The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-22 00:00:00

International Financial shares have improved
to 41 to 41 prem. ; General Credit and Irinanoe to
Ito 11 prem. ; and London Financial to to 11
prem.
Hudson's Bay shares are quoted Ito die.,
being a trifle firmer, and Egyptian Trading, 1/ to
11 prem.
The bar silver by the West India packet was sold
yesterday for the Continent at fe. Id. per ounce,
showing no change.
Except as regards bills on Hamburg, the foreign
exchanges yesterday afternoon were firm, and the ten-
dency of the rates was upwards, particularly for
paper on Paris. The Vienna exchange has also
risen. Subjoined is our usual list :
Amsterdam, 3 months, 11.181 to f ; ditto, S days,
ILI6 to 17,- Rotterdam, 3 months, IL 181 to 19 ; Antwerp.
3 mouths, 25.50!t0 55 ; Hamburg, ma. blow, three months,
13.71 to 81 ; Paris, 3 days, 25.221 to 321 ; do., 3 months,
25.55 to 71 ; Frankferton-thwMaine, 3 months, 1191 to
: Petersburg (per rouble), 3 months, 35f to ; Vienna.
eff. So., 3 months, 1L45 to 56 ; TrierW, 65. do., 3 months,
11.45 to 55 ; Madrid, 3 months, 48j to 49 ; Oaths, 3 monthr,
48j to 49 ; Leghorn, S months, 25.60 to 65 ; Genoa, 3
mouths, 23.60 to 65 ; 3 months, 25.60 to 65 ;
Naples, 3 months, 25.60 to 65 ; Palermo, 3 months. 25.621
to 71 Marina, 3 montha, 25.621 to 71 ; Lisbon, 90 days,
52f to j ; Oporto, 90 days, 52j to 53.
The directors of the National Bank have
••• • • •

declared • dividend on the paid-up capital of the
company (600,0001.) at the rate of 8 per cent.
per annum, and an extraordinary dividend of
16s. per share, making altogether 21. per share, free
of income tax, for the half-year ending 30th June
last.
The letters of allotment of the Brazilian and
Portuguese Bank have been posted the whole
number of shares for issue in this country (35,000)
having been placed.
The Atlantic Telegraph Company invite tenders
for the manufacture and subsequent laying down of
• submarine telegraph cable between Valencia (Ire-
land) and Newfoundland. The distanoe from point
to point is 1,640 nautical miles, but about 2,100
nautical miles of cable will be required, of which
about 2,000 miles are expected to be used. This
gives an ample allowance for "slack." If the sub-
mersion of the cable take place next year, it will
be between July and August.
Messrs. Glass, Elliot, and Co. have despatched
a steamer to the Mediterranean, with a view to the
commencement of operations for the repair of the
fractured cable between Benghazi and Alexandria,
about 500 miles in length. The cable will be
gradually raised, and, on the fractured portion
being discovered, a new piece will be "spliced" in.
At the annual meeting of shareholders in the
China and Japan (Coast and River)SteamNavigation
Company, held yesterday at 10a, Kings' Arms-yard,
Moorgate-street, it was decided to pay six months'
interest at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, being
against the earnings only of the company's first
ship. Some discussion was elicited by questions
put by Mr. J. Laird, jun., which ended, however,
la a vote of thanks to the directors for the efficient
manner in which they have supported the company
through its difficulties at starting. It was stated
that the fleet will shortly comprise five vessels,
and that by an admixture of Chinese with English
coal, the cost of coaling the fleet will be reduced
considerably.
The annual meeting of the Australian Agricul-
tural
Company took place to-day. The balance of
unappropriated revenue was stated at 12,7171., out
of which a dividend at the rate of Si. per hare
was declared, leaving 7,7171. for future distribution.
An undertaking, which appears to have been well
considered, has been brought forward under the title
of the Oriental Hotel Company (Limiter'). The
capitol is 250,0001. (subjee to increase), in 25,000
shares of 101. each, of which one-half are to
be issued in the first instance—a portion, how- I
ever, being reserved for India. The project
an unusually strong direction, compered
rintuesernost part of gentlemen connected with the
East. The promoters are warranted it stating that
the deficiency of hotel accommodation in India,
China, and other Oriental places frequented by
Europeans, has become a subject of much complaint.
In the firm: instance, hotels are to be formed at
Bombay and Point de Galls, with a subsequent
extension of operations to Madras, Singapore,
Kurrachee, and some of the more important rail-
way stations in the interior of India. It appears
that a joint stock hotel company recently established
at Calcutta has declared a dividend at the rate of
20 per cent. per annum, and its shares are at 70 per
cent. premium on the amount paid.
The prospectus has also been issued of Storm's
Breech Loader Small Arms Company (Limited).
This undertaking is formed under respectable
auspices for the introduction of a new American
patent for breech-loading arms, which within the
last few days has attracted great attention in the
rifle contests at Wimbledon, as reported iu the
daily preys. An elaborate description is given of
the pa:ent, for which advantages of a remarkable
nature are claimed. That the invention is really
me-itorious and useful may be fairly inferred from
the warm Rapport which has already been given to
it in disinterested quarters. It bas been well and
practically tested, large orders having already been
executed by the patentee at a manufactoryat Bir-
mingham which is to be transferred to the company.
One important feature is that the invention can be
applied to any ordinary rifle at • cost of about 15e.
The purchase money for the patents for the United