The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-23 00:00:00

ONEY MARKET

AND

COMESILCIILL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

The Bank of England rate of discount continues
at 6 per cent., the direotors at their weekly court
this morning not having consider el it necessary to
lake any further alteration. The requirements of
the commercial public are still large; but, as it is
thought that in the course of a short time they will
be contracted within their usual limits, no surprise
has b:en occasioned by the continuance of the offi-
cial quotation at its present figure. The terms
charged by brokers and others are equal to those
current at the national establishment, and a large
number of applications have consequently there
been made by the mercantile classes,
The committee of the Stock Exchange have ap.
Kited Monday, the 27th inst., a special settling
day in the shares of the London and Provincial
Marine Insurance new issue, in the Miiiwall Iron
Works Company, and in the Otago and Southland
Itlvestment Company (in the latter instance only as
regards transactions entered into on and after the
4th May), all of which are to be marked on the
oflacial lists.

The last week's railway receipts, ascertained np
to this day, are, in round figures, as under:—

1864. 1363.
Great Western
(68.807
£64,599
A
_ orth-Westem
South-Western
Brighton
Great Northern
North EasterB3o 35,210
Lancashire and Yorkshire..
40
61, ,588 53,353 n
Bristol and Exeter .. 8,507 6,839
Midland
South Eastern
Great Eis 'ern
North British

These returns are in most instances of a very
favourable character when compared with those of
the same period of last year. On the Great
'Western the increase is £4,208; on the North
Western, £10,296; on the South Western, £3,995;
on the Brighton, £29; on the Great Northern,
£3,763; on the Lancashire and Yorkshire, £5,620 ;
en the North Eastern, £8,285; on the Bristol and
txeter, £1,678; on the Midland, £5,667 ; on the
South Eastern, £2,059 ; on the Great Eastern,
£2,199 ; and on the North British, £BOO.
'We are informed that an arrangement on equit-
able and satisfactory terms has this day been pro-
visionally concluded for a fusion of the capital and
business of the London Bank of Scotland with the
itlercantile and Exchange Bank. The goodwill of
the former bank will be transferred to the latter,
whose London board will be strengthened by the
addition of five of the present directors of the Lon•
don Bank of Scotland, and its nominal capital
ill by these arrangements to be increased to
4000,000, of which £BOO,OOO will be paid up.
The suspension has been announced of Messrs.
Lawrence and Fry, timber brokers, with liabilities
estimated at £250,000, and which have been ins•
eurred, not in connexion with the timber trade, but
in the execution of railway contracts: According
to the following circular it appears that a satisfac-
tory liquidation is relied upon :--

" 10, New Broad-street, June 22.

"Gentlemen,—We regret to have to inform you that in
consequence of the non-payment of a ♦ery large sum of
money due to us we are advised, after mature deliberation,
to suspend payment.
"We feel justified in asserting, however, that our assets
are largely in excess of our liabilities, and therefore with
the more confidence ask your kind forbearance pending the
investigation of our affairs by Messrs. Coleman, Tarquand,
Youngs, and Co.
" We are, gentlemen, your obedient servants,
LAITRZDTCR AND FRY."

The prospectus of the Lontl on Theatre Company,
which will be found in our advertising columns,
is one that s-...ems to carry with it complete and
certain success, as the want of a superior place of
entertainment in the neighbourhood of King's
Cross has long been felt. Tne object of thc directors
is to erect a spacious and elegant theatre in that
neighbourhood (an admirable site havin g been
already secured), capable of accommodating 2,500
Persons, for dramatic and operatic performances,
and a smaller ono for first•class amateur enter-
tainments and concerts. There are already many
advantages in favour of the proposal, namely, a
densely populated neighbourhood, the absence of a
theatre north-west of the metropolis, the
proximity of the termini of the Groat Northern,
the London and North-Western, the Metropolitan,
and the intended terminus of th© Midland Railway.
The directors also propose to associate with the
theatres a restaurant on an enlarged and improved
scale, for the purpose of supplying to the public
refreshments of the very best description at the
lowest prices, which will doubtless prove a boon to
the public) and a source of considerable revenue to
the company. The capital is fixed at £30,000, in
6,000 shares at £lO each. From calculations that
have been made, very nearly 20 per cent. profit is
anticipated.
The prospectus of the London and Southwark
Insurance Corporation has been leaned, with a view
of affording additional facilities for life and fire in•
aurance on the south side of the Thames. In forming
the company the directors do not profess to base its
Prospects merely upon local associations, yet it must
be admitted that such a consideration must enter
largely into the probabilities of a successful under-
taking. It is certainly curiose that up to the pre-
sent period no great effort has been made in this par-
ticular direction to extend the advantages of insur-
ance, especially as the boroughs south of the Thames
Contain a population of no less than 650,000, in-
habiting 93,000 houses, beside which there are exten-
Bive wharves, warehouses, and manufactures of many
denominations representing a vast amount of pro-
perty and influence.. The promoters of this new
company propose to supply the omission, and with
the talent and energy with which the matter has
been taken up the prospects of complete success is
almost certain. The directors are all first-rate men
of business, and the reduction that has lately taken
place in the rate of insurance deity, will no doubt
secure for them a large amount of business. The
capital is set down at £500,000, in 20,000 £25
shares; but, in the first instance, it is only proposed
to issue 10,000, with a call of £5, as there will be
ne expenditure of " promotion money." The direc-
tors have already secured very eligible offices in the
meat prominent part of Southwark.

Two o'CLocx.

At the Paris Bourse this morning, according to '
neuter's telegrams, the Three per Cent. Rentes
Were quoted 65f. 87c.
The decline in the Stock Exchange markets yes-
terday was followed by a strong relapse through
rumours which for the moment led to the belief
that a peaceful settlement of the war in Germany
had been successfully obtained by the Ministers.
But this morning, however, the painful intelligence
gained ground that the Conference had broken up,
and that war would be recommenced, which ex,
cited further distrust in the public mind, and Con-
sols have gone down 3.16 per cent., the quotations
being 8911 for money, and for the account 891 90.
The New Threes and Reduced Annuities are 341;
Exchequer Bills, 53. die, to par. ; India 5 per Cents.
1041 ; ditto 4 yer Cents., 991; and the Bonds,

53. dis.
A general decline has also taken place in the
Foreign Market, and business is very dull. Turkish
6 per Cents., 1862, are 701; do., Consolides, 47
Mexican 42 431 ; Greek, 23:11 ; Spanish Passive,
do. Certificates, 9f-, 101 ; Portuguese 481 t; Rus-
sian, 871 ; Italian, 6S 624; and the Conted?rate
Loans, 62 64.
Increased heaviness has prevailed in the Railway
Share Market. Metropolitan have declined as.,
Lancashire and Yorkshire 10s., London, Chatham,
and Dover 109., and Midland 155., while South
Intern have improved ss.
The Foreign and Colonial lines chew little or no

chsfir.
Bank end Mi,c,.;llaneous Shs.res remain inactive,
and qe.otations_ in Eomeinstances exhibit less firm-
ness. London and Vcmcznela Bank are quoted 31