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

GREECE.

ATHENS, DEC. 31.—The Minister of the Interior
has presented a project of law, ter;ding to favour the
development of the colony of Ip:Jist,s, at Ertril,
in the island of Eubcpa, by granting various privi-
leges to the settlers; a second project of law, re-
lative to the beat method of repairing the port of
Karyota; and a third project of law, demanding
power to raise a loan of 80,000 drachmas from the
city of Athens, for the construction of aequeduets
and the erection of two model establishments for the
preparation of wine and oil.

THE PENINSULAR. MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING.—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 net 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 191 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creditably rescinded after having been adopted by a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 condition
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
ecte casas, or city du, s ; if nothing could be done,
Falcao seem deterniincd 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. 'fla projected loan caaeeda
run for change of the bank notes, which was well met.
It was probable, uotwithstergling 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 5:7- ; Paris, 535; Anisterham,
421 Hamburgh, 48* ; Genoa, 530. Portuguese
Stocks had risen a little ; the Five per Cents. were
46g. 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, sf. 26c.;
Genoa, sf. 28c.. At eighty days' sight : —On Ma-
drid, 3 dis.; Cadiz, dis.; Malaga, / die.; Seville,
dis.; Alicante, a dis. ; Valencia and Barcelona, par
to / dis.; Spanish dollars, 1 per cent. prem.
The British schooner. Competitor got upon the
rocks at Punta Male, 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.