The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-11 00:00:00

MONEY AND CITY NEWS.

(FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAT.)
TIME S.—lt ought to be generally known to the mercan-
tile world, that an arrangement is in existence by which any
one can pay duties amounting to not less than 1001. to the
account of the Receiver. General of Customs, by checks on a
private banker. The checks are received at the bill-office of
the Bank, and after presentation for payment, the receipt of
the money is intimated at the Custom-house. This saves all
the risk of sending money through the public streets. and
enables the party paying the duty to trace any irregularity
more effectually than when payments are made at the Custom-
house. The Bank of England also receives cash for duties
in the drawing-office, and intimates the receipt to the customs.
The payments to the Bank are communicated to the Custom-
house daily, at half-past ten and half-past one o'clock. Money,
or checks on the Bank of England, only require to be paid in
immediately before those hours ; but if the payment is made
by checks on private bankers, they must be paid in a sufficient
time before to be in cash by the respective hours.
The mercantile community have a right to expect that the
Commissioners of the Customs should give every publicity to
such a very useful arrangement; and it might be improved by
receiving the checks at the Custom-house instead of the
Bank, and keeping back the warrants for the delivery of the
goods until apprised of the checks being paid.

CHRONICLE.—Affairs in the English Stock market
continue to present a very satisfactory appearance, and prices
are fully maintained without any very extensive business
going on. Money is abundant, which necessarily tends to
keep up the quotations. Consols closed at 944 to f. Ex-
chequer Bills remain at 665. to 68s. prem., and Bank Stock
at 2024 to 2031.
Spanish and Portugudso Securities underwent a further
improvement in the early part of the day, but afterwards re-
ceded, and left off rather heavy. In the other foreign stocks
there was no alteration. The following were the last prices :
Spanish Active, 17k to 4 ; Portuguese Five per Cents., 33 to
; ditto Three per Cent., 214 to 4 ; Belgian, 994 to ;
Dutch Five per Cents., 1024 to 1; ditto Two-and-a-Half
per Cents , 74-1- to ; Brazilian, 77 to 78 ; Colombian, 22f
to 23f ; Mexican, 24+ to i; and Peruvian, 17 to 18.
There is nothing new to remark as regards the Share Mar-
ket. Birmingham (old), closed at 77 to 79 prem. ; ditto
(new), 23:1 to 24,-i prem. ; Southampton, 444 to. 454 per
share ; ditto (new;, 194 to 204 prem. ; Great Western, 14 to
15 prem. ; Leeds and Manchester, 19 to 21 prem. ; Birming-
ham and Derby, 9 to 8 dis. ; Brighton, 34 to 3 dis. ; Black-
wall, to l 4 dis. ; Croydon, 13 per share; ditto (new), 2
dis. ; and Greenwich, 164 to 17 per share.
The voluminous accounts in the papers have almost wholly
forestalled the contents of the letters at Lloyd's and else-
where, respecting the late hurricane; but we regret to say,
that nearly all the particulars as to the loss of life and pro-
perty have been fully confirmed, while it is feared that the
advices from the west of Ireland and the North Sea will add
greatly to the list of sufferings. The underwriters at Lloyd's
and the various Insurance-offices will be heavy sufferers we
understand.

POST.—The Great Western Railway Shares were again
done at the advance realised yesterday after the meeting of
shareholders, namely 13 to 14 prem. Some business was,
indeed, done in them at the still higher value of 14f prem.
The result of the ballot has terminated in the way that was
anticipated, the majority of votes being decidedly in favour of
Mr. Brunel and the Board of Directors, and this has evidently
had some effect on the market. London and Birmingham
left off at 87 to 8 prem., London and BriAliton at 3e to 3
dis., and British Iron Mine at 11 to per share.
The Liverpool papers state the loss" of the New York
packets Pennsylvania and St. Andrew, the reported wreck of
which vessels is confirmed, at from 400,0001. to bOO,OOO/ , but
this is considered here as a great exaggeration. '1 he value of
the two cargoes cannot, it is conceived, much exceed 100,0001.
each, unless they include some amount of specie, which is not,
e believe, the case.

E R ALD.—For many years we do not recollect so much
anxiety being displayed amongst our mercantile and maritime
interests as that which has been exhibited to-day respect-
ing the dreadful d'sasters by the late gales on the coast
of Lancashire, and in the Irish Channel. The losses at Lloyd's
are estimated at full half a million; but we have seen no de-
tails upon which reliance can be made, to any extent, beyond
those which have already appeared in this journal.
Commercial advices from Canton, to the 26th of August,
mention that the Chinese Admiral had made an ample apology
to Admiral Maitland for the insult offered to the British flag,
and that, in consequence, the British Admiral had returned to
his anchorage in Tung Koo Bay. Trade at Canton had rather
improved, and British manufactures were rather more in de-
mand, but cotton yarns were dull, as large importations were
anticipated. Very few new teas had arrived, and no prices had
been fixed. Of the Nankin silk crop, from 600 to 800 bales
had arrived, but few sales had been effected. The exchange
cn London was 4s. 6d. per dol. to 4s. 7d. at six months. In
other respects there were no alterations of moment.
Yesterday we intimated in a very brief manner, that the two
Committees of Madras and Calcutta had cordially united in
promoting the great cause of steam communication between
this country and our East Indian possessions.
The average price of wheat, for the week ending the 4th in-
stant, amounts to 80s. 2d. per quarter, and the aggregate for
the past six weeks is 775. 3d. per quarter, a rate of price which
has only been caused by vicious speculation, which has been
promoted by the present graduated scale of duties—a scale
which admits foreign untaxed corn-growers to an unfair com-
petition with the heavily-taxed British corn-growers in these
markets, without bettetit'ing the public revenue, whilst the lat-
ter might have been increased, and the British corn-grower
more effectually protected, if the import duty had been fixed at
153, per quarter on wheat, and so on in proportion upon other
kinds of grain, and the rate and present speculation in corn
would have been checked,

Rather more business has been done in the British Funds to-
day, but the quotations have not particularly altered.

On Plough Monday, after swearing in the officers
at Guildhall, the Lord Mayor entertained the household
and gentlemen connected with the public offices of the Cor-
poration. The dinner was served up in the style of olden
r"cril‘-(''dll)3e''light of the yloluethpfuhlancotams:
time—the Marshalrnan placing the two first dishes of each
course on the Lord Manor's table. In the evening the
of the
formallyin aht
y thee
ijlnotswruobctriarebo:cii
Lady Mayoress gave a juvenile ball and twelfth-night en-
tertainment. The party consisted of the younger branches
of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress's families, together
with those of come of the first families in the City, and
Yl;:ersrecesyseral exhibitions and
:everal from the west-end
ai; i:om,
ght;h:rsoe:o:Lnmueor:nrgatd;!:dl\4lllli,ian:)ls;t:hr;a:dtrrii c;r:te)L:patttclii:ay,
IPitannt:o'.ri a. 'lwr
a,
Brownst he n cinPtnitrep`,l,!do! aadj`ndt'aMtiFfi.9• Richardson, the
flute-Pl4ye., and ,Ir, Hudson, the comic-song writer and
singer, greatly added to tile entertalnu4eois or` slie. eveniog.
A %wry elegant ball anti supper followed, and the party
broke up at half-past twelve.