The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-27 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

Our Lisbon intelligence up to the 20th inst. gives a very
unfavourable view of the state of things in Portugal. It
would appear that the Palmella Ministry was tottering—the
Cabralist party in complete possession of the Court—and the
King's German Councillor standing between the nation and
the fulfilment of the royal promises lately held out to the
people. It is difficult, however, to conceive why the Go-
vernment in the critical circumstances in which it was placed,
between two anarchies, a military and a popular state of
turbulence and exasperation, should not have showed more
energy, and by its buldness, as well as discretion, have saved
the Court from its own folly and fatuity.
The Prince who bears the title of King should have been
reminded by the Ministers of the Sovereign that any inter-
ference of his in the affairs of government, and still more on
the part of any foreign servant of his in Portugal, was not
only indecorous, but prejudicial to the Queen's interests.
The people—exasperated by the apparently protected con-
spiracies of the dismissed Cabralist officers and civil servants
of the same party still retained in all the influential places
under Government, and by the conduct of the persons im-
mediately about the King, by continual military emeutes in
favour of the ex-Ministers, and attempts at counter-revolu-
tion in the provinces on the part of the military—were again,
it was feared, on the eve of another and more formidable out-
break than the former.
The Financial Committee had not terminated its labours,
but the principal objects said to have been had in view by
by it were reductions to the extent of upwards of 2,000
contos in the public expenditure, reduction in the interest of
the debt, foreign and domestic, either to the extent of a
third of the interest or of making the Five per Cents. Four
and the Four per Cents. Three. One member only was said
to be opposed to this reduction in toto. Reductions were also
talhectof in the war expenditure and the courts civil.
The Bank had a meeting of its shareholders. The pros-
pects of public credit were not encouraging.
Senor Gonzales Bravo had been setting diplomatists an ex
ample in the way of bringing editors of papers hoitile to
them to their bearings, by calling on them to retract, or fight
by proxy.—Chronicle.

THE LATE AFFAIR IN NEW ZEALAND.—Dispechea
were received en Thursday by Government from Capt. Graham, of the
Castor, 39, at New Zealand, confirming the accounts of the late
action with the hostile natives, in which seven of our seamen and
marines were killed and eighteen wounded, among the latter, Mr.
affair is spoken of
as one of great gallantry and perseverance. Three hundred seamen
and marines co-operated with the force of infantry, and under al-
most insurmountable difficulties of locality dragged the guns four-
teen miles from ,the ships into position. Commander Hay, of the
Racehorse, 18, dashingly led the storming party.
A FIELD ON FIRE.—A circumstance which rarely
happens in this country, although of frequent occurrence in the
prairies of America, tock place in the neighbourhood of Chesterfield,
on Wednesday last. A field of wheat, near the Needle Works,
Brampton Moor, belonging to Mr. Evinson, Angel Inn, Chesterfield,
was discovered to be on fire. now the fire originated cannot be
known, although it is probable that the excessive heat of the sun
ignited the soli which borders the wheat field. On turning up the
soil with a spade, jets of flame burst from the ground to the height
of five feet. A supply of water was obtained, ard, after much
difficulty, the fire was extinguished, without much damage being
sustained,—Derby Mercury.
SUGAR.—By a return on Thursday printed, it appears
that the quantity of sugar imported in the year ending the sth of
April last was 6,025,771 cwt., of which 5,052,506 was entered for
home conseunption, and the net receipt of duty on sugar unrefined in
the year was 3,480,1581. The duty on sugar unrefined of British
possessions, &c., at 14s. the cwt., yielded 3,460,6071., within the
limits of the East India Company's Charter, into which the importa-
tion of foreign sugar is prohibited. The difference in the amount of
duty is made up of the rates chargeable on sugar of British posses-
sions into which the importation of foreign sugar is not prohibited,
and of duty on foreign sugar, some of which was at the rate of
31. 3s. The lowest duty in the return is 145., and the-highest 31. 3s
APPROACHING MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—A mar-
riage is determined on between Viscount Seaham, eldest son of the
Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, and 3113 s Edwards, only
daughter and heiress of Sir John Edwards, Bart., of Machynllech,
Montgomeryshire. The fair fiancee is said to have a princely for-
tune. It is rumoured that the nuptial sareraony wilt be Solemnised
earl/ in Aligult.