The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-06 00:00:00

INDIA.

At a sitting of the Legialative Council on March 4
Mr. Wilson moved the first reading of a bill for
the introduction of a paper currency. The follow-
ing is an outline of his speech :

When he had the honour, a fortnight since to make
hie financial statement, it would be remembered that
among the needed reforms of the administration of India
few things bad been considered of more importance than
the adoption of a well-considered improvement in the
currency. In fulfilment of the pledge then given, he now
proposed on behalf of the government to introduce this bill,
which embodied principles of the soundness of which
there could be no possible doubt ; but he felt
anxious only that he should find the power of
fully expounding and clearly expressing principles
and measures of Duch great importance. Whatever diffe-
rence ofopinion might exist on some points, there was but
one opinion in England or India that the present system re-
quired great amendment—it was most unsatisfactory, and
called for prompt remedy. He detailed the well-known
defects of the cumbrous aystem based upon the standard of
• silver coin, the risk and cost of the necessary transfer for
which from district to district it was difficult to estimate ;
one mark of its cost was bit Charles Napiefs declaration
that at that time not fewer than 30,000 native troops were
occupied in the guard and transport of treasure. Even if
it could be considered solely as an economic question, it
would be one of great importance. To-day he wan prepared
to propose for remedy • scheme at once large and oompre-
hensive ; the government felt it their duty not to legis.
late pieeerneal on such • vital question ; but to pat
before them a well-considered plan based on mound winch
pies so wide as to embrace all India, capable of being ex.
tended to any required limits, yet mewed by checks within
itself which should prevent possibility of wrong or failure.
In the peculiar ia.sition of India it would be well to premise
what was the object proposed to themselves, in order to
deckle upon the best means of its attainment. Starting
' with the fact that from time immemorial silver had been
the standard of Irsibrin monetary materna, he sketched
forcibly the evil attendant upon its difficulty of transport,
upon the withdrawal of so much of the precious metals
from profitable use to be locked up in the unprofita-
ble form of coinage ; upon the limitation of com-
merce and great loss attendant upon remittance of •
great bulk of silver from out.districts to-day to be
retained possibly to the same districts to-morrow;
and having explained the theory of commerce which lies at
the bane of all currencies, that they are the condensed
modes of exchanging commodities, he proceeded to declare
the determination of government to do nothing in the pro-
changes which could by any possibility involve any
pond
of faith through which the public could suffer loss
by the adoption of any charge in standard or system. He
illustrated the enormous development of Indian commerce
from the retort's. which showed that whilst the average im-
portation of bullion for the years 1836-40 was 4,000.000/.,
the average of the last four yews was nearly 12,000,00 W.,
and that this was all required for the coinage was proved
byfits being taken toithe mint for conversion, though there
was • charge of 3 per cent. upon 'the coinage He ran
over the theory of exchanges through which nations,
and banks, and individuals conducted their business
operations. He ably exposed the fallacies by which • gold
currency, either at • fixed value or • musing
been supported, and showed by the ovaries., cdm'airallir•
and Austria how it must inevitably fail here. He declared
• double standard to be • misuomer—the thing could not
exist ; and so arrived at the purpose of the government to
adopt • sound and well-ronaitlered paper currency, leaving
the standard unchanged and retaining its full value. There
would be thus a great profit in the release of the precious
metal from its profitless form, and a well-regulated
paper currency would not be an addition to,
but a substitution in • cheap arterial for, the
existing coin. He illustrated the inconvenience
and absurdity of the present mode by an allusion to the
sealed begs said to contain 1,000 re. which were circulated
by endorsement, probably without actual value, in the
North-Welt Provinces. He then developed the govern-
mental scheme of paper currency, the leading points to be
*mired by which were—first, absolute convertibility ; me-
condly, doe limitation of the issues. The outline of the
provisions of the bill are:
That there shall be an absolutely convertible paper mu-
mm, in the form of notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 1011, 500, and
1,000 n. each.

That these notes shall be made a legal tender as between
individuals, and receivable in payment of revenue and all
demands of government.
That the issue shall be by the agency of commissioners in
Calcutta, Bo:ltm, and Madras, fully empowered, bound to
observe theregulations laid down, and released from all
obligation to o yin this respect env other commands than
those of the Legislative Council That there shall be a
division of all India into circles, each presided over by •
deputy commissioner at the central town of each circle.
The notes all to be manufactured in Calcutta, and the notes
of each circle to be at all times convertible into specie at
the treasury of the circle and also at the presidency. The
commissioner in Calcutta will despatch notes to the dis-
tricts for distribution to the public in exchange for silver.
That every commissioner shall retain at all times, and un-
der secure checks to ensure it. one-third the amount of the
notes issued by him in silver, and the remaining two-thirds
in public securities.
The whole was described as being • secure and self-acting
system based upon the lane department of the Bank of
England ; and security against forgery of the notes will be
ensured by the adoption of all the well-tried means of the
Bank of England through whose manufacturers and ma-
chinery the paper is to be made and the preparation of the
notes to he effected.

He proceeded to show how this system would yield a
great mat to trove rnment, and as no private company
could compete in circulating an issue against the govern-
ment, the provisions in the charters of the Presidency
Beaks permitting them to issue notes would be rescinded
under due notice, and with all possible mre that their inte-
rests should suffer as little as possible under such a change.
He alluded to the intended means of utilising the treasury
balances, seldom lase than 10 to 12 cram., and also to
mesas already in operation of getting out from England tan

Lithe of copper coinage • u well as to establish new copper
mints in Calcutta and Bombay.
Arias thus detailed the mini points of
1. A laid sturdard of silver,
& Au absolute coovertibilionf paper,
& Full security for reserves to cover the issues,
he wound up with ao assurance of his conviction that the
great interests of India which were involvedwouldhe secured,
and the measure prove a sure taws of powi PsurAnwit7.
At a later stage of the day's Yr. Wilson an.
Doomed that government had Beady =arid, and would
soon submit, a Consolidated Ovate=

DESTRUCTION OP A WORSTED MILL AT
MANCHESTER.

At a quarter to seven o'clock yesterday morning,
the workpeople in the worsted mill of Meson. Lemming and
Markendele, at Manchester, beaune aware that a fire had
broken out in one of the rooms on the ground floor. The
building is situated in Water-street ; it is five stories high,
and is connected on every story with • six-story mill
occupied by the same firm, and known as the new mill.
The old mill has existed about forty years, and
having become setarated with oil, every part of it was
easily inflammable. The fire spread upwards from story
to story and from room to room with • rapidity that has
perhap never been exceeded, and in lees than 15 minutes
the whole of the old mill was in a state of combustion. At
the first outbreak • messenger was sent to the Manchester
fire brigade, and before seven o'clock Mr. Rose, the super-
intendent, arrived at the mill with two engines and coal:
panies of firemen. All the available hydrittite in thri
neighbourhood were brought into use, and • moat
abundant supply of water was obtained instantly,
but the whole of the old mill was already enveloped in
Mamas, and there was little hope of saving even the new
mill from • speedy destruction. The moat determined
efforts were made by Mr. Rose and the firemen to make
their way from the 'staircase into the new mill, but, besides
the intense heat, they had to struggle with vapour of a must
nauseous character, and for some time all access was impos-
sible. At length the roof of the old mill falling in, there
was free egress for the heat and smoke, and, fortunately, the
wiad blew it away from the new mill, so that the
firemen had room to breathe as they worked, or this build-
lag must have shared the fate of its neighbour. All its
flows were filled with the suffocating smoke, and mull
portions of the rooms and machinery were on fire, but jets
were token into each story, and after an admirably sus-
tained exertion on the part of the men during nearly two
hours, they obtained the mastery. Five jets were worked
up the staircases into the rooms, two others from Messrs.
Leeming's yard, and four from the roof of a three-
story building adjoining. Meantime the old mill
had been utterly destroyed, floor after floor fal.
ling in, and also a portion of the wall'. Valuable
aimmtamie was rendered by the workpeople, and
also by • large number of persons from neighbouring esta-
blishments ; among others, from that of the Bridgwater
Trost, as well as by the Salford Fire Be4ade. The nesh-
=premises of Rows. Hamby, F&lkner, and Co.,
carriers, were in considerable danger ; but at an
early period of the fire Mr. Rom stationed a couple of dn.
mm in the rooms, and by the aid of the ware-
housemen the fire was preveated from communi-
cating. Two jets were directed on the burning
building from a barge in the river Irwell, which
was immediately below. The fire commenced (through
friction, it is supposed) in a worried drying machine, which
made about 1,300 revolutions per minute, and very soon the
stench was so overpowering its to drive the workpeople out
of the building. No person was injured, but all the hands
employed by the firm are thrown out of employment at a
time- of bush trade, as the destruction of the old mill com-
pels the stoppage of the other. The damage will amount
to between 16,0001. and 20,0001, and will probably be
covered by the insurances. The energy and perseverance
of Mr. Rose and his firemen elicited the highest praise from
those who witnessed it, and It was matter of evident
astonishment that • much greater ruin was averted.

.—A con-

MORSMAN AND HIS CO:
temporary has this morning published • long letter
from Mr. Borman to the gentleman who proposed him
at the lent election, in which the right hon. gentleman
enters into an elaborate defence of hie recent con-
duct in Parliament. In the outset be says that the
report of the proceedings of the recent meeting of his
constituents which had been sent to the London newspapers
was so untruthful] "that even foreign journals have
bees able to use it largely to prove that Lord
John Reesell's recent declaration of the policy of
his cabinet is condemned in England, inasmuch as the
member who elicited that declaration has been discarded
by his constituents." The letter concludes as follows :
" I opposed the financial meaouresof the government; Icon-
demn their Reform Bill ; and, if a fitting opportunity be
given, I may censure their foreign policy. In this comes I
believe I shall ere long be sustained by the voice
of the country, not excepting the electors of Stroud.
But, should this last hope unfortunately sot be realised
—should Stroud be an exception to the general feeling—
and, when the time for reviewing my public conduct arrives,
should the constituency of Stroud not approve it—l can
aware them and you that I shall be the first to sever,
though with much sorrow, a connexion which, under such
cirmunidances, must be u embarrassing to me as it would
be distasteful and unfair to them."

iroclirtT or LONDON. —At the
rocathly general rr.eeting, held
_yesterday at the society's
house, Hanover-square the Right Hon. Sir George Clerk,
Bart., V.P., in the chair. Lieut.-Col. A. F. Steele, 9th
Lancers; Major C. W. Henesge, Bth Hussars; and Messrs.
John Morant, J. Hepburn, jun., J. Pearson, George Cockle,
and Herbert Prodvra, were elected fellows of the society ;
and Messrs. A. E. Durham, R. B. Follett, J. J. Gossett,
J. B. Bateman, and Captain the Hon. F. Egerton, were pro-
posed as candidates for the fellowship ; and Herr H. Oaths,
of Heligoland, and Edward Blyth, EN of Calcutta, were
proposed as corresponding members The report from the
council stated, among other subjects' of interest, that since
the bat general meeting the menagerie had been further
enriched by the addition of two specimens of Balieniceps
rex end a specimen of Sieboldia maxima. it also stated
that the number of visitors to the gardens to the end of
Much had considerably exceeded 26,000. The changes
proposed to be made in the council at the approaching &uni-
versity were read.
Ma. RYDER'S SHARE/MARIAN READINGS.—Last
night Mr. Ryder, of the Princess's Theatre, gave a reading
of Macbeth, at the Hanoverequars Rooms. ThU gentle-
man is well known as an actor of Rome pretension, and a
careful elocutionist, and as in a few remarks with which he
prefaced his reading he stated that he had given very cm-
siderable attention to the works of our greet dramatic poet,
and this play in particular, apart from mere theatrical con-
siderations, it may be supposed that he possesses some qua-
lifications for what, after all, is the arduous task of sustain-
ing the attention of an audience single-handed through a
tragedy wLich, perhaps, of mart others, needs the aid of
the accessories of the stage for its realisation anywhere out
of the study. It must be confessed that the selection of
Aferifielk for a simple reading was not wholly judicious,
but nevertheless the enetp and complete understanding of
the text which characterised Mr. Ryder's efforts enabled him
te get over the primary difficulty with some woes& In the
mode of delivering the text which he adopted there was
rather more acting than reeding, and perhaps a little more
study of light and shade would have rendered the attempt
more in keeping with the object in view. Still it is not to be
denied tint Mr. Ryder did not fail to fu the attention of •
large ameniblage of persons, and from to time time was
greeted with considerable applause.
Tax Ilunnar.—A meeting of grocers, tesdealers,
wine merchants, tobacco manufacturers, and others was
held in the committee-room of the Town-hall, Birmingham,
yesterday (Thursday), the mayor, Thomas Lloyd, Eq. in
the chair, to consider the proposal of the Chancellor of 'the
Exchequer to increase the customs duties on certain articles
one-half per cent. There was • fair attendance of the
wholesale and retail dealers of the town sod district. Mr.
A. Biggs moved the first resolution :—" That in the opinion
of this meeting the proposition of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer to Impose additional charges on articles paying
customs duties would preen most severely upon the traders
in these artiele., inasmuch as such additional duty would fall
solely upon them." Mr. Moore seconded the motion. Mr.
Barrow, in supporting the motion, said the addition of ono.
half per cent, would he so small that the retail trader would
not be able to make anv increase in the. ;Moe of his articles
to cover the additional duty, while, ID his own case, it
would amowit to a sum equal to 4d. additional in the in-
come tax. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. A
consethree was afterwards appointed to draw up a memorial
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in opposition to the
proposed additional import, who were authorieed to present
the same in the name of the wholesale and retail dealers of
the town and district.

Fn AND SUPPOSED Low OP LlM—This morn-
ing about three o'clock a Are broke out in the bedrooms of
Mr. Evans, coffeehouse-keeper, No. 9, Upper Welliugton-
street. The Chandos-street, Holborn, and other engines of
the brigade were soon on the spot, hut the premises were
nearly destroyed. A cousin of Mr. Evans, named James
Evans, perished in the duster, his body being found in the
first floor.

Aiwa:lons Arrxierr.—Yesterday a box contain-
ing about a dozen matches was found in a bale of cotton
stored is the Clarence warehouses, Dickson-street, Liver-
pool, and was brought by Mr. Brancker to the Exchange
News-room, where they lay for inspection the whole of the
day. The matche. were evidently American made, and the
box bore the following label : " Bush and }Myer, supe-
rior friction matches, manufactured by 8. R. Van Duxer,
wholesale druggist. 198, Greenwich-street, New York."
The lacifers were certainly put in the bele for an atrocious
pumas', but by whom is not likely to be ever knows. Had
ignition taken place on shipbosad thiamine would, acmes,
have been only a matter of conjecture.—Liverpool Poet.
MALLNCNOLY Casuavrx.—The life of a fine
Young woman, daughter of Mr. Ward, farmer of East Ville,
has been sacrificed to the incautious depositing of arsenic
in as improper place. The deceased, who was about
years of age, went to a cupboard' for some sulphur
for medical purposes sad took from the shelf what
she ooeceivai to he that drug, in a powdered state, and
swallowed It with some treacle. Shortly afterwards
she was seized with 'stolen' vomiting, and on her mother
enquiring the cause, it was discovered that arsenic had
placed in the cupboard, unknown to the an ever,
had taken it instead of sulphur. Medical assistance was
late ; she
promptly procured, but was unfortunately too._
uanY
sank
an'i
died.
inquest
was
accefore
idental
t al
C. Esq., OCANIlier,
_when a 'imbo
death wee retumed.—Snsatforlg Mercer,• and shne

0, APRIL 6, 1860..

MONEY MARKET.

ONE ceoloor.
Good friday being kept as a close holiday, no
busingss is going forward in the City.

THURSDAY Evvrixo.

The funds openod this morning at advance of
i per cent, and as soon as it became known that
the weekly court at the Bank had broken up with-
out altering the rate of discount, .a fresh rise of I
took 'place. In the afternoon some sales were
pressed,'" and a relapse occurred, the closing quota-
tions being scarcely better than those of yesterday,
although the improvement on the Paris Bourse is
unusually well supported. The lees favourable in-
fluencee in operation this afternoon appear to have
been merely speculative.

The share markets were likewise better. British
railway stocks were particularly buoyant, specula-
tive operations for the fall being met by a con-
tinued bond fide absorption of stock by the public.
Holders continue to derive great confidence from
the remarkable increase in the traffic especially on
the lilies in the manufacturing districts. Great
Northern " A" stock rose about 3 per cent. to-day.
The engagements of the 4th having been met;
the dividend period being at hand ; and a large
amount of money having been drawn from the Bank
during the last week or two, the discount market
to-day was less stringent. In exceptional instances,
transactions took place at 44 per cent., but many
discounters continue to ask 41 to 5 upon good bills.
At the Bank business wait brisk but decidedly less
extensive than of late.

On Saturday next little business will probably be
done, as many
.persons have already made arrawe-
mentos for taking a holiday until Monday. The
Stock Exchange, however, will not be closed on
Saturday.
At Paris to-day the Three per Cent. Rents,
opened at 69.90, and closed at 70 for money,
and 69.90 for the end of April, showing a fresh
advance of Ito per cent. since yesterday after-
noon.

Lonso-"-- Is, which closed yesterday at 90 to 4 for
the 11th of April, opened this morning at 944
to 1, rose to 941 to 1, and closed at 944, " sellers."'
For money the last price was 944 to 4. The official,
business report is as follows ;—Three per Cent.
Oonsols, for money 941, 1 ; ditto, for amount
(11th April), 944, e, 44 ; the Indian Five per
Cut stock 1859, 1041, 4 ; ditto, for account, 105 ;
the Indian Four per Cent. Debentures, 1858, 961, j;
ditto, 1869, 964, 4 ; the Four per Cent. "su-
fficed " rupee pa 87 ; ditto Five per Cent.,
98, 981, 97Sity ; ditto, Five-and-a-Half per
Cent., 104; 1 1 .
The British ernment Five per Cents. were
also officially marked 1094.
The Indian rupee paper was again inquired for
and dearer. The Indian Five per Cent stock of
1859 was steady, at 1044 to 1. India bonds were
dealt in at ss. to Is. dia., and Exchequer bills at 9s.
to 13.. prem., showing • recovery of ls.
The foreign stock market was firm. Turkish
bonds improved in the morning, the Loan of 1854
being marked 80, and that of 1858, 624 : a re-
action took place in the afternoon, and the
final quotations wire scarcely better than those
'of yesterday, being, respectively, 794 to 4,
I and 61/ to 62. Mexican bonds were fairly
supported, at the late improvement Sales
are recorded as follows :—Brazilian Old Five
per Cents., 981 ex div. ; ditto Four-and-a-Half per
Cents., 1852, We ; ditto Four-and-a-Half per Cents.,
1858, 91 ; ditto Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 1860
(scrip), par ; Dutch Four per Cent. Certificates, 100
ex div.; Equador New Consolidated, 12/ ; ditto
Provisional Land Warrants, 3 ; Mexican Three per
Cents., for account (16th April), 224, 221, 224, 22
New Granada Active, 15 ; ditto Deferred, 44 ; Por-
tuguese Three per Cents., 1853, 421 ; ditto, for ac-
count, 424, 42 ; Russian Four-and-a-Half per
Conte., 97 ; Spanish Three per Cents., for account,
484, 484 ; ditto New Deferred Three per Cents.,
for aooonnt, 341; Turkish Six par Cents, 1854,
179/ ; ditto, for account, 794, 80 ; ditto Six per
Cents., 1858, for account, 02, 62f, 611 ; Venezuela
Three per Cents., for account, 264.
The withe New Brazilian Loan was firm,
closing at dia. to par.
The numbers are published of bonds represent-
ing 37,0001. of the Brazilian Loan of 1824 (Roth-
schild's) and 15,2001. of the Loan contracted in
1824 by Messrs. Thomas Wilson and Co. and
others, which have been drawn for redemption.
In addition, bonds of various Brazilian loans, to
the amount of 47,1001., have been purchased,
being below par.
There were again no operations in gold at the
Bank

The amount of gold shipped by the Lincolnshire,
which sailed from Melbourne for London on the
Bth of Feb., appears to be 21,828 oz., worth
87,0004, instead of 32,000 oz., as reported in the
telegram received yesterday.
To-morrow being Good Friday, the negotiation
of foreign bills took place this day. The rates re-
main very firm, and in several instances the
tendency is still upwards. The quotations are
shown below :

Amsterdam, 3 months, 11.161 to 1 • ditto short, 11.14
to 1; Rotterdam, 3 months, 11.16; to ; Antwerp, 3
months, 25.321 to 71 ; Hamburg (ms. haoco), 3 months,
13.51 to 6 ; Paris, 3 days, 25.10 to 171 ; ditto 3 months,
25.35 to 40 ; Frankfort-on•the-Maine, S months, 1171 to 1 •
Petersburg (per rouble), 3 months, 341 to ; Vienna
(60.), 3 months, 13.55 to 65; Triode ditto? 3 moat ,
13.65 to 65 ; Madrid, 3 months, 491 to 1 ; Cadiz, 3 months,
491 to 1 ; Leghorn, 3 months, 30.40 to 211 Genoa, 3
months, 25.45 to 50 ; Naples, 3 months, 401 to 1; Palermo,
3 months, 122 to 1,• Messina, 3 mouths, 122 to 1 ;
Lisbon, 90 days, 525 to 1; Oporto, 90 days, 521 to 53.

The Melbourne advices announce the supeusion
of Messrs. N. and N. Gutheridge who were deeply
interested in the Geelong and Ballarat Government
Railway contract.

The following is from the London agent of the
Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company :

TO TIM =MOIR OF TEN lIMPUBS.
36, Cannon-street, City, London, April 5.
81r,—As it was generally expected by the shareholders of
this company that the mail just delivered would bring us
the act of parliament (colonial) confirming the transfer of
the line (long ago concluded between the proprietary and
the government) I beg briefly to state the position of affairs
by the latest date from Melbourne :
Feb. 17, 1860.
The law officers of the crown had founded en act upon
the report of the commissioners of audit, and the govern-
ment had given notice that on the 17th of February it
would be moved for leave to bring in a bill to empower the
government to conclude the
The president of the complanjueaddevissed the Commis-
sioner of Public Works, under date 13th February, stating
that "as an act to authorise the transfer could not in all
probability then be obtained prior to the departure of the
mail, and as payment to the shareholders (m England)
could not, therefore, be made on the sth April," when the
fourth unpaid half-year's share interest would fall due, ft
would be desirable that the government should state up to
what period arrears of interest on the share capital would be
computed and paid off with the principal.
To this the secretary of the government railways depart-
ment had replied (16th Feb.), that as Melbourne was the
place of adjustment, it would be in every way inexpedient
to accede to the proposition that interest should be allowed
on the shareholders' capital after the sth April, when the
money will actually be in transit (to England)•
government will have
takeThuusp.ithen iot:ofouldtheappeariine
(pthr:vtidedtkethe bill pained), on the
6th April (this day), and that the two years' arrears of
interest at 5 per cent. would then actually be " in transit"
to this country.
the company's
the commissioners' report on the audit of
accounts, nor of the bell framed by the government to carry
and my present communication is simply
I regret to rev that I have not received copies of either
negotiations had not utterly gunk
intended
ndthob:dliPeitorchhon,f)itthathatttboure English churns on the colony, to
the extent of nearly half a millMn sterling, would be dealt
with as early as the rressure of local and more important
interests admitted.-7
8. J. Cooez, Managing Agent.

Private advice/ from Buenos Ayres express a
confident hpe that peace will not be agrun
' turbed, and that trade and enterprise will continue
to flourish.
Bank shares to-day were firm. Union Bank of
Australia have advanced, and there were inquiries
for London Chartered Bank of Australia, and
English, Scottish, and Australian Chartered. Ca-
nada Land shares were rather flat. London Gene-
ral Omnibus met with a few inquiries, and closed
at 1 8-16 to 111 prem.
The closing quotations for the shares in new

rune, 2Lto
undertakings were as follow :--Ocean Marine luso-
prem.; iiddn and Provincial Marine, 5-16 to
4A prem. • Universal. Marine, to
prem. • Buenos Ayres and San Fernando Railway,
2k• to per,, ; and City of London Brewery Prefer-
ence, if to prem.
The Midlaad Railway traffic return shows this
week an increase of 4,5211. ; the Nprth Eastern,
au increase of 3,277 f. ; the Lanai and York-
shire, all increase of 3,035/. ; the Manchester,
Shefbekl, and Lincolnshire, au increase of 6381. ;
and the Eastern Counties an increase of 1,185!.
The weekly report of the Liverpool cotton market
, shows little chore^e in price. Saturday will be a
close holiday in that market.

The subjoined weekly
summary of the produce
markets is extracted from the circular issued this
evening by Messrs. W. J. and R. Thompson :
Although there has not been much activity in the colo-
nial market" during the week former prices have, with few
exceptions, been maintained. The demand for coffee con-
tinues good, and the small quantity offered has met with
purchasers at extreme rate& A good irigiujey bras prevailed
for saltpetre affusts and some few parcels have found buyers
at last week's quotations ; but on the spot there ts not
much doing. Mee Is still in active demand, and the mar-
ket very firm. The -:des of sugar on Tuesday went off heavily,
and occasionally at lower rates ,• but today_there is a rather
better feeling, and toe market close, stoadlly. All descrip-
tions of 'mice are dull of sale, and white pepper has declined
fully id. per lb: Tea is flat, and rather lower prices have
in some instances been accepted. The markets have closed
for the usual Fester !edidays, and will re-open on 'Wednes-
day next, the 11th inst.