The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORN ING.—The Pe-
ninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany's ship Pacha, Captain John Weeks, arrived
here at midnight with the usual Spanish and Portu-
guese mails in charge of Lieutenant Langton, R.N.,
Admiralty agent.
Her dates are—Gibraltar, Jan. 16 ; Cadiz, Jan. 17 ;
Lisbon, Jan. 19; off Oporto, Jan. 20; Vigo, Jan. 21.
The Pacha did not communicate with Oporto, owing
to the heavy swell on the bar, but found the Oporto
mail waiting at Vigo. She brings 41 cases eggs,
907 boxes oranges, 9 cases leeches, 15 casks dates, 15
casks beef and pork, 30 packages sundries, and 65
packages specie, value 18,0001. sterling.
By this steamer we have letters to the 19th inst.
from our correspondent in the city of Lisbon.
Portugal remained perfectly tranquil.
The debate in the House of Peers upon the address
in answer to the Queen's speech closed on the 13th,
and the address was adopted unanimously.
A ministerial crisis had arisen out of the contract
for farming the city dues at the rate of 726 contos a-
year, and which M. Falcao maintained could not be
creditably rescinded after having been adopted by a
Council of Ministers. Rio Tinto subsequently offered
to cancel the contract, which was at last agreed to by
the Minister of Finance upon the express conditior.
of the opponents of the measure finding other equally
efficacious resources for supplying the Treasury.
The pecuniary necessities of the Government were
very great. Every exertion was being made to get
up a loan of 500 contos from the Bank of Portugal
upon security of the decimal taxes guaranteed by the
sate casas, or city dues ; if nothing could be done,
Al. Falcao seem determined to abide by the contract,
insisting upon his dismissal, as upon a vote of the
Cortes the whole Cabinet would be upset. Our cor-
respondent thinks it doubtful that the shareholders of
the Bank of Portugal would sanction a new loan to
the Government; out of its own resources it might
perhaps be enabled to borrow the required amount
for the Government. The projected loan caused a
run for change of the bank notes, which was well met.
It was probable, notwithstanding the crisis which
continued up to the sailing of the packet, that the
Cabinet would find means eventually to conquer its
difficulties arising from the sete casas contract.
In exchanges little was doing in Lisbon, and paper
remained over on London, the quotation for which, at
three months, was 524 ; Paris, 535; Amsterdam,
42k; Hamburgh, 48k; Genoa, 530. Portuguese
Stocks had risen a little ; the Five per Cents. were
46i. Four per Cents., 38 to 39. There was no de-
mand for Bank Shares, which were nominally quoted
at 40 discount for Bank of Portugal Shares, and 40
premium for Oporto Shares. Lisbon Bank-notes 42
per cent. discount.
Sir Charles Napier's squadron, consisting of three
ships of the line, a sloop, a brig, and four steamers,
left its moorings in the Tagus on the morning of
the 18th, and sailed for Gibraltar. 'The fleet was
spoken at noon of the same day by the Pacha off Cape
Espichel, steering south, wind N.E., moderate, and
fine. Captain 'Weeks informs us that the steamers
Stromboli, Rifleman, Reynard, and Plumper were all
under sail without the assistance of their steam- power,
and maintained their stations admirably. Previous
to his departure from Lisbon, Sir Charles Napier
gave the men a day's field exercise, and reported the
probability of his return to the Tagus early in
February.
The American frigate St. Lawrence, 44, Captain
Paulding, arrived at Lisbon on the 12th inst. in nine
days from Southampton, and performed the usual
quarantine. The Brazilian steam-frigate Affonso
sailed on the 13th for Rio Janeiro.

Our advices from Gibraltar, of the 16th, quote the
rates of exchange as follow :—On London (at ninety
days) 49f. ; Paris, sf. 25c.; Marseilles, of. 26c. ;
Genoa, sf. 28c. At eighty days' sight :—On Ma-
drid, 3 dis.; Cadiz, dis.; Malaga, dis.; Seville,
dis.; Alicante, dis. ; Valencia and Barcelona, par
to + dis.; Spanish dollars, 1 per cent. prem.
The British schooner Competitor got upon the
rocks at Punta Mala, but was assisted off and taken
into Gibraltar Bay.
Her Majesty's steamer Polyphemus was at Gibraltar.
The steamer Iberia was spoken on the 21st by the
Pacha, off Cape Finisterre.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The Lord-Lieutenant held his first levee for the
season this day. It was very numerously attended.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-THIS DAY.
GOGARTY IN ERROR V. THE QUEEN.

In this case, which wgs argued yesterday, the
Chief Justice pronounced the judgment of the Court.
He said, that he and his Learned Brethren were
clearly of opinion that the indictment was bad in
every count, because of its omitting to specify the
exact nature of the offence charged in the words of
the Act of Parliament; that therefore the sentence
must be set aside, and the convict discharged.
This decision not only procures the prisoner's
liberty, but that of fifteen other parties who are
under sentences of imprisonment.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT A LICENSED VICTUALLER'S.
—This morning, between three and four o'clock, an ex-
tensive fire broke out at a licensed victualler's, in Bun-
hill-row, St. Luke's. The family effected a hasty re-
treat to the house of a neighbour. Several engines of
the Brigade were in a few minutes on the spot, but not
half an hour had elapsed before a portion of the bar and
its contents were destroyed, and the stock of the cellar
damaged. The proprietor is believed to be insured in
the Sun Office, end the loss may be estimated at between
300/. and 4001. The cause was not ascertained.

OPERA COMIQUE, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.--The
_Domino Noir again attracted a large and distinguished
audience last evening, amongst whom we noticed the
Duchess of Inverness, the Conde de Montemolin and
suite, his Royal Highness the Duke of Brunswick, his
Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baroness Brunnow
and Mdlle. Olga de Lechner, the Marquis of Donegall,
the Count and Countess de Jarnac, Miss Foley, Lady
and the Misses Domville, Earl of Cardigan, Mrs. Mount-
joy Martyn, Lady James Stuart, Lord Cranborne, Count
Bark, Hon. Mr. Vaughan, Mrs. Charles Hammersley,
Sir William Ball, &c.
FINANCIAL REFORM.—Mr. C. F. Barber has en-
tered a notice calling the attention of the town council
of Boston to Mr. Cobden's measure for financial reform.

A fire, believed to have been caused by an incen-
diary, occurred on Sunday last at Mr. J. Teesdale's,
Frampton-fen, Lincolnshire, which destroyed nearly
1,0001. worth of property.
..

The Britannia and Acadia steamers have, we learn
from Liverpool, been sold ; but to whom, and for
what purpose, has not transpired. Meanwhile, two
new steamers are being laid on the American station to
supply their places.
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REDUCTION IN THE ARMY.--We are informed that
the contemplated reduction in the army, to which we
alluded yesterday, will be to the amount of ten thousand
men. The proposed diminution will take place chiefly
iu that portion of our forces which is now on home
service.— Chronicle.

The cotton market at Havre; by the latest act ounts,
had become brisker, and should purchases continue on
the same scale, there could be no doubt of an advance
shortly taking place.