The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-08 00:00:00

THIS DAY.

Two o'Ci.oec.
The uncertainty which prevails as to the ultimate
solution of the ministerial difficulty again gave oc-
casion to a slight decline in thq English stock
market at the commencement of business this
morning, speculators being unwilling to operate till
more light is thrown upon the political combinations
understood to be in progress. With the appearance,
however, of the government broker as a purchaser on
a somewhat larger scale than usual, a slight stimulus
was given to prices, which are now quoted the same
as they left off yesterday afternoon.
Consols opened 961 to 97, and have since rallied
to 97 to 1 cx div., both for money and the 18th.
Tho government broker invested in this stock at 97,
and in Reduced Threes at 97/, the operations being
on account of both the Sinking Fund and the Savings
Banks. The official business report includes: Throe
per Cent. Consols, 97, 1, ex div.; ditto for account,
97, 1. Three per Cent. Reduced, 97./0 New
Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., 981, 1, I. Long
Annuities, 1860, 7, 1-16; ditto 30 years, 1860,
6 13-18. Bank Stock, 216.
The inquiry for Exchequer Bills noticed of late
is not observable to-day, and the quotation remains
stationary, at 38s. to Ols. prem., at which range there
do not appear to have been any purchases made up
to the present hour. India Bonds rule at 695. to
72e. prem.' with little doing.
Several descriptions of foreign storks are in good
demand to-day, opinion running more strongly in
favour of Spanish and Sardinian, both of which
exhibit a further considerable advance. Dutch stocks
have also been in request for investment at higher
prices. Generally this department wears an improved
appearance, a much larger degree of speculative at-
tention having become directed to it, besides the sup-
port afforded by the demand for investment in
the preferable descriptions, arising from the abun-
dance of money. 'I ho sales recorded comprise :
Brazilian Old Five per Cents., 93. Danish flow
per Cents., 182.5, 771. Dutch Two-and-a-lfalf per
Cents., 60, 594 cx div.; ditto Four per Cent.
Certificates, 914, 92, 911. Equador Bonds, 34,
French Five per Cent. ]tenter, 103 f. and 1061. (ex-
change, 23f. 25c. and 23f. 20c.); ditto Three per
Cents., 71f. (exchange, 25f. 2.5 c.) Granada One-and-a-
lba per Cents., 17. Mexican Bonds, 281; do. for acct.,
281. Portuguese Five per Cents. Converted, 1811, 34;
ditto Four per Cents., 331; ditto for account, 34, 331.
Russian Five per Cents., 1134. Sardinian Five per
Cents., 92, 1, 92, 1,92. Spanish Active Five per Cents.,
241 ' • ditto for account, 24,1; ditto Passive, 34; ditto
otaThree per Cents., 421, 1 ex div.; ditto New De-
ferred Three per Cents., 19, 1, 184 cx div. Vene-
zuela Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., 37.
The dividends are to-day in course of payment to
the public at the Bauk of England and South Sea
!louse.

Ott or before the I,ltli inst., the private and joint-
stock bunks annual register must be delivered at the
Stamp-office.
The Commissioners for the Reduction of the Na-
tional Debt have issued their usual quarterly notice,
to the effect that, in consequence of the revenue of
the United Kingdom, for the year coding the 10th
October last, having exceeded the expenditure by
the sum of 2,979,011/. lls. Gd., the following
amount, being one-fourth of the surplus, will be
applied to the purchase of stock, between the 7th of
January and the sth of April next, viz.:—
To be applied to the purchase of stock .... £714,752 17 10
Add interest, receivable on account of

•
donations and bequests, to be applied to
the purchase of stock 3,877 11 10

Total £748,630 9 8
The amounts appropriated to this purpose for the
last two years are as tallow :-
18j0 Jun. 7 L306,748
April 4
July 11
October 11 861,828
Totally 1850 £2,333,264

1851 Jan. 7., £885,768
April 4
July 7 73.5,363
October 11 758,196
Total 1, 1831 £11,001,048

1852 Jan 7 £748,630 9 8
These investments arc entirely confined to the
Three per Cent. Stocks, and as they are carried on
with the utmost regularity, every public transfer day,
the effect upon prices is often very evident, so large
lan amount of the money stock afloat in the market
being gradually absorbed.
Business in Bank Shares this week has been mo-
derate, but for many stocks ready sellers cannot be
found, and price* are consequently very firm. The
result of the Colonial Bank meeting has given satis-
faction, and tho shares arc better. The sales re-
ported comprise: Australasia, (401. paid) 391, 1, 39,
; Colonial (231. paid), 10(, 11, 111; London and
Westminster (201. paid), 291, 1; National Provincial
of England (35/. paid), 41 ex die. ' • Oriental Bask
Corporation (25!. paid), 30; South Australia (251.
paid), 33; Union of London (10!. paid), 151, 1, 1.
In steamboat shares (with the exception of the
fall in the Royal Mail Company's, consequent on the
loss of the Amazon, as noticed yesterday) there is
not much change, but Peninsular and. Oriental
share' command a fair amount of favour. They have
been dealt iu at 72, 71, and ill ex dividend and
bonus; ditto, new (101. paid), 18, 171. General
Steam Navigation, 28, 27.4, 4.
The full particulars of the loss of the Amazon' and
the attendant frightful sacrifice of life, have been
perused this morning with painful interest. The
Royal Mail Steam-packet Company have promptly
baited a notice that the Avon will be despatched
from Southampton as an extra packet for the West
Indies and Chagres on Sunday morning next.
Insurance shares meet with an increased inquiry,
and Globe, Equity and Law, and Indemnity Marine
show a rise. The descriptions in which any change
is to be noted this week are :—Alliance, Bntish and
Foreign, 211 ; British Commercial, 71; Equity and
i Law, 41; Globe, 1331, 1341. with the dividend for
I the opening of the transfer books. Indemnity Ma-
rine, 40.
Miscellaneous shares are quoted as follows in the
official list:—Assam Tea Company, 91; Australian
Agricultural, 13 • Australian Trust, 291, ; Anglo-
Mexican Mint, 241 • Canada Company, 49 ; Hud-
son's Bay Stock, 2178; I'ricc's Patent Candle Com-
pany, 23 ; South Australian, 231; Electric Tele-
riph (A) shares (20!. paid), 20.
rho Board of Trade returns for the month and
11 months ending the sth December, were pub-
lished this morning. 'the total value of the exports
of British and Irish produce and manufactures for the
month was 5,188,216!., being a decrease of 174,1031. on
the previous year, and an increase of 4,97,0351. as com-
pared with the same month of 1819. The figures
for the eleven months stand at 63,311,2721., against
60,400,325/. in 1830, and 5.1,089,809/. in the eleven
months of 1849. The month's tables of import and
consumption show an increase in coffee, a decrease
in corn, an increase in cattle and provisons,
a slight increase in brandy, and an increase
in rum, a considerable increase in sugar, and a large
increase in tea. 'rho results presented are of a
highly. satisfactory character, 03 proving the activity
of business and the increasing consumption of
ar-
ticles of necessity and comfort among the population
generally.
ENGLISH lUN DP.—Ten Dar.
lisak Mack. MC 1 4nni Ao,nuluto. snug
3 st et. Reduce.% :.?/ I In Its Sc .huh
3 MI. 41 tt.. 1b9,14 1.000/..804.
Liel,Aunrlll49,l,.Wl. t, d.. db.
31 per Cl.luaeole,
70111310 Y IPNPS.
41 per Ct. 1141.445, 93 4 3 per Ct. llesleaa.l33
4 ler et. tirulltan. yt U
N•or, 91 5 6 1711:nL11Z=.644 7j6t
194 Cl. Ain.. 0 t 1 6 tar et. e.dtuctte.9
.;iu r Man. bll 3 514 r Ct. Ho. lan. 111 14
3 per Ct. o 2 4 43 Per et. It nn. lot
J -4. CI. Dan9h. 75 74 f per C 4. Spanish. 044190, SI
2 t arts!. Du. 911. 31 3p49 Ct. tlbsobth. 42 3
4 per
of Pallea. 343 991 Einwlot. 3 DO. PANIVC. II
II per et Ve,r.. el 4. 26 7
1 per et. armada, 11 13 Du. berern..4. IY u
liaranlaa I peri:4433.. 103 to 4.