The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-31 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET A.ND COMMEECT.AL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two o'CLocx. The Liverpool Cotton Market on Saturday closed firmly, and prices of all descriptions of cotton were unchanged from the authorised quotations of Fri day. The sales were 6,000 bales, 500 for export, comprising 160 Pernam and Maranham at 6d. to 6d. ; 250 Bahia, sd. to 6d. ; 250 Egyptian, 51d. to Bd. ; 800 Surat, 41. to 41d., and 100 Sea Isands, chiefly at ls. per lb. In the Railway Share Market a firm feeling was manifested, and a good many transactions were reported. The advices received from Geelong, Victoria, mention that the receipts of gold by escort from the 17th July to the 24th of September amounted to 225,119 ozs. from the eastern, and 244,942 ozs. from the western, gold fields. The obtainment of quartz was attracting much attention, but the machinery in most cases was not sufficiently strong, and miners were unable to get it crushed, except in small quantities. In a great many in stances the quartz realised 5 ozs. per ton, but as the machine owners frequently asked Si. per ton and 40 per cent. on the gold obtained, a very small margin of profit remained. Commercial intelligence from Greece has come to hand, containing some interesting statistical in formation, showing the progress made by the people of that country in agricultural pursuits. The quantity of land under cultivation for grain crops has increased 20 per cent. during the last year, and the produce more than suffices for the wants of ,the people. The extent of the vineyards has increased sixfold in the district of Corinth within 28 years, and in the whole value, where only 50,000 sti•emmes (Greek acres) were laid out in 1830, them are now 380,000. Since 1833 upwards of 80 million dollars has been expended on the vine and olive plantations, and in the construction of useful works for agricultural purposes. Saturday was observed as a holiday on the Paris Bourse, in honour of the public entry into the city of the Imporial Guard, recently returned from the Crimea. _ . . Accounts from Holland state that at a Cabinet Council held on the 27th instant, it was unani mously rigreed to that the various measures for the regulation of the provincial imposts should be adopted,, as framed by the House of Representa tives ; also, that the measure modifying the law of 1822, relativo to distillation from grain, should beoome the law of the country, which will have the effect; of lessening the consumption of grain for such purposes. The following are particulars of the Railway Calls falling due' in January, 1856 Company. Date. Call. Amount. Blyth and Tyne 17... 2 0 0... 12,000 Bridport ' Colchester ai id Stour Valley 28... 2 10 0... 22,500 Great S. &VIW. of Ireland London, Tilbury & Southend 8... 1 5 0... 18.750 North-Eastern (Berwick) Ditto (Berwit.k Extension) 1... 1 5 0... 112,545 Paris, Caen, d; Cherbourg 1... 2 0 0... 120,000 Stockport, Disley, and Whaley Bri, ige Making a total 0f......... £514,275 There are also , calls to be provided in January on the shares of the following lines, the amounts of which are not ,yet published :—Great Western Re duced 5 per Cunts. ; London and South-Western 501. ditto ; ditti ,o, 401. ; Lyons and Geneva 3 per Cent. Loan, 18 55 ; Paris and Orleans Bonds, 1855; Sambre and Meuse 101. Preference Shares ; and Western of France. The English ;itook Market which opened steadily has since becom e weaker, and a further downward tendency in pric es is apparent. No cause can be assigned for this flatness beyond the limited deal ing just now in sell securities. Consols after being 88i have reced ed to 88k -R. Bank Stock is steady at 206. The Ne w 3 per Cants are 881 to 89, and the Reduced 884 Exchequer Bills are lower, viz., 10s. to 4s. discount. India Bonds are like wise heavy. Most of the roreign Securities are rather de pressed. Turki sh 6 per Cents. are per cent. lower, namely, 83i to 831. The New Scrip is heavy, at 31 dis count. Brazilian 5 per Cents. are quoted at 991, a, ed the 41 per Cents. 901. Danish 3 per Cents. rule at 83, and Portuguese 4 per Cents. at 49. Dutch 4 per Cents. have receded to 94i and 941. The following are the nominal prices of Foreign Stocks:—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 61 7; Mexican, 19i ; Peruvian, 74 6 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 52 4; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 48 50 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 95 7 ; ditto 41 per Cents., 891 ; Spanish 3 per Cents., 40 ty ; ditto Deferred, 20i ; ditto Certificates, 41 ; ditto Passive, 74. The few transactions which have taken place in the Railway Share Market have been generally at ,previous quotations , but the market nevertheless .has evinced' some symptoms of weakness. Foreign :lines are dull generally, but Dutch Rhenish have arisen ss. to 10s. Great Western of Canada are t steady. Mining shares are very quiet, and Bank of Lon citon have risen 10s., but Canada Laud Shares are 2t. to 41. lower. B RITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES. ( Prom the (*dal Lisi., Rusines. done. Ba 1 tk Stock 3p, sr Cent. Itedneed Annuities Nes r 3 per Cent. Annuities Lon; g' Annuities, expire sth Jan. 1860 — Di tto 30 Years, expire sth April, 18S5 l6 15.16 India Bonds, .£l6OO Pit to, under £lOOO 4 d Conso 'e for Account .. 881 3 1 g Esc; tequer Bills, 23d. in 000 £5 00 14m %II B4lO Ditto Bonds, 1858, 33 per Cent 97s / ~ 1859 Pt PRI CES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. :Brazilian .bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto Sn tall Ditt• Ne w, 1852, 43 per Cent. Danish Bowls, 3 per Cent., 1825 B3 blezican 3 per Ceut. 19,1 20 191 Ditto Account Portuguese _Bonds, 5 per Cont., Con. 1841 Ditto 4 per Cent 49 Ditto Aeco unt 491 Spanish Bond fi, 3 per Cent — Ditto Account Spaui.h Comm Ate° Cert. of Coup. not fun 4l p c Turkish Bonds , 5 per cent — Ditto for the' Account B3l 1 Ditto Small Ditto New F,crip, 4 per Cont. Ditto Aoconnt 3 h 1 d niTidends on tbeiabove payable in London, Dutch Exchange, 21 per Cont., 12 Gull — Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates 9 13 i k THREE O'CLOCK. Console — Ditto Account Jan. 10 LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) lig LoxtioN, Dec. 31.—Wind this day at noon, S. ; moderate breeze and cloudy. Ponsmouva, Dec. 30, Wind W.S.W.—Arrivod —Great Britain (i.s. tpt. 18i), from Constantinople ; Calcutta (s.s. tpt. 195), Heligoland. CLYnx, Deo 29.—Arrived—Louisa Javet, from St. John, N.B. ; Wolfscoye, Quebec; Koh-i-Noor, Demerara. (PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Monday Morning. Arrived.—Severn, t.), from Portsmouth; South Western, (s.), Jersey La Ponle, Cherbourg. Sailed—lns, for Newport ; Sylph, (s.), London ; Ar gyll, (a.), Charonton. LIVERPOOL, Monday Morning W.;nd g. Arri wed.—Augusta, from Rio de la "[ache ; Ariel, New 20 Orleans. The lt,•ln. Hitchcock, to Liverpool, was destroyed by 100 lightning qn the 19th Decemb er. Crew taken off by the 100 screw ParAbill (arrived), whic h was also struck by the 100 electrio's timid, eporte, but damage net r d. 20 QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 29. 20 .Wind E.IV. .Arrived.—Peo.r l and Nancy, from I f azagan ; Tar, Ida, and Guiana:to, Callao ; Delphos, Now Orleans ; Velocity, Alexandria ; Tiget, Sarinam ; Juno, Alexandria. ( B y Bum/Am:l, l AND ABITIBI!' TELEGRAPTO VA; 100 RAVEMEND, Monday, 10.10 a.m. 20 r Wind S.S.W. ' • tide, 4 , h ours' ebb • ' cloudy. I Antic, from ‘Vercum ra Mar, 2 Arrived, Dec. 30—John City of Perth, hfarstnd ; Tenerifre ; Unition, Haut • a • Egmond Amu; Nieu 2 ‘ ' Poictiere (transport), BalakiaN ' Diep ; Agatha, St. Michael's. ' ~ zo von Oldenb erg , f or ;0 0 Sailed, Dec. 31—Erbe,groozerlie ' Good Hope ; Queen of I 10 Conitantinople ; Craigavar, Capet 5 the East, Const a ntinople. P o DEAL, 21, )Dday, 9.30 a.m. Wind S.W. by S., fresh. for Londrm ; I 25 Passed—Yerk Town, from New York, for Rouen ,i ,- Paris and Lond on , screw-steamer , from London, ••• Vice Roy, from Calcutta, for London. 41. 50 Several of the outward-bound preparing to wei4 ,C•••••••,,, SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) RAILWAYS. HAILWA/ Oloosing Prices this da3 . - 23 .00 .A bovirot • • .., . • A 7. A.mbe. Idottng. Boot _ __ and Ea3h. Junet... all Bel Cast & Ballymena. all ginning. Wolverh 6. 1 Stour Valhi Birk e Cheshire Junet all i to. Chesh. At Birk., £5O and £25 Cons 19 Do., ...... all Hlyth &Tynoorigiva £25 (issd. at XV; • LOO Bristol and Exeter 100 Caledonian ils. Cairn, and Ca , digan al- heater 4 Holyhead. all Cork and Bandon all Cork, Black, & Pas, 18 Cr‘rnwall all Do. A 8 Do. B 1i We Junction 45 Duolin&BelfastJune. all Dun. P. & Abcr, Jne. all Do. N.yr ...... 1.00 East Auglian all Eastern Counties.. [OO Rost. , Jnion, A. SO. 100 i a., B. Steet...,.. 8. 0., New A. _7i East Kent 3 i - 3i tee """' 7i -• 8 16 -- 15 t 3 - 14 9 - 8 79 - 81 54 - 54 i'ó 7 ii 5 .- 4 6i - 74 11 - 1? 8i- 9 27 - 29 17 - 19 OO I East Lancashire 100 Edinburgh & Glasgow all Edinb. and Peebles 100 Prth &Third°, 9 Forth & Clyde Jan all Furness all Do. Extension.. l' 100 Glasgow &S. wf'st all Great N. of Scotind. 100 Great Northern LOO Do., A. Stock 1 00 Do., B. Stock L)0 Gt. Sth . &West. (Ire. ) 1.00 Great Western LOO Do. Stour Val. Rai', Gua. Stk. all Irish South-Eastern. all Lancaster & Carlisle 141 Do., Thirds 7 Do. Now Thirds LOO LAneasb.anclYorksh Do., Wet. aiding Un. all Liv.Crsby.&Southpt all London & Blackwal 1.00 Lond. Bright & S.Cst. 100 Loud, and N. Weetti. 16 Do. Fifths 5i p0.101.6h..M&8...0 2i Do. Eighths . 100 London andS. Westn 476 Do., £5O. 38 Do., £4O. all LnndrryofiColorain. all Lndndrry. & Ennisk. 100 Manch.Shef. & Linclv all Do. Shares, No. Vs. Do., Man. It Lin. Ern. £9 - 70 - 514 18§ f - 19i 80 - 6 - 7 88 - 89 74 75 19 121 .02 1.04 52i 153 52 54 6 7 6 7 1 , 761 - 77.1, - 6i 93 95 94 —94 ii 14 Idl th 3 ' -- 85— 86 8 l et 6} 5i41 23,} 1 if et - ropolitan .0(► Midland .00 1)o. Ilirmng. & Derl,3 all Vidld. G. West. (Ire: all 'Do. Half Shares All Newcastle & Carlisle all Nwpt.Aberg. &Hrfrl Si Newry & all Newry Warrenpoin' id . 63/ 641 36 38 •N """' 4 . ; I -- and Itostrevor., 1 , .0 Norfolk 3i ,Northn.Connties Un . 100 North all North Devon, No. 1 all Do., No. 2 all 1)o., A Deferred all Do., B Guarantee , : 100 N. Eastern—Berwicl. 20 Do. do. Extension 13 Dr).do.G.N.E.7turch all C•o. Leeds iOO Do. York 100 North London 34 1. . &S.Wstro. ,Ham stead, and City Jo.. 17t North Staffordshire.. al' North Western all N. &S. Westrn. June _ _ 42 44 67 - 6g 8 - 8 5 -4/ 11- 121 44/ 45/ 92 97 4 - 54 guneaton, 'Muck' py and Leicester........ Ox Wore.. Wolv. 8 Poiicaonth [OO o.lash Central , Scottish Midland 100 iihropshire Un'on ;-louth Devon .. Y; '4outh Eastern all south Waloe 1 A. Yrksh. di Riv. Dnp 22 - 24 101 -- IC3 73 75 42 44 11 12 56i 57i1 314 314 5 • 3d 2d pa, ri Do it itai nes , Wok &Wok tockton & Darli 16 4thr,..kton & Ilnrtlept 1(X) Gaff Vale 100 Do. Prof., No. 1 21i „rhamos Hay. D.& R -- 35 •••• ••• "'" • •• ..... illverstono (1; 1.411C8 all Vale of Noath all Waterfd. & Kilkenny all Waterford&Limerie's West Cornwall 8 West End of London and Crystal Palace all Do. A 3 Do. B all West London all Wimbledn &Croydon 19 19, 4 - 6 Rai tea dote yesterday. :GN. 74 - 8 --, 23,1 3 - I id par 45i 9 10 p 21 - 214 4 - I - 9 16 17 62 83 - 87 21- 5i 5a par ip - 4 3 - Si 25 - 2 5 i 2t - 3IP gs 100 117 122 118 123 104 1 06 23i 24 112 117 7 7 .Bpl 18 } 1 2 - 3 4i - 51 - 35 - 12 - t 2 ••• ..".. ••• 6i : 74 45 - 45 . ii : ie ... - ... ••• -. pii) 18i - 194 2 - 2} 2i - 24 8} - 8} :F' ... - pm ... ~•• 3i 4 —. d 29i 3° iii - i K BANK& 89 - 01 57 - 59 .. li i.d . - - 5 15i —16 i 3 23 o ••• par • • - _7- 40 37 - 39 51 - .. - ••• ••• ".... • • 4- 73 - 75 8 9 30 tt. 31 3.11 Antwerp&Rottirdare 40 Do. 5 p.o. Oblgs. con. in Sh. at par till '64 10 Ardennes -q Belgian Eastn. June 10 Beziers to Graissessa , 4i Bombay, Raroda, an ' Central India,Scrii all Do. all Demerara 11 Dutch Rhenish all Eastern of France 10 Do. New all E9aet Indian, g. 5 p.e 10 Do. E7tenaion.. , all Do. do. do., '59, do 20 ad.TkofCanadaAie ad Do. St. Lawrence Atlantic do. 70 Do. Cert. of Debon eon. into Stk. till 'a ) all Do. Comp. 6p. c., do 10 at. Cchtral of Frain Gt. Indian Peninsub, guar. 5 per cent all Do. New 5 por cent all Po. Extensions.... 1.3 Great Luxembourf Constituted SharoF all Do. Obligations all Gt.Westernofeanad qh.aret ........ 14 Do. New all \ Do. Ms., payablo's7, with option till '55.. all Do. do., '62, p. '56 all Do. do., '76, p. all do., '73, without option all ET.anillton & Toronto all Do. 6 per cent. 17 Lake Const. all Lierra and Turnhout ii) ILyons and Geneva 14 \ Lyons do Meditorran. all qadras 10 Do. NOW all Maria Antonia ~. all IDo. do. Now ;11 INamur - 41 Liege (ail Interest) ' ,11 Do. (ox interest). all Northern of France. all Do.2ol.Shs all Do. 201. 3 p. c Mr (fmy.B.dt Ams. Shs. all NorwegianTrunkPre 16 Paris and Lyons all Ditto Bonds all Paris and Orleans all Paris and Rouon... I.i ParisCaon & Cherbrg all Do 5 Rome and Frascati all Rouen and Havre all Royal Danish 5 iloyalSweclish •1 all I Do. Obligations ~.. ` i i all gambre and Mouse... a ll Do. 5 p. cent. Prof. ss. Seindo a11D0... all southern of France 16 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A). r.ll West Flanders all Do 5} per c. Prof 18 western of Fiance all D 0... . all Zealand JOINT-ST %1.1 TlialltiltSi 50 Bank of London iiri. Col. }sk .3c Ln. C. all Itrit'A N. American 5 r2hartd. Bank of A Sif, 4 Chrtd. Brl. of India„ Australia, Sz China 50 City ...... 25 ,`colonial 20 Commercial of bond all Kng. Sent. & Ans. Cht• all Lond. Chars. Bk. oi Australia 5 f Mt° Now 20 Lry,don and County 50 I . ,nu.&E.Bukg.Corp. 10 Luudon Joint Stock 20 Land. & Wostminstet 35 National Pro.of Enr 10 Do. Now 22: National of Irolaud all New South Wr.103... all Oriental Bank of Corporatlon . } 5:: erGvincial of Trolap' all !)0. INT , w 1 Royal Anstraln.Bkg. 'my ) c o _ 59 lloyal 8riti5h......... a.l; '4' Do. New ....... 10 LTuiou 0 , London THE grim .ONDONi MONDAY JCVNN INtIi .d4e# 4.1 I, l )Z,rt ‘lli tt tatt SUN OFFICE, Six o'Clock. TATTERSALL'S.—(This Evening.) CHESTER CUP. 45 to 1 agst Mirage and Indian Warrior cou pled (taken) DERBY. 17 to 2 agst Wentworth (9 to 1 also laid) 20 to 1 agst Artillery (taken) 100 to 6 agst Coroner (offered freely) 33 to 1 agst Peter Wilkins (taken) 35 to 1 agst Bird-in-Hand (taken) MARKET NEWS.—(This Day). LINES L-EASF,D A T FIXED itt:NTALP. littuwars. Ltodru Company rico. Saturlay. Bedford awl 31 eta] ay Buckghamsh Clydesd al c .T. • . Col. Stour Vy. Sud. and Hal. R. Liu. I.r. t 1 pc E. Un. 11. Sh. Glaa. Barr. & Neils. Direct Do. New GlstrAs Dn. Fr Hrtlpl. Dk. & Rail way Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. Shares. Lon.&Greenw Do. Preference Lon., 711., & S. Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per et. Manch. Extn. and Matlock Middleslaro' & &dear. . Midld.Bradfd Newmarket Bury Exton.. N.& Est.s p.c Do. 6 per et. Do. Fixeds p • Prest. 17, R 3 , 7* Do. Shrs. A Roystn.& Hit. Shef.Roth.snd Goole g. 5 p. c. Shrews. &Her. S. Stafiordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&f7onarst London IL+ N. We-t. E. Un. E. C . Gt.Nrthii. E. Count. iCaldoniso. Do M. Vies= Yk. Now. Borw. Y. &NM IDo Easte , ,i Peto &Co. INorfolk.. L.lz N. W It Midid. Stckton Darlingt. Midland.. En. Conn. E. Count. Do L.&N.W Do OtNerthr Le.neashk York sh. [ T. Brassey ;.31Clean tookt. k Darlingt Do 11.Wortn PREFEREN 'lOO Aberdeen 1100 Do. N 0.2, 7p. c. I all Myth and Tyne 10 pel c. pref. (issd.J.tsol 100 Eris. ,St Ex. 4 p. c. St. 5 -Do, 4 p. c. Shares 100 Caled.aian £lO all Chester & Holyhead ' Guar. 5 3 / 4 per cent._ all o. do. Pref. No. 2.. all 0,, do. Pref. No. 2.. all ork &I3andonsip.c. all Duu.Prth .di Aber. J. 2 E. Anglian Cis. A Sh. 100 Do. do. Cls. B6p. a. 100 o. do Cls. C7p. c. all ,astern Counties Ex- 9i 2i 10 tension, 5 p. c. No. 1 all Do. No. 2 all Do. New 4 p. c. St. all East Un.. G. 6p. c. all o. 51., 10 per cent all o. 10/. Debentr.Sh. all o. do. 4 per cent... 100 East Lancask. 6p. cts all . &W. York. J. sths i 100 A. Prth.&Dun.4p.e all unless 10►► Tits. &5.W.G.5 p.c. 100 Great Nortbn. sp. c 100 Do. sp. o. Redeem 10 20 at 10p. c. prom. 100 Do. 4i p. c 7j De. 5 p.c. Scrip, Red at 5 p. c. pm... St. 124 124' 10 all Ot.N. of Soot. let Pre 100 Gt. S.& W. (Ireland / 10 Do. 4per o. Prof. '4 107 - 109 104 -- 108 90 - 92 el 15 - 16 r i = 4 1 7 111 tis ... - ~ .. 58 - 60 15 - 114 105 - 107 99 --101 #*- 9 - 10 6 Gt. WOstn. (Borks 1, 'huts Ex . 5 p. c).. 100 Do. con. red. 4i p.c. 1100 De. con. red. 4p. a. 100 Do. irred. 4p. C. all Do. Birm. Pref. Sh all Do. Chester Bp. c.P.S all e. do. sp.c. do 100 Do. Birm. Qua. Stk all Do. Ches. Qua. Sh all Do. do. do alg Do. do. do 6 tan. &York. F. £2l 100 Do. 6 p. o. Stock 100 Lon. &Brigli. G. 5 p.e 100 Do. Pref., sp.c. St 100 )o. New Guar.6 p. c 100 Do. do. 5 per cont 100 Lon.&N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton 5 p. ct 100 Lon.& S.W. 7 per ct all Londy. &Coler. Sh. •ll Londy. & Ennis.. SI). all Man., She., & in New, £lO 4 Do. ie all Warypt .& Carl. 4 p o all Do. 4. per cent 10i o 100 Mid. Consol.6 p.c.St 100 Do. Consol. Bristol , Birm. 6 per cent WO Do. 4i p. c. Pref. St all \ Do. Pref. 4i pc.r cot, all Do. 51. Pref. 4p. c.. 100 !Ditto L. &H. Pref. St 6 - 64 85 - 87 77 - 74 75 - 80 94 -9/ 154 - 164 94 - 10 66 -6; 17, - 18 8i - 9 13 - 134 1' - 11 131 133 ••• •- ... ••• ''''' • - 121 - 13, iP • •• ....... *ll Norfolk Debenture . 100 Do. Pref. 4p. o. Ste , 100 Do. sp. e. Ext 1.00 Di. 5A per ct.pref 100 DoAray. Val. sp. c 100 North British FIDO N. E. Berw. 4 pos P 5 Do. do. do 13 Do Leeds 6 p.c ..No.l 9 e. do. Quarters 4 131 - 133 91 - 93 11 - 4 - 46 10 IDo.Yorkil.& Pnr. all orth Staffordshire ) 100 xford,Woreester, X Wolverh. Z 15.6 p.c 81 Do R. Pref. 101. Sh. all ot. Cent. ,New Prot all South Devon 11 o. fixed, 4i per omit all . Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. 10() Do. 41 per cent all Do. Fixed 44 p c eh all S. Wales Gun. 4p. c, all Do. do. 4i p. o all S.Yorksh.4p.c.Guar. all Stock. & Dar. ,5 p. c. 15 Do. do. do i all Stock. & Hartl. g. 6 p. c. till July 1,'58 5 4i IWatend. & Kilk. 5p d 98 - 100 87 -81 2i - 34 •• ..• i id 92 - 94 id - 14 per 21/ 22; 92 - 94 8 - 94 p.. --• 1 ..$~ = 4#, Pin 59 8; 7 1 i MINES. 1 all A.gua Fria ..... •• • 1 all Anglo ..kustrln. Gold ... 10s - all !Anglo Californian g 20 6 Australian 1 all Australian Cardillo • - ••• 1 all Ave Maria . 1 all Baden (Gd.. Duchy of • / 50 all Blsonarvon Iron and Coal •• 20 14 British iron — 6 35 26 Itrazilianlmp.(issued at c 5 pm.) 30 all Do. Cocaes dr Cuiabs —2; 20 15 10. St. John Dal Roy 27 —2 1 J 1 ; arendon Cons. Min, Co. of Jamaica ltl iP 40 all Cobre Copper 65 69 68 6 5 1 Colonial Gold St. all • oppor Min. of Eng 33 38 25 all Do. Prof. 7; p. cent. 24 26 ... 16 ,opiapo 2 1; Fortuna, A —id 20 all Jenard -4 16 1 all t•NuggltVeiulteg 1 4}i ail ireat Polvooth 2 1 5 I all Gt Wheal Vor United 1 • id 1 I all iberty it 3 all Linares 7 70 5 11 Lusitanian # 1 1 1; 1 all "Niariquita ........ $ 1 all New Granada . 1 all Nouveau Monde — 1 .1!0 all Pontgibaud Silver Load Min. & Smelt 5 1 Port Philip 1 all Quarts Rock — 50 all Rhymney Iron 2O 22 z d 15 all Do. New 6 8 z d 30 13 Santiago de Cuba 4l 44 1 I all mouth Australian__ $ • 1 all Do. Scrip d 1 ' Do. 10 per cent Prof 10 9 Pin Croft 4 28; all United Mexican 4 —4; 4 1 all Waller --- 1 all West Mariposa J. 12s. Wortliing Mining of Australia s.ll Yüba M 1 SCELLAN E 0 U ,9 Australian Agricult. 28 30 U' all Arts train. Royal Mai 1 Berlin Water Work, 61 7,1 SO ;0 Brit. American Lan 47 50 100 i 2; Canada St. 100 Canada Gov. 6p. of Jan. Rua Jely 109; 110 1091 5 all Crystal Palace 2 21 2 5 5 Do. Preference.. . 41 4 L 4 4 all Crystal Pal. of Franc ' 1 1 Duston Iron Ore — 20 11 Eastern Steam . -- 5 all En.diAns Cop Sm Co 1; 1$ 11 25 24 Eloctric Telegraph._ 20 22 1 all Electric Teleg. of Ir. ••• 5 all Gen. Iron Sc Collie; • .„ 15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat. 261 13 all General Screw Steam 15; 1 ZO 10 Irish Beetroot Suga 20 10 Magdalena St. Navic 10 all Viediteran. Elec. Tel. • 8 -- 10 10 9 MexhainkS.Americn. —5/ 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel ~„ 10 5 Netherlands Land.... 1 10 all Do. Do. 5 1 Do.SpoPiss at 1 d die— par i 2 1 N. S. W. Coal di Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. •.. 100 80 New B. & N.S. Land 18 22 1 all N. B. Australasian ; 20 15 Nrth.olEuropeSturn 1 all Oriental Gas ; 1 2e. Do. "New Shares" ... ••• all Peel Rr. Ld. & hug. 2i 21 50 all Peninsular& Orients. £ 5 63 1 50 10 Do. New~., 2 all Portland Iron Co ••• 100 60 !loyal Mail StORTAI 76} 7 1 All Scot. Austral. Invest. 1i 11 1 ; Ditto New — 1 all South Austral ;,a.nd 35 37 1 al; Submar. Tel. Scrip._ $ 20 all , t:e_ ty,cred— -5 5 Crust& L.Co.U.Can. 00 28 Vsj , . Lod 1.4 92 - '24 94 - 98 I'~2 134 165 126 - 13 .to -- ii 6 21 - 24 - ‘l. Er- k 173 7 - 8 34 4 - n 30 -1 31 81 - 83 IR SHA_RISIS. Bisinert pester lay C.l'&ua, 0 4..1,100 t 100 b all 3t. 1 4. 00 5 all 3t. it. to it% all 10 all i 0 all :5 all all !O all St -103 3t LOO 3t. 51. 1 all It. IVO 31 51 it . ' all 15 all L 2 all 3t. 100 ;5 18$ j) all .2 l if) • all 5 all 100 CORN EXCHANGE. The leading country markets held on Saturday were very moderately supplied with wheat. The demand, how ever, was heavy, and prices were rather in favour of buyers. All spring corn was dull and drooping. The latest advice® from New York state that over 900,000 quarters of grain and flour.4ave been shipped from the American ports since the Ist September. The continental markets are dull and drooping. Very moderate supplies of English grain were received up to our market last week. The imports of foreign were 20,683 quarters of wheat, 1,511 barley, 7,131 beans, 7 peas, 13,526 linseed, 14,730 rapeseed, 33 mustard seed, 109 sundry seeds, 7,394 sacks, and 33,518 barrels of flour. We had a full average supply of English wheat on sale to-day, in very middling condition. All kinds were exces sively dull in sale, and factors generally were willing to submit to a reduction of from ls. to 2s. per quarter, but, at that decline, there were very few buyers. A few picked samples were taken at frilly ls, per quarter less money, but the remainder of the supply was unsold at the close of business. Foreiga wheat was much depressed—indeed, we have no transactions to report in it, and the quotations were nominal. Floating cargoes of grain were dull and drooping. Barley met a moat inactive sale, at 25 per quarter less money. Malt was dull, and lower to purchase. We had a very slow sale for oats, at 6d.to is per quarter less money. Beans were very dull, and fully 2s per quarter lower than on Monday last. _ The sale for peas was heavy, and prices gave way quite 2s per quarter. Country flour was 2s per sack cheaper. American gave way is per barrel, and the top price of English fell 3e, or to 72s per sack. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASUEE. Wheat—Essen ID Kent. Rod .... new 61s to 79s Ditto.. •• .... old 72s 84s Ditto, White new 59s Sts Ditt0........ old 77s 88s Pi co rfo 1 k and Lin coln, Red, old 78s 843 Ditto new .••••• 62s 805 Rye—Old .......... —5 —s New ............ 50s 52s Barley—Grinding.•• 305 46s Malting ......... 40s 425 Chevalier.• •• . • 445 4.5 s Ist tlt--Suffolk and Nor folk•• •• .• 74s 82s Brown.•••• •• ........ 64s 70s CingstonandWare 781 80s Halt—Chevaller 80s to 825 Oats Yorkshire and Lincolnsk..Feed 25s 308 Potato . . 27s 349 Youghal and Cork 81ack....... 258 288 Cork. White ..... 26s 30s Beotch.Feed.•• .. 278 348 Bsans—Tick ......... 408 448 Pige0n5.......... 413 518 Peas—Grey.......••• 38s 448 51ap1e........... 408 438 White........... 488 528 Boilers 508 535 Telonr—Town-made... 703 72s Suffolk . ........ 563 588 Btooktn & Norfolk 569 585 METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET. Very limited supplies of foreign stock arrived in the port of London last week—the total arrival being only 347 head. In the corresponding week in 1854 we received 1,410 ; in 1853, 1,802 ; in 1852, 2,568 ; and in 1851, 2,408 head. • IMPORTS INTO LONDON LAST WINK. From Beasts. Snoop. Lambs. Calves. Pigs Harlingen Rotterdam. 9O ... 100 ... - ... ••• '"'''' T0ta1.... 247 100 The yearly comparison of weekly imports is as follows : Beasts. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs. 1854 621 693 ... ... 96 1853 405 1,678 298 27 1852 3ll ... 1,867 319 5 1851 451 1,196 155 A very limited supply of foreign stock was on sale here to-day, and the show of Irish was confined to only 70 beasts, and the same number of sheep. The arrivals of home-fed beasts were very moderate, and in but middling condition. As the butchers generally have disposed of their late extensive purchases, the beef trade ruled brisk, at an advance in the quotations realised on Monday last of quite 2d per bibs. The primost Scots readily produced 5s per Blbs. From the Northern districts, we received 1,200 short horns ; from other parts of England, 800 of various breeds; and from Scotland, 250 horned and polled Scots. Notwithstanding that the supply of sheep was very limited, the mutton trade was heavy. In prices, how ever, no change took place. The hest old Downs realised 54 per 8115 s. Very few calves were in the market, and they sold briskly, at high quotations. The best calves produced Gs per Sibs. We had a moderate demand for pigs, at full quotations. The supply was limited. Per Bibs to sink the offals. s. d. s. d.l s. d. s d. Inferior Beasta....3 6to 3 qrimeSouthdown 4 8 5 0 Second quality.... 3 10 4 2 i Large crse. calves 410 5 6 Prime large oxen 4 4 4 8 / Prime small do 5 8 6 0 Prime Scots, dic. 410 5 o;Largo hogs Inferior Sheep ...3 4 3 6 Small porkers 4 6 5 0 Second quality ...3 8 4 2 Suckling calves 21 0 30 0 Prime crse.-wlled.4 4 4 6,Quarter old pigs 22 0 28 0 Beasts ..••••........•••• •• ..••••.. • 233 Sheep ••••• .••••••••• •.18,000 I Sheep.-- •••• •• .••• •••••• 860 _ • 7 TOTAL lIITPLT. 1011101 f SUPPLY. Calves .••••••••••• •••••• "57 Calves"•• •• •• •• •• •• eeee e 36) -- - Pigs ......... ...... ....• k statement and comparison of tho supplies and prices of fat stock exhibited and sold in Smithfield Cattle Market, ou Monday, Jan. 1, 1855, and in the Metropolitan Market this day, Monday, Dec. 31, 1855. Per 81bs, to sick the offal!. Jan. 1, 1855.1Dec.31,1855. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d Coarse and inferior boasts 3 4 to 3 6;3 6to 3 8 Second quality ditto 3 8 4 43 10 4 2 Prime largo oxen 4 6 4 8 4 4 4 8 Prime Scots, &c 410 5 04 10 5 0 Coarse and inferior sheep 3 8 3 103 4 3 6 Second quality ditto ... 4 0 4 4 3 8 4 2 Prime coarse woolled ditto 4 6 4 1014 4 4 6 Primo Southdown ditto 5 0 5 2,4 8 5 0 Lambs 0 0 0 0,0 0 0 0 Large coarse calves 410 5 64 10 5 6 Prime small ditto ... 5 8 6 o's 8 6 0 Large hogs 3 0 4 03 10 4 4 Neat small porkers 4 9 4 6 4 6 5 0 Boasts 4 ,202 2,992 Sheep 25,600 18,000 Calves... ... 113 57 Pigs..29o 360 SUPPLIES ON SALE, Jan. 2, 1854.—Beasts, 4,052 ; sheep, 22,430; calves, 110; pigs, 310. January 3, 1853.—Beasts, 4,621; sheep, 21,690; calves, 181 ; pigs, 205. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. Although the supplies of both town and country killed most on sale hero are but moderate tho trade generally is inactive, as follows : Per 81bs by the carcase. e. d. s. d. 8. d. e. d. Beef, interior 3 2 3 4 Mutton., Inferior 3 2 3 6 Do., middling 3 6 3 8 Do., middling . . ... 3 8 4 0 Do. prime large 3 10 4 0 I Do., prime 4 2 4 6 De , do. small ....4 2 4 4 1 Veal 3 10 5 0 Pork, large 3 10 4 4 j Pork, small 4 6 5 4 BOROUGH HOP. We havo a moderato demand for prime hops at full quotations. In other kinds very little is doing on former terms. Mid and East Kent pockets, 3/ 5s to 61 Os per cwt ; Weald of Bent, 31 Os to 4.1 15s ; Sussex, 21 168 to 41 10s. BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS. The arrivals of potatoes have rather increased of late but a portion of them have come to hand iu very middling condition. Most kinds move off slowly, as follows :—York Regents, 1003 to 110 s ; Kent and Essox, do., 90s to 100 s ; Scotch do., 80s to 90s; do. cups. SOs to 90; middlings, 55s to Gss; blues, 805 to 90s ; Lincoln', 805 to 905 per ton. WOOL. Tho transactions in English wool sinco our last report have been very moderate, yet holders firm, and the quota tions aro supported. In foreign and colonial samples so little is doing that prices are nominal. The imports have been 41 bales from Marseilles, 35 from Ostend, 37 from Paris, 821 from Algol). Bay, 15 from Albany, 626 from Bombay, and 120 from Geelong. The following are the current rates of English wool : Down togs, is Id to is 3d ; half-bred hoggets, is ld to is 2d ; do. wethers, is Od to is ld ; Kent, fleeces, is ld to le 10; combing akin, 10d to is Li ; Down owes, is ld to Is Li ; Leicester fleeces, lid to is 04d; flartuel wool, is Od to is 2d ; blanket wool, 9tl tols Od per lb. SEE There is very little business prices wo have no change to n quotations. Turnip, White, per bush. 225 to 251 :DS. I doing in seeds generally. In Lotice. Cakes are held at full Swedo .. —s -R Ruts rd, Brown...—. 120 '2 Is White, n0w...... AS is rtres,Wlnter,now....6s Gd 7s 6d Carrawn v (new) .• • • .. 42` 44s Corlands r............ 2 , 3 s 3t.s lien:inset d, per quarter 54s 60g Linseed. Eng.4owing•• --6 — . 9 Crushing •• 78e 849 Malt is .. • • —8 —8 Odet sa .......• —8 —s Linseed 'lake, pr. ton— Eng ash • • ...141 lOs 15t Os Fore ign,per ton 13! lOs 14;10s Rape Ca kes, pr ton 7110 s 8' Os Rapesee( 1, New, pr Qr., 90s 948 Ohl— •• ~. —a —s Canary, per quarter •. 63s 64s Rye grass..• • • .... 249 30, Clover,lted Eng. (cwt.) 68s 80s White •• • • .....• 73s 90s Foreign Red...... 62s 7241 _- White.... 70a 83a Trefoil, new.. •• ...... 4‘ie 463 TALLOW. Although very little business is doing in our market, prices are steadily supported. The trade generally ,are short of stock. To-day P.Y.C. ou the spot is selling as 63s Gd per cwt. Rough fat, 3s 7d :per 81bs. imbl. 1242. 1553. 1b54. 18.5, Stock this day Price of Y. C Delivery last week . Ditto from June 1 .... I Arrivals last week .. Ditto from Junel...• Price of Town G',925 j 47,135 —.1 42.256 t 35,781 ‘, 19,896 3Gs 9:1 to, 45s Od 59s 6 .to 64s 6,1 to 68s 6d —8 Od ,ti , 45s 3d --a Od i —s Od to —a Od 2.417 i ',VG ; 2,057 , 832 639 5,242 , 62,226. 63,682 . ! 48,011 , 76,885 i 132 , 229 10 ; :4,908 856 90,691 68,733 132,623 i ;47,791 1 49,066 39s 61 47s 31 B6ls 01 ! 659 6d 1 67$ 9d 40 20 10 10 20 5 20 18 zo 20 31i 10 91 i 9 88 75 1201 52i 3 774 7 94 i 941 i 14i 85 i i 23f 4 31 57} 7 32 7i i 104 f # I 2A 20 25 21} 25 1 12, 4} 3131 25 1 8 4 a a 105 i 6 75 4i I 113 j 12} nzemmngn al l 185 11; LiTERATURE. PROFESSOR WILSON'S WORKS. .Woctes Ambrosiance. By Professor Wilson. Vols. I. and 11. Blakwood and Sons. It is under the genial and competent editorship of his sop-in-law, Professor Ferrier, that the writ ings of John Wilson are at length being republished collectively. They lead off with his glorious and e ver- memorable " Noctes Ambiosiame "—among all his works incomparably the one upon which his fame will rest as upon its most broad, and solid, and enduring foundation. A volume is announced to appear quarterly, until the whole series of these remarkable and varied compositions shall have been completed. They will comprise our author's charming "Tales," his classical "Poems," his inimi table " Recreations," his exquisite " Essays," both critical and imaginative, and, together with these, his elevating and authoritative " Lectures ou Moral Philosophy." Besides, of course, the not able introductory volumes of the collection, the four precious tomes, containing (for the first time, among us, in a separate form), the chef d'ceuvresof the great departed genius, the recognised magnum opus among his numerous masterpieces, the poetry, and the eloquence, and the •humour of his immortal Noc-rEs AMBICOSIANOL How cordially this tardy reprint of the " Noctes" ought to be welcomed, every one must understand who can recall to mind their periodical issue years ago in the pages of Blackwood's Magazine, the Olympic throne of King Christopher, from which flashed the light nings of his wit, and pealed in many an awful volley the thunders of his denunciation. It is almost to be regretted, we cannot but think, that Professor Ferrier has enjoyed so perfect an appreciation of these extraordinary Dialogues, that he has cherished in their regard an admiration so complete, so earnest, and so unreservedly out spoken that he has not been able, for the life of him, to refrain from referring to them as they are here presented to the reader, in the fullness and entirety of their grand and colossal proportions, in language that can alone be designated, even when applied to the Noctes Ambrosiance—language of the most extravagant hyperbole and of the most fla grant exaggeration. It is when, speaking of the glorious Shepherd of the Noctes, the editor says of him that "in wisdom he equals the Socrates of Plato, in humour he surpasses the Fal staff of Shakspere," adding that " clear and prompt he might have stood up against Dr. J ohnson in close and pezemptory argument, fertile and copious lie might have rivalled Burke in amplitude of declamation," Now, even when applied to that matchless creation the " Shepherd" of the Noctes Ambrosiance, we must protest against eulogiums such as these as against some wholly ab surd and preposterous fanfarronade. To say that the idealised Hogg of Professor Wilson equals the Socrates of Plato in wisdom and surpasses the Falstaff of Shakespere in humour, to talk of him as a disputant no less logical than Samuel Johnson, and no less rhetorical than Edmund Burke, is to talk sheer stark staring nonsense, nonsense altogether ludicrous and rhapsodical. Granted that the hero of the Noctes—for such the Shepherd unquestionably is even in the presence of North and Tickler—granted. that the hero of the Noctes is really wonderful in many ways, wonderful in eloquence, in wit, in pathos, and in poetry, wonderful as a humorist, and as a n imaginative improvisatore—yet to say of him that he equals Plato and surpasses Shakspere, that he might compete with Johnson and rival Burke, were to give voice to the babblings of folly in the accents of rhodomontade. Professor Wilson presented to the world, no doubt, the veritable apotheosis of Hogg, in that marvellous delineation of the Et trick Shepherd, which is the chief glory of his won derful Noctes Ambrosiance. Nevertheless, even the eminent genius displayed by him in the accomplish ment of this literary apotheosis cannot for an in stant be deemed any justification whatever of that mistaken homage on the part of Professor Ferrier, which has induced the latter to indulge in pompous panegyrics, wholly out-herocling Herod by their unjustifiable grandiloquence. Panegyrics spread ing out their windy proportions to the swollen but empty bulk of the mere puff preliminary. Of all men, Professor Wil son himself would have been indisputably the very one to whom expressions of this ultra-encomi astic kind would have been in life the most utterly repugnant. Of all works, the Noctes Ambrosiance constitute the very one the most signally indepen dent, we might conjecture, of praises thus mon strously exaggerated. Let the intelligent reader of these two astonishing volumes forget, however, if he can, the prefatory compliments to the dead, indulged in by Professor Ferrier with such miser ably bad taste, when standing, as it were, over the grave of the great genius recently departed—and it will be impossible not to acknowledge the judi cious skill with which (apart from that one blun der) Professor Ferrier has fulfilled the responsibi lities devolving upon him in the discharge of the grateful duties ofeditorship. How pleasantly he pre pares the way for the uninitiated in the mysteries ofthe Noctes, by identifying one after another the three masterly interlocutors ! After a perusal of the editor's delightful "Preface," every one may pro ceed with renewed satisfaction and whetted appe tite, to the enjoyment of " the feast of reason and the flow of soul," set forth for general xefection in these memorable Forty-one Edinburgh Nights' Entertainment. Seventy-one numbers there were altogether as originally published at uncertain in tervals between the years 1822 and 1835, in Blackwood's Magazine. But of these no less than thirty have been judiciously sup pressed by the editor, as written by other and inferior contributors to Maga than Professor John Wilson, or at the best, as only partly aided here and there by the wit and wisdom of King Christopher. Already the United States had set the example years ago by a republication of the Noctes Ambrosiance, in two comprehensive editions, giving the whole seventy-one nights indiscrimi nately, the later of these two wholesale reprints hav ing been ingeniously edited by the late Dr. Shelton Mackenzie, the accomplished author of " Titian." Speaking of Dr. Mackenzie's American edition of the " Noctes," Professor Ferrier candidly acknow ledges that " in spite of some slips and a good many oversights—(mostly to be explained on the ground that it was impossible for him to be in possession of the requisite information) —it is on the whole credit able to the industry and good sense of that gentle man." High praise, indeed, as coming from the son in-law of the gifted writer of the " Noctes," and the authorised editor of the revised and authentic edi tion, here at length put forward by the Messrs. Black wood themselves. At length, in this goodly reprint of Professor Wilson's glorious Noctes, extending as we have seen to no less than forty-one altogether, we are permanently placed in possession of the cream of the whole of the immortal Dialogues— not with a mere selection from them, but with everything essentially constituting the great work hitherto known and henceforth to be more clearly than ever recognised as the "Noctes Ambrosianie." Everybody remembers, of course, that the three principal interlocutors in these same renowned Dialogues were Christopher North, Timothy Tickler, and the Ettrick Shepherd. Everybody, however, is not so distinctly acquainted with the faot that while North meant John Wilson himself, and the Shepherd, James Hogg, author of " The Queen's Wake" and "Kilmeny," Tickler typifyed in a no less wonderful manner one Robert Sym, a Writer to the Signet, born in 1750, and who died in 1844, at the patriarchal aged of 94. The character of Mr. Sym was of course slightly idealised in the person of Mr. Tickler, as that of Professor Wilson was in some respects dwarfed and in others expanded in the imaginary shape of Mr. North, the ever glo rious, and terrible, and loveable, and inimitable Christopher. But with Hogg it was very different indeed—the prototype being immeasurably sur passed by the ideal counterpart. As we have already expressed it, James H o gg , noble original though he undoubtedly was in the flesh, enjoyed a veritable apotheosis iii the Ettrick Shepherd of the _Nodes Ambrosiano3. The Shepherd of the Noctes, indeed, may well be described by Professor Ferrier as " one of the finest and most finished creations which dramatic genius ever called into existence." It is in every particular a perfect masterpiece. In wit, in humour, in grace, m tenderness, in elo quence, in poetry of feeling a n is d of description, the Shepherd of the is Nodes altogether won derful. Whether hedescribing "Tic Doloureux" with an irresistible ridiculous ness worthy of the creator of Pantagruel, or solilo quising about clocks and fiddles, mirrors, sofas, and kitchen chairs—ho is everywhere, in all moods, in all phases, without an atom of exaggeration, be it said, entirely incomparable. Listen to him dis coursing in the cool sea-water at Portobello, swal lowing brine by the gallon in the wash of the steam-boat, gasping between whiles—" Em—hem —umph—humph—whoo—whoo— whurr whurr herrachvacherach"—while Tickler is spluttering in the same surge-swell hard by—" Whsy—whsy— whsy—whugh—whugh—shugh—shugh7ptsngh— prgugh 1" Hear him fleering at the said Tickler across the steam of the whisky jug, fragrant with lemons and sugar, saccharine and acidulated like his own wise banter ; or hearken to him as he beards the leonine North even while within reach of the sweep of his formidable crutch, telling him—" there's nae denym' that when you either skaitch or feenish aff,after your am manner, there's few haun s like Christopher North, either ancient or modern : but excuse me, sir, for saym', that, about the tenth tummler or sae, oh, sir, you are tiresome, tiresome." Everywhere, in any mood, i n a ny phase, the Shepherd is, we repeat, delicious, inimitable, incomparable. Ambrose's Tavern, situ- add in the street or lane of Ci-ahriers-roaA, in the ancient city of Edinburgh, was in truth the scene of many a gay symposium for John Wilson, and. Robert Sy m, and James Hogg, and their com panions, but the Teri fable " Auibrosian Nights," in which Tickler, and North, and the Shepherd shone forth resplendently must be looked for, not in Ga briel's-road, but in Blackwood's Maga:ine. Repro duced for the delight of after times in these noble volumes, the "Noctes Ambrosiame " of Professor Wilson will not fail to sustain some of the loftier and rarer attributes of his splendid and in many respects heroic reputation.. MR. DICKENS' NEW STORY. Little Dorrit. By Charles Dickens. No. 11. Bradbury and Evans. A wonderfully clever number is this second in stalment of Mr. Dickens's new story of " Little Dorrit"—a number so replete with " good things" as almost to dissipate our remembrance of the four chapters given to the world a month ago by way of introduction. We obtain at last something better than a merely tantalising glimpse of Little Dorrit, the heroine of the tale. We learn all about her birth and parentage. We discover in her home the old debtors' prison of the Marshalsea—in her father the Father of the Marshalsea—in herself the Child of the Marshalsea. Amy, otherwise Little Dorrit, proves to be a tiny woman, some twenty-two years of age, who goes out for so many hours a day to gain a few shillings by needlework. The youngest of the family, she is, nevertheless, its chief guide, sup port, and protector. The stay of her old white headed father William Dorrit, better known by the name, style, and title of the Father of the Mar shalsea I The successor to her poor dead mother— being, in fact, a strange kind of second mother to her elder sister Fanny, who is a ballet-dancer, and to her lucklees brother Tip, who is an unmitigated scape grace and an irredeemable ne'erdoweel. Another member of the Dorrit family there is in the person of old William Dorrit's brother Frederick—the shabby, ruined, broken-down uncle of Amy, Tip, and Fanny, himself a clarionet player in the orchestra of the very theatre in which the last-mentioned is permanently engaged as a dansettse. Hero is Mr. Dickens's wonderful description of old Frederick Dorrit, the orchestral player of the clarionet. " He stooped a gOod deal, and plodded along in a slow preoccupied manner, which made the bustling London thoroughfares no very safe resort for him. He was dirtily and meanly dressed, in a threadbare coat, onoe blue, reach ing to his ankles and buttoned to his chin, where it vanidasd in the pale ghost of a velvet collar. A piece of red cloth with which that phantom had been stiffened is its lifetime was now laid hare, and poked itself up, at th 3 back of the old man's neck, iato a confusion of grey hair and rusty stock and buckle which altogether nearly poked his hat off. A greasy hat it was, and a napless ; impending over his eyes, cracked and crumpled at the brim, and with a wisp of pocket handkerchief dangling out below it. his trowsers were so loag and loose, and his shoes so clumsy and large, that he shuttled like an elephant ; though how much of this was gait, and how much trailing cloth and leather, no one could have told. Under one arm he carried a limp and worn-out case, containing some wind instru ment ; in the same hand he had a pennyworth of snuff in a little packet of whitey-brown paper, from which ho slowly comforted his p ,or old blue nose with a lengthened out pinch, as Arthur Clemnan looked at him." It is honest Arthur Clennam who hunts up the family of the Dorrits, and finds them, as we have seen, located in the ancient debtors' prison of the Marshalsea. William- Dorrit having been there years and years, until he has come to be its Father—the condition of his three chillren being kept a secret from him to the last, whether it be as to Fanny's dancing of nights at the theatre, or as to Tip's being a prisoner like himself, or as to Amy's beingau industrious little needlewornan. An inkling is afforded us, through the suspicions of Arthur Clennam, that the misery to which these luckless Dorrits have been reduced is in reality traceable to his own father and mother long years ago, and that upon him devolve the responsibility of some noteable expiation. Whether his mysterious con jectures be true or false the plot has yet to reveal during the process of its development. As yet we are left, like him, conjectures, merely to vague or at best to shrewd suspicions. The chapter on Family Affairs introducing us again to the abominable Jeremiah Flintwinch, of the cut-down aspect, and to Arthur's grim old grey-headed mother, who looks for all the world, when seated at her desk, with her two hands laid out separately upon it, and the tall cabinet towering before her, " as if she were performing on a dumb church organ." The upshot of this chapter is that Arthur and his mother become more than ever estranged ; the former seceding from the business to make way, as it proves, for the admission into the house of a new partner, in the person of the horrible old "cut-down" Jeremiah Fliutwinch. The chap ter following introduces us to the Marshalsea, and makes us acquainted with William Dorrit, its Father—taking us there (among other times) "at certain constitutional moments when somebody came from some Office to go through some form of overlooking something, which neither lie nor anybody else knew anything about"—wandering round the prison " while this somebody tre tended to do his something, and made a reality of walking out again when he hadn't done it—neatly," says Mr. Dickens, with his wise, droll, satiric ban ter, "neatly epitomising the administration of most of the public affairs in our right little, tight little, island." Here—in the old Marshalsea Pri son, au evil spot happily now no longer to be found in London—we are brought face to face with a set of extraordinarily life-like characters, who are pre sented to us one after another in a series of mar vellous portraitures. There is, for example, Bob the benevolent Turnkey, who becomes the god father of Little Amy Dorrit, talking to her tenderly about the green fields " over there," full of flowers, buttercups, and daisies, and dandelions, "and all manner of games"—and speaking of her father as having played a piano in the Marshal's house—" like one o'clock—beau tiful !" Then there is the Doctor of the Marshal sea, once upon a time surgeon of a passenger ship, who is discovered first of all as one of " two hoarse, puffy, red-faced personages, seated at a ricketty table in a wretched, ill-smelling little room, playing at all smoking pipes and drinking brandy"— the Doctor's friend (one of the two) being " in the positive degree of hoarseness, puffiness, redfaced ness, all-fours, tobacco, dirt, and brandy," the Doc tor himself being in the comparative—" hoarser, puffier, more redfaced, more all-foury, tobaccoer, dirtier, and brandier !" Here, however, is his portrait entire : " The doctor was amazingly shabby, in a torn and darned rough-weather sea-j acket, out at elbows and eminently short of b u ttons (he had been in his time the experienced surgeon carried by a passenger ship), the dirtiest white trowsors eons ceivable by mortal man, carpet slippers, and no visible linen. Childbed?' said the doctor. 'l'm the boy 1' With that the doctor took a comb from the chimney-piece and stuck his hair upright—which appeared to be his way of washing himself—produced a professional ohest or case, of moat abject appearance, from the cupbo 'rd where his cup and saucer and coals were, settled his chin in tke frowsy wrap per round his neck, and became a ghastly medical scare crow." Besides the Doctor there is Mrs. Bangham, Char woman and Messenger to the Marshalsea, who, as years roll on, ultimately goes very wrong indeed, being " found oftener than usual comatose on pave ments, with her basket of purchases spilt, and the change of her clients' ninepence short!" These are the personages who assist at the entrance of poor Little Amy Dorrit into the world—Bob as God-father, Mrs. Bangham as Nurse, and the Doctor as Accoucheur. It is as successor to Mrs. as Messeng er th a t Tip Bangham in her capacity first of all makes his appearance, executing his commissions in a knowing manner, and ,‘ becoming of the prison prisonous and of the streets streety." In the next chapter we learn how it comes to pass that Little Dorrit gets her sister Fanny in structed in opera dancing by an insolvent dancing master, who takes " a matter of ten reeks to set to his creditors, lead off', turn the Comm issioners, and right and left back to his professional pursuits." And how it was that Uncle Frederick, coming tobe ruined by his brother William, showed no further sense of the calamity than "leaving off washing hi in self when the shock was announced and never taking to that luxury any more"—resorting at last, as we have shown, for support, to playing a clarionet, as dirty as himself, in a small Theatre Orchestra. Here, however, is an example of Charles Dickens in his happiest style, as now, once snore, shining forth in this second number of "Little Dorrit." It is the exquisite description given by him of the first interview between the Turnkey, and the poor Debtor who ultimately becomes Father of the Marshalsea " lie was a shy, retiring man ; well-looking, though in an effeminate style; with a mild voice, curling hair, and irresolute hands—rings upon the fingers in those days— which nervously wandered to his trembling lip a hundred times, in the first halt-hour of his acquaintance with the jail. His principal anxiety was about his wife. " ' Do you think, sir," be asked the turnkey, " that she will bo very much shocked, if she should come to the Late to-morrow morning ?" " The turnkey gave it as the result of his experience that some of 'em was and some of 'cm wasn't. In general more no than yes. What like is she, you see?' he philo sophically asked : that's what it hinges on.' " She is very delicate and inexperienced indeed.' " That,' said the turnkey, is agen her.' " She is so little used to go out alone,' said the debtor, that I am at a loss to think how she will over make her way here, if she walks.' " P'raps,' quoth the turnkey, coach. " Perhaps.' The irresolute fingers went to the trem bling lip. I hope she will. Sh e May not think of it.' " ' Or p'raps, said the turnkey, offering his suggestions from the top of his well-worn wooden stool, as he might have offered them to a child for whose weakness he felt a compassion, Vraps she'll get her brother, or her sister, to come along with her. " " She has no brother nor sister.' " Vieccanevy,cousin,scricant, young ' oontan, greengrocer. she'll take a ackney 1111111111111. 1 r I —Dash ii ! One 6 - li - tin:Other on 'on,' said t 1.6 honlcW, puoliating - beforehand the refusal of all his suggestions. ' I fear—l hope it is not against the rules—that she will bring the children.' " The children?' said the turnkey, And the rules Why, lord set you up like a corner pin, we've a reeler plavg! ound o' children here. Children ? Why, we swarm with 'em. How many a you got? " Two,' said the debtor, lifting his irresolute band to his lip again, and turning into the prison. " The turnkey followed him with his eyes. And yen another,' he observed to himself, which makes three on you. And your wife another, I'll lay a crown. Which makes four on yon. And another coming, I'll lay half-a crown. Which'll will make five on you. And I'll go an other seven and sixpence to name which is the helplessest, the unborn baby or you. .As a marvellous companion-sketch to which, we must, perforce, give that other little scene in which William Dorrit, old and white-headed now, the Father of the Marshalsea, is " tipped" in coppers by a Plasterer : " One afternoon he had been doing the honours of the place to a rather large party of collegians, who happened to be — g,oing out, when, as he was coming back, he encoun tered onefrom the poor side who had been taken in execu tion for a small sum a week before, had settled' in the course of that afternoon, and was going out too. The man was a mere plasterer, in his working dress ; had his wife with him, and a bundle ; and Nras in high spirits. " God bless you, sir,' ho sail in passing. " And you,' benignantly retained the Father of the Marsbalsea. " They were pretty far divided, ,, oing their several ways, when the plasterer called out, ` L 'I say !—sir and came back to him. " It an't much,' said the plasterer, patting a little pile of halfpence iu his hand, but it's well meant. , " The Father of the Marshalsea had never been offered tribute in copper yet. His children often had, and with his perfect acquiescence it had gone into the common purse, to buy meat that ho had eaten; and drink that he had drunk ; but fustian splashed with white lime, bestow ing halfpence on him, front to front, was new. " How dare you!' he said to the man, and feebly burst into tears. " The plasterer turned him towards the wall, that his face might not be seen ; and the action was so delicate, and the man was so penetrated with repentance, and asked pardon so honestly, that he could make him no less acknow ledgment than, ' I know you meant it kindly. Say no more.' " Bless your soul, sir,' urged the plasterer, ' I did in deed. I'd do more byyou than the rest of 'em do, I fancy. " What would you do ?' ho asked. "'l'd come back to see you, after I was lot out.' " ' Give me the money again,' said the other, eagerly, and I'll kee7 it, and never spend it. .Thank you for it, thank you! I shall see you again? " ' If I live a week you shall.' • " They shook hinds and parted. The collegians assem bled in Symposium in the Snuggery that night, marvelled what had hapr Shod to their Father ; ho walked so late in the shadows ^ ,the yard, and seemed so downcast." Enough—the whole of this marvellous picture of prison-life ispainfully true to nature, the marvellous picture here painted iu magic colours by the master hand of our inimitable Boz—a hand that has never drawn more wondrous seinblances of reality than these same peopled scenes of the ancient debtors' prison of the Marshalsea. THE AMERICAN CLEARING-HOUSE SYSTEM. (From the United States' Economist.) The following description is by Mr. George D. Oman, the manager : "At the hour of 10 a.m. all the banks, members of the association, 48 in number, are represented at the clearing-house by two clerks—one a settling clerk, the other a specie clerk, or porter. The settling clerks bring with them their statement, which shows first the amount of the receipts of the hank which they represent up to the close of the business of the previous day ; secondly, the amount which has been added from the morning remittances ; and lastly, the total amount which they bring to the clearing-house for exchange, being the amount of the first two items united. They also bring • ticket, which informs us of the amount sent in by the hank which they represent, and which amount we cre dit them with. Their statement has a column in which the amounts to be received are to be entered. The specie clerk or porter of each bank brings with him a statement of the amount which the banle he represent sends in against each of the other banks, and he also brings the money, made up in parcels, with a slip upon the top, stating the amount of each item of exchange, and the total or footing of whole sum to be delivered to each bank. His statement has a bank column headed received by.' At ten o'clock all the clerks are called to their places, the settling clerks upon the inside of the counter, which is built in the form of an oval ; and the porters upon the outside, all the banks being arranged numerically, in the order of age, upon the counter, and each assigned a space, which, divided off, separates them from each other. The porters bring their money so arranged that the top exchange is the one for the bank next them on the right, and the last exchange the one for the bank next to their position on the left. I 1 " At a signal from the manager each porter at the hour of 10 precisely moves to the right, delivering to the first bank next on his right the exchange which he has for them, and receiving the receipts of their settling clerk for it, who is careful to see that the exchange he receives agrees with the amount written on the statement of the porter of the bank from whom he receives it, and thus the porters proceed until they have made the circuit of the room, and celivered to each bank the exchange they brought against them, and received their receipts there for, which brings them back to the point of starting (their own desk), with all their exchanges delivered and receipted for, This is done by us in five minutes. The ex changes for each bank are thus brought into the hands of their settling clerk, who proceeds to enter them to the credit of each bank, after which he calls them back with his porter, and then foots his receipts, ascertaining the amount which ho has received and the result of the ex change, which either makes his bank debtor to or credi tor with the clearing-house ; the porter then returns home with his receipts, carrying the information of the result of the exchange of his principals, who know by a quarter-past 10 o'clock a.m. their position for the day, either as debtor or creditor bank. The settling clerk then prepares a ticket for the clearing-house, which states the amount he brought, and his balance either as a debtor or a creditor. From these tickets, and those before-named as being brought by the settling clerks when they come to the clearing-house, the entries upon the clearing-house proof are made, and at half-past 10 o'clock a.m., the result announced. Among so many clerks it of course seldom happens that a proof is made at the first announcement, some errors being almost sure to be made. For the detection of these errors the small check tickets are used. You will notice that the proof is based upon the settling clerk's statements, and that it is assumed that the accounts stated on them are correct. You will also perceive that two amounts upon the state ment of each settling clerk mu-t be found upon the statement of every other bank belonging to the associa tion, so that in order to assure their agreement it is re quired of each settling clerk that he shall make out a set of tickets from his statement, stating the amount which by it he has sent against every other bank. After deli vering these tickets he proceeds to check those which he has received, and by them reconciles the entry which he has male ; and if the proof is not thus made, the differ ence must be in footing, which is found by directing the clerks to exchange statements ani to examine each other's footings. This, of course, detects the errors. " A system of fines is connected with the system, 45 minutes being allowed for a proof, all errors found after that time being fined and reported to their banks. This insures care upon their part, and we usually make the proof within the time allowed. Connected with the clearing-house is a bank selected for a deposit bank, the Bank of America acting for the association in that ca pacity. In this bank any bank deposits such an amount of coin as it may see fit, taking from them a certificate of deposit in amounts of $5OO, $l,OOO, ss,ooo,and $lO,OOO, certifying that they have received and hold such amounts as a special deposit payable to the order of any of the associated banks, and that they hold such amounts in trust as a special deposit. The bank of America now holds in this way $6,500,000. These certificates are need in the settlement of balances. At one o'clock all the banks which are debtor come to the clearing-house and pay in these certificates, and in bills and change for sums less than $5OO clear the balance against them. At half-past one the debtor banks having paid their balances and taken a receipt for them, the creditor banks, by their porters, receive the balances due them, giving a receipt therefor, and at two o'clock the settlement is made. This is a brief description of the business of each day. The direct results of the above are as follows— viz., the bringing of 43 balances into one, and the set tlement of such balances ; the saving of a vast number of entries and postings, and of much time and labour for cashiers, tellers, and porters ; the perfect independ ence of all banks of each other, and the facilities af forded by the accounts of the clearing-house for esti mating the standing and management of all the other banks belonging to the association ; the transportation of specie in the payment of balances, and many other benefits of the same character. The indirect benefit • are fully equal to the direct, but as they will " gest themselves to you I will not speak of them. It is Sue. cient to say that the system is perfectly satisfactory tie the banks of this city, and that it tends to prornotesdend banking, and that its s'ICceSS here has been perfect, soul is as satisfactory to the banks as to the public." The planet Saturn 18 a tine object at present in the evening. At first it is in the east, moving towards the south, and is t'ae largest star in that part of the heavema About midnight it is directly south, and through a good telescope it is silerularly beautiful. SERIuI3S ACCIDENT TO SIR GEORGE GRET.—We are sorry to learn that the Right II in. Sir George Grey has met with an a-cident whilst hunting. The right hon.. baronet left town on Thursday evening for Coleshille park, Berkshire, on a visit to the Earl of Radnor, with the intention of enjoying a few days' hunting in that neighbourhood. The Home Secretary, on Friday; 4. tended the meeting of the Old Berkshire (Mr. Morrell Hounds, at Buscott-park, and in the midst of the ehaix, the right hon. baronet's horse fell, and threw Sir George with great force on his right arm. We regret to say that on being lifted from the ground, it was found that the right hon. baronet lad su.tained a serious injury by breaking the bone of his right arm just above the wrist.;' The right hon. baronet was instantly conveyed to thee Earl of Reduces seat, when medical aid was soon ob.J tained, and the broken bone set with very trifling delay.. It affords us much pleasure to add that 'lip to Saturday the right hon. baronet was going on very well, and it is, fully believed that no danger is likely to ensue, all. symptoms being extremely favourable. Sir George Grey remains at Coleshill-park fe. the present, and, if no I worse, will be in town on Thursday next to assist in the I deliberations at the Cabinet Council to be held that day ,m -tin 3p ter I of ClB )81- ►ck FOR: 16 58; 8 16i II 37i 8 I