The Sun. — London, England, 1870-02-24 00:00:00

VIONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. On the Stock. Excharge to-day, although busi ness was very restricted, prices were firm. Consols Were steady at the opening price, and for Foreign Stocks prices were the turn higher. In Railways Metropolitans recovered to a great extent the de Iression of yesterday ; and for Telegraph shares there was a moderate demand. In Banking aid Miscellaneous shares, however, there was little doing, and the quotations in most cases were pre cisely those of yesterday. Consols are now at 921 to 921 for money; ditto, for Account, 921 1 ; Three per Cent. Re duced, . ; New Three per Cents, 92i d ; Exchequer Bills £l,OOO, March, 2 prem. ; June, 2 preen. 2 dis. ; ditto £lOO, £2OO, and £5OO, March, ; June, prem. ; Bank of England Stock, 41 per Cent., 2:0 2. _ . India Stock, 104 per Cent., April, 1874, ; ditto 5 per Cent., July, 1880, 1114 s 4 ; ditto 4 per Cent., Oct., 1888, 101 1001 ; ditto Enfaced Paper, 5 per Cent., 1872, -- ; Metropolitan Board of Works„ 931 . In the Foreign Market Egyptian (1868) Bonds are 78+ to 79; the 1864 Loan, 910 to 921; Vic?roy's Seven per Cent., 821 to 821; Italian, 551 to 551 ; Turkish Five per Centts., 44i to 451; ditto Sixes, 671 to 681 ; ditto New Scrip, 11 to 11 Prem.; Russian (1862), 851 to 86 ; Orel, 851 to 8 6 ; Nicolas, 68 to 681 ; Moscow, 83 to 831 ; Char kof, 841 to 85 ; Brazilian, 89 to 891; ane Spanish, .261 to 27. In the Railway Market, Metropolitans are better and are now quoted 791 to 80 ; Caledonian, 761 to 77 1 ; Great Eastern, 38 to 381 ; Great Northern, 117 to 118 ; ditto (A), 118 to 1181; Great Western, 8 21 to 631; Lancashire and Yorkilaire, 1281 to 1281; London and Brighton, 421 to 431 ex div. ; London, Chatham, and Dover, 141 to 15 ; London and North Western, 1241 to 124/ ; London and South Western, 93 to 94 ; Metropolitan, 77f to 771 ; Midland, 1231 to 124 ; North Eastern (Berwick), 128 to 1281 ; South Eastern 761 to 77. American Five-Twenties are 891 to 89+ ; ditt Ten -Forties, 841 to 851 ; Erie, 22+ to 221; and Atlantic and Atlantic and Great Western Bonds, 28 to 29. Anglo-American Telegraph Shares are 164 to 17 ; Anglo-Mediterranean, 19k to 19/ ; British Indian Submarine, 15/ to 15/ ; Falmouth, 14 to 14 prem.; French Cable, 151 to 154 ; Construction and Main tenance, 424 to 434 ; and India Rubber, 60 to 61. Lombardo-Venetian, 191 to 194 ; and Great Luxembourg as last quoted. In the Bank Shares Agra are 114 to 12 ; City Bank, 12/ to 114 ; Imperial Ottoman, 3 1-16 to 3 3-16 prem. ; London and County, 48 to 49; London and Westminster, 61 to 611 ; and Union of London, 37 to 374. In Miscellaneous Shares Credit Foucier, are 24 to 3 ; General Credit, 5-16 to 3-16 dis. ; International Financial, 2 to 14 dis. dis. ; Berlin Waterworks, 15 4 to 15,3 ; Hudson's Bay Company, 124 to 124 ; India Rubber Works, 604 to 614 ex div. ; London General Omnibus Company, 2/ to 24 ; National Discount, 11 to 114 ; Peninsular and Oriental Steam, 454 to 461 ; and Royal Mail Steam, 5 4 to 561. A premium of 50 gui news per cent. was paid at Lloyd's on the City of Boston steamer, which left Halifax 26 days ago. The committee of shareholders of the Societe Agricole et ludustrielle d'Egypte have issued a re- Port announcing that, with the cordial aid of the Foreign Office on their behalf, they have obtained r°ll3, the Viceroy of Egypt a satisfactory adjustment Of their claims. At a meeting of bond and debenture holders of z .he Atlantic and Great -Western Railway Company, held to consider the propositions of Mr. D. Chad wick, M.P., it was resolved to promote the adop tion of some plan of arrangement on a basis of mutual concession among the various interests, and that the several committees of the different classes of_ creditors should be requested to confer together such „ n a purpose. if was at the same time re= solved that, in default of such agreement, they should be requested to refer their respective pro posals, ‘4 after the precedent of the London, Chat ham, and Dover Railway, to one or more gentlemen in whose high character and judgment all classes of creditors may have implicit confidence, such gen tlemen to have full power to fix the terms of a final and binding arrangement." Thanks were voted to Mr. Chadwick for his exertions. The agents of the North German Lloyd's an nounce that they have decided to establish a re gular fortnightly service from New York to Lon don, via Southampton, in conjunction with the Lon don and South-Western Railway Company, and that they will commence with the steamer Bremen, ~,whioh is appointed to leave New York on the 23d Afareh. Goods landei at Southampton at any hour of the day or night will, by the new arrange 'tent, be at once forwarded to London. The Liverpool Pacific Company's steamer Auri ecsania, from Brazil, has brought Rio dates to the 3 1st of January, when the rate of exchange re 131ained firm at 190. to 20d. The Royal Mail steamer Douro, from Southampton on the 10th of January, had already arrived out. A strong protest from shareholders in the India rubber, Gutta-percha, and Telegraph Works Com- Pany against the proposed issued of the balance of Shares of the company by public tender has been sent to the directors. A meeting of creditors of Messrs. Dickson -brothers and Co., of Melbourne, has been re (Nested. The circular makes no statement as to t he assets or liabilities, or the cause of the difficulty, but the debts in this country are reported to be ratter over £lOO,OOO, while the assets on the other aide are nominally of about a similar amount, and consist of good; a considerable portion of which are on their way from Australia. At a meeting of the shareholders of the Albert ,Life Ass u r ance Company, the rep o rt lately issued by the provisional committee of policy-holders, annuitants, and shareholders in favour of the r econstruction of the undertaking and the pay raent of all claims in full, was adopted. The deficiency amounts to £160,000, and it is pro- Posed that this sum shall be contributed by the Shareholders and policy-holders. The directors of the Agricultural Hall Company have issued their report. They recommend a dividend of 8 per cent., clear of income tax, and the carrying forward of a balance of £2,023 3s. to the next account. The report of the Patent Nut and Bolt Com pany (Limited), to be presented at Birmingham on the 20th inst., shows an available total of £21,348, and recommends a dividend for the half year at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, which will ab sorb £12,000. The report of the directors of the Black Sea Rail way and Kustendjie Harbour Company (Limited) states the profit of the year at £22,709 against £ 2 4,147 last year. This, it is mentioned, will ad mit, after meeting the interest on the mortgage bonds, of the payment of the 8 per cent. preference dividend in arrear for 1868, as well as the prefer ence dividend for 1869, leaving a surplus of £3,336. Petitions for the winding up of the Freehold and General Investment Company (Limited) ; Alfred Average Association for British, Foreign, and C olonial-built Ships ; Queen Average Association f or British, Foreign, and Colonial-built Ship 3, and lierne Bay Pier Company arc to be heard before Vice -Chancellor Malins on , the 4th of March. meeting of the British Colonial Steamship Company (Limited) is called for the 30th of March, for the purpose of receiving and considering the "count of the liquidators on the winding up of the ll eompa ny. ,l wi A general meeting of the Suez Canal Company be held on the 30th March, in Paris. Th e financial statement of the Illinois Central lailread Company for the month of January has just bee n issued. The total sales of land during th at period amounted to 4,310 acres, realising d 031 in bi° wo is lerkthit ~pC rap.° $42,228, while the estimated earnings in the traffic department were $654,587. The following is from the Cape Copper Com pany :—" The company have received despatches to the Bth of January. The mines of Ookiep and Spectakel are very favourably reported upon, and the progress of the trials at Nababeep and Koperberg was also favourable. Returns—From Ookiep 514 tons, from Spectakel 14.1 tons; traq spprt 353 tons ; bills of are received for 431 tons." BRITISH FUNDS—TWO O'CLOCK. GOVERNMENT FUNDS. 3 per CentACensols Ditto for Account 924 4 3 per Cent. Re luced 921 - - f New 3 per Cent Now 21 per Cent. Jan. 1894 Do. 5 per Cen .1 an. 1873 innuities, 80 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880. Do. for 30 yrs, expire sth April 1835 — Do (Red Sea Televaph), Aug., 1908 — .xclioquor Hills, .£l,OOO, 21 p. 13. March 2 pm Do. 24 do. June 23pm 2 d DI £lOO, £2OO & £5OO — Bank of England Stock, 44 per Cent Do. opening — CAnada 4 per Cent. Bonds — later-Colonial Ommutn — INDIAN aDVEB.NDIENT BECUItITIIIS luctit Stock, 104 per Ceut., April 1879 — Dc. 01 ening, - for Account — D ). 3 per Cent. July, 1880 - I Do 4 per Cent. Oct. 1888 Do. Enfaced Pape. 4 per 0wnt....,. — Do. 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 Do. 5} per Cent. May 1879 — ,7.3 5 per Cent., Rup. Deb, 1872,>. Do do 18' 1 7 Do. do. 1882 — Do. Deb., 5 per Cent., Aug. 1873 — Do. Bonds, 4 per Cent., £l,OOO Do. under £l.OOO 22 FOREIGN FUNDS—TWO O'Ol.OlllE. irgentine Republic, ti per Cent — Do Account Austrian Bonds 5 per cent — Do. 1859 — Brazilian 5 per Cent Do. 4} per Cent. 1852 — Do. do 1858.... .••• Do. au 1860 — Do. do., 1863 7B Do. 5 per Cent., 1865 — Do, Account Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent. Do 2 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent ) Cuba, 6 per Cent. Wiliam 6 per Cent — Po. 41 per Cent — Do. 3 per Cent., Do. 7 per Cent., 1866 Do. 6 per cent. 1867 3 lombian, 6 per Cent. Damian, 3 per Cent., 1825... ..... Danubian Principalities, 7 per Cent Do Account Do 8 per Cent., 1867 931 Ecuador. New Consolidated, 1 per Cent Egyptian, 7 per Cent... — Do Second Issue — Do. £sot. Bonds BB Do. 1864 — Do. Account Do. £5OO Bonds Do. £196 Bonds Do. 7 per Cent., 1868 .. .. — Do. Account , • 79 8} Do. £lOO Bonds . •••• Government Railway Debentures 9B Green 5 per Cent., 1824 5, ex Coups — Do. Coupons Guatemala 6 per Cent .. — fionduras Gov Rail. Loan.,lo p. Ct., all pd Do. Acc. ant Italian 5 per Cent., 1865 — Do. Account . - Do Maremmana Railway — AlXiettL 3 per Cent Ditto for Account Do. 136 a -- Do 6 per Cent. Anglo-French — kionteNidoau 6 per Cent. .. — Moorish Imperial 5 per Ceut New Granada 221 Do 3 per Con — Do. Deferrod Do Laud Warrants (Hectares) Peruvian 5 per Cent. 1865 Do Account .. 791 80i • Do 41 per Cent. (I.ll:')arren) Do 44 per Cent.. 1862 Portuguese 3 per Ct., 1853,'6, 7, 9,'60,'2.'1 , Do. do. 1867 — Do. do. Scrip, £2O paid Russian 5 par Cent., 1822, .£ Si Do 41 per Cent 1850 Do 41 per Cent., 1860 Do 3 per Cent., 1859 Do 5 per Cent~ 186 2 Do. Anglo-Dutch, 1864, £lOO Bona. 911 1 Do. do. £B4 15s. d 0.... Do.. 1866, £lOO Bonds 9ll 1 Do. do £B4 13s. do — Do Nicolas Railway 6B 4 Sardinian 5 pbr Cent — Spanish 3 per Cen ... — Do. Account •. Do. 1867 Do. Account Do. New Deferred — Do. Passive Do. Cum. Cent. ui Uunr. not Wooed - - - Du. Aeeount 27 i S wettish Provincial Mortgage Loan — Do Government, 1861 Do do, 1868 Turkish 6 per Cent ll3 •.,... 000000 •••• ---. DJ Account Do 6 per Cent. 1856 — Do Account ..• Do £lOO Bonds 754 Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Do. Account 691 9 Do £lOO Bonds 7oi 1 Do. 5 per cent. 1865 — Do Account Do 6 per Cent., 1866 — Do. Account Do I por Cent., Guaranteed — Do do, Scrip — Venezuela 3 per Cent. Do 6 per Cent. 1864 — Do 6 per Cent.,1862 Dividends on the above payable in Lowl. , Austrtan o per Cent Ex 10 Florins Belgian, 44 per cent., Er. 25f. Dutch 24 per Cent. Er. 12 Gail., — Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates 874 French Routes, 3 per Cent., Er. 25f. — 1 Wish 5 per Cent. 1851, Er. zsf — Do Account 554 4 Two o'cLoaa. ~ 100 Jonsola, Money Do. Account, March 9 .. 921 t ad Bank of France. PARIS, Feb. 17. The following is the return of the Bank of France for the week ending to-day, together with the cor responding figures of the previous account :-- DEBTOR. Feb 10. Feb. 17. • fr. c. fr. c. Capital of the Bank.,.. 182,500,000 182,500,000 Profits in addition to Capital (Art. 8, Law, June 9, 1857) 7,044,776 02 7,044,776 0; Reserve of the Bank and its branches 22,105,750 22,105,750 1 , Reserve of landed pro- Perty 4,000,000 4,000,000 Notes in circulation . Banknotes to orderand receipts payable at sight 42,366,427 21 41,924,322 24 Treasury account cur rent creditor 154,372,378 73 153,480,915 16 Current ac,counts, Paris 313,021,594 70 308,425,453 66 Do. branch banks 43,894,205 43,256,499 Dividends payable 2,356,580 2,129,145 Discounts and sundry interests Rediscounted the last six months 1,305,522 13 1,305,522 15 Surplus of receipts not distributed — Sundries Total CREDITOR. Feb. 17. Feb. 10. Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. c. Branch banks Commercial bills over due ..., 255,488 15 11,1,428 25 Commercial bills dis counted, not yet due 294,855,193 07 320,810,217 08 Do. branch banks 290,866,997 298,751,279 Advances on deposit of bullion 10,856,900 11,478,000 Do. branch banks 1,562,500 1,823,800 Do. on French Public Securities 19,219,800 19,251,600 Do. by branch banks 7,919,750 7,859,350 Do. on railway shares and debentures 89 ,41 2 ,500 89,665,5..0 Do. branch banks Do. on Credit Foncier Bonds Do. branches Do. to the State (Con vention, June 10, 1857) 60,000,000 60,000,000 Government Stock re serve Do. disposable Rentes Immobalisees (Law, June 2, 1857) 1101)00 000 •-- 1U0,000,000 Rotel and fu rn it ure of ' ' ' • the Bbuk and landed propel ty branches Expenses of ma,nago- ' -, ment 275,678 40 Sundries 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14 80,595,187 21 80,595,187 21 264,9 il 25 7,932,461 97 Total Certified by the Senator-Governor of the Bank of France. (Signed) Rou LAND A NEW LIFEBOAT. —Au additional new lifeboat has just been forwarded by the National Lif(;boat Institu tion to Appledore, a most dangerous station on the north coast of Devon. 'The cost of this lifeboat was defrayed by the legacy of the late Mrs. Mary Ann Walker, through her son, Colonel Beauchamp Walker Mr. Yeo, banker at Bideford, having also given £lOO in aid of the future sup port of the boat. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 24, 1870. STIARR LIST. JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Closing RARiiIOP Share NAME. Paid. Price done 10 Agra Limited,A all 11: in . 10 Do 13 lO 41 5 50 'Albion l5 10 8 00 Alliance, Limited 20 Anglo Austrian 20 Anglo-Egyptian, lint all 211 25 241 20 Anglo-liunglrian -d ip 20 Auglo-Italian 1866, limited 10 3 40 Austrabisian- 20 Bank of British Columbia all 15 16 20 Do issued at 2 pm-- 5 34 24 25 Bank of Egypt 20 Bank of Otago, lint. 25 Bank of South Australia.., all 32 4 33 4 50 Bank of Victoria, Australia 25 37 19 10 Bank of New Zealand all 15 16 50 British North American 20 Chartered of India, Austra lia, and China all ISI 19 25 Chartered Mere. of India. London, and China all 1! 31 20 City lO It 111 100 Colonial 25 41 43 10 Consolidated, lim. 50 Delhi and Loudon, lint 25 LO East London, Bin 5 20 English and American, lint 10 20 English Bank of Rio de Ja neiro. Btu 20 English, Scottish, and Aus tralian Chartered 281 Iloug Kong and Shanghai Bank Corporation all 37 : 9 281 Do new lll 41 51 100 Imperial, him 2O 3 2 90 Imperial Ottoman lO 21 3 13; I 25 lonian all 2) 22 25 Do uew 5 6 3 Lud Mortgage of India, lint 4 3: : 3 1 100 Do 5 p.c. Debs.lB64, 30 all 76 76 80 100 London Bank of 41exico and South America, lim. 20 5 4 100 London and Brazilian, lim. 45 35 20 Do new 7] 5 41 100 London &River Plate, lim. 40 11. 13 25 Do new 10 11 2 p 126 20 London Chart. of Australia all 231 241 20 London and County 2O 401 al 481 50 Do new. iss at 20 p.m, 16 pd ll London Joint Stock London and South African al 100 London &S.-Western, lint, 20 50 London & Venezuela, lint_ 121 ..• ••• 100 London and Westminster 2O 6') 61 6:4 100 Do Scrip, iss at 10 pm 2O 100 Merchant, lint 25 61 51 10 Metropolitan, lim all 71 7 00 Midland, lint 2O id 5 National of Australia 25 National of Liverpool, lint l5 3d • 1 1 1 00 National Provinc. of Ens'd 42 ... ••• 10 50 National. 3O ... 20 New South Wales all 41. 43 20 North-Western 7l 25 Oriental Bank Corporation all 43 41 50 Provine.Bank.CorpO., lim. 10 61 51 30 Provincial of Ireland 25 85 87 10 Do new. all 100 Stand. of Brit. S. Africa, lint 25 14 13 100 Do issued at 6 pin. 10 8 25 Union of Australia.., all 46 43 100 Union of Ireland, lint 50 Union of London ... 10 liP - 611 32i 33 13 11 ...* 15 351 361 371 TELEGIIAPII COMPANIES. 10 Anglo-American Tel., urn all 191 191 171 I 10 Anglo Mediter Te1.,1im.... 10 2ul 21 204 St Atlantic Telegraph lO 14 16 at Do. 8 per cent. at B. and I. Magnetic Tel., lim lOO 18.) li:0 at Electric & Inter. Telegraph 100 262 267 10 Do. New 8 12 13p 25 Indo-European Tel., lirn all 23 25 5 Lond. Provincial Tel. Jim all 3 4 1 Do. Prefer: 10 per cent all 10 Mediterra. Eaten. Tel., lint all 9 10 25 lteuter's Telegram all 12 13 1 20 Societe Transatla,ut., Um all 16 lei 144 at Submarine Telegraph 1 Do. Scrip all 14 11 5 U. Kingdom Tel. Co., lim all 7 8 5 Do. 10 per cent. Pref all 1 r, MISCEL L ANEOUS. LAW INTF,LLIGIVNCE—This Day, THE MORDAUIST CASE. The hearing of this extraordinary case was re sumed this morning. The Court and its approaches were thronged as on previous occasions. Sir F. Johnstone was among the occupants of the gallery this morning A juror desired to have the ex urination of Dr. Jones yesterdAy referred to, with reference to his last visit to Walton Hall, and Lady Mordaunt's state at the tine. Lord Penzance read the evidence, which was that Lady Mordaunt was generally sane ; and that all the I - eculiarities which she exhibite I were produce! by that crushing weight on her mind which the pressure of circumstances could scarcely fail to produce. Sergeant Ballautine then addressed his lordship and the jury, and pointed out that in a case in volving such weighty results as the honour and re spectability of Sir Charles Mordaunt's family, this was the last opportunity which Sir Charles now bad to ar•peal to the jury. Calling attention to the months of March, April, and May, he observed that it was for the Moncreiffe family to show that Lady Merdaunt was in an unsound state of mind iu those months. On the part of Sir Charles Mordaunt, every single atom of evidence that he could produce, although he was only re quired to prove a negative, he had placed before the jury. The most remarkable difference appeared on the other side, and this he characterised as an at tempt to sueprs%s and keep back all the evi dence which ought to have been brought forward. They had confined their evidence to four women servants and a swarm of medical men who knew nothing of the case they t.‘ ere called upon to consider, but endeavoured, •in the weight of their scientific judgment, to lead the jury to sacrifice their own judgment. Where was Lady Moncrieffe? She had been in court. Where was Mrs. Forbes ? Where was Miss Blanche Mon crieffe? Where was Mr. Fiennes, whom Lady Mordaunt had consulted with? Why had they not been put in the witness box ? He thought no argument could be offered more strong than the *absence - of the most important witness, Lady Moncrieffe ? Was there a person in the world who could give so good an idea of the state of Lady Mordaunt's mind. She knew matters of the deepest and gravest importance, without which it would be • impossible for them - to come to an affirmative conclusion. had this been the case of a mechanic's wife, would not the mother of the girl have been called to give evidence as to the state of her daughter's mind at the time of her confinement and afterwards? Of course it would be a very painful matter, but would • not a servant-maid feel the position as painfully .as Lady Moncrieffe would ?, He contendLd that she was not put into the witness box because his learned friend knew that something would be ob tained from her which would damage his case. Then, why had not Mrs. Forbes been called ? Who could know the facts of the case; exc.Tting a mother, better than a married sister ? 1t was said she coultlllv be called because of her confinement, but could not her evidence have been taken in the same manner as that of !Ir. Haynes during his illness. 'Then there was the absence of Miss Blanche Moncrieffe and of Mr. Fienuts, the uncle of Lady Merdaunt. Mr. Herbert Murray gave evidence yes erday that he had advised Lady Mordaunt to consult her uncle, and that next day he took her to see her uncle. Why was not Mr. Fiennes called to state what took place ? They had called four witnesses, one of whom was sent down from a lunatic asylum, and one of these four women could speak as to the state cf Lady Mordaunt during her confinement. They had left ttio matter to influence, and had declined to call these wit nesses, who could have stated whether the lady was or was not insane. The confinement occurred on Sunday, the 28th. Lady Louisa arrived upon Wed nesday, March 3, and remained until 11 arch 6th. The first confession to Slr - Charles took place on March 8, and the second on the 13th. Sir Charles disco vered the letters and hotel bills on the 14th. He made a comaiunication to Lady Louisa, who arrived at the house on the 16th, and remained over the 20th, when Sir Thomas arrived Sir Charles having discovered the proofs of his wife's guilt left Warwickshire on the 15th Apri-. The citation was served on the 30th April. The visit of the d ctor took place on May the 6th. Lad! AlOr•laUll t left on May the 15th, and there was a letter from her on May the 16th. Thes.: dates would exhaust the period t ) which he wished to refer more in detail. The disbelief of Sir Charles in his wife's guilt, and the painful agony which he was suffering, would account for the tone in which his letters were written. ittuINAILY SHAISES AND STOCIA Paid. Closing Busine. s • liallwaya Vries. done. st Blist )1 and Exeter ...... 100 :8 80 at Catudonlau lt,o 74 , 1 77 :71 at C-ttuOrlau • .. 20 Corn w4ll All 21 31 at Lublin & Belfast June lOO . - - at Dun„rerth,& Ab.Junc ioo 70 72 2 , East London all 4 6 20 Do 15 - - Do 10 - - at Glasgow . S. Western lOO 107 1t st Great Eastern .. 'O2 371 371 381 at Do. E. Angl. No. 2 lOO 61 71 at LireatNorthot Scotlaul lOO 13 1 , 4 St Great Northern lOO 117} 4 13 1171 at Du. A stock Do. 11 stock at GtS. and W. of Ireland lou i 8 100 99 at Ut. Western -Original lOO 631 631 631 1 4 • t Do. South Wales ltA) at 6i 6? at Do. W. Mid.-Ostord lOO 40 42 at Do. Newpoz t lOO 31 36 at Lancashire& Yorkshire lOO 128 1281 at Lon., Brigh., S.Coast lOO 44 441 421 1 - Do Scrip - - at Lon., Chat., and Dover Ws 15 151 141 st Do. Metrop. 14x. A lOO 11 13 ,rt Lon. & North Western lOO 1231 .241 1241 at Lon, & South Western lOO 93 s 4 93 Man., Stmt., & Lincoln leo 01. 52 49a at Metropolitan at Do Extension 5 Uo. New rd all - - at Metropolitan District. sil 35 36 35 10 Metrcp. St. John's 15 :rod 10 - - et Ilioisnd at 1.0 dirmin. A Durhi st North British at V _ I'th., & Duo lO9 - - at Nor Eastern-13erwics lOO 127 123 1281 25 D G. N. E purchast -1631, - st 12 - Leeds ....... st D uYork lOO 12'1 211 LA at D °Carlisle . . - - at 12 °Stock. & Darting lOO 167 109 1711 at North Lon ton .. 100 122 2 5 10 Do New 18(8 . 4 lj 2 p 8 at North Staffordshire . . 100 61 63 at North anr l S. W. Inaction 100 9) 101 10 Do New £lO shares 7 ... st . lOO 53 55 at Shropshire Union .OO 591 601 st South Devon - .. st South Eastern lOO 751 761 761 1 at Staines, Wok'ham, & Wok all 13 14 at Tall Vale -- Do. C . 6 - Waterlord & Kiiktury.. lOU - Wa.terloo & Whiteha.l.. 6 - - RAILWAYS-PREFER ENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. at Bristol and Exeter 4 p.cent. 100 87 80 st Caledonian Qrs., No. 2 lOO ... st Do. Scot. N.E., 44 per cent lOO ... at Do. Aberdeen, gua. 6 p.c lOO ... at Do. do. 7 per cent lOO at Do. do. Ordinary lOO 78 82 at Do. Midland st Do. Dundee and Arbroath 100 ... 20 Cornwall, 3 per cent gua all ... st Dundee, Perth, and Aber deen Junction lOO 105 107 at Eo. let Class preference lO9 at Glas. & S.W. gua. 5 per ct lOO ... at /4t. Eastern, E.O Ex. No.l 100 98 10J st Do do N 0.2 100 97 99 st Do do G ppc cent 100 110 113 at Do East Angliazi Asp. c. 100 ... at Do do B 6 do. 100 ... at Do do C 7 do. 100 ... .„ at Do do No. 1, 5 p.c. 100 ... at Do E. Union 1 p.c. gus. 100 68 72 at Do Norfolk 5 p.c.Ex.ls46 100 ... st Do do 5 p.c.Way.Val.lBl7 100 at Great Northern, 3 per cent 10J st Do 5 p.c., rd at 10 p. c. pm. 100 _ . - Do 41 do do do 100 *** st Do 5 do at s p. c. pin lOO lO9 ••• ••• st Do Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax, 6 per cent lOO st Gt. Nrth of Scotland, Ist pf 100 st Great South. and Western (Ireland) 4 per cent lOO 93 98 st GLWest.—Orig.&Jut.-lient d ig., per gua.s p.c lOO 106 108 _ . Do. Orig. (13.&. IL Ex). 5 p.c. 100 95 lu Do du 4 1 per cont. 1850 100 90 92 Do do 4 do do lOO 80 82 Do do 5 per cent. redem 100 97 9s Du do Birmingham gua 100 68 72 Do do do pref 100 Do do Chester guy B5 2 Do do do 8 per cent lOO Do do do 5 do 100 ••• Do South Wales, gua. 4 p.c. 100 Do do 41 p.c lOO _ st .Dc do 41 1859 lOO .„ at Do du 5 st Do West Mid. Oxford latg ICU 116 its st Do do 2il gait lOO 10 121 at Do Newport, Ist g. 5 p.e IVO 96 93 st Do do 22 du 100 st Do gua. 51 per cent. 1363 100 00 Lancaster & Carlisle 41 p.c. all ~. st Laucash. & Yorksh. 6 p.c. 100 1 3 13a st Do Barnsley, £5 3s 102 p.c. 100 at Do 6 p.e. (East Lancashire) 100 140 1.35 st Do 41 (Blackburn perch). 100 us 100 at. London & nth:llton. 5 P.C. guaranteed, No 1 lOO ... at Da 5 per cent. gua No. 2. 100 at Do 6 do do lOO ... at Do 5 do NJ. 4. 100 _ at Do 7 per cent lOO „ at Do 6 du (W.E. & C.P ) 100 at Do 4 do 1009 lOO st London, Chatham, &DU ver 5 per cent ICO at Loudon and 71., C. and Nuneaton 5 per cent lOO 110 II 1 st Do Bedford &Cambridge.- 100 • at Do Shrewsliy & Welchp'l lO6 at Loudon and J W. 7 p,c late 3d shares, lOO 145 150 • Do (Portsm.perp aus 2s6d) all a Man., Shef.,&Liuclu. 6 p.c lOO Do a Do 31 per cent lOO 64 66 1 Do redeem. 6 per cent 5 at Mid. Consolidated, p. c lOO 130 135 s Do Bristol& Birm., 6p. c lOO 1,3 135 133 s Do 41 per cola. redeem lOO 01 100 a Do 41 per cent. irredeem too 9 Io , O De Lelee , & p.c 100 u 0 31 st North Kritisti, sp.c. No. tun at Du E. &U.4p.c. S. & D UII st Do N. 8., N 0.2, 5 per eea.t at Du Border llaion, 51 p.c lOO at N.-Eastern--Cous. 4 p.e lOO 87 su at Do 41 per cent. redeem-- 100 97 99 st Do U N.E. 4 per cent., lOO 17 Do Lerwick capital 3.13.4. Do York, IL& S. purchase lO 10 101 StcktuDu &Drliug. A 5 p.c. 100 107 109 st Do W. llartlepool IL aud It 100 80 83 £Ol 20 North Staffordshire. 10a S. Devon Annuities, I,s all 9 10 102 Do Tavistock Anne., 10s all 8i 91 10s Do Fixed 44 per cent all 8 81 10.6. S. Last. (Read. Anus., 1.0.6) all 22 23 at Do 41 percent lOO ... .., st Do Fixed 41 per cent lOO ... ... et Taff Vale No.l lOO 154 158 at Waterford & Kilkenny, 6pc 100 .. .. RAILWAYS.—PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. With Dividends omtingent on the Profits of each separate yea, 10 Angle-Mexicau Mint 25 Australian Agricultural 205 16 17 165 25 Austu Mort Laud and Fa, L 5 1d pr 10 Baugparah Tea Est tre, Lint all 3 5 10 Berlin Water Works, Lim 5 Bombay Gas, Linnted all 5 51 5 • Ditto, New 4 pr 4 p in 50 British American Laud 20 'British Indian Tea, Limited all 85 27 Canada Company 111 61 6.; 20 Ceylon Company, Limited lO 4 3d 20 Ditto, A shares 25 City of London Real Prop, LlO 7 6.1 30 City of Milan Improvruent L all 4 5 50 City Offices, Limited 50 Co:onial, Lin.it.d 2O ld pr 50 Commercial Union (Also) 10 Corn of African March, L 20 Continental Union Gas, L 25 Copper Miners of England, Pref 74 per cent all 5 7 100 Curp of London Bonds, 1877, 44 par cent all 100 Ditto, 1879, 44 par cant 100 Ditto, 1882, 45 per cent 10 Credit Fonc of England, L all 24 34 215 16 50 Credit Fouc of Mauritius, L 10 24 lid St Crystal Palace St Do, Preference lOO 93 98 96 St Do, 6 per cent Perp Debentloo 106 111 50 E India Land Credit & Fin L 7 5 4d 32 Ebbw Vale 274 105 91.1 100 Egypt 9 p et Viceroy's Loan gua by Egyptian Gov 20 Egyptian Corn and Trading L4/13 3 English and Austr Copper, L 21 4 15 Eng and Foreign Credit. 74 4 3d 10 Ear )pean Gus all 17 18 10 Do, new 5 4 41 6 Fairbairu Engineering 5 ld p 20 Fore-street Warehouse L 13 34 44p 100 Foreign and Col Gov Trust and Loan 6 per et Bouls ; all 97 99 10 Gen Credit and Discount, L 74 4 11 7 15 General Stertni'Navigation l4 20 tie 50 Home and Col Marine In,, L 5 ld p 2U Hudson's Bay (Governor and Co. of Adventurers of Eug trading into) all 12 124 135 50 Imperial Continental Gas 434 134 136 50 India Rub, Telg Works, L... 45 57 59 59 614 10 International Fivan Sue, L... 5 14 14t1 35 20 Italian Irrigatou Canal, Cav all 41 44 35 100 Ditto, 6 per cat Bonds, red all 1870 50 Land Securities, Limited 5 2 ld 25 London African Trading lO 50 Loud Financial Assoc, Lim 3O 18 17d 4 Lond Gen Omnibus, Limd all 2 4 2 1 50 Lond & Glasg Engin, Limd 25 18 16d 20 London and Prov Marine 2 par 4p St Madras Irrig & Canal, guar 100 spc by India Gov lOO 103 105 50 Merchant Shipping, Limtd all 32 37 10 Natal Land and Col-Co., Lim all 3 4 4 4 25 National _Discount Co, Lim._ 5 115 111 11 10 National Steamship, Limd all 134 14 1 Nerbudda Coal & In, Ld 6s 6d 5 1 10 New Consolidated Dis Ld 4 New Quebrada, Limited 4112 44 45d 25 N Zealand Lu & Mere, &c 25 iP 25 N Zealand Trust & In, Ld 5 14 lip 10 North Assam Tea, Limited 7 7 s d. 10 Do, B all d St N British Austral, Limited 100 60 70 50 N British & Moreau Lance 65 23 234 25 Ocean Marine insurance 5 15 16p 5 Oriental Gas, Limited 5 Do, New 10 Otago & South Invest, Lcl.; 2 Id IP 5 Ottoman Gas, Limited • all 2 24 St. Peel Riv Lnd & Miii, Lim lOO 31 33 50 Peninslr & Oriental Steam all 45 47 50 Do., New, 1867 lO 34 2 0 50 Rhymney Iron 15 Do, New all 81 8 1 25 Rio 'Janeiro City Irn., Lmtd all 191 201 194 20 Rio Janeiro Gas, limited 100 Royal Mail Steam 6O 52. 51 St. Scot Aus Invest, Limited lOO 20 Societe General de I'Empire Ott oman 8 21 3 4 25 South Australian Laud 20 Tel Construe & Maintenance (lim and red aced) all 394 394 43 21 20 Thames & Mers Mn Ins, L 2 2 4 2 1P 4 1 St. Tobacco (Ital 6p c Loan) all 86 88 89 10 Trustand Agency of Austra lasia, (Limited) lp 20 Tr &LnCo of Up Canada 5 50 Union Marine Liverpool, Ld 5 6 64p 20. Union Steam Ship, Ld 15 United Dis Corpora, Lmtd 6 2 .ld 20 Univer Mar (Ins), Lmtd 5 41 51p 10 Upper Assam Tea, Lmtd all 4 1 30 Van Diemen's Land 100 Viceroy of Egypt Mort Lo all 804 815 82 50 Warrant Finance, Limited 12 8 6d 50 WI & P Steam, Limited ... 20 4 3d at Caledonian 41 p c gua. st Do Scot. Cen. min. 7 p c lOO at Do 41 p irredeem...., all st Do 4p c con., issued at 80 65 7: 7. st Great Eastern 4 1 per cent. 100 7 . 7 8 . 9 at Do 5 do, 1862 lOO 87 90 at Do New 5 do, 1863 lOO 54 88 st Do do 5 do, 1864 lOO 83 86 st Great Northern, 5p c irred. 100 at Do Permanent 5 per cent. 100 ••• at Do Boston & Sleafd, 4* pc 100 st GreatWest.,W 91id1., 5p c 100 st Do Joint perpe. 5p c, 1865 100 88 at Do do 6p c irred., 1866 100 115 120 20 Do Vale Neath perp. 5p c all • • • • ••• st Kent Coast, 6 per cent , B lOO 6 Lane. and York New 41 per cent till July, 1871 2 ip at Loud., Brig &c., 41 pc, 1858 100 st Do do 4 do, 1860 100 at Do do 4 1 do, 1861 leo at Do do 41 do, 1863 100 at Do do 5 do, 1865 100 at Do No. 6 5 do, 1866 100 ... 117; st Do No. 7 sdo at Loud , Chat., &c., 2d, 6 p.c st Do Metrop. Ex., B 6 p.c Do do •C 6 p.c at London& N Western, 5p c 100 1 . 03 110 at London &S. Western, 41 p c 100 93 95 10 Man. 4hef. & Lin., 5 pc, 1865 all V 91 et Metropolitan 5 per cent. lOO 100 104 at Midland, /.. 5 per cent pret. 100 107 109 at Do B 5 do 100 107 109 is Do 5p c opt. to cony. to Ord. Stk., Sept. 1,1869 all 201 211 18 Do InconY. New Shares all 19 191 22 Do 5p c con. into Old Stk., Aug. 31, 1872 Bl 11 21p at North British, E. and G No.l, 5 per cent ... G. 100 ... at Do £lO guaran teed, 1861. 100 ... Do E ,P., & Dun., 2d,4 pc 100 st Do E.& G , N 0.2, b p.c at Do N. 8.. 5 per cent, 1862 100 ... et Do E. & G., No. 3, 5 p.c ... 100 ... at Do E. & G., (Ordiry) 41 p c 100 .. at North Eastern, 41 per cent 100 94 100 et Do Stock. & Dark, D at North London, 41, per cent (Max. 5 per cent) et North Staffordshire 5p c lOO at South Eastern, 41 pc, 1859 100 at Do 5 do 1861 100 ... at Do sdo (Ch. Cross) 1863 100 at Do 5 do, 1864 at V;ctoria St. & Pimlico, 41 pc 100 RAIL WAYS.-LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS at Birkenhead lOO 93 95 00 Do. 41 per cent. Prefer all 98 100 at Buckinghamshire at Chester and Holyhead lOO 54; 6 at Do. 51 per cent. St Do. 5 do. lOO.. 11C 14 at Clydesdale, guaranteed lOO ... ... et Colchester Stear Valley st East Lincoln, gua. 6p. c lOO 132 131 20 Gloster and Man Forest all ~. .., s Gt. Dun- Newm., &c., 5 p.c 100 s Do. E. U. Harwich, 4 p.c too ~. ... st Do. do. Woodbrg.Ex., do 100 .. . st Gt. West, W. Mid., Herd 100 97 99 50 Hull and Selby all 110 112 st Lancaster and Carlisle lOO 217 222 st London and Blackwall lOO 93 95 91 1 at Do. 4 1 per cent lOO ,„„ „, at London, Chat., &c., 41 p. c. 100 ... ... at Do. Corn. Fund, sdo 100 .., ... st London and Greenwich at Do. do Preference lOO ... .., s t London, Tilbury, & Scuth 100 83 85 at Lowesteft,gua 4 percent lOO 79 81 st Do. d• 6 do ... 100 51 Manch., 131..._ Ma nil st M idlaud, Braqtard, Pref lOO 92 94 10 Mid Kent Cray Line) 50 Northernk East., 5 per cent all 53 56 yo Do. do. 6 do. all st N. Eastern—Hartlepool ": st N. West. A perp. prof, 5p c lOO 107 109 st Do B minimum 11 p.c lOO ..„ . s t Notting. & Granth R.& C lOO 91 4 25 Preston and %Vyre. all 41 46 ... Royston, Hitch., and Shop. 100 131 131 st Shrewsbury and Hereford 100 132 134 10 Da do 8 2 21p 8 S. Yorksh. and River Dun 100 100 103 11 4 per cent gua lO ; 78 99 5 do st Viet. Station and Pimlico lOO . _ st West Cornwall 20 West Loudon, Class A all 13 14 20 Do do B all .., „„ 20 Do do C all .., ... st Weymouth and Portland lOO ... ... s t Wilts and Somerset DOCKS. et East and West London and St. Katherine 100 49 31 100 D oDeb. stock, 4 per cent Millwall Freehold Land st Dock 10) 20 23 t Southampton l,O 72 75 721 Surrey Commettlial COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Canada Government, 6 p c, JarT ------ - and July ,1877-84 100 104 105 i 105 Do, 6p c, Feb and Aug lOO 102 103 Do, 6 pc, Mar and Sept 100 1051 106/ Do, 5p c, Jau and July l OO 941 95/ Do, 5p c, inscribed stock lOO 94 96 Do, 5p c, Dominion of, 1803 lOO 951 96/ Cof Good Hope, 6 p c , De c, 1873 100 103 105 1041 Do, 6 p c, April and Oct , 1890- 1900 WO 111 113 Do, 6p c, April and Oct, 1880-90 1.00 109 111 Do, 6p c, Jan and July, 1891 lOO ..... _ Do, 5 p c, April 15 and Oct 15, 1900 100 1021 1031 11 11 1100 0o 0u0 9 7 6 711: 1 1 1 1100 0 (1019 1 8 95ii Ceylon, Nov, 1878. Gp c 1 1 0 0 0 0 100 108 110 Do, 1872 100 103 105 Do, 1882 and 1883 100 112 114 Mauritius, 6la c,1873, Jan & July 100 102 104 _ ll l llOOO O OOO O OO 111 113 Natal D D D o: ,: iG 1 1 8 8 8 9 :8 5v 2 8 - : 66 j , M p a ii a n , coy, and nAladspnardni July l A d &u N go o c v t 15 Do, 6p c, May and Nov 100 107 109 NeW Brunswick Gov 6 p c, Jan and July 100 104 105 N. S. Wales Gov 5 pc, 1871 to 1876, Jan and July Do, 5 p c, 1838 to 1896, Jan and July 100 101 102 1011 Do, 5 p c, red by aun draws, from 1867 to 1875 100 100 101/ 1001 Do, 2 per c, annual draws, 1872 to 1893 100 1001 101/ 100 97 98 Ne D w o, Z r a p la e nd 6 p c, 1891 Do, Jan, April, July, Oct 100 97/ 93-1- 97i I 8 Do., 6p e I'9 1 , Mar and Sepal)) 103 110 Do, p et, ' lB9l, June and Dec 100 107 199 Nova Scotia Gov, 6 p c sterling, 1875, Jan ,tnd July lOO 10 4 1 1031 - 2 • Do, 1886 QueenNland 6 per et, 1882-85, Jan and July 100 108/ 1091 Do, 1891, Jan and July 100 1081 1091 S Australian Government, 6 p c, 1869-77 lOO Do, 1878-92 100 Do, 1893-1908 100 110 111 Tasmanian, 6 p c, 1895, Jau and and July.. 100 108 110 Do, 6p c red, 1893 to 1897 lOO 108 110 Victoria Govt, 6 p c, Jan and July, 1891 lOO 113 114 1141 Do, April and Oct, 1889.5 lOO 113/ 1141 114 Do, 5p c, Jan. and Ju1y,1894 100 101* 102* COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. This morning the action for libel which Dr. Williams, of Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, brought against the Duke and Duchess of Somerset was called. The Solicitor-General, who appeared for the plaintiff, expressed the readiness of his client to accept those amends which he was en titled to ask. Mr. Hawkins, Q.C., at once offered ample retractation and apology. This offer was accepted, and a verdict for the plaintiff was entered with ss. damages. BANKRUPTCY COURT. This m orning Mr. Vining, who was lessee of the Princesss Theatre, passed his last examination, and was granted an unconditional order of discharge. POLICE IN7ELLIGENCE—This Day. MARLBORO UGLI- S TREET. To-day two boys named Henry Bolton and Jas. Hilton, aged respectively 13 and 14, were charged with housebreaking and stealing £3lBs. from the shop of Mr. Barnard, of Tottenham-court-road. The boys obtained an entrance to the house on Sun day afternoon, broke open the till, stole the con tents, and spent a portion of it in cakes and sweets, and put the remainder of the cash down one of the sewer gratings. They were both fully committed for trial. THAMES. Isaac Godstein was brought up here to-day, charged with receiving a quantity of stolen pro perty, consisting of tools belonging to workmen in the employ of Mr. Stapleston, a millstone manu facturer, in Rosemary-lane. The prisoner said he bought the tools as old iron, which he had sold, and could not tell to whom. The magistrate ordered the case to be remanded for a week, in order that the police might endeavour to trace the stolen pro perty. GREAT FIRE IN WHITECHAPEL. This morning a destructive fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Walmsley, malt roaster, New-road, Whitechapel. The building was sixty feet long by thirty wide, and contained over 1,700 quarters of malt. The fire could not be extinguished before two of the floors were entirely consumed. In the coining financial year a vote of £250,000 will be taken for Chatham Dockyard extension. The sum already expended has been £901,969, and the further estimate for completing the work is £.490,000. For works in the dockyard the esti mate is £7,210; and for new machinery and repairs to plant and machinery, £9,805 ; making a grand total of £267,015. The depot of the 109th Regiment left Chatham garrison yesterday evening, and that of the 31st Regiment was ord,r.A to leave in the evening. The depot of the 109 ti goes to Manchester, to be attached to the 100.11 Regiment; it consists of two officers and 70 of all ranks. The depot of the 31st joins the 98th _Regiment at Newcastle-on-Tyne ; it consists of two officers and 91 of all ranks. LADVERTI , EMENT. Ointment and Pills. -- Dangerous DisJases. —How many life-long maladies sprint; front neglecting trifling symptoms! The pimple readily cured in the nursery becomes, through careless ness, the irremedi.tbla torment of after life. With a knowledge of the curative powers of Holloway's Ointment and Pills, those who fail to use them for extirpating the first seeds of hereditary ailments will have to Lear the punishment resulting from their folly. Holloway's remedies will remove eruptions of the skin, scorbutic diseases, and heal every description of ulcer, sore, wound, or abrasion. By the use of Holloway's excellent, speedy, and safe medi caments much pain and immense expense will be saved, and a great benefit conferred on the present and succeed ng generations. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. 110 USE OF COMMONS.-YESTERDAY. The Speaker took the chair at quarter past twelve. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time : Bristol and North Somerset Railway, Great Eastern Railway (General Powers), Great Eastern Railway (Metropolitan Railway), Leeds Street Tramways, Liver p)ol Street Tramways, Manchester Street Tramway's, Midland Railway (Additional Powers), North Stafford shire Railway, Preston, Longton, and Southport Railway, and SheiEgld Corporation Gas Bill. PETITIONS. By Sir Charles Dike, in favour of female suffrage, from Chelsea ; by Mr. Holt, from Over Darwin and Great Harwood, in favour of primary education, also from Row lenstall and Bacup, in favour of female suffrage ; Mr. Dodds, from the Yorkshire Law Society, against the Attorneys and Solicitors', Remuneration Bill ; Mr. Mun della, from Sheffield, for alteration of the Evidence Amendment Act. BENEFICES BILL Mr. CROSS brought in his bill to render void the next presentation to benefices, which was read a first time. LIFE ASSURANCE BILL. Mr. CAVE rose to move the second reading of this bill, and in doing so said in order that his observations might not appear invidious, he should avoid the mention of names and offices until his statements were questioned, when he should be prepared to substantiate. He might further say that he was totally unconnected with any life assurance office, and until very lately he had not paid much atten tion to the matter. The proposition for the governance of life assurance offices had led to many suggestions, some persons being of opinion that model tableishould be issued by Government ; but he thought it was best that this matter should be left to conpution, as it was in America, where life rates were charged for, for those who were professed homeopathists, for those according to the age of their pro genitors, and on various other principles ; but in this country the people seemed to be self-selective and the best lives were as a rule always endeavoured to be selected. It might be interesting to the House to know that the most long-lived people were peers, clergy, and the members of the Society of Friends. (Laughter.) The business of life assurance was comparatively free from risk, and it was a remarkable fact that exception notably had never ruined any office. The Indian mutiny was about the most fatal for life assurance, but yet that unfortunate calamity did not cause the failure of any office, although it pressed most severely on some. The hon. member then proceeded to detail the number of offices which had been founded during the last fifty yealts„the number wound up, the number transferred, from which it appeared that seven companies had been transferred four times, some three times, and eighty he could name that had been transferred once. Soma offices had absorbed not less than thirty-five offices, and the Albert, of which they had heard so much, had taken over no less than twenty-four. The mode in which railway companies had been formed had been most objectionable. Canvassers and agents had received ex horbitant sums for business done, and they had built the Gower higher and higher every year, only to heighten the alamity of its fall. Such questionable transactions had seen brought to light that the celebrated Anglo-Bengalee, shich had been drawn by one of our greatest writers, had not een altogether a fiction. That the most careful super vision was required in these offices was apparent when he stated that the contracts of the offices in existence in this country amounted to no less than £400,000,000. The provisions of the bill had received the approbation of the highest authorities in America, and he hoped it would receive the sanction of the House. The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to state the provi sions of the bill, which were as follow :—Every company established after the passing of the Act must, before receiving a certificate of registration, deposit £20,000 with the Accountant-General in Chancery, to be invested by him for the benefit of the company, but to be :eturned as soon as the life assurance fund accu mulated out of the premiums shall amount to £40,000. Should any other business be transacted in addition to that of life assurance, the life assurance fund was to be kept separate, and was not to be liable for the other con tracts of the company, but should be absolutely the security of the life policy-holders. Every company was to prepare, at the expiration of each financial year, state ments of its incomes and expenditure, with balance-sheet in certain prescribed forms; and, further, once in five years, an actuarial investigation was to be made into its condition, and within six months thereafter, a statement of its life and annuity business, made up as at the date of the investigation was to be issued. Copies of these statements to be deposited at the Board of Trade, and to be delivered on application to every shareholder. No amalgamation of companies to take place until a statement of the nature of the arrangement. and of all the material facts, with copies of the actuaoial reports, had been forwarded to each policy-holder, nor until the written consent of one-half of the policy-holders had been obtained : and in cases where the requisite con• sent had not been obtained, but where the dissents amounted to less than a tenth of the total sum assured, the directors must apply to the Court to sanction the arrangement. When an amalgamation took place, the combined company must, within ten days, deposit with the Board of Trade full statements of the assets and liabilities transferred, with particulars as to the nature and terms of the transfer, and a declaration by the chairman of each company that every payment made to any person on account of the amalgamation was fully set forth, and that no other payments, either in money or other property, have been made, or were to be made, with the knowledge of any parties to the transfer. Every company which made default was liable to a penalty of fifty pounds per day, and if the default continued for three months after notice had been given by the Board of Trade, the court might order the company to be wound up. The court might also order a company to be wound up on the application of one or more policy or shareholders ; on its being proved that the company was insolvent, and in determining this point the contingent or prospective liability under policies and annuity or other contracts, was to be taken into account ; but the Court was not to give a hearing to the petition until security for costs had been given, and until aprirai facie case had been established to the satisfaction of the judge. In the case of a proprietary company having an uncalled capital equal, ,with 'the invested assets, to the estimated liabilities, the Court might suspend further pro ceedings to enable the capital to be called up. Where a company had been proved to be insolvent, the Court might reduce the amounts of the contracts in place of making a winding-up order. The passing of the bill, he could not but believe, would bring about a feeling of security which did not generally exist at the present moment, and to a great extent prevent those directors and promoters of bubble companies who sometimes sat in high places from further enjoying the hard earnings and thrifty savings of those whose efforts to provide for the future ought to receive the strongest protection it was in the power of Parliament to give. He concluded by formally moving the second reading of the bill. Mr. LEFEVRE, on the part of the Government, said he had great pleasure in giving his assistance to the second reading of thebillwhich had beedso ably movedbytheright hon. gentleman. He was sure that the present bill was a great improvement on the bill of last year, and that it would, if sanctioned by the House, bring forward the best results. It was most im portant that the policy-holder (should have the earliest possible information of the exact position of the company in which he was interested, and that he should be put into such a legal position as to be enabled to pro tect himself, and the classes that he (Mr. Lefevre) had sug gested, and which the right hon. gentleman had drafted into the bill would effect that desirable object. There were some other matters which, perhaps, might call for consideration, one of which was to ascertain whether it was not possible to do something to prevent what was now called " wrecking." (Hear, hear.) The Government did not dish to take too prominent a part in passing the present bill, but he should have very great pleasure in giving the -right hon. gentleman all the assis tance in his power, In order to enable him to arrive at a satisfactory result, as that a recurrence of such scanda lous cases as had 'accursed might be prevented. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BARNETT cordially supported the bill, and com plimented the right hon. gentleman on the successful manner in which he had brought forward the subject. A positive necessity for such a bill as that now before the House had been fully made out, and he for one thought the/ measure only asked for that which was reasonable and just. Mr. W. SHAW said he should in committee move th• amendment which he placed on the paper last year, that there should be a perfectly independent and compulsory audit of the accounts of insurance companies. He would not adopt the American system of audit in its entirety. but there was muell 111 that method 01 cocci:tug at:comas to recommend it. What he proposed was a middle course, and he would say the Board of Trade should nominate a public auditor every five years. He trusted the bill would be amended in such a way as to make it in reality a safeguard to the people. (Hear, hear.) Mr. G. B. GREGORY would compel directors of in surance companies to call meetings not only of sharo holders but also of policy-holders, Ins object being to put them on a more substantial footing than that they now occupied. He also thought that the winding-up of insu rance companies should be placed under the machinery of the Bankruptcy Acts of last session, rather than remain with the Court of Chancery. Mr. BOWRING suggested that actuaries, whenever required, .should . 1)q uleinhers of the Institute of Actuaries, a:so that printed copies ci deeds ol settlement shot= LAI Mr. T. CAVE considered .the bill in more points than one. For instance, it did not contain a clause providing for a compulsory surrender value of the policy. More than that, he would make it a uniform surrender value. Such a clause would be very acceptable to insurers, who after paying so many years found themselves in a position of poverty and no longer able to continue the payments. No divi dends should be legally declared—that was, if declared at all, it should be at the risk of the directors—until, the sur render value of the policies was invested in proper securi ties. The bill provided that the assets and liabilities of companies should be valued, but it made no provision as to the rate. The tables of mortality also, in his opinion, were defective, there being an immense difference between what were known as the Carlisle tables and other tables. Provision was further made for the investment of money on personal security. He was sure the framer of the bill had not his experience, otherwise such framer would never have made any such proposition. The bill, too, was deficient as to auditing. There was not a public company in London, ia his belief, properly audited, The till contained a system" of audit that had utterly broken down. He suggested to the House whether they might not go too far in discouraging amalgamation, notwithstanding the disas ters that had attended a company with which his name had lately been couplet He would make it compul gory on the directors to send to the shareholders a printed balance sheet. He did dot think a company could ever go on again when once it had become insolvent. for every company must depend for success on new busi ness, and how was it likely to expect new business in the case of bankrupt estate ? (Hear, hear.) Mr. M`LAREN approved of the bill, and was sure that its principle and leading provisions would be acceptable to Scotland. The bill, in his opinion, afforded securities to the public for ascertaining whether really any particular office was or was not in a sound and substantial condition. He disapproved of the proposal that the power of audit should rest with the Board of Trade. (Hear, hear.) It would throw upon the Government a duty which ought to be done by the people. The public, he consi dered, were deeply indebted to the right hon. gentleman for introducing the bill, and he expressed the desire that the right hon. gentleman would be slow to adopt the sug gestions that had been offered him, as therebyundoubtedly he would weaken its power and influence for good. Mr. ANDERSON thought there ought to be a public actuary, who should give a certificate that the actuarial basis of an insurance company or friendly society was not unsound. Mr. LOWE, while according to the right non. gentleman who had brought forward the bill every credit for so doing, and while recognising the service which the right hon. gentleman had rendered to the House,criticised its several provisions to shew that it failed to provide a remedy for the mischiefs with which, in legislating upon such a subject, the House had to deal. The business of insurance companies was different to that of all other organisations. While with all other organisations profit followed outlay, or was looked for after outlay, in the case of insurance companies profit came first and outlay afterwards. The beginning was all smooth and satisfactory. Not so, in many cases — , the end. Year by year payments were received in respect of remote and contingent- liabilities, reckless things were done, the money was squandered, and when the time came, the means for fulfilling contracts were not forth coming. Another thought with reference to the present mode of conducting insurance business was that the whole power to fulfil obligations depended upon investments. (Hear, hear.) As to which, he did not see how any salutary check could be applied. Then, another thing was that insurance com panies were got up by puffing, touting, and bribing—(hear, hear, and laughter)—and there was such an amount of it as occurred in the case of no other kind of business. The man who advised his friend to invest in such and such an office was probably the man who at the time was receiving a large pecuniary consideration from the office for bringing business to it. All these were defects, he conceived in the present system, but not one of them would be removed or mitigated by the bill in question. In America the system of Government supervision had the effect of giving implicit public confidence, but still no man could tell whether the result would justify that confidence. Government interference, in such matters, was calculated to produce an overweening confidence in the efficiency of any system resting thereon. While, however, ignoring the benefits, such as they were, arising from the American system, the right hon. gentleman who had introduced the bill was not prepared with a system that should confer similar advantages at the same time. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not think it was the function of Government to interfere. If they did, it was possible policy-holders would go to sleep through a false confidence in their security. Amongst other things which he thought ought to be done with the view of pro ducing a healthier state of things than now existed, was the compulsory publication of the accounts in the London Gazette or some other paper. That would have a much better effect than depositing the accounts with the Board of Trade, to be seen there by anyone who took an interest in the matter. While objecting to Government inter ference, he was anxious something should be done by which a moderately-educated person could satisfy himself that he was insuring his life in a way that would make it perfectly certain that his friends would not be robbed of their expectations on his death. (Hear. hear.) He knew no position more painful than a man on his death bed being in a state of uncertainty as to whether there was a provision for those to be left behind. Therefore, it had appeared to him worthy of consideration, whether it was not the duty of the Government to come forward and offer to the public insurance on terms sufficiently high to prevent the notion of their entering into unfair and unreasonable competiton with private companies, that absolute security, which they, and they alone, were in a , position to afford. (Hear, hear.) If on consideration that proposition was thought capable of conferring a public, benefit, he should be happy on the part of the Govern-' ment to take measures for its adoption. (Cheers.) After a few remarks from Mr. KINNAIRD and: Mr. DODSON, the latter of whom thought the bill! before the House, totally unaffected by the suggestion 9f the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer) The second reading was carried. ATTORNEYS' AND SOLICITORS' FEES. • Mr. RATHBONE moved the second reading of 4181 Attorneys' and Solicitors' Remuneration Bill, which he' said was designed to do away with the fleecing system: under the present law, and to pay a man according to the , quality of his work. Mr. HENLEY said he did not wish to give any opinion . on the general principle of the bill, but he thought the' 19th section was rather one-sided ; he thought there ought, to be some limit to the length of documents, and he did not see why a certain class of gentlemen shouldbe allowed, to spin out long statements to such a length that nobody', could understand them.—(laughter.)—and then to be geld for their skill and labour as well. Mr. HURST, Mr. HORSMAN, and Mr. LOCKE: made a few observations on the bill, the latter gentleman' stating that by the 4th clause the solicitors who made at bargain, would, under this billAet more than would . bel allowed ,by the taxing master. That "would require the attention of the hon. 'gentleman who had charge of bill. Mr. G. B. GREGORY said the object of the clause WAs . to enablo solicitors to act as trustees and executors ; but' it appeared that it was so framed' as to lay it oped to , certain objections. There were, hoWeier, restrictions con tained in it which, he thought, were . sufficient, but ifin committee that was thought not to .be th 4 case, there' would be no objection to introduce amendments to 'obviate' the objection. Mr. RUSSELL GURNEY said he had no idea, froni reading the 4th Clause that the object was that which had just been stated, namely, to enable solicitori to act a* .tI[3IOCC?S, unu tnereiore rtwouic, in his opinion, be required to have the enactment more clearly sot out. The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. EDUCATION OF THE BLIND. Mr. WHEELHOUSE obtained leave to introduce a bill to provide for the elementary education of blind and deaf and dumb children, and for the governmental 'inspec tion of schools. TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN. On the motion of Colonel FRENCH, a copy of the memorial from the Provost and Fellows of Trinity Col lege, Dublin, lately laid before the Prime Minister was ordered. kept. IMPROVEMENT OP LAND (IRELAND.) On the motion of Colonel BAUTTELOT, returns of the number of statements of expenditure for improvements which have been lodged with the clerks of the peace of the different eounties in Ireland, under the provisions of the Act 23 and 24 Vic. c. 153, to amend the law relative to the tenure and improvement of land. Of the number of pro visional orders made by the chairmen of counties. Of the number of provisional orders made absolute, specifying the amount of expenditure allowed. Of the number of appeals, and the number of charging orders, which were orderedto be made. The House then adjourned at a quarter past three, Advices from Lisbon state that there is no doubt the elections will be in favour of the Go vernment, is which case the requisite new taxes and retrenchments will be carried through the Chambers. oil lost !et the lost but Dort aich ;De tbe inth 869 5d.; y to and hing !CCS - Dirty 3e of h as coo rate were the bout 3ipi ,her, atis' ers.) plL lani d of tllee , a re' uui . 3ineg i t to they had thaa rz ied 0 see )1e to ma a been at of and ly of tbel in tho he rd 3 5 ich A ) the nee' ers.) usual deep ice of Abel their poet inks, egre t 0 for sub' solo• 5, 1 1 . LP., ided , ones , theil . also V o OV r. a na altho )11( 0 , irri" NO the' tl!i 6