The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-07 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

FALMOUTH, DEC. 3.—The steamer Tagus arrived this
afternoon, and after landing the Peninsular mails, pro-
ceeded in the evening for Southampton.
Passengers :—Mr. and Mrs. Rees and family, Captain
Shirley, Major and Mrs. Roche and family, Madame
Lample, Messrs. Hewitson, Meinetzhazen, Schoenkopff,
Robondo, Jones, Vanzeiler, and Waghorn.
Also arrived the packet Pigeon, from the Brazils ;
nothing new at Rio de Janeiro, whence she sailed on the
21st October. The exchange keeps high, being at 31i.
On freight 10,0001., of which about 7,000/. is on account
of the Imperial Brazilian Mining Association.
LISBON, Nov. 29.—The Government having been au-
thorised to raise 500 contos in cash towards meeting the
deficit, and also to capitalize a portion of the arrears, is en-
deavouring to carry.the same into effect by a common
operation, in which hitherto it has not been very success-
ful. The holders of the Government paper for arrears of
salary due to the persons in its employ, officers of the
army, &c., are offered 4 per cent. per annum, and those
who hold the paper given for pensions, &c., to persons
not in active employ, 3 per cent. The Government is
limited as to the amount, and can only at the utmost
capitalize 500 contos of the former, and 2,000 of the
latter ; the object is to induce the parties capitalizing to
advance money to the Government. In consequence;
however, of the 10 per cent. tax on the dividends, and
the somewhat unsettled state of things, the funds here
are lower than they were, which of course acts unfa-
vourably for Senhor Avila's operation. The Five per
Cents, are quoted at 49 to 50, but I hear that sales have
been effqcted at lower rates. The Government will
have difficulty, therefore, in raising money at 10 per
cent., unless a reaction takes place. The numerous
rally, necessarily augment the difficulties of the present
Government, which, however, I trust and believe, will
be eventually overcome, if the peace of the country be
only preserved.
A numerous and powerful association, of which the
Duke of Palmella is the head, .bas been formed for, the
purpose of devising ways and means for making roads
on a large scale. They calculate that 600 leagues of road
will be required, which would cost on the average, 8
contos (2,0001.) a league, and, with the bridges, &c., the
whole would not cost less than 6,000 contos, or near a
million and a half sterling. The idea, I believe, is to
recommend the imposition of an additional property tax,
to the amount of from 25 to 50 per cent. on the present
decima, which would guarantee the interest on she money
expended on this great undertaking ; while the landed
proprietors, farmers, &c., upon whom the tax would fall,
would, no doubt, be amply reimbursed by the advan-
tages of being able to send their produce to market,
from which they are now quite debarred ; and a great deal
would be exported from Portugal which is now nearly va-
lueless, from the same want of communication. The ad-
vantages to the country will be immense if the land-
lords
and farmers will only submit to be taxed for it.
I forgot to mention that aportaria was issued from the
Foreign-office, ordering that Pascoal Plums, the Consul
for. Tuscany at the Havannah, shall no longer be allowed
to give Portuguese papers to vessels there. He formerly
acted as Portuguse Consul, until that office was abolished •
since then he has continued to sign papers, and has no-
toriously encouraged the slave-trade to an enormous
extent.

An attempt was made on Monday night, by the pri-
soners in the gaol called the Cova de Moura, to break
out of their prison. There are 600 or 700 desperadoes
there, all sentenced to transportation, but allowed to re-
main for years in prison ; they broke open some doors,
but were soon put down. Most exaggerated reports
were spread about here. There was no one either killed
or wounded.

Baron Marechal, the Austrian Minister at this Court,
is daily expected here. There is a report that the Pope's
Nuncio, Monseignor Capuccini, has arrived.
The Revenge and Indus, line of battle ships, are on
their way from Malta for Lisbon. The Lynx schooner
of war has arrived from Plymouth. The Espoir brig of
war leaves for England in a day or two ; she has been
four years in commission.
Brigadier Oribe has escaped from Peniche. He was
married to a French woman, and the French Minister is
said to have interested himself in getting him off. I be-
lieve Pezuela is or was at St. Übe's.

The Revolucao reports that barracks are being pre-
pared to receive an English division. In this case at
least the proverb does not apply of " the wish being fa-
ther of the thought."
The Margaret steamer, with the London Mail of the
20th, only arrived this morning in consequence of the
bad weather. It is blowing a gale to-day from S.S.W.

THE IRON DISTRICTS OF SOUTH

WALES.

MERTHYR TYDVIL, THURSDAY.—On last Monday
night an express arrived here, bringing information that
all the men engaged at the Rhymney iron-works had
struck, and were proceeding in large parties to the
several other works for the purpose of compelling them
also to stop. Upon the arrival of the express here,
Dr. Thomas, an active Magistrate, immediately
called out the whole new police force, and pro-
ceeded with them to Rhymney. Upon his arrival
at those works he ascertained that the information
brought to Merthyr was painfully correct, and that the
conduct of the turnouts, although not riotous, was
very menacing, and threatened the worst con-
sequences. As soon as Dr. Thomas had made the
best arrangements for securing the public peace, he
forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant of the county a full
account of the state of the district in which the works
are situated. In the meantime news reached this
place that a portion of the workmen of Rhymney were
on their march to compel our men to leave work, while
another body of them were on their way to Tredegar
and Nantyglo, to oblige the workmen of those districts
also to stop. It is impossible to describe the alarm,
confusion, and terror, which this alarming intelligence
created amongst all classes. The authorities were im-
mediately on the qui vive, and by precautionary mea-
sures anticipated the worst. The civil forces of Tre-
degar, Nantyglo, Dowlais, and the other adjoining
districts, were all put in a state of readiness, as
well as the military of Dowlais, and whatever other
military were scattered as outposts through those dis-
, tricts, so that they could act upon a moment's notice.
As yet, however, nothing has occurred beyond the men
quitting the works of Rhymney, an example that will,
no doubt, be followed by the men of the other iron
works, unless some immediate steps be adopted by the
masters or Governmentt
orel
andev starvingetheworkicnognedliatsiosens.
In consequencefromtheir of
oppressed,wretched,
the men having simultaneously left
the Rhymney works, all the furnaces were immediately
extinguished, and a desert silence reigned where, within
a very brief period, was all bustle, hurry, and hum
of busy active life. These works are the property of a
joint-stock company, of whom Mr. Alderman Thomp-
son, M.P., is chief and actieg director—Sunday Times

The freedom of the City of London has been
voted to the Duke of Cambridge. It is to be presented
in a box value 100 guineas.