The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-04 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

A bill is under discussion in the House of Repre-
sentatives which authorises Secretary Chase to sell
from 12 to 20 millions of surplus gold in the Trea-
sury, for the purpose of breaking down the high
premium. The probability that the bill would pass
reduced the price one time today to 158, but after-
wards recovered and closed at 159:.

Great speculative excitement exists in the stock
and share markets, and prices generally have ad-
vanced. The closing rates are :

United States Sixes, registered, 1881, 112; Trea-
sury 7.30 notes, 1101; New York Central Railway,
135 ; Erie, 1231; ; Illinois Cantral, 1341.
Cotton, 80c. Breadstuffa heavy, and lower.
Provisions dull. Sugars firm, at 133. to 131 c.
Coffee quiet, and steady.

FEBRUARY 20, 11 A.M.

General Gilmore officially reports to. General
Halleck the capture of Baldwin Florida, on the
9th. He also reports that on the march to that
place he captured 100 prisoners and eight cannon.
Chattanooga despatches of the 19th deny that
General Thomas has moved upon Dalton, and state
that General Johnston has concentrated his forces
at that point, with advanced pickets at Ringgold.
The conflicting amendments to the Conscription
Act by the Senate and House of Representatives
have been compromised by a Committee of Refer-
ence, and have received the sanction of both Houses.
The commutation clause of 300 dole. is retained,
but exemption is to be valid for one year only.
Negroes are to be included in the enrolment, and
are to receive the same pay as the white soldiers.
The Committee of Ways and Means of the House
of Representatives has reported against the bill
authorising Mr. Chase to sell his surplus.
Gold this morning is 59: premium.

The City of Washington takes out 109,000 dols

,n Specie.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
(Per the Olympic.)
NEW YORK, FEB. 18.

Nothing of importance is reported from the Army
of the Potomac. Gen. Meade is still in Washington.
Rebel deserters say that Gen. Leo is making great
exertions to increase the strength and efficiency of
his army, with a view of advancing against Gen.
Meade as soon as the condition of the roads will
permit.

It is rumoured that the rebels purpose a raid
into Ohio, by crossing the Ohio river at the
Greyandotte road. A rebel deserter reports that
troops have been concentrating for this purpose
for some time past.
A telegram from Cumberland Gap states that
on the 12th inst. Gen. Longstreet had his head-
quarters at Morristown, and that his army was
encamped, under marching orders, at Strawberry
Plains. Rebel deserters assert that Longstreet had
been deterred from attacking Knoxville by a lank
of confidence in his men.

Gen. Schofield, who succeeds Gen. Foster, and
Gen. Stoneman, who is to command the 23d Army
Corps, arrived at Knoxville on the 9th inst. The
situation at Knoxville was unchanged. Longstreet
had his railroad working to Strawberry Plains.
Advices from North Carolina to the 13th inst.
state that Major-General Peek had arrived at New-
bern and assumed command. The troops were
working vigorously to strengthen the defences of
the place in anticipation of an attack by the rebel
General Pickett. Wide spread dissatisfaction
against the Richmond authorities is reported to
extend throughout the state.

Twenty-six of the Union officers who escaped
from Libley prison have reached the Federal lines.
They report that they worked for M days upon the
tunnel through which they made their escape. It
is feared that the rebels have succeeded in recaptur-
ing most of the remainder.

The New York Herald asserts that the expedition
recently landed in Florida is intended only to secure
for Mr. Lincoln the three electoral ballots of the
state in the approaching Presidential election.
The Washington correspondent of the New York
Herald says that it is believed in political circles
that Mr. Lincoln will issue on the 22d of February
a " universal emancipation prociamation."

It is reported that the rebel General Morgan has
attached to each regiment of his new command a
negro barber, for the purpose of shaving the heads
Gf all Federal officers whom he may capture, in
retaliation for a similar indignity practised upon
him in Ohio. ,