverpool at ten a.m. on
the 29th ult. Exchanged colours with Peninsular
and Oriental steamer Iberia, 31st ult., 70 miles
N.E. of Cape Villano.
Quarantine was imposed upon all vessels at Lis-
bon from Gibraltar on and after the 28th ult., in
consequence of the latter port admitting vessels
from Vigo and other suspected ports.
At Lisbon, had arrived on the 28th, from Gib-
raltar, and anchored in the quarantine ground,
her Majesty's ship Arrogant ; remaining at Lisbon
her Majesty's ships Odin and Valorous, the latter
Waiting to convey the admiral's despatches on the
arrival of the packet of the 27th from England.
The master of the Peace reports that, on the 15th
ult., off Gibraltar Rock,,bearing west by south 35
miles, he passed a large number of pipe-staves,
which did not appear to have been long in the
water, and a quantity of wreck. On the following
day, Malaga, N.N.W., distant 12 miles, he also
observed a great deal of linseed floating in the sea.
It has been officially made known to the Spanish
Government that merchantmen at peace with
Russia are allowed to import and export goods into
and from the ports of Braila and Galatz, provided
they bind themselves not to communicate with the
right bank of the Danube. They are also allowed
to ascend the river, when bound to the Austrian
states, under the same condition ; and in all cases
is previously to be obtained a certificate from. the
Russian consul declaring that the vessel belongs to
a neutral country.
EXCHANGE AT GIBRALTAR.—London, 90 days'
date, 51 ; Paris, 90 days' date, sf. 38c. ; Mar-
seilles, 90 days' date Of. 41c. ; Genoa, _ c
90 days'
date, Of. 45c. ; Madrid, 8 days' sight, dis. ; a-
diz, 8 days' sight, par to dis. ;. Malaga, 8 days'
dis• ; Ali-
sight, pm. ; Seville, 8 days sight, '
8 days
suit,
sight,
eante, 8 days' sight, dis. ; Valencia ,
dis. ; Barcelona, 8 days' sight, A dis•
• S
pillared dollars, 3± per cent. pm.
EXCHANGE AT LISBON.—On London, for bills at
90 days' date, 514 ; Inscriptions, 39.

THE MAILB.—SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday, Feb. 2.—'
Royal mail steamship Trent, Captain R. Revett, sailed
this afternoon with the mails for the West Indies, the
Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, California, ac., in charge of
Lieut. de Lisle, R.N., Admiralty agent. The Trent
takes out 50 passengers, specie valued at 7,0001.,
jewellery valued at 6,9401. quicksilver (200 bottles)
valued at 1,360/., and a full cargo of English and French
merchandise. The Wye, Captain Leeds (a new screw
steamer, belonging to the West India Mail Company),
is to sail from Southampton on the 11th inst., for St.
Thomas's, and is to be employed, after her arrival out
in carrying the mails between that island and the
Bahamas. The Trent will also, it is expected, be em-
ployed on the interoolonial mail service. The Parana,
belonging to this company, now in London, is to be
lengthened 25 feet by the bow, and this alteration will,
it is hoped, greatly improve the efficiency of the vessel.
The United States' mail steamer Nashville arrived off
Cowes this morning on her way to Havre. She left
New York on the 16th ult., and has experienced very
heavy weather in the Atlantic, during which she has had
a portion of her paddle boxes washed away, &a. The
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's
steamer Ripon is expected to reach Southampton on
Saturday, with the heavy portion of the East India,
China, and Mediterranean mails. She left Malta on the
25th ult., at 2 a.m.
Sourn-WitsTERN RAILWAY DIVIDEND.—The dividend
to be recommended by the directors of this company at
their meeting on the 16th inst. will be at the rate of
five per cent. for the half-year ending on the 31st of
December.