The Press.
London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD.LIEUTENANTS.

County of Haddlngton--Sir George Grant Suttie, Bart.; Jas.
Aitchison, Esq. •, Lieut.-General John Carfrae ; Alex. Dundaa
Ross Cochrane Wisehart Baillie, Esq.,; Wm. Waring Hay New-
ton, Esq., and John Cadell, Esq.—to be Deputy-Lieutenants.
THE MILITIA.

East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry—Lieut. Alexander Mitchell
Janes to be Captain, viee Renton, resigned; Cornet Charles
Balfour to be Lieutenant, vice limes, promoted; Robert Charles
Sinclair, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Balfour, promoted.
Royal South Lincoln Militia—Robert Wm. Johnson, Esq., to be
Captain ; Ensign Fred. Bowman, late Paymaster of the Regt., to
be Lieutenant
2d Regt. of Duke of Lancaster's Own—Ensign Frank Caven-
dish Ward, Ensign Theophilus Preston, Ensign Thomas Fir-
kington, Ensign Hewett Massey Dillon, Thomas Gardner, and
Lambert Disney, Gent. —to be Lieutenants.
Ist or Royal East Middlesex—James Robert Innes Gregg,
Gent, and George Cumming, Gent. —to be Ensigns.
sth or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regt. of Middlesex—
Alex. Aitken, Esq., to be Captain.

etc gave.

APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS.
APPOINTMENTS.

Captains—James Hope, CJ3.,to the Majestic, screw steam-
ship.
•
Commander—Alexander C. Gordon, to the Majestic.
Lieutenants—James S. Davison and Charles A. Lodder, to
the Majestic; Maxwell Fox, to the Excellent; Francis Peel, to
the Edinburgh.
Masters—John Roskilly, to the Majestic.
Masters' Assistants—W. J. G. Hutchinson, to the Cesar; G.
F. W. Yates, to the Princess Royal; W. A. Stone, to the Cesar.
Paymasters—James S. Mountsteven, to the Majestic ; Fred
Brady, to the Boscawen ; Wm. H. Reeves, to the Euryalus; Thos
Hoekings, to the Wellington.
Mate—Louis Geneate, to the Excellent.
Surgeons—Charles T. S. Revert', to the Monarch; Janie," Da-
vidson, to the Dragon.
Clerks—George J. D. Andrews, to the Majestic; David F.
Clow, to the Poictiers ; Thomas W. M. Neame, to the Fisgard;
Richard Runday, to the James Watt; Henry J. C. Mitchell, to
he Nik ; John B. Jackson, to the Bulldog • John Retallic, to
he Neptune; Walter Lomer, to the inagregrable.
Secretary's Clerk—Wm. F. Alexander, to the Ferret.

rontg arhtt attb ditg 4nttiligtrat.

FRIDAY EVENING.

DIE most remarkable feature in the Money Market
during the week has been the settlement of the
Consol account, which has passed off in a most satis-
factory manner.

The absorption of the floating stock by the public
has caused a great scarcity of stock, and as much as
3-16ths was given in the shape of premium to obtain
stock for the settlement of the account, and that, too,
in very large quantities.

In fact, so large is the Bear account, that unless
we have a creation of stock the market will rise, the
demand being so much greater than the supply.
The Hebrew party, who are in general supporters
of the market, have been induced to sell their stock,
and, we believe, may now be numbered amongst the
speculators for a fall, and have been giving a premium
to borrow stock.

The position of the holders of Consols is this :
they lend their stock at I pm. for a month, which is
equal to per cent. per annum ; the stock pays
them 3 per cent., and they lend their money on de-
posit at 3}, so that if this state of affairs lasts they
are actually receiving at the rate of 8 per cent. per
annum. There is, therefore, no finer investment
than Consols, and we draw attention to this state of
affairs because, unless there is a creation of stock, a
rise is inevitable, and the holders have only to remain
firm and they will obtain a greatly•enhanced value
for their stock.
It is asserted by those usually well informed that
required at present by the Chancellor
4uer, and that the increase in the esti-
not more than absorb the surplus

the Money Market is most easy. The
is 4to and money at call not more

The position of the Bank of England is daily be •
coming stronger, and, as the bills under discount run
off, we should not be surprised to see the Bank broker
become a purchaser of stock, as the safest means of
employing the surplus funds of the Bank, and that
the directors will resort to this mode of employing
their capital rather than lower the rate of discount
while the political aspect of affairs remains so un-
certain.

The usual notice has been given that the Exche-
quer Bills falling due in March will be renewed at
2d. per cent. per diem, which is equal to about 3 per
cent. per annum, and we cannot bring forward a
greater evidence of the abundance of money than by
pointing to the pfice of Exchequer Bills, which have
been purchased to-day as high as 225. pm.
The imports of bullion this week amount to about
750,0001.

Gold has been remitted to the Continent, but the
balance is much in favour of imports.
The Corn Market is declining, and as much as 2d.
per ton per diem is being paid for demurrage on
coals, which indicates that the market is now over
supplied. The lowering the price of these neces •
series of life tends to make money easier.
The price of the funds has been, comparatively
speaking, remarkably steady during the week, the
extreme prices of Consols being 91 and 92. The
market closes this afternoon 911 for the account,
and 911 f for money.
The exchanges present no new feature.
FOREIGN FUNDS.

The extreme importance of an increased supply
of guano to the agriculturists of this country, as
evidenced by the statistics brought forward by Colonel
Blair in the House of Commons, induces us to place
before the parties interested a plan by which, at
all events, a certain annual supply of guano can be
secured to the agriculturists, provided they and the
bondholders can prevail on the British Government
to interfere with the Government of Peru, and in-

duce them by a treaty between the two Governments
to send over sufficient guano to pay the interest on,
and extinguish by means of a sinking fund, the
Peruvian loans in this country within ten years.
Such a measure would be alike beneficial to the
Peruvian Government, the agriculturists, and the
bondholders.
The Peruvian debts at present in this country
may be thus classed :-
2,600,0001. 41 per Cents.
1,700,0001. 8 per Cents.

4,300,0001.
This debt is recognised by all parties as legitimate,
and half of the net proceeds of the sale of guano in
England is appropriated for the payment of the
dividend, and the !sinking fund of 2 per cent. on the
Four-and half per Cents., and for the payment of
the dividend and sinking fund of per cent. on the
Three per Cents.
Besides these bonds, amounting to 4,300,0001.,
there are held by parties in this country-
-1,800,0001. 44 per Cents., called TJribarren's Loans.
400,0001. ditto, Ilegin's.

2,200,0001.
These bonds are disputed by the original bond
holders as being created without legal authority.
A committee of bondholders has been appointed to
inquire into the circumstances of their issue, and
until their report is made it is not probable they
will be officially quoted in the Stock Exchange.
These bonds, however, are undoubtedly held by
British subjects ; and for the payment of the divi-
dends thereon, and a sinking fund of 1 per cent., the
remaining of the net proceeds of the sale of guano
is appropriated.
Presuming, therefore, for the sake of argument,
that these bonds are all legitimate, and that a sinking
fund were established for their extinction in ten
years, it would require, assuming that the Peruvian
Government obtain 41. per ton net on the guano sold,
about 150,000 tons to he sent to this country annually
for dividends and sinking fund only.
The amount sold in 11453 was 179,000 tons ; hut th
agriculturists and the Government might be assured
that the Peruvian Government, for its own sake, would
take care that a much larger supply would be sent
here than would be sufficient merely to pay the
interest and sinking fund of their debt in this

country.
At all events, the Peruvian Government ought to
be compelled by positive treaty to send an cient for
the interest and sinking found ; and we wish to draw
the attention of all parties to this most important
subject, involving alike a great increased supply of
food to the people, and a debt of no less than
6,500,0001. to the subjects of this country.
Very little business has been transacted in the
Foreign Funds during the week, and prices are re-
markably steady. Peruvians remain steady at 66 to
68 for the Four-and-a-Half per Cents., and 46 to 48
for the Three per Cents.

RAILWAYS.
The Railway Market has been remarkably buoyant,

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no loan will be
of the Excheque
mates will not
revenue.
The state of t
rate of discount
than 31 per cent