The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-05 00:00:00

THE SON, LONDON, SATURDAY EVEN 1 ft, JANUARY 5, 1856

LINES LEASED \T FIXED RENTALS.

been from England. Prints of good patterns have ob.
.
tamed good prices, and continue in demand. In Ger-
man manfactures little bas been done. Mixed shawls
are very scarce and in demand.
" Flour.—Sales have been limited to the consump-
tion, and, notwithstanding prices have declined some-
what on account of the wish holders show for realising
their stock, the prize in small lots is $lO 50.
" Barley.—Prices have declined, and the articles can
be bought for $3 75. The sales are very limited.
" Beans dull and abundant, and lower prices are being
accepted.

Leasin
Compan,

:Closing rrices
yester.lay .

Btvouesz,
yeeter lay

" Charqui, tallow, and grease, very scarce and high.
" Wheat. —Some parcels have been disposed of at $2
25. Candeal is getting less scarce.
" Saltpetre.—This article has risen, and cannot be
bought for 19 reals ; for a parcel that is disposable 20
reals is asked.

"Brazil Wood.—That of good quality is beginning to
get scarce. Inferior wood is very abundant.
" Freights.—Brig Medium, Iniqui to Antwerp, 4/.
15s. ; ship Ann Cheshire, ores, Huasco and Caldera to
Swansea, 51. ss. ; brig Pickwick, ores, Caldera to Liver-
pool, 4/. 10s. ; brig Caledonia, guano, Chichas to Great
Britain, 41."
The Republic of Bolivia had become peaceful,
and all the revolutionary movements have been
successfully quelled. General Santa Cruz having
asked permission to return to Paris, it was granted,
and his half-pay as Captain General was conceded
to him.
From Peru we learn that the Convention was
still in session, and many projects of law were
being brought forward by the deputies. Among
them was one to suppress Free-masonry and pre-
vent lodges from being held ; another proposed
that the Jesuits should be
,expelled, and the same
day a counter bill was introduced to legalise their
residence in the country.
The most extraordinary and important proposi-
tion made is the project of law, introduced by Senor
Roca, to sell the Chinoha Islands. The following
is a brief abstract of the law.

The preamble states that, considering guano to
be the chief source of revenue of the Republic, and
at the same time a terminable one, the nation had
not derived the benefit from it to which it is enti-
tled, while the present mode of sale was unsuited
and expensive. Considering at the same time the
wants of the nation—namely, to encourage immi-
gration, educate the people, and irrigate the sterile
coast lands, and that the interest of the national
debt in 25 years will equal the principal, it is there-
fore desirable to realise the sale of the guano in a
more prompt manner for the benefit of the national
treasury. Considering further that, according to
the best calculations, the present amount of guano
is 12,070,152 tons (Peruvian measurement), which
may be reduced to, say, 11,670,152 tons by the
time the sale was effected, and, lastly, that tile net
profit has not exceeded $3O, .to., be it decreed that
the guano on the Ckincha Islands, say, 11,670,152
tons, be sold at public auction, in nine months,
at a price not less than $3O per ton, equal to
$350,104,560 ; the sale to take place under the
management of a committee of officials named in
the bill. The regulations of the sale are next stated.
The nation does not hold itself responsible for the
amount of guano, and will allow no reclamation for
a deficiency, nor seek it for a surplus. The law to
be published in all languages, and circulated,
through the Government representatives, in Europe,
Asia, and America. The money to be paid cash,
or at least ono-fourth of tho sum, the remaining
three-fourths at short dates. The money to be de-
posited in the Bank of England to the credit of the
nation, and appropriated in certain sums for the
national good, (tc.
The foregoing, which is only a brief summary,
contains the principal points of the proposed
measure.

AUSTRALIA.

SOUTHAMPTON, JAN. 4.

By the Royal Mail steamer Tyne we have re-
ceived, via Panama and Callao, three days later
intelligence from Australia, with dates from Syd-
ney to the 18th of September. The Legislative
Council, or that portion composed of the members
of Government and their nominees, were accused
of devoting the short remainder of their administra-
tive career in voting away the public money con-
trary to the wishes of the more popularly elected
members. On the sth a vote to increase the Gover-
nor-General's silary 2,0001. per annum was carried
by a majority of 22 to 9 ; a vote of 2001. for the
completion of the garrison garden and cricket-
ground was lost by a vote of 15 elective members
against 13, consisting of seven salaried Govern-
ment officers, five Government nominees, and one
elective member and another vote of 6301. was
carried by 15 Government against 14 elective
members.

-------
On the 11th the report of the Select Committee
on Steam Postal Communication was adopted by
the Legislative Council after some discussion. The
report says that—
" After careful investigation, and after having all the
best evidence it was possible for them to procure, the
select committee had arrived at the opinion, first, that
the route which will afford the most immediate, the most
certain, and the cheapest mode of communication by
steam between Sydney and Great Britain is that by way
of Singapore ; secondly, that the most rapid communica-
tion with Great Britain would be afforded by the estab-

li.hment of a line of steamers by way of Panama, and
that, if that line could be opened— in addition to the
line by way of Singapore—the greatest amount of advan-
tage possible to be derived from steam communication
with Europe would be achieved. The committee recom-
mended under all the circumstances that the principle
of the bill, which should be brought under the conside-
ration of the council, should be to authorise the Colonial
Government to enter into a contract for a monthly lino
of postal steamers between Sydney and Singapore only
—and that for this purpose a► sum of 25,0001. per an-
num for five years certain should be placed at the disposal
of the executive Government to meet the expenses of
ouch a contract."
In speaking on the question the Postmaster-
General said—
"lt had lately come to his knowledge, for instance,
that some were favourable to an arrangement, by which
the line of communication would be from Panama to
Sydney, and from Singapore and Lake Leeuwin to Mel-
bourne. Ile felt bound to state to the house that, if it
were found necessary or advisable to adopt that arrange•
ment to which be bad before referred—namely, a line
between Panama and Sydney, and between Singapore
via Cape Leeuwiu and Melbourne—another bill would
be necessary."
The tariff of the colony has been again raised.
The following figures will show the duties fixed by
the tariff of 1852, together with the alterations made
last year, and the further alterations by the vote of
the 12th :