The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-25 00:00:00

ERS MAILS

OPENING OF THE ORDINARY SESSION
OF TIIE STATES-GENERAL FOR 1844-45.
THE HAGUE, OCT. 21.—This ceremony took place
to-day, according to the programme which has been
published. At one o'clock his Majesty the King left
the palace, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses
the Princes, and a brilliant staff. Wherever his
Majesty passed he was received with acclamations
by the immense crowd which thronged the streets
through which the procession passed. On ar-
riving at the palace of the States-General the
King was introduced to the House by the Com-
mittee appointed for that purpose. His Majesty,
standing before the throne, delivered the following

speech :
" Noble and Mighty Lords,—l am happy to be
able to give you, on resuming your labours, the
assurance that the general situation of the country
presents, in many respects, a favourable appearance.
" Our political relations are satisfactory.
" The navy and the army continues to meet my
approbation.
" A part of our naval force is successfully engaged
in the suppression of piracy in the Indian Archi-
pelago.
" The army, though considerably reduced in num-
ber, is animated with the best spirit, and endeavours
to distinguish itself by its good discipline.
" The building and completion of new men-of-
war proceeds regularly.
"Necessity commands us to employ all the means
in our power to repair and improve the works for the
defence of the country.
"The communal guard will receive a new orga-
nisation which, without being too burdensome to the
nation, will render its service more effectual in

time of danger.
" Notwithstanding some partial failures of the
crops, our East Indian possessions enjoy tranquillity
and prosperity.
" I regret that our West Indian colonies continue
in a languishing state; however, means have been
proposed to me to recover them, the applicability
of which must be judged of on the spot.
" Some branches of manufacture are improving,
while others feel the influence of unfavourable cir-
cumstances. The Government endeavours, as far as
in its power, to give them the best directions possible.
"Primary instruction is the constant object of my
solicitude. The arts and sciences are cultivated with
zeal and success, and it is a pleasing duty to me to
second, as far- as the means are at my disposal at
present, the eftbrts of those who devote themselves to

them.
" The communications which will be made to you
from me will prove to you the scrupulous fidelity,
worthy of the highest praise, with which my beloved
subjects, fulfilling the obligations which they have
imposed on themselves, with- unparalleled alacrity
have made sacrifices to meet the wants of the State.
" The Almighty has given his blessing to these

sacrifices.
"In a few months a voluntary reduction of the
interest has procured a considerable saving.
" An advantageous convention has been also con-
cluded with respect to the Belgian debt.
"The results have considerably exceeded the esti-
mates which served as the basis of the plans adopted
in the last session of the States-General.
" The budgets which will be brought before you
will prove to you that the Government does not stop
in the course of retrenchment.
"The tariff of import, export, and transit duties,
already provisionally communicated to you, will now
become a subject of your deliberation.
"Holland will not confine itself to bare words,
when the successive improvements of our commercial
legation shall have to be considered.
"It will be necessary, seriously to attend to the
reform of our monetary system. I cherish the hope
that it may be effected without an augmentation of
the public burdens. ,
" Your High Mightinesses will . receive the pro-
posals on this subject, as well as those the tendency
of which is to simplify more and more the administra-
tion of the finances.
" I trust that the projects of law which will be
presented to you, by virtue of Art. 6 of the funda-
mental law, will answer the object in the best manner.
"I will not draw your attention to the other pro-
jects of law which will be presented to you in the
course of this session. The Government does not
cease to prepare everything which is necessary to
answer the zeal with which the States-General attend
to the interests of the country.
"I implore the blessing of God on the task which
we have to fulfil for the welfare of the country—that
happy in the enjoyment of order, peace, and prosperity
—to develop those virtues which have always charac-
terised the Dutch people.
" I declare the present session of the States-General
to be opened."
FLUSHING, OCT. 19.—We hear with great pleasure
that the Government intend that considerable work
shall be commenced in the spring in the harbour of
Breskens, near Fort Frederick Henry, which must
give employment to many workmen.
Three gun-boats have sailed from the Scheldt to
Helvoetsluys for sailors to man the Ceres frigate,
which is under orders for the East Indies.
THE HAGUE, Ocr. 21.—His Majesty has appointed
M. A. Van Gennep, President of the. First Chamber
for this session.
, The Second Chamber will commence its operations
to-morrow—first, with examining the validity of the
elections of the new members ; second, with choosing
three candidates, of whom the -King will select one,
as President of the Chamber. .
DUTCH FUNDs.—Amirraarlaw, Oar. 22.
Money. Rills.
eel's, nait, 2% per Cent 6254 63
Ditto, ditto, 3 per Cent.
1)ilto, ditto, 4 per Cent. • 96 665(
DAte oitto 5-per cent.
A uteit Syndic, 4% per cent te% se%
Ditto, ditto, 354 per cent....
Commercial Company, 4% per cent .....
Loan 1837, 5 per cent. .. 26% 96x
Exchange on London, Onemonth ....« l2 125{,
Two months. ....
Ha.mburgh. One nixnth
Two months 35 43%
Dutch Papers, Ost. 23.
. HAMBURGH BORSENHALLE, OCT. 19.
1 Bills. Money.
Austrian 5 per Cents. ....... .••••••«•• ..... •••••••••• 113
Bank Shares.—..a. . ............ pose« ....... ••••••,•••••• 1640
Anglo-Russian .1n 1143(
Russian 5 per Cent., let series, Certificate...- 1054 105
Inscription, Ist series luss(
Russian a per Cent. Hope and Co., 3d and 4th
___.

---Series. ....»....«•......N• 0000 . 00000000000 994
Ditto in Certificates 99
Ne‘' 4 per Cent. (1840).............. 91%
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent. ..... 6:% 61%
Ditto 5 per Cent. ........
Anglo-Vanish Loan, 3 per
Spanish. klew 5 per ..... 16%
Polish Bonds... ........ •••••••••••••.••........•..•••••••••••
New
BELGIAN FUND3.—Banassits, OCT. 21.
Actua Debt, 2% per Cent, ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent...................... 102
Loan of Thirty Miltions, Four per Cent..... 98%
Three per Cent.•.........
Thirty-seven Millie ns, ditto ................
..... 104 S
1844.."......................................... 1042 i
Loan of City, 1843, Four per Cent. ...........»:....... 102%
Society of Commerce, Four and a Half per Cent.
• Bank of Belgium, Fiveper Cent ...... 60%
Issue of 1841 .. .. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • •••••• •
Brussels Papers, Oct. 22.

OUTRAGE IN MADEIRA.—The Sierra San Antonio,
a mountain district of Madeira, has recently been given
up to pillage under the following circumstances:—On
the evening of the 16th of September fourteen police-
men, some armed and others intoxicated, attempted to
seize Nicolao Vieira, a Portuguese, who, about eighteen
months ago, had joined the Scottish communion. Their
only authority was a warrant, not signed as required by
law. Under these circumstances Nicolao refused to
follow them until it should be light. His neighbours
rallied round him; and, after some altercation, but with
out a blow being struck by either side, the police re-
tired. On the 23d of September, fifty soldiers, com-
manded by Captain Oliveira, proceeded, under pretence
of seizing the offenders, to pillage the district. Some
of the houses were gutted, others stripped of their va-
luables, the live stock was killed, and the inhabitants
either taken prisoners or obliged to fly. The houses of
two English merchants, Messrs. Burnett and Ellicott,
were filled with women flying from the violence of the
soldiery. It was not till•the pillage had continued three
days that those gentlemen obtained, by their urgent re-
monstrance, an order to restrain the 'soldiers. Twenty-
two prisoners were brought round in a frigate and
lodged in Funchal gaol: The illegal signature of the
warrant would have justified any resistance, while the
circumstance that no blows were struck clearly proves
how trifling it actually was. The pillage was witnessed
by several English gentlemen who visited the spot, and
its effects are still visible to all who go to the Sierra.
Ten of the prisoners belong to the family of Maria
Joaquina, who is still in prison under sentence of death.
A VAN UPSET IN CHEArslDE.—Wednesday after-
noon, about five o'clock, a (earful accident occurred in
Cheapside, by the upsetting of a large covered van, which
was rue against by a waggon, and overturned across the
foot-pavement at a time wheh it was thronged with pas-
sengers. Fortunately they contrived to get out of the
way before it fell upon them. The van was on the wrong
side of the way at the time.
The Berlin journals announce a great rise in the
price of cotton goods in Prussia, and add that the manut-
factures in that country are in the most prosperous state.