The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-05 00:00:00

SHIPPING—This Day,

LONDON, May s.—Wind this day at noon--0;;00
Westerly; light breeze, with fins weather, but a 9-
cloudy.
from
OPP FALMOUTH, May 4.—Arrived—Woodbiney
New York.
for
PLYMOUTH, May 4.—Wind N, W.—Sailed—Eiisa,
New York,
CLYDE, May 4.—Wind N.E.—Sailed—Jane IlenderoA
for Rangoon. for
SHIELDS, May 3.—Wind variable.—Sailed—Enl"l-1
Rio Janeiro.
PORTSMOUTH, May 4. "oufigitWind N.W.—Arrive-"
from Colombo.
FALMOUTH, May 4.—Wind N.—Sailed—Vcrsan, for
Kurrachee. for
DUBLIN, May 3.—Wind N.N.E.—Sailed—Henry,-
Quebec.
SWANSEA, May 3.—Wind N.N,W.—Arrived-0101
Queen, lrora Caldera. Sailed—Tylla, for St. Thomas.

33Y ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

PLYMOUTH, Tuesday Morfliaol.'
Arrived—The merchants' steamship Racoon, CBl3
Harris, from Hamburg for Bermuda.

SOUTHAMPTON, Tuesday Moruiv*
Arrived—Borussia, steamer, from Hamburg; litico9l
steamer, from Havre ; Georges, La Poule, and Le
from Cherbourg..
Sailed—Bristi, for Ramsgate.

- EY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.
ii
GRAVESEND, vre,rxiiPA
Tuesday AP...-
Arrived, May 4—Condor, from Drobach; Ludwig
Elise, from Engelholm. elQy
Arrived, May s—Annie Archibald, from Sydney;
Richard, from Stetting.
Sailed, May 4—Vesper, for Rotterdam; Arab Steeds f
Sydney.
Sailed, May s—Monil Galib, for Bombay; Nil el) eV
itl'
randum, for Mauritius.
DEAL, Tuesday Merld
Passed—Neptune, from New York; Belgravia, fro
cutta--booh for London.

ItONEy MARKET

AND
COMMERCTAT, INTELLIGENCE,

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.
The Commercial Union Assurance Company'e
report, to be presented at the ensuing annual meet-
ing, congratulates the proprietary on the satisfac-
tory position which the office has already attained,
and states that after paying the shareholders a
dividend of 5 per cent., the legal and other preli-
minary expenses have been fully discharged. The
premiums received for the fire department up to
Dec. 31 last amounted to £56,495 15s. lid., almost
wholly derived from home insurances. In the life
department for the eight months ending December
last the receipts were £9,298 2s. 11d., of which
£5,245 Bs. sd. was the amount of premiums re-
ceived on 18') policies assuring £171,300. With
reference to the operations of the Company the
business of the fire branch is stated to be satisfac-
torily progressing ; the premiums received so far
amounted to £22,000, exhibiting a large increase
over those taken in the corresponding period of
1862, while the losses estimated do not exceed
£6,800. The first year of the life branch is now
completed, and the directors state that the pre-
miums received (exclusive of annuity consideration
money) have amounted to £13,869. The marine
branch was opened last January, and the premiums
under this head taken since that time have ex
seeded £29,000, whilst the claims only represent
11.4,700. The whole of the capital called up,
amounting to £225,000, has been fully paid up.
The report also states that upon the allot ment of
shares the directors considered it desirable inantici-
pation of an early formation of local and colonial
boards, to reserve 5,000 shares for future distribu-
tion, but as it is not at present contemplated to
establish such offices, it has been determined to offer
them at par, rateably, to the present shareholders.
The Skara (Norwegian) Silver Mining Company
is the title of a new undertaking just introduced,
under very favourable auspices, to the notice of the
investing public. The object is the purchase and
working of seventeen silver mines comprising an area
of more than 75,000 acres in the district of Skara,
which place lies a few miles to the westward of Chris-
tiana, the capital of Norway. The history of these
mines abundantly testifies to their metallic richness
and to the large revenues they have at various times
brought to the Government exchequer. It appears
that on the separation of Norway from Denmark in
1814, the Parliament of Norway took these mines
under its special care, and worked them with varied
success up to the year 1856, when it was resolved to
divide them into districts and eall in the aid of pri-
vate enterprise. The average annual produce of
the mines worked by the Government during the
past 25 years has amounted to £55,110, while the
expenses for the same term have only represented
£10,910. The company will possess an exclusive
right in perpetuity over all the precious
metals found in the district of Skara
for a nominal rent of about £l6 per
annum, and the arrangements for the trans.
far of the property appears to be highly advan-
tageous, as the larger part of the purchase
money is to be paid by shares, which are only to be
entitled to dividends on the amount called up on the
other shares. The capital is to be limited to
£50,000, which it is proposed to raise by shares of
£2 each, and as the company, as already stated,
succeeds to the right of the original grant from the
King of Sweden and Norway, there is every likeli-
hood of its being early and fully subscribed.
A firmer tone is apparent in the general discoun
market, owing to a slight increase of business.

Rather less activity has prevailed Two O'CLOCK.
to-day in the
market for the English Funds, attention being so
much directed to the foreign department, where busi-
ness is exceedingly animated. The high range of
quotations now current in the English market
tends to check speculation for a rise, but numerous
purchases are nevertheless effected, and buoyancy
is consequently experienced. Soon after business
commenced this morning thera was a rise in
Consols of k per cent, namely, to 93i 94 for
money and the 7th instant, and to 94 k for the ac-
count. This advance, however, has been followed
by sales in realisation of profits, and a reaction has
occurred to 931 4, and to 934 94 respectively. The
New Threes and Reduced Annuities remain firm at
921 e ; a few transactions have taken place in the
New 2; per Cent. Annuities at 771, and in the 30
years ditto at 14 13-16ths, 15-16 tbs. Indian
descriptions also coniinue at steady quotations, the
5 per Cents. Loan being quoted at 109 f 1101; and
the Bonds at 17s. prem.; Exchequer Bills are with-
out alteration at ss. to Bs. prem.
The Foreign Department again presented a very
animated appearance, and quotations have continued
to fluctuate to some extent. Turkish 6 per Cents.,
1858, have improved to 70/ 4 ; do., 1862, to 71 f ;
do., Consolides, to 53! t; Greek, to 32k a ; do.,
Coupons, to 15 k ; Mexican, to 361 I; New Grenada
are 166 17k; do. Deferred, 98 1O9; Peruvian, 89
90; Portuguese Scrip, 51- Q prem. ; Russian, 931 2 ;
Spanish Passive have receded to 36/ ; do., Certi-
tificates. to 11f 4 ; and Italian are 72 I. The Con-
federate Loan is 11 t prem.
Increased firmness has prevailed in the Railway
Share Market. Caledonians and Great Westerns
have improved 10s.; Bristol and Exeter, 15s. ;
Midland £1 ; Great Northern £1 55.; and London
and Brighton, £2.
The Foreign and Colonial undertakings have
continued in fair request at steady pricks. Dutch
Rhenish realised 17 ; Recife and San Francisco 17 ;
Great Western of Canada, 111 llt; East Indian,
1091 110; Great Indian Peninsula, 1101 ; and
Punjaub, 108.
Joint Stock Bank and Miscellaneous shares are in
some instances at slightly higher prices. City
Bank realised 100 f ; Bank of Egypt, 304 ; London
Chartered of Australia, 281-, ; Peninsular and
Oriental Steam, 77; and Van Diemen's Land, 164
BRIr

...itITISH FUNDS CLOSING PRICES.
Bank Stock, ...
233
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3 per Cent. Annuities
New 25 per Cent. Annuities...
Annuities, 30 yrs, expire Ath Jan., 1880
IDitto for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885. 14 13-16 15-16
ndia Stock .................. --
Ditto 5 per Cent .................... 110 k
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent ...... 95
Ditto 6 per Cent .......... 107 k
Ditto 55 per Cent
Ditto Debentures, 4 per Ct., Oct., 1863 10ok
D.tt., Bonds £l,OOO
Ditto under £l,000
Consols for Account, May 7 94 34
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO 21 per Cent 8 5 4
Ditto £5OO
Ditto Small 8 5
FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Danish 4 per Cent., 1863
Ditto Scrip, £65 paid.... Equador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent ipm
174
Egyptian 7 pet Cent,
Ditto, Second Issue ....... .
Greek 5 per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coup,ms — Ditto Account.
Ditto Coupons ................. .
Italian 5 per Cent. (Maremmana Railway) 775
Mexican 3 per Cent ....
......
Ditto Account 37 65 71 61
5 11
New Granada
4
9 I 10
Ditto 2 per Cent ... 33
5
Ditto Deferred lOl
Ditto Land 'Warrants (Hectares) 7}
Peruvian 45 per Cent.
Ditto 45 per Cent, 1862
Ditto Account
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto Account 491
Ditto 1862
1
Ditto Scrip, £3O paid 5l 4 Pm
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 9ll
Ditto Ditto 4
4ti per Cent. 1850
per C t 1860
saDmiitnto4 • .. 93
P:pr Cenetn. 1862
Ditto 4 per Cent. ........
S
pan.,. , per
.. 874
Diit:Nper ('cut
Deferred .. —
Ditto _
A:fount
Ditto pammve
Spanish epret.
t. 1854 - i
Zfe-C1:.1.1; ..... funded .... 114 1211115 12 114
Ditto Account .
Ditto 6 per Cent..lBs
88
DittDitto Account, .... 8
o, XlOO Bonds
-jitto 6 per Cont. 18Gi
Ditto Account
Ditto GuaraLteed, 4 per..C'en.t
Venezuela, 3 per Cent .......
245 4
Ditto Account
Ditto 6 per Cent., 1862 ....... •
...
Dividends on the above payabi;i2a A 51
Dutch 2! per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates
Italian, 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25 francs__
Ditto Account
...... EE724OkCLOCIi.
2'.
0011801S' Money
Ditto Account