The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 1854

0 iNT I?, 31 Alt K f

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK,

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday
were estimated at 5,000 bales, of which 500 were
taken on speculation. The market closed steadily
at previous rates. The sales comprised 110 Per-
nam and Maranham at 6ad. to Md. ; 50 Bahia at
6gd. ; 400 Egyptian at Sid. to 10d. ; 800 Surat at
30. to 4kd., and the remainder nearly all Ameri-
can. Railway Shares were dull.

Holders of colonial produce have evinced much
firmness, notwithstanding a more limited demand.
Sugar has been quieter, but at firm rates. Coffee
has been dull and cheaper, tea in improved request,
and spices rather dearer. Rice has declined, and
saltpetre has been steady. Cotton dull, and tal-
low at a slight improvement. Russian hemp has
further advanced.

The following particulars of the fruit trade at
Liverpool are from the circular of Messrs. Houghton
and Levy :
" Since our last circular of the 4th ultimo, we have
have had a recurrence of the inactivity which has been
the principal characteristic of this article during the
present season : the transactions in all descriptions have
consequently been most limited. A few small parcels
of 1851 fruit have been taken for export at prices vary-
ing between 80s. and 85s. per cwt. D.P. ; for 1852 and
1853 growths a better demand has sprung up for home
consumption, but at a, reduction on former rates, 255. to
to 30s. having been accepted for middling qualities ;
holders are also more pressing to realise, and unless
such rates be submitted to, we see little prospect
of any great reduction in the stocks this season.
The improved demand for the Continent noted
in London has not manifested itself here, and our
usual shippers complain of having no inquiry what-
ever this spring. The accounts from the currant-
growing districts, though of the same character, do not
present any new feature, but it is the general opinion
that next year's crop will be considerably less than 1852
and 1853—not only on account of the disease being more
destructive, but also by reason of the villas being up-
rooted and neglected by the cultivators in general. The
clearances consist of 35 tons for home consumption,
against 150 tons in the corresponding month last year ;
this serious falling off cannot be attributed to any ad-
vance in prices, as the qualities principally taken, with
the exception of 1851 fruit, show little variation at the
two dates ; it is therefore evident that fruit, as one of
the luxuries of life, has been chiefly influenced by the
high prices of food and other necessaries, and as long as
these continue we cannot anticipate much improvement.
One cargo has arrived from Vostizza. Exports about 10
tons."

The English Stock Market is duller even than
for some time past, and the absence of any later
political intelligence has added to the apathetic
feeling among the speculators. The approach of
settling day is, however, another cause. Consols
have been 91 to 914- for transfer and account. The
books for the New 3/ per Cents., the, 3 per Cent.
Reduced Bank Stock, Long Annuities, and the an-
nuities for terms of years, are shut. Exchequer
Bills have been steady, at 12s. to 16s. premium.
East India Stock has been quiet, at 233.
In foreign securities the transactions have been
very limited, Mexican continue heavy at 24g.
Russian 5 per Cents. have been done at 89- to 901,
and the Russian 41 per Cents. at 81/ to 82/, being
well supported. Spanish 3 per Cents. have been at
361 to /, and the Deferred at 18.
The current prices for the Jamaica Mines not
officially quoted, are as follows :—Metcalfe, / to
premium ; Sue River, discount to par ; Port
Royal, to 4 premium. _

the Railway Share Market has been extremely
quie'scent, without any material change in prices.
French Shares have been nominal.

The Mining Share Market has been dull, the
Joint-Stock Bank Shares have been steady, and in
the Land and Miscellaneous Companies there has
been rather more doing.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES
( Prom the Official List. )

Business done.
Bank Stock .
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities . shut
3 per Cent Consols Annuities 9l i 1
dew :3i per Cent. Annuities shut
New 2i per Cent. Annuities
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860
Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 shut
India Stock
India Bonds, £lOOO ....... ...........
Ditto, under £lOOO 9 4 p
Sank Stock for Account 221
Consols for Account 16th March
Exchequer Bills, ld. '
£looo
2500 l6 12 p
Small l6 12 p
Pg.tCE OF FOItEIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. ti,El
tustrian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 754
Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent.
.lexica,n 3 per Cent.
Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St 893 903
Ditto 43 per Cent 824 14
Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent - 364 4 4
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. lB 174
Dividends on the above payable in London.

THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols 9O 1
Ditto March Account 9O 1

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. - (THIS DAY.

ILLEGALLY PLEDGING.—Joseph Howeslea VMS brought
before Mr. Efardwick, charged with illegally: pledging
a diamond ring, value 71., the property of Mr. Josias
Ludwig, engineer's draughtsman, 18, Tachbroike-street,
Pimlico.
The prosecutor and the prisoner were fellOw clerks,
and it appeared that on the afternoon of the 2d of Nov.
last, he and the defendant went into a tavern in Goodge-
street to partake of some refreshment, when the prisoner
seeing that prosecutor bad a ring on one of his fingers,
remarked that the ring looked a very nice one, :and that
he had a relation who was a diamond merchant, who
would test the stone and see what it was worth. Not
having the least suspicion of defendant's intentions, he
(prosecutor) handed him the ring. Defendant then left,
saying he would be back in a quarter of an hour, but he
never returned, and after waiting for him till eleven
o'clock he left the house. Prosecutor subsequently re-
ceived a letter from the prisoner enclosing the duplicate
of the ring, which had been pledged for 2/. 10s. The mat-
ter was then put in the hands of the police, who suc-
ceeded in taking the prisoner into custody on the pre-
vious night.
Mr. Thomas Robinson, pawnbroker, No. 1, Morti-
mer-street, Cavendish-square, produced the diamond
ring, which was pledged with him for 2/. 10s. on the 2d
of last November. Ile did not know who pledged it.
Police-constable 191 S, said he took the prisoner into
custody about seven o'clock last night. On telling him
the nature of the charge against him, he replied that
prosecutor had been a long time in making his mind up,
and that he (defendant) was very sorry, but he was afraid
prosecutor had no sticks, else he would have them from
him for false imprisonment.
The prisoner, is answer to the charge, denied unlaw-
fully pledging the ring, and said the prosecutor gave it
to him, well knowing he was going to pledge it. He had
no further answer to make than it was an unfounded
and unjust charge.
Mr. Hardwick said prisoner had most grossly miscon-
ducted himself on this occasion. There was not the
slightest pretence for him saying the prosecutor had'
authorised him to pledge the ring. He should, there-
fore, fine him the penalty of 51., being double the amount
for which the ring was pledged, and 71., the value of the
ring, or three months to the House of Correction.

CONTINENTAL RATES OF EXCHANGE.—The continental
rates of exchange show no tendency to a favourable re-
action, and a further amount of gold was taken from the
Bank of England yesterday for remittance to Paris to
the extent of about 150,0001.
AFFAIRS OF MEXICO.—The advices from the city of
Mexico received by the Magdalena steamer reach to the
2d of February. Although no great event had occurred
since the departure of the previous packet, the letters
refer to several points of interest to the mercantile
world. The trade of the city, it appears, had been
greatly deranged with regard to the importation of
foreign goods, owing to a series of private and partial
arrangements entered into by Government for the settle-
ment of the import duties by the ports on the Pacific
coast at a rate much lower than that paid on the car-
goes on the Atlantic side. This extraordinary anomaly
of a double tariff was operating injuriously on all the
houses receiving their goods by Atlantic ports, and it
was understood that remonstrances on the subject
(which it was feared, however, would be attended with
little success) had been made by the British Minister.
At the latest date reports were current in the city of fresh
piratical expeditions from California to the province of
Sonora, but the Government were taking measures to
treat them summarily.
GALATZ.—Mercantile letters were received from
Galatz to the 23d of February, being three days later
than those vie/ Vienna. Shipments of wheat continued
to be made, the Sulina mouth being perfectly practi-
cable. An increased supply of vessels had lately ar-
rived, causing an advance in prices of about ss. per
quarter, and the stocks on hand were very low. It is
to be assumed, however, that by this time exportation
may have been prohibited from the invaded provinces,
under the order recently issued with regard to Russian
ports. In relation to warlike movements, it, is men-
tioned—" We have nothing new here, except the
arrival of Prince Gortschakoff, and grand preparations
making for a formidable attack upon Matschin, for
which purpose the pontoon bridge now ready here is,
they say, to be thrown across the Danube."
LOST AND FOUND.—News a long time since reached
Jersey that Peter le Maistre, a native of that island was
dead, he having been wrecked on an island in the South
Sea. His friends have just received a letter;dated Ton-
gatabo, July 28, 1853, from Peter le Maistre, stating
that he is working as a carpenter on the island on which
he was wrecked and was unable to get away.. •