The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-28 00:00:00

About 23,000/. in gold was purchased by the
Bank yesterday. There were no withdrawals for
exportation.
. _ _

The Brighton Railway traffic returns show this
week an increase of 5331. over last year, and this
South Eastern an increase of Wit.
On the eve of Christmas the directors distribute&
to the several °dicers engaged in the service of the
London and County Bank 101. per cent. ou the
amount of their reqpective salaries, with an addition
of 54. per cent. for every clear year of service, to
mark their appreciation of their continued attach-
ment to the bank.

The following is from the report of the directors
of the Loudon and Brazilian Bank (Limited) to be
presented at the annual meeting on the Otk
January
The directors in their last report congratulated the pro-
prietary on the bank's increase of business, and, in corrobo-
ration, they have much pleasure in submitting to the share-
holders the balanee.pheet for the half-year ending the 30th
June, The net profit's shown by the acoompsnyiog
accounts, amounts to 24,7011. 12a. 11d., and considering the
rate of interest on this side, the directors trust the result
of the six months' operations will be satisfactory to their
co-proprietors. Out of the above sum it is proposed to pay
a dividend, free of income tax, of 11. le. per share, amount-
ing to 15,600/. (equal to interest on the paid-up capital after
the rate of ti per int per annum), and to carry forward
the balance of 9,100. 12.. 11d. to the neat account.
The intention of the directors wee to have re-
commended an increased dividend, but in comes
pence of the late important failures at Ri• de Janeiro, it
is deemed more prudent to carry over a large balance, and
to make the distribution proposed. The opportune &nivel
in England of Mr. Saunders from the Rio branch, simulta-
neously with the announcement of the "even crisis in that
city, not only afforded the directors the gratifying
inteUi-
geoes of the satisCictory position of that branch, but also
that the losses were likely to be much lees thee at first anti-
cipated, and there is every reason to hope that these wiU be
more than compensated by diminished competition, and the
general improvement of the business of the bank. By the
last advices from the branchest the directors are happy ra
say the operations of the bank are progressing most satis-
factorily. They are also glad to report a steady increase of
business in Portugal.
The preparatioUA for to-morrow's settlement is
the railway market show that the general supply of
stock is still only moderate, although the effect of
the recent advance in prices has been to induce a
few bona tide realisations during the account now
drawing to a close. As regards the shares of the
financial companies, the terms for carrying over
were mostly about the same as last time, and it
would appear that some speculative sales have
latterly been made of these securities.
•

The following way be regarded as an approxima-
tion to the rate+ generally current at the carrying
over yesterday :

Great Western
Lancashire sod Yorkshire 546 to 7.16
Loodoo aud North Western
.. ...
Midland I to i „
. . .

Greet Northers, A ......
Metropolitan
South Eaatern

9.J1 to 11-16
to
to e
to
I*
to
I to g
9d. to 1-16 6
to 11 p.„ et.
9d. to 1-16 omit.
6d. to la. „
Alliance Bank
- _

Sheffield
North Eastern : Berwick
Ditto 'York
Cre►t Western of Canada
Luxembourg
General Credit
International Financial

Confederate Lean
Mexican
Ditto, 1R64
Spanish Pusive
Ditto Certificatrs
Turkish Cons*lides

i .
to
i to 149
II
* to I le
4 to 4 SO
1-32 to 3.32 „
i _ . to i o

Subjoined are the quotations of insurance, gal,
and dock shares, as given in the Stock Eichang+
list of last evening :

Inanranc9.—Gnarchan. 49i ; Indemnity Marino, 128 ;
Landon and Caledonian Marine (Limited), 54.
Gaslight and Goke.—Continental Union (Limited). lOg ;
European. Nee, 1 ; Imperial. Btij ; ImperialContteentai.
85 4j en div.; London, 841 ; Westminster Chartered, 814.
Ducks.—Loodou sod St. Katherine, 721.
The Spanish Financial Commission has an-
nounced the half-yearly dividends on the Spanish
Three per Cent. stocks.
The dividends due the Ist January on Michigan
Central Railway Six per Cent. Sterling Bonds are
announced for payment in due course.
The following are the returns of the Irish banks
of issue for the four weeks ending the lOtli lust. :