The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-30 00:00:00

EM!E==''"-

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

The report to be presented at the forthcoming
meeting, of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia,
and China, states the pr,fit for the past year to
have been £70,792, but that tie losses from the
opium frauds at Hong Kong have amounted to
1:50.323, so that the available balance is only
£20,469, out of which a dividend at the rate of 5
per cent. for the half-year ended December last is
recommended, leaving £4,368 to be carried
forward.

The accounts from the manufacturing districts
for the past week have in some instances been
more satisfactory. There has been a larger inquiry
for cloths and yarns at Manchester on account
of the Indian demand, and prices have slightly
advanced. In the woollen districts, however, little
change of importance can be reported—prices re-
maining steady at Leeds, Bradford, and Hudders-
field. The hosiery and lace trades of Leicester and
Nottingham have undergone no change, while
a more cheerful tone has prevailed in the hard-
ware districts, viz., at Birmingham, Sheffield,
Walsall, and Wolverhampton.
The half yearly meeting to-day of the proprietors
of the Bank of Australasia was held to-day. The
report stated that an improvement had taken place
in the business and the profit of the bank during
the past year. The directors intimated that they
intend to extend their business to New Zealand.
They also declared a dividend at the rate of 6 per
cent. per annum, or 243. per share, and a bonus at
the rate of 8 per cent. per annum. or 325. per share,
free of income tax, being together £2 16s. per
share, or at the rate of 14 per cent, per annum.
A new financial institution for the Metropolis has
been announced, entitled the Westminster and
Southwark B ink. The managers are highly influ-
ential, and in their prospectus the testimony of the
utility of the enterprise is circumstantially put
forth, and the great success achieved by the prin-
cipal metropolitan joint banks is referred to as
evidences of the remunerative character of bank-
ing business. The nominal capital required is
£l,ooo,ooo,and the first issue is to comprise 5,000
shares of .1.:100 each, upon which however it is not
however intended to call up more than £25. Owing
to the respectability of the undertaking it is fully
believed that the capital will be easily obtained.

Two o'CLocK.

The Board of Trade returns relating to the trade
of the United Kingdom for the two months
ended the 281 h February have just been issued,
from which it appears that the total declared value
of the exports have been £17.343,731 against
£16,739,114 in the like period of 1862, showing an
Inc, ease of £584,617; the chief increase has been in
beer and ale, haberdashery and millinery, hard-
Wares, linen manufactures, and woollen and
Worsted manufacturers.

The importations of the principal articles were
larger as regards raw cotton, coffee, sheep and
lambs' wool, sugar, tea, tobacco, and wine.
The shipping accounts exhibit an increase i❑
the tonnage of vessels employed in both the foreign
and coasting trade during the same period, fur toe
entry increases and the clearances improve.

A further rise of a per cent. has taken place in
Consols, Consols being 921 a for money and ac-
count. Very little business has been negotiated,
but sales have been eTicted, and considerable buoy-
ancy has prevailed. The New Threes and Reduced
Annuities are last quoted 91 I, being steady. Ex-
chequer Bills are 4s. to ls. dis. ; India 5 per Cent.,
10814 ; and the 5 per Cents, En faced, 114.

Turkish Consolides are the chief centre of attrac-
tion to day in the Foreign Market ; they have been
as high as 49 1, but are now a little flitter on sales
in realisation of profits. As will be seen by the
official lists, the 6 per Cents. of 1854, 1858, and 1862
hive been dealt in at higher quotations. Greek
Bonds have risen 12, viz., to 264 27, while the
Coupons ate t above the quotations of Saturday,
being 11 1. The Confederate Loan is 11 2 prem.
In the Railway Share Market th,i operations have
been limited, and chiefly connected with the half
monthly liquidation, prices, however, have. in some
instances, been a shade flatter. London, Chatham,
and Dover, have declined £1; North Easterns,
ss. ; North Westerns, however, improved 155.;
and South Easterna, 154.

The Foreign and Colonial lines continue dull at
about previous quotations.
Joint-Stock Bank end Miscellaneous Shares con-
tinued in moderate favour, at about previous quo-
tations.

FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3 per Cent. Annuities
India Stock
Ditto 5 per Cent lOBl t
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent ..
D tto 5 por Cent
Ditto 5A per Cent.
Ditto Debentures, 4 per Ct., Oct., 1863 100
1) i,iitioa i...,iii ....
Ditto under £l,000
consols for Account, April 8 92a f
Exchequer Bills, £lOOO, 2,4 per Cent 1 4 dis
Ditto £500

BRITISH FUNDS 'LOSING PRICES,
Chilian 6 Der Cent —
I titto 4-3 per Cent
Ditto Scrip, £4O paid
Evptirtn 7 pet Cent 961 71
Ditto, Second Issue
Greek 5 per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coup ins 253 61 $
Ditto Account 261 7 61 71
Ditto Coupons ll 101 11 12 11i
Mexican 3 per Cent
Ditto Account..... 33 24 34 i
New Granada. 143/4
Dit ti, Deferred

Ditto Land 'Warrants (Hectares)...... 511-
'll,qTl 4i per Cent.
Ditto 41 p©r Cent 1862 ....
Ditto Account

Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto 1862
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, X St

Ditto 41 per Cent., 1850 92
Ditto 5 per Cent., 1862
Spanish 3 per Cent
Ditto Passive
Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded
Turkish 6 per Cent. 1854
Ditto Account . 901.-
Ditto 6 per Cent. 1858
Ditto Account
Ditto, £lOO Bonds 7ll
Ditto 6 per Cent. 1&)2
Ditto Account
Ditto Quarar teed, 4 per Cent lO2
Venezuela, 3 per Cent
Ditto 6 per Cent., 1862
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Italian, 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25 francs —
Ditto Account
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols, Money
i)itto Account 92 4

Yesterday morning Cardinal Wis man assisted
at high mass at the Roman Catholic chapel at
lloorfields, and at the ceremony of blessing the palms, a
proceeding which is always (.bserved with great solemnity
on Palm Sunday. A large number of persons assembled
for the purpose of witnessing the ceremony.

The forthcoming exhibition of paintings, says
the _Reader, at the Royal Academy, is likely to be
of more than average importance and interest. Among the
contributors who hove works already completed are Stan-
field, Roberts, Millais, and Faed. Stanfield will contt ibute
a painting, expected to be one of his most successful works,
under the title of " The Morning after Trafalgar." A. se-
cond will be called ' Dover Castle," and a third is now on
the easel. David Roberts has completed two large works.
Millais will send a work of great power under the some-
what eccerfric title of "The Maiden All Forlorn." F.
Goodhall has two paintings completed, one to be callosi the
"Tambourine Girl," and the second (a picture of a Black
Boy) "The Pipe Bearer." A third is in a forward state.
Hooks also c .ntributes two paintings, "'The Wedding
Party," and "Ua the Shore." Dobson has one " Feed-
leg Fowls," and Elmore one, "A Sister of Mercy." Cal-
deron has also an important picture ready for the Exhi-
bition.

Importing Tea without colour on the leaf pre-
vents the Chinese passing off inferior leaves as in the usual
kinds. Horniman's Tea is uncoloured, therefore; always
goa alike, Sold in packets by 2,280 agents.

aONEY MARKET

A large amount of business was negotiated in the
general discount market today, and the applica-
tions at the Bank of England are understood to be
rather numerous. The current rates for first class
bills continue at 3i 4 per cent.
About £52,000 in gold was taken into the Bank
On Saturday.