The Sun. — London, England, 1869-02-25 00:00:00

1.44.• .44TERATIO2C 02 LIMIT Roma- ,SrIPPING. DEPUTATION TO THE BOARD or TRADE. Yesterday deputations from the Newcastle and Gateshead and other Chambers of Commerce, waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade in reference to the alteration of light dues DTI shipping. The deputation was introduced by Mr. HEADLAM, who briefly explained the objects which had carved them to leek the interview. Mr. HALL, of Newcastle, then proceeded to read portions sf a report which had been prepared on the subject by a select committee of which he was the secretary. This document stated that the committee "had had their atten tion directed, by almost every petition presented to the [louse, and by every witness who has come before them, 10 the question whether the expenses of maintaining the lighthouses of the United Kingdom should not be de frayed out of the public treasury, in the same manner as British consular charges in every Part of the world, viz., by an annual vote of Parlia ment. ganyof the witnesses state that, as carriers of goods, the shipowners should not be charged with the burden of that which ought to be considered a national establish ment, more than the manufacturer of cutlery, of cotton, or wool, or of any other article that forms part of their cargo. All are alike engaged in the national trade, and all ought to be contributors alike to maintain the lights, if contributions for that object be demanded from any branch, and they state, what appear to be valid reasons, why the maintenance of lights should be made a charge en the public treasury, as the consular expenses are, and not put upon the shipping alone. It is alleged, and with great justice, that the commercial shipping have hitherto borne the whole expense of the erection and maintenance of the lights, whilst the Royal Navy and revenue vessels have equally bad the benefit of the lights, but without any contribution from the public treasury towards their support. It is true that, whilst the profits from shipping were good, the shipowners thought little of the charge for lights and buoys, essential to tha safety of their ships, and they have been patient ander the burden of light dues, and have seldom troubled Parliament with complaints on this head; but, since freights have been lowered by com petition, the shipowners have found it absolutely necessary to employ every possible means of reducing the expense of sailing their ships, and therefore have of late looked for relief from the heavy burdens of light dues." After using further arguments of a similar nature the com mittee referred to the inexpediency of compelling any one section of the community to maintain an establishment kept up for purposes purely national, and concluded by recommending to the House, "That all expenses for the erection and maintenance of lighthouses, floating-lights, buoys, and beacons on the coast of the United Kingdom, be henceforth defrayed out of the public revenue, and that as the Trinity House has incurred a debt, under authority of 6 and 7 William IV., cap. 79, in purchasing the rights of private individuals for their leases and possession of light houses, the Government ought to take upon it that debt.' 'Upon the same day, the committee passed a resolution, That the amount paid for light dues presses heavily on th e commercial shipping of this country, erpecially in the coasting trade, and sound policy requires that every prac tical relief should be given.' Notwithstanding the forcible rec ommendations of this committee, which were even sup ported by the weight of Lord Palmerston's influence, no action whatever was taken to give effect to these views." Alt HALL referred to the great injustice which the ship ping interest felt was experienced by them in having to provide at their own expense those lights which were r eally for the benefit of the nation at large. _Mr. A LIIEUSEN strongly urged the justice and the policy of causing the gr ea t cos t i n v o lv e d to be borne by the whole trade of the community, which in reality was benefitted by it. Mr. CANDLISH, M.P., cited a number of statistics to °hew how very unequally the expense of maintaining the lights pressed unon shipowners. It was really the case that vessels which had the advantage of the lights never contributed anything towards the expenses they involved in their maintenance. He strongly urged that the nation should bear the expense. AIL GRAVES, ALP. for Liverpool, warmly supported the prayer of the deputation, and pointed out how beneficial It would be to the shipping interest if, as was the case in Prance, an alteration were made in the cost of light dues. Mr. BRIGHT : What, independent of light dues, is the cost of a ship coming into Liverpool? IVIr. GRAVES : About £75. Several other members of the deputation addressed Mr. Lowe and Mr. Bright; each of them adducing cogent reasons (at all events from their point of view) why the charge of light dues should be a national charge. Several of the speakers, amongst them Mr. Candlish, found fault with the constitution of the Trinity House which, it was remarked, was a self•elective body. Mr. LOWE first replied to the deputation, but gave its members very little encouragement. lie bad listened, he said, to the arguments brought forward by so - authoritative a body of men with the utmost atten tion, but he thought that some of their arguments were far from conclusive. It was L aid that the shipping interest ought not to bear the expense of the lights, but he Would remind them that, as a matter of fact, the expense Was not borne by the shipping interest. The members of that interest certainly had to pay the amount in the first instance, but it could not be disputed that it was returned to them by their customers. It ought to be borne in mind that if the expenses of the lights were charged to the national expenditure, some class other than that represented by the deputation would have to bear it. He Was afraid that it was impossible to hold out any promise, that, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he could recommend that the cost of providing and maintaining lights should be made a matter to be defrayed by the nation at large. Mr. BRIGHT, in the course of I:.s reply to the deputation, admitted that the views he had formerly entertained of the character and work of the Trinity House had been materially altered since he had been at the Board of Trade. The Trinity House had, he believed, got rid of many of its antiquated notions, and Was doing an important work. He was anxious that the deputation should know, what did not appear to be generally understood, that the Trinity House was under the control of the Board of Trade, 114 Could do nothing without its authority. Agree trerewith the Chancellor of the Exchequer that were many reasons why the cost of lights should not be m ade a national c h arge , h e was f re e to admit that the Inequality of the charges was unfair, and prepared to acknowledge that it was quite possible that some proper adjustment might be arrived at. No doubt it would be Well that the advantages enjoyed by other nations shouldbe enjoy e d b y t hi s coun t ry . H e was g l a d t o have met th e d eputation, and thought that good would come out to it. Her Majesty's Government had been made ItegkuLinted with several facts in connection with the xlnestion which should receive their best attention. Although the members of the press were admitted to 1 4 1 , 1 e intervi ew , i t was particularly requested that not a _lllt3le note a the proceedings should be taken, a request tilCh Was implicitly obeyed. The Church News states that Mr. Wainwright it. /13 longer the editor of the Record, having been sent to the right ab out. The bill brought in by Sir John Coleridge to re- Peal certain tests and alter certain statutes affecting the constitution of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, set down to come on for the second reading on Wednes •daY, the loth of March. Mr. Monk's bill to remove restrictions from certain officers employed in the collection and management of her azalosty's revenues, and to enable them to take part unre- Z r : a dly in the election of members to serve in Parliament, fl=ed f or second reading on Wednesday, the 17th March. The R ev. C. F. L ow d er , o f St. P e t er ' s . G rave l-l an e, h as r ece ived from the Bishop of London a copy of the moni -100 served upon Mr. Mackonochie, and has therefore given d lle ' ti ce that h e will make alterations in the mode of con cting his serv i ces, which hitherto have been of a very "adv anced" kind. ch Young man named C ar lton Ch an tl er h as b e e n utarged before the Lord Mayor with forging and u ter ing numerous cheques amounting to upwards of £4OO. was servant at the house of a lady, and bad obtained Pos se salo n of her check book, forging her name and cashing th e check s in the usual way. 22 The following curious telegram, di,t2d Pere, Feb. a _ lB Published in the Gazdoisi :—" The Russian Ambassador ~.toßerlin, Laving ' 14 • 24i n . te lately given a ball in honour of Prince negro, invited all the foreign Mitiisters. The Tnrl.ish water alone not having been invited, the Porte has re quested of this-0...0 Comission. of St. Petersburg to explain the cause mission. o T r‘A Lytton has written a letter to the treasurer of 3 t he fund f or the widow and children cf the late Ernest ; 1 7", mad h asdeclared his willingness to contribute £1) to f und ab out to be raised. He add 3 that he honours any s„at et con tent ad vocates the cause of his convictions in a con, t manner, and that h e i s lik ew i se i nc l uce d to lend his laiiterOanryacr:Zit of the freemasonry which should exist among irrespect've of political differences of opinion. The • nonanation for the Radnor district of roughs, rend ered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Richard Gree n aor Price, t ook place yesterday at the Town-hall, New • After each candidate had addressed the electors, the hi gh bailiff of the borough called for a show of hands, " ri al , h he declared to be in favour of the Marquis of Ilar- T,!:". A poll was demanded ou behalf of Mr. Phillips. bone is fixed for to-morrow. i~~~ a w ere ege t ci coinreel a fford P rt the sPe ake- b d : ninK, his 6'l , A ld e mbers Bm ' Sir Stafr.or. ncorPor s"" that tbel Hers .on and to re; r es eut .1811.4 4 . IP , IRE 27;z0VIDILN'T CLERZS" BEVEVOLEXT FUND. The 28th annual general meeting of the membcrs and friends of this fund was hell yesterday even ing, at the Loudon Tavern, IliShopsgate-street, John Abel Smith, Ill : , in the chair. Mr. Win. Thomas Linford, the secretary, read the advertisement convening the meeting and the following report : "The directors of the Provident Clerks' Benevelett Fund have the pleasure to present to the members and friends of the fund their 28th annual report. Tho income of the fund for 1868 was :--From subscrip tions and donations, £1,699 18s. ; icterest on invest- bonus Clerk' ola M m u Mutual Life menu,ers' rr,aon4ce9ss. i O n d. ; t he prop P o i r .e t v io id n en o t f ' Life Assurance Association, £2,238 17s. Od.; total, £5,413 ss. 6d. Pursuant to the resolution of the last annual general meeting an election of seven annuitants took place on the 28th May, 1868, when two clerks and five widows were elected, whose annuities amounted collectively to £165 per annum. Three annuities have fallen in by death during the year, and there are now upon the fund 99 an nuitants, viz. :-18 clerks and 81 widows, whose annuities amount to £1,960 per annum. The board have much plea sure in calling attention to the sum received from the bonus of the assured members ; hut even in this direction they feel that much less is dune by the clerks as a body than might reasonably be expected, or the amount in question would be very largely augmented. The board are now enabled to recommend that seven additional annuitants be elected during the current year. A resolu tion to this effect will be submitted to the meeting. A suns of money having been left by the late Richard Goodwin Marner, Esq., for distribution among charitable institu tions, at the discretion of his executors, the claims of this fund were laid before those gentlemen, who kindly allotted fifty guineas to it. This amount has now been received, and will appear in the accounts of the current year. The synopsis of the London charities, lately published in the Times, will doubtless have attracted the attention of many members and friends of this fund. It is a source of much gratification to the Board to find that, in economy of management, or, in other words, in the application of its income to the real objects of the institution, the Provi dent Clerks' Benevolent Fund stands very nearly at the head of the charities of this metropolis." The CHAIRMAN said it then became his duty to move the reception and adoption of the report that had just been read, and, according to Lis usual practice, he would just say a few words before doing so, but they would be of the old character— congratulation on all that was connected with the management, and condolence with the members upon the indifference with which the public gene rally looked on that singular charity. (Hear, hear.) Previous to entering that room he had asked their excellent secretary if ever, even once, the name of their fund had been mentioned in the way of legacy, and he confessed he did not hear the reply with ar:y surprise, informing him that nothing of the kind had ever occurred. lie must say it did appear to him strange that, iu the life branch of the associa tion, with upwards of 10,000 a , surers, it should never have been left one single legacy. Bat this he would say, that they had done very well without it—that they had averted a great amount of misery from those for whom they ought to feel the greatest sympathy. (Hear, hear.) He should ever feel the greatest interest in the prosperity of the fund, his belief of its usefulness, and his conviction that if all the clerks helped it more than they did at present it would do even ►core good than it di I. He was extremely glad that all went on satisfac torily to those who founded the fund, and he felt assured that it would obtain increased support the wore its usefulness became known. He trusted those iu the city would take the fund up in a manner that its great benevolent object deserved, and he would resume his seat by formally moving the reception of the report. The motion having been seconded was put from the chair, and carried unanimously. Mr. R. 11. JONES, the chairman of the board of directors, said it was now his pleasing duty to move a resolution authorising the election of seven a•l -ditional annuitants on the fund on:the 27th of May next. (Cheers.) It was a great happiness to know that they well kept up their position, and that they might vie with any society of the same description in the metropolis, and the moving annually the re solution it was his privilege to do was one of the most pleasing occupations he could be placed in. Those who founded it thought the benevolent fund would take the lead, but they had been disappointed, as the life assurance had taken a very great stride over it, but still they had not been de ficient in doing good. A reference to a few figures would uct be out of place at the meeting, because they would show what had been done towards assisting those who stood in need. Since the foundation they had granted 2,350 loans, to the extent of £47,000 ; that fact in itself showed that some work had been done, because the money had been lent out in sums of £5, £lO, and £2O. (Hear, hear.) They had given away £3,600, and paid to annuitants £18,296. Those were large figures, but he wished to do more; but, as that de pendel on the clerks themselves, all he could do was to urge upon them the consideration of a fund that did so great an amount of good. (Cheers.) Mr. PRICE seconded the motion. Ile wished to add his appeal to that of their respected friend, Mr. Jones, but he did not make it to those present, but to the outside public, who did not support the fund in the way they ought. The clerks of that great and wealthy metropolis ought to do more than they did for such a noble and benevolent fund, and he hoped next year he should have the satisfaction of announcing that his appeal had not been dis regarded. The motion was carried unanimously. __ ........ ............. ___ _ Mr. JEPPS moved A vote_ of thanks to their re spected, he might say beloved, treasurer, John Abel Smith, Esq.— (cheers)—and to the trustees , Thos. Baricg, Esq., M.P., R. W. Crawford, E , q., M.P., Thomson Hankey, Esq., and Baron L. N. de Roths child, M.P. Mr. DAWSON said he felt it a privilege to second such a resolution. The motion was carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, said, on be half of the trustees and himself, he thanked them for the compliment paid them. He thought the absence of all the trustees was a great compliment to them, because by that it showed they knew their affairs were well managed and safe, and therefore they did not come to the meeting. He knew that they all felt the liveliest interest in the prosperity of the fund—(cheers) and they might rest assured that if any hole or flaw existed in its management, such an anxious-minded man as Mr. Thomas Baring would soon he there. For himself he was very glad he had been of use to them, and he might at once say that his connec tion with the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund would be one of the most agreeable reflec tions of a long and busy life. With respect to charitable institutions, it was one of the cry ing evils of the time that where such enormous sums were collected so much of it should be ab sorbed in management expenses. (Hear, hear.) That being so, he did hope that they would not under value the care and prudence that so greatly marked the contrary side, and which were so vividly shown in their admirable institution. Mr. COLEMAN moved the thanks of the meeting be given to their medical officers. Dr.T. W. Jones, and Messrs. John Gay and Alfred Smee, for their gratuitous services. The CHAIRMAN, before putting the resolution, said these gentlemen had for eight-and-twenty years given their gratuitous services to the fund, and it showed a generosity and devotion to a principle rarely met with. (Cheers.) O❑ the motion of Mr. MisroN, seconded by Mr. DYER, a vote of thanks was given to the auditors. The CHAIRMAN then moved a cordial and hearty vote of thanks to the board of management for carefully, faithfully, and successfully discharging the duties confided to them. Mr. JONES returned thanks, and add the board felt greatly obliged for the compliment paid them. Mr. LLOYD then, in very eloquent terms, moved a vote of thanks to the chairman. He must be permitted to say that he did not think the 10,000 assurers, who were mostly clerks, were to blame for the want of legacies. Many of them did not get the salaries of skilled artizans—(hear, hear). — and then it must not be forgotten that they sub scribed a portion of their profits to the fund every year in addition to their annual subscription. Ile did not know that it was a discredit to the clerks that their fund had not yet received any legacies—. . (hear, hfaar)'—but it did seem strange that none came from the charitable people who annually-gave so intath for the alleviation of misery and distress. The reason, he believed, was that their fund was not well kn iwn—it was not placed before them ; but if they could only get the great solicitors, those ho were actively engaged in drawing wills— (hear, hear)—to speak favourably fur them then their claims might be largely recognized. The Chairman having returned thanks the busi ness terminated. . ..- .. ",- - . ta .„,- • , ~•e: "; -la 7: D . ,. Deg., 6 per Cent. l'-'''''''"" Do. Bonds, 4 par Cent £1 •• • , 000 '" , ronEIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. A.r felltiu, !Lei:Lb:ie., ti per Vent.... Du., Scrip 4:45 paid .....• .i tt 'Mat, 1;011kIn 0 per cent Do. 1853 — Br tziliatt •-, per Cent — )). tk }er Cent. 1852 — Do. do. 18 . .8.... ............. - Do. de. 186 ...... . . Do. do., tb6o — Do. 5 per Cent., 1865 , to Account Bl B •enos Ayres 6 per Cent. Do 2 per Cent. (Deferrsd 3 per Cent — Ca ,a, 6 per Cent. o...•itau 6 per Cent. — • :•. 44 per Cent Do. 3 per Cent., Lo. 6 per ce •t. 1867 — I'o. 7 per Cent., 1866 0 le -tbian, 6 per Cent. Dan su, 3 por Cent., 1825 Dan ,luian Principalities, 7 ter Cent 7°4 D , 8 per Cent., 1867 — qualor NOW Consolidated, 1 per Cent. E,yytian, 7 per Omit... .. ............... .••••• .10 Se,ood Issue , .0. £5 , t, Bonds — D0..£100 Bonds Du. ' 1864 • Do. Account Do. £5OO Bonds D0..£106 Bonds 904 English Scrip, 1868 754.64 Do do. £45 pd — . dis Government Railway Debentures Gree IL 5 per Coat., 1824 - 5, ox Coups — 1.)0. deecunt - a 00. Coupons - Do. Account 3 tart-mutts 5 per Cent „. — HondurasGov.Rail. Loan., lop. Ct., all pd tt *Lieu o pet cert., 1865 — 'O. Account i ... — Do Maremmaua Railway — %texlcar. 3 per Cent — Ditto for Account Do. 1864 — Do A per Cont. Anglo-French — outevidean 6 per Cent. •• — 4a Dristi imperial 5 per Cent Vow Granada lsi i Do 3 per Oen — Do. Deferred Peruvian 5 per Cent. 1865 — Do Account ... .. 781 Do 44 per Cent. (Uribarron) Do 44 per Cent., 1.86.t:-.. ....... .•• Do 21.eevuut O7 Portuguese 3 per Ct., 1853, '6, 7,'9,'60,'2,': 361 7 !Do. do. 1867 Do. do. Scrip, £2O paid .- 1t It lssian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ S t Do 41 per Cent • 1850 Do 44 per Cent., 1860 Do 3 per Cent., 1859 Do 5 per Cent., 1862 ....... Do. Anglo-Dutch, 18 61 , £lOO 80nd5.,,, Do. do. £B4 15s. do — Do., 1866, £lOO Bonds Do. do £B4 15s. do — Do Nicolas Railway 661 Sar ;on:to a per Cent — SpanAt 3 per CCII . Do. A ef.fAint - Do. 1867 Do. Account Do. New befell - ea Do. Account . , Do. Patisive ..• — Do. Cont. Cert. of Coup. not fuoded LIST, A.rd 4./.) 11 _ _ Do. Account _ Swedish Pr d o o :incial s 3 e l r o i r p t ......... ... 1 . :0 .. a . n .. . ...... . ii --__ pm. Do Government, 1864 ................. -.— Do do, 1868 — Do Tur.ish 6 per Cent; ............. .. ............. 8: uo Account Do 6 per Cent. 1838 ..................... 'Jo Account w „. --- -- 66} D D DDI) 0 0000 5 1A61: le p pl(eU e et ; r 1). u,ll3B 3 u3 e ooeL ti nun t :(ll .. ss, 1865 D . Account Do 6 per Cent., 1663 .................... — • 65i 1 Venezuela . Do ij l ft t i e c r i 3 ( N 3 y e: et i rr t r . z , ten G e tnus Cent r .l a i. . u e. e t . e .t .:. d r. e. :. ). Do. Ace. ant Do 6 per Cont. 1804 ................... Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Divideuus on the above pay:tole in Loudon. lustrisu o per Cent. Ex 10 Florins ttelgian, 44 per cent., Lx. 25f. .......... _ Dutch -4. per Cent. Ex. 12 th i p., Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates ~... ... Do. Account ................................. -- French Rentes, 3 per Cont., Ez. 251 ...... Italia), 5 per tent. 1831, 1-1:i. zsi. ......... 5 61 Do Account ...... 1 CLOSING PRICES. Jou.so!s, Money 93 Do. Account, March 4 93 Tri.r 8 ,17 1 ! 1401`11)0T, tVticiNC, FEBRUARY 25, 1'60: ANLi•STOCtita. nusines , a rot. at linscol awl Es.eter ...... 10_ ;9 Si it t.;ALCUOLI.rtia 110 13 a el)tri*V4ll.• Luoiiu s 11,eitdkl. IV br $1 bui,L'er tn. A.o.J 2 . EaLit .5 2 , Do 10 Glasgow 4 S. Western 9B 101 .1. Ureat Eaitern 571 86 38 7i .t Do. E. Angl. 50. 4 V. 0 7 9 st Orrit Ziortnoi Scotlaut:— 10U 15 6 et Great Non:Aura lOO 1121 Ilia 113 st Du. A stuck it LW. LI stuck lOO 121 1.7 at tits, and W. of treisuu IUi. r 7 9 ix , tit- Western —Original lOO 414 49 '4:l Do. boutn Wales lc° 5; 59 s. Do. W. Alid..—vslord lOO 27 29 s • Do. :Newport t oo Cl) II st Laueashirea Yin ltshirs lOO 271 .284 at Lou., Brigli.,4 S.Coast IOU 51 511 0) Do Scrip st Lou., enat., and Duvri Wu ICI 17 st 1)o. .3letrop. Ex. A lOO - 4 Len. dt Norili Western IOU 184 11s4 .1 Lun. 4 out Western lO 9, 9.4 it Mau., Snel., at Lincoln too 64 641 at )1.-trooolttau . lOO 10.51 lull 103 41 51 st Do Extonsi•Ju lOU IA 1.P.) 1044 10 t. , 0. Auv., rJ Au 10 1 st Metrupoituiu District. all 49 51 10 Sletrop. at. oo 1 6 st Sl.u.aud it to, dirinin. dt Dwrb; lOO 83 9) at N Britdoll at l'th.„ dt Dup lee it 110 106 107 2:i Do. -1. N. 11: puroluisr 16.13.1 it Do Leeds. ...... it Do York it Do Co.rli.le .... • lOO 126 130 it Do Stoc Darling llO 13: 134 et North Lou ion .. WU 123 e.. 5 10 Du Aew itit 8 . 2 11 2 p it North Staffordshire.— 10) 53 60 it North and S.-W. Junction 100 103 105 10 Do New £lO shares . 7 ... it Rhyamey st Snropsiiire Union 0 68 1) at Soutn Devon it South Eastern lOO 82 8:1 811 1 it Staiues, Wok'ham, & Wok all 14 13 it Au V ale ••-• Vo. C f 3i4 . . ~Waterford do KiIICLI113 1V W Ater WO dt WhiteLta.l 6 MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. At the weekly meeting in the Bulk parlour no alteration has been made in the rate of discount. Consols are 924 3 for money ; ditto, for Ac cmint, 93 ; Three per Cent. Reduced, 934 4; New Tree per Cents, 934 1 ; ditto 24 per Cent., Jan., 1894, 74:1 ; Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 24 per Cent., par 3 dis. India Stock, 101 per Cent., April, 1874, —; ditto 5 per Cent., July, 1880, 1124 1 ; ditto 4 per Cent., Oct., 1888, 1024 ; ditto Enlaced Paper, 5 per Cent., 106 ; ditto 5 per Cent., 111/ ; ditto Debentures, 5 per Cent., 104. In the Railway Market Metropolitans are I better. Prices are asfollow :—Loudon and North- Western, 1181 to 4 ; Great Western, 484 to 49 ; Midland,:l2ol to 1211; London and South Western, 91 to 93 ; Great Eastern, 371 to 381 ; Brighton, 504 to 4 ; South Eastern, 811 to 4 ; Metropolitan, 1051 to 1054 ; Great Northern, 112 to 113 ; ditto A, 111 to 1111 ; — Caledonian, 771 to 774 ; Lon don, Chatham, and Dover, 161 CO 4 ; and Sheffield, 544 to 4. In the Foreign Market Italian, Egyptian,,Peru vian, • Spanish, and Turkish are k to 4 per cent. lower, but Brazilian has advanced 1. The quo tations are as follows :—Brazilian of 1866, 833 to 84 ; Chilian of 1867, 944 to 944 ; Egyptian cf 1864, 884 to 89 ; ditto of 1868, 754 to 764 ; Italian of 1861, 56} to 4 ; ditto of 1868, 4 to 1 prem., ex shares; Mexican, 151 to 4 ; Peruvian of 1865, 781 to 4 ; Russian of 1866, 93 to 94 ; ditto Nicolai, 664 to 67 ; ditto Charkof-Azof, 831 to 811 ; ditto Charcow-Krementschug, 804 to 81 ; ditto, Orel, 824 to 4 ; ditto Moscow, 80/ to 1 ; Spanish of 1867, 324 to 4 ; Turkish of 1858, 674 to 684 ; ditto of 1862, 66:1 to 671; and ditto of 1865, 424 to 4. United States 5-50 Bonds are 791 to 1 prem., being a rise of 1. Erie and Illinois Central have declined Ito 4, viz., to 24 to 4, an 1 964 to 97 re spectively. Atlantic and Great Western Deben tures, 344 to 351 ; and the Consolidated Mortgage Bonds, 353 to 361. In Bank shares the prices are as follows :—City, 111 to 12 ; Imperial, 163 to 174; London and County 511 to 4 ; Londoh Joint Stock, 321 to 4 London and Westminster, 644 to 654 ; Union of Loudon, 361 to 4 ; Anglo-Austrian, 15 to 1G prem. ; and Imperial Ottoman, 24 to 4. In Miscellaneous Shares little doing. General Credit, 14 to 14 dis. ; National Discount, 111 to / ; International, 14 to ;I- dis. ; Hudson's Bay, 134 to 4 ; Telegraph Construction, 19 to 1 ; Atlantic Telegraph Eight per Cent. Preference, 41- to 1 ; and Anglo-American 224 to 4. No bullion operations of im2ortance toik plice at the Bank. The Norfolk from Melbourne, has arrived with £57,500. At the meeting of the Southampton Dock Com pany a dividend of 2} per cent. w.ms declared for the past half-year, waking 5 per cent. for the year The failure is announced of Mr. George Black, manufacturer, of Nelson, near Coln?. A meeting of the creditors of Messrs. W. S. Sawyer and Co., of Manchester, whose failure was reported on Monday last, has been hell. The lia bilities were stated to amount to £13,7 2 0, and the assets to £7,890. Four assignees were appointed to wind up the estate. At the annual general meeting of the National Life Assurance Society the assurances for the year were stated at £159,920, yielding in pren.a ms £4,874. The telegram from Lisbon to the effect that the Portuguese Government at length contemplate a settlement of the claims of the South-Eastern of Portugal Railway caused an improvement of yesterday in Portuguese stock. The treatment ex perienced by that company during the past two years has been a fatal blow to the credit of the country, and all interested in her progress will rejoice if better counsels have at length prevailed. The unsatisfactory state of the trade of Lanca shire leads to the daily announcement of small failures. The stoppage of Mr. George Black, a manufacturer, was notifi e d y ester d ay . A new comp any is proposed at Melbourne, in the place of the late Panama and New Zealand Mail Steamship Company, to run between Eng land and Melbourne, via the Cape of Good Hope. It is considered possible that powerful vessels may accomplish the voyage in forty-five days. The proposed capital is £600,000 in 60,000 shares of £lO each. At the meeting of the Southampton Dock Com pany the report was adopted, and a dividend was declared for the half-year of £2 10s. per cent., pay able on the 9th MLirch proximo, being at the rate of £5 per cent. per annum. The traffic returns of the Cape Railway for De cember last amounted to £4,119, against £3,436 in the corresponding period of last year. For the six months ending 31st December the total receipts have been £19,834, against £19,441, in the corre sponding half of 1867. The traffic return of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada for the week ending the 6th inst. shows an increase of only £5l over last year. It is announced that " the falling off is caused by heavy snow storms." The half-yearly meeting of the Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Company (Limited) is called for the 4th of March, " for the transaction of the ordinary business of the company, and the con sideration of other important matters to be then and there brought forward." The ordinary general meeting of Reuter's Tele gram Company (Limited) will be held on the 17th March, when a dividend will be declared. Creditors of the North Wales Coal, Iron, and Fire Brick Company (Limited) are required to send the particulars of their claims to the official liquida tor by the I st of April, the 15 th April having been appointed by the Master of the Rolls fur adjudicat ing upon them. The report of the directors of the Danube and Black Sea Railway and Kustendjie Harbour Coin pally (Limited), to be presented to the ge nera l meeting on the 26th inst., announces a continued growth of the traffic receipts, and anticipates a continuance of it, as the greater part of last year's yield of Wallachian grain has yet to come forward. It has been necessary to spend a sum of 114,:h8e4f:ilal. additional warehou ses and other w orks , and the greater part of this ha s been tem p ora rily provided aomutooufnctuorrf the bondsentreve nue p i l n ac p e la d. ce of calling up BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. (.i OTERNMENT FUNDS. 3 per Cent. Consols 93 Ditto for Account, ......... per f_leut. lieduend 93} i Now 3 per Cent New 2A. per Cent. Jan. 1844 Do. 5 per Cen J au.1873 • luuuities, 80 yrs, expire stl J:in., lbbt — Do. for 30 yrs, expire 5t,11 April 1885 — Do (lied Seii, Telekruph), Aug., Doh_ ',:xone,(iii:tr Bills. £l,OOO, '2l per Ct. Do. . 0 500 Do. £lOO k .1:200 — Wink of Engltiud Stock, 4 pin' Cent Do. act:omit . 13;inada 4 por (Amt. Bonds — Inter-Coluuial ()alumni iNDIAN titiVr.h.,MENl OECintillb,.. In litt %;tot.:k, loi per Cola., April Ihi4.„, Do. Openiug, for Account - Do. 5 per Cent. July, 1380 Do. 1 per ()out., Oct. 1888 Do. Certificates — io. Enfucod Yule• 4 por CAnt — ),..,. 5 per Cert., Jan. 1872 Uo. bi per C.clt. May 1879 llli D.) 5 pc: Cent., Rup. Deb. 1872 — Do do 1877 — Do. do. 1882 -- MARKE7 S T 2 lIIS DAY. LIVERPOOL COTTON. February 23.—Sales probably 7,000 bake. Marks Foreign Mail Pact et List. MAILS D • untralla and New Zealand, via Southaraptoa Feb. 27. Ditto, via 3` Arsenics ............ ••• Mar. 22 - Ditto, via Pi..... atna ........ .... •• • • Feb drain. Buenos Ay res, and Monte Video Mar. 7. Ditto, by Fren c h packet .......... . Mar. a. 31. r Jape Verde, by B razil packet •• • ••• ....... - i. h . 7. Jape of Good 11,,pe, Ae cen e on , and St. 11 01 ena• • "' •e ' - '• -` ", • C ia a M pe ar o u t eil.es ..ibraltar. via Southampton .......... Urilila, renitnt;, and Singapore, via Southampton rFe.bb. 2 27 7 . Feb. 27 indlit,via Southampton ............... I :r:ti t :L l' liana, Mgypt, &o. Feb 27. F. b. 26 Ditto, Marseilles tic uthanas ton ...... . ........................ lAtto, Marseilles 3llr. 12 \ evrfoundla nv. .............. F. b 24 .............. • .... eor tug al ... Mar 7. ...................... II tr. I. • • ... (hated States. % anada, California, Acc., by British vaeket ....................... ........ , , „, ....Feb 27 Good Hope, and Natal, via Ditto. • by Canadian packet •••• ..... .• ...... ... - Ditto, by 1. L lied •Itates packet ............... . Feb '.4 Ditto ditto (Baltimore) ....... •• • West Coast of Atrit a, Madeira, and Teneriffe liar. 3 Nest lades sod Pa. - -itic except Mexico and Balia- In") ...... . ..... ' ................... • Mar 1 Cube and II exico ....... .......... •••••• Bermuda, via 11a1ifax...... ... .... •• • • Mar. 10. Baba-rms. via New York ... ........................ Feb. MR. GLADSTONE'S H CHILI Tr. —Arrogance has been imputed to him; but, to our thinking, quite erro neously. Alth ough there is one matter, cer t a i n ly in re gard to whi c h h e i s altogether wanting i n t o l era ti on —h e is intolerant of an ass. Insomuch is he free , ho wever from anything lik e arrogance, as ar i s i ng f r om an undue o r overweening esti mate of his own ca pacity, or of hi s right to dominate over the opinions of others simply because the op imputed to him,- Miens to which ibe is giving utterance are his own, th at we believe th e c ont r a r y oug h t rather to be and that too, it should be said, far rather as a vice than as a virtue. As the Sp t f ec-a -ori in one of its most generous and thoughtful articles, h as v ery recently remarked, the Premier's "greatest political weakness is due to a very genuine humility," what it speaks of, in Mot, at the head o f its argument, as his "Political Humility." The re ference to this distinguishing peculiarity of Mr. Gladstone being, there, made " a propos" to his acknowledgment, in a letter dated August the Bth, 1868, of his utter misap prehension, six years previously, of the significance of the great Civil War then raging in the United States. "I must confess," wrote Mr. Gladstone, manfully, in that apology addressed to an American citizen, " I must confess that I was wrong ;" adding, as if that were not enough, " I took too much upon myself in expres s i ng e ac h an opinion," namely, that the South had, then, in the August of 1862, virtually succeeded in achieving its independence. Arrogance can assuredly be hardly im puted toanyone capable of thus frankly, and explicitly, and fearlessly, acknowledging an error of judgment. Else where, in the course of the same article, to which we have bat just referred, the writer speaks of, what it designates, "Mr. Gladstone's Ecclesiastical Humility." And justly so designates it —for his abjection is as many-sided, it seems to us, as even his genius in stat3smanship. I n further illustration of which, it may be said that there was Literary Humility of the pro foundest kind in that graceful letter of his, privately ad dressed to Macaulay, under date April the 10th, 1839, in reference to the latter's then just published criticism on Church and State in the Edinburgh, a communication in the course of which, among other acknowledgments, Mr. Gladstone does not hesitate to write thus ingenuously to his reviewer, "1 am perfectly conscious, whenever I have occasion to reopen the book, of its shortcomings, not only of the subject, but even of my own conceptions." Acknowledgments like these, however, wo do not quarrel with—acknowledgments like those of 1868 to the Ameri can, or like those of 1839 to Macaulay. What we do ob ject to in Mr. Gladstoue's not infrequent evidences of humility, whether political, or literary, or ecclesiastical, is this, that occasionally. with a sort of perverse disregard for anythin g l i k e self-respect, ho will wantonly outrage his own digaity by assuming the sackcloth and strewing ashes on his own bead—to what end? Simply that he may cast them off a fterwards in a kind of humiliating self - vindication. —The Gladstone Government, by a Templar. WRECK ON VIE GOODWINS.—.A. vessel, which afterwards prove.] to be a French or Prussian schooner, was wrecked on the Goodwins on Sunday night. The greater portion of the crew reached Deal yesterday morn ing in their own boats. One man was reported to be left in the rigging. The Ramsgate lifeboat went out, but when it reached the vessel the man had disappeared. He is supposed to have dropped from the rigging, and so lost his life. Mayor Cogswell of Salem (Massachusetts) re commends the union of the sexes in the same rooms of the grammar schools, and the consolidation of the schools for that purpose. RAILWAYS-PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. st Bristol and Exeter 4 p.cent. 100 80 88 st Caledonian Qrs., No. 2 lOO st Do. Scot. N.E., 4i per cent lOO st Do. Aberdeen, gua 0 p.c lOO ••• ~. st Do. do. 7 per cent lOO at Do. do. Ordinary lOO 80 82 st Do. Midland st Do. Dundee and Arbroath 100 20 Cornwall, 5 per cent gua all st Dundee, l'erth, and Aber- deen Junction lOO 105 107 at Do. Ist Class preference lOO ~, ,„ at Was. & S.W. gua. 5 per ct lOO st lit. Eastern, E.G. Ex. No.l 100 99 lu2 93 st Do do N 0.2 100 DS 100 at Do do G per cent 100 1U; 112 at Do East Augliau A 5 p. c. lOU ... at Do do B G do. 100 at Do do 0 7 do. 100 ••• ••• at Do do No. 1, 5 p.c. 100 st Do E. Union 4 p.c. sus. 100 71 73 at Do Norfolk 5 p.c. Ex. 1.846 100 ... at Do do 5 p.c.Way.Vitl.l:347 100 at Great .N (Macro., 5 per cent 10 at Do 5 p.c., rd at 10 p. c. pin. 100 at ;Do 4, do do do 100 at Do 5 do at sp. c. pas IOJ st Do Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax, 0 per cent lOO „, at Ut. Nrta of Scotland, Ist pf 100 „ at Great Soatn. ,ta 1 Western arolaud) 4 per cout loj 93 97 Bt Gt.We6t.—"irig.S:Jitt.-iteut eug., pot p.c lOO 103 10, st Do. Orig. (it. wu. ha). 5 p.c lOO 95 100 st Do du 4, per ecat. 1650 lOO 68 W) at Do do 4 do do st odo 3 per cent. redcat lOO at Do ilo Birmingham gua lOO 70 st Do do do prof— lOO ... at Do do Cheste.r gua lOO ; 2 75 at Do du do S per cent lOO St DJ do do 5 du 100 95 lAil st Du South Wales, gua. 4 p.c. 100 st Do do 4i p.c lOO st Do do 1530 lOO st Do do 5 at Do West Mid. Oxford Ist g lOO 11 r 115 114 st Do du 2,1 gua lOO 110 112 st Du Newport, Ist g. 5 p.c lOO VJ 9 st Do do 2,1 du 100 1,0 101 st Do gua. 51 per Cont. ln.l 100 10J Lanc;ster & - atrlisle 41 p.c. all st Laneush. & Yorksh. 6 p.c. 100 1 0 135 et Do Barnsley, 10.1 p.c. 10'J st Do 6 p.c. (East Lancashire) 100 134 135 st Do 41 (Blackburn purch). 100 98 WI st Loudon & Brighton, 5 P.C. • guaranteed, No. 1 lO9 st Do .5 per cent. gua. No. 2 lOO at Do 6 do du lOO st Do 5 do NJ. 4 lOO at Do 7 per cent l,O st Do 6 do (W.E. & (Ir.) 100 st Da 4 du 185:1 lOO at Loudon, Chatham, & Dover 5 per out ICO st London and 21. W., C. and Nuneaton 5 per cent lOO 10., 11l st Do Bedford &Cambridge_ 104 at Do Shrewsb'y & Welchp'l 14),) at Loudon and r W. 7 p,c late 3d shares, lOO 145 15) Ca 61. Do (Purtsm. peril aus. 2561) all st Man., Shef., & Linclu. 6 p.c lO3 114 117 6 Do £6 all par pat at Do 31 per cent lO4 63 6. 10 Do redeem. 6 percent 5 ••• et Mid. Consolidated., 6p. c lOO 135 140 st Do Bristol& Birm., Cp. c lOO 113 134 ut Do 44 per cent. redeem lOO 10) 102 et. Do 41 per cent. irredeem lOO 100 1 , 2 at Du Leicester &Wenn, 4 p.c lOO 90 9:2 at North kiritiah, 5 p.c. No.l UM at Du E. &U.4p.c.8. & D WO ••• at Do N. 8., No.), 5 per ceu.t lO4 ••• ••• et Do Border Union, 51 p.c lOO ••• ••• • at N.-Eastern —Cons. 4 p.c ll3O at Do 4} per cent. redeem lOO 93 DT xt 1);) Ci N.L. 4 per cent 17 Do Berwick. capital 8 13.4. . 2 Do York, IL &S. purchase lO It . ) 1 . 01 a Do Stektn S Drling. t 5 p.c lO4 103 114 at Du \V, Hartlepool If. and It lOO 87 8.3 20 North Statiordanire 10e Devon Annuities, I e all 91 101 10a Do Tavistock Anus., los_ all 910 los Du Fixed 41 per cent all 8 11 1,0.6. S. Last. (Read. Anus., 1.0.6) all 22 23 at Do 41 percent lOO st Do Fixed 41 per cent lOO at Taff Vale No.l IOU 145 150 at Waterford & liilkenny, 6pc 100 41 43 RAILWAYS.—PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. With Dividends contingent on the Profits of each separate year. st Caledonian 41 p c gua. at 4)o Bcot.Ceu. mitt. 7p c lOO at Do 41 p irredueni st Do 4p c con. issued at 8U 65 ... at Great Eastern 41 per cent. 100 at Do 5 do, 1862 lOO 88 it at Do New 5 do, 1863 lOO 87 at Do do 5 du, 1864 lOO r 32 86 st Great Northern, 5p c irred lOO at Du Permanent 5 per cent lOO at Do Boston .st Sleald, 41 pc 100 at Great West., W. 5p c 100 st Do Joint i-erpe. 5p c, 1865 100 86 at Do do 6p c irred., 1866 100 103 108 20 Do Vale Neath perp. 5p c all 19 20 lit Kent Coast, 6 per cent, B lOO 5 Lane. and York. New 41 per cent till July, 1871 2 t 1 st Loud., Brig., dtc., 41 pc, 1858 100 at Do do 4 do, 1860 100 ••• ..„ st Do do 41 do, 1861 100 st Da do 41 do, 1863 100 st Do do 5 do, 1865 100 st Do No. 6 5 do, 1866 100 st Do No. 7 sdo st Loud , Chat., &c., 2d, 6 p.c at Du Metrop. Ex., B 6 p.c 100 Do do 0 6 p.c st London &N. Western, 5p c 100 109 111 it London &S. Western, 41 p c 100 94 96 10 Man. zihef. & Lin., 5 pc, 1865 all 881 st Metropolitan 5 per cent lO- O Midland, A 5 per cent pref lOO 108 110 et Do B 5 do 100 108 110 18 Do 5p c opt. to cony. to ortf. Stk., Sept. 1, 1869 all 21 211 181 Do iLICOIIT. New Shares all Iv/ 19/ 21 Do 5 p c con. into Old Stk.,Aug. 31, 1872 - 81 21 21p at North British, E. and G ; i No. 1, 5 per cent 100 ••• at Do £lO guaranteed, 18G1 100 • at Do E., P., & Dun., 2d, 4pc 100 ••••• at Do r..&11, No. 2, 5 p.e lOO at Do N. 8.. 5 per cent, 1862 100 at Do E. & G., No. 3, 5 p.c lOO st Do E. et G., (Ordiry) 41 p c 100 at North Eastern, 41 per cent 100 7 u 9 et Do Stock. & Darl., D lOO 111 111 at North London, 41, per cent (Max. 5 per cent) st North Staffordshire 5p c lOO st South Eastern, 44 pc, 1859 100 ••,, at Do 5 do 1861 100 ••• ••• at Do 5 do (Ch. Cross) 1863 100 st Do 5 do, 1864 at Victoria St. & Pimlico, 44 pc 100 ..• RAIL WAYS.-LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTA.LSj at Birkenhead lOO a 3 95 100 Do. 44 per cent. Prefer all 101 103 st Buckinghamshire at Chester and Holyhead lOO 53 55 st Do. 51 per cent. at Do. 5 do. at Clydesdale, guaranteed lOO ••• •.• at Colchester Stour Valley let East Lincoln, gua. 6p. c lOO 13, 136 20 Gloater and Dean Forest all ... ... a Gt. Easn., Ne win., &e., 5 p.c 100 ... ... a Do. E. U. Harwich, 4 p.c 100 6) 72 at Du. do. Woodbrg.Ex., do. 100 69 72 at Gt. West , W. Mid., Hera 100 98 100 50 Hull and Selby all 111 113 at Lancaster and Carlisle lOO 215 221 at London and Blackwall lOO 94 96 at Do. 41 per cent lOO ••• at London, Chat., &c., 41 pc. 100 ... ••• ... at Du. Com. Fund, 5 do 100 „. .. at Loudon and Greenwich at Do. do Preference lOO kt Loudon, Tilbury, & South 100 81 t 3 st Lowestoft, gua 4 percent lOO 8) 82 at Do. du. 6 do. 51 Slunch., Buxton, &Matlk all 5 51 et Midland, Bradford, Prof lOO 93 95 10 Mid Kent Cray Line) 50 Northeruk East., 4 per cent all lid L . ti 60 Do. do. 6 do. all at N. Eastara—Hartlepool at N. West. A perp. prof, 3p. C. 100 103 110 at Du B minimum 11 p.c IOJ at Nutiiim. 6: Liranta. U. 6:, C WO ./; 91 23 Preston and i% yre ... Royston, Hitch., and Shop. luu 133 13.5 at Shrewsbury and Hereford 100 133 135 10 Du do g. 21 2,p at S. Yorksh. 'and River Dun 100 98 100 at De 4 per cent gua lO , 79 SI at Do 4 du • all 97 99 st Viet. Station and Pimlico lOO 175 180 et West Cornwall 20 West Loudon, Class A all 13 14 20 Do do B all ... ... 20 Do do C a ll 61 7.; at Weymouth and Portland lOO at Wilts and Somerset DOGES. st Ea►st and West India IOJ 1:U 1/3 st London and St. Kati:wine 100 40 61 100 D oDob. stock, 4 per cont all Millwall Freehold Land St Dock lOO 31 33 at Southampton lOO 70 78 at Surrey Commercial .. JuINT- STOCK BANKS. ()liming Business Share 10 Agra Limited, A all 114 121 21 Do B lO 44 ft 50 Albion l5 6 4 100 Alliance, Limit e d 25 141 151 20 Anglo-Austrian 20 Anglo-Egyptian, Hut all I'J 2 1 2) Anglo-Hungarian ... . 20 Anglo-Italian 1566, limited 10 6 5 40 Australasian 20 Bank of British Columbia.. all 1) 12 20 Do issued at 2 pm.....,,,, 5 25 Bank of Egypt 20 Bank of Qtago, lira 25 Bank of South Australia all 30 32 50 Bank of Victoria, Australia 25 37 3il 1.0 Bank of New Zealand all 17 18 171 50 British North American 20 Chartered of India, Austra lia, nd China all 21 22 25 Chartered Mere, of India, London, and China all 31 32 20 City 1 ) H 11 100 Colonial 25 32 41 10 Consolidated, lira. 50 Delhi and London, lim 50 East London, lim. 4 11 0, 20 English and American, lim 10 ... ... 20 English Bank of Rio den:: • neiro. Urn lO 1d pr 20 English, z-cuttish, and Aus tralian Chartered 281 Hong Kong and Shanghai Bauk Corporation all ... ... 281 Do new 6l 4 100 Imperial, lim 2O 17 15 20 Imperial Ottoman lO 2 4 12 1 *ill lonian. all 23 17 25 Do new 5 pr 1p 20 Lnd Mortgage of India, lim 4 St 3, 100 Do 5 p.c.Debs.lB64, 30 all 76 75 75 30 London Bank of Mexico and South America, lim. 20 6 4 100 Londonand Brazilian, lim. 45 32 28 20 Do new 7i 61 51 100 London & River Plate, lim. 40 6 8 25 Do new 10 2 3 20 London Chart. of Australia all 221 231 50 London and County 2O 401 501 20 Do new,issat 20 p.m,16 pd ll ... ... 54 London Joint Stock 1 112 33 London and South African al 1 12 100 London& S.-Western, lim, 20 ... ... 50 London & Venezuela, lim l2l ,.. 100 London and Westminster 2O ti 61 014 51 100 Do Scrip, iss at 10 pm. 2O 59 01 100 Merchant, Lim 25 6 1 10 Metropolitan, lim all 6) 71 100 Midland, 1ira..... 2O id 1 li National of Australia 25 National of Liverpool, lint. 15 2 1 d 100 National Provinc. of Eng'd 42 ... ... 10 Do :0 National. BO 46 48 20 New South Wales all 4; _43 20 North- Western - - 71 ... EintiOA. NOTICE. The Fourth Edition of " The Sun " of last Evening was published in time for delivery in town at 7.30 p.m. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocs. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF ILORDS.—Tirts EVEN! G. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsac]; at five o'clock. THE ADDRESS. The LOUD STEWARD of her Majlsty's household brought up her blajosty's answer, thanking their lord ships for their address on the oceas.ou of the opening of Parliament. THE CATTLE PLAGUE. Lnrd 'AFFORD asked wheth,r there was any inten tion of extending the provisions of the Cattle Diseases Act, 1866, an t rec ived an answer that the matter was under the consideration of the Government. EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND. The Duke of ARGYLL then called the attention of the hou,e to the subject of the extension and ituirovemout of education in Scutmu I. _ . i LEFT SPEAKING•] 11011 SE OF COMMONS—Tars EVENING. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. ARMY ESTIMATES. Mr. CARD WELL brou3ht up the army estimates, which were laid ou the table. NAVY ESTIMATES. Mr. CHILDERS also brought up the navy estimates. POSTAGE. Mr. GRAVES gave notice that on an early ?day he should call the attention of the house to the subj•ct of inland postage, and m)ve a resolution that the charge be loss than Id. per oz. of printed matter. LAW OF EVIDENCE. • Mr. DENMAN gave notice that on Friday ha should move for leave to introduco a bill to. amend the law of evidence. THE ESTIMATES. Mr. CARD WELL gave notice that on Frid•iy he should bring forward the navy estimates, and Mr. Cardwell an nounced that be should bring forward those for the army on the eth of March. THE ADMIRALTY. Sir J. EL PIIINSTONE asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether aly changes had been made in the e institution of Boar d of the Admiralty or Coastguard 0 ftic 3 since the accession of 413 present Ouvernai nit to office ; and, if so, for certain particulars as to such changes, including the numb er o f man discharged from the dockyards. 1111 7 . CIIILDERS said there had been certain changes in the Admiralty, but only to the extent of making its direc tion similar to that of the other departments. The changes as regarded the personnel of the navy w a s no w dealt with by himself. with the advice of the first naval lord. That with respect to the material by the Controller and questions of ileauce by too . fie ineial Secretary (th e member for Montrose), each being responsible to tam, the First Lord. The Controller and Deputy-Controller of the Coast Gu ird had boon amalgamated, and those, with a number of other changes which had been made, reduced the superior officers from 17 to 13; the salaries of officers prior to the reduction was £24,901, bat since the new arrangement it would be £21,000. (Uttar, hear.) Instead of six oaicial residences bring occupied as for tnerly, there would be now only three, and as the rental of the residences given up was worth at the least £1,200 a year the saving by that arrangement alone would be about - 3,100, besides which there would be the advantage of concentrating the department. (Lear, hear.) There had been a small increase in the salary of the first sea lord, the controller and constructor of the navy, which was now respectively £1,530, £ 1 ,70 0 , and 31,200. Ther e h a d been some clerks discharged, but very few against their own will, as most of them had accepted the offers made to them or had placed their names on the redundant list, from which they would b 3 taken as quickly as the pubiic services would allow. The saving to the public under the new arrangements would be about 2 r . £ 14, 00 0. Noa e of the persons employed at Woolwich had yet been dis charged, although it was already uuderstood that Wool wich, as a dockyard, would be altogether closed in Octo ber next; but there had been 320 men discharged frrm Portsmouth, 240 from Devonport, and about 200 in smaller establishments. The total number of men discharged dur ing the last financial year amounted to about 5,000, but of that number 2,000 had been but temporarily employed. Most of those discharged had had their claims fully in vestigated and dealt with in the fairest manner with a due regard to the public service. si r J. ELPHINSTONE said on a future occasion he should call attention to the subject, for the purpose of as certaining whether these chabges were ccnformable With the patent of the Admiralty. THE ALABAMA CONVENTION. Mr. TORRENS asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any authentic information had been received of the rejection by the Senate of the United States of the Convention regarding the Alabama claims; and whether he could inform the house that the convention regarding mutual rights of naturalisatiA2 had been r ace TV e V M. 0 Asaid her Majesty's Government had not yet received any authentic intelligence of the rejection by the United States Senate of the text of the Convention for the settlement of the Alabama claims. THE F ENIAN CONVICTS. In reply to Sir F. HEYGATE, Mr. C. FORTESCUE said, in the conclusions arrived at, the opinion of the judges had not been consulted, but that the Government and the Lord Lieutenant had been the only persons who had decided the matter. OCCUPIERS FOR SHORT TERMS. Mr. GOSCHEN moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the; laws with respect to the ;rates assessed upon the occupiers for short terms. The right hon. gentleman said,the subject of rating had given rise to much discussion, and the result had been that legislation became imm'ment, as the Government felt that to collect rates from weekly tenants was unjust. By the bill he now sought to intro duce the Government did not wish in the slightest degree to interfere with electoral machinery of the new Reform Bill ; neither did they intend to raise the question as to whether the rate book should be the register. The bill he now wished to submit to their consideration proposed that tenants should still be rated, but that they should be at liberty to deduct the same frnn the rent due, or accruing due, to their landlord, and that every payment sd made should be deemed a valid discharge for rent. The occu pier was not callod upon to pay for longer than his ten antey. The rates were to be made quarterly, but in no case were the weekly tenants to be called upon to pay a larger rate than was covered by two week's runt. The plan was in a great manner in effect in Scotland and Ireland, and he thought that if the house adopted the bid it would relieve the tenant from a very groat hardship that was now inflicted on him. Mr. GOLDNEY said he gathered from the speech of the right hon. gentleman, that it was neither more nor less than to remove a burden from the tenants to the landlords. I rLEFT SPEAKING 1 Bank of England Returns. An Account, pursuant to t cap. 82, for the week ending the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1869. PARTMENT. Govcrnint. Debt £11,015,100 Other Securities 3,984,900 Gold Coin and Bullion Silver Bullion ISSUE Notes issued ....C32,183,55.5 £32,183,535 BANKING D. 4.32,163,535 Proprietors' Capi tal .£14,353,000 test Public Depu;:its (including Ex chequer, Sav ings' Banks, Commissioners of National Debt, and Div. Acco.unts 5,030,893 Other Deposits.. 17,469 13l Seven Days and "Rtk other Bills t .. 457,066 ePARTMENT. CI-oval - unit. Seca rities(includiug Delta IV , !ight Annuity) .... E. 14,076,537 Other Securities 16,308,037 Notes 9,338,275 Ciuld Silver Coin X 40,866,509 Grorti £40,860,509 ER FORBES, Chief Cashier. c..,YoltTiliG IN TELIAGENOE —This DERBY SPRiNG MEETING—Tars DAT. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) DERBY PLATE. Muiieal Bell Pyrenees:. HARRINGTON STAKES. Erollandai63 ... 1 Countryman Phautau Las:, Twelva ran. ST. ALBANS RACES—Tins DAT. TRIAL SLAKES. Patience .J 4 • Rapt aro. MIDLAND RAILWAY HANDICAP. Acrobat Nightmare Trumpery 1 LUI - ON HANDICAP. Hawkshaw..., Contraband , Leopold 3 Fire ran. WHITTrNGSTALL PLATE. Odd Fellow 1 Laura Lightning 3 CHELMSFORD RACES-THIS Der. TRIAL STAKES. Cawdor •• ••••• 1 Baronet 2 Achilles 3 Five ran. TWO-YR-OLD STAKES. Nightingale Pliqftire ' • • . . 2 Arcana • • ••• • ,3 Thirteen ran. I - The above are the only telegrams receivel up to the hour of going to press. J VICTORIA CLUB—Tins DAT. GRAND NATIONAL. 15 to 2 agst Despatch (taken) 9 to 1 agst Pearl Diver (taken and offered) 10 to 1 agst Colonel (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agst Guy of Warwick (taken) 100 to 7 agst Fan (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agbt Tathwell (offered) 100 to 7 agst Alcibiade (offered) 14 to 1 agst Fortunatus (taken) 20 to 1 agst Q. C. (offered) • 22 to 1 agst The Nun (offered) il3 to 1 agst Harcourt (taken and wanted) 33 to 1 agst Dick Turpin (offered) 40 to 1 agst Oruo (offered) 40 to 1 agst Sea King (offered) 40 to 1 agst Havelock (taken) 1000 to 15 agst Hall Court (offered) 1000 to 15 agst Knave of Trumps (offered) 1500 to 100 agst The Nun, hall Court and Knave of Trumps (taken) CIIESTER CUP. 15 to 1 agst :Eguaa (taken) 1000 to 40 agst Mandrake (taken) 1000 to 40 agst Clemence (taken) TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS. 400 to 100 agst Belladrum (offered) DERBY. 4to 1 agSt Pero Gomez (taken and wanted) LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING. TIirR3DAT, March 4. Acceptances for the Liverpool Spring Cup of 200 sow!. (specie), added to a handicap sweepstakes of 15 sows each ; certain winners 101 b extra. Oue milo an I a half. 67 subs, 49 of whom pay 3 sovs each. Age st lb KnightoftheGarter 5 9 0 Charn wood ... 4 8 2 Loybourne 6 '8 0 Honesty ... 6 7 8 Purveyor ... 4 7 4 Fitzadam 4 6 13 Vcrtigern ... 4 6 12 Breach 5 6 8 Attack g. 5 6 0 Age st lb Alicia ... 6 0 Ajax . 4.. 6 0 Izaak Walton ... a 512 Fichu 3 5 10 Tramp late Agrippa 3 5 10 King Richard ... 3 5 8 Vanichka 3 5 7 Slowman ... 3 5 7 Messenger (h-b) ... 3 5 7 RACING FIXTURES. MARCH. Liverpool Spring 2,3, 4 Shrewsbury Spring 5, 6 Dowupatrick 9 Warwick 9, 10, 11 Hendon l2, 13 West Somerset ...15, 16 Northampton 16, 17 Abergavenny l, -) Bromley . 1 2 Aldershot Catterick Bridge... l, 2 T hirsk ... 6. 7 llutigerford 6, 7 Lichfield 6, 7 Cambridge 7 8 Croxton Park • . 8 Streatham 8 9 Chester fr, 5,6, 7 Eglinton Hunt 6, 7 Winchester ll, 12 York 11, 12 Baldoyle 2nd Spring 11, 12 St. Albans 13, 14 Salisbury l3, 14 Croydon 9 , 3, 4 Newton 2 . 3, 4 Ascot .....8, 9, 10, 11 Liverpool Summer ...15, 16 'Windsor 15, 16 Hampton. l7, 18 Curragn 9 2, 23, 24 Worcester l, 2 Newmarket July 6, &c. Carlisle Pontefract 9, 10 Hendon ..... l2, 13 Nottingham 13, 14 AUG Brighton 3, 4 Brightod Club • 5 Lewes 6, 7 Eguani lO, I 1 Wolverhan'pton lO, I 1 Windsor 12, 13 St. Albans 17, 18 Stockton lB, 19, 20 SEPT: Warwick.. 7, 8 Curragh (Royal) 7,8, 9 Abingdon 9, 10 Doncaster 14, 15, 16, 17 Richmond 21, 22 Lichfield Bedford 5, 6 Edinburgh 6, 7, 8 Leicester 7, 8 Bromley 7 8 Newmarket 2d 0ct...11, &c. Chelmsford l9 20 Kelso 19 20 NOV] Worcester 2,3, 4 Harrow. 2, 3 Liverpool 9, 10, 11, 12 West Drayton lB, 19 Baldoyle First Spring 18, 19 Margate 20 Beverley 2O Durham 29, a• Epson] 30, 31 Newmarket Craven...l2 &e. Knighton... l3, 14 Ludlow l5, 16 Eastbourne l9 Lewes ' ) 0 21 Curragh —.2o, 21, 22 Croy(Jou . 22, 23 Newmarket Ist Spring_ _ 2 - 6 , &c. Doncaster - 13, 14 West Drayton l7, 18 Bath 18, 19 Manchester l9, 20, 21 Croydon 19, 21 Harpenden 2l Epsom Summer .....25, eta NE. Newcastle 22, 23, 24 Oldham 22 Bibury Club 23 Stockbridge 24, 25, 26 Chelmsford Sutton Park .....29, 30 Southampton 13, 14 Itading 15, 16 Huutingdon 2O, 21. Stamford.. t%:, 23 Goodwood 27, 28, 29, SI Oxford York 24, 25, 26 Plymouth £6, 27 Scarborough 30, 31 Derby Summer ..,31, Sep. 1 Weymouth 31, Sep. 1 Canterbury 3l, Sep. 1 ILL. UST. SIBER. Hampton .....21, 22 Western (Ayr)........22, 23 Hendon 2'3, 24 Monmouth... -, 23, 24 Newmarket st 0ct....28, &c. Lanark... 29, V./ BER. OCT Cheltenham l9. 20 Curragh l9, 20, 21 West Drayton 2l, 22 Hereford 2l, 22 Monmouth A 24 Newmark.t 11'tou ...25, ko. ;MBER. Shrewsbury 15, Ica Leamington Limit <lto ASE FIXTURES. MARC EL mLiavietorpaoolSTEEPLEC H 3 West Somerset 15, 14 Shrewsbury ..... ......... 5, 6 I York 17 ...... . . 9 I Crewkorne lB, 14 Rugby (Grand Mil.) .... 8, 9 1 Chepstow 2g, 10 Kingsbury ............... 1 . 2, 13 I APRIL. _ Aldershot ..................1, 2 I Streatham B, 9 Bromley ..................... 1, 2 I Royal Artily., Woolivicii.„l Knighton C L o u . LouthlLu dl ow A.rdeen 2 1 7 35 , 2 21 4 Lichfield Abergavenny Southdown Hunt ................. .7 Tenbury... Cambridge 7 8 Crodon 22, 23 Cheltenham • M AY. 4 St. Albans ......... l3 Limerick Hunt 6, 7 West --..........17 Egiinton Hunt JULY. Kingsbury 9 AUGUST. St. Albans .17 OCTOBER. - Bromley 7 I West Drayton 2l, 22 . • • • NOVEMBER. Harrow ... ...2, 3 Eglinton Hunt 6, 7 Worcester ...... ...... 3, 4 I Liverpool St. Albans ...... 5, 6 i Shrewsbury ..... l5, 16 COURSE OF EXCHANGE —Last Evening. Amsterdam Short ... 12 Do 3 Ms. ... 12.. 1 1 , 12 1i Rotterdam ... "'l2 11 ... 12 11 Antwerp Brussels ... 2 35 ... 23 40 Hamburg n Puri f. , Short ... 25 12+ ... 25 20 Ditto Marseilles Frankfort-on-the-Main ... .. 119 k . 1201 Vienna — ... 12 35 ... 12 :Du Trieste — ... 12 35 ... 12 50 Petersbur g Copenhagen — -• 9 0 ... 9 24 Berlin Madrid.. Cadiz — •.• 481; ... 461 f 4 eghorn Milan — ... 26 30 ... 26 40 Genoa .. ••• Naples r ........... -- ... 30 ... 26 40