The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

GREECE.

A letter from Athens, in the Journal de Con-
stantinople says :—" Numerous acts of brigandage
continue to take place in this neighbourhood. In
the commune of Neryara, a band of from 20 to 25
brigands shut the flock of sheep belonging to the
mayor into a stable, and then set fire to it, and the
whole of them would have been destroyed, had not
one of the men, possessing more humanity than his
comrades, opened the door and let them out. This
act was 'committed out of revenge because the
mayor would not shut his eyes to the conduct of
these desperate characters. Another band of 50 en-
tered the city of Thebes, but were repulsed by a de-
tachment
of the Royal troops. The force, however,
could not prevent serious acts of violence in the
suburbs of St. Theodore, where the premises of
some Wallachian sheep-owners were pillaged.
Another band visited the commune of Acrofuion,
and put to the torture the superior and the fathers
of the monastery of Agra Pelagia. They carried
their audacity so far as to send an invitation to
the authorities of Thebes and the Mirarque Tzino,
whose principal duty is to put down brigandage, to
come and attack them. In the commune of Larimni,
they made prisoners two sons of a respectable in-
habitant, for the ransom of whom they demanded
18,000 drachmas (the drachma is worth 90c). in a
village in the province of Hypate, these ruffians

• • +,,,ssw,

pillaged all the inhabitants, three of whom were
seriously wounded in defendino• their property.
They carried off the most wealthy among them, in
order to obtain a ransom for them. Two of the
inhabitants were dreadfully mutilated by the as-
sailants, their noses and ears being cut off. On
the road from Athens to Marcopoulos, it is not
safe to pass even in the open day. Afew nights
since some brigands entered the village of Tatoi,
near Athens,.and made prisoners of and mutilated
some gendarmes who were stationed there."

SPAIN.
MADRID, Dec. 31.—The Government has been
authorised by the Cortes to levy the taxes for 1856.
The decimal system is to be put iu vigour in Spain
iu 1856. M. Olozaga has left for Paris. Some
foreign capitalists are soliciting permission to esta-
blish a bank at Madrid.

Le Nord publishes an article professing to set
forth the " real and absolute results obtained by
the allies after two years of war," in which neither
the capture of Sebastopol nor the destruction of the
Black Sea fleet is mentioned. "It would be diffi-
cult," according to this authority, " to decide
whether, upon the whole review of the two years'
war, the advantage belongs to Russia or to the
Allies."

A letter from Kalisch of the 25th ult., in the
Austrian Gazette, says :—" According to the
latest accounts from the Crimea, the Russian
troops have been reinforced by a regiment of Hus-
sars of the Guard and by the Radetzky regiment
of Hussars formerly stationed at Odessa. It is
therefore evident that no want of provisions is ex-
perienced by Prince Gortschakoff."

The Hamburg Correspondent states that in con-
sequence of orders transmitted from St. Peters-
burg, Vassif Pacha, General Williams, and six of
the other pachas taken prisoners at Kars, will be
taken to Moscow, and thence to St. Petersburg.
The other officers and the soldiers will remain for
the winter part at Tiflis, and the rest in the forti-
fied places in the Caucasus.

We read in the Journal de St. Petersbourg :
"The managers of the dispensary of Maximilian,
placed under the patronage of the Grand Duchess
Helena Pavlovna, announce that wounded officers
who may be staying in this capital will be gratui-
tously attended to, and that warm and light apart-
ments are at their service."

Mr. Drummond's late speech at Guildford is
reprinted conspicuously in the Journal de St.
Pete? sbourg.

THE PEMNSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING.
By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam
ship Sultan, Captain Christian, we have dates from
Gibraltar, December 2Gth ; Cadiz, 27th ; Lisbon,
30th ; Vigo, 31st.
The Sultan brings a few passengers, 3,1301. in
specie, and a cargo of fruit, eggs,
During the voyage the Sultan experienced heavy
weather off Cape Corrobedo. On the 31st ult. she
spoke the steamer Madrid, with the outward Pen-
insular mails. Lisbon exchanges at three months
are quoted by this mail at 541. on London ; Paris,
521; Amsterdam, 431 ; Hamburg, 48 ; Genoa,
518.

There was a scarcity of both bills and money on
London, and consequently a variation of one-eighth
upon the quoted rate ; on othE r places few trans-
actions had taken place, paper being scarce in con-
sequence of the rise in London. Stock and Bank
shares 'lliad risen at Lisbon, but were again dull
when the packet left, at 43 to 481 for Three per
Cents., with confreres ; and 44 to 441, for regis-
tered stock. Bank of Portugal shares, 500 to 503
milreis per share of 500 milreis. Oporto Bank
Shares 171 to 20 per cent. premium.
Official notice had been given that the King
would open the Cortes on the 2d January, by
which time the arrival of the Ministers of Finance
was expected.
Heavy rains had prevailed, but the weather was
fairer when the Sultan left the Tagus.
The steam-transport Golden Fleece was at Gib-
raltar ; the Prompt, Etna, Caroline, Calpe, &c.,
had also touched the port.