The Sun. — London, England, 1866-05-03 00:00:00

DIONEY - MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. The rate of discount at the Bank of England has been advanced to 7 per cent., after having been Maintained at 6 per cent. for fully seven weeks. T his measure has been expected for several days P a st. n Owing to th e con ti nua l w i t hd rawa l of gold for Lee Continent and the active manner in which the Mercantile classes have been providing themselves with ac commodation denoted with hat certainty th ey regarded the increase which hasApw been Made in the value of money. Gold to the amount of £5,000 was taken from the Bank of England yesterday. The biddings for £325,000 in bills on India took Place Yesterday at the Bank of England. The pro- Por tions allotted were :—To Calcutta, £167,900 ; to Mad ras, £57,000 ; and to Bombay, £lOO,OOO. The minimum price was, as before, is. Hid. on Calcutta and Madras, and is. 112 d. on Bombay. Tenders on Calc u tt a an d M a d ras at l s. lnd . w ill receive about 52 per cent., an d on B om b ay at is. l id• about 47 per cent.; above these, prices in full. So uth At the meet i ng held to-day of the London and ' llt h African B an k the d i rectors intimated that , they did not f ee l j ustified in recommending the de claration of a dividend at this time. Two O'CLOCK. At the Paris Bourse this morning, according to -neuter's telegrams, the Three per Cent Rentes were u °ted 64e. 20f. (? 65c 20f.) Firm and rather ani kated. The Money Market has been rather active since 'ti ted ne alterati on i n the official minimum, which is atlso lo west rate of th e b ro k ers f or th e b es t s h or t- Paper. The public an d pr i vate di scount houses have made t e follo wing alterations in their allo wa nce of in erest upon deposit accoun t s : -5 per cen t. f or k °I leY at call, 51 per cent. for seven days, and 6 Per cent. for fourteen days' notice of withdrawal. The cr e di tors of Messrs. Pento, Perez, Ashley, t: (1 Co., held a meet i ng to-day, an d i t was resolved vs . ! i nd up the es t ate, un d er a d ee d o f ass i gnment Which had been executed by the Messrs. Perez of I f ' ai n• A v o t e of sympathy was accorded to the L,B honon Mr. A s hl ey, expressing entire confidence in ' l- our and integrity. „ Tll6 English St oc k M ar k et h as b een ac ti ve an d C g to-day, th e advance in the rate of discount Cons ols failed t o c h eck the steadiness of the Funds. have b een freely purchased, and the quota tionsial h ave risen per cent., v i z. to 864 for mon ey and th e account. The New Threes and 8 educe d Annuitie s are 84i ; Exchequer Bills, l a. to 4s. die. ; Bank of E ng l an d St oc k, 244 ; India Five per Cents., 105 f ; ditto Enfaced Five Per Ce n t s., 101 f ; and ditt o Bonds, 15s. prem. Foreign Stocks, e xcep ti ng T ur ki s h, w hi c h h ave advanced abo u t 1 1 per cent., are generally at lower . s , 3 4 0 i u i es• Turki s h 5 per Cents. are now quoted ' - Mexican, 191 ; the New Loan, 17 f ; eat r eek, 11,i 12 ; Spanish Passive, 254 f; the Certifi t") 1 54 16 ; Italian, 421 431 ; Chilian Loan, par 1 Prem. ; 'u Brazilian Scrip, 4f 4 dis. ; Egypti an Loa auWa„Y Loan, 3f 21 di s . ; an d th e N ew E gypt i an ,n, 1 2 prem. United States Government 5-20 .Lionds,. 6 81 ; Erie Shares, 48.1 49-1 ; and Illinois, 76 i 77 In the Railway Share Market business has re mained very quiet, and prices generally are a shade flatter. South Eastern have declined 15s. ; Great Northern A Stock, Great 'Western, and Metropoli tan each 10s. ; and Great Eastern ss. The Foreign and Colonial lines remain very in active, without material change in prices. Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are dull. Char tered Mercantile of India, London, and China are a t t 4 0i 41 ; Consolidated at 8} ; Londo n Joint 4eek, 481 ; C r edit Foncier a n d M o bili er o f Eng land, j dis. ; Imperial Mercantile Credit, 5i and Overend, Gurney, and Co., 1 4 dis. BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. 8 GeVERNMENT FUNDS. Der Cent. Consols 3 1)0. A .ccount, May 9 B6l. f liper Cent. Red uced 14' s- 84f 1 3 Per Cent 841 i 51- N! 2i per Cent. Jan. 1894 — A D° 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873 Do hies, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 Doi-) for 30 yrs, expire sth AprillBBs — (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 — March. June. Ex t. emequer Bill Do. s, X 1,000,3 per C ent. — D o X 5OO 8 4 am.. £ l OO and X2OO --.... of En land Stock, 5 per Cent Do g 1 'leo:flit . .012,/,m. i_, ....................... tna;_="--' land SECURITIES. Do,-..in Stock, 10* per Cent., AprillB74 — . Account - b • ° Per Cent. July, 1870 1 , 13 . 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888 4'o. bertißcates D 1.,e. Enfaced Paper 4 per Cent _ Do, 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 r ,` ) . 51 Per Cent Cent 1879 _ to.l)eb.-, 4 per , Aug. 1866 1.,00. ',kends, .£l,OOO _ .., . under .£l,000 VOREIGN F UNDS —CLOSING PRICES. lkirgentine 14- t,.; P ublic, 6 per Cent., .£l5 pd —pm 131.11:?11 zends, 5 per Cent, 1859 — I) zi han 5 per Cent — o. 4/ per Cent 1 852-58-60 Do. Do .1 1863 — , 1865 — 4.1-0 ACC°llllt ..................... - f3aeli")* Se .rip, £45 paid 0 °.,s Ayres 6 per Cent — Clia°l4P6er Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent ) I: 10 s per Cent 0 0. 4 e ,riP, 425 paid PM Do 6 1 P e r Cent Colo4,Per Cent eub:„uian 6 per Cent. — b a . "'' ° Per Cent. Ilish a b ah ,--. Per Cent., 1825 t,ce°lan Pri ncipalitie s usdor Nevi- C onsolidated, 1 per Cent — is 0, Provisional Land Warrant — gkPtia n 7 per Cent B5 VO., Second Issue — •uo .£lOO Bonds D o 86/ 6 1864 Do • bo4loo Bonds BBl . , 1),,, 'evernment Railway Debentures. _B9* die Oreek..£so p a id s h ' Cents 1821-5, ex Coupons L0,0. "J°. Account 0 p us t.,. Atcolult • _ Itlttenlala 5 per Cent. aa ll 5 per Cent 1865 Account 59; Doe.its..; Ilaremmana Railttay • Account , D o 1864 l6i ,„i., 0 6 4 1 h Per Cent. Anglo-French . kienn_.e•ndean 6 per Cent., X3O paid L'i oohs Iranprial 5 per . Cent °lv Granada- 1) 0 2 ...... 0 ,per Cent e eferredV Do D gland Warrants (Hectares) o. , we n tt, 1864 _ P v eeel, per Cent — r,-411411 5 per Cent , 1865 b_"o ccount " ' erta 0 0 guess 3 per Cent, 1853 Pr Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, 3, 44 , 11 4 , ,: A eeount 5 3 ' 4 , 4 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St Do %i. per Cent. 1850 1, 4 4* per Cent., 1860 V,O 3 per Cent 1859 V ( ) ) 5 per Cent. 1862 - 7 fia d• 5 . Per Cent. 1864 b.,tulan 5 per Cent Siplu;' .keeount .L ll '4. 3 per Cent — to Account .... . D e New Deferred .... ° New ▪ 34 i Al.o)rt Passive ra ° Aceannt toliall Cart . ................... .▪ . ! .1) 0 4 . ce u rt. of Coup not funded — D 0 ,15 1 1 ki Wedi sia Yunt . ... ... . -* Per Cent. Tu rkici Per Cent. 1864 .1.)1 6 per Cent. 1854 b c c : .4 %- ecount ....................... u Per Cen t . 1858 13 ° Acc 'cunt . 60 2 bo C0unt .,..,. ................................... D o 6 ° Bonds boo Per Cent. 1 . 862 0 Account 63 2 _,.• _, .............................. o 0 61.01) D ends ---: 641 61 5 D o 5 per Cent:, 1863 1 : ,'? per Cent., 1865, paid upScrip 301 291 30f f Do Account 981 V e • 4 Per Cent. Guaranteed ne znela 3 Cent. ._... bitt e a . P er _ no a LeCilint ~ - per Cent., 1862 '-'0 Account 1")3- 1864 b I•vie.euds on the above payable in London. th 2i per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil 591 _ Fr: her Cent. Certificates _ Ittti`ce, - mentos 3 per Cent. /jo lt 5 1-,,-• Cent., 1861, Ex. 25f. Act 421 1 3 2 31 ............... Cotni or ols f T I 2 . 7 B6 O I 'C I LOCK. D o. 4. raone y ....................... .11 ~.. CV431 ; 14 .•••• • . • ................ •,,,,,•:,•,. on SHARE MARKETS,—This Day. Sharei Railways. ' Bristol and Teter Caledonian Cambrian Cork and Bandon Cornwall . . Dublin & Belfast June,. Dun„Perth, & A b.Junco E. London, e.crip Certi. Do. Glasgow & S. Western Great Eastern, (3rd. stk. Do. E. Angl. at. No. Great North of Scotland Great Northern D. A stock 1)o. B stock 89 91 127 128 55 65 13 15 3 5 67 70 70 72 20 15d1 113 113 3061 4'6 122 124 1::6i 137 t Do. ;New, is. at 25 pm , i Gt S. and W. of Ireland, Gt. 'Western -Original Do. S. Val. Rail glut,: Do. South Wales .... Do. W. Mid.—Oxford 561 571 57 69 35 10 31 35 Do. Newport Do. 11er6f0rd........ Lancashire &Yorkshire LDndon and Blackwalll Lon., Brigh., & S Coast Lon., Chat., and Dover 120, 121 95 07 26 2S Do. Marini. Ex. A Lon. & iNorth Western Lon. & South Western Man., Sher., & Lincoln Metropolitan Do. New 120} '2Ol 9'e 43 61 63 ET3 2 1 1 - 92 15 Do. Extension lletropolitan District. Do. and ::•t. John's W'd Mid. and Do. £9 Share Do, Birmin & Darby mid Kent 123 1231 1/ 2 1 . 92 ?.1 North British ... Do. Ed., Pth., & Dun. Nth. Eastern—Berwick Do. (.N•E purchase Do. Leeds Do. York Do. Carlisle ..... Do. Stock. & Do. do. 1560•6 l North London Do. do. 1861 57 58 6 27 100 110 Do. do. 1865 North Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Ctmtral Scot. N. E , Aber. stock vo. Scot, Mid. st.)ck Shropshire Union South Devon South E, stern Staines, Wok., & Wok Taff Vale Do. C Vale or Neath Waterford dr. Kilkenny Waterloo & Whiteha I West Cornwall ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. 39 I, 1361 7 95 6 1201 f Ozl 81i 2 ii 33 2i I } 123 (I 714 f 109 a 591 6)1 733 I i I p fd I Closing I Business Price. done. 57 } I di I BRITISH FOSS. Atlantic & Stlawrenee Boin.,Baroda, Cen.ln. gu. 5 per cont... Do. F shares Buffalo & Lake Huron Do. Preference Buff.,Brant, & Goderich 6 p.c. 572-3-i. • Calcutta & E., lim 'al e Town & Dock, gu Demerara, 7 p.o. per. East. lfena al, gu., 5 dol East Indian gu. p.c.' Do. J Extension 1 0 rand Trunk ot Canad a Do. Equip. Mort, Bonds 1 charge 6 p.c Do. Ist Pref. Bonds Do. do. deferred Do. 2d Pr,f. Bonds.. Do. do. detcrred Do. 3d Pref. 5t00k.... Do. do. deferred .... Do. 9th Pref. stook.. Do. do. deterred G t. India Pen. gua. sp.c. o. Gua. 5 per cent Do. New gua. 5 p. c Gt. South of India gua. 5 per cent D. 41 per cent Do Great W. s. of Canada.. Do. New ...... Do. 6 p. c. Bds. pay 1876 Do. 5$ do. pay. 1877-8.. Indian Branch, limited Madras, gua. 5 p.o Do. 41 do Do. 4i do Do. Fifth Extension Meib. Cor. 6 p. c. Bnds. Mel. .1z Hudson's Bay N. 111.C'da, 6pc Ist pf.bs Scinde Do. Delhi as Do. Puniaub Do.lndus St. Flo VA 100 100 all 100 100 100 [lOO 2 100 100 COLONIAL (TOYER '. British Columbia, 6 per cent., Dec. 31,1972 Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.& July 1877-84 Do. 6 p. c. Feb. & Au 4 Do. 5 p. c. Mar. & Sept Do. 5 p. c. Jan. & July Do. 5 p. c. Inscribed Cape G. Ilope, 6 p.c. 1873 Do.Apl.&Oct 1890-1900 Do. do; 180-9 , Do. Jan. &July, 1890-9 Do. 5 per cent. 15 April and 15 Oct., 1900 Ceylon, Nov. 1868, 6 p.t Do. 1878, do Mauritius, 6 p. c, 1873, Jan. and July Do. 1 ,, 78 Do. 1882, Mayls, Nov. a, Do. 1895, Feb. & Aug Natal L;ov. 6 per cent N. B.Gov. p.c.Ja. uly N. S.W. Gov. 5 p •c.,180 Do. 5 p.c. 1871 to 187 c Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 1892 New Zealand, 6 p. cent Do. 5 per cent.... Nova Scotia Gov. 6 p. c sterling, 1875 Queensland Gov. 6 p. c d. Aus.Gov. 6 p.c 1868-8 Do. 1878 & upwards Vio,Gov. 6 p.O. Ja & July Do. do, April & Oct 71 72 109 110 36 I 1 10 11 p 120 121 1 2p 1 2p 74 26 108 112 149 151 66 68 48 SO 73 74 8 0 140 143 I 3 100 103 52 54 ;ESSIONS, 54 58 1(3 104 4i 5 8 9 76 80 96 98 62 67 100 102 101 102 103 j 1041 !).2 24 85 87 63 66 55 60 55 57 50 55 41 41 49 41 25 27 25 27 1094 5.04 14 2 1,, 14 24, 90 101 91 93 151 tp 5_ 44 , 1 9 E 6 83 •5 I} Ola 100 101 91 03 86 88 61 63 8 • 6! 99 100 98 99 t" 97 99 T SECURITIES. 92 94 90 P 3 90 93 74 60 76 79 102 104 102 104 102 104 102 104 SO 83 lt2 104 lis 1 7 103 105 107 109 104 106 104 106 90 101 90 ➢3 GO 95 871 886 9-1 98 72 73 98 103 98 100 105 107 103 104 BRITI Cam. Consol. Gold, him Chiverton Clifford Amalgamated Devon G. Cons. (Taoist Drake walls East Bassett (Mogan). • East Caradon East Carn Brea Nast Grenville East Gunnislake East Loved E. WI Russell (Tavistk G am. & StA übyn(G wen. rcat L .xey, limited Great South Tolgus Great Wheel Busy G. Wheal Vor (Heist Grenville Herod's Foot ..... . Hingston Downs M arga ret (Uny Lelant Marke Valley ilwyndy Iron Ore, Una New Sewn North Roskear N.Wh'l Bassett (Mogan North Wheal Crof ty Prosper United.....• . • Providence Uny Lhlant S. Caradon (St. Cleer) South Condurrow S.Wheal Fran. (Mogan stray Park Tin Croft 111 M. 6 7 10 12 520 510 2.1.0 296 2.14.0 31 2.14.0 8.3.0 3.9.0 10.8.0 18 x 0 6} 7i 3 3i 4 t 8 9 3 3a 5 21 22 1 4 1 14 20 22 2i 3 33 40 4j A 4 6 Vigra and Clugan, West Bassett (Mogan W. Caradun (Lkskeard West Chiverton West Seton Wheal Bassett 'Mogan Wheal Buller (liedruth Wheal Mary Ann (Men. Wheal Seton . Wheal Trelawney (Lis. 3l _ti 24 1;d 35 40 1:i 15 4.4.0 2.13.( 7.1.0 10.6.7 3.2.0 18.18.9 35.15.6 I f 32 34 375 400 11 3 ;5 20 4 0 13 15 3 5 1 z 7 8 874 72j 130 140 80 85 20 22 3 5 20) 2 0 13 15 ?REFERENCE /SHARER. Great Eastern, E. Counties Ex., No. 2, P7k 8 Slid Consolidated, 6 per cent. stock, Ditto, Bristol and Birm., 6 per cent., I'4'9 North Eastern, York, 11. and Selby purchase, 10} Stockton and Darlington B, 6 per cent., 31 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. London and Blackwall, BGI FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Antwerp and Rotterdam, 10k 10 ►ttoman (Smyrna to Aidin), 8k Sambre and Meuse, 7k South Austrian and Lombardo Venetian, 131 FOItEIGN MIN Et . Cape Copper, Um., 9 Cobre Copper, 14 Don Pedro, North Del Rey, 1 rontino and Bolivia (gold, lira., St. John del Rey, Jim., 53} 4 Ydanankutana of S. Australia, lint., 1 0} BANKS: Agra and Masterman's, 1im.,;,45; 4; 6 Alliance, Km., 22 11 Bank of New Zealand, 19 Brazilian and Portuguese, Um., 71 8 Charles Laffitte and Co , 8; Chartered 41er. of India, London, and China, 411 40j Consolidated Bank, Sm., 8; East London. lim.. 4} English and American, lim., 31 Bog ish Joint Stock, e European Bank, lim., s Imperial Bank, lim.. 28 Imperial Ottoman, 101 Ditto, new, 9; lonian, 26 2 London and Brazilian (lim.), 42 London Chartered Bank of Australia, 22; London and County, 77 London Joint Stock. 481 8 London and South African, 141 London and South-Western, lim., 17 London and 11 estminster, Mercantile and Exchange, Um., 2 Midland Bank, lim.. 191 National Provincial of En,gland. 159 Oriental Bank Corporation. 45; Provincial Banking Corporation, Km., (3} Union of Australia, 52 1; Union of London, 54; DOCKS. London and St. Katharine, 71 MISCELLANEOUS. Ceylon Company, Ditto, A shares, 2. City of London Real Property, lim., 4 CLty Offices, Rm., 3 Credit Fonder and Mobilier of England, 44 Egyptian Corn. and Trading, Rm., 24 Electric Telegraph, 135 6) Gen. Credit and Finance of London, lim., 3 I Hudson's Bay. 154 Imperial Land Company of Marseilles, lim., 14 Imperial Mercantile Credit Asso., iim., 5 * 41 International Financial Society,:lim., 34 London Financial Association, lira , 131 14 124 London General Omnibus Company, - Madras Irrigation and Canal, .41 Ditto (all), 14 Mer chant Shipping lim., 9i Natio nal Provincial' Marine, lim Overdid, Gurney. and Co., lim., 14) 4 14 Quebrada Land. ttail, and Mining, lim., I) Telegraph Construdiun and Maintenance, Um., 14 Trinidad Petroleum, lira. , 2 THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1860. Destructive Fire and Loss of Two Lives. Last night, shortly after 9 o'clock, a fire of a destructive character broke out in Bishopsgate, which resulted in the loss of two lives. The discovery was made by City Police-constable No. 328, who observed smoke issuing from the cellar of Mr. Frederick Nix, tobacconist, No. 97, Bishopsgate, at the corner of Liverpool-street. The engi neers of the brigade, who are nearly opposite, ss well as the Royal Firo Escape, with Conductor Steer, arrived, fol lowed by the powerful steam land fire engines of liessis. Shand, Mason, and Co., which got to work in first-rate style with a good supply of water from the mains of the New River Company. As soon as the premises were cooled the firemerAvent in search of the missing bodies, when they found Miss M. Nix, aged 7 years, on the landing, burnt to death, and a deaf and dumb man suffocated. A shell was procured, and the bodies removed to the dead house. Cause is at present unknown. ELECTION COMMITTEES.—This Day. CHELTENHAM. The members of this committee reassembled this morn ing at the usual hour, and the evidence in support of the petition against the return of Mr. Schreiber was resumed. Margaret Barnes, the first witness called, was examined by Mr. Fitzjamos Stephens. She said she was waitress at the Royal Hotel, Cheltenham (the headquarters of Mr. Schreiber), and was employed thorn during the last election. She remembered on the day of the nomi nation an agent of Mr. Schreiber being there in a room by himself. There were five other men also there, but they were in a different apartment. They remained during the night, and were supplied with any amount of brandy, sherry, and whisky, for which they called. She believed they were all voters, and when she asked them for pay ment, they said what they had had was to be booked. Harris (the gardener, whose name has appeared so frequently in the course of the enquiry) was one of the men. They were all very tipsy ; and when she went to supply them with breakfast the next morning, the room they occupied was in a very disordered condition. They left in the morning, but she did not know where they went to. Mr. Stephens—What instructions did you receive from the landlord about giving these men refreshments ? Sergeant Ballantine objected to the question. The land lord could be examined on that point, as he was in attendance. The Committee decided that the question as to specific instructions was not admissible. Witness—She had received instructions. She did not book the orders, bat saw them entered in a book, which, however, sho could not identify. There was a dinner at the Royal Hotel on the day of polling, and the five men in question, and about 20 or 30 others, were at that dinner. As on the previous night, she was told that she was to book whatever was called for by all the party. The witness was cross-examined, but nothing materia: was elicited. Other witnesses were called to prove the allegation of bribery against the sitting members, and the proceedings, notwithstanding the length to which they have already extended, are likely to last some days longer. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE HANSA. SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 3. The North German Lloyd's steamer Hansa, from New York on the 21st ult., has arrived here. She brings 363 passengers for this port, Havre, and Bremen, and $BOO in specie for Bremen. On the 27th ult. the Hansa spoke the British bark C. 11. C. on the 28th ; the Prussian bark Humboldt; and on the 29th the American bark Worcester. Her telegraphic news has been anticipated. NEWS FROM ADULLAM.--UP A TREE, May 1, 1866.—Dear Owl,-1 write from a new hiding place I read in the Times to-day a letter from an Adul lamite. Ho has still stuck to the Cave, as it appears, and seems very well satisfied and contented. I can't say the same. You must know that there was a regular stampede at first after the division. Lots of Cave men ran out afraid, I suppose, of their former masters, I among them, and I climbed up here whore I am now, regularly up a tree. You see lamin a fix. I don't quite believe in the awful consequences which Lowe and the Times' Adullamite say will be the result of the success of the Government mea sure; and I want to got back to my old diggings. My constituents are very angry with me ; but what's to be done ? menlt b ca e n' tte t r sa th y a r n ig A h d t u o i ff ian t l h f a a t re o , n pa th rt e ie w nl h a o r l l e y as I pGroo-- mised in the confusion to dine next - Wednesday in the Cave, with all the other fellows. They gave a dinner to their chief to celebrate their escape, and I must wait till after that. So here I am. If the Colonel—what am I say ing ?—I mean, if Gladstone is in earnest, why then, like the American 'coon, I shall come down; but, otherwise, I should like to stay up hero just for the present. What do you think—is he in earnest ?—Yours truly, ANOTHER ADULLAMITE.—[We beg to inform our correspondent that we think Mr. Gladstone is terribly in earnest.)— Owl. " HIGH ART" IN NEW YORK.— The frauds that are carried on at our popular picture auctions are far greater than those which used to be carried on in jewellery by the Peter Funks. The two sorts of knavery are very much alike. The old style of Peter Funks sold brass jewellery for jewellery of " real genuine gold, eighteen carats fine ;" the new c great s o t n y n l e o issseelulr.t, EuropeaneT h m nal o ao s el t tae i.sety,liei preposterous portedda übs for by y works o c r e k l e s b o r f a t t e h d e took pains to inscribe upon th e i r watc h es the name ouafls'stvoianis celebrated house, usually in Switzerland, as maker ; the new style are no loss careful to attach to the canvasses the name of some celebrated artist, usually in Germany, as painter. The jewellry auctioneers onChatham-street " took in" chiefly verdant and unsophisticated folks from the coun try, who knewso little about gold and diamonds that they could not tell the real article from the most flagitious coun terfeits; the bogus picture auctioneers in like manner flourish by the patronage of artistic greenhorn; who do not know enough about art to tell a great work by an eminent artist from a feeble abortion by some oily char latan. Those who were " by the brass auctioneer had an advantage, however, over those who get sold by the canvass auctioneer; in that the former soon discovered for themselves how they had been taken in. The watch would fall to pieces, or the works decline to move, or the brass unmistakably indicate its brazen character. But those who aro sold in the purchase of sham-pictures are not apt to discover the fact so readily. They display the pretentious hypocrisy on their walls for the admiration of friends and visitors ; and years may elapse before they discover, to their mortification, that they have all the time been displaying, as it were, a sort of brass-jewellery in their mansions. We have seen of late largo numbers of the most execrable pic tures on exhibition previous to being auctioned, with the names of the most distinguished artists in Europe attached to them. Their drawing, their colour, and general treatment gave unmistakable evidence to all con noisseurs as to the falsity of the claims of their origin, and yet such pictures have been sold, and others of like character will be sold, for hundreds and even thousands of dollars. And the auctioneers will even display certificates that they were painted by those whose names they claim, The fact is there aro now in Germany, France, England, and especially in Belgium and Italy, large paint shops in which pictures are manufactured wholesale for the Ameri can market. The works are made by poor apprentices, and poor women, and poor journeymen, on very small wages ; and few have any idea of the enormous extent of the busi ness, or the enormous market for such trash that this ic a a n t d ed th ci e tiz n e a n ti s o a n r a e l ise all those wh o te country oerd f g, u e r on n nu i r s i h n e e sa. native t T d he artistsgu r s d o c u dr outraged,unN s v o e p h a i d s v t attend picture sales to exercise more discretion in purchas ing than our picture buyers have hitherto done.—New York Times, April 10. TIIE AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS.— The fifteenth annual report of this society consists of 367 closely printed pages, and almost equals in size out of the ordinary parliamentary blue-books. Some of the facts made known by the report and the numerouspages of figure■ aro very remarkable. It appears that during the past year the Amalgamated Society has added nearly £28,500 to the previous accumulated fund, owing to the reason that during the year trade has been exceedingly good ; 3,583 new members have been added, and at the close of Decem ber there were in all 30,978 members. The accumulated fund of the society at the close of the year amounted to no less than £115,357 13s. boil, or £3 14s. 51d. per mem ber, apart from the arrears, although the expenditure during 1865 was as much as £49,172 Gs. 2d. About 70 of the branches have deposited their funds in the Post-office Savings Banks, amounting to about £24,000. " And I believe," writes the general secretary, " many more will avail themselves of this privilege—a privilege obtained through the kindness of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gladstone, who richly deserves the best thanks of this as well as all similar institutions." During the year £14,070 4s. 9d., or 9s. Id. per member, has been paid to members out of employment, being £2,355 less than that paid in the previous year. On sick benefit there has been paid £13,785 14s 9d., or Bs. Id. per member expended —the two benefits requiring no less a sum than £17,855 19s. 6d. to support them during the year. To superannuated members the sum of £5,181 17s. 4d. has been paid, being £1,282 lls. 9d. more than in the previous year. This dif ference is caused by the increased benefit now allowed to the members who, through old age or infirmity, are under the necessity of claiming superannuation. That is a most important benefit of the society, and ono that cannot be too highly appreciated by the members generally, for it proved a great solace and relief to many old and deserving members, 260 of whom were is receipt of its benefits at the close of the year. In cases of accident the sum of £l,BOO has been expended, being £5OO more than the amount paid in 1864. The funeral benefit amounted to £4,887 or £985 in excess of the previous year, so that the sum of £39,728 2s. 10d. has been expended in payment of the five principal benefits—namely, donation to unemployed members, sick, superannuation, accident, and that of funeral, during the year. PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM FIRE.—From the returns presented by the Secretary to the Quarterly General Court of the committee recently hold at the So ciety's offices, Ludgate-hill, it appears that during the three months ending 31st March last 160 fires were attended by the Royal Society's escapes and conductors, and 22 lives saved—viz., two at the fire in the Whitechapel-road, on Jan. 4 ; four at the fire in Langley-place, on the 25th of the same month; two at the fire in Church-lane, Spitalfields, on February 18; four at the fire in Wilderness-row, on the 15th of March ; and, on the 26th, seven at the fire in St. George-street, St. George's-in-the• East; three at the fire in Southwark-bridge-road, on the 27th of same month. The rewards voted by the committee for presentation at the public meeting, usually held at the Mansion-house, under the presidency of the right hon. the Lord Mayor, comprised silver medals, clasps, and testimonials, accompanied with sums of money according to the merits of the various cases. The return for the month of April showed 46 attendances at night fires, the conductors on one or two occasions prov ing of essential service in securing the safety of endangered persons, and in three instances the escapes were used by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in aiding them to subdue the fire. THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.—At the meeting of the members of this society on Tuesday evening, the Ist inst., Mr. J. Fowler, president, in the chair, five members and 11 associates were balloted for and Mr. Th os . M e i k, chief engi -111 l c Sunderland ; M r . Willi am ; ks, declared to be duly elected, including, in the f ormer c l ass, Mr. James Richardson Forman, Glasgow ; M r . Willi am Re.uesrMbtaoollr the Husband, resident allhaYr ibeuCornwall engineer to the Kent Waterworks Company ; and Mr. James Muir, chief engineer to the New River Company; and in the latter class, Mr. H. Bessemer, Mr. Wm. Brookes, Chancery-lane ; Mr. Rowland Brother hood, Chippenham ; Mr. Jos. G. Cooke, locomotive super intendent of the Imperial Mexican Railway, Vera Cruz ; Mr. J. Cundy, Surbiton; Mr. F. 0. Finch, 8.A., Blaanavon Iron Company ; Mr. Chas. Goolden, M.A., Fernley Iron Company ; Mr H. G. C. Ketchum, St. John's, New Bruns wick ; Mr. W. C. Leechman, Hultsdorf Mills, Ceylon ; Mr. M. Smith, late of the Cape of Good Hope; and Mr M. E. Wesley, Westminster. The number of members of all classes now on the register of the institution is 1,338, as against 1,239 at the Ist of January last. The number of elections into the institution since its first establishment in 1818 has been 2,138, from which it appeals that about 62 per cent. of all those who have joined the institution still belong to it. WORKING MEN'S CLUBS AND INSTITUTES.—SOme of these clubs in the heart of London were visited last Tuesday night by the Duke of Argyll, who is announced to preside at the approaching public dinner of the parent society. The duke was introduced to the secretaries of the respective clubs, and to such members of th e i r comm i ttees tahsewmoerdeusproepseernat,ndbi in ythteheßza. and the Solly,advantages they offer who also explained The visits seemed highly interesting both to the noble duke and t 9 the Working men, Whom he yigited THIRD EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE —This Day. SALISBURY RACES. --Tars DAT. [By ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] THE CRAVEN PLATE (handicap) of 50 secs ; certain Winners extra. Five fur. longs. Mr. Brayley's Mongrel, 4 yrs, 7st 51b... (Murray) 1 Marquis of Hastings's Prof. Anderson, 3 yrs, 6st 81b (H. Day) 2 The following alsa ran : — Jassy , King Christi an, Crawford, Ilolker, Cairngorm, and Dulcimer. First and second objected to. THE CITY BOWL, of 25 sovs value, added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs each; 2-yr-olds, Est 121 b ; three, Bst 121 b ; four, 9st 10Ib ; fi ve and upwards, 10st 31b ; m and g allowed 31b ; selling allowances. Five furlongs. King Charles 1 Rebecca Preferment 3 Six ran. THE WILTSHIRE STAKES (handicap) of 25 sovs each, with 100 added ; certain winners extra. Two miles. Mr. Treen ns Morris Dancer, 4 yrs, Est 51b Mr. Payne's Pintail, 5 yrs, 7st 101 b (in. 61b ex.) 2 Captain Day's Stinger, 3 yrs, sst 91b 3 Five ran. THE SALISBURY STAKES a sweepstakes of 10 eovs each, with 50 added, for 2-yr olds ; colts, Est 1011) ; fillies f Est 61b ; certain winners extra. Half a mile. Mr. Padwiek's Misfortune Prince D. Soltykoff's Bounceaway 2 Eleven ran. ACCEPTANCES FOR I STA Age st lb Miner ... 5 8 12 Buckfoot ... 5 8 4 Nightwatch ... 4 8 1 Sandal ... ... 5 7 11 Pintail ... 5 7 11 Watchbox... ... 4 7 5 Endsleigh... 4 7 2 Filbert ... 4 7 '2 Lord Zetland 5 7 0 Life Guardsman 3 6 9 PHE SOMERSETSHIRE KES. Age st lb Miss Hobble ... 4 6 8 Staghouud ... 3 6 8 Lansdown... ... 4 6 6 Black Prince ... 3 6 4 Lady Florence 4 6 4 School Girl ... 4 6 0 Haphazard ... 3 5 12 Tambourine ... 3 5 10 Stinger ... 3 5 9 Whalebone ... 3 5 9 HORSES STRUCK OUT OF THEIR ENGAGEMENTS April 11, at 10 a.m., the Rake, out of Epsom 2-year-old Stakes. April 25, after 6 p.m., Quarantine, out of all engage ments except Harpenden Handicap. April 30, after 6 p.m., Baragah, out of all engagements. April 30, after 6 p.m., Clinker (dead) out of all engage ments. April 30, after 6 p.m., Bonny Doon, out of Weston Stakes at Bath. May 1, at 9 a.m., Dunluco, Maydew, Cromwell, Stephen Langton, and Ozone, out of Ascot Spring engagements. May 1, at 6.5 p.m., Elf King and Visionary, out of Sun ning Hill Stakes at Ascot. May 1, at 6.5 p.m., Moulsey, out of Beaufort Cup at Bath. May 1, at 6.5 p.m., Queen of Trumps, out of Badminton Stakes at Bath. May 1, at 6.5 p.m., Dean S wift, out of Flying Dutchman Handicap, and Londesborough Cup at York. May 1, after 8 p.m., Lord Douglas, out of all engagements in Mr. Thellusson's name. May 1, after 8 p.m., Lytham, out of all handicaps for which the weights have been published. May 2, at 9 a.m., Regalia, out of Beaufort Cup at Bath. May 2, at 1.50 p.m., Mr. Saxon's horses, out of Salisbury engagements. May 2, at 2.15 p.m., Gladiateur, out of Beaufort Cup tv Bath. FRANCE. PARIS, Thursday, 4.20 p.m. CORPS LEGISLATIF. To-day, at the commencement of the sitting, M. Rouher, the Minister of State, said that the policy of the French Government was essentially pa cific ; that her sincere desire was to hold aloof from the conflicts of other countries; that the French Government would see with in finite displeasure and regret Austria attack Italy. Such au attack would be very serious to the French policy, but that if Italy were to commence hostilities against Austria, France would abandon her to the chances of that adventure. M. Thiers (who is now speaking) is entering into a long statement of the German policy. It is believed that M. Itouher will speak again at the close of the debate. French Rentes 65f. sc. Bank of England Returns.•--This Evening. An Account, pursuant to ti cap. 32, for the week ending ho Act 7th and Sth Victoria, Wednesday, May 2, 1866. ISSUE DE Notes issued ...,£27,712,020 'ARTMENT. Governmt. Debt £11,015,100 Other Securities 3,984,900 Gold Coin and Bullion Silver Bullion £27,712,020 £27,712,020 IEPARTMENT. Governmt. Secu rities(including Dead Weight Annuity) .... £10,697,254 Other Securities 20,380,395 Notes 4,839,250 Gold and Silver Coin £36,711,019 W. MILLER, Chief Cashier. Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day. The market opens quiet. Sales probably 6,000 or 7,000 bales. The Power of Returning-officers at Elections. The law which regulates the duties of returning officers in England, Scotland, and Ireland is some what anomalous. In England the fact of being returning-officer is of itself no objection to a vote, but a returning-officer has no second or casting vote, and the practice when votes are equal is in favour of a double return, or, if needs be, as in case of a former election at Knaresborough, a treble re turn. A learned riter considers that if the votes are equal it is a void election, but adds that " the returning-officer may, without incurring censure, return either all the candidates who have equal numbers, or only one." But there is one case on record where the returning-officer, finding th e numbers equal, declared if he possessed a cast ing vote he. gave it for Mr. W. When, how ever, the case came before the committee, the second vote was given up without argument. In Scotland, by 2 and 3 Wm. IV., sheriffs are di rected to make double returns if the votes are equal ; while in Ireland, by 35 Geo. 111., the re turning officer is obliged to give a casting vote, whether he is otherwise qualified or not, under a penalty of £2,000. In England, therefore, a re turning officer may make a double return, in Scot land ought to do so, and iu Ireland is forbidden under penalty to return two members. In Ireland, therefore, the mayor may. in some cases, as return ing officer, return the candidate favourable to his own or his party's views. The case of Helston, which has just occurred, in which a Cornish may or has invested himself with Irish privileges, and ar rogated to himself a casting vote, must shortly come before the House, and we trust that some notice will be taken of such a needless discrepancy in the election laws of the two countries. At the same time it will be a nice point to decide whether the mayor has not violated a privilege of the House. Still, in the case of Helston, the same telegram which announces the state of the poll tells us that the Liberals had only a colorable majority, which on a scrutiny is likely to prove a true majority for their opponents.—Morning Post. The last week's railway receipts, ascertained up to this date, are in round figures as under:— 1866. 1865. Great Western ... £71,692 £71,199 North Western ... ... 120,478 111,692 South Western. ... 23,383 27,163 Brighton 20,074 22,649 Midland ... 50,383 45,895 South Eastern ... ... 22,260 22,384 Great Northern ... 38,028 37,004 Lancashire and Yorkshire ... 44,680 38,546 Bristol and Exeter ... 7,196 7,151 North Eastern 69,965 65,163 Manchester, Sheff ie ld, an d Li nco l n ... 20,899 18,231 Great Eastern ... 34,597 35,336 London, Chatham, and Dover .. ... 9,703 9,018 These returns, when compared with those of the corresponding period of last year, are in most in stances very satisfactory. On the Great Western there is an increase of £493 ; on the North Western of £8,786; Midland, £4,488 ; Great Northern, £1,024; Lancashire and York shire, £6,134 ; Bristol and Exeter, £45 ; North Eastern, £4,802 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lin coln, £2,668 ; and London, Chatham, and Dover, £685 ; while the South Western shows a decrease of £2,780; Brighton, £2,575 ; South Eastern, £124 ; and the Great Eastern, £939. LEGITIMATE TRADE IN AFRICA. —The factories of Yelbana, in the Sherbro, and Sulymah, in the Gallinas rivers, upon the West Coast of Africa, are now in full ope ration. The sites upon which these factories have been erected were once the strongest holds of the slave trade, and at the Gallinas, a few short years ago, a slave factory existed, which has been completely destroyed by the exei tions of a Mr. Harris. The result of the establishment of factories in the palm-oil, rice, and timber trades, has been to create a marked change in the habits of the surrounding tribes, who from a lawless state of existence have become peaceable and civilised, and property now is quite safe in their hands. The extension of legitimate trade upon the African continent is the surest means of destroying the iniquitous slave trade. CHOLERA AMONGST FOREIGN EMIGRANTS IN LlTERrom—Two emigrants, one a Dane (a female) and the other a German (a male), who arrived early in the week from Hull, and were staying at a lodging-house in Hanover-street, Liverpool, were yesterday seized with cholera. They were M once removed to the workhouse. The local authorities are fully alive to the importance of precautionary measures, which are all the more needed in Liverpool, from the great number of German emigrants of the lowest class constantly arriving. NAVY ESTIMATES.—We understand that a sup plementary estimate is to be brought forward for repairing the Chancellor of the Exchequer's boats, which he so has tily burnt the other day. The expense is likely to be heavy. —The Owl. FREE TRADE IN THE UNITED STATES.—An ad dress from the Free-Trade Association of London to the American Free-Trade League, signed by Mr. Richard Moore, the chairman, and Mr. Jno. Noble, the secretary, has been forwarded to New York, by the City of Paris, which sails this day (May 3d). The address consists mainly of a resume of the financial policy of Great Britain since 1842, especially as to its effects upon revenue and trade, forming a short and comprehensive history of the fiscal history of the period. In special relation to tho United States it urges theinconsistency of Protective duties with the Declaration of Independence, the necessity of Free Trade, if a large revenue is to be required, and its importance as a means of reorganising trade and industry in the Southern and extending manufactures in the Northern States. PLYMOUTII, Wednesday.—The ship Goolwa, Cap tain Johnson, belonging, to Messrs. Anderson, Thomson, and Co., of Billiter-court, from Port Augusta, Adelaide, January 6, passed up Channel yesterday and landed a small mail and one passenger here. Her cargo for London includes 2,858 bales wool, 44 bales skins, 5,002 bags cop per ore, 40 pigs copper, 50 tons cobbing, 32 bales and 7G bags Mimosa bark, 556 bags ground bark, 42 bales and 250 bags chopped ditto, and punch 7 leather, mohair, skins, lid till. BANKING D: Proprietors' Capi tal £14,553,000 Reßt Public Deposits (including Ex chequer, Sav ings' Banks, Commissioners of National Debt, and Div Accounts) 4,922,990 Other Deposits 13,Z,87,965 Seven Day and other bills 437,049 £36,711,019 May 3, 1866. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS.—THIS EVENING. The Lon]) CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at ive o'clock. PETITIONS. Several petitions wero presented from Huddersfield and other places against any alterations in tho ceremonies of the Church of England. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Hamilton Estate Bill was read a second time. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Shrewsbury Bridge, Ryde Station, Sligo and Ballaghade reen Junction Railway, and Swansea Harbour Trust. FINANCIAL POSITION OF RAILWAYS. Lord REDESDALE gave notice that on this day week ho would draw their lordships' attention to this subject. STANDING ORDERS. Th• standing order No. 141 was considered and dis pensed with, in reference to the Sutherland Walker's Estate Bill and Lady Slaney's (Trust) Estate Bill. PARLIAMENTARY OATHS BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the following standing order : —That the oath appointed by the Act of the present Session of Parliament, entitled 'An Act to amend the law relating to Parliamentary oaths to be made and subscribed by members of both Houses of Parliament, on taking their seats in every Parliament,' shall be made and subscribed by members of the House of Peers betwixt the hours of 9 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon." The motion was agreed to. On the motion of Earl RUSSELL, the house went into committee on the Ecclesiastical Commission B ill, and the various clauses were agreed to. SELLING AND HAWKING GOODS ON SUNDAY BILL. Lord CHELMSFORD moved the second reading of this bill, which increased the penalty for Sunday trading from five shillings to twenty shillings, and likewise increased the powers of the police. (Hear, hear.) He intro duced exceptions into the bill with a view to ob tain a concurrence of Parliament, which might refuse to accept the measure in in its entirety. Having quoted the eloquent language of Lord Macaulay against excessive labour, he concluded by stating that his object was to afford physical relaxation. intellectual recreation, and reli gious worship. (Cheers.) Lord TEYNHAM expressed his approval of the pro visions of the bill, which extended its operation to the country at large, instaad of as previously limiting it to the metropolis. Ho thought, however, that some hard ship would be inflicted by increasing the penalty for every individual offence, the effect of which would be to consign to prison many of the poor on the verge of destitution. The motion for the econd reading was then agreed to without a division. The Qualification for Offices Abolition Bill was read a third time and passed. The other business on the paper was then disposed of, and the house adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tnis EVENING. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. HUDDERSFIELD ELECTION. The report of the IluddQrAgold glectioi committee Wag brought up. It stated that Mr. Crossland had been duly elected. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed:— Hexham and Allendale Railway; Lancashire and York shire Railway (Extension of Time, &c.); Mid Hants Rail way ; Midland Railway (Additional Powers) ; Newchurch Parish Division ; Parsonstown and Portumna Bridge Railway ; Rochdale Water ; Tyne Improvement ; and Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway (Additional Powers). NEW WRIT. On the motion of Col. TAYLOR, a new writ was ordered to issue for Stamford, in the place of Sir S. Northeote. CHURCH RATES. Mr. BOVILL gave notice he should submit a motion to the house on the subject of church rates, the effect of which would bo not only to exempt Dissenters, but all those who gave notice of their disinclination to contribute to parish churches, from church rates. 1091 1 10 15) 1 1 JUDGES IN IRELAND. Mr. BRYAN asked whether a statement, which had appeared that a judge in Ireland had been unable to read the sentence of death upon a prisoner although it had been written for him in largo writing, was founded on fact? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for Ireland said the statement was substantially cornet. Mr. LEPROY defended the course that had been taken by the learned judge in question, and read a letter from a gentleman present on the occasion, which denied that any thing of the kind ever occurred. The ATTORNEY -GENERAL for IRELAND said he was present on the occasion, and he regretted to say that the judge (Chief Justice Lefroy) was quite unable to pro nounce the sentence of death in the legal form. It was at his (the Attorney-General) and the Solicitor-General's suggestion that the sentence was eventually passed in ac cordance with the law. Had the sentence stood as at first pronounced the judgment would have been illegal. Mr. WHITESIDE defended the conduct of the Lord Chief Justice. Ile condemned the practice of asking a question ii the month of May on a subject which took place last August. Mr. BRYAN said he did not bring the matter forward in any party spirit. He would not, however, occupy the attention of the house that night, but ho would take care that the matter shou e ld ll b o o L revived anotheroßK. occasion. THE Mr. MAGUIRE said ho had received a telegram from Cork stating that two cases of cholera had been reported to have occurred on board an emigrant vessel lately arrived there. He hoped the Government would take the utmost precaution to prevent the spread of cholera. Sir G. GREY said he had received a telegram from the Mayor of Liverpool stating that a case of cholera had appeared on board a German emigrant ship. The telegram had been instantly forwarded to the President of the Privy Council, and the most active steps would be taken. Ho had no official intelligence of the cholera having ap peared at Cork. VICTORIA PARK. Lord J. MANNERS asked the First Commissioner of Works if it was true that a bill was before Parliament which would sanction the erection of gasworks within a short distance of Victoria Park; and, if so, whether it was his intention to oppose that bill ? Mr. COWPER said he did not think that any noxious influence would prevail from the erection of prudently constructed gasworks 300 feet from the park. Ile should ask, however, for the insertion of clauses to protect the park. VOTERS AT DEVONPORT. Mr. MONK asked tho Secretary to the Admiralty when the return of dockyard workmen 'who claimed to vote at the last general election, and who would be disqualified by clause 16 of the Representation of the People Bill, would be laid before the house ? Sir G. GREY said it was quite impossible to make any promise in the matter. THE JAMAICA COMMISSION. Lord STANLEY asked when the report of the Jamaica Commission would be laid on the table. Mr. CARDWELL said the report was very voluminous, and, with the utmost speed, he did not think it would be possible to lay it on the table for three weeks. CHURCH RATES. The CHANCELLOR of tho EXCHEQUER said that to-morrow ho should move for leave to introduce a bill for the abolition of compulsory Church-rates. TEE BUDGET. The house then went into Committee of Ways and Means. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose to make his financial statement, and in doing so said he had no such surplus revenue at his disposal as there had been for the last three years. He should, however, in the course of his observations, have to make certain proposals which he thought not so extensive as those he had the honour to make on previous occasions, but which would be attended with great inte rest to a large body of the community. The hon. gentleman then proceeded to refer to the gross expenditure of the year, which he said amounted to £65,420,000, whilst the revenue re ceived was £67,812,000, which was £1,420,000 beyond the estimate. The estimated loss in tea in consequence of the reduction of the duty last year had come very near the actual loss, and under all the circumstances it was gratifying fact that it was not greater. The loss upon the income tax by the reduction of last year was over a million, and although such was the fact it was gratifying to notice the growth of that tax, and the penny on that tax, which a short time ago produced about £700,000, was now equal to £1,400,000. (Hear, hear.) The malt duty during the last year had been very favourable ; it bad been estimated at £5,850,000, whilst it had produced £6,410,000. British spirits had been estimated to produce £10,300,000 ; the actual produce had been £10,450,000, and Colonial spirits had been set down at £3,295,000, while the actual amount re ceived was£3,sos,ooo,making a total of £13,950,000, or in round numbers £14,000,000, the largest sum that was ever raised by an indirect tax on one article in any country. The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to point out the chief features of the esti mates for the year, which had been set down at £67,575,000, and which, after all deductions, left a surplus of £1,150,000, and it was as to the disposal of that surplus he should have to direct the attention of the house. Therefore, proceeding to deal with the surplus, the right hon. gentleman referred to the foreign treaties, and said that the treaty which had been entered into between England and France had been remarkably successful, and the fact was all the more gratifying as it had been prophesied that little good, if not actual harm, would be the result of that measure. The Government proposed to repeal the duty on timber and to equalise the duty on wine in bottle to wine in the wood. The repeal of the timber duty would date from March, 1866, and the loss from that source would be £307,000. The duty on wine up to a certain strength was 2s. 6d. per gallon in bottle and Is. in the wood, but they now proposed that the duty on the two should be uniformly ls. (Hear, hear.) This would cause a loss of £71,000. The next article upon which the Government proposes to remove the duty was pepper. (Laughter.) Pepper was used largely in Ireland—laughter) —and otherparts of her Majestys' dominions, and although it might be looked upon as a trifling matter in some quarters, yet there were other places where pepper was regarded as an article of great importance. LEFT SPEAKING.] CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, May 2. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer China, with the heavy portion of the above mails, passed the Needles at 2.10 p.m. to-day. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. —This Day. LEY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning. Arrived—Caroline, from Cimbritsham. Sailed— Seine, steamer, for Boulogne; Leal, steamer, for Lisbon. DEAL, Thursday Morning. nd Passed, May 2—Susan and Anna, of Dartmouth, Louisa, of Arundel, from the west, f o o n r rom L don, for Calcutta. Passed, May 3—Nagpore, f ___—__•7. - -- - -_ THE NAvY CLUB.--The members of the Navy Club dined together on Tuesday evening at Willis's Rooms St. James's . Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander, Ki ng -street, Milne, K.C.8., Presided. There were present the Marquis of Normanby (visitor), Admiral Sir Geo. Lambert, G.C.13 Admiral the Earl of Shrewsbury, Admiral the Hon. Sir Frederick W. Grey, G.C.8., Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney Dacres, K.C.8., Vice-Admiral Lord Edew.Baro.:llßviliee.tria,srsv-eAlilea,mel..,ik.BrCda...l,. Admiral Sir G. Rodney Mundy, T. B. Ice_Adnairai Vice-Ad miral i i . l a l l i William Erskine, Ramsay, Admiral Blake, C. 8., Rear_Admiral the Hon. James R Rear-Admiral Hastings George G. Wellesley, al W. J. C. Clifford, C. 8., Captain Morris' c D . r l3 7 Re ruo a n r d -A , C dm .B i . i ,. Captain Thomas Hope R. Yelverton' ,Captain P. Martin, Captain. Rowley Lambert, Captain , B Captain Hand, j'allg t , li Captain A. Lyons, Captain Derriman, Edmond§tone, Captain F. Campbell, Captain D'Areypticn The American Coal Fields. Mr. II1:3rE BURNLEY, in a report sent to the Foreign Office on the coal-fields of America, informs us that the whole extent of the coal area in th a United States has been usually divided into four principal coal-fields or tracts, viz. :—The Great Central, Alleghanian or Appalachian coal-fields, extending from Tuscaloosa in Alabama, through Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, Western Vir ginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and re-, appearing in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. This field has been computed to cover within the United States an area of 50,000 or 60,000 squaro miles, of which about 40,000 square miles, or 25,600,000 acres, are considered workable area. It is subdivided into eight minor divisions produc tive of bituminous coal. The second coal-field oc an _ . pies the greater part of Illinois and Indiana, and in extent is nearly equal to the first. A third f: te i d f ourth t c h o e ve g r r s ea a te la r r gp e ar p t o o r f tio t n he of s A ta l t is e so o u f ri ii a ie n i d liga tl n ie ‘ The Chesterfield bituminous coal-field, a detached dis trict of small area near Richmond, Virginia, con, tains the oldest-worked collieries in America, and for many years furnished the only supply of coal for the seaboard towns. The greater part of the area of workable coal in the bituminous coal-fields above-mentioned remains as yet undeveloped. detached basins of anthracite coal in Pennsylvania, which form one of the most interesting of this great coal-producing territory, though limited in aggre gate area, as yet produce considerably more than, all the others put together. The coal area of the United States, according -t o Taylor's " Statistics on Coal," a work publish rd i n 1855, was estimated in 1845 to cover 1 . ..53,13 2 square miles, or 85,204,480 acres, which was, nearly one-fourth of the total area of the twel ge States in which the coal formation lay. It was equiva lent to nearly three-fourths of the coal areas of the principal coal-producing countries of the world. st of the were ee eu p . Of this area 8,397 square m il es were t o t h e west, side of the Mi ssour i Ri ver, an d 124 , 372 squar. ,. e miles ea Mississippier by R th iv e er : v anthracite hilst 4 dt ! square miles posits of Pennsylvania. More recent estim % %t ea (from the report of the Ctnnmissioners of. the General Land Office) have made the America .° coal fields, so far as they have been developed, t/3 cover nearly 20,000 square miles. The coal areas of Great Britain and Ireland, by far the most Prwiluctive in the world, are estimated to cover b a (-Alt 12,000 square miles, or one-tenth th e ent i re area of the kingdom. The coal formations of Bri t i sh America are computed to have an area of 18,000 square miles. In 1815 the production of the British coal-fields was set down at 31,500,000 tans annually. The product of 1858 was stated to be upwards of 65,000,000 tons, worth at the pit's mouth £16,700,000, and in 1863, according to the Philadelphia Board of Trade, quoting from British official sources, 86,292,215 tons, valued at £20,572,945. An eminent geologist estimates the average thickness of the workable coal in Great Britain at 35 feet, and the total quantity of work able coal at 190,000,000,000 tons. If the whole area of the productive coal-fields of North America be taken at 200,000 square miles, and the average thickness at 20 feet, Mr. KENNEDY calculates that their product will be 4,000,000,000,000 tons. The relative size of the coal-measure of the United States and other countries has been made more ap preciable by taking the amount of workable coal in Belgium as 1, then that of the British Islands becomes rather more than 5, that of all Europe 8 4 1 , and that of North America 111. Professor ROGERS, in a work on the coal-fields of the United States as compared with those of Europe, calculates that the United States has 1 square mile of coal field to every 15 square miles of territory ; Great Britain, 1 to every 30 of surface ; Belgium, 1 to every 22i- ; and France, 1 to every 200 miles of surface. The relative superficial magnitude, he observes, of the coal-fields of the countries posses sing coal will be recognised if we compare them by some simple unit of measure. Let this be 100 square miles. In this case—Russia will be repre sented by 1 ; Spain, 2 ; anthracite fields of Penn sylvania, 4 ; Westphalia and Bohemia, 4 ; Belgium, 5 ; France, 10 ; Rhenish Prussia, 10 ; British Provinces of North America, 17 ; British Islands, 40 ; Europe, 75 ; Pennsylvania, 126 ; Appalachian coal-field, 556 ; the entire coal-fields of the United States, 2,200. Whichever way the foregoing figures are taken, they clearly represent the enor mous coal-producing power of North America and the vast wealth of mineral possessed by that country. PROVIDENT CLERKS' BENEVOLENT FUND. The annual public festival in aid of the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund was held last night in the London Tavern, Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., presiding. There was a large attendance. The chairman, in proposing the toast of the evening, gave a brief sketch of the establishment and progress of the society, and referred to the great amount of good which had been accomplished through its agency. He pointed out the benefits that wore to be de rived from it, and warmly urged the claims which the society had to the sympathy and support of charitable persons. The association had at its command a sum of £30,000, but the demands made upon it were such as to afford room for increased liberality. The institution had been iu existence for about a quarter of a century, and had been found useful and efficient, and he trusted means would be afforded it still further to extend its benevo lence. He stated that a Bombay merchant had placed at his disposal the sum of £15,000, to be distributed amon the charitable institutions of the metropolis, and that he had given £5OO out of this amount towards the funds of the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund. The Secretary read the first list of subscriptions, which stated that £3,196 had been contributed by friends of the society. Thi a announcement was received with loud cheers. A. number of toasts followed, including those of the chairman and the treasurer. THE SALMON FISHERIES.—The Special Com missioners appointed under the Salmon Fishery Act of last Session to decide upon the legality of the weirs and fixed nets and engines as at present used in the English salmon rivers, and to put down those that are illegal and to certify those that are legal, will commence their inquiries next week, taking first in order the rivers and estuaries connected with the Bristol Channel For the district the Special Commissioners will hold their courts in the following order :—May 7, at Newport for the river Usk and estuary; May 18, at Glocester, for the Severn and estuary. The commissioners appointed by her Majesty under the Act are Rear-Admiral Houston, Mr. F. Eden (one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Fisheries and a special commissioner• for inquiring into the Irish fixed engines, &c.), and Mr. James Paterson, M.A., barrister-at law. Mr. Brady is secretary to the commission. RATCLIFFE'S listen, RATCLIFFE'S LATIN LESSON. N thrust off or " Tuin then Dido—Dido—denzissa, having Kathy, and tell mo if that sounds right," t I'irt face ; san castaway. Lev ter voltum, her shortad to go together, coax afraid those two words can't be Ratcliffe began. . a f ace , so don't Then try again. let's bother to look for i , it awa y her face profatur, set Dido having, in short, t h ur n o nwnuntied or unfastened heart but at all events I know voltum la . forth, solvite corde r with titthe l'eucrans." " Oh, but stop a meleainied Kathleen ; " how could Did() mecum Tellers; to minute, Ratty,",oeuxerac us, crans'—yes, that goes very if she had thrown away her face? and, besides, sure it can ..... e , disgusting supine, you may go to meet the nn a n flown depend possibly be a verb?" " Oh, bother! well. It is meet the e t ' _i to about Dido 's face certainly ; but, never mind, she's oddish . something odd. There's no • • always doing nominative case in the next sentence, I declare. Well, Mr. Ward will have odo without a nominative case, that's all."—Aunt Judy's magazine for May. yes, to be T THE MAILS, &C.— SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday.— The Royal Mail Company's screw steamship Tasmanian, Captain T. W. S awyer, sailed to-day with the West India, Pacific, and Mexican mails. She takes out £lB,OOO in English, and £598 French specie, 22 bottles of quick silver, English jewellery value £3,862. French jewellery, value £8,775, and a full cargo. Among the passengers ( 79 in all) are Staff-Surgeon Davys, Staff Assistant- Surgeon Campbell, Dr. and Mrs. Bowerbank, for Jamaica; Commander Commander 11. E. G. Earle, for Demerara; CcinifmoranColon ; E. Smith, R.N., and Rev. W. W. Parry, Col. Bolognesi for Callao. The Harnburg ir -A . E n Ehlers, which Com pany's screw steamship Germania, Cap d t. ay after a fl ue run arrived at this port at 4 p.m. on Monday and also in the a t R 1 . :In e" :7N l i th the of 33 hours from the Elbe, sailed to r - k. jewellery from a9 she is full of pas- United States mails for New Havre, value 181,300 f. s s e t e n e g r e a r g s e i , naubdothhasupapelra:s.gnodelaorgwocY,rilalluoodliins,g j at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 106 i importation orta:lon of go d from the United 107 per cent. At these rates these States, the price of gold Is 427 per mark By advie:o from Hamburg , ii on London is 13.5 i per £1 stcr n.!. is 'fnicileplufirste of exthesban—g: and the short esdhan urg tiaxr, la London cent. dearer in Liam)? _ about 2-_lothe per Standard gold at the g t e 'nglias Mint price is, there ore, at ai 10 100 1 190 100 100 F 0 100 100 101 1141 211 984 9 P