The Express.
London, England, 1852-03-18 00:00:00

BANK OF ENGLAND.-THIS DAY.

A general court of proprietors was held this morn-
ing to consider of a dividend.
After the reading of the minutes,
The GOVERNOR said he had to inform the court that
the net profits for the half-year ending the 28th of last
February, were 646,472 i., being 7,6161. less than during
the previous half-year, and that the Rest was 3,604,1146 r.
The court of director proposed a dividend of 4 per cent. for
the half-year to the 28th February, without any deduction
for ineosne-tax. After payment of the dividend, the " rest"
would he reduced to 8,022,0701., being 9,2951. more than at
the corresponding period of last year. He therefore put the
question of the dividend to the proprietors.
Mr. P. de WINTON considered the statement highly
satisfactory. Is the year 1849 he told the court they would
soon have 80,8110,0004. in their coffers, and he might men.
tion that sea was the cue this day. They had also
woopool. eiwnemployed notes, and he thought the Bank
of issiamdmight employ these as others bankers did, so as,to
give the grogrW,on a larger dividend. They should not be
tied down to loan at any minimum or maximum, and should
take railway first class debentures, with other securities.
(Cries of "No, no.") As to the appreheigled glut of gold,
there would be no probability of it until ill the world was
supplied, and there were many new channels into which it
must lbw in Asia, Africa, and the other quarters. He
hoped there would be no alteratihn in the standard.
Mr. COOKE congratulated the proprietors on their
Bouriehing position.
The GOVERNOR then put the question that a dividend
of 4 per cent be paid for the halt-year, and this was carried
unanimously, the ballot to take place on the 23rd inst.
In answer to questions from Mr. THOMPSON and Mr.
DII WINTON,
The GOVERNOR said the securities comprised in the
" rest" were always computed at cost price, and that the
reason why no list of unclaimed dividends bad been
published since 1143, was that so many frauds
were bated upon it. Every information, however,
was given to parties interested, at the Account-
ant-General's office, and at the instance of Mr. Cotton
an act had been passed to afford other fatalities by
the establishisent of a bequest de t. It rested, how-
ever, with the Lords of the Trewry to enforce this,
and the act had remained in abeyance. The Bank
of England had no interest in the matter, and
°Maimed merely as the agent of the govern-
ment • but he (the governor) was prepared to see the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject, and hoped
this explanation would satisfy Mr. De Winton, end induce
him not to press for the republication of list.
Mr. DE WINTON said be was perfectly satisfied.
Thanks were then voted to the governor and directors,
sad the mart adjourned to the 23rd inst.

WEDNISDAT Bvairizo.
A large amount of business has been transacted
today in West Providence, Alfred Consols, Tro-
mayne, Robins Garreg, Mary Ann, Trovelyan, West
To us, West Ding Dong, &c., prices remaining
without any material alteration.
Speculation in other departments absorbed the at-
tention of the Stock Exchange dealers to-day, and
consequently mining shares met with few transac-
tions. Holders of the gold mining shares, however,
aro much encouraged by tho highly favourable ac-
counts from the Californian and Australian fields,
and are disinclined to sell except at full rates. This
is especially. the case with the Australian adventures,
as each arrival proves more clearly how vastly the
probable production has been under-rated. In well-
informed quarters the yield of colonial gold during
the present year is estimated at no less than
3,000,0001., and an estimate founded upon the ave-
rage amount of gold brought into the Australian
seaports would raise the figure yet higher. Colonial
Gold aro quoted 7-10 to 9-16 prern.; Port Philip,
par to I prem.; Lake Bathurst, Victoria, Melbourne,
Sierra Nevada, and Quartz Rock, par to prem.
St. John del Reis again rose 11. to-day, reaching
28f. Now that the full amount has been paid upon
the Australian Copper Smelting shares, more favour
is extended towards them, and the price has reached
Prem.
Auglo-Mexican Mint shares mark 23.
The Australian Mining Company have advises to
Nov. tho 17th, 18.51. The superintendent writes:
The stamper. are working well, but the produce from
the halves is greatly below the estimate made by Captain
Phillips in April, 1830, and transmitted in my letter No.
178. The quantity of baleen, seems to have been correct
enough ; but the produce of the 66 tone now in Adelaide on
the road, and waiting fur cartage, is bat 14 per cent., or
little above it. There are 60 toas of tributon' ore,
averaging in produce from 20 to 26 per cent. If I
can obtain freight direct at a reasonable rate, I
believe it will be better to ship this. Baker's lode.—
During October month we have continued the adit north
front Wotton's shaft, and have driven about 4i fa-
thoms without finding any ore, the lode being com-
posed of decomposed granite. In the wince sicking
below 10 fathoms level behind Musterman's shaft, the lode
continues productive, and the ore (which is principally blue
carbonate) appears to extend both north and southward.
Anstey's lode—Having now intersected Anstry's lode in
bottom of engine shalt, or 20 fathoms level where it is li
foot wide, composed of spar, but devoid of any kind of
mineral, we have directed the men to drive eastward from
the shaft on course of said lode, at 141. per fathom.
On eastern side of the creek having sunk a wince on An-
stey's lode from surface about 8 fathoms deep, and the lode
being unproductive, we have suspended the sinking and rut
the urns men to drive eastward at 30 fathoms level or 10
fathoms above the adit or bed of the creek, hoping, as the
ore found near the surface cut out in sinking, we may find
it to continue in driving eastward en course of the lode
into the hill. In same wince, although comparatively unpro-
ductive, yet the lode is traversed by small veins of blue car-
bonate of copper The lode in wins. under 20 south
of Montetioreis cross cut continues to be unproductive,
and we have about 2 fathoms more to hole down on the 30.
fathom level:mine, half a mile south of Downs's mine. In
driving the edit northward in this place we have a lode
about 3 feet wide, dipping eastward 3 feet per fathom, corn-
poeed of roman and spar, with some micacious iron, and
here and there small spots of ore. The ground is favour-
able for driving, via, 41. per fathom. Alexander's lode:
In this mine we have had 8 men, in October, driving a new
entrance. The ground through which we cut this is very
white and slaty, and would appear to be very congenial for
producing copper ore.