The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-05 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

BRUSSELS, AUG. 3.
The dx, 'e assion upon the proposed measure of the
Governme.lt for the fortifications of Antwerp was
resumed th,'s day in the Chamber of Representatives,

having been Adjourned from Saturday last, when the
following :pea kers were heard :
M. Allard, who had deposited an amendment on

be table, the obj ect of which was to authorise the

Government to establish round Antwerp a series of
advanced forts, at a cost for their construction of
5,890,000 francs, observed that when those works
were finished, the present „actual enceinte might be
'lcstroyed.

M. Loos, the burgomaster• and representative of
Antwerp, then proceard to reply to the Minister of
Finance, who had spoken at the previous sitting.
The Minister had said that the Municipality of Ant-

werp had augmented their demands, even as new

concessions had been made by the military authori-
ties, and that the city of Antwerp had never made
any serious offers to participate in the expense of the

works about being; undertaken in its own interest.

M. Loos, however, contended that the offers made

by the city of Antwerp were both serious and ade-
quate ones. Antwerp proposed to guarantee to the
State a sum of twelve millions for the repurchase of

the lands occupied by the existing enceinte, of which
it demanded the demolition. lle thought that the
projct ought to be postponel, because he considered
that the subject itself WhS not as yet ripe for con-
sideration. The military authorities of the country
had declared against such a measure, and Gen.
Renard, the royal commissioner, himself had, in
1855, opposed the projet, while submitting himself a

projet of a general enlargement.
Gen. Renard hereupon rose and denied the asser-
ion of the representative for Antwerp in the most
emphatic terms.
Considerable agitation and an angry conversation
then took place.

The President called Gen. Renard to order, when
;he royal commissioner withdrew the unparliarnen-
ary expression which had escaped his lips.

An incidental discussion after wards .;lose,
resulted in a reference to the actual language used
in 1855 by Gen. Renard. It appeared that the general
had at that time pronounced in favour of a partial
enlargement of the city by extending the commune
of Borgerhout only.
M. Dolcz then proceeded to advocate the Govern-
ment projet de loi and to oppose the proposition of
adjournment. He said that, seeing as Ministers now
the men who had saved the country in 1848, he was
induced to give every confidence to the establishment
of that system in supporting which they declared
their readiness to take the responsibility of securing
the defence of the country.
M. Veydt proposed an amemdment, the object of
which was to adjourn the debate until the first
sitting of the Chamber in January next.
The discussion was then postponed.
The excitement occasioned by the discussion of this
question is assuming a somewhat serious and
threatening aspect throughout the country, more
especially iu Antwerp itself, as may be judged by
the following facts. A great manifestation took
place at Antwerp on Saturday night in honour of
M. Loos, the burgomaster and representative of
that city in the Legislative Chamber of Brussels, the
object being to give him a testimony of the public
esteem and gratitude for the attitude he had assumed
in opposition to the Government projet de loi regard-
ing the fortifications of Antwerp. The Union Com-
merciale, speaking on this subject, says :—" We cal-
culate, without exaggeration, that 20,000 persons
took part in this manifestation. Before nine o'clock
at night the crowd assembled in the neighbourhood
of the railway station in expectation of the arrival
of M. Loos by the train, which was, however, not
due until 10 o'clock. Having waited until the
last train had arrived, and being satisfied that
their representative was not one of the passengers,
the people formed themselves into an immense column
and proceeded, with the bands of Berchem and Saint
Willebrord at their head, towards the residence of
the Burgomaster of Antwerp. The cries of Vise
le Bourgniestre ! Vivent les deputes! A bas les fort-
cations ! were mingled with the music of the national
air La Brabanconne.' Not one seditious expression,
was, however, uttered—not a reprehensible act was
committed. The Antwerp population confined them-
selves to the manifestation of their opinion—they
have done so with that dignity and strength that are
becoming a just cause." The same journal adds—
" That manifestation has had also its pleasant side.
In the midst of the calm of the Antwerp population,
a journal of the city, which is the only defender of
the project of making Antwerp a vast Lasalle, has
exhibited such feverish restlessness as to require the
protection of an armed force. The following are
the strategical steps taken by the corps that has been
called upon to defend the bureau of the Precurseur
of Antwerp :
" Two companies of the 2d Chasseurs, in the esta-
blishment of the Precurseur Journal.
"The Artillery of the Civic Guard, at the corner
of the Rue de l'Empereur and of the Rue de l'Am-
man.

" The Chasseurs Eelaireurs, in the Rue des

Aveugleq.
" Three companies of the 2d Chasseurs at the
corner of the Rue du Fagot and of the Place du
" Three companies of the Chasseurs, Rue des Re-
collets, with a major.
" In front of the bureau of the Precurseur, the
police, one commissary, two assistants, three gardes
de vine, and 10 firemen.
"Twenty firemen in the Garden of the Museum.
"Four gendarmes perambulating the surrounding
streets.

"As a reserve, five companies of Chasseurs were
consigned to the Hotel de Ville. A considerable de-
tachment of mounted artillery and two battalions of
Chasseurs are lodged at the Falcon Barrack in close
proximity with the Rue de l'Amman."
It appears that from the Ist June to the 31st
July, 541 transatlantic vessels have entered the port
of Antwerp, belonging to various countries in
Europe. This is the highest number that has ever
been attained• within that period. The number of
ships at present in the Antwerp docks is upwards of
300. _ _

On Sunday the King arrived at the Palace of
Brussels at half-past 12 o'clock. His Majesty gave
audiences to Baron de Seisal, Minister of Portugal,
and to other personages sf distinction.
The King assisted at Divine service in the chapel
of the Palace ; and before returning to the chateau
at Laeken, presided over a Cabinet Council
The Duke and Duchess of Brabant also visited
the city. At four o'clock his Royal High-
ness, on horseback, and the Duchess, accom-
panied by a lady of honour, in a carriage
drawn by four horses, left for the felts of Ixelles.
Upon their arrival at the Place -Communale
where they stopped for a few moments, a band
upon the spot struck up the " Brabanconne."
At Ixelles their Royal Highnesses were received
by the people with the most enthusiastic cheering.
The Duke and Duchess returned the same night
to the ChAteau of Lecken. Yesterday evening
their Royal Highnesses drove in an open carriage,
drawn by four horses, to a concert given in the
Zoological Gardens.

Tear CITURCII-R ATI QUESTION.-At a Vestry Meet-
ing 1;c1(1 at Christchurch, High II arrorvate, on the 29th ult.,
the subject of imposing a rate was di*cussed. It was stated
that the sum Pf.Cl35 would be required, and that a rate of
twopence in the
pound would raise that amount. The in-
cumbent, the Rev. H. James, suggested that the assessment
should be voluntary. A pirishioner, however, moved that a
rate of three-halfpence in the pound be levied as usual. An
amendment in ftvour of a voluntary rate was then, with the
approbation of the incumbent and the churchwardens, sub-
mitted to the meeting. On a division this amendment was
carried by a majority of 44 to 41. At a meeting held at
Doncaster, the parishioners or aoirfinn;,'Y conPtod to accept
ra:e iltut2c-11:1111ulLm ,Ti
u.c pound usual
amount), the money to be applied in the first instance to
the laying out of tine ground round the new parish church,
and afterwards to the maintenance of t he fabric of the church,
all other charges for the services, &c., estimated at upwards
of £3OO, being defrayed by yOltintAr,y pew rot,

SOUTH AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE AVON.

SOUTIIAMPTON, AuG. 4.

The Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Avon,
Capt. Richard Revett, with the usual Brazilian and
River Plate mails in charge of Lieut. A. La Touche,
R.N., arrived to-day.

The Avon, during the voyage homewards, experi-
enced unsettled weather on the Brazil coast ; from
11 deg. north to Lisbon, strong adverse winds, with
a heavy head sea ; from thence to Southampton,
light winds and fine weather.
The Avon brings mails from the following places
with their respective dates affixed :—Buenos Ayres,
27th June ; Monte Video, 30th ; Rio de Janeiro,
10th July ; Bahia, 14th ; Pernambuco, 16th ; St.
Vincent, 24th; Lisbon, 31st.
Sixty-seven passengers landed at Lisbon, and 124
at Southampton.
The Avon brings the following specie :—Gold,
£B2,Ri2 ; silver, £1,640 ; diamonds, £42,816 ; and
on freight 100 barrels tapioca, 1 case cigars, 3 pack-
ages plants, and 105 packages sundries.
BEE, MAJESTY'S SHIPS.—At Monte Video, Spy ;
at Rio de Janeiro, Madagascar, flag of Rear-Admiral
Sir Stephen Lushington, and United States frigate
St. Lawrence, Commodore Forrest; off Cape Frio,
Syron.