The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-07 00:00:00

AFTER WHAT 7—After Mellon's Promenade
Canaria, IVANIT to lop. Ws shalt most there

glie OWlire00•

PIIIICIONIII.

THis Immo, THE tigairoT CAPTAIN. Maim. Viola',
and G. Hooey • Wanes Neilson, Amounts Thomson, mad Mrs.
InteUog.—And QUIET LODGINGS.

BILITANNLL

Krzwriga, THE JOLLY DOGS OF LONDON ; OR TWO
WADS OF LlFt—Mlis Lydia Latimer, Mr. C. Brown. &
Z. Madam—Lad THE DUSTSLUM TAAL/SCAB ; 01, TIIOO
AND TILE BOFFINS.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BIL/DOR
1 DAT —Morning, 106. 4 ARmsom, lib. 26m.
To4Loasaw—Morning, OIL On Altmeacm 011. I.

LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7.

Tin half-yearly meetings of the London Joint-
Stock Banks have just been held, and owing to the
late crisis more than ordinary interest attaches to
their proceedings. It speaks well for the prudence
and skill of their management that, with one excep-
tion, they have passed unscathed through a period
in which banking and financial credit was more
rudely shaken than within living memory. It is
very well known that the failure of Ovitamin,
GURNEY, and Co. was followed by a partial run
upon almost every bank in London ; but
it was safely met, though not perhaps without
much temporary difficulty, and the confidence
momentarily withdrawn was speedily replaoed. Com-
paring the amount of deposits held by the joint-
stock banks on the 30th June last with the same
period of 1866, the difference is unimportant. In
some cases indeed there is a large increase. It is im-
possible, however, to draw a fair comparison, since
half of the banks do not discriminate between their
deposits and liabilities on acceptances. The latter
item is necessarily uncertain, and fluctuates often
by millions at a time. That is to say, it may and
does happen that the acceptances out of a single
bank will amount to one million in one half-year,
three millions in the next, and perhaps two
millions in the third. Taking, however, the
liabilities in the aggregate, the totals stand as
follows :

LIABILMES, INCLUDING ACCiPTANCI3.
1865. 1866.
London and Westminster £20,537,389 ... £22,298,454
Union Bank 18,908,606 ... 19,424,531

London Joint Stook
London and County
Animas 2,651,299 ... 1,636,156

City Bank 4,972,463 ... 5,408,837
Consolidated
Imperial
Metropolitan and Provincial 513,718 ... 469,355

£86,103,696 ... 285,575,569

It will be seen that upon a total of eighty-six
millions last year there has been a decline of little
more than half a million, and probably this dimi-
nution would disappear altogether if it were pos-
sible to compare the deposits alone. For example,
five of the above banks which give the required
details return the amounts as under :

1865. 1866.
London and Westminster £19,552,177 ... £21,024,211
London and County
Alliance 1,751,203 ... 1,141,982
Consolidated

Metropolitan and Provincial .

468,988 ... 438,844

£36,228,267 ... £36,370,674

In this table an absolute, though small increase
is shown, notwithstanding a falling off of half a
million in the Consolidated, which is easily ex-
plained by the events of last May. It is only
just to add that whatever mistakes have occurred
in previous management no bank now stands
higher than the Consolidated in the estimation of
the public. The London and Westminster has
been the chief gainer. Many of the new accounts
which have lapsed by the stoppage of the Agra and
Masterman's and Bank of London have apparently
been taken either to this institution or to the Bank
of England.
Turning to the question of available assets, it
will be seen that, as regards the two items of cash
and Government stock, there is in most cases a
decline. Subjoined are the amounts shown in the
last reports :
CABE AND GO'

OR OCARANTZED STOCK.
1865. 1866.
London and Westminster £4,106,732 £6,059,179
Union 4,802,412

Landon Joint Stook
London and County
Alliance

. 2,047,370
.. 3,750,097
.. 525,657

873,311
1,186,838

956,743
1,297,013 .