The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-04 00:00:00

ROBBERY BY A CLERK.

At one of the London police courts. on Saturday, George
Strickland, who was some days ago charged with having stolen
£5 ss, the property of his employers, Messrs. Nottage and
Co., of the London Stereoscopic Company, No. 54, Cheapside,
was brought up for finnl examination. It was proved that the
prisoner had received from another servant of the firm the
amount paid by a customer for purchased articles, and appro-
priated it to his own use, instead of accounting for it in the
usual way, and that he had said to Mr. Nottage that he expected
shortly to be master of £2OO, and he would hand over £5O
of the money if the prosecutor would drop the charge. The
prisoner said the offence was his first. Mr. Nottage said he
was convinced that there was no truth in that assertion, for one
amongst many strong reasons, which was that the prisoner had
been making expensive presents to a young female with whom
he had been intimately acquainted. The Lord Mayor : Is
that female present. .A. well dressed girl, of interesting
appearance, immediately stepped into the witness box, and said
that she was the person. She had, she said, been acquainted
about seven months with the prisoner, who paid her very great
attention, and having regularly proposed for her was accepted,
and visited her father's house as her future husband. One
day, however, a lady called fit the !louse, and having asked for
Mr. Strickland, and being questioned abort her business with
that gentlemen, to the surprise of the family, said that she had
been his wife for the last four years, having married him in
Australia, and that she had two children by him. The Lord
Mayor and Alderman Wire having conferred together, sentenced
the prisoner to the heaviest patliBhront they could inflict—
imprisonment for six mouths,

MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY EVENING.

The accounts received by the Asia, which ariived
here last night, do not seem to have had much effect
upon our Cotton market to day, which was steady,
with sales to the extent of 8,000 bales, one half of
which was on speculation and for export.
The Liverpool Share Market opened with an
inactive feeling to-day, but afterwards hardened
and closed very firm. The transactions reported
were-Caledonian, 31Z, -5-8. Eastern
Counties, 98. Lancashire and Yorkshire, 961 I
Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport, 181. Lancaster
and Carlisle, 681. Ditto New third Shares, Op Lon-
don and North Western, 106, 61. Manchester, Shef-
field and Lincoln, 33, Is: 4 Midland,
82i-1,12-. North British, 10 1-16. Dovers, 211, k, 4.
Blackburn, 6 per cents, 211 I Dutch Rhenish,
k, I, 3-16 p. Great Western of Canada, 241
k. Pacific Steam Company, New Shares, 15d.
The following were the closing quotations :-
Blackburn, 88 81. Chester and Birkenhead,
65 651. Caledonian, 31-1 311. Chester and
Holyhead, 18 181. Eastern Counties, 9 5-16 91.
East Lancashire, 231 281. Great Northern, 23
23k. Ditto 3 Shares, 9i 9. Great Western, 66
661. Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock, 961 96i.
Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport, 181 181. London
and North Western Stock, 1061 1061 Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 338 34. Midland
Stock, 82j 82t. North British, 101 10/. North
Staffordshire, 5 41d. South Eastern and Dover,
221 22 5-16. Scottish North EaAern, 12* 13. North
Eastern-Berwick, 20 15-16 21 1-16. York and
North Midland, 291 30k. Leeds capital Stock, 171-18.
Buffalo and Lake Huron, 1 7-16 lip. Dutch
Rhenish, 3.16 Great Western of Canada,
241 24k. Ditto New Shares, 21 2 13-16 p. Great
Luxembourg, 111 141. Grand Trunk of Canada,
12,1 128.
-
There is no particular change to notice in the
state of the Money Market. Full rates are in all
cases demanded, and even the best descriptions of
commercial paper are not discounted under the
Bank minimum. Notwithstanding the conti-
nuance of the pressure, however, less apprehension
is now expressed with regard to the future, for
although there is every probability of the demand
being sustained, it is thought that the directors of
the Bank of England will not be compelled to
resort to further measures of restriction. It is
sincerely to be hoped that this may prove the
case, for the profits of the commercial classes are
already very much reduced, and the further
addition of a half per cent to the present
minimum would necessarily lead to a con-
traction of engagements. Perhaps if the
drain of the precious metals continues with-
out abatement, however, an alteration may be-
come necessary, but the Heather Bell must now
be near at hand, and the Australian merchants
calculate that upwards of a million and a quarter
sterling of gold is now due from those colonies, so
that, after all, the stock of bullion in the Bank of
England may be maintained at a fair amount.
Previously to the publication of the last Bank
return, there certainly was a very gloomy feeling,
but as that statement showed a slight increase.
instead of -a large falling off in the bullion, more
confidence has since been expressed. Although
the amount of business transacted in the public
funds and securities to-day was not large, there
was evidently a better feeling in the market, and
the closing quotations show a slight advance on
those of yesterday. Consols for money closed at
93t, and for the account at 93* to 931. Three and
a quarter per Cents were negociated at 93/ to 95k.
The London Railway Stock and Share Market
to day was somewhat dull, but as the day
wore on, a firmer feeling was perceptible,
which continued until the close, the following
quotations being then current :-Caledonian, 63411
Edinburgh and Glasgow, 53 54. Eastern Counties,
91 4. East Lancashire, 941 951. Great Northern,
93,1 94-1. Do. A, 78 80. Great Western, 668 Z.
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 961 8. London and
North Western, 1068 A. London and South
Western, 1064 1071. Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, 331 341. Midland Stock, 828 Z.
North British, 40* 41. South Eastern and Dover,
741 I. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 84 85
York and North Midland, 60 61.

•
The grain trade throughout the country is in a
very quiet position. At the various markets held
to-dayonly a very moderate business was transacted,
and in some instances lower prices were accepted,
without, however, inducing business to any extent.
Messrs. Grant, Hodgson & Co., of London, have
just issued their monthly tobacco circular, from
which we glean the following intelligence relative
to the movements in that trade.

With a quiet and neglected market last month, sales
were limited to 640 hhds, viz., 200 hhds Virginia leaf, 90
Kentucky leaf, 150 Kentucky strips, and nearly 200 hhds
Maryland. The sales were confined to very few purchasers,
as the trade generally were indisposed to buy unless as in
need ; influenced, in many instances, by the reduction of
prices of manuflctured goods by a leading house ; and
which has caused great dissatisfaction. How far circum-
stances may have justified this cours3, we are not in a
position to explain. The market most assuredly has not
exhibited any change in character deserving attention, and
holders have seldom shown less diposition to press sales. We
feel reluctant to offer any observations on the future course
of the market, but we may observe, that the latest ad-
vices from the United States, represent prices as extremely
firm, and holders very unwilling sellers, unless at full rates.
It may now be considered more than probable that a very
small quantity of Strips will be prepared this season. The
high rates current for stemming Tobacco at ail the princi.
pal points of operation, being from 10 to 12 dollars, with
labour necessary to prepare it at corresponding rates, will
undoubtedly make Strips stand in at prices approximating
closely to our present quotatiors ; with such a margin for
loss, and so little for gain, it will not be surprising if a
much le s quantity be prepared this season than that of last
year. During the last few days some inquiry has been
made for exportation, but which has not yet terminated in
any transactions deserving notice. All kinds of substitutes
have continued to be freely taken at prices relatively high
with American descriptions,
The following were the closing quotations of the
Foreign Exchanges :
Amsterdam, Short.
2

Do. 'Three Months . ....11 17 „ 11 17-1
Rotterdam •

_ .
Antwerp I f .. , . .
Brussels 9) 25 273 „ 25 321
Hamburg l3 6i „ 13 61
Paris, Short
Do. Three Mouths 25 57 It 25 621
_ _ _
_9

4
, g _
Marseilles „ 25 6714, „25 65
Frankfort „ 119 „ 119 k
Vienna )7
Trieste 59 . . . .
___

.
Petersburg „ • • - „ 373
Madrid
The returns of the Irish banks of issue for the
four weeks ending the 17th January have been
published. It was during the first few days of
this period that the greatest pressure from the
run upon the banks in the south of Ireland was
felt, and the publication of the figures now
before "us has consequently been awaited
with some interest. The system of averages,
of course, prevents the changes from being
in appearance as abrupt as would otherwise be
the case ; but after making due allowance for this,
the alterations either in the amount of notes in
circulation, or in that of the specie on bands,
are by no means so extensive as might have
been expected. Taking all the banks together,
the circulation in the month has decreased from
7,307,3031 to 7,168,6071, and the coin held has
increased from 2,622,6871 to 2,782,7961. The
decrease in the circulation extends to all 'the
banks with the exception of the Bank of Ire-
land. The increase in the coin held is between
the Bank of Ireland and the Provincial, National,
and Northern Banks ; in the case of the Ulster
Bank, there is a decrease of 22,6001, and in that of
the Belfast Bank there is no alteration. The most
material changes are of course in relation to the
National Bank; its circulation is contracted to the
extent of 120,0001, whilst to its stock of specie there
is an addition of 90,0001.
Of the 462,500/. in silver brought by the steamer
Atrato, about three fourths consist of Mexican
dollars. The gold brought by this vessel will pro-
bably he sent to the Continent.
Gold continues to-leave the bank. Parcels to
the extent of 10,0001. are known to have been with.
drawn yesterday for exportation.

IRON SHIPBUILDING.

TO ALL INTERESTED IN THE EXTENSION OP IRON

CONSUMPTION.

Sir,—As yourjournal represents the iron interest
of Great Britain, may I request the favour of your
placing a matter before them which merits their
united efforts to aid its being carried out, for the
ostensibie purpose of developing efficiency in the
mechanical construction of this important branch
of commerce. . _ -

The many unaccountable losses of iron ships
have created a prejudice that ought to be eradicated
from the minds of the maritime community. Your
journal has, from time to time, within the last six
months, pointed out the unsoundness of the
present principle of constructing what are called
iron ships. In order that Great Britain may build
ships for the world, I beg to suggest to the
interest that will .reap the benefit, that they
should come forward and back my ideas
in the construction of a line of steamers
for the Liverpool and New York trade, to be built
in accordance with the principles propounded and
patented by myself, admitted by competent persons
to be the climax in the art of iron ship construction.
This mode of building. efficient iron ships, will
prove to the world the superiority that iron possesses
over timber. The object that has presented itself
to my mind in recommending a line of steamers of
5,000 tons each, to put England and America
within six or seven days of each other, is-1. To
let Brother Jonathan see that he ii used up in
wooden ships, and that to compete with England
he must either send and build his %,hips on this
side the Atlantic. and sail them on English
registers, or else repeal the navigation laws of the
United States, as under existing regulations the
Stars and Stripes cannot be hoisted on board ships
built out of the country. 2. The cost of labour in-
America is against their building. 3 As also the
duty on the importation of iron into America.
Within the last six months, I have been visited by
many gentlemen from America respecting the mode
of constructing iron ships, and from the informa-
tion I have placed before them they unanimously
coincided with me, -that if the Americans are to
be a shipowning nation they must resort to iron
ships. and to do that they must conform to my
previous remarks.
The calculation for such a line of steamers, taken
from data, since steam has been used between the
two countries, justifies my saying it would pay the
annual dividend of 10 per cent., and clear the first
cost of the vessels in ten years
A line of steamers such as my knowledge of the
trade. would dictate to be requisite would combine
increased speed with unexampled safety, and it
is the opinion of some of the first American houses
that they would carry all before them. Indepen-
dent of government subsidy they could not fail
being good property: JOHN CLARE; Junr.

21, Exchange-buildings,
Liverpool, 27th January, 1857.
.Mining Journal, Jan. 31.

Commerrtal Entelligence.