The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-06 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince and Princess of Prussia and the Pxince of Hohen-
lohe Langenburg, left town for Windsor at 25 minutes
before 10 o'clock yesterday morning. The Royal suite
consisted of the Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, the Coun-
tess von Hacke, Lord Alfred Paget, Lieutenant-Colonel
the Hon. A. Gordon, and Count Goltz.
Her Majesty and the illustrious party travelled by a
special train on the Great Western Railway, and, on
reaching the Windsor station, proceeded in several of
the Queen's carriages to Virginia Water, and afterwards
went to the Royal lodge, where luncheon was served.
The Queen and Prince Albert and the Royal circle re-
turned by the same route to London, arriving at Buck-
ingham Palace at half-past 4 o'clock, escorted by a de-
tachment of the Royal Horse Guards.
The Queen, accompanied by the Prince and Princess
of Prussia, honoured the Royal Italian Opera with her
presence last evening. The Royal suite consisted of the
Countess of Mount-Edgcumbe, the Countess von Hacke,
the Countess Oriolla, Lord Camoys, Lord Alfred Paget,
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon, Count Puckler,
Count Goltz, and Count Boos. The Duchess of Kent,
accompanied by the Prince of Hohenlohe Langenburg
and the Princess Adelaide, and attended by Lady Anna
Maria Dawson and Lord James Murray, also honoured
the performance with her presence.
Lord Camoys has relieved the Marquis of Ormonde in
his duties as the Lord in Waiting to the Queen, and
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Robert Boyle has succeeded
Major-General Berkeley Drummond in his duties as
Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.
The Commissioners for the Reduction of the National
Debt had a quarterly meeting at the official residence of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Downing-street yes-
terday. There were present—the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, the Governor of the Bank of England, and
the Deputy-Governor. Sir Alex. Spearman, Secretary
and Controller-General to the Commissioners, attended.
The Marquis of Bristol had an interview with the Earl
of Aberdeen yesterday at his official residence in Down-
ing-street.
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Works and Public Buildings in Whitehall-place. The
deputation consisted of—Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr.
Miall, M.P., Mr. Crossley, M.P., Mr. Bell, M.P., Mr.
Kershaw, M.P., Mr. Heywortb, M.P., Mr. Pellatt,
M.P., Mr. J. Carrell Williams (secretary), the Rev.
Alexander Goode, Mr. G. J. Cockerell, and the Rev.
Robert Eckett.
Dr. Bowring and Governor Barkly had interviews
yesterday with the Duke of Newcastle at the Colonial-
office.
A deputation, to present a memorial for the repeal of
the malt-tax and hop duties, had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday at his official re-
sidence in Downing-street. The deputation consisted
of—Messrs. G. Rushbridger, G. Lear, James Law-
rence, J. H. Hopkins, S. Duke, H. Duke, R. Cosens,
E. Habin, Mullens Dennett, G. Smith, G. Coote, J.
Wyatt, W. Death, J. Jupp, Henry Hardwick, and J.
Brown.

DIPLOMATIC CHIT CHAT.—His Excellency the Bel-
gian Minister at the Court of Vienna, the Count
O'Sullivan de Grass, will attend the future Duchess of
Brabant to Belgium. The ceremony, it is expected will
take place the third week in the ensuing month. Col.
de Moerkerke has been appointed first equerry to the
future Duchess. Mr. Buchanan, the newly appointed
United States Minister to England, is expected to
arrive, with his Secretary of Embassy (Mr. Appleton),
about the 20th from New York. Lord Augustus
Loftus proceeds forthwith to Berlin, from Stutgardt,
having been appointed secretary to Lord ,Bloomfield's
embassy, vice Henry F. Howard, who is on the eve of
assuming the diplomacy at Rio.
PracE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is
about at par (according to the last tariff), which at the
English Mint price of 31. 17s. 104 d. per ounce for stan-
dard gold, gives an exchange of 25.17 ; and the exchange
at Paris on London at short, being 25.021, it follows
that gold is about 0.58 per cent. dearer in Paris than in
London. By advices from Hamburg the price of gold is
427 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of
31. 17s. 104 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex-
change of 13.6 ; and, the exchange at Hamburg on
short being 13.41, it follows that gold is 0.82 per cent.
dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of ex-
change at New York on London for bills for 60 days'
sight is 110 per cent., and, the par of exchange between
England and America being 109 23.40 per cent., it fol-
lows that the exchange is nominally 0.42 per cent. in
favour of England • and, after making allowance for
charges of transport, the present rate leaves a small profit
on the importation of gold from the United States.
SOUTH SEA COMPANY.—The half-yearly Court of the
South Sea Company took place yesterday, for the pur-
pose of declaring a dividend. The sub-governor (Mr.
C. Franks) read the accounts, from which it appeared
that the income was 146,4221., and the expenditure
81,1621., leaving a balance of 65,2601. After making
the usual distribution of 1 per cent., the surplus stand-
ing to the credit of the company is 1,1611.
ODESSA.—The accounts from Odessa reach to the 24th
of June. There was no mitigation of the uncertainty of
the war question, but business continued its course, and
would have been very active but for the scarcity of ship-
ping, and the consequent extravagant rise in the rates
of freight: The transactions in wheat for the Mediter-
ranean had been rather extensive, at a slight advance on
former prices.
SCRIP RECEIPTS AND CERTIFICATES.—According to
one of the resolutions proposed by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and just adopted by the House of Commons,
all scrip receipts or certificates issued by joint-stock or
othel' companies must henceforth bear a penny stamp.
This measure has afforded satisfaction in the Stock
Exchange, since, apart from any advantage it may yield
to the revenue, it will give the dealers in these securi-
ties an additional guarantee against forgery. On the
formation of a company the scrip receipts intended to
be issued will go through the Stamp-office, and, if pro-
per precautions are taken not to pass any further quan-
tity without due authority, any person forging these
documents would also have to forge the Government
stamp.
COLONIAL BANK,—At the meeting of the Colonial
Bank held yesterday the dividend declared was at the
rate of 3 per cent. per annum, and the report and ac-
counts were unanimously adopted. The chairman (Mr.
C. Marryatt) explained that the progress of business,
considering the disadvantageous position in which some
of the West India colonies remained, was on the whole
satisfactory. With regard to Jamaica, the appointment
of Mr. H. Barkly as governor, would, it was anticipated,
exercise a beneficial influence on the future course of its
affairs. In answer to questions it was mentioned that
one of the clerks engaged in the branch in that island
had committed frauds to an amount of nearly 1,000/.,
and that, although the bank possessed security, it was
not available, owing to the manner in which they had
been practised. A subsequent investigation having
shown that they had in all probability arisen from laxity
on the part of the manager and the accountant, those
officers have been removed. In connection with the
increase of business, it was stated that the profits within
the last four years have steadily improved from 25,0001.
'.l) 33,900/.
CIISTOMS.—From a return just issued, it appears that

in the year ended the sth January last, the Customs
revenue was 22,312,5131., and the total cost of collection
1,268,4211. The value of exports was 219,545,6991.,
and of imports 109,345,409/. The tonnage inwards and
outwards was 16,130,149. The number of Customs
officers was 11,691.
A GENTLEMAN FOUND SHOT.—SUPPOSED SUICIDE
AT WOOLWICH.—Yesterday morning, between 12 and
1 o'clock, as policeman Norton, R 87, was passing an
avenue at the back of the Royal Albert Tavern, Kidd-
street, Woolwich, he observed a male person on the
ground, at the entrance of it. Upon moving bim, he
found that he showed no signs of life, upon which he
called up Mr. Purland, surgeon, George-street, adjoin-
ing, who found that life had been some time extinct.
He then discovered that there was a large hole at the
back of his neck, as if from a pistol shot wound. A
search was made, upon which a pistol was picked up
near where the deceased was lying, and which had been
recently discharged. Another pistol was taken out of
his pocket, and this also was loaded. The body of the
unfortunate man was then taken on a stretcher to the
bonehouse, adjoining the church. The deceased was
most respectably dressed. .de had on a brown frock
coat, a black satin figured vest, a black satin necker-
chief, in which was a gold pin of an octagon shape, set
with rubies, a pair of white cotton drawers, marked
" T. 8.," a pair of Wellington boots, the makers' name
Hall and Son, Windsor, &c. The name on the pistols,
which were inlaid with silver in the stock, was T. Nock,
London. Information was forwarded to Mr. Carttar,
the coroner for Kent.

HONESTY REWARDED. -On Monday an insolvent
found, in the court of Mr. Commissioner Phillips, where
he was heard, a pocket-book containing notes to upwards
of 1001. He communicated the fact to an officer of
Whitecross-street Prison, and it was placed in safe cus-
tody. The property has been owned, and 51. was left
for the insolvent as a reward for his honesty.
THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS. -It is understood that
credits lately opened in London in favour of a member
of the family of the Emperor Nicholas, who was expected
to have visited England in the course of the present
summer, were withdrawn on Monday, the visit having
been abandoned.