The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-20 00:00:00

THE INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)

SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 19.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Massilia, Capt. Lockel, with the heavy portion
of the above mails has arrived ; she brings 57 pas-
sengers, 32 boxes specie, value £516,729, and 2,675
packages cargo, including 1,397 boxes dates, and
823 bales raw silk, value £75,000 sterling.
The Massilia experienced a heavy swell from the
westward since making St. Vincent. On the even-
ing of the 14th she spoke a British frigate off Tarifa ;
her Majesty's ships Victoria, Hibernia, Royal Oak,
Resistance, Prince Consort, Eudymion, Cruiser,
Wizard, and Caradoc.

GIBRALTAR, 14th.—Letters from the West Coast
of Barbary state that some inconvenience and in-
terruption to their business is experienced by mer-
chants at the ports arising out of the Spanish inter-
vention in the Moorish Custom-houses.
The following British vessels have arrived here
since the 7th :—Schooner Mary Phillips, to Car-
diff ; R.V.Y.C. schooner Tyne, to Cowes ; brig
Cedar, to Sunderland ; steamer Montezuma, from
London ; steamer Hercules, to Falmouth ; brig
Marmion, to Cardiff ; steamerltalian, to Liverpool;
steamer Ripon, to Southampton ; and Britannia, to
London.

The American ship Prescott has arrived at
Algesiras from Callao ; she reports having spoke on
the 28th Oct., lat. 5.52 N., long. 27.10 W., ship
Broomielaw, from Glasgow for Bombay, 31 days
out, on the 29th, lat. 4.54, long. 27.1; barque Albert
the Good, from Sunderland to Madras, 70 days out;
and on November 15th, lat. 28.32 N., long. 32.4
W., barque Memory, from Liverpool to Salveston.
IlerMajesty's ships, Gibraltar, Redpole, and Sky-
lark, are in the harbour. The American armour-clad
turret Miantonomah arrived this morning from
Cadiz. Exchanges are unaltered.

THE PONTIFICAL DEBT.

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The Moniteur publishes the convention signed on
the 7th inst. between France and Italy for the regu-
lation of the Pontifical debt. The provisions are the
following :

Art. 1. The proportional part belonging to Italy in the
perpetual debt, and the redeemable one of the former States
of the Church—to wit:—For the Romagnas at the date of
June 30, 1859, and for the Marches, Umbria, and Bene-
vento at the date of September 30, 1860, the epoch of en-
trance into possession is recognised to amount, for the for-
mer to 7,892,985 f., and for the latter to 7,337,160 f., or to-
gether to 15,230,1451.

Art. 2. A sum of 1,468,617 f. being already paid annually
by the Italian Government to the holders of the stock of
the perpetual debt of the said provinces, the new charge
falling upon Italy, in virtue of the present Convention, on
account of the two species indicated in the preceding article
is, and remains fixed at, the sum of 13,761,527 f.
Art. 3. Italy takes, besides, to her charge the reimburse-
ment of the interest due, calculated from the epochs before
indicated, up tho 31st of December. The payment of these
sums shall bo effected in the following manner:—The last
three half-years, or 20,642,291 f., shall be paid in specie
on the 15th of March next, at latest. For the remainder
of the arrears the Italian Government takes to its charge
a yearly payment at par of £3,397,627f., which will by so
much increase the portion of the redeemable debt falling
upon Italy.

Art. 4. The yearly payments indicated in the two pre-
ceding articles, and amounting to 18,627,773, are to remain
at the charge of Italy, dating from the first half-year of
1867. The said payments will be made in the same manner
as was fixed for the original contracts.
Art. 5. I❑ what concerns the life debt of the former
States of the Church, the Italian Government will pay al
the pensions regularly settled at the periods of the annexal
Lions to the holders belonging to the former Pontifical pro-
vinces, and residing in the kingdom of Italy.
Art. 6. The demands for reimbursement which Italy
may have to make on the Holy See are reserved, as are re-
ciprocally the claims which the Pontifical Government may
have to address to Italy.
Art. 7. The Government of the Emperor of the French
will produce, in the shortest delay possible, all the docu-
ments that will be necessary for the transfer to the Great
Book of the Italian Debt of the inscriptions of the various
kinds of Route of wLich the Holy See is discharged in
virtue of the present Convention.

Art. 8. The present Convention shall b 3 ratified, and
the necessary papers exchanged, within a delay of a week
or sooner if possible.