The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

C 031..113: CLIL and IiONETARF

MONDAY NIGHT.

THE money-market during the week has been
passing through another phase of the crisis which
many have feared would lead to a panic, but, notwith-
standing the causes in operation---increased rates of
interest, ill defined apprehensions, and preparations for
the payment of an instalment on the Turkish loan.--
the fluctuations in the value of the public funds have
been comparatively slight. In the early part of the
week the market was firm, but on Thursday an
announcement was made that the bank directors had
increased their minimum rate of discount to 6 per
cent. on bills within 60 days, and to 7 per cent. on
those of longer date, though houses must be hard
pressed to discount long bills at this extravagant rate,
in the face of expectations that a reaction cannot be
far distant. The effect on the Funds was a decline of
rather more than half per cent., but on Saturday they
rallied, and on the same day the. Marco Polo and the
Mermaid arrived in Liverpool with gold to the amount
of nearly a million, a circumstance which had a
sensible effect in restoring public confidence. The
Bank returns, published in the London Gazette on
Friday, showed another decrease of about half a
million in the stock of bullion, accompanied with an
increase in the notes in circulation of £356,810, which
together almost make up the decrease in the reserve
of notes unemployed of £915,980. The balance,
however, is still above four and a half millions, so
that the narrow margin which led to the interference
of the Government in 1847 has not yet been reached.
The return shows a decrease in public deposits of
£2,746,673, and also in the rest of £534,549, owing
to the payments of dividends, so that the decrease in
bullion is more than accounted for ; whilst on the
other hand there is a decrease in private securities of
£510,847, and an increase of private deposits of
£1,068,282. Such a combination of changes to be
considered otherwise than of a favourable nature,
would betoken a desire to seek for causes of dis-
quietude, and goes far to prove that the operations of
the bank directors are influenced solely by circum-
stances totally independent of home affairs, or con-
fidence in commercial security. The movement has,
however, had it effect, and even in this town we have
heard oelong dated bills being discounted at as high
a rate as 8.-} per cent.; and it is stated, that on Satur-
day a London merchant of good standing had to pay
11 per cent. for the discount of a bill of £l,OOO having
six months to run.

At Manchester trade has been very dull and prices
have given way, the market being affected by the
high rate of discount, and the unwillingness to give
orders. The Woollen trade has been without ani-
mation, though a moderate amount of business is
doing in Whiter goods. The Hosiery trade is fairly
supported, owing to the demands for America, and
prices are without alteration. The Lace trade is dull,
but not lower.

The Corn markets, though lately rising, seem to
have reached the maximum, at least for the present,
and the home growers bringing forward liberal sup-
plies, no alteration was made to-day in the quotations
of last week.

A change in the law is about to take effect which
in its bearing on the internal operations of English
commerce is likely to prove very important. To-
morrow, the Summary Procedure on Bills of Exchange
Act is to come into operation. The object was to
remove all means of frivolous or fictitious defences to
actions on bills and promissory notes, and the decisive
character of its provisions renders it necessary that
every trader should be well apprised of them. A new
form of writ of summons is to be issued, after which
the plaintiff may in twelve days, unless leave to defend
the action be meanwhile obtained, proceed to judgment
and execution. Leave to appear is to be granted only
on the defendant paying the amount of the claim into
court, or upon satisfactory affidavits disclosing a legal
or equitable defence, or the necessity for the holder to
prove consideration, or such other facts and on such
terms as to security as to the judge may seem fit. One
summons may be made to include all the parties to
the bill. The act applies exclusively to England and
Wales, and not to Ireland or Scotland.
According to the statistics of ships entered inward,
the port of London presents an increase of 27 vessels
and 28,512 tons, the difference between 629 vessels,
with 337,936 tons, in 1854, and 656 vessels, with
366,448 tons, in 1855. In the case of Liverpool there
is an increase of 8 vessels and 29,653 tons, the arrivals
in the former period having been 195 vessels, with
115,522 tons, and 203 vessels, 145,175 tons. The
arrivals from Madras, the Philippine Islands, and the
Cape of Good Hope show the greatest augmentation.
The statistics of vessels cleared outward exhibit in the
case of the port of London a decrease of 81 vessels,
but an increase of 6,023 tons, the departures for the
respective periods having been 720 vessels, with
337,791 tons, and 539 vessels, with 343,814 tons.
The return for Liverpool shows a decrease of 48 ves-
sels and 77,310 tons, the difference between 316
vessels, with 224,964 tons, and 364 vessels, with
302,274 tons. The great decrease in departures was
to New South Wales, New Zealand, and the Cape of
Good Hope.
The return from the Bank of England for the week
ending the 13th of October gives the following results,
when compared with the previous week :

Public Deposits
Other Deposits
Rest... ...

£4,359,851; Decrease... £2,746,673
11,905,925 ; Increase ... 1,068,282
3,147,899 ; Decrease... 534,549

On the other side of the account :
Government Securities.. £10,556,040; Decrease... £857,103
Other Securities 19,280,446; Decrease... 915,980
Notes unemployed ....... 4,557,490; Decrease... 510,847
The amount of notes in circulation is £20,648,365,
being an increase of £356,810, and the stock of
bullion in both departments is £11,752,421, showing
a decrease of £526,860, when compared with the
preceding return.