5 JULY 1845, Page 7

Iforrign antr ToIonial.

Fuerica.—The two Chambers have been occupied chiefly with matters of local interest. On Friday, however, there was a discussion on a bill demanding 10,000,000 francs for expenses relative to the naval division to be maintained on the Western coast of Africa in fulfilment of the recent. treaty with this country. M. Denis objected to the treaty, that it did not secure parity of position for France; asked whether France would also take steps to repress the trade on the Eastern coast; and asserted that the slave-trade is still carried on there by the English, so that if that power alone were charged with its repression, it never could be repressed at all. M. Guizot replied, that whereas on the Western coast of Africa France is bound to employ twenty-six cruisers, on the Eastern coast she can em- ploy as many as she likes; and that in fact the advantage is altogether on her side in that quarter: there are eight French vessels employed there now. M Dupin foresaw difficulties for France in the different interpretation put by Eng- land and the United States on the right of visit; the United States altogether denying the right, England asserting it. M. Guizot replied, that to ascertain the true nationality of a vessel, is not so much a" right " as a necessity in the police of the seas. England and the United States have come to a kind of middle term respecting it, by means of the instructions issued to their cruisers. The United States say, that they never claimed for their flag that it could protect vessels having no title to hoist it, and that the intrusion on really American vessels is matter for appeal to the law-courts either in England or America; while England claims to visit vessels to ascertain their nationality, but admits that the pretension must be exercised at her own risk and peril. The bill was adopted. On the same day, in discussing the budget of expenses, (public works,) M. Havin proposed an additional article, declaring that " every nomination in the order of the Legion of Honour be published in the .lfoniteur, and reasons assigned for such appointment." His object in bringing forward this proposition was, he said, to prevent the cross being distributed as a sort of electoral money Ministers acceded to the amendment; which was regarded as a sort of triumph by the-Opposition. Forerun-AL.—The Lisbon mail of the 26th June has been received. Preparations were making for the elections; one preliminary being the dismissal of a number of public functionaries and the appointment of others, chiefly administradors and law-officers of the Crown. "A rather dexterous electioneering movement," we are told; by the correspondent of the Times, " has been just taken by Government, in inviting the mercantile body of Oporto to propose candidates; of whom the Go- vernment engages its influence to return three or four as Deputies to serve in the Cortes. The Oporto merchants have accordingly chosen twelve names, from whom the Central Election Commission will make its selection. This movement was designed to counteract the bad effect of the Government's unsatisfactory exhibition in its tariff negotiation with England; and the election at Oporto will still be warmly contested." The same writer mentions an expectation which throws some collateral light on the importance of the repulse just given by Lord Aberdeen to the Duke of Soto- mayor. The late demand made by the Spanish Government to have the sugars of Cuba and Puerto Rico admitted into England at the lowest rate of duties, under the treaty of Utrecht, will have an important effect on our reciprocity' iiego- tiations with Portugal. As that demand appears irresistible, any favour conceded to Portuguese wines must be immediately extended to those of Spain under the most favoured nation' clause • and the value of the concession would thus be greatly, impaired. The Portuguese will therefore be probably less anxious than heretofore to conclude a tare convention with us. But ifEngland, according to a rumour which has lately reached Lisbon, should resolve to effect a simultaneous reduction in the duty upon all wines indiscriminately, it will be in the highest degree quixotic to expect that Portugal, thus rescued from a stringent com- pulsion, will abate one jot of her tariff pound of flesh." Ttrincay.—Letters from Constantinople, of the 17th June, are filled with accounts of the %Ms and rejoicings to celebrate the marriage of the Sultan's ma' ter, the Sultana Adileh, with Mehemet Ali, Pasha of Tophana. They lasted for three weeks, and were on a scale of Oriental magnificence; finishing with a novelty. in Constantinople, the representation of an Italian opera, at the Palace of Desterdar Borneo. " The theatre was constructed in the internal garden of the harem; • and the back of it touched the windows of the women, which thus opened on the stage. Near the wall, and on a high platform, sat the Sultan, wearing a greatcoat, having an opera-glass in his hand, and watching with evident interest what was passing on the stage. Below him, and on the sides, but out of the Sultan's sight, were Rim Pasha, Mehemet Alt Pasha, and Reschid Pasha; there were also seats for the officers of the Palace; and the eunuchs and other servants were stationed in the side scenery. All the artists of the Pere Theatre contri- buted to the eclat of the soirée; which consisted of a hymn in honour of the Sultan, composed by M. Donizetti, leader of his Highness's band, and sung by all the members of the dramatic corps and chorus—of the prologue to Lucrezia Borgia, the basso air in the same opera, the introduction to the Giuramento, the mad-scene of Columella, the buffs cavatina in Matilde di Schabran, the finale of the same opera, the cemetery duet in the Giuramersto., the tenor's aria in Roberto Devereux, and the finale to the first act of Parisina. The several pieces were executed in appropriate costumes. The iepresentation lasted from half-past eight to eleven. The utmost darkness prevailed in the apartments of the women; and they might have retained the strictest incognito, had they not be- trayed their presence by repeated bursts of loud laughter, provoked by the drollery of the buffo. M. Donizeth (the brother of the eminent composer) stood by the Sultan, and explained to him the several scenes. It is affirmed that several foreigners, who were anxious to be present, assumed the costumes of members of the chorus, and thus witnessed a specticle far more interesting than the Italian opera- The Sultan is said to have been quite delighted with the performance." Svara.—Advices from Beyrout come down to the 7th June. The civil war bad ceased since the 23d May. The Druse and Maronite leaders had met at Beyront at the request of the Consuls, signed a suspension of hostilities, and were engaged in devising means of accomphshing a general pacification. During those desperate straggles, though they lasted lees than a month, above a hundred villages are stated to have been burnt down, and 1500 persons to have perished. The aisturimices are imputed to the intrigues of the Shebab family to regain power. The Dresses are said to have obtained the ascendancy; and no confidence is placed in the continuance of the trucr lienta.—The mail has brmOt intelligence from Bombay up to the 20th Mar and from China to the 16th March. The Victoria steamer left Bombay on the 21st May, and arrived at Suez on the 11th of June; having sailed eleven days in advance, to avoid the monsoon. There is nothing new from China; and from India the news is unimportant. The communication with Scinde was for the present cut oft The neighbouring robber tribe of Bhoogties had returned to their old trade again, plundering all around. The Ameer of Cabool is said openly to have abandoned all idea of invading the Peshawar; and the kingdom of Ode is fast approaching a state of anarchy, suggesting the necessity of British inter- vention.

Wear INDIES.—By the Medway steamer we have papers from Jamaica to the 5th Jane; The rains had fallen so heavily as to inundate several _parishes; and the dwelling) of the tar classes were in numerous instances considerably under water. Several lives been lost; there was some amount of property destroyed, and two or three hundred of goats were carried away by the flood. The amide; however, were in good spirits; as the Indian Coolies were working well, and there was every reason to expect that when a larger number arrived they would prove a most important means of restoring the prosperity of the island. From the other Colonies the accounts are generally favourable. Max:max—The Morning Post says, " From a source which is entitled to credit we learn the important fact, that the prospect of a speedy termination of all diffi- culties of a serious nature between the United States and Mexico, and of the effectual removal of even a chance of a war, is now such as to leave no room what.. ever for apprehension on the subject." The Post goes on to explain, that the late Mexican Envoy to the United States, General Almonte, has always entertained the most friendly feelings towards the United States, expressed by letter to Mr. Henry Wikoff, of New York, a writer on " the Texas-Mexico question": Mr. Wikoff has obtained from his Government a semi-official authority to reciprocate General Almonte's friendly expressions with overtures that are likely to lead to a settle- ment of existing differences. " It may be added, that there is a strong probability of General Almonte being sooner or later exalted to the position of Chief Magis- trate of Mexico." The West Indian steamer brings intelligence that Santa Anna had been re- leased from the Castle of Perote, after a sort of mock trial. He was sentenced to be banished from Mexico for life. The Medway shipped him at the river Antigua, about fourteen miles from Vera Cruz, whither he had arrived under an escort from the existing Government. He was afraid of trusting himself in Vera Cruz, on account of popular feeling running high against him. He was accom panied by his wife, brother-in-law, stepfather, nephew, and daughter. His wife, who is only sixteen years of age, is represented as a remarkably pretty and inter- esting woman, and seemed to feel the degraded position of her husband very keenly. The fallen President seemed pretty well at ease. He brought an im- mense quantity of luggage on board, and about 20,000 dollars in specie. He landed at Havana; but what his future intentions were, or whither he meant to bend his steps, no one knew. CANADA.—The mail-steamer Cambria, which left Halifax on the 18th June and Boston on the 16th, brings us no intelligence of importance from the United States; and not much from Canada, except an impressive address by a "Corre- sponding Committee" appointed in Quebec to procure aid for those who suffered from the late fire. The address gives a few touches of the picture- " One-third part of the extent of the city, and that the most populous, covering a space of a mile in length by liaLf a mile In breadth, now lying in ruins; 1,660 dwellings, two churches, an extensive ship-yard, several lumber-yards and wharfs, laid in ashes ; upwards of 12,000 people lett, in the course of a few hours, without house or home, or shelter, or food, or a change of clothing, or a bed to lie on, and without the means of procuring either except by the labour of their hands." " No human power was of any avail to arrest the conflagration ; so rapid was its advance that but little could be saved from the houses, and often life itself with difficulty ; many were overtaken In their flight by the flames, and perished. Many who rose in the morning in possession of com- petence, or even of comparative wealth, the frui t of many years of industry and economy, found themselves in a state of destitution before night closed upon them. A million of money will not replace, in several years, the value of the property destroyed ; nor can any correct estimate be now formed of the real extent of the calamity." " Every class of society has directly or indirectly, but effectually, been reached by the wide- spreading calamity: from the high public functionary to the pauper who walks the streets without a home, all feel its effects. The resources of alt to afford relief are im- paired ; and the case is in truth one beyond the resources of any such community as ours, in its best circumstances, to relieve. Not one-tenth part of the less sustained was covered by insurance ; and a large portion of that no covered was Insured In a Mutual Insurance Company in the suburb destroyed, whose whole means have been Swept away in one common ruin." The Committee state, that 11,0001. had been sub- ecribed lu Quebec, about 8,0001. In Montreal, and 2,0001. by the Provincial Govern- ment. "But the facts and considerations we have mentioned show how inadequate is this supply, even to the present immediate and most pressing necessity. Already has one-fourth of the money subscribed been exhausted in the supply of the daily wants of the thousands reduced to beggary." By this arrival, very great doubts are thrown upon the report that the Apollo troop-ship had been lost on the coast of Newfoundland before the 5th June: the vessel left Halifax on the 1st, on the voyage to Quebec; and the letters make not the slightest mention of such a disaster.