The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.
REDUCTION IN THE BANK RATE.

The directors of the Bank of England at their
weekly court to-day have reduced the minimum
rate of interest and discount from 8 per cent., at
which it was adjusted on the 3d inst., to 7 per cent.
This important measure has not occasioned much
surprise, because the recent tendency of monetary
affairs prepared the public for it, if not this week,
on Thursday next at latest. The return to ap-
pear this evening is understood to be
exceedingly favourable es regards the bul-
lion, the reserve of notes, and the " other
securities." Owing to the easier terms lately cur-
rent in the general market, the bulk of the discount
business has been negotiated there, the Bank being
Excluded from its ordinary share. The necessity
has thus arisen for a relaxation, and it will no
doubt give an incentive to commercial and other en-
terprises after the holidays.
_ _

_
About £121,000 in bar gold was taken into the
Bank yesterday.

The last week's railway receipts ascertained up to
this day are in round figures as under :
___

1863. 1862.
Great Western £59,330 £56,457
N orth-Western
South- Western
Brighton . 15,854 17,071
:Midland
South-Eastern
Great Northern

Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Bristol and Exeter

31,614
6,201

North-Eastern

54,259

Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln 16,553
Glasgow and South Western 7,537

14,910
7,800

Scottish North Eastern 4;940

4,688

These returns, compared with those of the same
period of last year, are, with one or two exceptions,
extremely favourable. On the Great Western
there is an increase of £2,873 ; on the North
Western of £7,165 ; on the South Western of
£2,332 ; on the Midland of £2,088 ; on the South
Eastern of £1,318 ; on the Great Northern of,
£6,051 ; on the Bristol and Exeter of £123 ; on the
North Eastern of £679 ; on the Manchester, Shef-
field, and Lincoln of £1,613; and on the Scottish
North Eastern of £262. The Brighton, however,
shows a decrease of £1,217 ; and the Glasgow and
South Western of £263.

Two O'CLOCK.

At Paris this morning (according to Mr. Reuter's
telegram) the 3 per Cent. Rentes were 66f. 35c.
Heavy.
The annexed circular has been issued this morn-
ing--

40, Lombard-street, Dec. 24, 1863.

Gentlemen,—We have to inform you that we have made
arrangements for the combination of our business with that
of our friends, Cunliffes ec Co., of 24, Lombard-street, on
Ist of January next, under the style of Akxanders, Cun-
liffes & Company. The business will be carried on both at
40 and 24, Lombard-street, until the 15th of next month,
when it will be conducted solely at 24, Lombard-street,
until the premises in course of erection at 30 and 31, Lom-
bard •street are completed. Trusting that under the new
arrangement we shall receive a continuance of your favours,
we remain, yours, faithfully, A, St G. W. ALEXANDER,
et CO.

The effect of the reduction in the Bank rate at
the Stock Exchange would probably have ISeen
greater had it not occurred on the eve of the holi-
days. There is naturally a disposition to look for-
ward to the future with increased confidence in
consequence of the altered aspect of monetary
affairs, but the chapter of accidents is taken into
consideration, and the continued diminution in the
stock of bullion at the Bank of France is not lost
sight of by speculators who are in the habit of
taking every circumstance into careful considera-
tion. There is, nevertheless, general buoyancy
prevailing in all the markets, and most of the
favourite securities are at enhanced , quotations.
Consols are about f higher, being 91 I- for money,
and 911 for the account. The New Throes
and the Reduced Annuities are 911 ; and Ex-
chequer Bills, 9s. 4s. die. India Stock, ex div. for
the opening of the transfer-books, is marked 218;
India 5 per Cents., 1061 ; and the Debentures, 99i.
In the Foreign Market increased buoyancy has
prevailed, and business is more active. Turkish 6
per Cents., 1862, are 71 I ; do, Consolides, 4717 48 ;
Mexican, 371 H ; Greek, 25/ ; Spanish Passive,
33f - ; Portuguese, 49 1 ; Italian, 70a a ; and the
Confederate Loan, 37 39.

In the Railway Share Market the operations
have been moderately active, and prices have in
most instances tended upwards. Caledonian, Great
Western, Brighton, and South Western have ad-
vanced 55., and Great Northern A Stock, £1
Metropolitan and South-Eastern, however, have
declined ss.

The Foreign and Colonial lines remain at about
former rates.

Bank and Miscellaneous Shares continue in fair
request at full prices. London and Westminster
realise 80; ; London and Colonial 364 fl ; Crystal
Palace Stock is quoted 331; National Shipping
Company, to 1 prem.; Pacific Steam, 11- prem.;
Contract Corporation, 31 41 prem.; and Consoli-
dated Discount, 11 2 prem.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Bank Stock —
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities .. 94 1
al per Cent. Consols Annuities 9l} i
tiew 3 per Cent. Annuities
India Stock, 1874
Ditto 5 pet Cent. 1870
Ditto 4 per Cent. 1888
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent —
Ditto 5 per Cent
Ditto 5f per Cent
Ditto ditto April, 1864 94
Ditto ditto Aug. 1864 or 66
liank Stock for Account
Ditto Bonds £l,OOO —
Ditto under £l,OOO —
0 onsols for Account, Jan. 7 9ll I 1
I l—
dia Stock for Account, 5 per Cent
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 2t & 3 per Cent 9 4 die
Ditto £5OO .. ells
Ditto Small

FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Attstrian. Bonds, 6 per Cent **
Brazili
alapsit n teor Cent 1859
........
Ditto,—
Ditto,,,,vriiytttola 4a
sn.iAciy)riipie:
1839 and 1859 ..
t., 1852-68-60
per
so: e;
..
Per Cent 931
nos P$ 1863, L3O paid
931
Greek 5 per Ceuts,B"24 A
Ditto, Second 61)1
100 4
Ditto Account ..
18--"'
ex-Coupons —
Ditto Coupons ........... - 26 54 6
Ditto Account.;;;......
...
....
Guatemala 6 per Cent.. .
Ditto Account.
Italian 5 per Cent.(Marenio,
Alexican 3 per Cent ......... ) 784
Ditto Account ........................
Iloorish Imperial a per Cent
New Granada -131 4,
Ditto 2 per Cent. ............... - --..."
Ditto Deferred ...................... 84
Ditto Land Warrants (Hectares) ....
...._
'Peruvian 3per Cent. ......
Ditto Account
Ditto 44 per Uent., 1862
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto Account *—
Ditto 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, 62,'3
Ditto Account ..... . 49A
Ditto, 1863
Ditto Scrip, £l5 paid li pm
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 921
Ditto 4l per Cent 1850 .
Ditto 1860 ..............
Ditto 3 per Cent., 1859 .............. 831
Ditto 5 per Cent. 1862 ..............
ardinian 5 per Cent ............
Ditto Account
Danish 3 per Cent
Ditto Account .. 541
Ditto New Defericd
Ditto Account —
Ditto Passive
Ditto Account 33:1 4 31
Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded .. —
Ditto Account .... 13a 1 i
lveclish, 4 per Cent —
Turkish 6 per Cent. 1',•;54
Ditto Account
Ditto 6 per Cent. 18-is
Ditto A‘teonnt 691
Ditto 6 per Cent. 1 .;(;..:
_l)la° Account 7()Ti 14 1
Venezuela 3 per Cent.
ditto Account
~
2,itto 6 per Cent., 185'2
Ditto Account ..
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Dutch2s per Cent., Ex. 12 Gail 654
Ditto Account* • •
French Rentes, 41 per Cent., Ex. 25f....
!)itto Account
-Ditto Scrip (1863) £l2 Sc. 3d. paid.... pm
Consols TEIREE' O'CLOCK.
, Money 9l 4
Ditto Account ..

Closing
Share
100 ktlantic &St Lawrenc, all 60 t 2
81,S Bom.,Baroda&.Cent Ina
it;;, 1161 1074
Gu. 5 per cent..
20 Do. New
20 Do. E. Shares..
204 Buffalo and Laxe Huron all 6 61
10 Do. Preference
100 I Butralo,Brant,&Godricl,
p. at. bds. Aug. 1, 11;-.:
100 Do. do. July 1, 187 100 - -
100 Do. do. June 1, 18: too - -
st Clcutta.mS.Eastn.(l,,n 100 104 116 106
st Cape Town 2: Dock Scril 100 101 103
stock Eastn. Bengal gu. sp. t 100 ICB 109
stock East Indian. gu. sp. c. ion 107 118
20 Do. do. U Ext..- 15 14p
20 Do. do. H do.
stock Grand Trunk of Canada iuu 20 21 101
100 Do. Ist Pref. Bonds all 73 75
100 Do. no. del erred.
100 Do. 2d Pref. Bonds., all 65 67
100 Do. do. deferred all 50 53
100 Do. 3d P. ef. stock
100 Do. do. deferred all 38 42
100 Do. 4th Pref. sisa
100 Do. do. deferred: all 22 04
stock Gt.lndiaPenin.gua.sp.c 100 1(84 1094
20 Do. New gua. sp. a l2 11 13t
20 Do. January, 1862
stook Gt. South.of India (Lim
guaranteed 5 per cent. 100 1054 1064
204 Gt. W. ot Canada Sharet. all 10 101
204 Do. New -... 18 11 100'.
100 Do. 6 p.c. '73 wlth't opt. all 92 95
100 Do. 54 p. c. do. '77-8.. . all 86 88
10 Indian Branch Limited 2 1 Ir, 24
stock Madras. guar., 5p.0. .. 100 106 107
stock Do. 41 p. o. Extension 100 100 101
stock Do. 14 d 0......... 100 i 6 100
20 Do. Fifth Extension. 2 -- -
stock slelb.Corp. 6p. o. 13nds. 100 - -
50 Melb. & Hobson's Bay. all 57 59 571
100 Do. 7p. c. Mortg. Bds. alt - -
90 Newßr up:smack Canda
Class A and B. all 3 ft
N.ltl.C'da6 pc lat pf bds 100 82 84
stock Scinde 1 (100 106 107
dock Do. Delhi lOO 116 117
so Do. do E 2 3 tp
st Do. Punjaub all 1054 1164
Do. Do. . , 100 -
sock Do. In cins.St. Flo, f i 101 101. 103
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
eald.(iov. p.c.J &J ut)
- 1877-SI ........ 100 115 106 106
- Do. 6p. c. Feb. & Aug 100 .it 3 tl5
- Do. 6p. Galan & Sept. 100 :( 3 It 5
- I Do. Sp. c. Jan.&July. 100 13 84 931 3
- Do. 5 Inscribed stock 100 91 93
- Cape G.Hope. 6p 0,187) 100 106 108
- Do.Ap & Oct. 1880 100 109 111
Do. 189( 100 109 111
- - I
Do. Jan. & July, 1891.. 100 112 114
- Ceylon, N0v.1878, 6p ( 100 110 112
- 'Mauritius 6 per cent .. 100 106 108
- ,Natal Guy. 6 per cont.. 100 VII 110
iN.B.Gov. p.o.J a.&Jul) 100 fO4 106
- Do. 6p. c.Ap. & Oct. 100 -
N. S.W. Gov. 5 p 1,180, 100 100 .102
p. c., 18i to lr;ie 100 101 102
- I Do. d0.,1888 drupwds 100 1014 1024 101 f
- New Zealand 6 p cent. 100 110 112
- jNova Scotia Gov. 6p. c.
- sterling, 1875
- Queensland Gcv. 6p. c lOO l;1 113
- lb. Aus G6p.c.1678.& up lOO 111 113
1094110 91
DVaie.Gloo
13.6.po..ciJuatoJout.i.y
110000
1100071
1110094
BRITISH MINES.
2 'Cambrian Consol. Gold 1 1 Id
- !Wilford Amalgamated.. - 31 35
- ' Devon G. Con.. (Tavist. 1 560 s7O
- East Basisett(lllogan) 3O 18 60 59
1 East Clogau Gold. Ltd. 52. id
_Par
- East Caradon ...... 2.14.6 27 28 275
- East Carn Brea....
- E. WlRussel (Tavistk 8.9.0 554 51 1 1
- IGamASt.Aubyn(Gwen 581 8 10
- ,Great South Tolgus l7s 4 44
- U. Wheal Vor (Helston 40 12 13
- (Grenville..
- herd's-Foot 8.12 17 39
- Ilingaton Downs 4.18.0 24 3'
- ;Lady Bertha -
- !Margaret (tiny Lelact 94 134 16
- .Marke Valley..
4 \lyndy Iron Oro (Lim 24 14 1 era
- New Setun 193 90 100
- • North Downs 24 14 If
Basset (1110 2av 3.1.0 24 3
- North Wheal Crotty .. 2.6.9 4/ 51
- ('am Consols (st. Blaze)
20 Providence (Uny Lelnt. 10.6.7 42 44
- South Caradon(StCleer 11 415 125
-S. Carn Brea (Illogan).. - -
- W heal Fran. (Mogan 11,11,9 60 65
- (Stray Park
5 famar Silv.& Lead Milt 44
- j fin Crort 9 18 19
- I West Basset (Illogan) l4 94 04
-1W Cr radon (Liskeard 5 18 20
- West Seton
- !Wheal Basset (Mogan' 54 85 90
- I Wheal Buller(ttedruth) 5 224 274
- IWheal Kitty (U.Lelant;; 2.0.6 -
WhealLuckott I 3.u.s 1 14
- Wheal Mary Ann ;Men ) 8 114 12
- Wheal Oeton 584 150 160
- , Wheal Tretawney (Lis. 7 21 22
--I Wheal Union 3.17 21 21

PREFERENCE SHARES.
Great Western Orig. 4i per cent. pf., 100 i
Great Western, 4 per cent. irred , 89
Midland 4. per cent. pf. stk. rd., 103

PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS.
London and Blackwall; 41 per cent. stk., 101;2
London, Brighton. 16 per cent., 1858, 105
Metropolitan 5 per cent., 108
Vale of Neath, 41 per cent., 201
LINES LEASED A] FIXED RENTALS.
Chester and!llolyhead,
Ditto, 57per cent., 1151
Midland Bradford pref. stock, 96±
North Western, 171 17
FOREIGN RAILWAYS;
A ntwerp and Rotterdam, 8i
Bahia and San Francisco
(Um.) gull. 7 per cent., 181
Dutch Rhenish, 17i
Eastern of France, 181,-
Namur and Liege, gua. 6 per cent. pf., 201
N. Rail ot Buenos Ayres, gua. 7 per cent., 101
Ottoman (Smyrna to Aidin), 12
Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean, 37
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
Agra and United Service (lim.), 1111
Alliance Bank of Lono.m and Liverpool 431 3
Consolidatedß
Britisha n Dk iot ft
aoi new,d les
Bank, , 218ir
American . 91,
Bank ot Egypt, 26j
t9m.Exlcoh:ge (Um.), 191
East 7
Elningdl
EuropeaniLsho naandnß,odcna
Swedish,
hnh. 1:d311.2.4p.
31
Chartered Bank' of India, Australia, and China, 371 7 a
City, 108 7
imperial Ottoman, 8 lan 2 11
Land Mortgage Bank of India, lim., 11 I
London and Brazilian (lira.), 531
London, Buenos Ayres, anti River Plate, 49j
Londoii Chartered Bank ot Australia, 27
London and County, 5i 17}
London Joint Stock,
London and South African, 264 I •
Loncion and Westminster, 806 j 4 80
National Provincial of England,
.i Water Ditto, ditto, 261
Scinde, Punjaub. and Delhi (Um.), 7 1 7 1
Ditto, new issued, at £1 lUs., 41 3i
MISCELLANEOUS.
Berlin
r Works, lint 94
Ceylon Company,
Crystal Pal„ e«. *
E g uo, nt4el
'An's.tjialian Copper, 1'
Gen. Cr, dit and Fan•in cc 01 Lou 2
London, lim., 61 7 61
sonlnterwitional Society, lim.,
Italian Irrigation (Canal Cavour),
ud ' Ft 191
Ditto, 6 per cent. Bonds, redem. 1870, issued 90, 87 61
Joint -stock Discount, 61
Ditto, new, 66
London District Telegraph (lim.),
London Financial Association, 234 Z
'iadras Irrigation and Canal, 3,,1
Mercantile Credit Association, lint., gi g and 14 for Malley
Natal Land and Colonization Company, im 55
National Discount Company, lim., 9; *,
Nerbudda Coal and Iron, 51
Ditto, new, 11
Rio de Janeiro City Improvements, 271
South Wean I'dortgage and InTet taunt, 61