The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-04 00:00:00

Total

SHOCKINO ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY, NEAR
?AWLS.— On Sunday a man, whose name is at present un-
known, was killed on the Shrewsbury and Welshpool Rail-
way, near to the Drawwell-houses, on the Meole road.
The circumstances were rather peculiar, as it was stated
on the inquest that he was walking along the one set of
rails when the train was at some distance, and as it
neared him he walked on the line upon which the train
was coming at full speed. He deliberately turned to face
it, and was smashed in a terrible manner. He was put
into a railway cartage and conveyed to Shrewsbury In-
firmary. An inquest was held on Monday evening at the
infirmary, before Corbet Davies, Esq., deputy coroner,
when it was shown that the man was dead before be was
put into the carriage for conveyance to the Shrewsbury
Infirmary, a matter which was rather severely commented
on by the coroner.—Eddeires's Shretestury Journal.
EXTRAORDINARY MORTALITY AMONG THE SAL-
MON OF THE SOLWAY.—During the leatthree or four days
the residents in the neighbourhood of Rockliffe and
Burgh Marshes have witnessed the recurrence of an ex-
traordinary phenomenon connected with the stame,,,v,,
of the Solway. After each tide the shore bas been found
strewed with dead and dying salmon and salmon trout,
presenting no indication of the cause of death. We have
heard of some 50 fish being found on the sands of Rock-
liffe Marsh, and we believe that on the Burgh Marsh side
of the river a much larger number have been picked up.
It will be remembered that a similar occurrence took place
last year, when various theories were put forth as to the
cause of death. The fact, however, that the mortality of
last year was accompanied by the same conditions of
weather and water ae that of this year seems to settle the
doubt as satisfactorily as probably it ever will be settled.
During the whole of last week the Eden had fallen un-
usually low ; the tides were also low ; while, at the same
time, the weather was exceedingly warm. The chronicler
of meteorological observations at Silloth records " a week
of brilliant summer weather, sky almost cloudless ; solar
radiation great, and atmosphere very dry." The sun
would, therefore, play with unwonted power upon the
shallow water at the month of the Eden, raising its tem-
perature, and sickening its finny inhabitants even unto
death. There is little doubt, in fact, that the fish left by
the tide have either died of a sun-stroke or have been so
much sickened and weakened by the action of the sun as '
to be unable to get away with the receding tide.—Carlisle
Journal.

- - •
BLINDNESS IN TUE Cashes.—ln the Church of
Rome total blindness is one of those irregularities which,
by canon laws, incapacitate for the priestly office; no priest
of that Church has ever been ordained when labouring
under the deprivation of sight. It is somewhat singular,
however, that by a canon law a man cannot be admitted
to orders if he does not see with his left eye, while blind-
ness of the right eye may be overlooked. The cause of
this distinction is, that the left eye is the more necessary
of the two in the celebration of mass. It is the same in
the Church of England ; the loes of the canonical—i.e.,
the left—eye would be sufficient to exclude from orders,
though total or partial blindness after ordination would
not disqualify for the discharge of clerical duty. It is
different in the Church of Scotland, which admits no dis-
tinction between the eye canonical end the eye non•
canonical, and bids defiance to the scriptural warning by
licensing the blind to become leaders of the blind. This
pseudo-liberalism strikes us as being little else than a
species of refined cruelty ; several blind men have been
licensed to preach, but no corgregation in Scotland has
ever ventured to give any one of them a cel.l4—Fraser's
Moyasios for July.

MONEY MARKET.-(THIS DAY.

Oil OVUM.

The English funds are heavy to-day, and have
experienced a decline of f per cent., but British
railway stocks are in request at an advance in
several cases. The demand, however, is chiefly
to close speculative accounts, the public
still holding almost entirely aloof from this
department of the Stock Exchange. Foreign
stocks are inactive, but Spanish Passive and Cer-
tificates have improved owing to an increased be- 1
lief that a settlement will soon be effected. The
amount of business generally is very limited.
The directors of the Bank of England have made
no change to-day in the rate of discount, but a
reduction to 2 per cent. is expected to take place
shortly. The dividend money will be released
next week, and the bulk of it will probably be
offered for employment. The rate for choice bills
is 21 to 24 per cent., and for loans in the Stock
Exchange, 2.
Consols are now quoted 94g to i ex div.,
both for money and the 10th instant ; and the
Three per Cents. Reduced and New Three per
Cents., 94 to I.
Spanish Passive Bonds and Certificates are in-
quired for, and have risen I to f per cent., while
Turkish of 1865 have declined I. Turkish Bonds
I of 1862 are quoted 54 to 56i, ex div. ; ditto Five
per Cents. of 1865, 314 to I ; Greek, 141 to A ;
Spanish Passive, 24 to 24i ; ditto Certificates,
15i, to 4 ; Italian of 1861, 48i to 2, ex div. ; and
Mexican, 16A to R.

Financial shares show no variation, there being
little or no business. International Financial are
quoted 2 to 1.1 dis. ; London Financial, 22 to 21
dia. ; General Credit, 2 to 11 die. ; and Credit
Foncier, 6 to 51 die.

American securities and Atlantic Cable shares
are without change. The 5-20 Bonds are quoted
721 to ; Erie Railway shares, 431 to 441 ; Illinois
Central, 79} to g ; Anglo-American Telegraph, 181
to 2 ; and Atlantic Telegraph 8 per cent. pre-
ference, 4} to I.
An extraordinary meeting of the Sub-
marine Telegraph Company will be held on the
16th inst., to authorise the directors to lay down
a new line of telegraphic communication between
England and Belgium. and to increase the capital
by the issue of 35,0001. 7 per cent. preference
stock.

The subjoined circular, with reference to the
affairs of the London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway, has been issued by Mr. S. Laing, M. P.:
Company's OS" London-bridge, E.C.,
2nd July, 1867.

Sir,—Having consented to become chairman of the
Brighton Company in the hope of saving it from its present
embarrassments, I am satisfied that an amalgamation with
the South-Eastern Company is the first step to place both
properties on a sound footing. I am further satisfied
that the enclosed agreement is perfectly fair for both sides,
and mutually advantageous; and as it is of great
importance with reference to the application to par-
liament that it should be adopted by large ma-
jorities of the shareholders, I beg earnestly to re-
quest that you will attend the meeting to be held on
Friday, the 12th of July next, at 1 o'clock, at the
Bridge-house Hotel, Southwark ; or, if you are unable to
attend, that you will sign the enclosed proxy in favour of
myself or Sir Charles Jackson.—Yours faithfully,

S. LAING.

The sth article of the bill presented to the con-
gress for the conversion of the Spanish Passive and
other debts refers to the settlement of the 'ertiti-
cates, and authorises the government to effect it on
the conditions specified by the law of the 30th
June, 1866. The stock to be issued for this pur-
pose is to bear interest from the Ist instant. It
appears from a telegram received yesterday that the
Spanish Finance Minister has moved that the con-
gress should hold morning and evening sittings to
accelerate the settlement of the debts.

About 3,0001. in gold was sent into the Bank
yesterday, making a total of 232,000/. since the
date of the last return.
The Cimbria has arrived from New York with
12,500/. in specie, and the City of Antwerp with
35,000/. The China, from Alexandria, has brought
7,134/. The Nyanza will take to-day only 678/.
for the East.

The biddings for bills on India took place yester-
day at the Bank of England. The amounts
allotted were :—To Calcutta, 11.33.600 rs. ; to
Madras, 2.60.000 rs. ; and to Bombay, 70.000 rs.
The minimum price was fixed as before—viz., at
Is. 11d. on all the presidencies. Tenders at and
above the minimum will receive in full. These
results show a further diminution in the demand
for means of remittance to the East, inasmuch as,
of the 270,0001. of bills offered, only 146,3601. have
been taken at the official minimum.

At the meeting of +he proprietors of the London
and Westminster Bank, to be held on the 17th
inst., a dividend will be recommended of 14 per
cent. for the half-year ending the 30th June, being
at the same rate as for the corresponding period of
last year.
At the meeting yesterday of the Great Eastern
Railway Company it was determined to take the ne-
cessary steps for the re-introduction of a financial
bill during the present session, for which purpose
an application will be made for the support of the
Board of Trade ; and a committee of debenture
holders was appointed to act with the directors.
The preference shareholders have assented to an
application being made to parliament this session
for power to issue 3,000,0001. of debenture capital.
Indignation was generally expressed on the an-
nouncement that Mr. Laing had some time back
received 5,0001. for joining the direction of the
company, and that now, on the plea of difficulties
greater than he had foreseen, he wishes to resign
his seat without returning that sum.
The London and North Western Railway traffic re-
turn shows this week an increaseof 1,729/. over last
year, and the Midland an increase of 4,601/.
The half-yearly meeting of the London Financial
Association is convened for the 22nd instant, "to
receive the directors' report and statement for the
hall-year ending the 30th June."
An official circular to the following effect is being
sent out to the shareholders in the Metropolitan
Bank (Limited) :
The articles of association having provided that the
first ordinary general mee.ing be held in January, 1168.
and at the same time that the directors be (empowered to
declare as interim dividend, should such be warranted by
' the state of the accounts, the directors take this oppor-
tunity of congratulating the shareholderson the successful
operations of the past half-year. Since the reconstruction
of the bank business has been progressing in a satisfactory
manner, and, with the active co-operation of the proprie-
tor, which is invited, they have no doubt of continued
and increased prosperity for the future. A warrant for an
interim dividend to 30th ultimo, at the rate of .7,/. per cent.
per annum, is enclosed herewith.
The traffic return of the Grand Trunk Railway
of Canada for the week ending the 15th ult.
shows a decrease of 1,641/., compared with the
corresponding period of 1866.
A notice has appeared, informing the bond-
holders of the Royal Portuguese Railways Company
that "the negotiations entered into with a view to
improve the situation of the company not being
as yet concluded, the board of management find
themselves under the necessity of postponing all
payments to be made on the bonds.'
The interest due the 30th ult. on the debentures
of the East India Land, Credit, and Finance
Company (Limited) is advertised for payment. I

WEIINZSDAT Ewmlo.
Consols, which closed yesterday at 941 to
ex div., both for money and next Wednesday's
settlement, opened this morning at the same quo-
tation. and closed flatly at 94 7-16 to 9-16, or
941, " buyers." For the August settlement the
last price was 94fi to I. The Three per Cents.
Reduced and New Three per Cents. were quoted
at 3 o'clock 931 to $. The official business report
is as follows :—Three per Cent. Consols, for money,

94d, gex div. ; ditto, fur account, 944, ex div.-
, Three per Conte. Reduced, 934, i ; New Thrw;
per Cents., 9W:, 4; Bank Stock, 25 ; ditto, for
account, 255 ; India Stock, shut ; ditto Five p_er
Cent., 109 A, ex div. ; ditto Five per Oat.
; " enfaced" rupee paper, 103 ; ditto IFive-and-a,-
! Half per Cent., 1081 ; ditto Five per Cent. Deben-
tures, 105; ditto 'Sonde, 60.. prem.
The India Government Five per Cent. Stock
was inquired for and firm.
The March Exchequer Bills were marked 275.
prem., and the June 235. and 225. prem.
The foreign stuck market was extremely inac-
tive, and prices generally were quoted the names
yeaterday. hpanish Certificates improved } per
cent., while Turkish of 1862 declined 4, and theme
of 165 4. although the dividend of 24 per omit.
due the 13th inst. has yet to be deducted from the
price of the latter.

MINE&-(THIS DAY.)

Oirs o'OLoois

In the mining market to-day frinc;iiiiiTies,
Clifford, Chiverton Moor, Great Retallack, and
North Retallack shares are in chief request.
Wheal Beton are quoted 110 to 115; Wheal
Buller, 24 to 26 ; Prince of Wales, 31 to
i; Great Retaack, 5 to / • North Retalack, .44
to 5 ; Clifford,7 ll f
8f ; East Basset, 20 to 24 ;
Providence. 28 to 30; Marke Valley, 4} to 5;
North Crotty, 3,; to ; Chiverton Moor, 14
Chiverton, 61 to 7 ; East Grenville, 2,i to,f;
and Wheal Grenville, 23a to 255.

Foreign and colonial mining shares have been
dealt in to a moderate extent, at steady prices:—
Don Pedro are quoted 3i to 4k prem. ; St. John del
Rey, 58 to 60,ex div. ; Anglo-Braxilian, 4 to I prem. ;
Choutales, 11 to g prem. ; Peatarena, g to I prem. ;
Anglo-Italian, k to 2 prem. ; United Mexican, 2
to I ; Frontino and Bolivia, 7-16 to 9-16 ; and
Port Phillip, k to 11.

RA ILWAYS.L( iHIa DAY.)

Okra ca/zooz.

British railway stocks are inquired for to-day,
and with the exception of a decline of 1 per cent.
in Great Eastern, the movements in prices
are all favourable. Midland and North Bri-
tish have improved k per cent. ; Brighton, g ;
and Metropolitan and Great Western, 1.
Metropolitan stock is quoted 123 to 1241;
Great Western, 444 to 4 ; London and North
Western, 1121 to 113; Midland, 1121 to 1 ; Lan-
claim and Yorkshire, 1271 to 1281 •, Caledo-
nian, 1104 to 1114 ; South Eastern, 1144 to A ;
Great Eaitern, 3iiF tog ; Great Northern, 113 to
114 ; ditto A, 1111 to 1121; London, hatham,
and Dover. 171 to 4 ; North British, 301 to 1 ;
and Brighton, 531 to

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