The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-01 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, Nov. 30.
The usual monthly' auction for the sinking fund
of the Passive Debt took place today.

The prices fixed by the Government were as
follows :—For the Ist class, 41,25; 2d class, 25 ; 2d
class foreign, 33,25 ; personal debt, 22,25.

Tenders were made at 41 for the lst class ; 23,99
for 2d class; and 23,50 for the personal debt. No
tender was made for the 2d class foreign.
MADRID, DEC. 1,

The Epoca of to-day says Spain cannot admit of
any mediation between herself and Peru in the
present state of the Hispano-Peruvian question.

AMERICA.

SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 1

The North German Lloyds steamer America,
from New York on the 19th November, arrived
here this morning with 156 passengers for this
port, Havre, and Bremen, also 151,380 dols. for
England, 184,393 dols. for France, and 2,110 dole.
for Bremen.

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

SUEZ, Nov. 30.
The Simla, with the above mails, reached Suez
at 7 a.m. to-day.

FRANCE.

Two theatrical represesentations have taken place
at Compeigne during the last few days—the "Sal.
limbanque," performed by a number of the guests,
and an entertainment consisting of " Faute de
s'entendre, le Cheveu blanc," and "Finesse du
Mari," by the company of the Theatre Francais.
On Saturday a hunt took place, the rendezvous
being the Etangs de Saint. Pierre. The Empress,
the Princess Anna Murat, and several other ladies
were present at the start on horseback, undeterred
bylthe heavy rain and hail which fell. A shooting
party, comprisi©g the Emperor and a number of the
guests, assembled in the preserves on Monday, and
enjoyed excellent sport.
The France publishes the following, which is
conspicuous from its glaring exaggeration :—The
Russian Minister of Commerce is receiving repeated
complaints, from merchants especially, on the sub-
ject of the continued fall in the rate of exchange,
which is now so lo ,v as 3.16. He is said to have
replied that the fault is not his if the Russian axis•
tocracy leave their homes in numbers for foreign
countries, carrying with them all the coin in the
couretry. It is certain there are now 200,000 Rus"
sian families abroad. Calculating four persons to
a family, and their daily expenses at three roubles,
which is very moderate, the total amounts to
2,400,000 a day, or 876,000,000 a year, equal to
3,504,000,000 francs !

" A private despatch from New York informs
ns," says the Patrie, " that the steam transport
Ardeche had left on thb 14th Nov. for France,
having on board 1,000 men belonging to the Mexi-
can Expeditionary Corps; we also learn that the
steam transport Var had arrived at New York on
the 15th with 1,100 men. She was to con►inue her
voyage to Toulon after watering and coaling.
When the Var quitted Vera Cruz five other steam
transports had arrived there to embark troops,"
The Journal de Bordeaux states that the wine
trade there is exceedingly active at present. The
sales effected during the last week amount in value
to about 25 millions of francs. It is said that one
broker's commissions amounted to 5,000 f. in a
single day.
A detachment of the 19th of the line passed
through Lyons the day before yesterday for Mar-
seilles, to embark for Algeria. Another detach.
ment of the 82d of 200 man and three officers have
left Rodez for the same destination, to join the
other battalisns of that regiment.

The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the
following as the atmospheric situation of Europe
yesterday The barometer,
which for the last
few days has remained at 780 millimetres at St.
Petersburg, has this morning slightly fallen. In
the North of Russia the wind has gradually veered

to the South, and at St. Petersburg the thermometer
has risen materially. On the West of Europe the
barometer since yesterday morning has rapidly
risen from 15 to 20 millimetres. Undtz the influence
of that increased pressure, the rough weather which
on Monday prevailed in the Channel has rapidly
proceeded towards the North, and will shortly dis-
appear. The strong pressures which this morning
prevail on Western Europe, and the fall in the
temperature which accompany
them, are an indica•
tion of some days of fine weather."
A considerable fraud on the oetroi of Paris has

just been detected. Three dealers in wino and
brandy, wishing to procure those articles at a cheap
rate, devised the following plan :—They cut a subs
terranean passage from the cellars of a bowie in the
Rue de Jussieu, and the cellars which they had at
the Entrepot. In this passage they placed two
pipes, one of which conveyed wine and the other
brandy, into vats placed for the purpose, and thence
by the aid of a forcing pump those commodities

were carried to the ground floor of the house, put
into casks, and afterwards carted off for their desti-
nation, thus escaping the payment of the proper
duties. Their plans have, however, been put a stop
to. The commissary of police of the quarter having
received information went to the house in the Rue
de Jussieu, and there discovered the ingenious fraud.
BOURSE, Nov. 30. The reponse des primes
(option) was made at 65fr 71c for the Threes per
Cents., which remain firm and without change at
65f sc. Mobilier are a shade lower, being now at
862 fr 50c.
The Railway Market has been rather
heavy, but without any material change in quota-
tions up to the present time. The market improved
towards the close, and left off as follows :-
41 per Cents 92 75 Italian Loan 65 25
uo. end month.... Do. end month 65 35
3 per Cents
Do. end month.... 65 20 New Mexican .... 50 60
Credit Mobilier..., 901 25 Russian
Do, end month.... 898 75 Austrian
Bank Shares 3490 Spanish Threes.... 411
Credit Fonder 1235 Home Debt
Roman

RAIL

AT&
Cash. Account.
Orleans 843 75 .. 842 50
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean 875 •. 872 50
Southern 583 75 .. 582 50
Western
Eastern ..., - .. 472 50
Sardinian llll 307 50 .. 307 60
Austrian
Low bard
North of Spain
Saragossa ..
Ditto to Barcelona .... 195 .. 198 75

THE GENERAL POST OrICE.--Prelimitaary
notices have been issued informing thu several free.
holders, householders, and occupiers of property and pre-
mises In Newgate-street, St. Martin's-lc-Grand, Christopher-
court, King's Head-court, Three Doves-passage, Angel-
street, and Bath-street, Newgate-street, of the intention of
the Post-office authorities to make an immediate applica-
tion, in conformity with the standing orders of the House
of Commons, for a Bill to extend the General Post-office to
the west from St. Martin's-le-Grand to and inclusive of
75, Newgate-street, and Bath•street. The extension has
been rendered necessary by the pressing demands upon the
controllers for more space, and the growing importance of
the Savings-Bank DeFartmelt.

BLACKIVOOD.-" A Visit to the Cities and Camps
of the Confederate States" is the first article met
with, and will prove a very entertaining paper to
all who desire to become more familiarly acquainted
with the subject of which it treats. The writer was

a " witness of many interesting events," as he truly
remarks, having been present at the bombardment of
Charleston, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, &c. The various
accounts of this period, so rife with historical incident and
exciting adventure, are very skilfully sketched to us ; and
altogether, a more appropriate sketch could not at this
juncture be offered to our perusal. " Tony Butler" is ra-

piJly approaching completion, and the individuals who
have formed the component parts of it are all assembling in

Italy, where the denouement appears very likely to take
place. One of the most amusing passages in the story is
that in which Skc ffington finds himself overreached. The

easy, impertinent effrontery and good-humoured offhand
dishing of the young attache sinks into nothing before the
burly and indomitable insolence of that arch adventurer,

M'Lasky. It is an apt illustration of many an event in
life. The introduction of the Garibaldian epoch, as it may

be called, into the story, serves to enliven it, and imparts
additional interest to the proce-Aings, On the whole, this
narrative presents us in its varied sketches with a good
deal of life, not confined to carpet knights and drawing-
room damsels, but relating to actual characters struggling

on in the jostling crowd, or wearily tracing their way in
the mazes of life's labyrinth. The conclusion of the
"Public Schools Report" brings " Winchester and

Shrewsbury" before us. It is desirable to have
these matters brought before the reader of periodicals in an

attractive and yet a comprehensive form, for it is one of the
social questions of the day which requires solution without
loss of time, whether the course now pursued and the train-
ing put in practice are the most efficient and best calculated
to benefit the youth of this generation. It is also interest-

izg to trace the different customs in vogue at the several

establishments referred to, and the suggestions called forth,

and the information elicited by the searching interrogatories
of the Commissioners. One of the best proposals that seems
to have been made was that of Dr. Moberly, of having one

" grammar" in common for the "public schools." One
remark met with in the course of the various quotations is

worthy of notice. " The schools of England will be good

or bad according to the wishes of the homes of England.'
This is strictly true, and while so much effort is being made
to improve the training of the schoolboy, it is to be trusted
that the important element of home influence will not be
found wanting, for its absence will occasion a blank that no
other substitute can supply. "My Latest Vacation Excur-
sion" is an account of some travels in the Tyrol. It is to'd
in an agreeable style, and may tempt other travellers to
bend their steps in the same direction. " Aunt Ann's
Ghost Story" is rather a novel kind of thing that will
amuse those who delight in such thrilling sketches. The se-
cret is well kept to the end, and the dreary castle in Russia
seems transformed into an abode in fairy land, while the
mystery lasts. Cornelius O'Dowd continues his comve-
hensive observations, and in this instalment we meet with
some striking things. In one of his many disserta-
tions on society and its incidents, ho announces his
discovery of the cause of the disease known as the "par-
sons' sore throat." It is brought on "by men persisting in
preaching in an assumed, unnatural voice." There may be
some foundation in this assertion, and the arguments rela-
tive to it are well sustained. "Mr Ranting" furnishes the
lively satirist with an opportunity of coming down with his
criticism pretty strong, and greatly to the purpose. He ex-
patiates upon the inconsistency of making such a fuss, and
taking up so much time in discussing the question of how
to lose flesh, when so many aro unable to keep body and
soul together, A flue idea is suggested to those desirous of
becoming thin, namely, of providing themselves with a pub-
lication which presents one with the information of cheap
living, This will settle satisfactorily the question in a short
time. An amusing suggestion is made in the course of

these remarks, and that is, should "Bantingism" become
the rage what is the dinner-giver to do ? Will he select
suitable guests for his entertainments, by having one day

for his fat friends and another for his thin ones, or how
else can he adjust the difficulty presented by the fact that
some will not partake of the dishes of an ordinary enter-