The Sun. — London, England, 1868-03-20 00:00:00

BlOl , LtiY MARKET A ND COMMERCIAL INTELLiaR CITY, Two O'CLOCK. iutnougn me ontiton and reserve of notes and coin both show an increase that can scarcely be called in considerable, the return in other respect s b ears evidence of an increased demand for money. There is a large falling off in the private deposits, indicating that there is more employment for money in the open market ; and the private securities have enlarged, indicating that the Bank has itself felt the effect of the additional inquiry. The chief cause of the acces sion to the reserve is the influx of reserve payments ; and the reserve cannot be considered high, regard being had to the approaching payment of the public and the Bank dividends. The following are the min , eipal changes since the preceding returns : Decrease in Circulation Increase in Public Deposits Decrease in other Deposits 588,476 Increase in Government Securities 4 083 Increase in other Securities Increase in Bullion Increase in Rest Increase in Reserve Bullio n i n b ot h D epartments. .....• .....21,281.427 Reserve of Notes and Coin 13,253,8(12 Circulation, including Bank Post 8i115..23,495, 470 The return of paid clearing for the wet-k ending Wednesday, March 18, as certified by Mr. Geo. Derbyshire, chief inspector, is us follows : March 12, Thursday ... £8,515,000 March 13, Friday March 14, Saturday March 16, Monday - March 17, Tuesday March 18, Wednesday Total X72,845,000 This aggregate is affected by the Stock Exchange Settlement at the close of last week. But, making allowance for this disturbance, the return, as a whole, confirms the belief that is now . prevailing of an improvement in domestic trade. The Money Market is firm, at 1/ to 2 per cent, The Corn Market remains dull. The Liverpool Cotton Market is quiet. Consols are a shade lower, at 93 to 931 for money and account ; New and Reduced Three per Cents., 9 1 k to 92 ; India Five per Cents. are unaltered it 114 to 1141 ; Bank Stock, 249 to 251; Exchequer lls to les prem. The Foreign Stock Market is firm at previous prices. Mexican is quoted 15k to 161 ; .Greek, 121 to 13 ; New Spanish, 351 to 36 ; Italian (1861), 471 to 471 ; Turkish (1865),-334 to 33g ;Portuguese, Ito prem.; Chilian, 88 to 89 ; Orel Vitetsk, 781 to 781 ; Egyp tian (1864) 87 to 88 ; Railway Loan, 901 to 91 ; Viceroy's 7 per cents., 731 to 74 ; ditto 9 per cents., 891 to 90 ; and Peruvian, 77a to 78. The Foreign and Colonial Trust has been welt received, and the quotation is 1 to 11 prem. There is no particular feature in Railway Shares, Yesterday's closing quotations being current. Lanca shire and Yorkshire, 125 k to 126 ; Midland, 105 1051 ; S ou th-E a stern, 72 - 1 to 73 ' • London and North western, 1141 to 115 k; Great Northern, 1041 to 105 k; ditto (A), 99 to 100 ; Great Eastern, 31k to 3 11 ; Great Western, 461 to 47 ; Brighton, 48k to 481; Sheffield, 421 to 43 ; Metropolitan, 114 to 1 14 k ; New District, lf to 11 prem.; Caledonian, 811 to 82 ; North British, 331 to 34k. Business has been done to-day in Metropolitan District Railway Issue of £400,000 Debenture Stock at 1 to 1k prem. Foreign Railways are without movement. Lom b:)ardo-Venetian is quoted at 15k to 151 ; and Luxem burg at 8k to 9. In American Securities United States' 5-20 Bonds Are lower, at 72 to 72k ; Erie Shares are / better, at 47 to 48 ; and Illinois k, at 891 to 901. Bank Shares continue to attract but little attention, and not a single variation has occurred in prices. Agra (A), 10 to 11 ex div. ; Alliance, 14 to 13 dis. ; 41 .N10-Austrian, 31 to 4 prem. ; Chartered Mercantile, 28k to 29i ; Consolidated, 4# to ; „ I mperial, 17 to 1.7 k ; Imperial Ottoman, dis to par ; . 14 odon and County, 511 to 52k ; London and W estminster, 671 to 681 ; Oriental, 42 to 43 ; London Joint Stock, 311 to 321 ; Union of London, 33 to 34. foreign mining shares are rather dull. St. John del Rey remain at 19 to 191 ; Port Phillip, to ; Chontales, k lower, at k to 2 lower: Miscellaneous Shares are steady. Anglo-American Telegraph 221 to 22i- • Atlantic Telegraph Eight per , Cent., 51 to 5g ; Credit Foncier, 3 to 31 ; Hudson's 13 aY, 142 to 14 a ; London General Omnibus, 11 to 2. The stun of £4,000 in sovereigns was withdrawn from the Bank yesterday for Egypt. It is reported that Messrs. Bischoffsheim and Gold- Schmidt, of London and Paris, are about to introduce a Spanish colonial loan for £2,000,000. The city o f Li ege h as issued its prospectus for a loan of 11,870,000 fr., nominal capital, bearing three per cent. i n t eres t, re d eema bl e i n fifty-eight years, by half-yearly drawings, the first drawing to take Place in May next. The price of issue is 92fr. 50c. A steam packet service has been decided upon b etween Venice and Ancona, under the designation of the Eastern Adriatic Steam Navigatio'n Cuwpany. The company receive a subvention of 336,000 fr. for a Nveekly service between Brindisi and Venice, with a branch to Venice, the municipality of which con tribute 40,000 fr. towards the subvention. Four steamers will be employed in the service. It is ex pected that the same company will undertake the Service to Trieste. The annual general meeting of the Alliance British . nd"Foreign Life and Fire Assurance Company has been called for the Ist of April. • The subscription list of the Metropolitan Railway closes to-day. The applications are understood to be n umerous, and to a large extent to consist of paid-up s ubscriptions. The traffic receipts of the Bahia and San Ffancisco 4. _ailway Company for the w e e k ending Febru ar y 8, S how an increase of .£1,849, as compared with the cor responding week of last year. The following is from Helmuth Schwartze's wool circular, dated London, March 19th :—" The following quantities have up to to-day been sold in our public l a r ks :-30,268, Port Phillip ; 12,908, Sydney ; 001 Adelaide ; 2,668, New Zealand ; 792, Van b letnati's Land ; 544, Swan River ; 28,191, Cape ; a nd 738 sundries—total, 91,110 bales, leaving 25,000 all njes still to be disposed of. There was last week a in the spirit of the sales, which were less nu merously attended than at the commenc ent of the series. Du r i ng th e l as t f ew da ys, however, the former activity has re turned. Some more buyers have arrived from the C o ntinent, and the sales pass off briskly. As hereto el the principal purchases are made for the Conti c,nt, which, if the present rate be continued, will pr ices from 1 to 3-sths of the whole quantity offered. Australians show no change. Capes are Id and greasy '"Allistralians -Id. higher than in November ; washed Au stralians, on a par with November. This will be .(111 nd correct in the majority of cases ; in single ,ostances the difference is often greater, often less, gre at irregularity having nrevailed throughout the ° arse of this series." Z4 tropolitan District Railway, issue of £ 400,000 ` 4 ehentu re stock, 1 to 1i prem. BRITISH FUNDhI—TWO O'CLOCK. a Ci OVERNMENT FUNDS. Per Ce nt . C onso l s 1/0 . Account April 2 _ 4Per Cent. Reduced 938 2 New 3 per Cent 92} 14 e r ,w 21 per Cent. Jan. 1894 75 A " 0 . 5 per CenL. attn. 1873 -3111uities 80 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 —x( .„0. (Red'o yrs, expire sth April — Etch`° Sea Telei.raph), Au,., 1908 t uer Bills, £l,OOO, 2 per Ct. — pm Do £5OO ll pm zt DO. £lOO & £2OO — Pm t tik of E ng l an d St oc k . 44 per C ent Sh ut D°. Account Ind INDIAN UOVERNMENT SECURITIEF. ' 4 'ila 7 rock, 10f per Cent., April 1874 D °. Account nt. 5 per Ct. July, 1880 o. 4 pee. Cent., Oct. 1888 130 . Certifi cates 1 , 1-10 . Enfaced Paper 4 per Cent — j- ) ° . 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 -0 . ,N. •, per Cent., May 1879 - ` lO 0 per Cent., Rup. Deb., 1872 — Do. do. 1877 — Do D • do. 1882 — '. Deb er Cent., Au. 18 ~ bj3°. I 3 onds s , 5 p per Cent., .£l g ,ooo 7 3 Pm 0 . Under £1.000 Ar, FOREIGN FUNDS—TWO CLOCK. A.heritino Republic, 6 per Cent — ilra3trian Bonds 5 per Cent. 1859 Vlian 5 per ' Cent — 0 3 . 41 per Cont., 1852 — '")* do. , 1858....• — 1," -° ' do., 18(30 — -n b .. do., 1863 — i j u • 5 per Cent., 1865 ' )1 lio Account 721 14 D e°°B Ayres 6 per Cent O . 0,, 1 011, 3 , 2 6 p p e e r r C e e e n n t ; (Doferrtd 3 per Cent ) . ' ' 6 0 4 0 :21 1 .. 1 - per Cent 67 b • 0 per C en t., B . e°l 1867 b. , pAr ,Cent., 1866 0 °, Scrip £32 paid L ) tti l iT i biaii, 6 per Cent. tu,.. 3 1:Yr Cont. , 182 5 )3 -"jan Principalities, 7 per Cent — ,1 4 ° , 8 Per Cent., 1867 k`,,`,11,10r New Cou3olidated, 1 per Cent — -4t)tia '', 7 per Cent li o 1)) Second Issue — D ' " C 5 )0 Bonds D°. £lO6 Bonds — D. De 1864 • ks';l) Ponds B7l 8 up. . £lO O Bonds , .... 871 Cire ek 3v : r 'reni(sor. Rail wayi)ebelittireS . ... -- 1)0 w : Per Cent., 1824- 5 , ex Coups — ..1) : • -- U. AA:Qom:It, 1) ') C° °Pens 4C QO t nu 54 1111 00000 1111111 MM ttttttttttt 1 thtt arch 19. yesterday by their rince Leo- d PrinceEs to Alder- and Miss apt. Ellis, bonded by Day. V. MANN. ,r services dant, who ipany (Li- Finance i the Na• Itter cora defendant ,o was cos t Finance defendant with the charged. c in ques xl to star called his liquidator been don() r. There ler which B order of ,nd of the le work of stiff would DAY. ;ES.--lqr• appeared ntof the )ruelty to reated by tan in WO h cruelty rociety for 9, proved h was at- I noticing end found standings 1, and on that his corked the said that r surgeon' yard, and :3 and 00 a had said Irse. )er recora- 6 horse 1 veterinary ion. The ke a long tance, but ;:tsed fore disease of f ten led to ;h pain in should be )und. erley, bad , s were in bin, would anly order I would be \lr. John s charged incapab le ottenhanY A—La st ie Tottev I stopping 0 custody' ou wilt be L publiea lh f glasses ° liaht hav e have bee n s , a nd 0 sons© °tie. 0 v elactantiv ' behal f ? f )r a Teat MA ;h-terra o ; houses f h ° o Alvah t- t o ie te 0313 ; of ied I ' 3 v.- iat a ll tb a ° th gratt- t t •stood t 11,511 forthWlt' RENTi~E k• pachhtl ec l , aPp e3 %o Se w here ' „ fi r ier, 0 0 Ne el' b G ly it . e ntice/ ha t N ora Il de r area u O l3 , b e arioe' ec o 30 ha d b w ith g a go, - 00 End. : d ise3- 1 e 0 tot )1 e bin 3 a 3 oo tbe ear Y e o io . : % 35 ' bt oa- eat, I°o s if n g it? Guatemala 5 per Cent . . — Honduras Gov. Rail. Loan., 10p. Ct.,.£25p It iiiitu 5 per Cent., 1865 — Do, Account ~. — Do. Maremmana Raiway — 1514xican 3 per Cent — Ditto for Account Do. 1864- — Do 6 per Cont. Anglo-French • — Slontevidean 6 per Cent. .. — Moorish imperial 5 per Cen.t — Now Granada — Do 3 per Cen 331 Do. Deferred Do Laud Warrants (Hectares) Peruvian 5 per Cent.. 1865 — Do Account 7 71 i I Do 4} per Cent. (Uribarreu) Do 4* per Cent.. 1862 Do Account Portßguese 3 per Ct., 1853, '6, '7, '9,'60,'2,%i 39 1 i Do. do., 1'67 — Do. do., Scrip, £lO paid 4 pm Ru3'siiin 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St B3l Do 4,1 per Cent. 1850 Do 4* per Cent., 1860 Do 8 per Cont., 1859 Do 5 per Cent., 1862 Do. Anglo-Dutch, 1861, £lOO Bolick., Do. do. £B4 15s. do Do., 1866, £lOO 80nd5......... Do. do. £B4 los. do — Sardinian, 5 per Cent — Spanish 3 per Con . — Do Acefiunt Do New Deferroa — Do Account Do Passive — Do Acc..ant Do Conn. Cert. of Coup. not funded Do Account ... Turkish 6 per Cent. — Do Account Do 6 per Cent. 1858 — Do Account ... - - Do £lOO Bonds Do 6 per Cent., 1862 — Do Account Do £lOO Bonds 651 6 Do. 1863 — Do 5 per Cent., 1865 — Do Account Do 6 per Cent., 1865 , . 551 1 4 Do. 4 per Cent., Guaranteed Venezuela, 3 per Cent. — Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Do 6 per Cent. 1864 Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates ..... — Dividends on the above payable in London. French Rentes, 3 per Cent., Ex. 25f. . Austrisu b per Cent. Ex 10 Florins Belgian, 44 per cent., Ex. 25f. Duteh . 2* per Cent. Ex. 12 GO, Do Account Italian 5 per Cent. 1831, Ex. zsi. Do. Account 471 TWO O'CLOCK. Consols, Money 93 I Do. Account, March •.. 93 ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. -- HUDDERSFIELD. Yesterday morning the poll was opened with great spirit on both sides. At 12 o'clock Mr. Leatham, the Liberal candidate, had received 981 votes ; Mr. Sleigh, the Conservative candidate, 688. The poll closed with the following result : Leatham ... 1,112 Sleigh... ... 785 Majority —327 EA ST KENT. The vacancy about to be 'created in the repre sentation of this division of the county by the ele vation of Sir Brook Bridges to the peerage is ex pected to lead to a severe contest. The Liberal party having strengthened their position very much upon the last register have determined to bring for ward Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen, the member for Sandwich, and the chairman of the East Kent Liberal Association, and a meeting is to be held for this purpose on Saturday next. The Conservative candidate is Mr. Edward Leigh Pemberton, jun., a barrister, and a nephew of the late Lord Kingsdown. He has issued his address, in which he expresses his opinion that any attempt to displace the present Ministers before they had an opportunity of com pleting the large measure of Reform which was com menced during the last session would be unfair, and any change during the short remainder of the exist. ence of the present Parliament would be inconve nient, and contrary to the general feeling of the country, and that the Irish questions ought to be disposed of by members elected under the new Re form Bill. He has confidence in Lord Stanley's administration of foreign affairs, and should rejoice if the report of the committee upon the malt-tax and the state of our finances should be found to warrant the removal of a burden which weighs unfairly on land. COVENTRY. Mr. A. Staveley Hill, Q.C., the Conservative candidate, and Mr. S. Carter, the Liberal candi date, addressed the electors on Wednesday night,. —the former at the large Corn-Exchange, which was crowded, and the latter at the Castle Hotel, the headquarters of the Liberals, and where a large muster of that party welcomed their candidate as a man belonging to the town who had come forward to enable them to show that the liberal portion of the constituency was not " corrupt," as tho Con servatives had endeavoured to make out in unseat ing Mr. H. M. Jackson, the late member. Mr. Hill said he is for upholding the Constitution, while removing all abuses. He holds it to be the duty of the State to give every child the opportunity for education. He would endeavour to remove the burden and vexation caused by the ratepaying clauses of the Reform Act. He is opposed to all the so-called philosophical tampering with property in land in Ireland. He condemned the French treaty, to which he attributed the distress among the silk weavers of the city, and in conclusion pledged himself to be a faithful advocate of the city's rights and wrongs if returned to Parliament. Mr. CARTER, who describes himself as an ad vanced Liberal, approved of nearly every sentence in his opponent's address, but thought some por tions vague and unmeaning. He came forward to vindicate the character of the constituency, which the other side had maligned by their petition, and called upon the Liberals to clear themselves from the villanous charges made against them by sending him to Parliament by a pure electinn. MAR,ICETS—(This Day.) CORN. The trade continues quiet, without much change in prices, but buyers having occasionally the advantage. At Mark Lane to-day there was a light supply of Eng lish wheat, which met a slow sale at about the rates of Monday last. Foreign wheat, of which there were good arrivals, was purchased sparingly, but sales were not pressed at any decline. Since last market arrived . cargoes of wheat off the coast have sold pretty freely at 6d less e oney. Berdianski, 66s 9d; Odessa Ghorka, 64s 6d to 665; Danubian, 60s to 625, cost, freight, and insurance. The numbers on offer are re duced to 63. Flour shells in limited quantity, and in some instances on slightly easier terms. Malt is unchanged in value. Malting barley steadily held. Grinding sorts purchased more sparingly, easier rates having been taken off the coast, and some cargoes expected to land. Peas and Beans are unaltered. Oats, in consequence of increased arrivals, are pur chasable at 6d, and in some cases ls, under Monday's rates. Dutch are most depressed. Seeds are unaltered. TALLOW. The market is steady, at 42s spot; 42s 6d to 42s 9d, April to June ; 44s to 448 3d, June ; 44s 9d last three mouths. PROVISIONS. BUTTERS—For all descriptions a steady moderate de mand has prevailed at late rates. For the best Friesland, 122 s to 126 s is quoted this morning. BACON is still very scarce and sustains its value. CHEESE of good quality moves off steadily at full rates: inferior sorts are dull. Lard is in moderate request. NENVGATE AND LEADENHALL. MEAT.—Tho weather being favourable there was a better demand in the dead meat trade to-day, and rates, though not quotably higher, tended in an upward direction. Beef 3s 4d to 48 2d, mutton 3s 6d to 4s 4d, veal 3s 8d to ss, pork 3s 8d to 48 Bd, lamb 6s 8d to 7s 4d por stone of 81b by the carcase. COTTON. LIVERPOOL, March 20.—Sales to-day probably 10,000 bales. Market quiet and unchanged. DESTRUCTION OF THE AERATED BREAD COM PANY'S FLOUR MILLS BY FIRE.---The flour mills belonging to the Aerated Bread Company, situate in South-street, High-street, Wandsworth, were for the most part de stroyed by fire last evening. The fire appears to have originated in the upper part of the mills, and was not dis covered until the flames had actually burst forth from the roof. The local engines were soon brought to the spot, and every possible effort was made to stop the flames from spreading, but ineffectually, until three of the upper floors were entirely destroyed, the roof burnt off, and the rest of the mills and contents severely damaged by fire and water. PREFERENCE SHARES. Great Northern, 5 per sent. rd. at 5 per cent. pm., 1051 19:011e1GREN btiAttti; AND STOCKS. London and S.-Western 4i per cent., 89 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. Chester and Holyhead, Ditto, 5 per cent., 119 London and Blackwall, asi South York. and River Dun, 95 rolikAGN RAILWAY: , . Great Luxembourg, 8 ; San Paulo, lien., bua. i per cent.,l7i FOREIGN 111114 Cape Copper, 10 D.,n l'euro, North Dcl Rey, 2/ t'ort Phillip, 14 St, John del Itey, lira , ISI DOCKS East and West India, 1231 Ditto, Debenture Stock, 50 if Aki h S. Agra, lien., A, 10 f Ditto, B, if Imperial Ottoman. 10 London and County, Ditto, new, 3ii London Joint Stock, 12 Oriental Bank Corporation, 42f MISCELLANICO Anglo American Telegraph, 22 Atlantic Telegraph, 65 # Ditto, El per cent 1031 Bombay Gas, lim., 4 Commercial Union. Insurance. 5) Credit Fonckr of England, litre., 31 3 Crystal Palace. Ditto, 6 per cent. perpetl. deb., 108 i Egyptian ii per Cent.. Viceroy Loan, gua. by Egypt. Goy., 89J Gen. Credit and Discount, um.. Oi Hudson's Bay, 14 International Financial Society,lim., 31 London Financial Association. lira., 6 National viscount Company, ii 11 Peuinsula and Oriental team, Dito, new, 1867, 6# 6 Rio de Janeiro City Improvements. 16 Viceroy of Egypt 7 per cent. Mortgage) Loan, 731 i SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This Day (By Telegraph.) GRAVESEND, Friday Morning. Arrived, March 20—Souvenir, steamer, from Caen; Berlin, steamer, from Hamburg; Diana, steamer, from Amsterdam ; Ranger, steamer, Rotterdam ; Sir Robert Peel, and Neva, steamers, from Dunkirk ; Cologne, steamer, from Boulogne; Hendrika, from Emden ; Lena, from Tuticorin; Alfred Louisa, from Port Rio : Restless, from Molgast ; Only Son, from Dorcum ; Scandia, from Porsgrund. DEAL, Friday Morning. Passed—Meg Merrilies, from London, for Kurrachee ; Sterling, from London, for Cardiff ; E. A. Sender, bark, from the Nurth, for the West. The annual general meeting of this company was held yesterday, at the offices, 4, Queen-street Place, Southwark Bridge. William €lover, Esq., the chairman of the com pany, presided. The usual routine business having been disposed of, the CHAIRMAN said the first thing for the meeting to hear was the result of the operations of the past year. Mr. SUTTON GOVER, the managing director, read the re port, which was as follows : " The past year has been the most prosperous of the company's existence, the policy-holders generally having invited their friends and neighbours to insure in the company. 3,889 new policies have been issued, assuring .£661,997 ; the new annual premiums thereon, amounting to £20,303 ; an amount of business equalled by very few of the most prosperous institutions in the kingdom. The rate of mortality has been very low, both as compared with the tabular provision and the satisfactory expe rience of past years. Sums assured and bonuses amount ing to £15,874 have been paid during the year under 110 policies, making the number of claims paid since the commencement of the company 509, and the amount, including bonuses, .£80,321. The sum of £768 has been paid for the surrender of policies during the past year, a small sum, considering the number of policies in force with the company. The loans granted by the company on its policies have enabled numerous policy-holders to keep up the provision for their families during- a period of general commercial depression. The remainder of the capital of the company has been issued at £5 per share premium. The sum of £29,367 has been added to the accumulated fund during the year, which now amounts to £155,345. The auditors have carefully examined the securities of the company. The continued ill health of Mr. Joseph War-. mington, one of the original directors of the company, having for some time prevented him from attending the meetings of the directors, he felt it his duty in the course of the year to place his resignation in the hands of the board, who passed a vote of thanks to him for his long and excellent services to the company, and elected Mr. William George Lemon as a director in his place. The Board have appointed in his room, until the annual meeting, Mr. Wm. Smith. The company has also lost an old and staunch friend by the death of the late Dr. Tidman, the veteran Secretary of the London Missionary Society, an active policy-holder of the company. The remarkable growth of the com pany is striking evidence of the value of the principle of true mutuality as practised by the British Equitable As surance Company. (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN said their manager always on such occasions favoured them with a few additional remarks, therefore he:liad now to ask him to Proceefi. Mr. SUTTON GOTER then addressed the meeting as fol lows :—lt is• eminently satisfactory that in a year of such general commercial depression and distress there should have 'been effected a much • 'larger increase in the company's business than in any former year. The new policies issued during the last three years have been as follows:—Reported in 1866, 2,073, £353,700; 1867, 2,845, £501,175; 18643, 3;89, £661,997; total, £1,516,872. We have not./ 14,474 policies in force assuring £2,454,896. At our tenth annual meeting the business in force was 7,860 policies, assuring £1,312,970. At tho end of the thirteenth year it is 14,474 policies, assuring £2,454,896, so that the business has increased nearly as much in the last three years as in the prior ten years. The amount of death claims and bonuses paid in the year 1866, under 67 policies, was £14,199 ; in the year 1817, under 110 policies, £15,874. The sum paid for death claims and bonuses from the commencement of the com pany 'under 509 policies is £80,321. The direc tors having determined to close the capital of the company; the whole of the original shares were issued at a premium of £5 per share, being 50 per cent. of the amount of the call with scarcely any expense, and in about a month from their intention to do so, so that the whole of the capital of the company is subscribed, and the 10 per cent. call thereon and premium paid, with the ex ception of about £2,300 in course of payment. The Accumulated Fund has been increased during the year by £29,367, making the amount laid by in the last three years £75,678. It now amounts to £155,315. It was with much regret that the directors accepted the resignation of Mr. Joseph Warmington, one of the original directors of the company, on account of continued ill health. This resolution, having been emblazoned on vel lum; was presented to him. "It was unanimously re solved that the board of directors hereby express their deep regret that Joseph Warmington, Esq., one of the original directors of the company, feels it his duty to resign his office, because his continued failing health precludes the possibility of his attendance at the board, &c. ; they desire to express their deep sense of his diligent and faithful discharge of his duty as a director of the company from its formation, and the great value of the services he has rendered, which have so materially con duced to the growth and solid establishment of the com pany. Nor can they part with their honoured colleague without stating how much his kind and urbane manner and wise counsels have promoted the harmony and efficiency of the executive of the company, and they trust that his health may be improved and his valued life long spared ; and they further tender him their' cordial remembrances and good wishes." The board elected in his place, until this meeting, Mr. William George Lemon, whose influential connections, energetic business habits, and capacity for hard work, peculiarly fit him for the office of director. We have lost by death, Dr. Tidman, who gave on several oc casions numerous introductions to his influential circle, with a view to extending the business of the company ; numbers of our policy-holders have done as much. I wish they would all feel it their duty to do so. Life assurance is one'of the most benevolent forms of the application of association, co-operation, and brotherly love, and is doing much to lessen pauperism. Possibly pauperism is preventible. The causes of pauperism are ignorance, sloth, folly, vice, and calamity. There need be but little pauperism in this country besides that which is the result of errors. Almost every form of calamity, so fas as it tends to produce pauperism, can be defeated beforehand by societies of mutual assurance. A useful illustration of the philosophy of saving is put in the mouth of Mr. Mie,aerber by Charles Dickens' "Annual income twenty pounds ; annual expendi ture, nineteen, nin e t een and six; result, happi ness. Annual income, twenty pounds; annual expen diture, twenty pounds, ought and six ; result, misery." Levasseur, who, at the instance of the Empress, has lec tured to the working men of Paris on Life Assurance, says "Saving is the mother of capital, and capital is the fund with which wages are paid, the indispensable instrument of all production, and everywhere the material foundation on which is seated our modern civilization. We cannot too much recommend two virtues, which, when they are united with instruction in a free country, are all powerful for the prosperity of nations, as for the well being and the independence of individuals ; the labo rious activity which creates the saving that preserves." Life Assurance is doing much good. Millions are paid by the life offices every year under policies which avert so much pauperism. Probably 20,000 families receive the sums assured. How mucft batter it is for the head of a family, that instead of vying with his neighbours in un necessary expense, ho should spend less and assure more. Industry and thrift are the father and mother of good luck. Saving is the parent of wealth, and life assurance saving the defence of families when their Heads are no more. The Cusiumess in moving the adoption of the report, said the recurrence of their annual mooting was always a great happiness for him, because it invariably fell to his lot to have to congratulate those present on having ex ceeded their former year's results. He had never had to come before them with apologies. (Hear, hear.) They were always pleasant meetings, but he must confess that there never had been such good grounds for congratula tion as on the present occasion. The past year had, he regretted to say, removed from them one of their directors, Mr. Joseph Warmington. He was a gentleman of the kindest disposition, and one whose greatest desire was to increase in every way the prosperity of the society with which he had been so long and inti mately connected, He could not express the deep regret he felt at the loss, but in his successor, Mr. Lemon, he thought they had secured a gentleman every way qualified for the duties so ably and honourably fulfilled by his predecessor. In reverting to the business of the last year he had to say they, that day, brought their good ship into port, presented her papers— (cheers)—and they spoke lot - themselves. (Loud cheers.) The present was the harvest day for their agents ; they doubtless had had battles and conflicts, but the grand re sult of their exertions must be particularly cheering. The society was much indebted to their agents for the energy and perseverance they had evinced in furthering its use fulness; and it was indeed a gratification to know that no society was better represented in different parts of the coun try than the British Equitable. The increase in their con nection was an unmistakable evidence of prosperity,because an increase of business in a society like theirs developed life—because no one liked to be connected with a deadly lively thing—(laughter) ; and another matter of importance was that an increase of business improved the average of the lives of those assured. It was putting so much now blood into the society—(hear, hear)—and that important process could but result in s trengthening and invigorating it, a circumstance which gave, he was sure, unmixed pleasure and delight to every gentleman present. (Cheers.) He had great pleasure in formally moving the adoption of the report. _ Mr. E. DUNN said he rejoiced to be present to-day when such a successful report was presented. Their agents had evidently worked hard, but that success had resulted from those efforts must be particularly gratifying to them. (Cheers.) The statement of the managing director was also so satisfactory that it held out great encouragement for future exertion. (Cheers.) The report was then adopted unanimously. Mr. F. J. Hartley and Mr. W. S. Gover, the directors retiring by rotation, having been re-elected, both gentle men returned thanks for the confidence reposed in them. Mr. W. G. Lemon was then proposed as a director in the place of the late Mr. Warmington, and Mr. W. Smith as an auditor. Both gentlemen were elected unanimously. A vote of thanks was then awarded to the auditors, which was acknowledged by Mr. 013BARD 7 who bore his testimony to the admirably clear and understandable manner in which the accounts were kept. A similar compliment was also awarded to the Managing Director, the medical officers, and the agents, and the proceedings were brought to a close by a corJial vote of thanks to the Chairman for the manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of the day. The CHAIRMAN thanked the meeting for the kind re cognition of his services, and again said it was one of the pleasures of his life to he present at their annual meet ing. The Bishop of LONDON said that he had to present a petition from the Senate of the University of Cambridge, which appeared so important that he would occupy their attention a few minutes. Their lordships would be aware that although students were admitted that were not mem bers of the Church of England, yet they could Lave nothing to do with the governance of the university. The petition which ho had the honour to present was signed by 35 members of the Senate. It was the desire of a portion of both universities that it should be secularised. Ho should personally object if such a course was pursued. It would entirely upset the whole system of government, a..d studies at all events at Oxford. But he did not enter tain the fears of these memorialists, and he thought that they might extend a great deal the advantages to persons other than members of the Established Church, and did not think more danger would occur from admitting them to the Convocation and Senate of the University, than would accrue from the admission to their lordships' house persons who were not members of the Established Church. He thought that there ought to be no danger in having also professors of abstruse science who were not members of the Established Church. Now the petitioners whose petition he had the honour to present stood in the same middle position as himself, and wished that while every facility should be given to dissenting students, yet they desired that the governance of the colleges should be In the hands of members of the Established Church. The petitioners were afraid that if persons :not of the Established Church were admitted the education of the clergy would cease, and the seminary of the colleges as a religious one would cease. In secular colleges he must say that the education which the clergy received must be very different from that received at Cambridge and Oxford; they desired especially to avoid dissenting the colleges ; and were anxious that the government of the colleges should be left to the Established Church. To any ar rangement that some of the fellows might be not mem bers of the University they had no objection, and while wishing that the University might be thrown open as much as possible, they desired that the .government of the colleges might still remain in the hands of those professing that religion whose glory and safeguard it had been in times past. (Cheers.) The right rev. prelate concluded by laying the memorial on the table. THE RITUAL COMMISSION. Lord TAUNTON inquired when the second report of the Ritual Commission would be laid on the table, and re marked that there was great evil and danger in ritualistic practices, and that the sooner they were thoroughly inves tigated into the better. He sincerely trusted that no point would be left unsettled, and that whatever the service of the Chureh was to be that it would be carried out uni formly throughout every parish church in England. This he considered would alone give satisfaction. (Hear, hoar.) The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said that the commission had been very busily engaged in preparing their second report, and they trusted to lay it before her Majesty in a very short time. Their lordships would un derstand that he could not go into any , details. (Hear, hear.) RETURNS OF NUMBER OF SPECIAL CONSTABLES. Lord S TRATHEDEN moved for a return of the number of the special constables who enrolled themselves in the different parishes of the metropolis after, the explosion at Clerkonwell. He eulogised their having come forward so spontaneously, and asserted that no acknowledgment had been made of their conduct either the year before last, or last year, or at present. _ The motion was agreed to, and Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING, The SPEAKER took the Chair at four o'clock. Mr. WHITE presented a petition from Liverpool, pray ing that the public expenditure might be greatly reduced. Colonel SYKES presented a petition praying that the elective franchise might be extended to women properly qualified by the payment of taxes, &c. Mr. PEASE presented a petition from Dewsbury pray ing that public-houses might be altogether closed on Sundays. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVi-NIING, MARC El 20, 1868. SHARE LlST.—This Day. ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. Railways. Criaidi and Exeter ... aledonian ambrtan •••• 82 13 82 83 20 30 Cork and Bandon Cornwall Dublin A; Belfast June Dun„rerth, ik,Ab.June B.London, berip 1.10. Glasgow & S. Western Great Eastern, Ord. stk. Do. N. Angl. at. No. 2 Great North of Scotland Great Northern Do. A stock 3 4 75 77 70 72 102 101 31 311 6 7 15 0 IC4 105 100 101 121 125 po. B st • ock.... Do. New, is. at 25 pa, Gt 6. and W. of Ireland Gt. Western -Original Do. 6. V4l. !tail. gua. Do. South Wales Do. W. slid.—Oxtoro Do. Newport 91 96 46 18 0 48 25 30 25 28 Dd. Lancashire .1z Yorkshire London and Black wali Lon er 13ribh., & S Coast I-on., Chat., and Dover L2s} 126, 174 li4 IS IS4 12 15 1.41 114 s• 67 124 13: 111 1 5 Do: Metrop. Ex. a Lon. & .\orth Westen Lou. J South Weatert Man., Shel., Lineoil, Metropolitan.... Do. New Do. Extension Metropolitan Distrita. 107 luB do. do. Do. and,t. John'ts IV 'u Midland - 105 104 Do. £9 Share Do, tlirrain.. At Derb) tiQ Kent • • • - - 74 76 North British Do. I d., Pth., & Dun Nth. Eastern--.l.lerwiet Do. G.N•E purchase Do. Leeds Do. York Dc. Carlisle ..... Do. Stock. & Darling. Do. do. 1160-61 North London Do. do. 186 t 5 Do. do. 1866 Sorth Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Central 33 34 1011 1021 60 61 113 91 12s 132 1,0 132 --1, 114 116 lip 56 58. i 106 1(8 scot. N. E ,Aber. otock uo. Scot, Mid. stack Sbrophire Union South Devon 56 58 43 45 7.! 73 lu 143 145 acuth Enaltern itaines, Wok., do Wok tali Vale Do. C .• V ale of death 1016 100 i 108.1 Pea. l Closing I Business Price. 1221 1111 15 105 fi Waterford & Kilkenny Waterloo & White We•t Cornwall JOLO2IIALL (10VitaMMENT SICCURITIE.S. Britiob Columbia, 4 pert °eat., Dec. 31, 1372 thin.Ci ov.B p.o.Ja.&J uly 1877-81 Do. 6 g. o. Feb. & Aug Do. 5 p. o. Mar. & Sept Do. 5 p. o. Jan. & July Do. 5 p. c. Inscribed sk Cape G.llope, 6 p.c.187.3 Du..41.&00t , MU Do. do 1880-9(, Do. Jan..izJuly, 18410-9. Do. 5 per Dent. 15 April 10) 101 93 100 98 86 88 15 ,I+7 IC4 106 109 11n) 107 109 106 108 98 100 110 111 105 107 104 106 106 108 107 101 106 1)8 99 10 99 101 98 99 t 59 96i 97h 981 102 104 103 105 110 ill and 15 Oct., 1900.:. Ceylon, Nov. 1878, 6 ' Do. 1872, do ' Alattritius, 6 p. o, 1873, 1 Jan. and July Do. 1878 .. 00. 1882, Mayls, Nov. h Do. 1895, Feb. at Aug.. N atal , Gov. 6 per cent.. N. B.Gov. 6 p.o.J a. AO uly N. S.W. Gov.s p 0.,1866 Do. 5 p.c. 18;1 to 1876 Do. 6 p.c. 1888 to 1896 New Zealand, 6 p. cent Do. 5 per cent.... ... Nova Scotia GOT. 6 p. sterling, 1875 Queensland Gov. 6 p. S. Aua.Gov. 6 p,0.1868-9 Do. 1878 SE upwards Vio,Gov. 6 p.c. Ja. July Do. do, April do Oct 110 112 BRITISH YOSSESSION b. 0 0 Atlantio & St. Lawrence all 64 4 6 st 140ni.,13ar0da,.1; Cen.ln. 100 1021 1031 1031 eu. 5 Der cunt Do. f lO 4 4p 20 o. k shares 201 Buffalo & Lake Huron all 3 4 10 Do. Preference 100 I Butf.,Brant,&Goderich 6 p.c. 1872-3-4 .. 10 0 et Calcutta & S. E., lim.. 100 1 6 ( 188 9 a 2 10 e 0 t Demerara , at;e 0 1 110 9 102 It East Bengal, gu., sdo 100 044 1654 10wn 7 4 p I) .a. o p ck eri. go. 1:101 it East Indian, pis p.c. 1 00 10 Do. J Extension .. 15 100 st I.;roa.nEdtiThirpu.nlikhoritC:Banhhadd: 10 1 0 1 7 1 8 5 1 t l 2 6 a 1 charge 6 p.o a 100 Do. lst Pref. Bonds all 43 15 100 Do. do deferred 100 Do. 2dPrtt.Bo Bonds allall 33 3_5 100 Du. do. deterred 100 Do. 3d Pref. stook all 27 29 ll 1 1 0 0 0 0 D D o o 4 d t o h . d r e r f e 'e t r . r e e t d oo . i a a 109 110 1071 118 11 i iot D o. ; Ind d i o a . r d e e h ter g r h e a. d 1 %1 0 1 )3 =o. Gus. 5 per cent lB 14 2 p 20 Do. New gua. sp. C 6 14 2t. 10 G t. et at.Sout . h of India gua. 5 per cent st D.,. 41 per cent loo 04 06 tit Du 204 Grcat Wes. of Canada, all 1131 16: 16 204 Do. New . 100 Do. 6p.08t s. pay. 1873 all 08 100 9 i 10C Do. 54 d.. pay. 1877-8.. all 9 1 9 ; at Madras, gua. 5 p.O 100 100 102 1 103 at Do. 44 do lOO (13 II at Do. 41 do lOO 89 91 21 Do. Fifth Extension 5 Alelb. Cor. 6p. o. Buds. 100 50 Mel. & Hobsot's Bay all at N. It LC . (111..61)(3 Ist pf. nit 100. 83 85 at Oude & g. 5 p.O 100 101 105 . 03 1 at Seinde . lOO 100 101 at Do. Delhi 20 Do. do 4 15 P at Do. Puni au b.... a.B 100 10J 101 at Do.lnd us b " ) 100 87 89 BRIT1S1:1 MINES. Cam. Consol. Gold, Um. 1 -- Ohivertan Clifford A ma l gama t e d SO 64 6 4 Devon G. Cons. (Tavist 1 431 445 brake walls 2.1.0 1 I East Bassett ( I llogan) 214 10 12 'East Caradon 2.11.0 4 5 'East earn Brea 3/ 2 24 East Grenville 2.14.0 1I 2 East Gunnislake .. 8.3.0 East Loved 3.0.0 8 9 E . W'l Russell (Tavistk 11.7.6 14 2 StAubyn(G wen. 66 4 5 4 Great Laxey, limited., alt 17 18 Great South Tolgus 1.4.0 Great Wheal G. Wheal Vor (Heist 'u 40 18 19 19 Grenville 9.0.6 14 14 tlerod's Foot ... 8.10.0 28 40 Ilingston Downs 5.10.6 21 2 4 Margaret (Uny L e l ant 13.17.6 6 Marke Valley 1.10.0 6 61 4 liwyndy Iron Ore lira 31 24 11 ew S ton ........ 563 60 70 North toskear .N.Wh Bassettallogan 4.1.0 North Wheal Crotty Prosper United.— B.l Le 2 21 l'rondenee,UrnyLelant I 1.(1.: 25 27 S. Caradon (St. Cleer) ll 280 400 South Condurrovr S.Wheal Fran. (Mogan 18 . 18. g 374 424 Stray Park . Tin Croft 0 14 lb • Vigra and Clugan, lim all West Bassett (Mogan --W. Caradon ( Ltsk ear d 1 10 .2 Wen Clair CllOll ....... 11 61 66 West —• Wheal Bassett ( 11fogan 54 75 8) Wheal Buller (Itedruth 16 16 19 Wheal Mary Ann (Alen. 8 21 23 Wheal Scton %yip-a Trelawney (Lis 5.17.0 6 8 BRITISH EQUITABLE ASSURANCE COMPANY. IMPERIAL PAR LI A KENT lIOUSE OF LORDS—LAST EVENING. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at five o'clock. PETITIONS. A petition was presented from the Sunday school teachers of Kensington against the sale of spirituous liquors on Sundays. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. The Earl of LICHFIELD moved the first reading of a bill for regulating the liquor traffic. It was read a first time. PETITION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CAM- BRIDGE. ing system, ought to be deemed payment by the occupier and entitle him to the franchise. The hon. member took the opportunity of entering at some length into the many hardships such an arrangement entailed upon those who came within its harsh provisions. He denied that the compound householder was such an objectionable per son as had been stated, and when it was said that. the com pounder was extinct iu England, he denied that such was the fact. The compound householder was the creation of Parliament, and it was only when he was turned out of doors by his parents that h e ma de any outcry. It was unjust to make the offspring responsible for the stupidity of his parents--(laughter, and hear, hear) —and with all due deference to that important personage, Mr. Dudley Baxter, who felt himself quite competent to give a full description of " the anomalous and portentous animal called a compound householder," he (Mr. White) thought he was quite as much entitled to his position being fully recognised by Parliament, as any other class of her Majesty's subjects. The right honourable gentleman had stated on a very interesting occasion that ono half of his life, viz., for 31 years, he had had the honour of a seat in that house, but he begged to ask him with the greatest respect, whether during that long period he had once raised his voice against the compounders befcre he came to the conclusion that the whole system of compounding was most objectionable ? He denied that the compounder was a being desirous of voting without paying his rates; but he bogged to say that, in his opinion, the compounder not only paid his rates, but he thought he paid more than his fair propor tion. From the obloquy that 11 a been thrown on the compounder, it might be believed that compounding was a matter altogether unknown to the law, but if any gentleman would only take the trouble of referring to the statute book he would find it crowded with such propositions. In Ireland compounding was by no means unknown, and in a debate that took place on the income-tax, compounding there was fully and freely recognised, but the only com pounders who were not to be acknowledged - who were to have the fullpound of flesh exacted from them, were his un fortunate clients. The Reform Bill had been talked about as a measure of public good ; but he thought that it was a bill of pains and penalties for hundreds of thousands. Was it nothing that 500,000 people were to be hunted and harassed and deprived of their rights because they refused to be mulcted according to law. He would not refrain from expressing his disgust at such an arrangement. In Brighton there were 6,000 compounders, about 2,000 of whom will now have to pay between 30s. and 40s. per annum if they wished to HORSES STRUCK OUT OF THEM ENGAGE MENTS. March 14, at 9 a.m., Secrecy out of Warwick engage ments. March 16, at 9 a.m., Bertie, out of all handicaps to date ; at 9 a.m., all Mr. S. J. Welfitt's horses, out of Warwick engagements. March 17, at 9 a.m., Natna Pompilius, out of all handi caps for which the weights have appeared; at 3.20 p.m. Ligurian, out of the Spencer plate at Northampton ; and at 4.5. p.m., Franchise, out of the City and Suburban han dicap. March 18, at 9 a.m., Zutna (dead), out of all engage ments; and at 0.3 C p.m., Mandrake, out of the Northamp tonshire stakes. The yearling filly Zuwa, by Adventurer, out of Sou venir, died on Monday last. The following names have been given :—Mr. T. Golby'a b or br f by Dundee—Cygnet., 2 yrs old, Swan of Tay Mr. G. Greet's b c (late Half Moon) by Gamester (out of Little Ann), 4 yrs, Luck. FORFEIT LIST.—The forfeits of the following horses have been paid : —Brigstock, Love Letter (to qualify), and Drummer Bay. STEEPLECHASE FORFEIT LIST.—The forfeits of the fol lowing horses have been paid:—Old Squire, Switch, and The Beau. ROTUNDA CLUB AND CONISiISSION EXCaANGE. Thre3 Doors from Blackfriars Bridge, Surrey Side, IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Annual subscription, Five Shillings. Applications fot membership should be made to the Secretary, 3, Black friars-road. RACING FLIT RES FOR 1868. MA. Margate Epsom Spring Meeting 24 .Itell. I Croxton Park Northampton . 31 'RIL. Catterick 8ridge......... 16 I Eastbourne . ....... 20 I Lewes Spring Thirsk I Curragh April 2l Croydon Spring i Liverpool Hunt : Newmarket Ist Spring 27 Cardiff :AY. Newcastle Spring Edinburgh Spring Bromley Spring 6 Durham Newmarket Craven 13 Hendon l3 Knighton l4 Lichfield Spring l4 Abergavenny 5 PAUPER LUNATICS. Lord EUSTACE CECIL asked the Secretary to the Poor Law Board whether it was the intention of her Ma jesty's Government to introduce, during the present Ses sion, any measure relating to pauper idiots and lunatics in workhouses. Sir .31, BEACH said a bill was to bo proceeded with on that subject in the other house of Parliament on Monday next, DISCOVERIES AT BOW. Mr. SCHREIBER asked the Vice-President of the Com mittee of Council on Education whether his attention had been called to recent discoveries on tho site (hitherto lost) of the manufactory of English porcelain at Bow ; and whether he would direct that steps be taken to acquire a selection from the specimens already found for the Science and Art Department of the South Kensington Museum. Lord IL MONTAGU said it was quite true that several interesting specimens of English porcelain had been dis covered at Bow. Arrangements had been made with Messrs. Bell and Black for further opening the digging. THE REFORM BILL. Mr. EVANS asked the Attorney-General whether the attention of the law officers of the Crown had been directed to certain arrangements alleged to have been concluded, or to be in process of being made, in several metropolitan and other parishes, under which the owners of small tenements were to collect and pay over the poor rates on behalf of their tenants, and were to be remunerated for their I routAe by a money compen sation in order to comply with the provisions of the Re form Bill ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had to say no attention had been given to the matter. He did not know of any such arrangements being made. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. H. LEWIS asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps had been taken to pat the men of the New Zealand Defence Corps into possession of the land to which they were entitled for their services, and what was the reason of the delay which had taken place in giving the men the portions of land to which they were entitled ? Mr. ADDERLEY said the claims of the New Zealand Defence Corps was a matter entirely for the Provisional Legislature. When the corps was disbanded promises of grants of land were made to the officers and men, the claims of those parsons had been recognised, and the carrying out the promise made to them had been pre vented by local circumstances, but he believed the grants would be very shortly made. THE SCOTCH REFORM BILL. Mr. MONCRIEFF asked on what day it was intended to proceed with the Scotch Reform Bill. Mr. DISRAELI said he could not give any very pre cise answer. He was very desirous that the Irish Reform Bill should receive its second reading; after that he would at once fix a day for the consideration of the Scotch bill. Mr. BOUVERIE said that ho supposed tho Irish Reform Bill would have to be read asecond time before the bill for Scotland was considered. Mr. DISRAELI said that was so. IRELAND. Mr. LOWE asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when and in what manner it was the intention of the Govern ment to give the house the opportunity promised by him of considering the proposed issue of a charter for a Roman Catholic university in Ireland. The Earl of MAYO said the matter was entirely in the hands of the house; as far as he was concerned he would certainly give ample opportunity for the matter being discussed. THE EASTER RECESS. Mr. WHITBREAD asked when it was intended to ad journ for the Easter recess. Mr. DISRAELI said as tho public business was not as forward as ho „could wish, therefore he was afraid he should have to ask the house to sit in Passion Week. (Loud cries of" No, no.") Mr. DISRAELI—WO, then I must ask the hon. gen tleman to repeat his question on another evening. THE BUDGET. Mr. HANKEY asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what day he proposed to make his financial state ment. Tho CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, as at present advised, he proposed to make his statement the first Thursday after the Easter recess. THE REFORM BILL. Mr. BRIGHT said, as he found he could not pres&nt,a petition ho held in his hand after the hon. member for Brighton commenced his speech, ho would now take the opportunity of doing so. The petition was from Birming ham ; it spoke of the hardships contained in the 7th sec tion of the Reform Bill of 1867, and it prayod that that section, and also that part of it calling for the full payment of rates, be repealed. On the motion for the house going into Committee of Supply, Mr. J. WHITE moved, that in the opinion of the house it was expedient that no such Reform Act of 1867 as made occupiers liable for poor rates instead of owners, in re spect of premises to which the system of compounding had been applied, ought to be repealed ; that the name of every occupier ought to be put on the rate book, and that payment of rata by the owner, under the compound continue to vote, whilst another class would have to pay at least 265. per annum in addition to the usual outgoings if they wished to enjoy the luxury of a vote for a member of Parliament. Mr. C. FORSTER 'seconded the resolution, and dilated on the ill-feeling which would be engendered between landlord and tenant by the new system, the additional burden to the tenant, and the increased labour thrown on the parochial officers. Mr. AIRTON informed the house that the committee recently appointed to inquire into the assessment of local taxes had that day determined to make the operation of the act of last session their first subject of inquiry. It would therefore be premature to agree to a resolution pledging the house to any particular opinion. Moreover, he maintained the house could not make any alteration in the system without having before it a bill which would explain how the numetous difficulties and complications surrounding the question were to be dealt with. Mr. DIXON was of opinion that there was sufficient in formation before the house to enable it to decide on the principle involved in the abolition of compounding, and narrated the numerous difficulties which had been expe rienced in Birmingham under the new system. A system of composition, he argued, was necessary to put the assess ments of the poor and the rich on the same footing, and he particularly dwelt on the injustice done to female occu piers and servants of the Crown, who had to pay larger rates and got no vote for it. Mr. HENLEY showed how, by a compounding system, poor people had been compelled to pay rates who never ought to pay, and the rich occupiers were proportionately relieved. The abolition of compounding, he reminded the house, had not come from the Government, but from the Opposition, and he pointed out that Mr. White's resolution would in many cases give power to the landlords to dis franchise their tenants. Mr. GOSCHEN replied that the landlord had just as much power under the act as it stood, though he did not believe it went so far as that, and urged that the exemp tion of the poorest classes ought to be regulated by an act of Parliament, and not left to the discretion of magistrates and overseers. Lord HENLEY maintained that with the small ex perience of the operation of last year's act this resolution would be premature, and he showed that the present system had worked better at Northampton than the old one. Mr. HARDY reminded the house that Mr. Hodgkinson's amendment abolishing compounding had been received last year with general assent, and that Mr. Gladstone had declared its acceptance would remove his objections to the new franchise. Considering that we had only the ex perience of one rate, I hat many towns bad been for years collecting their rates without compbunding, and that a committee had been appointed to inquire into the mode of collecting local rates, he trusted the house would not agree to the resolution. Mr. GLADSTONE, though of opinion that the present Session should not pass without some proceeding on this matter, recommended Mr. White to withdraw his motion, as it was being investigated by a Committee, and depre cated the introduction of politics into it. Mr. Goldney, Mr. Sandford, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Warner made EOMe observations ; and Mr. WHITE withdrew his resolution. Lord ELcao and General DUNNE made some inquiries as to the progress of our fortifications, complaining that the works in many cases had not been carried out according to the original designs and specificitions, and that recent ex periments on the Malta and Gibraltar shields had not been fairly conducted. Sir J. PAKINGTOII replied that all variations from original designs had been made solely with a view to im proving the efficiency of the fortifications, and that the completion of the iron shields had been delayed till the experiments were concluded. The house was about to go into committee on the Army Estimates, when Capt. VIV,IAN appealed to Sir J. Peking ton to postpone his usual statement, alleging the thinness of the house and the lateness of the hour—a quarter to 10. There were at the time more than 100 members present, which is by no means a thin house on such occasions, and at an earlier period of the evening a promiso had been given that the estimates should not ba brought on later than 10 o'clock. Sir J. PAKINGTON complied with the request on con dition that he should be allowed to take a vote on account; but Mr. Ayrton objected to this, ant in the end the Army Estimates were postponed altogether. Votes, however, were taken in committee of supply for 67,120 men and boys for the Royal Navy, and for £2,000,000 on account of the Navy Estimates. Tho Sea Fisheries and the Fairs (Ireland) Bills wero read a third time and passed, and the Consolidated Fund Bill was read a second time. THE laISH REFORM BILL. The Earl of MAYO brought in Irish Reform Bill. He announced at the outset that no change would be made in the county franchise, which now stands at £l2 rating ; but the borough franchise would be reduced from £8 to £4, and then by the peculiar rating arrangements of Ireland (each tenant over 44 paying half the rates) every man who paid rates would have a vote. This would add 9,313 electors to the borough constituencies, bringing the whole number up to 40,000. The provisions as to residence and regis tration would remain unaltered, but there would be a lodger franchise and a Boundary Commission. Passing to the re-distribution scheme, Lord Mayo analyzed mi nutely the population and property returns of the boroughs and counties of Ireland, from which he drew the conclu sion that the counties were under-represented, in compa rison with the boroughs, end particularly the four largest counties —Cork, Tyrone, Down, and Tipperary. To give them adequate representation the bill proposed that Down patrick, Dungannon, Bandon, Kinsale, and Cashel should yield their seats to 1104 V divisions of Down, Tyrone, Cork, and Tipperary counties respectively,, In none of these cases would the locality of re presentation be removed, but Portarlington would be called on for a greater sacrifice, as she would be asked to give up her seat to furnish a third member to Dublin City, who would be elected on the mi nority principle. By some confusion or misunderstanding leave was given to bring in the bill without any remark, but Col. French moved the adjournment of the house to give an opportunity for discussion. Mr. BRADY complained that no reduction was made in the county franchise, and demanded vote by ballot for the Irish tenants ; Mr. Bagwell objected to the elimination of the urban representation, and pointed out that the change was in favour of the territorial influence ; Mr. Lam son (Portarlington) denied that the largest counties had been fairly chosen for increased reprpsentation, and asked why the third member was not given to the coun ties, as well as to Dublin city, on the minority prin ciple. Mr. Reardon also made some remarks in con demnation of the bill, and Mr. O'Beirne (Cashel) com plained of the attack on his borough •in violation of the principle of the English and Scotch bills that no place should be disfranchised. Mr. GLADSTONE, admitting that there were one or two good principles in the bill, reserved his opinion on tho details until the plan was in print. But he regretted that the Government had not seen their way to a larger increase of the Irish constituency, and pointed out that the merging of boroughs into counties would make it more difficult to retain the county franchise at its present figure. Al!. M. TORRENS obtained a committee to inquire into our Extradition Treaties. Some other business was disposed of, and the house ad journed at a quarter to 12 c'clook. EXTRAORDINARY FISHING IN DERWENTWATER LAKE.—Ou Tuesday Mr. Anthony DiaJn, aceorbpauiel by Tom Moore, the well-known boatman, was successful in capturing a flue salmon, in splendid condition, which weighed 181 b., as well as several pike,--cunOerland Pacpg, 961 I Chester Egliuton Hunt Winchester York Spring Doncaster Spring Salisbury Bath y We I Croydon Ist Summer Harpenden Epsom Summer . 26 I Paris 3l E. West Drayton 1 Croydon 2d Summer Manchester 3 Ascot Summer 9 Beverley, Hull, and East Riding lO Windsor Summer Newton Hampton Newcastle 23 Bibury Club 23 Stockbridge ' Alexandra Park 3O JULY. Chelmsford Worcester Summ e r ... 2 Odiliam Carlisle 7 Stamford I Newmarket J u ly 7 Radcliffe ..... Hungerford Pont efract Reading Down Royal Corp. l5 I Goodwood AUG Deauville Leek Brighton Brighton Club 6 Lewes Summer Wolverhampton ll Stockton Plymouth Windsor August l3 Egham l7 Hastings York August UST. Dover Oxford Scarborough Canterbury Great Yarmouth Derby Summer Weymouth Ipswich Lichfield T aubridge Margate SEPT Badon Warwick September Abingdon 3 Leicester Doncaster September 8 Brecon l4 Richmond Hampton Autumn l5 Kelso OCTI - - - Bedford 1 Bromley Autumn Newmarket 2d October 5 Lanark Chelmsford Autumn 13 Cheltenham l3 NOVE Shrewsbury Autumn Leamington and Warm STEEPL: MA] Grand Military l6, 17 Warwick l7 Chertsey 2O Margate 23 - -- AP : :MBER. Hendon l7 Monmouth . 17 Newmarket Ist October 22 Walsall 23 Edinburgh West Drayton 29 Royal Caledonian Hunt and Western M , BER. Ealing Newmarket Houghton Bromley Autumn Worcester Autumn Lincoln Autumn IMBER. 9 ickshire Hunt l7 CHASES. ZCH West Somerset Cheltenham I Southdown Hunt Cambridge RI L. 24 26 27 SO Knighton Aborgavenny Hambledon Kildare Hunt Croydon Spring Rothbury BE R. Ealing BER. i Ealing Grand National Ilunt . (Bedford) 2 Roy. Artillery(Woolwich) 3 Bromley .. 6 Aldershot Hendon OCTI Browley 1 St. Albans DECE 1 Kingsbury THE BRAZILS. RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 24. Advices from the seat of war state that after a conference between the Admiral and Generalissitno of the allied forces the intended attack upon the Paraguayan position at Humaita was postponed. Upon receiving information that the Marquis Caxias refused to attack at once, the Brazilian Go vernment proposed his dismissal, but this was op posed by the Emperor. A revolt has occurred in Monte Video, headed by the son of General Flores, but was suppressed without fighting. Serious damage has been caused to the San Paulo Railway by inundations, and the traffic from San Paulo to Adundiaky has been stopped. A revolt in Alagoas against the President has been put down by the troops. Councillor Abas has been appointed Brazilian Minister to London, Seahor Cuto to Belgium, the Marquis Lisboa to Portu;al, and Senhor Vara hagen as Plenipotentiary to Austria. Exchange on London closes firm at 15d. Coffee, good first quality, 9,000 reis. Sales since 7th inst., 4,000 bags, consisting of 11,000 for the Channel and Northern Europe, 4,000 for the Mediterranean, 14,000 for the United States, and 3,000 for the Cape of Good Hope. Stock, 80,000 bags. Freight to Channel, 40s. Bank of England Returns.—Last Evening. An Account, pursuant to t] oap. 32, for the week ending I ,he Act 7th and Bth Victoria, Wednesday, March 18, 186 S. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. Notes issued ..,..£34,994,600 Governmt. Debt £11,015,100 Other Securities 3,984,900 Gold Coin and Bullion Silver Bullion £34,991,Q00 C 34,901,600 BANKING DEPARTMENT. Propriotors' Capi tal £14,553,000 Rest 3,617,621' Public Deposits (including Ex chequer, Sav ings' Banks, Commissioners of National Debt, and Div. Governmt. Seen rities(ineluding Dead Weight Annuity) .... £13,272,162 Other Securities 17,777,410 Notes 11,966,975 Ciold and Silver Coin Accounts 5,927,224 Other Deposits 19,737,714 Seven Days and other Bills 467,84c £14,303,401 Fit X11 ; 303,404 MAY, Deputy Cashier. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. &Australis and New Zealand, via Southampton ..... March 23 Ditto, via Marseilles ----March 22. Ditto, via Panama Brazil, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Vii April 6. Ditto, by French packet • •• March 22 Cape Verde, by Brazil packet Cape of Good Hope.. Ascension, and St. Helena.... March 29. Penang, and Singapore. vla Southampton.. March 21. Ditto, via Marseilles March 22. Falkland Islands April 6. Gibraltar, via Southampton India, via Southampton Ditto, via Marsell.es Malta, Egypt, &a. . ...... March 25. Ditto, Marseilles.. IM arch Mauritius, Cape of Good Hope, and Natal, via Southampton DM), - .fiartei..ied . April is. - ewioundlant: ...... ...... ..... ...... ....... ....April 6 Portugal ... . . Ditto, by oz. - . •.:a 3111 b to Oporto Ditto • .140 to Lisoun United States, Lanada, California, &c., by British packet .... Ditto, by 1. tilled 'States packet Dltti? ditto (NCI, rint) uif 1.• 11 •144.1 tII I . • ih•re 100 100 100 1(.0 100 100