The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-22 00:00:00

ON Y XARKET

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE

CITY, TWELVE 0 CLOCK.
There is a ratter lees favourable feeling in the
discount market this morning, consequent upon the
adverse movement exhibited in the Bank return,
and 7 to 7; are the quotations for first-class bills
having only a short period to run.
The Bank of England return for the week to
Wednesday last presents some very unfavourable
features. The bullion and reserve of notes are both
smaller, and the other securities have experienced
a further increase, notwithstanding the large sums
paid to the authorities by parties who were com-
PePed to borrow daring the period of the "shutting
of the transfer books." The following are the par-
ticulars :

Active Circulation
Decrease ..
Bullion ..
Decrease ..
Rest - -

.. £21,141,675
.. 114,545
.. 12,743,302
.. 337,098
.. 3,195,300

•• ••
Increase ..
Public Deposits .. • •
Decrease .. • •
Other Deposits.. • • • •
Increase .. • • • •
Seven Day and other Bills ..
Increase .. • • • •
Government Securities • .

31,143
.. 5,787,329
.. 142,953
.. 13,684,069
• • 98,040
.. 331,103
• • 1,731
.. 11,022,267
No alteration,
.. 20,476,912
.. 210,874
.. .. 5,564,845
.. .. 205,880

Other Securities ..
Increase .. • •
Notes Unemployed ..
Decrease .. • •

The committee of the Stock Exchange have fixed
Monday next for a special settlement in the shares
of the Thames Iron, kc.,Company, dealings in which
Are to be recorded in the twice-a-week list.

It has been announced that Mr. Thomas Barker,
of Lloyds, has been appointed underwriter for the
National Provincial Marine Insurance Company.

Business in the Foreign and Colonial Produce
Markets during the last few days has been rather
More active. The public sales of Indian teas have
gone off with more animation, and prices have
slightlyimproved. Sugars have been in steady
demand, at an advance of 6i to is per cwt., but
coffee has remained inactive, and declined about is
per cwt. In rice, fruit, cocoa, and spices, the opera-
tions have been moderately active, at about previous
rates, but increased depression has prevailed in the
tallow market, and prices have shown a further
decline.
The directors of the Agra and United Service
Bank, have convened a meeting of shareholders, to
obtain the sanction of the latter to the purchase of
the business and premises of Messrs. Masterman,
Peters, Mildred, and Co., and to the proposed
change in the name of the undertaking to " Tht
Agra and Masterman's Bank (Limited)." Power will
also be obtained for increasing its capital to
£3,000,000, by the issue of 20,000 new shares of XV
each ; it is arranged that 10,000 of these shares shall
be offered to the proprietors of the original stock in
the proportion of one new for every two of the old
shares held on the 15th May next at a premium of
£3O, to be paid together with £25 within six
Months. The remaining shares are to be dealt
with as the directors may deem most desirable.
Application is to be made to Parliament to enable
the Board to divide the original £lOO shares into
others of smaller nominal amount.

An important undertaking, brought forward to-
day for a capital of £1,000,000, is the British and
South American Steam Navigation Company, which
is to establish a line of steam communication
between England, Brazil, the River Plate, and
the West Coast of South America, ma the Straits of
Magellan. Operations are to be commenced with
mix screw steamships of 2,200 tons and 300-horse
power each, leaving Liverpool and Falmouth every
month, calling at Bahia, Rio Janeiro, and Monte
Video, and thence proceeding via the Straits of
Magellan to Valparaiso and Lima. It is stated
that the Chilian Government has long desired such
a line, and some years ago offered a subsidy for the
purpose, and strong hopes are now entertained that
some liberal concessions will be obtained from the
Chilian, Peruvian, Argentine, and Brazilian Go-
vernments. The services of a firm well acquainted
with the trade and the management of screw
steamers have been secured on advantageous terms.
Details are given in the prospectus of the trade be-
tween this country and South America, all tending
to show the large and profitable field existing for
the operations of the company.
The increase in the importation of foreign cattle
into this country, and the very scandalous way in
which this importation has been accomplished,
added to the disastrous results that have occurred,
yin., the deterioration of stock, as well as the im-
portation and propagation of disease into our own
tattle, has at length aroused from the old systems a
few of them:, most directly interested, in a pecuniary
sense, and, to a certain extent, the public mind, to
the importance of devising, and at once, efficient
iremedies for this long existing evil. At a meeting
held the other day a number of importers fine
dealers met to eommemorate the opening of a new
and more speedy route from Holland via Thames
Iliven, and ander more humane arrangements, and
after the statement of one of the speakers, we Can-
not but conclude that this event comes somewhat
tardily. Mr. Gtblett, in proposing the health 9t
the importers of cattle, pointed out that the ques-
tion of cattle supply from abroad was becoming
'ore and more important every day. Already
'there had been imported this year 109,000 head of
cattle, 448,000 sheep, and calves and pigs in pro
Portion, and he believed that if facilities were not
given to the import trade, the effect would be an
increase of something like 4d. per lb. on the price
of meat. It was, therefore, their interest to use
every means for the conveyance of cattle brought to
our shores to the London market as speedily as
Possible. Since the above meeting was held a new
'company has been started to carry still further, and
on a much more extensive scale, the importation of
foreign cattle, not only from Holland, but from the
whole of Southern Europe; and considering that
1,500 head of cattle are daily imported into London
from the Continent, there is ample scope for the
operations of such a company. It is pleasing to
find that this courkeany propose to give a special
attention to the sanitary arrangements of their
1321 eans of transreort, and to provide at all ports suit-
fable conveniences for the care and rest of the stock
,on route to Vile markets, in fact, to carry out the
;spirit of the new Act now passing through Parlia-
ment. In reference to the pecuniary prospects of the
*European Cattle Importing Company, from calcu-
lations which have been made by experienced men,
a profit of some 25 per cent. will, they expect, be
the :result of the trading of this particular company.

Two o'CLocx.

At Paris this morning, according to Renter's
telegrams, the Three per Cent. Rentes were 67f. 500.
In. demand.
There is a continuance of dulness in the market
or Public Securities, and the quotations aro un-
altered. Consols for transfer are 911 I, and for the
account 911 I. The New Threes and the Reduced
Annuities are 8911 ; Exchequer Bills are marked
43* die.; India 6 per Cents, 1051; Enfaced 5i per
Cents., 11:21; andithe Debentures, 1866, 991• Bank
Stock is "238 240; and India do., 218.
In tb e Foreign Market there is a decidedly
firmer ttme, and business is rather more active.
Turkish 6 per Cents., 1862, are 711; do., Cansolides,
621 Mexican, 451 46; ; do., New Loan, par
Prem., ; Greek, 24! 25e ; Spanish Passive,
" ; and the Confederate Loan, 541 55/.
"Udell ogs have also taken place as follows :—Brae
zilian 4-1 per Cents., 1852-60, 901 ; do., 1863, 871 ;
'4037p1i an, 1001 101 ; Portuguese 3 per Cents.,
1858 6,3, 481 49; Itussian 5 per Cents., 1862, 871 ;
, venezttelan 3 per Cents., 221; do., 6 per Cents.,
678 a ; and Italian, 68k.
In the Railway Share Market the dealings have
not been very numerous. Great Eastern, Brighton,
North Eastern (Berwick), and South Eastern, how-
ever, have each improved ss. ; white Midland has
declined 10s., and Metropolitan £l.
The Foreign and. Colonial lines exhibit little
Change of importance.
Bank and Miscellaneous Shares also have re-
Mained very inactive. Union of. London have ire-
Ilreved to 532 ; while London and Westminster has
eolino to 901; Igornatizal Financial realito