The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-29 00:00:00

THE PENINSULAR MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, DECEMBER 2g.—The Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steam-ship Pacha, Captain
John Weeks, arrived this day, and landed mails from
the following places and dates, in charge of Lieutenant
Peter Rainier, Admiralty agent.
During the homeward voyage the Pacha expe-
rienced heavy gales from the south-west, which, with
the tempestuous weather out, accounts for her late
arrival.

Her dates of sailing were—Gibraltar, December
19 ; Lisbon, 22 ; Oporto, no communication ; Vigo,
25 ; Cadiz, 20.
The following are the passengers :—Major- General
Sir J. Burgoyne, inspector-general of fortifications,
and two daughters; Messrs. Marks, Greaves, Fehr,
and William Kemp.
The freight of the Pacha consists of 52 packages of
specie, 74 cases of eggs, 8 cases of leeches, 14 cases
of saffron, 800 boxes of oranges, 15 barrels of dates,
8 cases of sundries.

STATIONS OF RIR MAJESTY'S SHIPS.—Her Ma-
jesty's ship Rosamond arrived on the 19th instant at
Gibraltar, in nine days, from Plymouth ; all well.
She went into the New Mole to coal, and will pro-
ceed to Sir W. Parker's squadron. The Polyphemus
was at Gibraltar. The racer sailed on the 22d for
the Azores from Lisbon. Her Majesty's brig Harle-
quin was left in the Tagus.
It is rumoured in political circles that the following
change of Ministry would take place :—Costa Cabral,
Home Department; Marquis Fronteira, Marine;
Josh Cabral, Justice ; Ferreira, War; Falcao, Fi-
nance; Gomes de Castro, Foreign.
Costa Cabral arrived on the night of the 21st from
Madrid, having been sent for by
the Queen. Affairs,
especially finance, are in a sad state, everything un-
settled, and the expenditure far beyond the revenue.
On this point the Government expect to meet with
very serious opposition on the opening of the Cortes.

CORONERS' INQUESTS.—Yesterday, Mr. Bedford,
the Westminster Coroner, held two inquests at the
Charing-cross Hospital. The first was upon the body
of Edward Clifford, aged forty-seven. He was ft ma-
thematical teacher, and lately resided in Chapter•street,
Westminster, and was possessed of great abilities in his
profession. Last Thursday the deceased was seen to
alight from a cab, when opposite Drummond's bank,
and to lean against the railings for a few minutes.
Whilst in this position some boys passed, and made some
jeering remarks. This appeared to enrage him, and he
attempted to pursue them, but, unfortunately, before he
had gone half a dozen paces, he fell off the pavement
into the roadway. At that moment the carriage of the
Mexican Ambassador was passing, and both wheels
went over his body, by which several ribs were found
to be broken and the collar-bone dislocated. Deceased
lingered till Sunday, and then expired. The cause of
death was, inflammation of the lungs. Verdict—" Ac-
cidental death." The second inquest was on the body
of Hubert Smithers, aged thirty-three, lately a porter
in Covent-garden-market, who also died last Sunday in
the hospital. The cause of death was from the (fleets
of a fall received on the previous Thursday, while he
was going down Bridge-lane, a narrow place leading
from the Strand down to the Fox under the Hill Pier,
with a load of apple-cases on his head. Verdict —" Ac-
cidental death." At the same time the jury stated that
the parish, with whom the matter rested, should direct
attention to the place in question, as extremely dan-
gerous.
Letters from the Baltic ports generally speak of
the setting in of the frost, and the consequent dulness o f
6 the grain markets.