The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-21 00:00:00

CITT SECURITIES.

Boston 5 per Cent. Bonds (Divers) ... 90
Montreal 6 per Cent. Bonds 1856-1865... 83

RAILROAD BONDS.
Illinois Central 7 per Cent. Ist Mortgage,
not Convertible 1875... 73 75
Illinois Central 6 per Cent 1875... 70 72
New York and Erie 7 per Cent. Ist Mort-
gage 1883... 98 100
For the principal Railway Shares there is a
weaker market, owing to the flatness noticed in the
English Securities. Great Western, Lancashire
and Yorkshire, and Midland, are the most affected.
Colonial and foreign lines are heavy, but very
quiet.
Mining as well as Banking Shares are supported.
General Screw Steam rule firmer.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ON ' CLOCK.
Pram the °Reif CO,

.iii-on, done.
Bank Stook
per tent.. Reduced Annuities._ .... Sfq 4 3
$ per Cent. Consols Anniaitie%
Nero 3 per Cent. Annuities
Ocn•ols !or Account BBi i
E coheoner 13111 s. 24d
£l000
£5OO •
small 3 7
Ditto Bonds, IssB, 34 per Cent 97A
~
PP 1859
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ()Nit 0'1,1,0 g
Spanish Bonds. 3 per Cent
Ditto I.`' ew Deferred, 3 per Cent.
Ditto Account 2 i 2 11
Ditto Passive 74
Tnrkibh Bonds, ci psr cent
Ditto for the Account
Ditto New 'crip, 4 par Cent.
Ditto Account 3 d
•.svopwets on the &hove navaloe in r.,ndon
Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cent., 12 Gull 64 3i
TWO O'CLOCK.

- 838 i i

Console .y. —
Ditto for the account BBi 881

TEM AFFAIRS OF THR BROMSGROPR AND STODRERIDGB
BANKS.—A final dividend upon this estate, estimated
at 3d. in the pound, was declared yesterday in the Bin
mingham Court of Bankruptcy. Debts to the amount
of between 3,0001. and 4,0001. were proved during the
day. This dividend, with 6d. in the pound already paid,
makes 9d. received by the creditors of the Bromsgrove
establishment. Messrs. Philip and Francis Rufford were
the only partners. In the matter of the Steurbridge
Bank, of which Messrs. P. Rufford, F. Rufford, and C.
J. Wragge constituted the firm, a final dividend meet-
ing is fixed for the 13th September next, when the estate
is expected to realise a further dividend of 7d. or Bd. in
the pound. Two dividends of ls. 6d. and sd. each have
already been declared, making a total of 2s. 6d. in the
pound. The separate estate of Mr. Philip Rufford has
already been realised and divided. The first dividend
was 55., and the second ls. 3d., making a total of 6s. 3d.
The separate estate of Mr. Wragge, which proved to be
far the most productive to the creditors, has also been
divided. There were three dividends—the first of Bs.,
the second of ss. 3d., and a final of 25., making a total
of 15s. 3d. in the pound. A final dividend meeting of
the separate estate of Mr. Francis Rufford is fixed for
23d of January. Three dividends of is., is., and 4d.
each in the pound, and the final is likely to produce
another ls. 6d., thus making a total from the separate
estate cf the late member for Worcester of 3s. 10d. in
the pound. The estates have been realised with great
difficulty, in consequence of the unsaleable nature of the
property, and the numerous questions of legal nicety and
importance, which arose not only between the estates
themselves, but with other parties. It is a fortunate
circumstance that no action or suit has arisen, out of
these various complications, either in Chancery or at
common law. Small as the dividends are, they would
have been much smaller but for a prudent avoidance of
itigation.
" HARD LlNES."—Whence is this expression, as com-
mon, particularly among seafaring men, derived t
S. A. H. —[Line was formerly synonymous with Lot
Thus the Bible version of Psalm xvi., v. 6, is "The lines
are fallen unto m- in pleasant places ; yea, I have a
goodly heritage"—while in the Prayer Book we read,
" The lot bas fallen unto me in a fair ground ; yea, I
have a goodly heritage." Bard Linea is therefore equi-
valent to Iraerd Log—Notes and Queries.