The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-19 00:00:00

Total to date ....1,259,789 702,310 349,868

1853, 1854.
To British ports.....
„ Continental ports .

1,361,584 606,835 303,321
757,861 231,072 6,700

Total to date

.2,119,445 837,907 310,012

This table shows that 687,423 barrels flour, an,
168,635 qrs. wheat have been shipped less to
British ports, and 172.232 brls. flour less to Con-
tinental, but 33,038 qrs. of wheat more to the
latter, but the total deficiency this season, com-
pared with that of 1853, 1851 (a good crop in
America) of 859,656 barrels flour, and 135,600 qrs.
wheat. The increase in the shipments of Indian
corn this season, compared with 1853, 1854, is
39,856 qrs., but is 73,232 qrs. less than correspond-
ing dates for the season 1855-1856.
Letters from Lisbon state that the Portuguese
Minister of Finance has proposed to the Chamber
of. Deputies the outline of the financial system
adopted by the Cabinet, and the plans for carrying
out the public works for the present year. Much
depends upon the acceptance, or refusal, by the
Chamber of the scheme laid before them. Should
they reject it, the Ministry will make it a Cabinet
question and resign. The measures proposed are
preceded by a long preamble of the reasons for
adopting them in the present financial and com-
mercial state of the country, and the chief items
are as follows :—That the government be autho-
rised to negociate a loan of 1,500,000/.
in the three per cent. bonds, the produce
of which to be applied to the construction of
works of utility ; that the contract entered into
with the promoters of the Lisbon and Santarem
railway be annulled, and the government
authorised to pay off the shares of the company ;
the abolition of the imposts for the amortisation
of the old Lisbon Bank-notes, by creation of
additional duties in the customs ; the extinction
of all imposts which retard the progress of
industrial operations ; and all domestic taxes upon
servants, &c. ; and, finally, that the government bo
authorised to coin 1,000 contos of reels, about
250,0001., and issue the same during the present
year.
Accounts from Madrid state the Minister of
Finance had published the amount of the Spanish
floating debt, up to the Ist March, as having
reached 591,000,000 reels. Notwithstanding the
efforts of the government to carry forward the
claims at a !ower rate of interest, they had to pay
from 8 to 9 per cent., in consequence of the
scarcity of money. From this heavy charge upon
the State, it is evident that the funding of this
debt is of great importance. It is said that this
arises from the difficulty of putting the matter
into execution, on account of its intricate relations
with the financial questions.
Last week the departures from London for Aus-
tralia comprised six vessels, representing 3,350
tons in the aggregate. Two ships were bound for
Sydney, one for Port Phillip, and the others for
Launceston and Swan River.
The adjourned meeting of the Chartered Bank
of India, Australia, and China was held this day,
for reconsidering the resolution of the last meeting,
empowering the directors to apply for a supple-
mentary charter for reducing the capital of the
company not below 400,0001, which resolution,
after a few observations, was confirmed unani-
mously.
With reference to the increase of 1,072,5001. in
the Treasury deposits, as showp in the last Bank
of France return, by which this item is raised to
3,433,300/, we may remark that the half-yearly
dividends on the Four and a Half per Cent, and
Four per Cent Rentes will become due on the 22d
inst. The dividend on the Four and a Half per
Cents will require about 3,441,400,1 and that on the
Four per Cents about 17,6001 An instalment on
the last French loan fell due on the 7th inst, and
is computed to have furnished 720,0001 of the
increase of 1,072,5001 above referred to.
St. Petersburg advices of the Bth instant quote
the price of Tallow at 142.10 for delivery on the
tat of August.
A General Court of the Bank was held to day at
eleven o'clock, for the purpose of taking the deter-
mination by vote, in print or writing, of the
question on the following resolution, proposed at
the court, for a dividend, namely ;—" That a
dividend be made of 51. per cent interest and pro-
fits for the half year ending the 29th of February
last, without deduction on account of income tax."
The amount of dividend declared at the general
meeting last Thursday rendered it necessary, in
conformity with the Act of Parliament, 7th George
IV., that the same should be confirmed by ballot
in the ordinary manner. Although the ballot will
not close until four o'clock this afternoon, it may
be safely stated that not a single vote will be
recorded against the proposed dividend, which has
given general satisfaction.
The Funds opener' with renewed flatness, and
soon experienced a fnrther decline of per cent.
A rise of 1 per cent., however, took place, and the
closing quotations were the same as yesterday,
namely, 921 to 921. The slight depression of the
morning was attributed to the realisation of weak