The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-13 00:00:00

MARKET

AN n
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE,

CITY. TWELVE O'CLOCK.

No alteration has been made this morning in the
official minimum of the Bank of England. A change
was not very generally anticipated, although it was
not regarded in the present condition of monetary
affairs as improbable. The inquiry for accommoda-
tion on the part of the mercantile community has
latterly been so very limited in consequence of the
almost extreme quietude of trade, and the capital
on offer has been very much increased, and it is
from this circumstance it was inferred that an alter-
ation might have been made. The preparations for
bills that will become due to-morrow (Good Friday)
and on Easter Monday have imparted a little acti-
vity to-day in discount circles, but the rate remains
very easy, 35-a per cent. being the quotations for
the best short-dated paper.
In Sydney, on the 24th January last, the directors
of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney
presented their thirty-third half-yearly report to
the shareholder, and declared a dividend and bonus
at_ the same rate as at the previous half-year, the
sstformer being 15 per cent. per annum, and the latter
. la; share, making a total distribution for the year
tion Per
cent
'This appropriation, and the addi-
of £4,000 to the reserve fund, which now
amounts to £104,000 left £4,020 of undivided
profit to he carried forward.
rward.
A meeting
lqr. George IV
was held yesterday of the creditors of
. Bremner, trading under the firm of
Messrs. Bremner and Co., merchants and ship-
owners, who suspended payment on the 28th ult.
The statement of affairs prepared and explained by
keasrs. J.
Ril
ties at lingsworth and Son gave the liabili-
£4B,9l7, and the assets at £52,183, showing
a surplus of about £3,000, dependent upon the rea-
lisation of merchandise, &c., in the East Indies and
the Brazils, together with the sales of ships at home.
After a very friendly discussion it was resolved that
the estate should be wound up under inspection.
The Bank of Victoria held its usual half-yearly
Meeting in Melbourne on the 7th February last.
The net profit, including £7,200 ss. brought for-
Ward from last balance-sheet, amounted to £44,404
,28. 10d. ; which was applied, £5,000 to reduction of
°auk premises account ; £31,250 to dividend, at
the rate of 12i per cent. ; leaving a balance of
£8,154 2s. 10d. to profit and loss account.
We are informed that the London and Scottish
Bank (Limited) will be in a position without delay
to meet its engagements. Negotiations are now
pending with a London bank to take over its busi-
ness.

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

1865. 1864
Great Western ...
~• £67,043 £64,983
North Western . 107793 99,577
South Western
24,031 22698
Brighton ... .„ ..• ... 17,774 18,455
Midland ... ..• •.• ... 46,26 G 42,089
South Eastern ... ~. 21,515 20,084
Great Northern ... ... 35,551 32,959
Lancashire and Yorkshire ... 37,266 36,050
Bristol and Exeter _ 6,408 6,312
North Eastern ... 56,902 55,514
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire 17,438 16,007
Great Eastern 30,012 30,205
These returns, with one or two exceptions 4e of
• a favourable character when compared hose
of the corresponding period of the previous year.
On the Great Western there is an increase of 1.6,060 ;
on the North-western, of £8,216 ; on the
__
South-
Western, of £1,333 ;on the Midland, of £4,1 ;
on the South-Eastern, of £1,431; ou the Great
Northern, of 1.2,592 ; on the Lancashire and York-
shire, of £1,216 ; on the Bristol and Exeter, of
£96 ; on the North-Eastern, of £1,388 ; and on the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, of £1,431 ;
while the Brighton shows a decrease of £681; and
the Great Eastern, of £193.
The directors of the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company have resolved to recommend to the proprie-
tors at the meeting to be held on the 26th inst. the
payment for the half-year ended 31st December,
1861, of a dividend of £8 10s. a share out of the
ordinary profits of the company, and a bonus of £1
a share from the insurance fund, both free of
income-tax.

Two O'CLOCK.
At Paris, this day, according to Mr. Reuter's
telegram, the French 3 per Cent. Rentes were 67f.
90c. Quiet.
The English Stock Exchange Market has been
very active and steady to-day, in consequence of
the Closing of outstanding accounts during the
holidays. The Funds at one time were If better,
but they are now less buoyant, and Consols are 911

for money, and 91+ for the account. The New
Threes and Reduced Annuities are 894 I ; the 2i
per Cents., 1894, 73 ; Exchequer Bills, 3s. to 6s.
prem. ; India 5 per Cents., 107+ ; and ditto, 100.
In the Foreign Market very little alteration has
occurred, and business has been rather active.
Turkish 6 per Cents., 1862, are 744 75 ; do. Con-
solides, 54+ ; Mexican, 27+ ; do. Ne ,v, 26+ ;
Greek, 211 ; Spanish Passive, 32+ ; do. ' Certifi-
cates, 17+ ; Italian, 65+ ; do. New 3i 4 dis. ; and
Confederate Loan, 29 31.

The Russian (Vyksounsky) Iron Works Com-
pany's shares are 14 to 2+ prem.
The city of Moscow Gas shares are to prem.
The Millwall Freehold Land and Docks Com-
pany's shares are dis.
Business in the Railway Share Market has been
rather dull, but prices have not varied to any im-
portant extent. South-Eastern and Midland have
declined 55., and South Wales £1 ; while North-
Western have advanced 10s.

The Foreign and Colonial lines exhibit no
material change in values. _

Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are dull, and
generally support former rates.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
3 per Cent. Consols
Do. Account, May 9 9l}
o per Cent. Reduced B9f ±
New 3 per Cent B9i 1
New 2i per Cent. Jan. 1894 73
Do. 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873
Annuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880
Do. for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 —
Do (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 —
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 4 per Cent
Do. £5OO 6 3
Do. £lOO and £2OO
Bank of England Stock, bf per Cent 242 240
Do Account
licniAzi GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
Indian Stock, 10i per Cent., April 1874 216
Do Account

Do. 5 per Cent. July, 1870
Do. Account
Do. 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888
Do. Certificates —
Do. Enlaced Paper 4 per Cent 9O
Do. 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872
Do. 51 per Cent., May 1879 —
Do. 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 —
Do. Bonds, £l,OOO
Do. under £l,OOO

FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent
Brazilian 5 per Cent
Do. 4i per Cent., 1852-58-60
Do. 1863
Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent
Do I per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent.)
Chilian 6 per Cent

Do. 41 per Cent
Colombian 6 per Cent. —
Cuba, 6 per Cent.
Do 5 per Cent., 1864
Do. Scrip, ..£35 paid
Danish 3 per Cent., 1825 —
Do. 4 per Cent., 1863 —
Do. 5 per Cent., 1773-77, £25 paid —
Danubian Principalities

Do £B6 paid
Equador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent
Do., Provisional Land Warrant —
Egyptian 7 per Cent 971 7
Do., Second Issue 97}
Do £lOO Bonds —
Do. 1864 95 i 41 51
Do Scrip, .£55 paid
Greek 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons
Do. Coupons
Po Account Bf
Guatemala 5 per Cent. —

Do. 1839 and 1850 —
Italian 5 per Cent (Maremmana Railway)
Do 1865
Do Scrip, £421 paid
Mexican 3 per Cent. —
Do. Account
Dc. 1864 26.4,
Do 6 per Cent. Anglo-French 54
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)
Peruvian 4} per Cent.
Do 3 per Cent. (Uribarren) —
Do 4j per Cent., 1862
Do. Account
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Do Account
Do 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3,
Do Account 4B}
Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St~
Do li per Cent., 1850
Do 1860
Do 3 per Cent., 1859
Do 5 per Cent., 1862
Do 1864
Sardinian 5 per Cent —
Do. Account
Spanish 3 per Cent —
Do Account 4B
Do New Deferred
Do Account —
Do Passive —
Do Account 32 -I
Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded l7
...

Do Account _
Swedish 4 per Cent. —
Do. 41 per Cent. 1864
Turkish 6 per Cent. 1854 9ll 1 k 904
Do Account —
Do 6 per Cent. 1858
Do Account 73 21
Do £lOO Bonds —
Do 6 per Cent. 1862
Do Account 75 41
Do. £lOO Bonds 751 41 5
Do 6 per Cent. 1863
Do Guaranteed, 4 per Cent —
S enezuela 3 per Cent.
Do. Account
Do. 6 per Cent, 186')
Do. Account
Do 6 per Cent., 1864 39} 9
Do. 11 per Cent —
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Austrian, 5 per Cent., Ex. 10 Florins
Belgian, 41 per cent., Ex. 25f.
Dutch 24 per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil 62}
Do. 4 per Cent. Certiti—,tes —
French Rentes, 3 per Cent. —

Do. Account
Italian 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25f.
Do. Account
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols, Money 9l
Do. Account

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day.

Market continues quiet, at about yesterday's
prices. Sales, probably 4,000 or 5,000 bales.

The North Staffordshire Strike,

The adjourned meeting of the London trades delegates
and representatives of works and shops subscribing in
support of the men on strike in North Staffordshire, was
held last evening at the Sussex Hotel, Bouverie-street,
Fleet-street—Mr. Davis, delegate from the Central Society
of House Painters, in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said he was glad to see so good an atten-
dance, notwithstanding there had been some misapprehen-
sion as to the adjournment of the meeting on the last occa-
sion, as it proved that all trades unionists of London were
still stedfast in their support of their North Staffordshire
brethren. (Hear.) They had heard a great deal lately
about arbitration. He was in favour of arbitration as a prin-
ciple, but it must be on a sound basis. Unconditional arbi-
tration meant nothing less than unconditional submission ;
and he thought the North Staffordshire men were fully
justified in declining any ambiguous proposal of that na-
ture. The proposal of Lord Lichfield, however well in-
tended, was not arbitration, but a mere reference. (Hear.)
Mr. PHIPPS, the delegate from North Staffordshire, then
laid before the meeting the present position of the men on
strike. They were as firm and determined in maintaining
the position they had taken up as in the first week of the
strike. Since the last meeting he had waited upon several
trade societies, and had met with much sympathy and support
although the injudicious resolutions adopted at the meet-
ing of the London Trades Council on Thursday evening
last had created much confusion and dissatisfaction. The
men on strike had received a larger dividend last Saturday
than for some weeks past, and there was every prospect of
its being increased next Saturday. (Cheers.) The Brierly
Hill Executive had placed £2,000 at the disposal of the North
Staffordshire men to emigrate 200 of them to New Zealand.
He then explained the terms of Lord Lichfield's proposal to
the men, which was too vague for them to accept without
giving up all they had been struggling for during twelve
months. (Cheers.)

Mr. POWELL (Hand-in-Hand Painters) then moved—
" That this meeting having heard the report and expla-
nation of ;the delegate from North Staffordshire, hereby
calls on the trades of London to continuo their support to
the men on strike in North Staffordshire until the masters
allow them to resume work at the old rate of wages pend-
ing a fair and just arbitration."
Mr. LEWIS (from Lambeth Carpenters) seconded the re-
solution, which was supported by Messrs. RICHARDS
(Amalgamated Carpenters), MILLS (painter), IVALEs
(joiner), Ursm,u,L, and others, and carried unanimously.
It was announced that the Friends of Freedom, and the
Old Lambeth Carpenters had withdrawn their delegates
from tho Trades Council owing to its late proceedings.
The meeting then adjourned.

PETROLEUM.—The imports of petroleum in the
first two months of this year amounted to 1,953 tuns, as
compared with 2,808 tuns in 1864, and 1,327 tuns in 1863
(corresponding periods). The falling off observable this
year occurred wholly from the United States, from which
only 1,490 tuns were received in the first two months of
1865, as compared with 2,260 tuns in the corresponding
period of 1864, and 1,045 tuns iu the corresponding period
of 180,