The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-25 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, March 22.—The rumours which have
been published in the journals of a Ministerial
crisis are entirely unfounded. The railway from
Valladolid to Burgos will be commenced in a very
short time. The financial question has been solved
by the Cortes according to the wishes of the Go-
went.- The Basque provinces are tranquil.

SYDNEY.
(From the Sydney Empire.)
From the intelligence which reaches us by various
channels from the agricultural districts, we gather
gratifying evidences of an almost universally flouts
ishing condition of the crops. But a short time ago
the prevalence of hot winds and drought had begun
to exercise a depressing influence on the spirits of
the settlers, previously elated by the prospect of
unusual good fortune. Considerable damage was
indeed done. In some places the corn was prema-
turely ripened and shrunk ; in others, so rapid wag
the drying effect of the scorching winds, the grain
tumbled from the ears before the crop could be
housed ; whilst in others, again, where the wheat
was of rank growth, and in blossom, it was found
necessary to cut it down as hay. One-half of the
wheat-lands from Burrowa to the Fish River have,
it is asserted, been thus disposed of. Few districts
have altogether escaped the blighting influence of
the obnoxious north-westerly winds, and in some
instances of untimely frosts. Bet our latest ac-
counts partake once more of a cheerful tone. The
favourable changein the weather has repaired much
of the damage previously done ; and again the set-
tler's hopes are buoyant. The grain in some dis-
tricts is rapidly filling ; in others fast ripening ;
whilst in others again harvest operations have
tart ady begun, and labour bein; tolerably abundant,
will proceed with rapidity till the crops are safely
garnered. From almost every district we have re-
ceived assuring reports of a good harvest rapidly
approaching fruition.
It was needless to say that in this there is abun-
dant cause fur thankfulness and gratulation. A suc-
cessful season, by the hopefulness it will infuse
amongst the many new settlers in the various dis-
tricts, will give a much-needed impetus to agricul-
ture. The colony has, it would seem, to establish a
reputation for successful agriculture, which at pre-
sent it p siesies to a partial extent only. Agricu!-
ture, punned with the same care and energy as other
branches of industry, seldom fails to be successful,
under circumstances ordinarily propitious ; and
there can be no insurmountable obstacles in the
case of this country. The difficulties to be encoun
tired are not greater than have been effectually sur-
mounted elsewhere. With abundance of fertile soil,
wi h a vat iety of climate adapted to the production
of a wide lane of articles necessary to human sub-
sistence, and with ready markets, the agricultural
interests of the. country cannot surely long remain
of secondary importance. But a successful season
and remunerative picas will effect more to ad-
vance those interests than any amount of abstract
reato sing. And therefore it is that, at the pre-
sf nss juncture, when agriculture with us is, as it
ware, on its trial, wa conceive we have more than
or iin,rr cause to rejoice at the encouraging
prose t 4 of the coining harvest, apart from the im-
m. dive advantages accruing to all classes of the
community.
From aintost every part of the colony, accounts
ag-ee in representing the breadth of wheat sown
this ve,tr as niu :h greater than in previous years.
M I new lsnd has been broken up, and the fire,
the ax-, and the plough have been making exten-
sive inroads upon the ancient domain of scrub and

fore t. Simulated by a well earned success, future
seasons will no doubt exhibit a still great activity;
and the area of civilisation may be confidently ex-
pected to extend far and wide, under the auspices
of an industrious and prosperous agricultural popu-
lation.

The present hay harvest is represented as abun-
dant, and the prospects of a good supply of herbage
for stock are everywhere encouraging. So active.
with us are the reparative forces of nature under
the influence of the genial weather we are now
favoured with, that, in a space of time almost mar-
vellously b ief, fresh verdure has sprung up where
previously all had been parched and bare ; and
the ravages of the scorching blast and the blighting
frost are repaired almost before their full vatent is
ascertain3d. •

The Bank of Frankfort has raised its discoun
on commercial bills from 3 to 4 per cent.

The Austrian, Gazatte announces the death and
burial at Warsaw of Gen. Popoff, hetman of the
Don Cossacks.

90
89
44
40

The second regiment of the Anglo.ltalian Legion
arrived at Turin on the 20th from. Suza, and im-
mediately set out again for Genoa, thence to em-
bark for Malta.

A lotter from Modena, in the Opinione of Turin,
announces that the Duke of Modenl has pardoned
several persons who had been in prison for several
years on political charges.

The Messagere di Modena publishes a decree, by
which the Duke of Modena establishes a uniform
system of communal administration throughout h's
States.

One of the Vienna papers says that everything
concerning the navigation of the Danube has
heen definitively .regulated iu the Congress at
Paris, notwithstanding the apprehensions enter-
tained of discussions arising on the suljict between
Austria and the belligerent powers.

A marriage is spoken of as likely to take place
between one of the King of Naples' children and a
member of the Grand Duke of Tuscany's, family.

The negotiations for a new Concordat are pro-
gressing rapidly both at Florence and Naples. It is
similar to that which is now giving so much trouble
to the Austrian Government.
A. letter from Rome, in the Milan Gazette, says :
—" The Rome and Frascati Railway, which, as
already stated, will be opened in May next, has
the terminus just outside the Porta Maggior. This
line will become the main section of the Rome and
Naples Railway, • which is soon to be conceded ;
both the Count de Montmolin and the family of
Orleans are deeply interested in the matter."

CAMP AT WlNCHESTER.—lnstructions have been given
Icy the Government, that 500 acres of land in the neigh-
b ,urhood of Winchester shall be purchased for the pur-
pose of forming a permanent camp for 500 men.
SAILING OF Trig SHALIMAIL—The White Star royal
mail-ship Shalimar, Captain Brown, belonging to Messrs.
Pilkington and Wilson, sailed from Liverpool on Sunday
with the usual mails, a large and valuable cargo, and
250 passengerS.

. _
The departures from the port of London for the Aus-
tralian colonies during the pa=t week have comprised
five vessels—two to Port Philip, one to Adelaide, one
to New Zealand, and one to Sydney—with an aggrevate
capacity of 4,913 tons. The rates of freight exhibit
little variation.
Smith, who was known t) have I erpeirated several
burglaries in Stonehouse, and wire, while filling the
situatiou of railway porter, is suppo el to have pickcd
the lock and stolen money from a drawer at the So .t
Devon Railway station at Plymouth, contrived to break
out of the locktup at Stonehouse, when awaiting exami-
nation, and escaped.
LOANS TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT EROli THE KING
OF OUDE.—On Saturd,,y a parliamentary return wa I
issued of all sums of money borrowed by the Indian
Government from tie Sing of Oude between the
years 1811 and 1855. From this return it ap-
pears that loans to the following amount in Luck-
now or Company's rupees have been borrowed six
per cent., 2,08,50,000 rupees ; at five per cent.,
2.12,40,000 ; at four per cent., 53.00,000 making a tote
of 4,73,90,000 rupees. There has been repaid by cession
of tetrit ,ry to the Nabob Vizier, under treaty of May 1,
1816, 100,00,.000 rupee: in notes of the Four per Ceti'.
Public Loan of 1854 5, 36,00,000 rupees ; in cash,
1,57,82,765„ 5,, 4, making the total rt p lid 2,93,83,765,,
5„4, leaving an amount outstanding is Lucknow rupees
of 1,80,07,234,. 10 „ 8.
THE SPITAL SERMON AT CHRIST CHURCH, NENVGATE-
SPREET.—Y. stcrday, being Easter Mondays,ctchoebpoayniesodf
Christ's Hospital via ked in ,prrees3ion, m
by tueir masters, to the Mansina-house, whets, they
were joined by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor" he
La ly M yore s, the Sheriffs, the R tcorc'er, Town Clerk,
and other civic) functionaries. They then prey, P. d
to Christ Church, Newgateostreet, where the lord
Bishop of Lincoln preached the Spital 6erinon.
Btueeoat boys, aueowpauied by r. (3.4(5. Cooper, the
c imposer of the music, sang an original Easter hcr,
the words by the Senior Grecian, Ernest Montagne.
After the service, the company adjourn., he great
hall, when the reyor,t of toe nßl3l4tr Qf oltildren,
ma read.