The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-01 00:00:00

Course of the Exchange—This Day.

kmsterdam
Ditto
Rotterdam .. 11 19 11 19.4
Antwerp — 25 65 25 72
Brussels — 25 65 25 72±
Hainburgh — 13 7! 13 St
Paris
Ditto
Marseilles
Frankfort on Maine —• 1191 1194
Vienna

Trieste
Petemburgh
Berlin

12 30 12 40
33i 33,1

Madrid

-• 4 __
Cadiz
Leghorn — 25 85 25 90
Milan — 25 85 25 90
Genoa
Naples - 25 87} 25 90
Palermo — 25 87i 25 90
Messina — 25 87± 25 90
Lisbon —52 a
Oport0...-
Foreign Gold in Bars (Standard), per 0z.... £3 17 v
Mexican Dollars

Silver in Bars (Standard)
South,,American lloublons .. 0 0 0

COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS.

The new year dawns with favour upon the com-
mercial world. Merchants, it is true, must yet pay
very high for monetary accommodation—nearly
double the amount this time twelvemonths. But
even so, a low rate for money does not necessarily
imply national prosperity. Last January the pros-
pect was bedimmed with the Lancashire distress
and uncertainty. The dogged perseverance
of Englishmen, however, carried their enter-
prise to other climes, and no w the cotton
importations from other sources than the old
fields in America, are setting our mills at
work, and although that working be only
for three or four days a week, yet by this employ-
ment how much national poverty will be alleviated,
and if so much has been done in one year towards
relieving us from solely relying upon foreign depen-
dence, how much may we not reasonably expect to
be accomplished when 1865 shall have made its ap-
pearance. The commerce of the country has been
substantially enlarged despite the utter collapse of
the principal branch of our native industry. The
misfortune which the civil war in America en -
tailed upon us served only to quicken our
energies; new paths of enterprise were im-
mediately sought after, and operations comm
meneed. There was no quailing in the hour of
need. The national spirit rose with the emergency,
and like the British pluck that saved India slipping
through our grasp, Englishmen relied upon their
own strong arm, and by their unflagging efforts
have with their enterprise even overtopped the most
prosperous years. Speculation has indeed been in -
dulged in to an almost unprecedented extent, 13.7
negotiable property have escaped the notice of ope
rators at the Stock Exchange, nearly every foreign
loan, and the shares of nearly every joint stock
association were taken in turn and received due at-
tention, but for all that, prudence invariably guided
the transactions, and if certain stock were at one time
unduly inflated, no one has materially suffered. It
was, indeed, natural that with so large an unem-
ployed floating capital speculation should be every-
where active ; in fact, it was the rock upon which
it was thought the good old ship might strike, and
it is marvellous, now that the danger has passed, t,)
learn how skilfully she eluded the shoals.

it. COXWELL'S BALLOON AT WOOLWICH.
--
Every preparation was made at Woolwich Arsentel
yesterday morning for the ascent of Mr. Coxwell's larro
balloon, but as Mr. Coxwell and other gentlemen were about
to enter the car, it was observed that a thick, hazy atm, )-
sphere was gathering overhead which would render the
taking of observations practically nugatory, and the ascent
was therefore deferred until this day (Friday) when it vi ifl
take place at eleven o'clock, from the Royal Arsenal,
should the state of the weather prove favourable. The
balloon is now inflated with 75,000 ft. of gas, and it is in-
tended to make a high ascent, the object being not for
purely military purposes, as on a formes ascent at \Voo 1
with, but to enable Mr. J. Glaisher to make a report to the
British Association as to the state of the atraospltere at
various altitudes about the period of the shortest day, it
being a matter of doubt with scientific men whether the
higher regions are much colder in winter than in summer.
Mr. Glisher has presented Mr. Coxwell with a barometer
bearing the following inscription:— In admiration of the
judgment, skill, and great presence of mind displayed in
the several balloon ascents made from Wolverhampton and_
other places in 1862 for the British Association, this ban ~
meter is presented to H. Coxwell, Esq., by his fell°, Ar.
traveller, James Glaisher, F.R.S."