The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-01 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

( From the Private Correspondence of a Morning Paper.)
LISBON, JULY 12.
By one of my former letters you were made acquainted that
a plan had been submitted to, and was likely to meet the
sanction of, this Government, for the total extincti in of the
paper money,—not bank- notes of this Bank, which circulate
here, and which you are aware we are all compelled to receive
as cash for one-half the amount of any payment made to, or
sale of merchandise effected by, us, provided it exceeds 2,400
rein,—say about 10s. sd. British sterling. It appears that all
the Ministers approved of it, but upon some one of the members
of the Council of State hinting that it would be better, as the
meeting of the Cortes was so near at hand, to wait until it could
be submitted to them, it was so agreed upon. This paper
moiiey, originally called here " apolices," II as issued in 1797,
1798, 1799, 1805, and 1807 ; and its total amount then was
9,000 contos of reis, equal to about 1,987,5001. sterling ; but
by the operation of a sinking fund which was kept in activity,
although sadly mismanaged by the Junta dos Juros, it has been
very much diminished, but as a good many forged apolices
crept at one time into circulation, and pass regularly amongst
us all, an increase of ten per cent. for the total of such for-
geries must be made to the sum of original apolices still out ; it
is therefore imagined that the amount in circulation is
7,600,000,000 reis, of which we must deduct 130 contos of this
paper money, lately found locked up in an old drawer of one
of the public offices here, bearing every appearance of
never having been issued to the public. It bears a dis-
count at the present moment of 262 per cent., "and the
idea suggested to Government was to issue a public
notice, stating that from the Ist to the 15th of Sep-
tember it should be received at the public treasuries, and cash
given in exchange at the rate of 25 per cent. discount ; de-
claring further, that it would not pass after that date for any-
thing, and that consequently it became of no value to such
holders as neglected to present it. Thus, in one fortnight
the most beneficial change in the currency of this country
would be effected without any trouble, and upon a most equi-
table plan, because between 262, the present discount, to 25
per cent., that at which the Government would take it, there
was a clear benefit of 11 per cent. for the holders, whoever
they might be, at the time of making the notice public. Less
the 25 per cent. discount, the sum to be called in would be
5,605 contos. The object in protracting the day of calling
them in to the Ist of September, was no other than to give
time for the necessary funds to be prepared in order to meet
the extraordinary demand of cash which there would be, say at
the present exchange about 1,390,0001. sterling, which sum re-
port says that a gentleman from London undertook to raise on
the following terms :—A loan bearing 6 per cent. interest at 95,
guaranteed by an equal amount of convent property, being
placed in the names and under the control of certain trustees
on behalf of the lenders, to be repaid in eight years by the
gradual sale of said property in as many periods ; the number
of the bonds to be redeemed each year, to be determined by a
kind of lottery, &c. This will no doubt be a very desirable
plan, more particularly so as there is sufficient church and
other public property, to cover all the foreign loans. 'The ob-
ject of extending the sale over eight years is solely done for
the purpose of not throwing so much of this property on the
market at once, as well as because its value must naturally en-
hance as the institutions of the country become more consoli-
dated, and induce foreigners to come over here with their ca-
pital, &c. The greatest fluctuations in the value of this paper
money were experienced in 1807, when at one time it was at
60 per cent. discount, and at another at 13 per cent. discount;
in 1808 it varied from 18 to 37 per cent. ; this year I have
seen it at 28 and also 24 per cent. discount.
As an instance of the rigid plan of economy which Don
Pedi o and his Ministers intend to pursue, I have to inform
you that in the budget of 1822, the Army and Navy, with the
Ordnance and the Naval Dock-yards, &c., were put down at
5,561,200,000 reis, and the budget now preparing only sets
them down at 2,150,000,000 reis. The Royal Family and
household, formerly set down at 880,000,000, now only cost
160,000,000 ; and I am informed that the same plan of
retrenchment is going through every department, with no
sparing hand. The object in view seems to be to let the
people enjoy the full benefit of the abolition of the tithes and
other church and convent claims, and to make room by the
above-mentioned and such other reductions for the item for
the support of the clergy, monks, and friars, to be supplied
by the standing revenues of the country, an estimate of which
I hope to have it in my power to send you with my next.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-(THIS DAY.)

THE CASE OF MR. GEE.

This morning being specially appointed for the trial of this
peculiar case, the bench was most unusually crowded.
An order had been sent last night to Newgate, signed, we
understand, not by. the Chairman, but by E. Halsewell, Esq.,
to bring up the prisoners, but it was stated by the Clerk of
the Peace, by way of accounting for the prisoners not being
present at the sitting of the Court, that the order had been
declined to be accepted by the Governor of Newgate, on its
presentation last night. A fresh one, signed by the Chair-
man, was then sent down.

After waiting some time, the Court consented to take a
short case ; at its conclusion, no messenger having returned,
another " short" case was called. Lea, the officer, was then
sent to Newgate, to learn the cause of the delay.
About twelve o'clock, Lea returned with the prisoners.
They were immediately placed at the bar in the following
order :—John Edwards, Peter Lacasagne, and Jeremiah
Weedon.

The indictment, in six different counts, charged them with
a conspiracy to imprison and assault Mr. Gee, with the object
of extorting certain deeds and securities of value. The last
count charged a common assault.
Mr. PRENDERGAST said his clients, Edwards and Lacas-
sagne, were placed in a peculiar situation, for he learnt from
the Attorney that the Governor of Newgate had great doubt,
nay, went further, expressed a strong opinion that he ought
not to obey any order, unless accompanied by an habeas. For
his part, he never entertained any doubt ; but he knew in other
quarters strong doubts had existed for the last year and a half.
CHAIRMAN—I was not aware of any doubt ever having ex-
isted. I have repeatedly sent orders, and they have always
been obeyed.
Mr. PRENDERGAST said a case had occurred a year and a
half ago.
CHAIRMAN—That was after a general gaol delivery of New-
gate had been opened, and the application was improper. He
had always thought so ; and although formerly such orders
were issued, the City Authorities finding they were not
bound to obey, very properly refused. There can be no
doubt that at all other times this court has full authority over
the County Gaol of Newgate.
After a long conversation, the Court ordered the case to
stand over, to allow time to produce the witnesses alleged to
be necessary.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

(FROM LLOYD'S.)

DEAL, JULY 31.—Wind S.W., light.—Arrived from the
River, and sailed the Isabella, Grant, for Quebec : Dart, Or-
miston, for Madeira ; and Cyrus, Spratley, for South Seas.
PORTSMOUTH, JULY 31.—Wind S. E.
PLYMOUTH, JULY 30.—Wind E. S. E.—Arrived off port the
Nernen, Lofgren, from Manilla ; and Eliza, Corrigall, from
Quebec. Sailed H. M. S. North Star, for North America.

FALMOUTH, JULY 30.—Wind S. S. E.—Arrived off port
the Ocean, from Quebec.
NEWHAVEN, JULY 30.—Arrived the Eagle, Ken, from St.
Petersburgh.
SHOREHAM, JULY 31.—Arrived off port, the Catharina
Maria, Bulon, from Memel.
SCILLY, JULY 30.—Arrived off port the John and Isaac,
Martin, from Newfoundland.
BRISTOL, JULY 31.—Arrived the Queen, Flitt, from Bay
Chaleur. _ _

LIVERPOOL, JULY 30.—Arrived the Oceana, Leslie, from
Charleston ; George Lockwood, Stark, and Admiral Ben-
bow, Dixon, from Quebec ; and Vigilant, Hansen, from St.
Pctersburgh. Off port the Latina, Quebec, and Eleanor,
from New Orleans. Sailed the Fairy Queen, Snipe, for
the Mauritius.

CLYDE JULY 28.—Arrived the Margaret Balfour, Laurie,
bnu Quebec.

LYNN, JULY 30.—Arrived the Whim, Dennis, and Jason,
King, from St. Petersburgh ; Offelie, Tonger, from Steffin.

The Ocean, whaler, of Nantes, was on shore at the Island
of Conception previous to 22d April.
The Ranger, Tresham, from Cork to Penzance, put into
Scilly 27th ult., with loss of part of deck-board, bulwarks,
&c., during a strong gale on the previous day:

GENERAL MoRENo.—A Calais paper states that
the Spanish General Moreno, who accompanied Don Carlos
to England, having arrived in that port on the 25th instant,
was detained in consequence of being the bearer of a passport
that was not his own. The authorities intend to keep him in
custody till they receive instructions from the Government re-
specting him.