The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-28 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

TWELVE O'CLOCK.
ADVANCE IN THE RATE OF DISCOUNT.
The minimum rate of discount at the Bank of
England has been raised from 6 to 7 per cent. This
advance has not occasioned any very great surprise,
although its adoption was not considered so likely
as during the two preceding Court days. At the
present time when money is required to provide for
past engagements, the commercial classes can less
afford to pay onerous terms for monetary accommo-
dation.

The progress of business in the tallow trade is
thus reviewed by Messrs. F. J. Smith and Charles :
—" In consequence of the holidays, there has been
little or no business doing for the last few days."
The last week's railway receipts, ascertained up
to this day, are in round figures as under:—

1865. 1864.
Great Western ... £81,408 £75,357
North Western ... 135,713 120,570
South Western. ... ... 29,762 26,170
Brighton ... ... 20,750 18,638
Midland ... ... 56,706 53,553
Great Northern ... 46,474 40,818
Lancashire and Yorkshire ~. 43,788 37,306
Bristol and Exeter ... ... 8,559 7,651
North Eastern 75,665 65,697
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln 22,054 18,491
Great Eastern ... 40,042 86,823
London, Chatham, and Dover ... 10,346 8,194

These returns, when compared with those of
the corresponding period of last year, are generally
of a very satisfactory character. On the Great
Western, there is an increase of £6,029 ; North
Western, £15,143 ; South Western, £3,592 ;
Brighton, £2,112 ; Midland, £3,153 ; Great
Northern, £5,656 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire,
£6,482 ; Bristol and Exeter, £9OB ; North Eastern,
£9,968; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, £3,563;
Great Eastern, £3,219 ; and London, Chatham, and
Dover, £2,152.

Two o'CLocK.

According to Reuter's telegram the French
Three per Cent. Rentes were quoted at 68c. 12c.
Flat.

A decline of per cent. has taken place in the
value of the Funds, consequent upon the advance
in the rate of discount. Consols for money are
874 1, and for the account 871 1. The market
presents a very inert and depressed appearance.
The New Threes and Reduced Annuities ars 86, j ;
Exchequer Bills, 6s. to 3s. dis. ; India 5 per Cents.,
1021 4 ; Bank of England, 245.
Foreign Stocks have not undergone any material
alteration. Turkish 5 per Cents. are 421 1 ; Mexi-
can, 241; do. New, 221 ; Greek, 151 16 ; Spanish
Passive, 271 4 ; the Certificates, 14f 1; Italian,
64* 1 ; the Confederate Loan, 61 7 ; and Brazilian
Scrip, 11 1 prem.
United States Government 5-20 Bonds are 6411;
Erie shares, 561 57 ; and Illinois, 801.
The operations in the Railway Share Market have
been very limited and chiefly in connection with the
settlement. In some instances, however, there has
been more firmness. North Eastern (Berwick),
Midland, and North Western have each improved
155., and Great Eastern 55., while South Eastern
declined ss.

The Foreign and Colonial lines remain without
change of importance.
Bank and Miscellaneous Shares generally remain
at about former rates. British Commercial Bonds
of Mexico are quoted 65 70 ; English and American
Bank, 11 2 prem. ; Atlantic and Great Western
Railway Mortgage Bonds, 1} prem. ; Charles
Lafitte and Company, 21 2 prem. ; and London
Steam Towing Company, 1f 2 prem.
The following alterations have been made in the
allowance of interest on the deposit accounts by the
discount establishments, viz., from 4f to 5 per cent.
for money at call ; from 5 to 5} per cent. for seven
days' notice of withdrawal ; and from 5f to 6 per
cent. for 14 days' notice.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
B per Cent. Consols
Do. Account, Jan. 9
8 per Cent. Reduced B6 1
New 3 per Cent B6l 1 1
New 2} per Cent. Jan. 1894 —
Do. 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873 —
Annuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jin" 1880 13 11-16
Do. for 30 yrs, aspire sth April,lBBs l9l
Do (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 —
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 3 per Cent. 3
Do. £5OO 6
Do £lOO and £2OO
Bank of England Stock, 5 per Cent
Do Account —
INDIAN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
Indian Stock, 10} per Cent., AprillB74 —
Do Account
Do. 5 per Cent. July, 1870
Do. 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888
Do. Certificates —
Do. Enlaced Paper 4 per Cent —
Do. 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872
Do. 51 per Cent., May 1879 —
Do. 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 —
Do. Bonds, £l,OOO —
Do. under £1 000
FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent, 1859 —
Brazilian 5 per Cent. —
_ Do. 41 per Cent., 1852-58-60
Do. 1863
Do. 1865
Do. Scrip, £25 paid
Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent —
Do. Account —
Do 1 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent )
Chilian 4} per Cent
Do. 3 per Cent
Colombian 6 per Cent. —
Cuba, 6 per Cent.
Danish 3 per Cent., 1825 —
Do. 4 per Cent., 1863 —
Do. 5 per Cent., 1773-77, £25 paid —
Danubian Principalities
Do Account —
Equador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent —
Do., Provisional Land Warrant --
Egyptian 7 per Cent —
Do., Second Issue
Do £lOO Bonds
Do. 1864 9ll
Do £lOO Bonds
Greek 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons
Do. Account
Do. Coupons
Do. Account
txuatemala 5 per Cent.
Do .£B6 paid —
Do. 1839 and 1850 —
Italian 5 per Cent, 1865
Do. Account
Do. Maremmana Railway
Do Scrip, £671 paid
Do 5 per Cent, 1864
Mexican 3 per Cent
Do. Account
Do 1864

~ 24
24}
~ 221

Do 6 per Cent. Anglo-French
Do French Scrip, Ex. 25f 20c
Montevidean 6 per Cent., £3O paid —
Moorish Imperial 5 per Cent
New Granada
Do 2 per Cent
Do Deferred —
Do Land Warrants (Hectares)
Do. 6 per Cent, 1864 —
Do Guaranteed, 4 per Cent —
Peruvian 41- per Cent
Do. Account
Do Scrip, £45 paid, paid in Bonds
Do 3 per Cent. (Uribarren) —
Do 4i per Cent., 1862
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Do 3 per Cent, 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3,
Do. Account —
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 9O
Do 4/ per Cent. 1850
Do 4i per Cent., 1860 .
Do 3 per Cent. 1859
Do 5 per Cent. 1862 —
Do 5 per Cent. 1864 —
anrclinian 5 per Cent
~ Do Account
Panish 3 per Cent
Ditto account ~
Do New Deferred —
Do Account
Do Passive 271
Do Account
Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded
Do Account
IsWedish 4 per Ceut.
Do 41 per Cent. 1864
Turkish.,, 6 per Cent. 1854
Vo Account
uo 6 per Cent. 1858
Do Account
Do £lOO Bonds
Do. 1/ per Cent
Do 6 per Cent. 1862
Do Account —
Do £lOO Bonds 72 1
Do 6 per Cent., 1863 —
Do 5 per Cent. 1865 —
Do Scrip, £35 paid
Do Account
Do .61C0 Bands —
Do. 4 per pent. Guaranteed —
v euezuela 3 Cent.
4 Dividends on the above payable in London.
etrills]; 5 par Cent., Ex. 10 Florins
Ic gia, 4/ per cent., Ex. 25f.
21 Pe,. Cent., Ex. 12 Guil --.
I,rDo. per Cent. Certificates —
b,T_lela Ilentes 3 per Cent. —
—4ll 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25f.
Consols for money THREE O'CLOCK.
87 1 x d
I)0. Acoount,
• ‘

G9i

['REFERENCE SHARES.
Great Western, 4 per cent irred.. 82
London and Brighton, 5 per cent. gua. stock, No. 4,106
LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALb.
Esst Lincoln gua. 6 per cent., 128

FORK, GN RAIL WAYS
Antwerp and Rotterdam, 10
Namur and Liege, gua. 6 per cent. pf., 10i
Sambre and Meuse, 8 *

FOREIGN MINES.
Anglo •Brazilian Gold, limited, par

Agra and Masterman's, lira., 58
Alliance, lira.. 29
Australasia, 7 / 1
European Bank, Bra., 121
Imperial Ottoman, ln
London Joint Stock, 511 1
Midland Bank, Um., 201

MISCELLANEOUS.
Commercial Union, Insurance, 7/
Gen. Credit and Finance of L maon. i
Imperial Mercantile Credit AEIBO., tim.. 7*
International Financial society, lira., 6 51
Joint Stock Discount, lira., 81
London Financial Association, lira . 191
Overend, Gurney, and lira., 211
Peninsula andLOrieutal Co.,iteam, 74 3
Ditto, new, 50}
Royal Mail Steam, 1091
Rio de Janeiro City lmprovenents, lim.,
Ditto (£ 0), 7
South African Mortgage and Investment, lim,, 21

MEMORIAL TO THE riat COWPER.—Arrangements
nre in progress for the erection of a memorial to the poet
Cowper at Cheat Berkhampstoad, Hertfordshire, his natiVe
town. The poet's father was for some years motor of
the parish, a living which is in the gift of the Duthy of
Cornwall.

THE MURDERER ItObriiSoN.—Memorials aiv not,
being prepared to Sir George Grey and Mr...tnstitse teat-
ing to reconsider the evidence pitaretA at the trial at
Stafford on the;young Man ilobingon, touching his insanity:
The memorials Contain the decided opinion 'tViO 'Of ttt
highest authorities on insanity in Sttltffei'dt‘lite that at t e
time the murder was 'eeratieitttcl Robinson was suffering
from an attack of Intythity.

ST. PANtRAS WORKHOUSE AND VESTRY-HALL....x.
The Midland Railway Company having prOpOited to
the vestry of St. Pancras to appoint a valuer to meet Mr.
Glutton on the part of the railway company to agree upon
the price to be paid to the vestry by the railway company
for the workhouse, vestry-hall, and grounds, comprising
nearly five acres, Mr. Lockyer was appointed by the vestry,
for that purpose, and he has mode a report to the vestry
from which it appears that he values the buildings and
land at the sum of X 211,000, being £131,000 more than the
sum offered by the railway company some time ago. The
power to sell the property to the railway company is, by
the Midland Railway Extension Act, only permissive ; but,
to meet the possibility of a sale being concluded, the agents
of the vestry are negotiating with the Earl of Mansfield
for the purchase of 28 acres of land, in Kentish-town on
which to erect a new workhowe and vestry-hall.

HER MAJESTY•

-

OSBORNE, Dec. 27.

The Queen went out in the morning accompanied
by Princess Beatrice, and in the afternoon with
Princess Helena.

By her Majesty's command a Christmas tree was
prepared at Osborne yesterday afternoon, with pre-
sents of books, toys, &c., and plumb-pudding for all
the boys and girls of the Whippingham schools.
Soon after half-past four o'clock her Majesty
entered the hall, with their Royal Highnesses
Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur,
Prince Leopold, and Princess Beatrice, when the
children, about 100 in number, were introduced,
and received their .presents from her Majesty and
the royal family.
The Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting were in,
attendance ; and the Rev. G. Prothero (rector of
Whippingham), Mrs. Prothero, and their family
had the honour of being invited.

Frances Countess Waldegrave and the Right
Hon. Chichester Fortescue are receiving company
at the Chief Secretary's Lodge, Phcenix-park, Dub-
lin. The visitors comprise their Royal Highnesses
the Count de Paris and the Duke de Chartres, the
Lord Chancellor and Mrs. Brady, the Earl and
Countess of Charlemont, the Earl of Granard, Lord
James and Lady Rachel Butler, Mr. and Lady
Louisa Tennison, the. Hon. Jenico and Mrs. Pres-
ton, Sir Hugh Rose, Sir Thomas and Lady Larcom,
Sir Erskine and Lady Perry, Mr. Justice O'Hagan,
Mr. Corry Connellan, Mr. R. M. Bellew, Miss Ida
Money, Mr. Wodehouse, Mr. de Robeck, Mr. Chi-
chester Hamilton, and Mr. Harris.
It is stated that the Earl of St. Germans has re-
signed the office of Lord Steward of the Household,
and that' his lordship will be succeeded by Lord
Bessborough, who has been for many years Master
of the Buckhounds.

Lord and Lady Elcho have arrived at their resi-
dence in St. Jardes's-place, from a tour of visits.
Lady Lucy Smith, eldest daughter of Alexander,
9th Earl of Leven and Melville, died on Saturday
last; at Wilford, Notts. The deceased lady was
born Jan. 21, 1794, and married, July 14, 1824,
Mr. Henry Smith, of the well-known banking firm,
and a cousin of Lord Carington.

Lady Vassal Webster has arrived at the Alexandra
Hotel, Hyde-park- corner.

The Right Hon. Sir George Grey left town on
Tuesday, on a visit to Lord Northbrook at Stratton
Park, Hants.
The Hox. Frederick and Lady Elizabeth Villiers
arrived in town yesterday from Selby Hall, North-
amptonshire.
MARRIAGE OF LADY BLANCHE EGERTON.—The
marriage of the Earl of Sandwich and Lady Blanche Eger-
ton, youngest daughter of Harriet Countess of Ellesmere
and Francis, Ist earl, took place yesterd4y at the elegant
church erected by the Earl of Ellesmere, the grandsire of
the present peer, at Ratchford, Surrey.

Death of Major-General J. Fitzmaurice, K.H.

We have to announce the death of Major-General
John Fitzmaurice, K.H., lieutenant of her Majesty's
Body Guard, who died on Christmas-eve at Dray-
ton-green, Ealing. The late gallant officer, who
had for some :years held the post of lieutenant of
her Majesty's Body Guard (Yeomen of the Guard),
entered the army in April, 1811, as a volunteer in
the Rifle Brigade, with which gallant corps he served
in the Peninsula till the end of the war in 1814.
He took part and was present at the action of
Sabugal, the battle of Fuentes d'Onor, and the
sieges and assaults of Ciudad Rodrigo and Bada-
jos, at which latter he had a leg broken ; also in the
action at San Milan and the battle of Vittoria ;
skirmishing in advance he there, with two rifle-
men, took the first gun captured that day, and secured
seven prisoners, pursuing the enemy to Pampe-
luna. He was present at the battles of Nivelle and
Nive, together with those near Bayonne on the 10th,
11th, and 13th Dec., 1813 ; the brilliant action with
Soult's rearguard at Tarbes, and the battle of Tou-
louse, besides numerous minor affairs. He served
also in the campaign of 1815, and led the advanced
guard at Quatre Bras, where he was severely wounded
in the thigh. In recognition of his distinguished
military services he was made by his Majesty William
IV. a Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic
Order in 1833. His commissions bore date as fol-
lows :—Ensign, April 25, 1811 ; lieutenant, Jan.
14, 1813 ; captain, June 16, 1825 ; major, March
30, 1832; lieutenant-colonel, Nov. 9,1846; colonel,
June 20, 1854 ; and major-general, May 7, 1861.
The gallant officer, on obtaining his majority, went
on half-pay. He had received a silver war medal
with eight clasps for his services in the Peninsula,
and the Waterloo medal. Major-General Fitz-
, maurice was in his 73d year.

Messrs. Mann Nephews beg to announce Mr. W.
Ray Smee's pamphlet on the Malt Tax is out of print, but
the second edition will be published immediately.—Corn-
hill, 27th December, 1865.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON'S FUND.—Of the quar-
ter of a million already subscribed among the 3,000,000
inhabitants of London in support of the Bishop of London's
Fund exactly one half is givon by 90 persons. _ _ _

The Queen, on the recommendation of Lord
Russell, has been pleased to express her intention to grant
a pension of £2OO a year to the widow and daughter of the
late Sir William Rowan Hamilton, Astronomer Royal of
Ireland. We have reason to believe that the good offices
of the Lord Lieutenant were effectually used in procuring
this recognition of the distinguished services rendered to
science by our lamented countryman.—Dublin Express.
THE CHINESE IN AUSTRALIA.—An Australian
paper, the Talbot Leader, states that in the year 1866 the
Chinese in Australia will be called upon to contribute to a
fund for defraying the expenses of conveying for inter-
ment in Chinese soil the bodies of those of their country-
men of a certain rank who have died on the goldfields since
the last shipment of this nature was made ; for it is stated
that this proceeding takes place every other year. It is
estimated that the number sent will be about 500.

GORDON'S COURT-MARTIAL—As a specimen of
the ignorance that characterises those pseudo-
philanthropical gentlemen, it would be a monstrous pity
to omit all mention of one little point immediately con-
nected with the army and navy, and upon which Exeter
Hall has rung its changes with a vengeance. Mr. Eyre has
been accused of handing Gordon and other rebels over to
the tender mercies of a court-martial composed of "three
youths," "three striplings," "three beardless boys." It
has never occurred to them to reflect for one moment that
a lieutenant and commander in the royal navy is an officer
of both service and reputation, and that a man may be an
ensign with grey hairs in his head. It so happens that the
two naval officers were commanders, and of the ensign I
am enabled to speak personally, and to add that he has
worn her Majesty's uniform for very many years, and is a
man whose judgment is in every way to be relied upon. 1
merely mention this fact to exemplify into what blunders
ignorance will lead people, and to clearaway an impression,
entertained even by many of Mr. Eyre's supporters, that
the court-martial which tried Gordon Was composed of
mere inexperienced youngsters.—British Army and Navy
Review (Bentley).

The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the
following as the atmospheric situation yesterday—, '
"A strong gale from the fiILWI was this morning
invading the north of Europe it was felt on Mona
day in the British islands, whete the Winds weto
powerful from the f_lllY. athl g.g.W. Calm weather
Still prevails in France, Spain, Italy; and Central
Europe ; the barometer there is high; and the *lnd
moderate, The fly is 'becoming overcast on the
Western roasts. It rains in Sicily." In PatiB s'63:
terday there Was a tontinuation of tfU3 fibtt, *Rh a
dear iky) and the cold by no means severe. The
thermometer at six in the morning marked 4-6
below zero Centigrade (24 Fahrenheit), at hbbn
below C: (261 F.); aild at three below (20
g Pah
D nring a general rehearsal of "Ise dtvetoti'i
the ballet by the Duke do Matta, Mlle. Stoikoft one
of the dancers, fell and dislocated her elbow. The
bones were immediately replaced by the medical at
tendant of the theatre, but the patient will not be
able to take part in the performance.
As Mlle. Isabelle, the flower-girl of the Jockey-
Club, was returning home late a few evenings ago
with the receipts of the day, she was attacked by an
individual in the Rue du Port-Mahon, but suc-
ceeded in defending her property, although not with-
out sustaining some severe contusions. She is still
confined to bed, but has been better during the last
two days,