The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-10 00:00:00

MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL.

LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY EVENING.
There has been less activity in the Liverpool
Cotton Market to-day,but there has been no change
in prices. The sales reached 6,000 bales, and
comprise 1,000 on speculation and for export.
The Liverpool Share Market has been firm
all day, closing steady at the following quo-
tations :—Aberdeen, 131 131. Chester and Bir-
kenhead, 141 15. Caledonian, 29 291. Chester
and Holyhead, 121 13. Eastern Counties, 94 10.
East Lancashire, 18 18k. Great Northern, 23 231.
Ditto A Shares, 91 10. Great Western, 61 611.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock, 83i 83a. Liver-
pool, Crosby, and Southport, 15 151. London and
North Western Stock, 991 100. Manchester,
Sheffield and Lincoln, 251 251. Ditto Preference,
lle 111. Ditto New 6 per cent. Prof.,l- fip. Mid-
land Stock, 70 701. North British, 7a 71.
North Staffordshire, 6'l- 6',1,d. South Eastern

20 9-16~208. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 19
1-16 19 3-16. York and North Midland, 26i 261 Leeds

Capital Stock, ln 15a. Dutch Rhenish,ll-16 13-16 p.
Ditto New Shares, 21 21p. Great Western of
Canada, 25a 251. Ditto New Shares, 31 3ip.

Great Luxembourg, 81 qd.
The movements of the precious metals this week
have been important. The arrivals include the
James Baines, from Melbourne, with 320,0001.; the
Persia, from the United States, with 140,000/. ; the
Parana, from the Pacific and West Indies, with
220,000/. ; and the Sultan, from the Peninsula, with

3,ls9l.—making a total of 683,8591.

The exports

comprise 470.591. to the East Indies, by the
Euxine ; 40,7051. to the West Indies, per the Atrato;

and 39,800 oz. of silver, and 13,180 oz. of gold coin
to the Continent, besides the shipments by private

hands which may be estimated at 250,000/._ The
total exports may, therefore, be estimated at about

770,0001

The amount of bills drawn by the Hon. East

India Company on the three presidem

the last fortnight has been 159,069/ -Is. 61
Messrs. T. and 11. Littledale and Co , have
issued their usual monthly circular to-day, and we
quote from it the following report of the condition
of the sugar market:—

The depressed str !,-; of the sugar market, noticed in our
circular of 7th -Veb., continued until the middle of the

month, when prices declined 2s per cwt. At this period
a decided improvement was manifested in the London
market, which has continued up to the present week, and
prices have recovered the depression. The quantity of
bag sugar brought to auction in London, as usual at this
time of the year, has been heavy, and the chief purchases
there as well as here have been either on speculation or
for export. The deliveries during the last few weeks have
been larger,than for some months, but still considerably
under those of previous years. 'The stooks in the four

ports, in bond, as we have frequently called attention to,
have accumulated beyond general expectation, being
95,000 tons against 65.000 ; and allowing 10,000 tons for
sugar held last year duty paid, it allows an excess of
20,000 tons. The improved demand for the home trade is
only partial, and grocers continue to purchase with great
caution. There is no change of consequence in the pro-
spect of supply from anywhere, except it be Cuba, where
they have had a continuance of wet weather ; but the
last accounts were more satisfactory. The accounts by
the West India mail were generally very satisfactory for
our own colonies. The present prices of sugar are similar
to those of last month, and we do not alter the quotations.
The quantity brought to auction this week in London has
again been large, and the sales, particularly those of yes-
terday, showed less animation, and prices were with
difficulty maintained, though importers gave great support
by buying in freely,
We also quote the following general remarks
Though the past month may have been characterised as
quiet and even dull, it has been so in feeling, and in the
absence of excitement in our produce markets, rather than
any deficiency in the extent of operations. The public sales
of wool and indigo held in London—both large in point of
the quantity offered—went off with unusal spirit at a con-
siderable advance. Silk has also been taken freely at
enhanced prices. The sales of cotton have been unusually
large each week, and sugar, after having been almost erard
from the prices current, from the inability to give correct
quotations, has experienced a market improvement, both in
demand and value, in the last three weeks. It is so
frequently observed in the fluctuations of produce, that " one
extreme begets another." that many parties imagine, after
the extraordinary fall of fully 50 per cent. in the bonded
price of this latter article, we are on the point of seeing a
very considerable re-action in its present value—
overlooking perhaps the complete derangement
to which the consumption amongst the masses has been
subjected by the mania of November last, the length of
time it requires to rectify the evil, the weakened position of
many of the grocers, and the accumulation of stocks. These
latter now amount to 95,000 tons in bond on the Ist March
gainst 65,000 last year, and instead of 8,900 tons ! an
estimate put forward by printed circular in London about
four months since, certainly with no intention to mislead,
but which' with others of similar (purport have been pro 7
ductive of much evil. The late increased demand appears
to arise chiefly from exporters buying for the Continent in
the expectation of peace, and from speculators tinder the
idea of a considerable advance, and not from the grocers—
which is against a permanent rise. _nice has again fallen
2s. per cwt. and has suffered a greater per-oentage decline
in the anticipation of peace than any other article, even
than Russian products, and can only be explained by the
large shipments from Calcutta, 60,000 tons in three months,
and an abundant crop expected ofArracan. The general opinion
in this country, and on the Continent, is decidedly in favour
of peace being restored ; but peace or war, money appears
likely to maintain a high value for some time to come,—
the demand continues active, and the only change in the
rates of discount during the month has been a slight reduc-
tion in long-dated bills. The Continental exchanges are
now strongly in our favour, and the bullion in the bank
being on the increase, it is not improbable the directors
may equalise the rate to 6 per cent. during the present
month. Stock of bullion £10,599,650 against £10,3,11,108 ;
reserve of notes, £5,493,005 against X 4,874,975 last month.
In the Mincing-lane market this week the de-
mand for most descriptions of Colonial produce
has continued limited, and the prices, with one or
two exceptions, have remained without alteration.
For sugar, however, there has been an increased
inquiry, and the rates have advanced 8d to is per
cwt., but during the last two days there has been
a quieter market. The stocks, which have been
gradually increasing, are now larger than at this
time last year, the supply in London at the close of
last week being 56,085 tons, against 49,874 tons in
1855. No change of importance has occurred in
the coffee market, but the amount offered publicly
has been comparatively insignificant. Cocoa has
been sold at a slight decline. Rice has ruled dull,
and spices have been heavy. For Leeward Island
and East India rum there has been a fair demand,
but the prices are ld per gallon lower for the
former kind. The Cotton Market has remained
brisk. The Wool sales, which have progressed
throughout with the utmost animation, terminated
on Friday. The advance on nearly all kinds was
15 to 20 per cent. upon the average range of the
previous sale.
The course of the London Stock and Share
Market, during the past week, is reported upon in
Mr. Wm, Avens circular of this day, as follows :
Consols have not maintained the highest price of the
week. On Saturday they closed at 911 to 91 for the
account; on Monday they advanced to 911 911. and for a
moment they even touched 92; but on Tuesday they rece-
ded to 91-?; to 911, whilst at the close on Wednesday the
official quotation was 91a to The rise on Monday was
owing to an announcement that a preliminary treaty of
peace had been signed by the plenipotentiaries in Paris ; and
the subsequent decline, to a Parliamentary explanation
which rather diminished the importance of that statement,
and to the speech of the Emperor of the French implying
an uncompromising spirit in the prosecution of the war
unleis Russia accedes to the principal demands of the Allies.
A demand for Stock has prevailed all the week on the part
of the public, and considerable business has been done on
speculative account. On the whole the tone of the Market
has been good ; and the expectation of peace being almost
universal, it is certain that the state of the Money
Market interposes the chief obstruction to farther improve-
ment, though, under present circumstances, many persons
refrain from contracting engagements from distrust as to
the pacific issue of the conferences. The closing prices last
night was 917 to 1. The next account is fixed for the 10th
April ; transactions have been entered into for the settle -
ment at that date at 924- to 1, yesterday at 91Z- to 92. The
arrangements for the settlement of the March account are
now in progress. The rates of contango are heavy, being
from Ito a per cent. The Railway Market has generally
been firm, with steady quotations, though some stocks have
shown signs of weakness. Great Western of Canada have
declined, in consequence of increased capital being required.
The business of the week has been moderate in
amount; still the public are regarding railway securities with
increasing favour. Business has not been active in Foreign
Securities, but prices are well maintained. Turkish Six per
Cents were done yesterday at 961, and 96, being an advance
of 1/. per cent. since Saturday. The Four per Cent.
Guaranteed are 4 higher than last Saturday,
This morning, money was.m good demand, both
from the Discount Houses and on the Stock Ex-
change. It is now worth fully 61 per cent for short
periods ; and may po.,sibly be even
spausiianlglyle variation of
Cdeoanrseorisbehfaovree
the Consol settlement is fir. ally arranged.
g, they were rather
dy,
opening of the fifb,
ore
firmer
nsueerbqslauti
ecteant
closece ;
vrbii ttuil
than
feaaa:nr
anything,
t3e;
in
the
mar-
ket. Consols opened at 911 to I, the price at which

they closed yesterday, and for a time an improve-
ment of k took place; after having receded to the
original price, they finally closed at 91k to k. In
the early part of the day a slight feeling of gloomi-
ness prevailed as to the issue of the Conferences,
but it Was only temporary, and counteracted by a
report that a son had been born to inherit the
imperial throne of France. Some reports are
gradually obtaining circulation in financial quarters
that England and France will fall into disunion
after peace, on points connected with Ottoman
policy, and that Russia, by skilfully taking advant-
age of them will hereafter attain all her ends,
notwithstanding the power and the sacrifices of
the West to prevent such a result. Consol Scrip
closed LI to 71- pm. ; Exchequer 11 to 74 pm. The
Railway Market has been firm with an improving
tendency. Business is restricted exept for occa-
sional investments; but the tone of the market is
strong, and seems likely to grow firmer. Foreign
Securities are a shade better; but with few opera-
tions in them.

On Thursday next there falls payable an instal•
ment of 25 per cent upon the new 5,000,0001 loan
besides a payment of 20 per cent upon the 3,000,000
loan.

The following were the closing quotations of
Railway Shares :—Caledonian, 58 581. Eastern
Counties, 91; 10. East Lancashire, 71 72. Great
Northern, 924 921. Do. A., 781 792. Great Western,
69 60k. Lancashire and Yorkshire. 831 8:31. Lon-
don and North Western, 991 991. Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 25 251. Midland Stock,
691 70k. South Eastern and Dover, 661,06. York,
Newcastle, and Berwick, 70 77. York and North
Midland, 52 521.

THE IMPERIAL ACCOUCHEMENT
♦

According to the Shippi2; Gazette of Saturday, the
reported news from Paris of the birth of a Prince caused
some sensation in the city. The report, however, turns
out to be premature, though the event is now hourly
expected. In Paris, as the period approaches, a certain

there—prayers ;tor the
)ffered in all the churches

01 her

t y are

Ind it is remarkable to observe

women in humble life investing small sums in penny
candles, to be burnt before a certain altar in every church,
the effect of which, they fondly believe, is to propitiate
Lucina. The Rue Vivienne is thronged by the crowds
who: come to inspect the Imperial baby linen. The
thoroughfare was at times quite impassable.
The Emperor and Empress came together at about
half-past three on Friday afternoon, to pay a visit to the
show rooms of Madlie. Felicie, No. 22, Rue Vivienne, in
order to inspect the layette prepared for the expected
infant. A considerable crowd blocked up the Rue
Vivienne for more than an hour; even after the departure
of their Majesties, people hung about the door of Madlle.
Felicie's house, waiting for the exit from the yard of a
court carriage, which it was fancied had been sent to
transport the cradle to the Tuileries.
It is mentioned as a curious fact that M. Paul Dubois,
who, as I have already mentioned, was installed in the
Tuileries on March 1, occupies the very apartments which
his father, M. Antoine Dubois, entered on that day forty-
five years ago, to he in readiness to attend the Empress
Marie Louise during her confinement. Enthusinatlo
Bonapartists, encouraged by this remarkable coin-
cidence, hazard the prediction that the expected
Imperial infant will be born on the birthday
of the Icing of Rome, March 20. There is,
however, great reason to believe that the event will
occur much sooner. But the believers in anniversaries
may feel consoled by the fact, that the celebrated chesnut
tree in the Tuileries. which is said always to have green
buds by the 20th of March, is, owing to the:very advanced
season, sprouting already, so that there will be room to
argue in any event, that their prophecy has been substan•
tially accomplished,