The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-12 00:00:00

ITALY.

A letter from Turin of the Bth inst. states, that
the Piedmontese Chamber of Deputies have voted
three bills without much discussion, viz., a bill re-
gulating the promotion of subaltern officers in the
army ; 2d, a bill to modify the sanitary taxes im-
posed on vessels entering the Piedmontese har-
boors ; and 3d, a bill transferring the ground occu-
pied by the old military arsenal at Nice to the
Municipal Council of that town.
A letter from Rome of the 2d inst. states that,
on the afternoon of the Ist, the principal streets in
that city were lighted with gas. Much praise is
given to the English company which completed the
undertaking with so much talent and activity.

SPAIN.

DEATH OF THE INFANT PRINCESS.

A despatch• received in Paris yesterday, from
Madrid, dated the Bth insta.ut, announces the
death of the recently-born Princess, at.l2 o'clock.
The painful intelligence had not been communi-
cated to the Queen. ... .

The newly-born child was to have been chris
tened in the evening of the 6th. Don Francisco de
Paula and Queen Christina were to be the god-
father and godmother ; and the child was to re-
ceive the names of Maria Christina Francisco de
Paula, together with several others. The executive
power during the Queen's indisposition is entirely
in the hands of the Ministers, but they have re-
solved not to adopt any measure of importance
until her Majesty's recovery. The 6th was the
holiday of the Epiphany, and in consequence the
Stock Exchange was closed.
Galignani publishes the following letter from his
Excellency Lord Howden, contradicting a state-
ment which has appeared in some journals, of an
intended duel between his lordship and Count
Esterhazy, the Austrian Minister at Madrid :
" British Legation, Madrid, 6th January.
" I have been extremely pained, both for myself and
others, at seeing in several newspapers that a duel was
about to take place between Count Esterhazy, Austrian:
Minister at this court, and myself. I was perfectly at a
loss to imagine the motive until I saw by chance in a
German newspaper some assertions at winch I am as sur-
prised as indignant. There is a perfect plague in Madrid
at this moment, envenoming all that is said, and invent-
ing all that is not said. lam reported to have refused
Count Esterhazy as my colleague in the unfortunate duel
between M. Turgot and M. Soule, in which I was a
second, for reasons assigned in the grossest terms, and
in the most offensive manner. The reason for my de-
clining Count Esterhazy applied equally to other mem-
bers of the diplomatic body, as for personal reasons,
which it is unnecessary to state, I made it a condition,
without which I should have retired, that I should act
with a Frenchman, and I certainly could have found
none more worthy or more agreeable than General Cal-
her. I feel happy to state that the best relations have
always existed between Count Esterhazy and myself. I
never have had the remotest intention to say anything
offensive to him, and I am happy to have an opportu-
nity of showing my kindly feelings by requesting you
to have the kindness to publish this letter in your esti-
mable journal.—l remain your obedient servant,
" HOWDEN."