The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-17 00:00:00

MONEY M.

'HIS DAY.)'
errs
With the exception of the funds, which exhibit
a reaction of 1-16 to * per cent., consequent upon
sales to realise profits, the stock markets are firm to-
day, and the general tendency of prices is upwards.
Pinglush railway stocks are in good demand,
and have improved I to * per cent., owing to some
considerable purchases against previous sales for
lower prices. Some of the foreign bonds are like-
wise higher, including Italian of 1861, which have
been favourably affected by the speech of the King
to the parliament. Banking and financial shares
have not varied to any material extent, but are
slightly better.
The rate for discounts in Lombard-street to-day
is to 4 per cent., with exceptional business at
31. The supply of money is large, and bills would
probably be taken at lower quotations, but for the
expected strong inquiry for accommodation at
the end of the year.
Consols are now quoted ssi to 89, ex div., for
money, and 89 to *, ex div., for the account
(January 10).
' Amongst the foreign securities there is a demand
for Turkish of 1865, Greek, Spanish Certificates,
and Italian of 1861, at an improvement of * to
per cent. Russian scrip is steady, at to 1* prem.
Turkish Bonds of 1862 are quoted 68 to 59 ;
ditto of 1865, 34 to 34 ; Greek, 13f to 14 ; Spanish
Passive, 20* to j; ditto Certificates, 14 to 14 ;Ilia-
lien of 1861, 55 to 56; Mexican, 18* to 2.
American securities and Atlantic Cable [shares

exhibit no change. The 5-20 Bonds are quoted 71
to I ; Erie Railway shares, 47 to ; Illinois Cen-
tral, 775 to 78 ; Anglo-American, 155 to 4 ; and
Atlantic Telegraph 8 per Cent. Preference, 35 to 5.
International Financial shares are quoted 25
to 24 dis. ; London Financial, 104 to 185 dis. ;
General Credit, 2 to 24 dis. ; Credit Foncier,
bi to 54 clis. ; National Discount, 14 to 3 prem. ;
and Hudson's Bay, 165 to ft.
It has been decided that " Lloyd's " and the
" Jerusalem" shall remain open for business on
Monday, the 24th, and Wednesday, the 26th inst.
On the latter day the mails for Calcutta, China,
Australia, and Mauritius are made up, thus com-
pelling the attendance in the city of merchants
and others.
The government of Victoria have appointed
Messrs. W. Fano De Salis, Thomas Randall, and
Thomas Seller to be special commissioners to repro
sent the colony at the Paris Universal Exhibition.
Mr. De Solis has been appointed chairman, and
Mr. W. B. Lewis secretary of the commission.
The directors of the Provincial Bank of Ireland
announce that "a dividend for the half-year end-
ing Christmas next, at the rate of four per cent.,
on the paid-up stock of this bank, and also an ex-
traordinary dividend of 308. on each 1001. share,
and 12s. on each 101. share, will be paid to the pro-
prietors on Tuesday, the 15th day of January
next."
An extraordinary meeting of the Palace and
Burlington Hotels Company will be held on the
28th inst., " for the purpose of receiving the report
of the directors and of declaring a dividend."
HALF-PAST THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols are 4 per cent. better, at 88 to 5, ex div.,
for money, and 884 to 4, ex div., for the account.
About 3,0001. in gold has been sent into the

Bank.
At Paris this morning the Three per Cent.Rentes
opened at 68fr. 95c., ex coupon, showing no
change, after allowing for the deduction of the
quarterly dividend.
The London agency of the Imperial Ottoman
Bank has received telegraphic advice from Con-
stantinople that the official announcement, by the
Turkish government, of the payment of the divi-
dend duo the 13th January next on the general
debt (Five per Cent. Stock) is on its way to
London.
The mail from Guayaquil has brought a remit-
tance of 8861. ss. 9d. on account of the dividend
on the debt of Ecuador.
Messrs. C. J. Hambro and Son have advertised
the interest due the Ist January on the Danish
Five per Cent. Loan of 1864, and the Italian Five
per Cent. Loan of 1862.
The half-yearly dividends duo the Ist proximo
on Portuguese Three per Cent. Bonds are likewise
announced for payment in due course.
The amount of gold sent into the Bank on Satur-
day was 4,000 f.
Messrs. James Schofield and Sons, of Oldham,
an old established cotton spinning firm, have
stopped payment.
A call of 11. 10s., making 161. 10s. paid, is to be
paid on the shares of the East India Irrigation and
Canal Company by the loth January.
With reference to the new ordinary shares of the
Metropolitan Railway Company, the following
official intimation, dated the 11th inst., has been
published :
You are aware that the final call of D. 10s. per share on
the new ordinary shares of this company is payable on th.;
Ist January next, from which date this class of shares will
rank as part of the consolidated stock of the company.
As, however, for the 11.1 f -year ending December 31st,
these shares will be entitled to dividend only in respect
Stock
share they cannot be treated as stock on the
Stock Exchange till, they are quoted " ex div. " after the
February meeting, and, in order to prevent mistakes, no
stock coupons will be joined from this office in rwpect of
such shares till after that date.
The Irrigation Company of France (Limited)
have intimated that the warrants for the fourth
payment of interest upon the paid-up capital, at
the rate of 8 per cent. per annum, will be sent to
the shareholders on the 31st inst.
The transfer books of the Dunaburg and Witepsk
Railway Company (Limited) are to be closed from
the 18th to the 23rd inst., inclusive, for the purpose
of preparing the half-yeaz's interest warrants, due
the 22nd inst.
An extraordinary meeting of the Surrey Com-
mercial Dock Company is called for the 3rd of
January, to decide upon the creation and mode of
issue of ordinary stock to an amount not exceeding
193,0007.
The Master of the Rolls proposes, on the 21st of
December, to make calls on the contributories of
that long-pending affair, the Agriculturist Cattle
Insurance Company.
Messrs. J. H. Schroder and Co. have announced
the half-yearly interest due the Ist January on the
First Construction Bonds, endorsed payable in
London, of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great
Northern Railway Company.
The letters of allotment of the shares in the
Liquid Meter Company (Limited) were posted on
Saturday.
The interest on Zealand Railway shares gua-
ranteed by the Danish government, and due the
31st inst., is advertised by Messrs. C. J. Hambro
and Son.

SAMIDAT ErEKING.
Consols, which closed yesterday at 88 to ;,
ex dir., for the 10th January, opened this morn-
ing at the same quotation, and closed at 891,
" bw-ers." For money the last price was 881 to
89/, ex dlr. The official business report is as fol-
lows :—Three per Cent. Conan* for money, 88:,
leditto, for account, 88i, Sit ; Three Per Cent&
duced, 87 , t; New Three per Cent& ni,
81 ; India Five per Cent. Stock, 106 j, j, , ;
ditto Five per Cent. " enlaced" rupee paper, 100 ;
ditto Bonds, 20s. to 255. prem.

(astmoes mamas.)
ITALY.

LGENCE.

FLORENCE, Dsc. 17.
Cavalier de Nigro left the capital yesterday for
Paris.
__ .

The Nazione states that the Emperor Napoleon
has expressed his congratulations to King Victor
Emmanuel and his government on account of the
conciliatory policy announced in the speech from
the throne at the opening of the Italian parlia-
ment.