PORTUGAL. 



PRESBYTERIANS. 



interest on the public debt, which has grown 

 from 1,862,137 in 1866 to 2,450,758 in 

 1876. 



The Cortes was closed by a royal decree at 

 the beginning of April, after having had a quiet 

 si-isiiin. The House of Peers, just before the 

 closing, gave an expression of confidence in 

 the Government, the vote upon the same being 

 45 to 24 votes. 



The Opposition, or Liberal party of the coun- 

 try, have exhibited a moderate degree of ac- 

 tivity. On the 19th of March, the Opposition 

 members of the two Chambers, excluding the 

 Republican group, held a consultation upon the 

 propositions for constitutional reform, and other 

 measures which they intended to advocate. 

 On the 25th of March a demonstration of the 

 Democratic party was made in celebration of 

 the electoral victories which had been gained 

 by their sympathizers in France. About two 

 hundred persons took part in the affair, includ- 



ing several foreigners. Oliveira Marreca pre- 

 sided. The meeting had for a second object 

 the promotion of a union between the two 

 democratic parties of the country, the " Old " 

 and the " New " Democracy. 



Several provinces were suffering at the be- 

 ginning of the year from a scarcity of pro- 

 visions. The crops of the last year had failed 

 in consequence of the drought, and the present 

 season threatened to be still more unfavorable. 

 The Government was obliged to take measures 

 to furnish the poorer part of the population 

 with corn, and to see to the transportation of 

 the same. 



A financial crisis took place in May among 

 the weaker banks. It was relieved by the im- 

 portation of gold by the Government, and by 

 the discounting of the bills of the suffering 

 banks by the stronger concerns. The crisis 

 was renewed with greater intensity in the 

 middle of August, when the bills which had 



LISBON, FROM TUB SOUTH BANK OP THE TAC.US. 



been discounted for the weaker hanks had run 

 their course. As the condition of these banks 

 was not improved, the stronger banks refused 

 to renew their bills. The gold which had been 

 imported from England had been sent away 

 again by the operation of the high rate of ex- 

 change, and all the banks issuing notes in the 

 country were compelled to close. To relieve 

 the crisis, the Government issued a decree 

 authorizing the suspension of all engagements 

 for two months. 



In November, Senhor Bargona, Minister of 

 Justice, was succeeded in that office by Senhor 

 Avelino, Minister of Public Works. Senhor 

 Laurenco Carvalho, former Director of the 

 Douro Railway, was appointed Minister of Pub- 



lic Works. The Duke of Saldanha, embassy, 

 dor to the court of St. James, or Great Britain, 

 died in London in November. Senhor d'An- 

 tas, embassador to the Spanish court, was ap- 

 pointed to succeed him, and Count Balboni 

 was appointed embassador to the court of 

 Spain. 



PRESBYTERIANS. I. PRESBYTERIAN 

 CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

 The Presbyterian Church in the United States 

 had, in 1874, thirty-six synods, mostly in the 

 North, 172 presbyteries, 4,744 ministers, 5,077 

 churches, and 535,210 communicants. The fol- 

 lowing is a summary of the statistics of this 

 Church, as they were reported to the General 

 Assembly in May, 1876 : 



