The Press.
London, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

212

About 300,0001. in gold has arrived since our last, of
which 288,0001. arrived from Australia. Most of it
has been sent away, the Bank of France having bought the
whole of the Australian arrivals. The Bank has also lost
about 30,000/. by withdrawals. About 400,0001. are now
due from Australia, and may arrive any hour; but it is
understood that, when it does come, only a very moderate
proportion is likely to be retained here, as the French
demand is not yet supplied. About 800,0001. is likely to
be sent to India and China next week, most of which is in
silver. Silver, however, owing to the improvement in the
Indian exchanges, is but in s'ow demand. The bullion in
the Bank of France has increased to 8,050,0001. The Bank
of France have returned to their usual practice of discount-
ing three months' bills.
The Foreign Exchanges continue of a favourable
character.

English Securities have been totally destitute of animation
all the week, and very slight fluctuations have occurred.
This is attributed by some to the state of the account
preventing speculative operations for the rise, while the
prospects of the Money Market deter parties from risking
the chances of a fall. It may, however, be attributed
with more probability to the transfer of business, bond tide
and speculative, to the ItAilway Market. Indeed, those
securities have absorbed attention to the exclusion of all
others. But when the maximiurn range of prices for them
has been attained, and it cannot now be far off, attention
will again be given to Consols, and they will experience the
benefit which railways have in this instance been the first
to realise.

Consols, which left off last Friday at 9f3i to A for
account, have remained at about that price all the week.
Last night they closed at 93A to 9.t. Fur the new account
on the gt.h April the last price yeaterday was 94 to
To day they opened at NA to 94, and closed at 1131 just.
The market was depressed all day, partly through the
dearness of money and partly from anticipations of a
Ministerial crisis.

Exchequer Bills are rather lower. They are quoted at
par to :Is. prew. The March descriptions are 29. dia. to
2s. prem.
Railway Shares are fully two and a half per cent. higher
than they were quoted at in our last, and the market is
still manifesting great firmness. Country purchasers for
investment have preponderated, but there has also been a
considerable amount of speculative business. These secu-
rities are now attaining their natural position, but there is
sonic danger of a reaction if the expected improvement
in the Money Market should by any unforeseen circum-
stances be interrupted or delayed. The northern lines,
especially those converging in Manchester and the mann-
facturing districts, have advanced in a greater proportion
than any others. To•day the prices of most descriptions
receded along with Consols, bat the tone was steady.
In the Foreign Market there has been the same tendency
to improvement, though in a less degree. There is also
the same dangers of a reaction—indeed, to-d iy prices
rather gave way. Turkish Six per Cents. are one per
cent. better than last week.

Joint-sock Hank, Mining, and Miscellaneous Securities
have all been firm.

Several new companies under the Limited Liability Act
have been announced during the week.
The Colonial Wool Sales have commenced. About
38,206 bales are to be disposed of. Cape wools have ad.
vanced 21. per lb. and Australian 3d. Wools are now
considerably higher than at this period last year,—ill this
respect following the rule of advance which seems uow
to apply to raw materials of nearly all descriptions.

The January accounts of the Board of Trade have been
issued, and they again bear evidence of the expansion of
trade both home and foreign. Our exports have largely
increased in the month, though at present they scarcely
promise to improve in the same ratio as those of 18,-)ti.
January, however, is not a favourable month for compari-
sons of this sort. The following shows the total declared
value of the enumerated and unenumerated articles in the
month for three years :-
1855
I Mti
1E137
The statistical department of the Board have in the pre-
sent tables introduced several improvements calculated to
increase their value and their authority. For example,
the countries are distinguished by name to which the
principal articles of British produce have been exported ;
while, on the other hand, the countries from whence the
principal imports are received are specially designated. it
has taken the Board of Trade some years to discover the
utility, obvious to all the mercantile interest, of this
change; but we hope, now that a beginning has been
made, that other improvements will follow.
Coal, likely to be made available for commercial pur.
poses, has been discovered in Smyrna.

Several Greek houses have stopped payment during the
week. Four are in Manchester, two in London, and one
in Live pool.

The meetings of the railway companies are drawing to
a close. They have generally been of a satisfactory
character.

The amount paid into tho Treasury of the East India
House for bills on India, from the Idth to the '2sth inst.,
was 48,850 i.

We beg to call attention to the report of the directors
of the Liverpool and London Fire and Life Insurance
Compin., publishel a few ila3s ago. The success of the
instill, 1 n is due to the excellence of its principles and
the en r:9 of its officers, and it only needs a perusal of
the retort to ascertain the amazing results which hare
been .ec wed within a moderate space of time by this
highly ospectable office.

The Provincial Trsde Reports are uniformly better,
though =pigment is in some districts not quite general