The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

The screw steamer, Alhambra (belonging to the
Peninsular and Oriental Company), Captain 'Wil-
liam Woodgates, arrived at Southampton yesterday
at noon, with mails, in charge of Lieutenant Cash-
man, R.N., Admiralty agent, of the following
dates :—Lisbon, April 7 ; Oporto and Nigo, 8. On
the outward voyage the Alhambra experienced
a very strong gale from the westward, with a
terrific heavy sea across the Bay ; down the
coast of Spain and Portugal, fine weather.
Homewards the weather was fine up the
coast, but a heavy sea was rolling in over the bar of
Oporto, and the steamer was consequently detained
upwards of four hours for the boat coming off at
that port ; from Cape Finisterre and up Channel a
series of westerly gales.
The Alhambra brought ten first class passengers,
three second class, and 13 shipwrecked mariners,
belonging to the British barque Venerable, which
foundered near Viana. She was laden with coals
and iron, from Shields, bound to Barcelona. On
freight the Alhambra had £3,000 in specie, 700
chests of oranges, 203 boxes of new potatoes, 154
boxes of eggs, and 13 packages of general mer-
chandise.

On the 7th the Alhambra passed the Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steamer Ceylon, with the
outward India mail of the 4th, about 15 miles to
the northward of the Burlings ; she also passed the
French screw steamer Ville de Malaga, coming out
of Vigo, bound south ; and crossing the Bay of
Biscay she passed several ships homeward bound.
The Luna screw steamer was lying at Oporto,
and intended sailing for London on the 9th.
The Brazilian man-of-war Bahiana had arrived
at Lisbon from Rio.
The Bartholomew Diaz and Tagus were to leave
Lisbon for Southampton on the 10th, for the pur-
pose of conveying Prince George of Saxony to
Portugal.
The Bremen brig Antonietti, from Newcastle,
bound to Rio de Janeiro, had put into Lisbon
leaky, the crew having signed a protest to the
effect that the ship was unseaworthy. She was
condemned by Lloyd's agent at Lisbon, and Capt.
Dieckman, the master, has come to England by the
Alhambra. _ .

Shortly after sunset on Sunday, the 3d instant.,
considerable excitement and alarm were created at
Lisbon in consequence of the violent ringing of
fireballs belonging to the different ships at anchor
in the Tagus, and a report being raised that a large
steamer was on fire. The burning ship proved to
be the Baron de Caters, Captain James Carter, from
Madeira. Captain Woodgates, of the Alhambra
steamer, which was fortunately anchored near,
immediately despatched three boats, with his
officers and crew, to their assistance, with J. Tylor
and Sons' invaluable portable pump, which was
worked from the boat alongside with great effect.
At one time it was feared the ship would not be
saved, but by the indefatigable exertions of Capt.
Carter and the Alhambra's crew the conflagration
was extinguished after four hours' hard pumping,
but not before several hundred pounds' worth of
stores, sails, &c., had been consumed, or more or
less damaged. The fire would seem to have origi•
nated in the forehold, but the cause was unknown.
The ship is insured at Lloyd's. On the following
morning Captain Carter went on board the Alham-
bra, and in warm terms publicly thanked Captain
Woodgates, his officers and crew, for their timely
and valuable aid.
The Alhambra left Lisbon on the 7th instant,
when the Cortes were still discussing the Lisbon
and Oporto Railway contract, and not likely to
come to a decision for some days.
The new postal convection between England and
Portugal has been signed, reducing the postage of
a single letter to Bd., half paid in England and
half in Portugal, instead of ls. 9d., hitherto paid
on both sides.
The want of rain continued in Portugal, to the
great injury of the harvest prospects for all kinds of
grain. The heat had for several days been equal
to that usual in June.
London bills were scarce upon the Lisbon Ex-
change, and ruled at 531 for three months ; Paris,
532 ; Amsterdam, 421 ; Hamburg, 471 ; and Genoa,
528. Considerable purchases of stock had been
made, and caused the Three per Cents. to rise as
high as 481: to 2, registered ; Coupons, 47-1 to ;
Deferred, 32 to 321.
Bank of Portugal shares, 7 to 8 per cent. pre-
mium ; Bank of Oporto shares, 28 to 26 do.

SARDINIA.

The following despatch has been addressed by
Count Cavour to the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Sar-
dinian Minister in London :
" TURIN, MARCH 21.
" Monsieur le Marquis,—The Government of
Russia has just made a formal proposition to sub-
mit the Italian question to a Congress of the Great
Powers.
" I hasten, M. le Marquis to make known to you
the views of the Government of the King in this
respect.
" Sardinia has no objection to make against the
.meeting of a Congress, which taking into con-
sideration the interests and the just complaints of
the Peninsula, would take upon itself to give a
pacific and satisfactory solution of the difficulties
which deservedly attract the serious attention of
Europe. But the Cabinet of Turin believes at the
same time that Piedmont ought to be represented
at this Congress, and it is persuaded that its inter-
vention would be useful, not to say indispensible,
if the Powers which show a proved sympathy for
Italy, and those which desire to obviate the danger
of the abnormal state of the Peninsula, think they
can render prevalent a system more conformable to
justice by obtaining concessions and guarantees of
a nature to calm the public mind.
" Sardinia enjoys the confidence of the unhappy
populations whose fate is about to be decided ; she
has already raised her voice in their favour at the
Congress of Paris, and that voice was not only,
listened to by the most enlightened Governments of
Europe, but it has succeeded in calming vexations
and angers ready to burst forth ; it has disarmed
revolution, substituting for it the regular and legal
action of diplomacy.
" Sardinia, in taking the lead of the national
movement, has always exercised the influence it had
acquired to combat openly revolutionary passions ;
instead of exciting the minds of men soured by
suffering and deceptions, it endeavoured to keep
them within bounds, and to lead them to a more
healthy appreciation of the events and obstacles
which delayed the fulfilment of their legitimate
desires. We may openly declare it : If Italy has
not been the theatre of new troubles lately, if we
have not to deplore insane popular movements,
followed by sanguinary reaction, it is to the salutary
action and prudent attitude of Piedmont that it
must in a great measure be attributed.
" As regards the questions which ought to form
the object of the deliberations of the Congress, the
Cabinet of London is cognizant of the view taken
of them by the Government of the King. In the
memorandum of the Ist of March it has frankly
explained its views, it has pointed out the griev-
ances of the Peninsula, it has indicated the repara-
tions they require. That explanation has been
communicated to the Court of London, and it met
with a favourable reception. Lord Malmesbury
has admitted the moderation of Sardinia, and has
rendered homage to her good faith. Thus, whether
by its general conduct since the affairs of Italy have
taken the first place in the cares of Europe—whether
by its declarations clearly formulated as regards the
points which now appear to render an immediate
solution necessary, the British Government ought
to be convinced that the Court of Sardinia will
lend a sincere support to all measures which the
high united Powers in Congress may propose in the
interest of Italy.
" I like to flatter myself, therefore, that the
Cabinet of London will, without difficulty, admit
tinh eoie propriety
Congress
proposed Sardinia
b.y
th
uo
susl
idra
.vbae represented
de
" With this object in view, I beg ot.f M.
Marquis,
Malmesbury,
copy
oof this
tom submitdeea
despatch
the
het aboveh ma ma observations
leaving with him
" C. CAVOUR:'