The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-16 00:00:00

THIS DAY.
Two o'Ctoca.
Notwithstanding the intelligence of a rather
marked fall in the French funds yesterday, the
English stock market, under the combined influence
of public and private investment, has been character-
ised by much firmness, and prices have attained an
advance of 1 per cent. on the last rates of yesterday's
market. Speculative operations for a rise have also
to 1:e noted, the aspect of our home affairs being con-
sidered highly encouraging ; but the movement is
only partial, as speculators aro deterrred by the
aspect of French politics.
Consols opened firm at 964 to 97, being the closing
quotation of yesterday, and have gradually crept up
to 974 to c both for cash and the 12th November.
The official list reports the business figures of the day
as follows : Three per Cent. Consols, 97, 964, 974-;
ditto for account, 97, 971 ; Three per Cent. Reduced,
964, ; Now Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent., 97,
; Long Annuities, 1860, 6 13-16; ditto 30 years,
1860, ; Bank Stock, 2121, 2111; South Sea Stock,

108
The
upward movement of the unfunded securities
continues. Exchequer Bills opened 48s. to 31s.
peem., and have since been purchased at 523. prem.,
being. a rise of ls. India Bonds rule at 31s. to 375.
premium.
The foreign stock market does not participate in
the improved feeling of the other departments of the
"house." Business isexceedingly limited and entirely
restricted to the settlement of the account, and where
any change in prices is to be noted, it is in
an unfavourable direction. Sardinian Scrip and
Mexican Bonds are both flat. A few sales of old
Brazilian Bonds offered at the commencement of
business, but the market is now steadier. The bar-
gains of the morning comprise the following : Bra-
zilian old Five per Cents., 86, 87 ; Dutch Four per
Cent. Certificates, 001. Mexican Bonds, 261. Sar-
dinian Scrip, 3 die. Spanish Active Five per Cents.,
20,
A meeting of' the Spanish bondholders is con-
vened by the committee, at rather short notice, fur
Monday next, the 20th, at the London Tavern, " to
take into consideration the mode of the conversion of
the bonds and coupons into the New Deferred
IThree per Cent. stock, the Spanish commissioner
having arrived for the purpose of carrying
it out, and to authorise the committee, fur
reasons then to be assigned, to intervene
in the conversion." The Dutch committee, it is fur-
ther stated, intend issuing a certificate, signed by
their authority, for the half of the coupon not funded,
which will be a claim upon the Spanish government,
and the principal object of this meeting is to con-
sider the expediency of making a similar arrange-
ment for the English bondholders. It is to be hoped
that the exertions of Mr. Oliveira at Madrid will nut
be paralysed by any steps taken at this meeting.
As we anticipated, the railway traffic returns for
the last week, the final week of the great Exhibition,
show a most extraordinary increase over those for
the corresponding period of last year, which extends
to nearly every hne of importance, metropolitan and
provincial, the former, however, as a matter of
course, netting the largest returns. The London
and North Western return is 64,311/., against 47,43(11.
in the corresponding week of last year, being an in-
crease of 16,44781.; the Great Western, 29,6031.,
against 17,313/., increase 12,200; the Lancashire and
Yorkshire, 19,647/., against 14,3431., increase
5,302/. ; the London .and South Western,
13,7631., against 11,361!., increase 4,402/.; the
Midland, 24,331/. against 23,8381.—increase, 673/. ;
the York and North Midland, 9,846/. against 8,1931.
—increase, 1,631/.; the Great Northern, 13,663!.
against 7,2l9l.—increase, 6,446/.; the Bristol and
Exeter, 3,419/. against 4,sBBl.—increase, 861/. ; the
North Staffordshire, 3,3271. against 3,o3M—increase,
273/. ; the Shrewsbury and Chester, 1,823!. against
1,703/.—increase, 1201.
The affairs of the South Welsh Banks present no
features of improvement, beyond the prospect of a
full liquidation of all demands by the shareholders
in the Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire Banking
Company. As to Messrs. Williams, the transactions
am small. Their bank was establishedl in 1826, the
members of the family and firm being likewise
engaged as millers. The amount of their fixed issues,
authorised was 8,6001., but their circulation was
inconsiderable. The liabilities of the 'Monmouthshire
Bank are supposed to be about half a million to their
customers and the public, and to their shareholders
192,3701., besides 11,6001. for reserve fund. Their
securities, good and bad, are estimated ut 762,9391.,
their house property at 31,800/., and the cash in
hand at 13,3001. There seems no likelihood that the
capital of the shareholders will be saved, and they
will be fortunate if not called upon to contribute,
but it is considered the business is worth carrying
on if managed prudently. Tho state of Messrs.
Williams affiiirs is not yet known.
Our attention has been called to some statements
in the prospectus of a companv,styledthe Ave Maria
Gold Quartz Company, for which the City article of
the Express is brought in as a voucher, and for
the productions of which the gold in the Bank of
Englund belonging to the Agua Fria mine is made
to bear testimony. That there is gold quartz in Ca-
lifornia, and profitable workings in the Mariposa
mines and the Agua Fria mines Is now well enough
known ; but this does not prove there is gold quartz
in the Ave Maria district. It is very desirable that
the lease referred to of the Ave Maria mine and the
assays of Dr. Patterson, director of the Philadelphia
Mint, should be published, in order that it may be seen
whether they afford any basis for the operations of a