The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-26 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid journals of the 20th contain nonews
of political interest. The Queen, as usual on Holy
Thursday, had taken part in the ceremony of
washing the feet of 24 poor people at the palace,
and had visited different churches with the Princetss
of the Asturias. The Epoca asserts positively that
there was no truth in a report that was current
that the Marquis de Turgat was about to be replaced
asFreuch Ambassador by the Marquis deLavalette.

A Paris letter, in the Independance of Brussels,
says :---" A geod deal is said of a memorandum on
the affairs of Italy, which is said to have been
drawn up by Count Cavour himself. Ido not bo-
lieve(although many diplomatic persons think diffe-
rently) that this memorandum has been submitted
to the Congress, and yet from information which'l
have reason to believe exact the plenipotentiaries
will not separate without having touched on the
Italian question. Piedmont, an ally otthe Wes-
tern Powers, cannot be sent away like, a friend r.
g.4'
who has become useless and embarrassin''

A letter from Berne, in the Moniteur, says :--
" The Grand Council of Berne has made some im- • '
portant elections in the course of the present =.
month. M. Bloesch has been named President of
the Executive Council, and M. Kurz President of
the Grand Council. M. Sahli has entered the Exe-
cutive Council. These three executive persons be- -
long to the party of the fusion."

DIVING F )R OLD WRECKS IN
TRINIDAD.

(From. the P6rt of Spain Gazette, Jan. 19 )
Tho majority of the readers of the Gazette are probably
aware of the existence of several sunken wrecks in Cha-

oiaratnas Bay, which are the remainl3 of the Spanish
fleet commanded by Apodaca at the time that the Eng-
lish expedition, under Harvey and Abercrombie, sailed
from Martinique for the subjugation of this island; The
Spanish ships were 5 in number, 4 line-otbat le ships
and 1 frigate, all being perfect specimens of naval archi-
tecture, and which, for better protection, had been placed
under cover of the guns and mortars of the fort upon
Gasparillo. When the Eintlish fleet anchored within

range, Apodaca, perceiving the impossibility of escare
without engaging; set his ships on fire to prevent them
falling into the enemy's bands, the money having been
landed on the opposite coat. One of the line-of-battle
ships, by being to windward of the rest, was eventually cap-
tured by the English, but 4 burnt to the water's-edges
and sunk with the guns. At low water the wrecks lying
in shore can be touched by an oar, and the guns distin-
guished during calm weather. Attempts have frequntly
been made with varying success to fish up some portion
of the copper, and recently a carpenter succeeded to far
as to possess himself of one of the copper pint's', weigh-
ing, said, 3501 b. The arrival •of an American
schooner a few days ago, furnished with every appliance •'"
which science and .art can bestow, bas, however, been
the means of bringing the subject of the wrecks more
prominenEly, before the public, and particularlyao when
it was ascertained that the. permission of his oxcelfeney
the governor had been. conceded to Capt. Clarke to try
his apparatus.

On TUesday we accompanied the American cootie on
board, and late in the evening the schooner was moored
over one of the aunkeu vessels, and within a -short dis•
ranee of another. Early next morning one of the divers
descended for the 'purpose of exploring, and reported the
existence of quantities of copper sheathing and some guns
which he supposed to be iron. Shortly• afterwards a
few sheets of copper were sent up, together with .a piece
of timber in an 'excellent state ot preservation, and which
•
on being sawn .through was found to retain its rating
colour and odour. Its smelling so much of turpentine
induced us to pronounce it pi!ch pine ; hut his .eeeel-
lency the governor states that it is Spanish oak ; a few
chips, when dried, burned lilte torches. An iron bolt,
•which was next procured, was foundto be completely de•
caged, although surrounded by charred wood. All these
articles presented a beautiful appearance. from the cliffs,.
rent colours of the coral encrusting them. A rudder pintle
was also found, with nearly'. all the copper bolts apper-
taining to it, which the captain pronounced amply re• ; •
munerative for the trouble aced .expense incurred for the
day. The value of the entire set belonging to each *ship be
calculates to be 1,000 dol.. The proceeds of the first day's
search, amountiug to about 300 dol., affords a good gua-
rantee for the success of • the speculation upon a more
vigorous prosecution of this really interesting Rebut:trios
exploration, espec!ally as one of the divers reported that .
,the copper magazine of the wreck under the schooner
was entire. The value of the copper in the United States
is 40c. per lb., consequently the quantity of copper -1:
sheathing will alone realise a pretty g'od sum. Unfor-
tunately, from the presence of a brisk wind, the day was
'decidedly unfavourable, as the surface of the water, being „
broken into waves, .prevented the perfect transmission of
sensbine to the bottom._ The wrecks are very clean,
being washed by the alternate Riess' currents, which
also offer another obstacle to the facility with -which the
researches could be carried on by means of the diving'
habits.

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