The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-21 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

Lisp°lt, JULY 12, 4 P. M.—The recent calamitous catas-
trophe occasioned by the earthquake at Villa da Praya da
Victoria and its vicinity, in the island of Terceira, has
Cartes,
the past days occupied the public attention. In the
subscriptions for the relief of the unfortunate sufferers have
been entered into by both Chambers ; which, from the atisenee
of many members, are not yet concluded. A motion was made
for petitioning the Crown, that the Government take under
its consideration the means best calculated to relieve the victims
of so melancholy an event, by voting of a sum of thirty cantos
de reis (6,9001.) to assist in rebuilding the town of Villa da
Prsya da Victoria, and that its inhabitants be exonerated irons
any imposts for a term of twenty years; both of which
are
re_
ferred to the Committees of Public Administration and Finance.
The war schooner Liberal was despatched hence On Wed-
nesday last, with orders to the Accountant-General of st
Michael to transfers from the coffers of his district, six cantos
de reis (1,3801.) in addition to an equal sum which he haa
already sent to the city of Angra do Heroism°.
Their Majesties have ordered a donation each of 1,500 mil_
reis (3451.) from their own privy purse to be applied to the
same charitable purpose. •
A subscription has also been opened at Lisbon and Oporto,
under the direction of the Government, to promote the cha-
ritable intentions which have been so feelingly entered into by
all classes.
The Duke da Terceira, as Commandant of the first military
district, has called upon all his officers to lend their mite ac-
cording to their means. The Club Lisbonense, animated by
the same philanthropic sentiments, have liberally come for-
ward v, ith a disposable sum of 800 mitreis (180/. ), which has
been forwarded to the Committee of Relief at Terceira.

The discussion of the law of Foraes, so obnoxious to the
people though favourable to the Nobles, is likely to pass in the
Lower 'Luse. This Chamber is now occupied with the Re-
port of the Finance Committee upon the method of collecting
the decimas and imposts in arrears, for the economic year of
1840 to 1841.

It has been decided in the Senate, that the free exportation
of orchilla weed from Portugal and he islands of Madeira and
the Azores be permitted, on payment of 30 res (14d.) per
pound.
Ministers officially announced in the Chamber of Deputies
on the sth inst., that a guerilla formed in Portuguese India,
under the pretext of vindicating the insults offered to the
Queen of Sunden, has been dispersed by a party of her Most
Faithful Majesty's troops, under the command of Major Paulo
de Oliveira Pegado, some of whom were taken prisoners : it
was subsequently ascertained that this body, far from bearing
any political character, or being authorised by the Queen of
Sunden, was composed of mere highwaymen.
The ex. Secretary of State, Manoel dx Silva Passos, has
been elected Senator for Aveiro, is the room of Baron do Ri-
beira de Sabroza, deceased.

11..! ratification of the commercial treaty between Portugal
an,i the United States tvas published in the Diario do Gorerno
of Friday last.

A band of from thirty to forty guerillas, well mounted and
equipped, connnanded by a illajor Damiao, appeared at Ode-
mira a few days since, overrunning with impunity that part of
the country.

Manoel •Fagahle, a native of Unuzay, in the Lower Pyrenees,
the indivivinal ho u as apprehended for pasing Wit; notes of
the Commercial Bank of Oporto, has been enteneed to trans-
portation for ten year', to Bissau.
The Special Committee elected by the Chamber of Deputies
to revise the voluminous Reports of the late Royal Commis-
sion and of the Government upon the financial state of the
country, had not as yet presented the result of their labours.
'the documents referred to in the first Report of the Royal
Commission hid been presented for distribution, and
among other things, contain a statement of the amount
of the Floating or Non-Consolidated Debt of Portugal,
nude 'op to the end of June last. It appears that
nutter the various
nolai }earlsbonds,
of arrears of papnents to all
cla,ea, old
ti tuol of s
variousissncd
Zetrii;t ionast,'"Thaelre Pirseptehr:ysi: paper
pams:inv ee debr
eoiktos of refs, or a,iore six ,anr:q total of upwards of 25,000
tidied sum now proposed by the
.1 tons s'erlrng, of which the mc,.. I
Commission to be capitalised'

amounts to 3,000 contco. The expenses incurred by the steps
taken to repel a Spanish invasion arc shown to have been
under 200 contos (50,0001. ), instead of 3.000, as stated by the
opposition. In the same manner the annual charge incurred by
the restoration of the Chartist Judges, military officers, and
others, last year, vas asserted by the Septembristas to amount
to 800 contos, whereas it is somewhat under 80 coistes a year.

The amount of uncollected revenues of various kinds due to
the Government up to June last, abating certain sums estimated
as likely to be received during the present year, together with
that of reserved national property unsold, military commendas,
&c. &c., is above 15,000 contos, or nearly four millions sterling.
And this fund, of which, however, a large proportion, in all
probability, will never be collected, is designed by the com-
mission to form the basis for the redemption of the floating debt.
Exchange upon London at 30 day's sight, 530. per milrei.