The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-03 00:00:00

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d-st", E MARKET ARD cin NEWS.

CITY, Two o'CLocK.

During the past week there have been symptoms
of ittprovement in most departments of business
throughout the manufac uring districts. At Man-
chester, however, the high rates demanded for both
yarns and cloths have in some measure checked
Operations for the home trade, and also for expor-
tation. t Leeds and Bradford there has been a
Blight increase in the inquiries for light cloths, and
in the latter locality orders for the French markets
have been received which have imparted a firmer
tone. The hosiery and lace trades of Leicester,
Nottingham, and Hinckly, however, have been
dull, while in the hardware districts symptoms of
returning activity have presented themselves. At
Birmingham, Sheffield, and Wolverhampton, the
receipt of orders from several of the German mar-
kets, together with the demand for home require-
ments, has caused a more cheerful tone.
Owing to the engagements due to-morrow, the
4th inst., there is an active demand for accommo-
dation, and the banks and discount houses are
asking rather higher terms for the securities they
are called upon to negotiate. The supplies of
floating capital continue abundant, but advantage
is taken of the increased requirements of the
commercial community to exact enhanced terms
for the temporary use of their resources. It is
scarcely imagined, however, that any material
variation in the general condition of monetary
affairs will ensue, owing to the dulness of trade,
and the quietude of speculative enterprise.
About £40,000 in gold was withdrawn from the
Bank of England on Saturday.

The Atrato, which left today for the West Indies,
conveyed £7,539 in specie.

The Ceylon, sailing to-morrow with the East
India and China mails, will convey £94,028 in
Specie.

There was a steady inquiry for most descriptions
01 cotton in the Liverpool market on Saturday,
and prises were unaltered. The sales were about
7,000 bales.

The Shannon, from the West Indies, has arrived,
With £413,500 in specie; and the Oneida, from the
Brazils, with £53,600, has been announced at
Lisbon.

A special general meeting of the shareholders
in the Mercantile Fire Insurance Company took
place to-day, to ratify the provisional agreement
entered into with the North British Insurance
Company for amalgamation. A Mr. Nelson ob-
jected to the principal clauses in the agreement,
which he considered did not fairly and sufficiently
provide for the property of the Mercantile share-
holders. The report, after a long discussion, was
Carried by a large majority. _ _ _

A favourable effect was produced in the English
Stock Market this morning by the fall of 1 per cent.
'which occurred in the Rentes on Saturday, and
Consols were 93* for transfer and 931 1 for April,
but the telegrams this morning report a slight re-
actionary tendency, and the latest prices here are
931 -1, and 931 * respectively. The New Threes
are fiat at 911, 921 ex div. ; the Reduced at 921 ex.
div. Exchequer Bills are steady at 19s. to 225.
Prem. ; Bank Stock is 242 and 243 ; India ditto
224 ; and ditto 5 per Cent. 1061, 107*.

Foreign Securities are, in most instances, at
lower quotations, and the dealings have been of an
average character. Italian 5 per Cents. have de-
clined to 664 671, being 1 per cent. lower; Turkish
6 per Cents. are 851 4 ; ditto, 1858, 721; Mexican
are heavy at 34.1 351 ; Sardinian, at 804 ; Spanish
Deferred, at 431; ditto Passive, at 191 ; and the Cer-
tificates, at 61 7. 11 he Ottoman (Mires') Loan is
€4l to 651 ; and the New Italian, 14 11 dis.
In the Railway Share Market the operations
have been to an average extent, but little variation
Carl be reported in prices. Several of the principal
British undertakings, however, show increased
buoyancy. Caledonian, Eastern Counties, North
Western, South-Eastern, and Midlands have im-
proved about ss.

In the Foreign and Colonial Markets there has
been a fair amount of business transacted at about
previous rates.
Joint-Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares
are also in some instances a shade firmer. Oriental
Bark realise 54Z- ; Ottoman Bank, 21i, 22 ; Union
of London, 331, a ; Electric Telegraph, 984, and
Royal Mail Steam 55.

BRITISH FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK.
,„,,112.3* Stock
u per Cent. Reduced Annuities
'Der Cent. Consols Annuities - 11 k
~,4
vew 3 per Cent. Annuities 92f 1/ exidiv
40 per Cent. Annuities
India Stock
Ditto 5 per Cent.
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent —
Ditto 5 per Cent
Ditto 5/ per Cent
Ditto Debentures, 4 per Cent., Oct., 1863 100 f
Ditto ditto Aug. 1864 or 66 100
Consols for Account, March 6 931 f
March. Jung.
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO 2d.... 20 22 19
Ditto £SOO
Ditto Small
FOREIGN FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK.
Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent
Mexican, 3 per Cent
~, Ditto Acco nt
vortuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, and '60.. 46
Russian 6 per Cent. 1822, £ St .. 991
Ditto 41 per Cent 941
ardinian 5 per Cent.
.., Ditto Account
Spanish 3 per Cent
Ditto New Deferred
Is,3l,Dit.to Passive
19*
IP'sh Cert. of Coup. not funded
urkish 6 per Cent
Ditto New Loan
pill° Account
Ditto £lOO 80nd5....
Ditto Guaranteed, 4 per Cent.
b Dividends on the above payable in London.
011atheahn, 521 per Cent Exchange 12 Guil.
ill. Ce-rt-ificates..4' per Cent. .
French Rentes, 41 per Cent., Ex. 25f 9Bf.
per Cent., 1861 67 / 61 74
1, lecirnontese, 5 per Cent., Ex. 25 francs 67!
TWO 0' CLOC It .
Consols, Money
Account
Ditto April Account

REDUCTION AT THE ROYAL ARSENAL.—In ac-
cordance with the present estimates a reduction to the ex-
tent of upwards of 3,000 workmen and lads is to take place
in the several manufacturing departments of the Royal
Arsenal. The establishment is at present as follows :
Royal carriage department, 2,560 ; gun factories, 3,775 ;
royal laboratories, 3,823; total, 10,159. The reduced esta-
blishment will consist of—Royal carriage department,
1 5a
; gun factories, 2,329 ; royal laboratories, 3,142 ;
total, 7.010 ; being a total reduction of 3,149.
MR. MARK LEMON " ABOUT LONDON."—The
first of two entertainments devoted to the illustration of
Old London, and incidentally to the manners and customs,
the laws and history, of our forefathers who dwelt therein,
Zas given.last night, in the Broad-street Music Hall.
he largeness of the audience, though susceptible
uq3foen explanation on the score of the intrinsic fasci-
ati of the theme for a provincial public, must be
attributed chiefly to the circumstance that the lec-
turer was Mr. Mark Lemon, a gentleman whose large
`experience, as the editor of Punch, in dealing with the
modern foibles and follies of the great city, mus, have
Peculiarly qualified him to note and expatiate upon
the more salient points in the character and usages of
the genus Cockney, ere the days of steam and telegraphy
had virtually destroyed the individuality of the race. That
the expectations of entertainment based upon the repute
of the lecturer, and the engrossing interest of the topic
upon which he so pleasantly and instructively decanted
I r a couple of hours, were not disappointed, was sufficiently
proved by the 'promptitude with which every humorous
point, or punning allusion, with which the statistical por-
tion of the entertainment is so skilfully spiced, was taken
lip by the audience ; and when the lecture terminated the
Wonder was not so much at the vast amount of information
'conveyed in a marvellously short time, as at the insensible
-manner in which the audience had digested the pile of in-
EttPuction, and fixed in their minds facts of historical value,
Which dry and laborious study might have failed to place
there —Birmingham Daily Post.
DISASTROUS FIRE AT LEEDS.—On Friday even-
ing, a little before 9 o'clock, flames wore discovered issuing
born the first floor of the Silver Royd Mill, Upper Wortley.
The was four stories in height and nine windows in
length ; and the first three stories were occupied by Messrs.
John
and Thomas Musgrave, cloth manufacturers;and
the fourth floor was in the occupation of Mr. Naylor Gaunt,
lubt er and card maker. The flames obtainbd a rapid hold
of the premises, which were crowded with willies, slabbing
mules, and carding machines. The roof fell in a little before
,n
o'clock, and the interior was completely gutted. The
butldtng is the property of Mr. John Croysdale, dyer, of
feeds, and is fully insured. That gentleman's engine and
boiler
are saved. Messrs. Musgrave are only insured for
;1,000, and their loss will be above £3,000. Mr. Gaunt's
damages were not assessed last night. The origin of the
`lre is unknown. The workmen left tho pill at 6 o'clock.