The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-07 00:00:00

LANDS IMPROVEMENT COMPANY.

The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders was
held yesterday at the offices in Old Palace-yard glieCaman
Bice in the 'chair.

41;.ITIAT.ini, the manager, read the report, which stated
that the business of the company had largely increased. The
new business for the half year ending the :10th June last
i bad been in England, 96,698/. • and in Scotland, 37,058/.,
making • total of 1.19,75(1!. This amount is greatly iu ex-
cos of the estimated average, and has been of the most un-
exceptionable character, both as to the extent and value of
the estates dealt with, and the financial condition secured.
The payments to landowners for the half year
amounted to 92,2:38/. Is. 2d. ; and after paying or
providing for all current expellees, there remained a profit
of 2,416/. 13e. Id. on the half-year, which, adding the
balance of 263/. 17a. 3d. front the previous half.year, made
an available balance of 2,710/. 10s. 4,1., out of which :1 divi-
dend of 6 per cent. per annum and a bonus of 2 per cent.
was recommended by the directors.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the shareholders on the
prosperity ofpted .
wtir.dasertaking.edanbdy i!tovnedelt
HtThlie, reportp..
and agreed to. . .

A ;ote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business.

Sr. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.—Mr. Cavendish Ben-
tinck has given notice that early next session ho will ask
for leave to bring in a bill to enable the Es' xlesiastical Com-
nassioneis for England to apply certain funds towards the
repairs and in augmentation of the fabric fund of St. Paul'.
Cathednd, London.

THE STUCK OF COTEON.—The aggregate plan-
tity of ootton in stock at Liverpool continues to decline,
although not so rapilly as to call for special remark at pre-
sent. But upon American descriptions • ruu is now ob-
servable, and the general stock hos beau to a great extent
maintained at Its present amount by tho unusual receipts of
Surat. The following figures nhow the weekly fluctuations
of the stock since the commencement of April, as compared
with the correspoodiag period of lg 80:
Stock. 1861. 1860. Stock. 1861. 1860.
Bales. Balm! Bales. Beim
April S .. 982,300 1106.040 I June 7 .. 1,148,650 1,318.000
lt 881,860 0.55,440! „ M 1,161,0110 1.9:1.040

1.015,880 „ it .. 1,116,aW1 1,34.63.5
.. 963740 1,027390! U 1,156.070 1,34,.33
Miy .. 990,890 1,018330 1.1473 0.. 1.108,300 1,298.400
10 .. 976,011 1337,130 , „ 12 .. 1,102,800 1.2.:9330
„ 17 .. 1,040.6110 1,111,2001 „ 19 .. 1,063,710 1,057.020
„ 21 .. 1,111,610 1,200,730, .. 1,001,090 1,242,230
31 .. 1,151,010 1,393,670 lAist. 2 1,019300 1,211,370
The movement of the two years has thus far, it will be rib.
nerved, been nearly identical, the stock having increased in
May and June this year 208,680 hales, as compared with
389,530 bales in May and June. 1860, when an manumit-
twenty luxuriant crop was in full delivery from the United
States ; while in June and July this year there has been a
falling off of 128,680 bales, as coinpnreil with a diminution of
117,260 bales in the corresponding mouth of 1860. But, as
before remarked, the falling off in American is becoming
observable, and will probably be now more and more
marked. This will be seen on reference to tlio annexed
subdivision of the stocks in hand April 5 and August 2 :
Stock, April 5. Stock, Aug.
es.
American 790,170 .... 710,000
Stout .... 211,300
Brasil _ 18,690 .... :9%970
ptian 37.800 .... 00,730
W!..t Indian, de. .. 2,130 ... 900
These figures relied the exertions put forth to obtain
other supplies in consequence of the present unfortunate
and unparalleled state of American affairs. The quantity
of iettou at sea for this country was estimated, at the close
of last week, at 3,200 bales of American and 275,976 halm
of Burst, as compared with 19,345 lades of .trur rican and
11.374941;91 bales of Surat at the corresponding date of 1191!!, hut
y by the time these lines meet the leader's eye there
is scarcely any American cotton ex nude for England—a
fact almost unprecedented in the history of the trade, ea
the blockade of the war of 1812.15 seems to have been
but loosely conducted. Notwithstanding, however, that
the imports have fallen off from 2,743,222 bales between
January and August, 1860, to 2,310,201 bales in the same
period of 1861, the quantity exported has increased from
309,436 bales last year to :667,914 bales in 1861, and the
what quantity taken for home consumption has also ad-
vanced from 1,464,600 bales in 1860 to 1,468,000 bales in
1861, so that while the supply has diminished 263,021 bales
the demand has increased 62,778 bales. In the presence of
this fact and the uncertainty of the future, New Orleans
has advanced 10., and middling 21d. ,• Mobile, lad., and
middling 20. ; and uplands 21, and middling 21c1., as
compared with August, 1860.
EXTENSIVE FORGERIES BY A MISP.CHANT'S CLERK
AT Livotroim..—At the Liverpool Police-court on Monday
last (the ease not having transpired in time for despatch by
that day's parcel), a genteel-looking youth named William
Williams was charged with having forged cheques on the
Bank of Liverpool to theamment of =IL 10e. It appeared
from the evidence adduced that the prisoner, who until he
absconded was in the employ of Mears. Charles Borneo and
Co., Romford-place, had forged cheques in the names of his
employers to the amount of Z. 21/. 10a. He wasapprchended on
board the steamer Etna, at Queenstown, while on his way
to New York, with two prostitutes and a boy. On being taken
into custody, and charged with forging the cheques, he
replied that it small right ; he was sorry for it, he was
induced to do so by the two girls. He gave one of them 40f.
and the other 101., and took them to Compton-house, where
they bought 501. worth of clothes. He thou took a little
boy from his employers office nod the girls to Wales, where
they remained all nwht, and their hotel bill came to 6/.
The next day be paid bat. at Mr. Inniait's office for a pas
sage for himself, the girls, and the boy to America, and he
gave 601. to the pummel the Etna to take charge of until
they arrived at New York. The primmer absconded on the
21st July. He was seat for trial to the anises.