The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-15 00:00:00

3

A. Lloyd and Co., dated Sydney, Dec 22, remarks
as follows :

A great deal of consternation was occasioned by the new
colonial treasurer's first proposal to =lead the sairtiag
tariff. That propoul wan nothing lam than an ad ravens
duty of from five to ten per cent. upon nearly every article
of import. The scheme however was so strenuously opposed
by the merchants and general public, that after being per.
anted in for about a week, greatly to the inconvenienoe of
consignees, and of the London ships, which were unable to
discharge their cargoes, it was abandoned by the ministry,
and the tariff published on another page proposed in its
stead. It will be seen that the principle of ad valorewt duties
is abandoned, and that the present scheme is based on the
ordinary practice of collection by weights and manures. It
is generally supposed that the proposal now under moulders-
tion will, with ionic few alterations, be carried through the
legislature.

SAresDAT EVZIMIKL

Consols, which closed yesterday at 91 to 1 for
the Bth of March, were first marked to-day 911 and
911, and closed at 911 to 1. For money the last
price was 901 to 91. The official business report is
as follows :—Three per Cent. Consols, for looney,
911, 1, 91, 4, 91 ; ditto for account, 911, 4, ;
Three per Cents. Reduced, 911, 1, 91 ; New
Three per Cents., 914, 91 ; Bank Stock. 238,
239, 237 ; India Five per Cent. Stock, 1031, 104,
1031.
The India Five per Cent. Stock was steady.
Excl-equer Bills remain at 9s. to 3s. dia.
The foreign stock market improved in the morn-
ing, especially as regards Greek, Egyptian, and
Mexican Bonds, but became rather dull in the
afternoon, and closed below the best point of the
day.
Notwithstanding the continued creation of new
banks, the prices of the shares of existing banks
remain very firm, with an upward tendency. An
advance has taken place to-day in Alliance Bank,
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and Chins,
European, Imperial Ottoman, London and Ham-
burg, Oriental, and Metropolitan and Provincial
Bank. The rise in the latter instance was caused
by the rumoured accession of three new and
influential directors to the board. Royal Mail
Steam and National Steam shares have slightly
improved.
International Financial shares closed rather bet-
ter than yesterday, at 74 to 71 prem. General
Credit were also firmer, at 21 to 3 prem., while
London Financial were well supported at yester-
day's advanced quotation of 134 to prem.
, The shares of the Land Securities Company were
last quoted 14 to 11 prem. ; Mauritius Land Credit,
par to prem. ; Credit Foncier of Miuritici, 1 to
11 prem. ; Anglo-Italian Bank, to prem. ;
Mercantile Credit, 4 to 5 prem. ; Contract Cor-
poration, 11 to 1/ prem. ; Credit Foncier (Great
Britain), 11 to 2 prem. ; London Mercantile Dis-
count, 2 to 3 prem. ; London, Italian, and
Adriatic Steam, 1 die. to par ; Australian and
Eastern Navigation, 61 to 7 prem. ; Ottoman
Financial Association, Ito prem. ; Consoli-
dated Discount, 1 dui. to par ; and Wallachian
Petroleum, to 11 prem.
The attention of the dealers being much occupied
with the settlement, scarcely any business appears
to have been done to-day in the shares of the two
companies last announced—viz., the London and
Californian Banking Company and the South
Eastern 13aukin4 Company, but the former were
nominally quoted 2 to 3 preen., and the latter about
1 prem.
Ceylon Government Debentures were inquired
for, and have risen about 1 per cent.

MINER.-(THIS DAY.)

Two o'CLo,w.

Although the attention of the dealera is chiefly
directed to the settlement a the fortnightly account,
the mining market is firm today, and prises
generally are strong. Wheal Seton shares continue
in demand, and have further advanced 71. 10e., being
now quoted 170 to 175. Rest Caradon are also
better at 28} to 29, Cbiverton at 111 to 12i, West
Chiverton at 60 to 62, and Clifford at 38 to 39.
Hingstou Downa are quoted sto and East
Russell 41 to N.
Cape Copper shares are higher, and Don Pedro
firm. Other foreign and colonial mines are without
change.
The directors of the Fortuna Company (Limited)
have declared a dividend of 3e. per share, payable
on the 27th inst.

LONDON -NECROPOLIS AND NATIONAL MAUSOLEUM
COMPANT. —The annual general meeting of this company
wee held oa clatord•y at the Chola in Weetrainster•bridge-
road ; Hr. Alderman Dalein in the chair. The report read
by the secretary stated that the revenue account showed •
marked improvemeat in the boarams of the company, the
receipts of 1863 @bowing an incamodof 7301. on throe of 1862.
A paw station had bean erected on rain line of the Son*
Western Railway adjoining the cemete y, which would
afford greater facility for burials, and re more valuable
the 1,200 acres of surplus land belonging to the company.
The funerals during the peat year have been of a mach
higher clam than those of former yearn, and therefore more
remunerative, and the directors have every reason to hops
for a large increase in the bailees' of the company. The
expenditure for the year had bore 7,3241. Me tid., which
had exceeded the receipts by 9121. 14s. 10d., but there had
been received for the sale of earring land 7551. 4s. 91., thus
reducing the actual loos to 1871. 10a. Id. The chairman. in
moving the adoption of the report, mad the directors had
full faith in the future prosperity of the country, and had so
doubt they would, before another year, be in a position to
declare a dividend. He believed this from the daily Moms-
ing nature of the business, sad from the fact that, while in
1861 the expenditure exceeded the income by 1,!;,61., in
1863 it was only 9421. Mr. Austin seconded the resolution,
which was carried. General tlir Chattertoc, Mr. H.
Wilkisson, and Mr. F. Dotriama, the retiring directors, wore
re-elected, and Mama Warren and Watkins were re-eleoted
anditorn.

RAILWAY AND PUBLIC COMPANITs IN PARLIII-
NM.-00 Friday, the examiners declared the stead*
orders compiled with in the following awe Wales
Railway Crieff and Mathew' Toadies and Breach Bag.
way ; Reigate and Londoa (Weet-ead) Junction Railway ;
Torbay and Brialiam Railway ; Somerset and Domet Ba-
lmy (Cheddar Valley and Yattoo) ; Bodmin, Warlehridge
and Cornwall Junction ; Surrey and Some: Juoction Rail-
ways ; Caledonian Railway (Brediaholm sad Tecuoioside
Branch) ; Aldboro' Pier and Railway ; Southampton and
Netley Railway; London Main Trunk Underground and
Connecting Branches Railway ; Railway faimeogeis Amur-
mice Company. The non-oomp/imicee on certain points in-
cluded the Scarboro', Whitby, and Staithea Railway ; Ayes
Valley Railway ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolaahiro
(Steamboat') and Manchester and Milford Railway. There
were no appearances in the following cams :—Blaafrius
Embankment Roadway and Railway ; Thames Tunes&
Railway ; Paddingtoa and Chitin-ernes Railway ; Great
North of Scotland Railway (No, Y); Whitlsed, Tenby,
sad Milford Haven Railway ; St. George's, Hanover-squaro.
Improvement and National Volunteer Service mewl
The miscellaneous measures complying were : —AldlYirough
Pier and Railway ; South Kensington New Road ; and
other reed bills.
_ _

THE SILK TRADE.." The silk trade," lays the
Courrier do Saint-Btienne,'' appears to be sow undergoing
a general crisis, the end of which it is difficult to foresee.
The Americas conflict was almost oaf ciset to shake coofi-
deuce at Lydia. and the sweats in Germany have increased
the disaster. Unfavourable advice@ sin being receive] tree.
the neighbourhood of Aubenes, and • large member of silk
dressers have determined to close their mills, in comequenee
of the impossibility of strivirg any longer eschiust a disas-
trous situation. The statement of the general Mad, in vilk
for the year 1A43 gives a total of 5,647,750 nomads against
6,008,148 pounds in 1883. The effects of this situation are
naturally felt at Saint-Etienne. Our ribbon manufacturers
are indeed producing a few plain and fancy articles, but
orders are mart*. As to velvets, they are now lira:slog
through R crisis which prejudices our interests iu • serious
manner."

••••••••.-••
CALIFORNIAN SHERRY AND MADElRA.—Angelica
port and champagne wines are now extensively med. Ia
Califoroia. At Los Amgen there Cr. extenatve menatee.
tories of eherry end Madeira. A large and &levet air-tight
apartment, heated to a mean temperature of 100 degrees
Fahrenheit, is nearly filled with emirs of common white
wine from seventy-five to a hundred days. While there
the wine ts eontiatially pumped from one teak to another,
and during this proems the wise give off immune volumes
of inflammable gas, loses in bulk. and totally chanties in
character, body, colour. devour, and bouquet. A difference
in the time in which the wine is kept in the apartment con-
verts it ink/sherry or Madeira. —Catifornitta Far/mi.

CHICAGO. —Fourteen years ago the fine railway
train ran out of Chingo—now, there are 90 trains leaving
that city daily. The total number of can in then trains is
about 1.595. which convey to aad out nearly 10,00 pares-
pan sad 30,030 tow of freight. To more these at ~-
tenth their present speed would require upwards of 20,010
hones. The bruise's on nearly every railroad is coastaetly
increasing. The Illinois Gabel Railway Company have
rebuilt MI) new an dune, the last tweivemoath, and have
now 3,000 freight and 100 passenger can, and still their
rolling stock is not soMeiset.—Amerirms paper.
A PCZZLINO QUIRT.-Question : If Brigham
Young, the Mormon, ware to lose one of bis sixty wives.
womb' be be a widower? Answer: Not enough to hurt
him.—AmeKeire paper.