The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-07 00:00:00

Lord George Lennox left Osborne this morning.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon, at
the
.Foreign-office. The Ministers present were—
Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of
Minto, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl
Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Earl of
Auckland, Sir John Hobhouse, Lord Campbell, and
the Marquis of Clanricarde.
The Council sat two hours.
The American Minister had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official
residence in Downing-street.
Dr. Davy had an interview with Earl ;Grey yes-
terday, at the Colonial-office.
Baron de Goldsmid and da Palmeira had an inter-
view with Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Home-
office.

Sir John Pelley had an interview with Lord John
Russell yesterday at his official residence in Down-
ing-street.

The School of Design had a meeting yesterday, at
the office of the Board of Trade.
The Postmaster-General and Colonel Maberley had
an interview yesterday, with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer.

Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office, for the Governor of Gibraltar.

SOUTHAMPTON-WEDNESDAY.
The American frigate St. Lawrence, 44, Captain
Hiram Paulding, now lying off this port, after taking on
board supplies and stores, will sail for Lisbon in a few
days to winter in the Tagus, returning here the begin-
ning of April next, previous to a summer cruise to
Bremerhaven, the Baltic, and St. Petersburgh, for the
protection of the interests of the commerce of the
United States in the north of Europe, but more
particularly in reference to the new line of Ameri-
can ocean steamers between Germany, via South-
ampton and New York. On Monday morning the St.
Lawrence fired a national salute of 21 gnus, in honour
of her arrival at Southampton, which was acknowledged
by a similar salute from the platform-battery. Yester-
day (Tuesday), at noon, the American colours were
hoisted half-mast on board the frigate, and 13 minute-
guns fired in memory of the decease of the late Commo-
dore Biddle, United States' Navy. Capt. Paulding has
very politely furnished us with the exact particulars of
the armament of his ship, which we subjoin for the inform-
ation of nautical readers, amongst whom considerable in-
terest is attached to the comparatively heavy artillery
on board American ships of war. Although the St.
Lawrence is rated as only a 44-gun ship, she has, in
fact, 50 guns actually mounted, and could on an emer-
gency carry 54 pieees of ordnance. The guns are thus
distributed:—On the main deck 30 guns—viz,, 26 long
32-pounders of 9i feet, weighing 57 cwt. 2 qrs. each,
and four long 68-pounder Paixhan guns amidships, 9
feet long, and 63 cwt. 2 qrs. each; on the spar or upper
deck, 20 guns, of which 16 are 32-pounders, eight teet
long, and weighing 33 cwt. 2 qrs. each ; with four
68-pounders amidships 13i feet long, weighing 55 cwt.
each. Total weight of guns, 125 tons 5 cwt. The St.
Lawrence was built at Norfolk, Virginia, and was seven-
teen years on the stocks; she is 185 feet in length and
48 beam, draws 21 aft and 19 feet forward. The Mayor
and Corporation of Southampton have invited Captain
Paulding and the officers of the frigate to a grand enter-
tainment at the Guildhall on the 12th instant, which
will be returned by a banquet on board the frigate.
The authorities have evinced every disposition to show
politeness and attention to the American officers, in
consequence of the extensive intercourse and commerce
which has been newly developed by steam communica-
tion between this port and the United States. The
Ocean Steam Navigation Company's ship Washington,
Captain J. Johnston, jun., after landing her mails,
cargo, and specie from New York, sai'ed this afternoon
at two o'clock for Bremen. His Excellency Baron do
Gorolt (late Prussian Ambassador to the United States)
and suite are passengers by the Washington to Bremen.
During the stay of his Excellency at Southampton he
was entertained by Mr. Croskey, the American Consul,
and afterwards visited the St. Lawrence, accompanied
by the Consul in his yacht, the Annexation. Upon
leaving the frigate a salute of nineteen guns was fired.
The Atalanta steamer sailed this afternoon with the
mails for Havre from New York, brought by the Wash-
ington; also about 80,000 dolls. in specie, also from New
York.

The Pacha sails to-morrow for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon,
Cadiz, and Gibraltar.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The Centaur paddle-
wheel steam-frigate, by Symonds, 1,269 tons, 540 horse
power, by Boulton and Watt, a new ship, is ordered to
be fitted at this yard for the first-class pendant of Com-
modore Fanshawe, the newly selected Commander-in-
Chief or the coast of Africa. The order came down
this afternoon. As the Commodore's staff will embrace
a flag captain, commander, and secretary, increased ac-
commodation will have to be constructed; for this pur-
pose a poop will be added to the Centaur.

The Siren, 16, Commander Chaloner, sailed last night,
about nine o'clock, for Sheerness, to be paid off.
The Myrtle steam-vessel, Master-Commander Ballis-
ton, put the draught of seamen, gunners, and gunners'
mates of the Excellent (25 in number) on board the
Prince Regent, 92, at Spithead, to-day, for passage to
Sir William Parker's fleet.
THE COAST OF AFRICA.

The Rapid, 8, Commander Dixon, took an empty prize
off the Congo in August. She is to leave for Ascension
on the Ist of November, to get a new bowsprit, and then
proceeds direct for England, with the November mail.
The Pluto steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Cemmander R.
M'Kinley Richardson, is to relieve the Dart. The
Waterwitch, 8, Commander Quin, is gone to Sierra
Leone. The Britomart, 10, Commander Chamberlain,
has taken the Siren's station off Mayumba. She took
her first prize on her way down, with 450 slaves, in a
state of great filth and wretchedness. The prize was to
have taken 700, but the Britomart took her before she
had completed h r cargo. She had lost nine slaves in
seven days. The Pluto is sent up the Congo for 90
days' wood. She has also taken a prize, but as they
could not get her out of the creek, a Lieutenant of the
Rapid remained on board all night, and they landed 12
out of 15 prisoners; and it was well they did, or she
would have been retaken in the night; as it was, they
had an engagement in the morning after the Lieutenant
of the Rapid left her.
Wind W.S.W., strong breezes, and hazy weather.
PLYMOUTH, DEC. s.—ller Majesty's frigate Amazon,
26, Captain Troubridge, bound to tho coast of Africa
and the East Indies, and her Majesty's sloop Daphne,
is, Captain Edward G. Fanshawe, bound to South
America, are detained in the Sound, waiting a favour-
able wind. Her Majesty's steam. sloop Rosamond, bound
to the Mediterranean, is in Barn Pool. Orders have been
received to snake every dispatch for sailing. The state
of affairs in Italy is supposed to be one cause for the ur-
gency.
Notice has been served on the person who contracts
for the purchase of the waste chips, shavings, and saw-
dust from the Devonport dockyard, that the contract
will terminate at the end of three months. It is intended
to consume these materials at the steam engines in th•
smithery, by which a saving in coal was is expected to
be obtained.

WooLwlcu, DEC. 6 —The Sampson steam-frigate,
Captain T. Henderson, is ordered to be paid off here on
Saturday next, the 9th inst.
The Niger steam vessel is now ready for service, but
she will remain here until an opportunity is afforded of
erying her comparative merits with the Basilisk steam-
vessel, fitted with engines of the same number of horse
power for working paddle-wheels. Both ♦essels are on
the same lines, and as near as possitfle in every respect,
with the exception that the Niger is propelled by a
screw, and the Basilisk by paddle-wheels.

Tun ROYAL ETCHINGS.—The case of " Her Ma.
jes ty's Attorney-General v. William Strange, Jasper
Tomsett Judge, and Jasper Augustus Frederick Judge,"
and also that of his Royal Highness Prince Albert
against the same defendants, has been appointed to come
on for argument in Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce's
Court, Lincoln's•lnn, on Saturday morning next, at the
opening of the court at ten o'clock. The counsel on the
part of the complainants are the Attorney-General, the
Solicitor-General, Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, and Mr.
James. Mr. Russell, Mr. Warren, and Mr. J. Sydney
Smith have been retained on the part of the defendants.
From the great number of affidavits which have been
put upon the file of the court by the complainants, and
the voluminous nature of the answer to the information
and bill which has been filed on the part of the de-
fendants, the arguments and speeches of counsel are
considered likely to occupy the Court the greater part
of the day. This case, from its extreme novelty and
the many nice legal points which are involved, excites
the greatest interest, not only in legal circles but
throughout the country.
POST•OFFICE NOTICE.—The Overland Mail, vicf
Marseilles, for India, Egypt, Alexandria, Aden, Ceylon,
and the Mediterranean, will be dispatched from the Ge-
neral Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, this evening, the
7th inst.

COUNT BATIIYANY.—Sir, I have seen with pain-
ful surprise in the Times and some other journals a
letter dated the 28th November, bearing as signature the
words, " The Count Bathyany." As a Hungarian, an
intimate personal and political friend
of the Counts
Louis and Casimir Bathyany, and holding in the highest
illustrious
house, and regard the reputation of that
house, I feel it. a duty to 'tome that letter through the
channels in which it has been circulated, and to assure
those who may have read it that that letter does not
proceed from Count Louis Bathyany, lately president
of the Hungarian Ministry, nor from Count Casimir,
now in the field in defence of the institutions of his coun-
try, nor from any other member of the patriotic Bathy
any family,
.who residing in Hungary is conversant
with her affairs, or enjoys there any note as a public
man.—COUnt LADISLAS TELEKL—Paris, Dec. 4, 1848.
CHOLERA.—Yesterday the following fresh cases of
cholera were reported to the Board of Health :—White-
chapel, 3; Poplar, 1; Lambeth, 1, fatal; Woolwich, 1,
fatal; the provinces, 14, 6 fatal; Scotland, 24, 11 fatal;
Total, 44 cases; 19 deaths.

BLOOMSBURY CHAPEL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—you are in error when you state in your notice
of tho opening of this chapel, " that collections were
made in aid of the building fund." No collection was
made during the day.

ONE WHO WAS PRESENT.
City, Wednesday 'cycling.

THE PORTUGUESE GOVERN-
MENT.
We have received the following letter regarding the
system of confiscation practised by the Portuguese Go-
vernment and tolerated by our Ministry, to whom they
owe the power which they thus use to the ruin of the
English bondholder :

agree with you in the strictures which you
have from time to time made on the conduct of the Por-
tuguese Government in levying a Parliamentary tax
on the dividends of loans raised in this country. Of
course the Portuguese Government can havo no more
right so to tax the dividends of the loans than to levy a
Parliamentary tax on the bill a British merchant for
goods sold and delivered to it according to order.
" The decision of the Times in 1846 on this treat
ment of the British creditor was, He is not taxed ; he
is fleeced, he is robbed.' Again, Sir, look at the recent
decree, by which interest at 3/. per cent, only is allowed
on that portion of the overdue dividends (251. per cent.)
which is to be paid in stock.
" In the first place, it is the raising a 31. per cent. loan
at 100/. per cent. sterling money, whilst at the same time
such stock is worth only 241. per cent. in the market. In
other words, it is a confiscation to the amount of 75/. per
cent. sterling money.
" In the second place, you will remember that the
Portuguese Government, in 1840, took so strong a dis-
like to 31, per cent. stock, that it converted it into a 5/.
per cent. stock; why, then, does it now recur to a 31. per
cent. stock ? _ _ _

" Circumstances, Sir, alter cases. In 1840 the Por-
tuguese Government had set its heart on confiscating
1,600,0001. 31. per cent. capital stock, and therefore, in
order to be allowed to effect this, was compelled to pro-
mise to advance the interest by an ascending scale to 5/.
per cent. in the course of some twelve years; but now,
having a cognate object in view, that of paying as little
of the overdue dividends as may be, this same Govern-
ment lowers the interest on that part of the debt which
is to be paid in stock to the once proscribed 31. per cent.
" The plan which would appear to have been adopted
by the Portuguese Government in 1840, and which I
denounced at the time, was this—to reduce the capital of
the debt, in the first place, as much as possible, and then
to attack the interest; and which the almost immediate
proposal of giving 41. per cent. at once—in place of the
promised and prospective 5/. per cent.—wonld seem to
warrant.

"And now, Sir, what is the use which the bond-
holders may expect to be made of the ro-introduced 3L
per cent. stock? Is it not nearly morally certain, as de-
ducible from previous conduct, that another decree,
similar to that of 1840, with its glozing preamble, will
at no distant day see the light, reducing the 4L to 34 per
cent.?

" You advise us to resist these things. But how are
we to do it? We fly to our Government. Our Go-
vernment will represent, but—unofficially. The Portu-
guese Government, understanding perfectly well the
meaning of this, laughs at us, and perseveres. Our own
wants in the meantime press us. It may be, the salva-
tion of our remaining property depends on our receiving
a something from the Portuguese Government. What
are we to du? We accept the trifle, being as really aid
fully under duress' as any one is who is entrapped and
incarcerated, and denied bread until he surrender his
deeds.

" I see no hope for us but in Parliament and the press
—the press acting on Parliament and the public (as the
7inies has most handsomely done), and the Parliament
on the Government. The Foreign-office I believe to be
disposed to help us if it could obtain, in any tolerable
degree, these two auxiliaries. The sufferers, also, have
been advised, and by very high legal authorities, to peti-
tion the Legislature, as their proper and constitutional
course. W hy, then, do they not do it? A word of ex-
hortation from you, Sir, on this point, I must believe
would be of the greatest service.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your obliged and hum-
ble servant,
—Times. "A CREDITOR OF PORTUGAL."