The National Register.
London, England, 1819-11-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

King of Johanna, as a return for his kind treatment, the Captain
of the Themes declining to bring them away. They all arrived
safe at Bombay on the vist of June.

The state of the Exchanges, always an important
consideration in a commercial country, now derives
an additional interest from the influence they are
supposed to possess on the price of bullion, as
the period is approaching when the first prelimi-
nary step towards payments in specie is to be taken,
in pursuance of a plan adopted by the Legislature,
after a most laborious and patient investigation.—
The subject is already among the leading topics of
discussion in the city, and is viewed with a degree
of anxiety commensurate to its real or imagined
bearings on the general interests of the community.
A continued fall in the exchanges, during the last
three wteks of October, attended with a correspond.
ing advance, which very rarely fails to accompany it,
in the price of bullion, has given rise very exten-
sively to the apprehensiJn, that should this state of
things go on at the existing ratio, a train of evils
must necessarily ensue. The Bank, it is asserted,
cannot obtain gold to the extent required to fulfil
the conditions tithe new enactment, or, if that diffi-
culty is surmounted, may have its whole stock with-
drawn by speculators, ter the purpose of exportation
to the continent. Connected with this state of
things, there must necessarily follow, in order to
prevent bankruptcy, a diminution of the issues of
of the Bank, and, with them, of the circulating
medium, tending to produce a ruinous depression in
in the value of all commodities, and a refusal to
merchants of the usual facilities in the way of dis-
counts. This alarm, we believe, is in a great mea-
sure without foundation. The fore:- exchanges
are influenced by other causes than 7he excess or
diminution of the circulating medium, and princi-
pally depend upon the extent of exports compared
with our imports. At the present mutneut the re-
gular operations of trade are so limited, that the
fluctuation in the rates of exchange are principally
to be referred to the financial transactions of our
great capitalists, to purchases or sales, whichever
turn speculation may . take, in foreign Funds.—
•During the period that the French dividends were
in the course of payment, the exchange in Paris
was high; but when the remittances were completed,
and the payment of the dividends here, with the
opening of the books. that had been shut, led to con-
siderable purchases of French Stuck, the effect was
reversed. Things then resumed their natural level ;
•the.exchanges became steady on Friday week, and
on Tuesday and-Friday last experienced a rise, both
days included, of about one half per cent. i • and
as a proof how directly they are influenced by the
operations of commerce, this rise is attributed solely
to the purchases of indigo made at the late sales on
fureign account, which would of course •be drawn
fur its soon as shipped, and which in value do not
exceed 300,0001. The quantity of gold that has
been purchased by the Bank cannot be correctly as-
certained. It is supposed, however, that their pre-
sent stock does not exceed the half of that which
will be required to carry the new measure into ope-
ration. The rate at which the first issues in gold
bars are to be made is 81s. per ounce, but the mar-
ket price is at present 78s. lid and. there is every
reason to conclude, that the requisite provision may
be made, certainly without loss, and probably with
a considerable profit. The average emount of bank
notes in circulation during the quarter ending the
10th ult., as published in compliance with the pro-
visions of the late Act of Parliament, is 25,326,8731.
In the Stock Exchange speenlation is nearly at a
stand and as three Bank holydays occurred during the
week, the operations of any kind have been few and
iunimportant, and the fluctuations, in consequence
immaterial. The prices however, have advanced;
the rise together is nearly one per cent_ Consols
fur the account left off on Saturiley at•67l. In
Omnium scarcely any bargains were transacted.—
FrenchfStock has also been remarkably steady ; even
the period of the liquidations, which usually stake
place on the three first days of the month, having
passed over without producing any fluctuation. The,
concluding price from Paris on ednesday last, was
7 if. with 24. 25. for the rate of exchange,; in Lon-
don the price is 1-Bth percent. higher.

The I.adies.—The longer a woman Temains sin-
gle, the more apprehen►ive she will be of entering
into the state of wedlock. At 1.7 or 18 a girl will
plunge into it often without tear or wit; at 20. she
will begin to.think:; at 24, will weigh and discri-
minate; at 28, will be .afraid of venturing :at 30,
will turn about, and look down the hill she has as-
cended, and sometimes rejoice and sometimes repent
that she has attained that suminitl—Such were the
sentiments of a philosopher of the year 1600, who it
is evident, :knew very little of the unities.

Tlte•culr presented Li) the the•connty of
Hereford, to T. Foley, Esq. will Hold nearly two gal
lons, is gilt on the inside, and rreh'y chased on the out-
side witii Oft Will cults of oak lea es and Acorns, in :illusion
to the emblanis wont by that gcu►leusau'o friends at his
seettal tiCOLIOti.

FROM FAIRWAY. -vicars GAZETTE.
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